I. STATEMENT & BACKGROUND Essays - Server, Server Hardware

I. Proclamation and BACKGROUND The school of Business (COB) server is presently being utilized to help convey to the PC Information System (CIS) office. The CIS teachers would utilize the server for different activities. Assignments, email, and different sorts of data would be simpler for the understudies to get to. System clients can share documents, printers and different assets; send electronic messages and run programs on different PCs. Be that as it may, certain significant issues should be tended to and focused on. So as to start the way toward setting up the COB server, the absolute quantities of clients (workforce and understudies) must be resolved. Some other noteworthy components to be drawn nearer are: the necessary programming applications required on the organize, a proficient and proper catalog structure and viable security structure. In planning the registry structure, the significant spotlight must be on openness. The quantity of undergrad CIS courses that the server will be utilized for is be! tween 15 and 17. For the clients to be guaranteed that their data isn't in danger, we will make a viable security structure. In creating the suitable security structure there must be certain entrance rights doled out to the clients. A significant specialized detail in setting up a server is the measure of cash that should be apportioned for the rebuilding of the framework. For the framework to work appropriately, the measure of equipment/programming should be resolved. II. Practical REQUIREMENTS The COB server will fundamentally be utilized by CIS teachers and CIS understudies. The rough number of teachers in the CIS division is somewhere in the range of five and seven and the rough number of CIS majors is somewhere in the range of 100 and 120. As PC innovation proceeds to develop, the quantity of CIS majors is incomprehensibly expanding. In the event that we see an extensive ascent in PC Information Systems majors the office should grow its employees. The CIS educators will utilize the server to dispense their prospectuses, convey explicit assignments and send email to their understudies. The format, structure and multifaceted nature of each class will decide how much the educator might be utilizing the server. The five star a CIS major as a rule takes at Western is CIS 251. The executives Information Frameworks (CIS 251). This class offers understudies a reason for the executives data frameworks in business associations. In putting the COB server to utilize and preparing the understudy for hands-on information on PC based data frameworks, CIS 251 spotlights on investigation, improvement, structure, usage, and assessment. Different errands that are canvassed in this class are PC applications ins spreadsheets, word processors, and database frameworks. Data frameworks influence both agents and individuals who live in the public arena. The primary programming class CIS majors take is CIS 256. This CIS course will be very advantageous for the server. Business Computer Programming (CIS 256) acquaints the understudy with a use of programming guideline in business. Point by point assignments include flowcharting, coding, documentation, and testing. This course gives the understudy a foundation of PC design and information portrayal. This class record will require the BASIC programming language that will be utilized just as the compiler. The CIS elective, CIS 301, stresses most extreme hands-on involvement in microcomputers and programming bundles, including word handling, spreadsheets, database supervisors, and realistic frameworks. Microcomputer Applications (CIS 301), is a significant course for understudies not studying Computer Information Systems, yet might want to acquaint themselves with the PC. This record will contain Microsoft Office and email abilities. A significant class that gets helpful for the server is the CIS 358 course. The teacher can send applications, reports, programs and other information to the server where the understudy can move to a circle or their VAX account. Applications Development II (CIS 358) is an investigation of the condition of workmanship apparatuses and strategies for creating complex business applications; information association, on-line preparing, programming designing, and programming upkeep. This CIS class is an augmentation to CIS 258. The understudy will extend his/her insight into the COBOL programming language. All together for the CIS major to apply guideline of good application structure furthermore, tackling issues, the Visual Basic programming language will likewise be presented. The represent these two classes will contain the COBOL programming language and the compiler for it just as Visual Basic. For the understudies to get familiar with customer server innovation, CIS 365 is required to the PC Information Systems educational program. The understudy will be associated with finding out about various sorts of customer server condition, for example, arranging Worldwide Web condition and building a Netware LAN to

Euro-Definition, History, & Facts Research Paper

Euro-Definition, History, and Facts - Research Paper Example Part II presents the impacts of the euro in global business and exchange as the second biggest money on the planet economy. It additionally investigates the utilization of the euro outside the euro region and the Iranian Oil Bourse. Part III presents varying perspectives on the impacts of the euro on the economies of the part states in the euro territory. It likewise presents the impacts of the euro on the diverse financial exchanges of the part states. Experimental information on the impacts of the euro are talked about in Part IV, introducing information from 2002 to June of 2006. Parts VI and VII investigate the remain of the United Kingdom (UK) on the selection of the euro. It talks about the measures set by the UK which the euro needs to go before its reception. Likewise talked about are the potential impacts should the UK receive the euro, introducing the various sides of the issue. The European single money may follow its causes back to the vision of a considerably progressively joined Europe getting a charge out of monetary flourishing, where the individuals, administrations, capital, and merchandise move openly across part nations. This was first converted into words in the Treaty of Rome in 1957. The Marjolin Memorandum, an European Commission record, gave in 1962, was the primary Memorandum to open prospects toward Community level financial and money related association. The possibility of a particular fiscal character by and by surfaced in the Barre Plan put together by the European Commission in 1969. Making this vision a stride further, the Single European Act (1986) and the Treaty on European Union (1992) presented the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), the third period of which started with the setting of the trade paces of the various monetary forms (European Central Bank, 2004). Additionally, the advocates of the Single European Act presented the Single Market which supposedly promotes more prominent financial mix among part states. In any case, it is seen this must be completely accomplished with a solitary cash. A solitary money is relied upon to guarantee cost straightforwardness, kill conversion scale dangers, diminish exchange costs and eventually increment the financial advancement of the euro territory. (European Central Bank, 2006) Also, having been plagued with poor monetary development since the 1970s, the dispatch of the euro as the single cash of the EMU part states was relied upon to address the reasons for the issues of high expansion, high loan fees, and impractical open funds which are qualities of exceedingly directed and divided markets. The EMU was relied upon to make ready for more prominent macroeconomic solidness and improved financial productivity in the euro zone. (European Commission DG-EFA, 2004). On 01 January 1999, the normal cash is received by Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, and Finland, with Greece thusly joining on 01 January 2001Two years consequently, on 01 January 2002, euro notes and coins were introduced.â â

Metaphor of the Month Ivory Tower Richmond Writing

Metaphor of the Month Ivory Tower Richmond Writing This week we begin a new monthly feature. And the timing, in our second week of classes, is spot-on appropriate. For new students who may have forgotten the concept, a metaphor is a type of figurative speech calling a person or thing something it is not, such as John is a real skunk! or the famous parables in the Bible, with the Kingdom of Heaven suddenly becoming a mustard seed. Now on to our first academic metaphor. We think, commonly, of The Ivory Tower being the haunt of cloistered academics.   Where on earth did that come from? French, actually. The OED Online traces the origin of our term to the second quarter of the 19th Century, from  tour divoire, as a place of sanctuary from the world and its troubles.   The image is older, going back to (thank you, Wikipedia) to The Song of Solomon 7:4: Thy neck  is  as a tower of ivory; thine eyes  like  the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose  is  as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus. The similes and metaphors just pile up here, rather odd tools of seduction, and in this book of the Bible they get racy, fast. Have a look yourself. In any case, I find it fascinating that none of the examples provided by the Oxford English Dictionary, as well as my antique version of Websters New Collegiate, show the drift in meaning to academia, especially toward the negative sense that political pundits often use to attack us. Only The American Heritage Dictionary sheds a little light (another metaphor!) on our phrase, noting a place of intellectual considerations rather than practical everyday life. I have many colleagues who would argue that our business in the Ivory Tower is very much about everyday life, especially how to live it in a considered and enlightened way, but this post is no more an op-ed than it is a look at the Bibles salacious metaphors. Yet that final definition gets us to the pejorative sense of the term. Other ages had Lotus-Lands. We moderns are only left with an ivory tower. Please nominate a word or metaphor useful in academic writing by e-mailing me (jessid -at- richmond -dot- edu) or leaving a comment below. See all of our Words of the Week  here. Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0  of St. Johns College, Cambridge, courtesy of Wikipedia.

