Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Reviews & Tips

Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Reviews & Tips The thesis statement also needs to be restated in conclusion. Any very good task finishes with a terrific conclusion and the very best examples of the argumentative essay will arrive in with a conclusion which has an overview of all of the points together with a gist of the evidences provided. Therefore, the topic ought to be debatable! Once it has been decided, it is essential to develop an argument surrounding the same. Smartphone is getting more and more popular nowadays since it is user-friendly design and has convenient multi-function. With the expanding speed of technological advancement, Smart phones have come to be the critical elements of our everyday performance. Because most smart phones possess the applications notepad, calendar, and several more. The QWERTY keypad smart phones are simple to use and recommended while the user has to always type a great deal. Despite the fact that the notion of Smartphone's is great and has quite a few advantages it does have a couple downfalls. Today smart phones carry all the characteristics of digital devices in addition to a frequent phone features. Business was made easier by means of smart phones. The reader needs to be impressed by how you defend your ideas. There need to get set rules on what you could do while using your smartphone. Thus, it's important to read corresponding formatting guide. Amazon is among the very best website where we can buy about anything that is necessary in our routine life and in addition, they offer free home delivery of whatever you purchase online. You need to create a topic your readers can easily identify with. To choose which subject you're likely to discuss, it's essential to see the complete collection of good persuasive speech topics from the specific area of study. Our crew of professional writers with the crucial experience and writing skills is always prepared to fulfill your demands and exceed your expectations. If you think that you will need assistance with your written assignments it is preferable to request skilled help from online writing service. One particular important and appropriate subject is technology. The Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Cover Up You can't control anybody's opinion, and everyone is eligible to make their own choices, even if it has to do with smoking. It's possible to support a specific idea when criticizing different facets but let the reader decide. Settle on which side of the argument you're likely to be on within the introductive part of your essay. For instance, you can write about something that personally affects you or somebody you know. The Importance of Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Thus, for your coursework, you're want to have the very best ideas. A wonderful topic that you may pick for your argumentative essay is Students ought to be permitted to use mobile phones in schools. There's a probability a student is going to be kidnapped as a result of the increasing danger that student are exposed nowadays on the problem of child-kidnapping. It is possible to ask your teacher for approval if you're not certain which topic is more interesting. With our essay writing experts, you're guaranteed of a paper which helps you to find out more about the devices and their benefits in the current society. Then consider the influence it can cause for study or give a few examples of failure. The modern society has embraced mobile phones in a large way but it has arrived at a price tag. Relevant Topics that are related to your society will engage the reader in the very best possible way. Top Choices o f Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Introduction Your introduction ought to be compelling. Writing practice shouldn't be boring! Choosing topics for argumentative essays is crucial for your general success. They are some of the best you can write as a student. Writing an argumentative essay can at times be confusing as you don't necessarily understand how to compose a convincing argument. Writing a persuasive, argumentative essay can be challenging, and at times it can find a little confusing. The negative effects of smartphones on children is particularly disturbing. Using smartphones is now an inalienable part of routine life of people of virtually all ages globally. Despite that, it can be useful for parents to contact their children to ensure their safety or vice versa. As an example, smartphones can function as calculators and can help anybody who is taking a math class.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Regina V. G and Another Case Brief - 1200 Words