The Importance of Addressing Grief - 546 Words

There are many types of grief and many theories that are used when assessing a person’s situation. There are many forms of grief and they may be experienced by different groups of people. At times it can difficult to figure out what type of grief a person is experiencing and what help they may need. In order to find this information there are many theories that are used. Grief is complicated and no one experiences it the same way but there are some common aspects that are shared by those who grieve. Some of the types of grief are: normal grief, anticipatory grief and disenfranchised grief. Normal grief is when people move from loss to acptance of the loss. Normal grief also has little impact on the person’s life in the long term because many of the symptoms will lesson over time. This would be what a large part of the population go through when they experience loss, but there are other types of grief that have long lasting effects. A form of grief that is felt before the loss is anticipatory grief. This type of grief is experience by the family of someone who is dying, they have time to process the idea that a family member is dying and to accomplish any tasks that need to be addressed. At times even when families know that people are dying they may not have the chance to grieve like they need to because of society. For those do not follow what is considered normal, greieving can sometimes be difficult. The type of grief that deals with this aspect is disenfranchisedShow MoreRelatedDeath Beyond The Classroom Setting987 Words   |  4 Pagesjust where Leming (2011) found himself, standing at the crossroad of frustration. This is a terrible place to be caught in, especially when you are in search of answers for your own life and others are looking to you for answers to aid them with addressing life’s issues. Perhaps, if and when I come to this place in my life again, I can approach it differently than before. 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Racism in Literature Essay - 2573 Words

Literature Analysis Most literature authors write stories on different genres like poems, stories, and plays. These works are written using a variety of elements of literature for instance setting, themes, conflict, and characters. The following essay discusses the element of racism as a theme in Margaret Laurence’s short story â€Å"The Loons,† Langston Hughes’ poem, I Too, Sing America, and W.E.B Du Bois’ book, â€Å"The Souls of Black Folk.† â€Å"The Loons† is a short story that was done by Margaret Laurence together with other stories in the sequence â€Å"A bird in the House† and was published in 1970. The story centers on the narrator and the main character Vanessa McLeod, a white girl and her youth days in a fictional town known as Manawaka,†¦show more content†¦This is a clear indicator of social prejudice. Piquette’s attitude and world is misinterpreted and misunderstood because the dominant whites chose so. Beth, Vanessa’ s mother also feels that Piquettes’s company will affect her children. Vanessa’s father’ good intention of inviting Piquette to their holiday trips illustrates the theme of racism and social alienation in the story. Piquette refuses to acknowledge the invitation to play with Vanessa. Vanessa asks her â€Å"want to come and play?† She retorts sharply with a scorn â€Å"I ain’t kid† much to Vanessa’s surprise (Laurence, 2001). This illustrates the nasty experiences of racial and social alienation that Vanessa has gone through. She does not want to be friendly to the whites. The Mà ©tis are a rejected lot and she feels things should remain the way they are. This shows that she had been hurt by the whites and does not trust any of them. Piquette feels that she can do nothing much when it comes to bridging the gap between the whites and the Mà ©tis and ignores all the attempts to socialize with Vanessa. The whites have a good life of lux ury. 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Finanacial Evaluation of Unilever Free Essays