Case Title: Regina v. G and another (Appellants) (On Appeal form the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)) Citation: [2003] UKHL 50 Procedural History (PH): The appellants were charged on 22nd August 2000; without lawful excuse damaged by fire; commercial premises and being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. The appellants stood trial before Judge Maher in March 2001. The appellants’ case at trial was that they expected the fire to extinguish itself on the concrete. It was accepted that neither of them conceived that there was any risk of the fire spreading. At the start of the trial submissions were made on the meaning of â€Å"recklessness†. The judge ruled that he was bound to direct the jury in accordance with R v†¦show more content†¦Thus it is vital for the correction of the misinterpretation of â€Å"recklessly†. Losing Argument: Should the rule in R v Caldwell be modified? The modification would defy the principle that conviction depends on the mens rea of the defendant. If the principle was modified to accommodate children on the grounds of naivety it would be uncharacteristic if no modification was made to include the mentally handicapped on the grounds of their narrow ability of perception. Implementing modifications of this classification will encourage challenging and controversial debate with regard to the qualities and characteristics plausible for comparison. The implementation of this modification will replace one misinterpretation for another. Were the appellants reckless? A person is said to be reckless if knowing that there is a risk that an event may occur as a consequence of their conduct as defined by The Merriam Webster dictionary . A defendant is only considered to have acted recklessly by the advantage of their failure to give any thought to the risk or property damage that may have been apparent had they given any thought to the matter. Determining if a risk would have been apparent to the defendant is very unpredictable. The tribunal of fact should not acknowledge the defendant’s proclamation that it never occurred to them that there was risk of property damage providing that the conditions,Show MoreRelatedRegina V. G and Another Case Brief1191 Words   |  5 PagesCase Title: Regina v. G and another (Appellants) (On Appeal form the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)) Citation: [2003] UKHL 50 Procedural History (PH): The appellants were charged on 22nd August 2000; without lawful excuse damaged by fire; commercial premises and being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. The appellants stood trial before Judge Maher in March 2001. The appellants’ case at trial was that they expected the fire to extinguish itself on the concreteRead More Abnormal Psychology2516 Words   |  11 Pagesnormalcy in another. In attempt to make the field comprehensive a middle ground was determined by drawing on the common elements or patterns of â€Å"peculiar† conditions, and converging them to ascertain this definition of abnormality: behavioural, psychological, or biological dysfunctions that are atypical and unexpected in their cultural context and associated with personal distress and impairment in functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, or pain (Barlow Durand, 2012). In brief, this isRead MoreEssay on Starting a New Business2363 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction As Regina Meyers contemplates opening a Satanic coffeehouse in her hometown, she must make a number of critical business decisions related to business organization, ownership, structure, and management. 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It will also compiles a framework for cross analysis with the three (3 Case studies) PPP cases in Guyana, and checks for the r elevancy of each variables based on Guyana’s situation. This studies will also assess whether these PPP projects lead to infrastructural development. Furthermore, this study seeks to use an econometric modelRead MoreIntroduction to Rizal Course11998 Words   |  48 PagesRizal inherited from his father self – respect, serenity and poise, seriousness and a deep sense of dignity. On the other hand, from his mother side, Rizal’s great grandfather was Eugenio Ursua who married a Filipina named Benigna. Their daughter Regina married Manuel Quintos, from Pangasinan, Rizal’s great grandfather. Their daughter Brigida married Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo serving as Rizal’s grandfather. Lorenzo and Brigida had 5 children, one of whom was Teodora Alonzo, Rizal’s mother who marriedRead MoreModernization of Ntuc Income Case Study14065 Words   |  57 Pagesstrategies to increase organizational commitment. I Contrast transactional and relational psychological contracts. I Discuss the trend towards employability. I f history is any guide, SaskTel won’t be laying off any employees for a long time. The Regina-based telecommunications company hasn’t laid off anyone since it was founded in 1908. â€Å"[Layoffs] aren’t going to happen as long as we can help it,† says Byron Pointer, SaskTel’s vice-president of human resources and industrial relations. By avoidingRead MoreModernization of Ntuc Income Case Study14054 Words   |  57 Pagesstrategies to increase organizational commitment. I Contrast transactional and relational psychological contracts. I Discuss the trend towards employability. I f history is any guide, SaskTel won’t be laying off any employees for a long time. 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Monday, December 9, 2019