Table of Contents Table of Content3 List of Tables4 Table 1 6 1. Introduction2 2. Main Body2 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Finanacial Evaluation of Unilever or any similar topic only for you Order Now Management Structure4 4. Ability to Earn Income 5 5. Size of Inventory Held5 6. Relience on Debt Financing5 7. Key Indicators for 2011 and 20126 8. Profitability of var. Product Lines and Geographic Regions 6 Table 28 9. FINANCIAL RATIOS FOR UNILEVER10 9. 1 Operations Analysis10 9. 2 Liquidity Analysis12 9. 3 Debt and Solvency Analysis 14 9. 4 Profitability Analysis15 5. CONCLUSION16 LIST OF REFERENCES17 Introduction When evaluating a company important is to know company’s history, operations and the nature of the business in which it operates. On other hand by reviewing company’s financial statements, operational practices we can evaluate its performance and compare it with the previous years or with the key competitors. By analyzing its financial indicators we can assess how profitable and sound the company is. This research paper will give brief description Unilever, its main divisions and products, its managements structure and the financial performance evaluation, with an aim to highlight the best practices and the growth drivers. Main Body 2. 1 Profile of the company, its divisions, products and supply chain Unilever is multinational corporation and is one of the worlds fast moving consumer goods companies with a host of well known brands. The company operates through four segments: Personal Care, Foods, Refreshment, and Home Care. Unilever is a joint venture of two companies that date back from the late nineteen century. It was formed by two Dutch families, Jurgens and Van den Bergh, butter merchants who later started producing margarine and by the British soap producer William Hesketh Lever. Since the early nineteen century the two companies were concentrated on acquisitions and in the early 1929 they signed an agreement to create Unilever (Unilever, 1929 p. 2). Unilever over the last two decades acquired the meat business Zwanenberg’s at Oss, Lipton International, Brooke Bond, Naarden, Calvin Klein and Elizabeth Arden/Faberge, Brayers ice cream, Kibon ice cream, Bestfoods, Slim Fast Foods, Ben Jerry’s and the Amora-Maille. In 1992 Unilever entered the Czech Republic and Hungary, and established UniRus in Russia, also enters in India and other parts of the world. (Unilever, 1995 p. 3) Unilever N. V. operates as a fast-moving consumer goods company in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, Europe, and the Americas Unilever possesses a portfolio of more than 400 brands, from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. Their products are sold in more than 190 countries, generating sales of â‚ ¬51 billion in 2012. In the 21st century they launched growth strategies, in order to transform the business, leading to more acquisitions, rationalization of manufacturing and production sites to form centers of excellence. Unilever is responding quickly to rapid shifts in consumer behavior by investing in Research and Development and changing market conditions. Unilever’s sells its product across 170 countries and their procurement teams are purchasing from a network of around 160,000 suppliers worldwide. For the same reason its suppliers’ materials and services are an integral part of their commercial operations. Unilever has integrated supply management informational system that helps their local, regional and global supply managers to make appropriate sourcing decisions, allowing them to analyze information quickly and easily. Through this system they can negotiate with their suppliers in a more transparent and efficient way. Unilever’s largest international competitors are Procter Gamble and Nestle. While the competition in local markets or specific product ranges from numerous companies, including Beiersdorf, ConAgra, Danone, Henkel, Mars, Pepsico, and others (Unilever) Management Structure Maintaining good governance is one of the essentials factors for the long-term success of the company. For the same reason Unilever is engaged in conducting its operations in accordance with internationally accepted principles of good corporate governance. The success of Unilever is due to a combination of structural formality and managerial flexibility. Being a company that is present for more than a century, that operated in changing and transitional environment, is evidence of a flexible management structure that made Unilever successful (Floris 1992,p. 6). Learning through a trial and error Unilever has focused on two reliable and related practices to strengthen all structural changes: recruitment and training of high-quality managers, and the importance of linking decentralized units through a common corporate culture (Annual report 2012 p. 5) Unilever’s companies maintain formal processes to inform, consult and involve employees. They recognize collective bargaining on a number of sites and engage with employees. Their usage of sites tools such as Total Productive Maintenance rely heavily on employee involvement, contribution and commitment (Annual Report 2012 p. 28). The profitable growth that Unilever accomplishes is mai nly due and is achieved through the right people working in an organization that is fit to win and with a culture in which performance is aligned with values. Unilever has built an employer brand development tool which leverages best practice, and adapts recruitment models to reach the best people worldwide. The better recruitment, family-friendly working conditions, a culture of accountability, initiatives, and remuneration represent one of the crucial factors for the success which it achieves (Annual Report 2012, p. 66). Ability to earn income Unilever’s ability to earn income has increased due to the increase in revenue. In 2012 their ability to earn income has increased by 8. % compared with 2011, and with no changes from 2010 to 2011 (Annual Report 2012/11, p. 32 p. 24). Size of inventory held millionsmillionsmillions Inventories 201220112010 Raw materials and consumables1. 5171. 5381. 554 Finished goods and goods for resale2. 9193. 0172. 753 4. 4364. 6014. 307 Source: www. unilever. com The size of inventory during the last three years was moving closely. The raw materials and consumables from 2010 to 2011 decreased by 1% and in 2012 by 1. 3%. On the other hand the finished goods and goods for resale increased by 8. 5 in 2011 and a decrease of 3. 35% in 2012. This change in the finished goods and goods for resale was charged to the income statement for damaged, obsolete and lost inventories (Annual Report 2012/11, p. 113). Reliance on debt financing The net debt position in 2011 was 8. 781 billion or â‚ ¬2. 1 billion higher than the last year, in part due to the acquisition of Alberto Culver (Annual Report 2011, p. 28). In 2012 the net debt was 7. 355 billion, or 1. 4 billion lower than 2011. The cash outflow from acquisitions, dividends, tax, net capital expenditure and interest, and the negative impact of foreign exchange rates exceeded the cash inflow from operating activities and business disposals. The leverage ratio reveals that 32% of the financing its covered by debt (Annual Report 2012, p. 36). Key indicators for 2011 and 2012 The sales growth of Unilever in 2011 increased by 6. 5% and volume growth by 1. 6%. Emerging markets delivered 11. 5% underlying sales growth and turnover of 5% compared to 2010 (Annual Report 2011, p. 9). In 2012 the sale growth increased by 6. % and volume growth increase of 3. 4%. Emerging markets represented 55% of the turnover or 11. 6% of sales and turnover of 10. 5% compared to 2011 (Annual Report 2012, p. 9). Profitability of various product lines and geographical regions The region with the highest turnover, sales and volume growth in 2011 and 2012 is Asia, Africa and Central Eastern Europe with over â‚ ¬20. 5 billion of turnov er in 2012 and â‚ ¬18. 9 in 2011. Followed by Americas â‚ ¬17. 1 billion in 2012 and â‚ ¬15. 3 in 2011. the last is Western Europe with turnover of â‚ ¬ 13. 9 in 2012 and â‚ ¬12. in 2011 (Annual Report 2012/11, p. 10) Table 2 Formulas for Financial Ratios (Methodology) FormulasNumber 1. Activities (Operating) ratios Inventory Turnover = COGS/average inventory1. 1 Average number days in stock =365 days/inventory turnover1. 1. 1 Receivables Turnover = Net Sales/average receivables 1. 2 Av. Number of days receivables outstanding =365days/receivables turnover 1. 2. 1 Account Payable Turnover =Cost of Sale/Average Acc. Payable 1. 3 Av. N. of days payables outstanding =365days/payable turnover1. 3. 1 Working Capital Turnover =Sales/Average Working Capital . 4 Fixed asset turnover =net sales/av. Net fixed assets1. 5 Asset Turnover Ratio= Net Sales/Average Total Asset1. 6 Liquidity ratios Current Ratio= Current Assets/Current Liabilities2. 1. Quick Ratio= ((Cash + Marketable Securities)+ Acc. Receivables)/Current Liabilities2. 2 Cash Ratio =(Cash + Marketable Securities)/Current Liabilities2. 3 Cash Flow From Operations Ratio = CFO/Current Liabilities2. 4 Solvency ratios Debt to Capital Ratio= Total Debt/Total Capital3. 1 Times Interest Earned Ratio= EBIT/Interest Expense3. 2 CFO to Debt Ratio=CFO/Total Debt3. 3 Total Debt Ratio=Total Liabilities/Total Assets3. 4 Leverage Ratio= Long term debt/ (Long term debt+ Shareholders equity)3. 5 Profitability ratios Gross Profit Margin= Gross Profit/Net Sales4. 1 Operating Profit Margin = Operating Income/Net Sales4. 2 Pre Tax Margin = EBT/Sales4. 3 Return on Assets= EBIT/Average Total Assets4. 4 Return on Total Capital= (Net Income + Interest Expense)/(Long-Term debt +Equity)4. 5 Return On Total Equity = Net Income/Average Total Equity 4. 6 Authors own sources FINANCIAL RATIOS FOR UNILEVER 9. 1. Operational analysis Formula 1. 1 Formula 1. 1. Average inventory2010 =3942. 5 Average inventory2011 =4454 Average inventory2012=4518. 5 Inventory turnover ratio2010 =6. 57 Average number days in stock2010 =55. 6 days Inventory turnover ratio2011 = 6. 27 Average number days in stock2011 = 58. 2 days Inventory turnover ratio2012 = 6. 53 Average number days in stock2012 = 55days Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has performed better. Higher the ratio, better it is. W hich means that in 2012 it required 55 days to turnover(renew its inventory) Formula 1. 2 Formula 1. 2. 1 Average receivebles2010 =2424. 5 Average receivebles2011 = 2719 Average receivebles2012 =3666. 5 Receivables Turnover 2010 = 18. 23 Av. Number of days receivables outstanding2010 =20days Receivables Turnover 2011 =17. 09 Av. Number of days receivables outstanding2011 =21. 3days Receivables Turnover 2012 =14 Av. Number of days receivables outstanding2012 =26days Conclusion: In year 2010 UN has performed better. Higher the ratio, better it is. Which means that in 2010 it required 20 days to collect its receivables from customers. Formula 1. 3 Formula 1. 3. 1 Average payables2010 = 5006 Average payables2011 = 6398. 5 Average payables2012 = 9217 Account Payable Turnover 2010 = 5. 1 Av. N. of days payables outstanding 2010 =71. 56days Account Payable Turnover 2011 = 4. 36 Av. N. of days payables outstanding 2011 = 83. 6days Account Payable Turnover 2012 = 3. 2 Av. N. of days payables outstanding 2012 =114days Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has performed better. Lower the ratio, better it is. Which means that in 2012 it required 114 days do pay its liabilities. By extending the period the company enables financing of its operation activities. Formula 1. 4 Average working capital2010 = -931 Average working capital2011 = -2356 Average working capital2012 = -3653 Working Capital Turnover2010 = -47. 54 Working Capital Turnover2011 = -19. 72 Working Capital Turnover2012 = -14 Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has performed better. Higher the ratio, better it is. Which means that in 2012 UN had more efficient utilization of the working capital, needed for maintaining certain level of sales, and even though it is negative we can see sharp decrease during the precedent years. Formula 1. 5 Average fix assets2010 = 6218 Average fix assets2011 =7033 Average fix assets2012 =8404 Fixed asset Turnover2010= 7. 11 Fixed asset Turnover2011= 6. 6 Fixed asset Turnover2012= 6. 1 Conclusion: In year 2010 UN has higher ratio. This means that in 2010 UN had more efficient utilization of the long-term capital investments. Formula 1. 6 Average total assets2010 =39094 Average total assets2011 =44342 Average total assets2012 =46839 Asset Turnover Ratio 2010 = 1. 13 Asset Turnover Ratio 2011 = 1. 048 Asset Turnover Ratio 2012 = 1. 1 Conclusion: In year 2010 and 2012 UN has higher ratio. This means that had higher and more efficient performance of the company. 9. 2 Liquidity analysis Formula 2. 1 Current Ratio2010 = 0. 92 Current Ratio2011 = 0. 79 Current Ratio2012 = 0. 76 Conclusion: In year 2010 UN has higher ratio. A commonly acceptable current ratio is 1. 5-2. This level of ratio may show than UN cannot meet its short-term financial obligations. Formula 2. 2 Quick Ratio2010 = 0. 36 Quick Ratio2011 =0. 37 Quick Ratio2012 =0. 46 Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has higher ratio. This means that in 2012 UN was more financially secure to meet its short-term financial obligations. Commonly acceptable current ratio is 1, but may vary from industry to industry. Formula 2. 3 Cash Ratio2010 =0. 179 Cash Ratio2011 = 0. 21 Cash Ratio2012 = 0. 182 Conclusion: In year 2011 UN has higher ratio. This indicates that in 2011 UN has good level of liquid assets which can be easily used to pay its current obligations. Formula 2. 4 CFO Ratio2010 = 0. 4034 CFO Ratio2011 =0. 3 CFO Ratio2012 =0. 432 Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has higher ratio. This indicates that in 2012 UN current liabilities were covered by the cash flow generated from operations. 9. 3 Debt and solvency analysis Formula 3. 1 Debt to Capital Ratio2010 = 1. 18 Debt to Capital Ratio2011 = 1. 44 Debt to Capital Ratio2012 = 1. 308 Conclusion: In year 2011 UN has higher ratio. This means that in 2011 UN has low level of capital that is financed through debt. Formula 3. 2 Times interest earned2010 = 6. 46 Times interest earned2011 = 11. 66 Times interest earned2012 = 12. 87 Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has higher ratio. This means that in 2012 UN can 13 times make the interest payments on its debt with its EBIT, or this means that it easily can pay interest expenses on outstanding debt. Formula 3. 3 CFO to Debt Ratio 2010 = 0. 21 CFO to Debt Ratio 2011 =0. 16 CFO to Debt Ratio 2012 =0. 25 Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has higher ratio. This means that in 2012 UN has higher ability to cover the total debt from the cash flow from operations Formula 3. 4 Total Debt Ratio 2010 =0. 63 Total Debt Ratio 2011 =0. 68 Total Debt Ratio 2012 =0. 66 Conclusion: In year 2010 UN has lower ratio. This means that in 2010 UN risk is lower and the company relies less on debt to finance its assets. F ormula 3. 5 Leverage Ratio 2011 =0. 38=38% Leverage Ratio 2012 =0. 32=32% Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has lower ratio. This means that in 2012 Unilever had 32% of its financing covered by debt. . 4 Profitability Analysis Formula 4. 1 Gross Profit Margin 2010 = 0. 41 Gross Profit Margin 2011 = 0. 39 Gross Profit Margin 2012 = 0. 45 Conclusion: In year 2012 UN has higher ratio. This means that in 2012 UN has higher earnings taking into consideration the costs that it incurs for producing its products. Formula 4. 2 Operating Profit Margin 2010 = 0. 144 Operating Profit Margin 2011 = 0. 142 Operating Profit Margin 2012 = 0. 137 Conclusion: In year 2010 UN has higher ratio. This means that in 2010 UN profit left after paying its variable costs was higher. Formula 4. 3 Pre-tax Margin 2010 = 0. 06 Pre-tax Margin 2011 = 0. 123 Pre-tax Margin 2012 = 0. 122 Conclusion: In 2011 and 2012 UN has high ratio. This indicates that in 2011 and 2012 UN had greater profitability, comparing it with 2010 when it was two times lower. Formula 4. 4 Average Total assets2010 = 39094 Average Total assets2011 =44342 Average Total assets2012 =46839 ROA 2010 = 10. 8% ROA 2011 = 9. 58% ROA 2012 = 9. 56% Conclusion: : In year 2010 UN has higher ratio which suggest that it has earned more money and invested less in assets. Formula 4. 5 ROC2010 = 11. 36% ROC2011 = 21. 14% ROC2012 = 22. 3% Conclusion:In 2012 UN has higher ratio which indicates the return that UN is achieving from the capital employed and this return has doubled from 2010 to 2011/12. Formula 4. 6 ROE2010 = 28. 14% ROE2011 = 28. 49% ROE2012 = 29. 25% Conclusion: In 2012 UN has higher ratio which indicates a high level of profit UN earned in comparison to the total amount of shareholder equity. This ratio measures how profitable Unilever is for the owners of the investment, and how profitably the company employs its equity. Conclusion The purpose of this paper was to reveal the financial performance of Unilever and to make an evaluation and assessment of the firm’s management structure and what contributes to the success they achieve and key figures and ratios. The financial position of Unilever for 2012 was admirable, due to the fact that had increased revenues, sales and volume growth of its divisions worldwide and decreased net debt. The compared data for 2010,2011, and 2012 show continuous improvement and increase of their financial position. List of references Unilever site www. unilever. com Annual Report 2012, Available at: http://www. unilever. com/images/ir_Unilever_AR12_tcm13-348376. pdf [Accessed date 05/03/2012] Annual Report 2011, Available at: http://www. unilever. com/images/Unilever_AR11_tcm13-282960_tcm13-348380. pdf [Accessed date 07/03/2012} Floris M. (1992), Inside Unilever: The Evolving Transnational Company, Harvard Business Review; Vol. 70 Issue 5, p46-52, EBSCO Host http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? vid=4=8aace911-769a-43f3-9949-b4364f9185cf%40sessionmgr111=124=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth=9301105365 [Accessed date 09/03/2012] How to cite Finanacial Evaluation of Unilever, Essay examples

A Streetcar Named Desire, Literary Analysis free essay sample

Williams took great care in applying each of these literary device techniques to the theme as he presents an intriguing contrast between Blanche and Stanley, vivid images both animalistic and broken, and imploring the use of the Odyssey to further deepen his characters. Each of these devices though varied in style combine effortlessly in this tragedy. One of the ways that Williams portrays his theme in this play was by using the literary device Foil. This is most important in characterization and is also seen in the economy vs. relationships. In the play Williams purposefully misdirects readers by using male against female. As in Stanley telling Stella what to do in certain situations, and also telling Blanche what she is going to do about the papers and Napoleonic code about â€Å"lost Belle Reve. † (Williams 40-43) There is also the Poker Table scene in which this places Stella and Blanche in opposition and Mitch and Stanley. We will write a custom essay sample on A Streetcar Named Desire, Literary Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mitch wants to continue talking with Blanche and Stanley wants Mitch to come and play poker. Mitch continually tries to leave saying that he needs to get home to his sick mother. Stanley obviously does not understand Mitch’s situation and his need to be home. Stanley is really impatient as in he doesn’t like any distractions while he is playing his game. Stanley and Blanche both struggle for Stella’s attention, and they both want Stella on their side. In A Streetcar Named Desire the literary device known as imagery is constant and throughout the entire play. The image of animal nature is portrayed as equal to Stanley. â€Å"Bears her in the dark,† it is never said, but in those words you can gather that Stanley raped Blanche. The low moans of the clarinet and the blue piano all portray the image of what an animal would do. (Williams 129) Another form of imagery in the play is broken images. There is the broken mirror and Mitch tearing the lamp. There is also Blanche’s husband Hickey killing himself. There is also the loss of the baby which is a broken part of the story. Intertextuality is the shaping of texts meanings by other texts. Williams uses this literary device by referring to Book Nine of the Odyssey. Blanche is equal to deception. She is always flirting with some man especially Stanley. Anytime she gets the chance while Stella is out of the room. Blanche is like Odysseus because she is very well aware of her deceptive truths. She uses them to manipulate in situations. She blinds Stanley by her deceptive ways. Intertextuality is also used in the image of Cyclopes. Stanley portrays the image of Cyclopes. He is also referred to as â€Å"One-eye monster,† in the play. He is referred to this character because of his strong will and physically strong, but he falls easily into Blanche’s trap of being blinded. Although there are many other literary devices that are used throughout A Streetcar Named Desire these devices work together in unison to thoroughly express the theme in their struggle to attain happiness. Though they try very hard the happiness is never really gained. These literary devices are used to create an image in the readers minds that Williams intended to do. I found myself questioning while reading this play, â€Å"Why is the title of the play A Streetcar Named Desire? † Well I found that while reading in the beginning of the play Blanche comes into town and she is a look for a streetcar like a trolley or taxi entitled Desire. So she takes this streetcar to her Stella her sister’s house. At the end of the play Blanche is taken away in a mental institution vehicle she is not well. It is implied that another streetcar came to pick up Blanche, but not one called Desire.

From What I Can Remember free essay sample

If you’ve ever lost someone who was close to you, sometimes it can be hard to remember specific details about that person. Sometimes I feel like no matter how hard I try to remember things about my father, there are distinctive features I can’t seem to recall. It’s easy to forget the way he smiled, how he laughed, how he smelled, and sometimes its hard to remember the sound of his voice. Of course, it is easy to glance at a picture and recall physical features about him, but no photograph will ever be able to capture his emotions or distinctive traits that I found to be interesting about him. Some times I also find it hard to remember his physical characteristics that I loved most. There are some details that I know I will never forget. But then there are those details that slip my mind. Somehow I have found it is easier for me to remember most details about my father from when I was a little girl opposed to memories of him as I got older. We will write a custom essay sample on From What I Can Remember or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I like to reflect back and think about moments we shared together. I can recall when I was a little girl how I used to crawl up onto my father’s lap. He would sit in his big, old, black chair and bounce me up and down on his knee until one of us got tired. I would run my tiny fingers through the gray strands that sat upon his head. The contrast between his ash colored hair and mulatto complexion made me wonder why people always said I looked like him. It could have possibly been his unkept eyebrows that made an odd, black path across the top of his face. Or maybe it was because we had the same eyes. His looked like deep pools of brown honey that became inundated with salty tears on more occasions than I can recall. He would rest his face against mine. I hated the feeling and would quickly turn my head in the opposite direction. His cheeks reminded me of a rose bush. They were soft and beautiful at a glance, but if I touched it them, I was bound to get poked by one of the many prickly thorns that graced it. He had a wide nose and paper thin l ips that hid behind his salt and pepper mustache. I used to love burring my face into his neck. Time had caused it to become somewhat wrinkled and droopy but I loved the feeling more than he could ever imagine. If I sat with him for long enough, I would fall asleep with my head resting on his shoulder. My father’s long, hairy arms and tough hands would hold on to me, not wanting to let me go. His grip was strong and assured me that I wouldn’t fall, but still gentle enough not to awake me. Often times my father would compare his hands to mine. On many occasions we would examine them palm to palm, and he would tell me that mine reflected a person who had never worked a day in their life. However, his hands reminded me of a battle field full scars and imperfections that created a rather rough texture. I will never forget the smell of cigarette smoke and Old Spice that was buried deep in his clothing. As I would pretend to be fast asleep, I would relax my head against his chest. I liked the settle way it moved up and down as he would breath. Occasionally he would let out a cough, which forced me to change positions once again. Now my long legs seemed to be flung across the arm rest of his chair, while the rest of my body stretched across his stomach. My father was never a hefty man, but he always seemed to have a slight pot-belly. It would always make strange noises that I never understood. I definitely imagined it having a mind of its own and never caring who heard it speak. When he could no longer sit there and be entertained by what was on the television screen, he would awaken me and tell me it was time to go to bed. I would lay there for a minute, pretending like I was in a deep sleep and couldn’t hear him. But no matter how long I would lie there, he would never end up carrying me to my room and tucking me into bed. He always made me walk. Still pretending to be in a deep sleep, I would stand up and wait until he did the same so I could follow him to my room. He rose slowly and was extremely taller than he appeared to be sitting down. His old age made it obvious that he could no longer stand as upright as he did before, but none the less he still stood tall. As I followed slowly behind him, my eye level was about the same height as his waist. Most times he wore cut off blue jeans that revealed two pencil thin legs. From his thighs to his ankles the size didn’t seem to change. Attached to his skinny ankles were two size ten feet that s eemed to disappear into his socks and shoes. He moved like molasses, never in a hurry for anybody. He was extremely slew footed, making each step look more awkward than the last, but yet no walk suited him better. Once we reached my room, I would climb in bed and fall fast asleep, never remembering anything after that. My father and I spent many nights going through this same routine, but as I became older, things apparently changed. Now that he has passed on, I try my hardest to make sure that the memories I do have stay steady in my mind, and don’t disappear as time passes. What I do remember will stay with me, and I will cherish it forever.