Strategic Market Plan Strategy Evaluation â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Strategic Market Plan Strategy Evaluation? Answer: Introduction The report quotes about the establishment of Wesfarmers in the global market for that the research has been made on the market strategies that need to be adopted while selecting the suitable market where the business could be further established to gain good growth. For that sake screening of market has been made and the final results were evaluated. First of all, for screening purposes, the market selection process was undertaken and 5 stages of overseas market selection have been investigated. Afterwards, the best suitable country has been chosen where the chances of development and establishment are high. The objective of Wesfarmers was confirmed so that the planning could be made accordingly. Then starts the struggle of selecting the entry mode for that the different modes of entry are analyzed and the suitable one was chosen which was franchising. Later on, the target market is evaluated by examining the target market segment, positioning strategy and interpreting the marketing mix. On conducting the following survey the potential market was decided and finally, the generic strategies were discussed so that very minute aspect of research is covered up and hence the report followed by the justified recommendations to bring clarity to the thoughts. In nutshell, for entering into the foreign market deep research plan is made which goes step by step. In initiates from market screening and travels to market segmentation, targeting and position and then the best entry mode and target strategy came out as the result and implementation could be made on analyzing all the aspects of the market by adopting the generic strategies. Summaries from assignment 2 The previous report argued upon the global marketing of the business. The basic aim of the report was to analyze the international market and researching upon the area where the suitable establishment is possible. For that concern, Wesfarmers was selected and expansion strategy of the leading Australian supermarket is conducted. Areas were defined where the company could excel and factors were derived using which Wesfarmers could attain the goal and successfully be able to establish the market in Germany. Germany was the target market and competitors were also critically evaluated and their strategies were researched as well and the results revealed were that there are two competitors of Wesfarmers in Germany, namely Aldi and Lidl, both are leading supermarkets of Germany but the drawback that exists is both the markets do not use the innovative techniques or modification, thus much varieties are not introduced. The market analysis has been made using the strategic tools and competit ive advantages. SWOT analysis has been made to figure out the opportunities and areas where the organization could excel and what all are the weakness that should be focused upon and emphasis need to be paid so that those weaken section could be improved by converting them into the opportunities. Also, the PESTLE and Porters competitive strategy has been adopted to study the external market. In order to understand the internal environment of the Wesfarmers the value chain analysis has been made followed by the BCG matrix and finally it was cultivated from the entire report that external and internal environmental factors can turn the situation another way around and on focusing on the niche market Wesfarmers is likely to establish a strong position in Germany as well. Screening of market selection The market selection is the technique where the appropriate area is analyzed and the ignored portion is focused so that the business could grab the area and establish the first move in the international market. Considering the Wesfarmers market selection the study of the internal and external environment has been made. The demographic segmentation will be made in which the particular small section will be selected at the initial level, thereafter the geographic situations of the market is analysed as to where the climate change will be favourable to the business and the products, which country or region will be most suitable as per the governmental laws and population of the country is analysed to know the preference of the public over there. Whilst considering the taste of the public the psychographic segmentation should be done which include the lifestyle and image of the people of the country (Marchi, Vignola, Facchinetti Mastroleo, 2014). The five stages of overseas market selection process There are 5 stages which are contemplated while making the selection of the international market. The market entry modes are quoted as under: Country Identification First of all the country must be analyzed and all the aspects of eth country should be studied, which include the cultural dimension as given by Hofstede, the values, traditions, and policies of Germany must be noted. Preliminary Screening The preliminary screening is the testing of the market of Germany and what measures are taken under consideration by the competitors which if adopted would work successfully. In-depth Screening This portion involves the deep understanding of the target market which includes the targeting of the Germany. The international market can be studied by inculcating the marketing mix and developing the knowledge of setting the price of the product in the overseas boundary. The distribution channel of the business could be analyzed. These attributes assist in constructing the base for Wesfarmers in segmenting the market. Final Selection As the name suggests it is the utmost portion of the