Financial Crisis in Iceland Essay Example

Financial Crisis in Iceland Essay Example Financial Crisis in Iceland Paper Financial Crisis in Iceland Paper This assignment is part of ECM04 Economics of Capital Markets module on phase 2 in MSc. Finance and Investment at University of Brighton 2008-2009. The assignment is to analyze the Icelandic financial crisis which eventually led to the collapse of the Icelandic banking system and the economy as a whole. In order to analyse the Icelandic financial crisis we will begin to look at the background and what we regard as the causes, look at the consequences and future prospects. In the end we compare the Icelandic financial crisis to a model which Kindleberger covers in his book Manias, Panics and Crashes. Kindleberger (1978) describes financial crisis in the following way: What happens, basically, is that some event changes the economic outlook. New opportunities for profits are seized, and overdone, in ways so closely resembling irrationality as to constitute a mania. Once the excessive character of the upswing is realized, the financial system experiences a sort of distress, in the course of which the rush to reverse the expansion process may become so precipitous as to resemble panic. In the manic phase, people of wealth or credit switch out of money or borrow to buy real or illiquid financial assets. In panic, the reverse movement takes place, from real or financial assets to money, or repayment of debt, with a crash in the prices of commodities, houses buildings, land, stocks, and bonds in short, in whatever has been the subject of the mania. Background Causes European Economic Area Icelandic government control over the economy has reduced over time. The most dominant decision was when Iceland entered the European Economic Area (EEA) in 1994. When Iceland joined the EEA it got access to European markets and adopted European regulations. : Joining the EEA had a positive impact on the economy, however opening an insular economy to the EEA without significant institutional reforms carried with it dangers. Neither the Icelandic authorities nor private firms were prepared to operate in such an environment. This is especially relevant in the case of banking where the aim of Icelandic government was to build up financial centre in Iceland. To be able to build up financial centre it was very important to join EES in order to have access to European markets and adopt European regulations. This was new experience for Iceland to have the access to foreign capital because for most of the 20th century the economy was heavily regulated. (Dani elsson Zoega, 2009) Free Capital Transfer and Privatization of the Banks In continuance of EEA agreement, Icelandic government decided to privatize the three biggest banks which started 1997 and was fully completed in 2003. The new owners of the banks had little or no experience of international banking, the same applied for the Icelandic government. When Iceland accessed EEA, it faced full freedom in export and import of capital transfer among other things and the new owners of the banks began to expand the old commercial banks into investment banking. The new investment banks could get cheap capital which was easy at that time. Figure 1 shows how foreign debts have increased since Iceland got independent and it is interesting to see how the foreign debts increased dramatically when the banks had been fully privatized in 2003. (i lafssson, 2008) Figure 1: Shows foreign debts of the Icelandic economy gross dept, long term debts and net foreign debts, in proportion of GDP. Source: i lafsson, 2008 Figure 1 illustrates how easy it was to get capital at that time and the new owners of the banks forced ahead on the capital markets to finance their investments abroad. Foreign debts of the Icelandic economy were seven times GDP just four years after privatization of the banks. The study of financial economics teach us that when foreign debts increase enormously, real estate and stock price rise, there is obvious signs of increasing risk of financial crisis. (Kindleberger, 1978) Figure 2: Shows net debts of the national economy year 2005, in multi-national comparison foreign and domestic debts in proportion of GDP. Source: i lafsson, 2008 Immediately in 2005, two years after the privatization of the banks, Iceland had become most indebted OECD country in the world, as can be seen from figure 2 (i lafsson, 2008). According to the picture the situation in Iceland was already worth of criticism in 2005, with net foreign debts around 125% of GDP. (Siguri sson Svavarsson, 2007) The banking expansion was the source of the rapid economic growth that took place between 2003 and 2007. It enabled households and firms to take advantage of the abundance of low-interest funds in international capital markets to finance domestic investment and consumption, as well as the acquisition of domestic and foreign firms. Because the banks got fund in the international wholesale market this was an externally financed boom. The inflow of capital had a predictable effect on the exchange rate, the stock market and the current account as can be seen in table 1 in Appendix B. (Dani elsson Zoega, 2009) Speculation Capitalism in Iceland The objects of speculation will differ from boom to boom and crisis to crisis. The alternative explanation of the un-sober upswing goes back to Irving Fisher, which emphasizes that the real rate of interest was too low. Prices rise on the upswing, while interest rates lag. This implies a fall in the real rate of interest. With real interest rates falling, and profit prospects either rising or steady, rational investors expand. Speculation often develops in two stages. In the first, sober stage of investment, households, firms, investors, or other actors respond to a displacement in a limited and rational way. In the second, capital gains play a dominating role. The first taste is for high interest, but that taste soon becomes secondary. There is a second appetite for large gains to make by selling the principal (Kindleberger, 1978). The Icelandic bubble fits well within the framework of Kindleberger regarding the destabilizing effects of speculative finance. The Icelandic bubble started with the excitement generated by the privatization and deregulation of financial institutions, and appear unlimited access to foreign capital markets at low interest rates. The capital inflows stimulated economic growth, the outlook brightened, further increasing the willingness to borrow. Asset prices started to rise. Euphoria developed, increasingly high-risk borrowers found easy access to capital, risk appetites increased, and firms and individuals started to borrow for speculative reasons. Borrowing on the margin to buy equities became a popular activity. Banks competition for market share intensified and they lent to increasingly high-risk borrowers. A real estate bubble ensued, fuelled by seemingly unlimited bank lending. Many of the largest asset shareholders of the Icelandic banks, was highly leveraged, were facing difficulties. Investigations has detected that largest shareholders resorted to borrowing from their own banks to buy bank stock, with a view to prop up the price. The collateral behind the loans was only the bought bank stocks. In the end, of course, the entire structure collapsed. (Dani elsson Zoega, 2007).

I need 5 seperate one page weekly current events Article

I need 5 seperate one page weekly current events - Article Example This took place after his plea. After his prosecution, the federal government prosecutors had told a judge in New York about their exaggeration regarding the capabilities of the equipment found in the goods that he had previously been arrested for exporting. The judge has not made any efforts to change the judgment although the lawyers from both sides are continuing to press on the charges This is a complex case within which some banned actions can become legal after sometime. It shows how laws can shift from governing a certain activity to the providence of freedom. In this case, it moved from national security to freedom of internet for Iranians. A dilemma is thus presented regarding those who had been convicted of an action that has now become legal. In my opinion, they should be given consideration especially if it is later found that the activities in which they were involved were not as harmful as it had been earlier stated. The article focuses on the speech given by Governor Bobby Jindal on the significance of protecting liberty in the religious context. Majorly, he focused on some of the major attacks that have taken place against religious liberty citing especially the Obama administration. The speech was related to law in the sense that it talked about the rights of all American citizens as a whole and not the prerogative of a chosen few. This was mainly with the concern of people’s freedom. According to him, despite the diversity in belief shared by members of different denominations and faiths, every citizen still bears an intrinsic right to life, liberty and to pursue happiness. Instead of it bringing out a major difference, the diversity should be a foundation that forms the basis of law and foundation. It is thus an important aspect especially if people want to work together including the entrepreneurial spirit since they form the basis of

Hostage Crisis of 1979 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hostage Crisis of 1979 - Research Paper Example number of hostages held down to 52.2 There are several questions that are being asked on what could have been the actual cause of the attack on the US embassy in Tehran by the pro Ayatollah students. There are varied views on what could have motivated them into the act. It is generally said that the Shah Pahlavi in New York may have been the cause of the crisis. Despite the acceptance of Shah into US soil being taken to be the immediate cause of the attack, the hostage taking was actually much more than Shah’s acceptance.3 This was an avenue that the participants in the act used to show that they were breaking away from the past where the Americans had been interfering with the Iran’s internal affairs by supporting Shah. Moreover, they used it to raise the profile of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The hostages were finally set free after 444 days on 21st January 1981.This coincided with the inaugural address of President Ronald Reagan. The immediate cause of this crisis was the decision by the Carter administration to accept Shah into the US.4 It was purported that Shah had travelled to the US to seek medical attention. This was a few months after government had been toppled by the Muslim Students Followers of Imam’s Line and other revolutionary groups in Iran that were opposed to Shah Pahlavi’s rule. The students were angered by the fact that Shah was accepted into the US despite the fact that he had committed atrocities against the Iranians. As a way of showing their disappointment, they decided to raid the US embassy. The group considered the USA to be the country that was responsible for the crimes that were committed by Shah and the decision by the Carter administration to accept Shah into the US was an act of disrespect to the Iranians.5 Shah Pahlavi and his administration have been blamed for the hostage crisis that took place on 1979.6 This is because he allowed the US to dictate how things were run in Iran especially when it came to matters