studying the international market and after this, the final selection of market has been made where all the things are in places and all the requirements get fulfilled. Now the company can estimate the move of competitors and accordingly the wise entry could be made. Direct Experience The direct experience is the practical experience of the agents by visiting the place personally and gaining the experience to live out there and meeting the people and collecting their views and learning about the culture of the country and figuring out the similarities and differences that exist between the host and guest country. Hence, on understanding the segmentation and selection technique for Wesfarmers the market where the organization should establish the market in Germany. The reason behind selecting this particular country is that the entry and exit of the business in Germany is flexible and much interference of government is not there. Also, the country has strong economic conditions which would help Wesfarmers to grow in financially. The country is densely populated so the customer base will be more and other advantage is that the country is highly advanced in the terms of technology. There are multiple opportunities for Wesfarmers to ensure development and compete the leading supermarkets of Germany by using the innovative techniques and supreme ideas. bjectives The mission statement of Wesfarmers is to satisfy the shareholders by delivering them the appropriate dividend and maintaining the financial discipline. The aim is to perform outrageously by adopting the exceptional skills of management and designing the distinct business plan to achieve the success globally. Alternative marketing strategies Marketing strategies are based on the selection of target mare and building up its brand positioning. It focuses on the low-cost market where higher profit can be generated. It helps in developing the understanding of market scenario and acts accordingly (Baker, 2014). Evaluation of alternative strategies In order to flourish the business in Germany Wesfarmers need to evaluate the divergent marketing strategies that prevail in the guest country and accordingly competitive planning has to be made to establish the better position in the market. For that, the company has to consider cost and benefits that could be derived out of it. Wesfarmers need to build the positive image in the German market so that better goodwill gets created and company can participate in the long run (Eden Ackerman, 2013). The brand positioning should also be emphasized upon and for that sake, the move of competitors should be monitored and their strategies need to be analyzed so that different strategies could be adapted to excel in the new market. By understanding the marketing strategies and responding to the dynamic environment better growth opportunities gets developed and new ways are opened for the innovator (Hill, 2017). Alternative market entry strategies Market Entry Strategy Examples Advantages Disadvantages Justification Licensing The agreement between Google and Samsung in which they came to the agreement of cross-licensing for each others patent, the tie was made between the two powerful brands for the global pre-eminence in order to operate the Android system in the smartphones (Samsung, 2014). The high and fixed revenue gets generated. The brand recognition is acquired to the company opting for the license. Free entry in the foreign market (Irwin, 2012). The lower capital requirement is there (Fowler, 2017). High competition gets developed and companies are likely to use the technology that the former has been using. Confidentiality is not retained. It is for the limited period only. If the management is not appropriate then the reputation of the product and licensor goes in vain. After understanding the concept of licensing it is learned that the two parties i.e. licensor and licensee came under contract and licensor does not have to work sufficiently but only sign the agreement which is defined for the fixed period of time and for that the agreed royalty has been paid. Wesfarmers could opt or license by rendering its license to Aldi and gaining the royalty in return. But in performing such activities the confidentiality and uniqueness of Wesfarmers could be lost which might not be a favorable element. Franchising There are multiple examples of franchising that exists in the present world. The most common ones are McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Dominos (Franchise help, 2017). In this, the structure of the organization and other activities remains intact only land investment and an agreed amount need to be paid and 20 years agreement is signed where both the parties abide by the contract regulation. Meanwhile, in the adverse situation, the franchising could be revoked (Trade start, n.d.). The chances of business failure get reduced. The market is already set and developed goodwill is there. Wide communication gets developed and relationship with the supplier is built up. The cost of franchising is very high. Changes cannot be made as per the situation. Profits are shared with the franchisor. Franchising is the contract in which the franchisor agrees to render the outlet to franchisee over an agreement and payment of the huge amount. This contract is for 20 years which could be revoked if the motive is not met. It is a secured work where profit and loss are the franchisors. Any amendment if needed will be made by the franchisor only. If any change has to be implemented that cannot be done in case of franchising. Wesfarmers can choose to franchise in the various regions of Germany and launch its USP to attract the foreign customers thereby ensuring the growth beyond the domestic boundaries. Joint Venture HNZ Group Inc. came into a joint venture with PHI Inc. in order to provide the offshore helicopter services to the company like INPEX which is the leading oil and gas exploration company (Newswire. 2017). The new market gets emerged. Capital enhancement. Risk and cost get shared. Efficiency and effectiveness of human resource increases (RP emery, 2017). The objective of job venture varies from company to company. There is a communication gap between the parties. The difference in culture could lead to disturbance in the organization. Effective leadership is not gained (business, n.d.). Wesfarmers can even choose joint venture by shaking hands with the German supermarket. It could collaborate with Aldi and share the lacking resources to ensure the growth and handle the risk jointly to avail profit maximisation but the issue is that there is the cultural difference which might not work out (Munch, 2016). Thus, the market entry selected for Wesfarmers in Germany is a Franchising mode where the company does not have to run the outlet in different countries only the agreement need to be signed and owners could focus on the better prospectus along with enjoying the expansion of the market in overseas. Alternative target market strategy Option Target Market Segment Positioning Strategy Marketing Mix 1 Geographical The price quality approach. The competitor approach (Chand, 2016). Product: Since Wesfarmers is the supermarket it deals with all kind of products and services to the customer under a single roof (Wesfarmers, 2001). Price: High prices are there but compromise with quality is not an issue. Place: It must locate at the center of the city or the place where sound footfall of people is there. Promotion: Advertisement in the renowned business newspaper, publicity, sales promotion. 2 Psychographic The product-class approach. The product-user approach. Product: As per the lifestyle and standard of living the luxurious products could be given more preference (Directive group, 2017). Price: Since the product is luxurious than the price will be according to the standard and lifestyle of customers (Edmunds, 2017). Place: A particular section of luxurious goods need to be there in the supermarket in order to increase the consumer base. Promotion: Sales promotions and deals could be launched to attract the consumers. 3 Behavioural The cultural symbol approach Product: The baby care and household products could be involved in this category Price: Reasonable and affordable price should be there which is in the range of every person (Duczeminski, n.d.). Place: The place should be at the center place of the residential areas. It could be opened at the corners of the streets to reach maximum people. Promotion: Sandwichman advertisement, Hoardings at a public place, print and broadcast advertisement. Preferred strategy The strategy preferred is a psychographic segment and applying the product class and product user approach. Psychographic focuses on the niche market of Germany will be there at the place where maximum footfall is there and the central location which will be convenient for every person. The specifications of customers are easily understood by conducting an appropriate research. Alternative generic strategies Cost leadership: It focuses on keeping the low cost of products in the broader aspect to enhance the popularity at the initial stage. Cost Focus: In this the market is narrow as well as the price is lower the household products are included in this section of Wesfarmers. Differentiation Leadership: It concentrates over the luxurious product for the high standard of society providing a quality product and rich price. Differentiation Focus: This part includes those exclusively unique attributes which bifurcate Wesfarmers from the other supermarkets (University of Cambridge, 2016). Conclusion Hence, from the entire report, it could be cultivated that Wesfarmers which is the leading supermarket in the Australia desires to expand internationally. For that, the entry mode has to be selected. Before entering the market is to be segmented and niche market is targeted. For this purpose initially, the market analysis has been made and Germany is selected because of the free entry and exit mode and strong economy of the country. After that, the competitor strategy is analyzed the niche market is focused where the psychographic segment is selected in which the positioning strategy that should be chosen is product-user and product- class strategy. The mode of entry that best suits the entry of Wesfarmers in the global market is a franchising model in the regions of Germany. The generic strategies have been drawn in brief to clarify the understanding of Wesfarmers move beyond the domestic boundaries. References Baker, M. J. (2014).Marketing strategy and management. Palgrave Macmillan. London. Chand. S. (2016). 7 approaches to positioning strategy of a product. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/porters-generic-strategies-for-competitive-advantage. Directive Group. (2017). Psychographic market segmentation: what is it? Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.directivegroup.com/what-we-offer/strategies-and-assessments/market-segmentation//psychographic/. Duczeminski. M. (n.d.). Using behavioral segmentation to understand your customers. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.fieldboom.com/blog/behavioral-segmentation/. Eden, C., Ackermann, F. (2013).Making strategy: The journey of strategic management. Sage. London. Edmunds. A. (2017). Examples of positioning strategy in marketing. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-positioning-strategy-marketing-10166.html. Fowler. P. M. (2017). Advantages and disadvantages of licensing the rights to the companys production process. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-licensing-rights-companys-production-process-15460.html. Franchise help. (2017). McDonalds Franchise. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.franchisehelp.com/franchises/mcdonalds/. Hill. B. (2017). Strategic marketing plan strategy evaluation. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/strategic-marketing-plan-strategy-evaluation-72977.html. Irwin. T. (2012). Licensing arrangements- The pros and cons. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.tcii.co.uk/2012/10/26/licensing-arrangements-the-pros-and-cons/. Marchi, G., Vignola, M., Facchinetti, G., Mastroleo, G. (2014). International market selection for small firms: a fuzzy-based decision process.European Journal of Marketing,48(11/12), 2198-2212. Munch. C. (2016). Example of Joint venture types ideas. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://munchweb.com/joint-venture-example-types. Newswire. (2017). HNZ Group announces joint venture in Australia to support new INPEX offshore oil and gas contract. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/hnz-group-announces-joint-venture-in-australia-to-support-new-inpex-offshore-oil-and-gas-contract-604109366.html. business info. (n.d.). Joint ventures and business partnership. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-positioning-strategy-marketing-10166.html. RP emery. (2017). Advantages and disadvantages of joint venture. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.rpemery.com/articles/advantages_and_disadvantages_jv.htm. Samsung. (2014). Samsung and Google sign global patent license agreement, viewed on 16th September. https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-and-google-sign-global-patent-license-agreement. Trade start. (n.d.). Market entry strategies. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.tradestart.ca/market-entry-strategies. Tutuor2u. (2015). Porters generic strategies for competitive operations. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/porters-generic-strategies-for-competitive-advantage . The University of Cambridge. (2016). Decision support tools. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/research/dstools/porters-generic-competitive-strategies/. Welsfarmers. (2001). Looking to the future. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/docs/default-source/asx-announcements/wesfarmers-limited-2001-annual-report-.pdf?sfvrsn=0.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

What Is the .htaccess File in WordPress Plus How to Use It

You can accomplish a lot in WordPress without ever leaving your dashboard. If you want to get the most out of your website, however, it pays to learn about what’s happening behind the scenes. A vital first step in that process is understanding how to use the .htaccess file in WordPress.Your WordPress site relies on several important ‘core files’ to do its job, and the .htaccess file is one of them. While by default it only performs a few tasks related to your site’s permalinks, it can be added to and customized to carry out all sorts of useful functions like redirecting visitors to your site or beefing up your sites security.In this post, we’re going to introduce you to the .htaccess file and explain what it’s all about. Then, youll learn how to find the .htaccess file in WordPress, as well as some of the helpful things you can do with it. The .htaccess file is a configuration file for the Apache web server (which is what most WordPress hosts use).  In other words, it contains rules that give your website’s server various instructions. Just about every WordPress site has an .htaccess file, located in the ‘root’ or central directory. It’s a hidden file (which is why the filename begins with a period), and has no extension.By default, the .htaccess file in WordPress handles one major task:It controls how your site’s permalinks are displayed. If you make a change to your permalink structure, therefore, the .htaccess file updates with new instructions for the server. In fact, sometimes the .htaccess file isn’t actually created on your site until the first time you customize your permalinks.On many sites, this is all the .htaccess file ever does. However, you can also use it to make various tweaks to your site’s functionality. For example, you can set up 301 redirects in the .htaccess file. You can also use it to tighten security, such as by restricting access to your site and