Colourism In The 21st Century Cultural Studies Essay

Colourism In The 21st Century Cultural Studies Essay Even though the term colourism, otherwise known as shadeism, has gained popularity in recent years, the concept is deeply rooted in the colonial days of slavery. Defined as a form of  prejudice or  discrimination  in which persons are treated differently based on the social meanings attached to skin color, this light skin versus dark skin issue has had a damaging effect on the psyche of young black Jamaicans today. However, according to Cedric Herring colourism operates in two different ways: interracially and intraracially. Interracial colourism occurs when members of one racial group make distinctions based upon skin color between members of another racial group. Intraracial colourism occurs when members of a racial group make distinctions based upon skin color between members of their own race (3). While I will be analysing both forms of colourism, the focus of this thesis will be on intraracial colourism, specifically within the Jamaican community. After the abolition of slavery in Jamaica, the immersion of a middle and lower class was integrated into the hierarchical structure of Jamaica that previously only claimed whites as the elite. As a result, due to the preferential treatment that was awarded to mulattoes-a treatment that allowed them to have an education-, they became the ruling middle class with the then former black slaves turned peasants as the lower class. To make matters worse, the historical and stereotypical depiction of Africans as ugly, stupid and uncivilized and Europeans as pretty, intelligent and superior only served to brainwash black Jamaicans into thinking that they are the inferior race. Thus, the tendency to perceive or behave toward members of a racial category based on the lightness or darkness of their skin tone has resulted in, not only the segregation of a people within a specific ethnic group, but it has also created, amongst the African Diaspora of Jamaica, extreme methods through which the they will do anything to attain as many refined European attributes as possible. According to William Lynchs letter The Making of a Slave, his secret to controlling slaves is by pitting them against each other, by exploiting differences such as age and skin color that would, after some time, sow dissension amongst them, one that would last for many years to come. While there has been extensive research and academia founded on the topic of racism within the West Indian context during the colonial period, only a few have examined intraracial skin color hierarchies amongst the black race and even less amongst the African Diaspora of Jamaica in the 21st century. It is therefore, the purpose of this study to show how stereotypes and perceptions about light and dark skin signify an inheritance of similar attitudes documented in earlier generations of black Jamaicans, which in turn, sheds light on the ever-present discrimination that continues takes place on a day to day basis in their lives. It is my hope that this study will address the following: Demonstrate the link of Jamaicas colonial past to colourism today Show the medias role toward preference and how it has affected black Jamaicans Explain the extreme measures taken in order to be brown Many historians (Henriques 1953; Norris 1962) have acknowledged the fact that slavery has had adverse psychological effects on Africans (Danieli 394), especially those of a darker complexion. As such, the preferential treatment that was awarded to mulatto slaves (James and Harris 234) has been able to transcend years of black empowerment movements in such a way that it is clearly evident in Jamaicas society today through colourism (Herring 3). According to Carolyn Cooper, the remnants of Jamaicas colonial past are ever present in the social interactions of its people today, no matter the context. Her argument is further supported by Deborah Gabriel (28) who has studied race relations among Jamaicans and attests to the fact that colour prejudice is visible in the societys socio-economic environment. Moreover, Antonio Gramscis cultural hegemony theory, which is explored in the works of Boggs (39), Gail Dines and Jean M. Humez (62), adds another dimension to the analysis of colourism by stating that the superimposition of one culture over another negatively affects their already established social structure. It is common knowledge therefore that the white ideal- through which all analyses of colourism is based- expresses the view that blacks are the inferior race and whites, the superior (Kardiner et. al 315). Even Fanons psychoanalytical theory of racism and the dehumanization of African slaves in the colonial epoch support the idea that white supremacy has led black people to develop an inferiority complex. Yet, despite the call for black unity among the African race advocated by numerous social and political groups such as the Pan-African movements and Rastafarianism (Caravantes 2003), there are still messages being transmitted that stipulate that light skin people are better t han their darker counterparts. Carl Boggs lends aid to this belief through his analysis in the role of mainstream media. His study shows how the elite in society have been able to perpetuate the ideology that whites are the superior race (39). On the other hand, however, Margaret Andersen and Howard Taylor examine the way in which light skin black people are depicted as elite in their own right when compared to their darker counterparts (53). Consequently, the association between white people and light skin people as more intelligent, more beautiful and more civilized can be found numerous media outlets in Jamaica. To add to that theory is the analysis of Buju Bantons song Love me browning by Patricia Mohammed who stated that his song has reinforced and reflected the idea that men value the colour of light skin in women in Jamaica (35). This preference has led to the exacerbation of black womens self-esteem who now take it upon themselves to bleach their skin in an attempt to seem more desirable. According to Natasha Barnes, not only is skin colour used as a handicap to gain social access, it is also seen as a form of economic mobility and stability among the light skin people of Jamaica (*). Therefore, it isnt necessary that black people work as hard as they do to move up the socio-economic ladder because decent job qualifications are not more valuable than the colour of ones skin (Miller, ). However, after having researched the subject for this thesis project, I found that there was an abundance of information based on African American experiences along with the numerous studies which have proven that people with darker skin are subjugated to more prejudice than their lighter skinned counterparts. In fact, very little of the information found related to the theme of colourism as a system of language, internal scripts and external practices that govern the everyday interactions and experiences of young black men and women as it relates to skin tone  [1]  in the contemporary society of Jamaica. While I do agree with many historian sociologists, such as Fernando Henriques and Katrin Norris, who have highlighted the topic of skin politics in Jamaica, I intend to go further by examining the phenomenon of colourism as it relates to present day interactions and experiences. By examining the historical and contemporary significance of skin color, it will be proven that discrimination based on skin color is a present reality that will assume increasing significance in the future as current understandings of race and racial classifications disintegrate.   Furthermore, for the purpose of this thesis I have taken the liberty of looking at numerous primary and secondary sources, such as those written by Marcus Garvey, Dr. Eric Williams, Francis O.C, Anthony Richmond, and David Lowenthal. They have all have given me great insight into historical context of race relations during the colonial period and how black people reacted to this unjust treatment through the various black power movements, especially those executed by Rastafarians. On the other hand, however, due to the fact that this thesis is based on race relations within a specific social group in contemporary Jamaica, many of the research executed had to be done via questionnaires and face to face group discussions with Jamaican men and women. As a result, their responses have allowed me to fill in the information that was lacking in the secondary sources. Through the use of questionnaires, I was able to target audience of ten people in an efficient amount of time. Nevertheless, as with all data collection, some of opinions expressed warranted a deeper analysis of the subject at hand. Consequently, I resorted to focus groups of r people and individual interviews so that greater insight would be given as to why people had certain opinions; to know how they thought or felt about this topic, as it is a term that is rarely used in public spheres, and even less so in private ones. To conclude, this research speaks to the gaps in empirical research and theoretical conceptualizations of colourism by providing an in-depth exploration of skin tone bias and discrimination among African Jamaicans. Additionally, it seeks to develop a foundation for a theoretical framework that captures the key features of colourism in the 21st century. As such, an examination of race relations will show whether or not there is a preference for lighter skin in Jamaica, and if so the extent to which one would go to achieve features that approximate a Caucasian appearance. The origins of colourism The whites claim superiority, as is done all over the world, and, unlike other parts, the coloured, who ancestrally are the illegitimate off-springs of black and white, claim a positive superiority over the blacks. They train themselves to believe that in the slightest shade the coloured man is above the black man and so it runs right up to whiteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ -Marcus Garvey () Colourism exists everywhere in the African Diaspora where slavery or colonization brought with it the imposition of western ideology and white supremacy, (Gabriel, 25). Approximately six hundred thousand Africans came to Jamaica from the Bight of Biafra, the Gold Coast, West Central Africa and the Bight of Benin between 1533 and 1807 (http://www.nlj.gov.jm/NLJ/files/u1/slave_trade_bibliography.pdf, 15/03/2013) to work as slaves on the sugar cane plantation. Upon their arrival, European plantation owners established themselves as superior based on a paradigm through which Africans were biologically and legally inferior because of their skin colour and as such they were forced to endure hard labour. This racist social system, known as white supremacy, resulted in Negro subordination through white domination. However, with the start of miscegenation between white slave owners and African slaves- through rape- a new racial group was created which in turn created a new paradigm. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it was widely held that slaves of colour should not be employed in field labour and that they should be given preference in the training of tradesman, the flower of the slave population.' (Higman, 189). Mulatto children, although most of them were not freed, they were considered better than the black population because of their close proximity to the whites. As a result, they were offered an education, an opportunity through which they held an even greater advantage over the African slaves. Thus, when the sugar plantations experienced a decline in revenue and plantation owners were sinking into debt, some of them left Jamaica, retuning to live in England off the money they had earned through the hard labor of the Africans. This movement off the island by the whites left a void in the social hierarchy, which mulattos came to fill (Gabriel, 27). Consequently, gradations in skin colour through social stratification allowed these mulatto men and women to assume a higher status, socially and economically, according to the lightness of their skin tone. This hierarchical structure persisted even after the complete emancipation of slavery in 1838 with the introduction of freed slaves as lower class, mulattoes as middle class and whites as the elite. Yet, even after more than 200 hundred years of freedom, the idea that a persons destiny is predetermined by their skin tone proves that this historical continuum still exists. Colourism is so deeply embedded in the structure and organization of Caribbean societies that people identify themselves and form relationships according to the standards implemented by the white British (Flynn, 2011). While the 21st century has seen many changes with regards to race discrimination, interpersonal and intrapersonal colourism continues its reigns in Jamaican society. This is ever present in the social interactions among young adults and children who experience discrimination because they are too dark or preference because they are light skin. A standard that is further highlighted by a 22 year old male interviewee who recounted a particular situation in high school where a girl told him outright that she would not date him because he was too dark. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦because internalized racism is so firmly entrenched in the consciousness of black people, they are often unaware that they have a colour complex (Gabriel, 22). Browning, which replaces terms like mulatto, terceroon, quadroon, mustee, musteefino used in the colonial period is a fabled ideal of female beauty and male power in Jamaica society: the just right mix of white and black (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120122/focus/focus5.html, 12/03/2013). However, this term browning also reduces the person being referred to as a mere object, a trophy, a prized possession; they are only seen for the colour of their skin and the socio-economic status attached to their nearness to European characteristics and distance from the African (Henriques, *). As a result, many men and women in Jamaica today are obsessed with trying to attain this ideal because they see it as a sign of upward mobility from their destitute stations. Therefore, while it is totally understandable that e ach person is entitled to their preference, the fact remains that this preference is based on a premise which reinforces the idea that black is undesirable and light skin is ideal. This train of thought is in keeping with the social stratification theory that has been interwoven in the socio-historical tapestry of Jamaica. For a mother to insist that her daughter, black or coloured, gone to buckra [master] house, gone live so that she gone lift de colour was seen as a sign of pride during the days of slavery (Henriques,*). Even now, there are parents who prefer their sons and daughters marry white (Norris, *) because they see it as a chance for their children to move upward in a society that acknowledges and propels the worth of the white bias. Consequently, these children have grown up with the idea that a dark skin tone limits ones chances to a better life and a lighter complexion is the pathway to success. An ideology that is further cemented by the responses given to a survey conducted on this theme of colourism, more specifically preference for lighter skin in Jamaica, through which the majority of respondents despite age, social class and education believ e that if one is fairer in complexion, they are automatically offered more opportunities. Likewise is the case for young adults transitioning from school life to independent status by entering the workforce. I am not surprised that certain employers request light-skinned individuals for recruitmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Appearances do matter in recruitment, and generally speaking, Jamaicans are unable to see the beauty in a man or woman of African descent (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110914/letters/letters1.html, 