other core files.Additionally, some plugins will add their own rules to your  .htaccess file to help the plugin function. This is especially common with caching or security plugins.If this seems a little abstract, don’t worry. You won’t need to understand all the technical details in order to find and make changes to the .htaccess file in WordPress.How to locate and edit the .htaccess file in WordPressBefore we go any further, we need to discuss a few safety measures. It’s important to understand that making changes to your site’s files directly can be risky. If you aren’t careful, you can end up breaking factors that control your sites key functionality, or even bring down your site altogether.There are a few ways to mitigate these risks:Back up your site before editing any of its files. This way, you can quickly reverse unintentional changes and mistakes.Use a staging site to test your edits before performing them on your live site. On a stagi ng site, you’re free to experiment without any worries.Download the  .htaccess file to your local computer before making any edits. That way, if you specifically break something in your  .htaccess  file, you just need to upload the original copy to fix the issue.To access the.htaccess file in WordPress, youll need to make a direct connection to your website through File Transfer Protocol (FTP). You’ll need an FTP client, such as FileZilla, and some FTP credentials from your web host. If you aren’t sure how to do this, our beginner’s guide to FTP will walk you through the process.Once FileZilla is connected to your site, you’ll see a window that looks like this:Check out the top-right quadrant. You should see a folder named after your site’s domain – this is the root directory. Select this folder, and check out the list of folders and files located immediately below it:The .htaccess file should be listed here, usually as one of t he first entries. To open it:Right-click on itSelect View/Edit to open the file in your computers default text editorYou can now make whatever changes you like to the file using your text editor. Once youre done:Save the fileClose the fileA window will pop up asking if you want to upload the new, edited version of your .htaccess file to the server. Select Yes, and your changes will take effect immediately.If you can’t find the .htaccess file in your root folder, it may not exist yet. You can prompt WordPress to generate one by visiting Settings Permalinks in your dashboard, and clicking on the Save Changes button (you don’t actually have to pick a different structure):When you re-open FileZilla and navigate to your websites root folder, the .htaccess file should now be there.What you can do with the .htaccess file in WordPressNow that you know where to find the .htaccess file in WordPress and how to edit it, you may be wondering what changes you can actually make. The re are a lot of things you can do with this file – too many to cover in one post. However, well look at a few examples to get you started.First, let’s talk about redirects. If you move a page or post – or your entire website – you’ll need to automatically direct users who visit the old URL to the new location. This requires setting up a 301 redirect, and is something you can do with the .htaccess file in WordPress.To redirect a single page, you can add this line to the bottom of your .htaccess file:Redirect 301 /oldpage.html http://www.yoursite.com/newpage.htmlReplace /oldpage.html with the pages old permalink, and the following URL with the new link to the page. You can add a new line for each page you’d like to redirect.You can also use similar snippets to redirect your entire website. Or, you can use a snippet to send all traffic to the secure HTTPS version of your site (if you have an SSL certificate  ).You can also use the .htaccess f ile to make a lot of security-related changes to your site. For example, you can add this code to deny unauthorized users access to several important core files:FilesMatch "^.*(error_log|wp-config\.php|php.ini|\.[hH][tT][aApP].*)$" Order deny,allow Deny from all /FilesMatchTo learn more about using the .htaccess file to improve security, you can check out the WordPress Codex entry on the subject. Just remember to back up your site and use a staging environment when trying out any changes!ConclusionLearning to work directly with your website’s files is an important step in your journey to becoming a WordPress expert. The .htaccess file is a good place to start, since it’s a relatively simple file that can nonetheless be used for wide variety of applications.Before you make any changes to the .htaccess file in WordPress, be sure to back up your site and use a staging environment just in case. Then, you can use FTP to access your site, find the .htaccess file, and edit it . Once you know how to do that, you can simply look up the code required to add whatever functionality you require.Do you have any questions about what you can do with the .htaccess file in WordPress? Let us know in the comments section below! Learn what the .htaccess file is in #WordPress. Plus some cool things you can do with it

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Understanding the Key Events of World War II