12/03/2013). Explicit discrimination in the hiring process of many firms is a cause for concern within the Jamaican job market. Historically, darker men and women were not allowed to work in banks, government offices or at the front desk of private businesses until the 1960s (Gabriel, 33). Yet, even though change has been fought for by many involved in the Pan-African and Rastafarian movement, the existence of companies that openly state that they want light skin applicants does nothing for the advancement of a country whose motto recites Out of many, One people . The Acquired Anti-Own Race Syndrome created by Clinton Hutton, a lecturer in political philosophy and culture at the University of the West Indies, Mona refers to the the philosophy and psychology of assumed European world cultural superiority expressed by African peoples in their relations with each other and in perceiving and operating in the world (Hutton, ). Consequently, this ideology expresses the views that both socially and economically, Jamaicans have used the predetermined white supremacy standards to interact with each other. With this in mind, it is no wonder why dark skin Jamaicans think it necessary to try to elevate themselves out of their situations. They are measured by unrealistic goals designed to keep them at the bottom of hierarchical structure and they will remain there if the damaged psyche of those who reinforce these ideals dont change. If not, black Jamaicans will never truly be able to gain access to decent jobs based on merit alone as light skin far outwei ghs education and training skills (Miller, 3164). *** Many sociologists have argued that the mass media promote narrow definitions of who people are and what they can be (Andersen and Taylor, 53). For centuries the media has influenced and propagated the ideal body image for men and women across the globe, which in turn affects their personality, how they interact with one another and their health (Lubkin, 197). Even long before the advent of technological advances the global population has been exposed to paintings of idyllic body images as can be seen in the works of Rubens, Renoir and Raphael who influenced cultural standards for the ultimate body type in their respective eras (Kirsh, 126). As such, one shouldnt be surprised by the outright and even subliminal messages (Jackson, 350) projected to the masses that stipulate what is beautiful and what is not. Televisions, magazines, music and more notably in contemporary societies, the internet, have transmitted these idealistic images that would later epitomize an era. Intrinsically, i t is these major multibillion-dollar media conglomerate companies that concentrate their control on what is assimilated on a day to day basis. Their promotion on what is culturally acceptable has had an explosive effect on the way people think about themselves and about others. According to Italian communist Antonio Gramscis theory on cultural hegemony- through which he broadens the materialist Marxist theory- the ruling class within a culturally diverse society superimposes its values, whether social, economical, political or religious, upon the lower classes, who in turn buy into the status quo operating against their established social structure (Dines and Humez, 62). This dominance of one class or group over another can be used to explain the way in which media is used as a tool by the elites to perpetuate their power, wealth and status [by popularizing] their own philosophy, culture and morality (Boggs, 39). As a result, through analysis of the history of all forms of media leading up to the 21st century, one can easily stipulate that European features and fair skin are more pervasive- no matter the race-, youth is more accepted and beauty is whatever and whomever can approximate to both these ideals. A correlation can then be made between media and th e black ugliness/white beauty binary of imperialism and slavery that has spawned a racialized beauty empire (Rodrà ­guez, Boatcă, Costa, 196). And it is this correlation that highlights the conditions under which black people must perform in order to be successful; the same correlation that stipulates black beauty in the 21st century is a paradox. Marcus Garvey advocated for Black Nationalism whereby he encouraged African people to be proud of their race and see the beauty in their own kind (Caravantes, 2003). This movement de-centered white beautys iconicity through anti colonialist aesthetics focused on natural hair and black self-love so as to redefine blackness through positive valuation (Rodrà ­guez, Boatcă, Costa, 198). In collaboration with Rastafarianism, these Pan-Africanism Movements promoted ideologies like black is beautiful and Im black and Im proud, however, when mainstream media daily bombards the population with images that say otherwise, what is this country Out of many, one people supposed to believe? The idea that political, social and economical institutions have bought into this perception of superiority/inferiority within the African race only serves to reinforce this long standing belief. Advertising agencies have projected this standard at all levels in the Jamaican society. According to Carolyn Cooper, colourism can be found even at tertiary level education. It is the faces of lighter skin males and female students that are used to advertise the institutions at an international level, whereas the darker students were found in the local yellow pages. She further explains another situation in which family oriented advertisements display images of a dark skin father and light skin mother with a dark skin son and light skin daughter. Social ads also show the same thing. They big-up all the light skin girls them. Yuh cant leave yuh house without seein them brownins on billboards, in the news, on party flyers, in magazines. They dominate the industry, says a 23 year old cocoa coloured female interviewee who resides in Trinidad pursuing her bachelors degree at the University of the West Indies. The idea that men are not as affected by skin colour, hair texture and facial f eatures as their female counterparts, demonstrates their social and economical mobility in a patriarchal society despite the colour of their skin. As a result, it is only the representations of dark-skinned African women as those who are not ideal that is subliminally and openly transmitted. Indubitably, when one references Jamaican media, its music is highly influential, beginning with the famous Bob Marley, who put Jamaica on the map musically, with songs that referenced peace and black unity. However, when Buju Banton came out with his song Love me browning in 1992, consisting of the following lyrics: Me love me car, me love me bike, me love me money and ting but most of all me love me browning, it caused an uproar within the Jamaican society who accused him of denigrating the image of black women by promoting a colonial mindset (Mohammad, 35). Yet, even though he sang Love Black woman within that same year as a response to all the negative comments he was receiving, it didnt hide the fact that he was expressing the views of many Jamaican men who had a penchant for lighter-skinned women. Likewise in contemporary Jamaica, with the popularity of skin bleaching in songs from Vybz Kartel, who has also bleached his skin colour because he wanted to show off his tattoos ()*, Jamaicans are bombarded with the views that having a lighter complexion is the way to go. Music videos use women that are fairer in complexion when the song is about love and for dancehall music the predominantly darker skinned women are used to gyrate. Objectified as a sexual creature a darker woman isnt seen as someone a man would want to build a life with because she is considered only within a sexual context. While there have been some transitions in music where dark skin women are used with terms of endearment, the majority of the popular music videos shown still illustrate the European influenced cookie cutter image of women to sell their songs. The media is all about selling goods and selling fantasies is one of their products. It presents men with the ideal woman and vice versa. As such, lighter complexioned men and women, as depicted in all forms of media, are seen as trophies. According to Natasha Barnes, skin colour still serves as a handicap in access to good service, securing decent jobs, housing and other social amenities (Barnes, 286). Thus, a higher complexioned woman is seen as the symbol of a mans success whereas the man is seen as a way out of poverty and an elevation of social status for women. As such, the following statement given by a 20 year old anonymous female in response to a question about social interactions in Jamaica and the perceptions men and women have of each other, will clearly provide insight into the minds of young African men and women of contemporary Jamaica: If you have a light skin man in Jamaica, especially if you come from inner city Jamaica, is like you have gold. Youre introduced to a new world, you meet new people, have more opportunities because his world is completely different to your own. You cant force anyone to think black is beautiful when the evidence around them testifies to the contrary.   And which of our leaders are going from a rich mahogany to a high yellow shade? The poor can only afford bleaching creams, but the  well-to-do have other means (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120226/news/news4.html, 25/01/2013) With particular attention to the Jamaican government ministers and officials, one sees that darker hued representatives are a minority. While it is not the fault of these officials to possess the education necessary that would allow them the chance to enter into such high esteemed positions the questions remain: Were they offered more opportunities due to their skin complexion? With such a high percentage of those who were given questionnaires saying Yes (82%) a lighter skin hue does open more doors for you, doubt still lingers. However, when newspaper ads highlight the fact that there are still proprietors requesting that trainees be brown or light-skinned as a prerequisite for employment in their firms (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110911/lead/lead1.html , 02/02/2013) it supports the idea that discrimination persists to this day. Certainly, the government has spoken out against any form of skin prejudice and promised to take action, even urging people to boycott businesses lacking black faces, but few express confidence that the culprits will ever be named, (http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/09/jamaica-wanted-light-skinned-only-please/, 02/02/2013). A Darker Shade of Pale Weighing about 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) on average and covering some 22 square feet (2 square meters), the human skin is the largest organ of the body, composed of a complex system of cell layers, nerves and glands that not only protects them from but also connects them to the outside world. However, what makes an African persons skin colour different to that of a white person, is the amount of melanin produced in the epidermis. As such, darker-skinned people produce more numerous and deeper-colored melanin particles than their fairer-skinned counterparts, which in turn acts as a benefit since they dont need as much bone-strengthening vitamin D, produced through exposure to UV rays  (http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/skin-article/, 09/03/2013). Skin bleaching, also known as skin lightening or skin whitening, on the other hand, refers to the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to reduce the prominence of skin discolorations and even lighten skin tone by lessening the concentration of  melanin produced. This whitening process can help lighten a tan, fade scars, and alleviate dark patches on the skin through the use of topical skin lightening creams and lotions that often contain plant extracts that have bleaching effects on the skin or chemical agents such as hydroquinone, azelaic acid, and retinoic acid. While several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, some have proved to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles. Their harmful effects add to the controversy surrounding their use and the impacts they have on certain ethnic groups who apply skin lighteners to their entire body so as to achieve a lighter complexion. But this can be very risky as the active ingredient in some blea ching creams contain steroids or mercury, a toxic agent that can lead to mercury poisoning causing serious psychiatric, neurological, and  kidney  problem (http://www.webmd.com/beauty/face/skin-lightening-products, 09/03/2013) With a history that can be dated as far back as the Elizabethan age of powder and paint (Williams, 1957), the elaborate white make-up of Japanese Geishas (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/apr/04/japan.nicolemowbray, 08/03/2013) or even the deep rooted desire Indians to have pale skin because it will that is entwined with Indias complex social hierarchy or caste system (Gomes and Westerhof 2001), it is evident that skin bleaching has existed for thousands of years. Yet, despite the warnings given by health officials to educate the masses about the dangers of skin bleaching creams, there are millions of people worldwide who dont heed these messages, particularly Jamaicans, who in fact, have reached dangerous proportions, particularly in the countrys slums. For them, a lighter complexion is seen as a ticket to upward mobility: socially, professionally and economically. As a result, they paste their entire bodies with white cream, don a track suit and intermittently try to refrain fr om the suns darkening powers. The various homemade concoctions such as toothpaste, curry powder, milk powder, household bleach, aloe vera and cornmeal that are used as part of their skin-lightening routine, a routine that some people do up to three times a day, is a way for them to achieve their goal (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20091115/news/news3.html, 12/03/2013). Frantz Fanon (1952), the Martinique-born French psychiatrist, used psychoanalytical theory to explore the psyche of the Negro as shaped by the Eurocentric world in which he lives, especially in a colonial context vis-à  -vis skin colour. Although he does not actually reference skin bleaching, he does speak of the inferiority complex engendered in the mind of Black people, who try to adapt to and imitate the culture of the colonizer so as to attain some sort of identity, especially after having been forcibly removed from their own African roots.   With that in mind, the attempt to assign color privilege based upon proximity to whiteness by circumnavigating the parameters of the white/non-white binary racial hierarchy is the spectrum upon which Pigmentocracy, and therefore colourism, is based (Blay, 5). It is the unconscious and unnatural training of black people from a young age to associate blackness with wrongness that has given rise to this widespread global phenomenon of skin w hitening.   The idea that ones destiny is intertwined with the colour of ones skin is ludicrous to some, however, in the lives of these Jamaicans, it is as absolute as night and day. Synonymous with the practice of slaves in the past, men and women are currently trying to ameliorate their socio-economic standing by marrying into families of a higher breed, but the only way to even reach this gateway of social mobility, according to them, is to physically alter their looks as well. Popular Jamaican proverbs like anything too black nuh good, or when yuh black yuh affi stick back and if yuh brown come around reinforce the high degree of colour prejudice existing in contemporary Jamaica today. The White  ideal (Kardiner   Ovesey, 1962) which includes pale skin, long, straight hair, and aquiline features, assesses the enduring influences on societal assessments of human value. Skin bleaching then represents one attempt to approximate the White ideal and cons

Life Management Skills Essay

3.2 Stop, Look and Listen: Nonverbal Communication and Active Listening Part I: Nonverbal Communication Try This: Research what one hand gesture means in a different country. (You may ask people from other countries/and or conduct your own web search or library search for answers). Some suggested countries/cultures to research might be: Italy, Japan, China, Greece, and the Middle East (18 points) Hand gesture: Thumbs up Country/Culture referenced: German What does it mean? Flipping the bird Hand gesture: gentle poke Country/Culture referenced: Irish What does it mean? They like you Part II: Nonverbal Communication and Active Listening Choice #2: Review the video recorded interviews in the Activity tab. Document the nonverbal gestures displayed by the participants and your interpretation of the gestures. (36 points) Nonverbal Gestures Used What does this mean to you? Scenario #1 1) Dressed relaxed He doesn’t care. 2) Waved hi Unprofessional 3) Avoided eye contact bad with communication Scenario #2 1) Dressing Appropriately Shows he prepared and wants to be there 2) Hand shake Professional 3) Eye contact Good with communication After documenting the nonverbal gestures that took place during the interviews, write 5 or more sentences about each interview stating whether you feel the interview went well, if you would hire the person, and why you made this decision. (30 points) Scenario 1: I would not hire the first candidate simply because he was unprofessional and unorganized. He the first example of this happened even before he made it in the interviews office. He avoided eye contact and slightly waved to the interviewer displaying bad communication skill. These simple little mistakes can and will cost this man this job. He needed to go into this interviewer prepared physical and mental wise and he didn’t. Scenario 2: I would be overly ecstatic to hire this candidate he showed professionalism and was organized. When the candidate introduced himself and gave a firm handshake, showed eye contact, and used his full name. His sentences and tone of voice were fluent and showed how well prepared he was. By showing how well he prepared for this showed the intervener that he wanted this job. To practice active listening, listen to the dialogue on the Activity tab. List at least 4 active listening statements used in the dialogue between the mother and daughter.(16 points) Active Listening Statements used: 1) What I think I here you saying is that you are getting burned out and would like to have a life outside of school. 2) Correct me if I’m wrong but you feel all you do is things related to school. 3) In other words you feel like all your going is working playing, sports, and going to school and would like more time to yourself. 4) What I think your saying is we might be able to come up with a plan to fit everything in.