Understanding the Key Events of World War II World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, was a war fought primarily between the Axis Powers (Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allies (France, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States). Although World War II was started by Nazi Germany in their attempt to conquer Europe,it turned into  the largest and the bloodiest war in world history, responsible for the deaths of an estimated 40 to 70 million people, many of whom were civilians. World War II included the attempted genocide of the Jewish people during the Holocaust and the first use of an atomic weapon during a war. Dates: 1939 - 1945 Also Known As: WWII, Second World War Appeasement Following World War I After the devastation and destruction caused by World War I, the world was tired of war and was willing to do almost anything to prevent another from starting. Thus, when Nazi Germany annexed Austria (called the Anschluss) in March 1938, the world did not react. When Nazi leader Adolf Hitler demanded the Sudeten area of Czechoslovakia in September 1938, the world powers handed it to him. Confident that these appeasements had averted a total war from occurring, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain stated, I believe it is peace in our time. Hitler, on the other hand, had different plans. Completely disregarding the Versailles Treaty, Hitler was ramping up for war. In preparation for an attack on Poland, Nazi Germany made a deal with the Soviet Union on August 23, 1939, called the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. In exchange for land, the Soviet Union agreed to not attack Germany. Germany was ready for war. The Start of World War II At 4:45 a.m. on September 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland. Hitler sent in 1,300 planes of his Luftwaffe (German air force) as well as more than 2,000 tanks and 1.5 million well-trained, ground troops. The Polish military, on the other hand, consisted mostly of foot soldiers with old weapons (even some using lances) and cavalry.   Needless to say, the odds were not in Poland’s favor. Great Britain and France, who had treaties with Poland, both declared war on Germany two days later, on September 3, 1939. However, these countries could not gather troops and equipment fast enough to help save Poland. After Germany had waged a successful attack on Poland from the west, the Soviets invaded Poland from the east on September 17, per the pact they had with Germany. On September 27, 1939, Poland surrendered. For the next six months, there was little actual fighting as the British and French built up their defenses along France’s Maginot Line and the Germans readied themselves for a major invasion. There was so little actual fighting that some journalists termed this â€Å"the Phoney War.† The Nazis Seem Unstoppable On April 9, 1940, the quiet interlude of the war ended as Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. Having met very little resistance, the Germans were soon able to launch Case Yellow (Fall Gelb), an offensive against France and the Low Countries. On May 10, 1940, Nazi Germany invaded Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The Germans were heading through Belgium to enter France, bypassing France’s defenses along the Maginot Line. The Allies were completely unprepared to defend France from a northern attack. The French and British armies, along with the rest of Europe, were quickly overpowered by Germany’s new, swift blitzkrieg (â€Å"lightning war†) tactics. Blitzkrieg was a fast, coordinated, highly-mobile attack that combined air power and well-armored ground troops along a narrow front in order to quickly breach an enemy’s line. (This tactic was meant to avoid the stalemate that caused trench warfare in WWI.) The Germans attacked with deadly force and precision, seeming unstoppable. In a bid to escape total slaughter, 338,000 British and other Allied troops were evacuated, starting on May 27, 1940, from the coast of France to Great Britain as part of Operation Dynamo (often called the Miracle of Dunkirk). On June 22, 1940, France officially surrendered. It had taken less than three months for the Germans to conquer Western Europe. With France defeated, Hitler turned his sights to Great Britain, intending to conquer it as well in Operation Sea Lion (Unternehmen Seelowe). Before a ground assault was to begin, Hitler ordered the bombing of Great Britain, beginning the Battle of Britain on July 10, 1940. The British, emboldened by Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s morale-building speeches and aided by radar, successfully countered the German air attacks. Hoping to destroy British morale, Germany began bombing not just military targets but also civilian ones as well, including populated cities. These attacks, which began in August 1940, often occurred at night and were known as â€Å"the Blitz.† The Blitz strengthened the British resolve. By the fall of 1940, Hitler canceled Operation Sea Lion but continued the Blitz well into 1941. The British had stopped the seemingly unstoppable German advance. But, without help, the British could not hold them off for long. Thus, the British asked U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for help. Although the United States was unwilling to fully enter World War II, Roosevelt agreed to send Great Britain weapons, ammunition, artillery, and other much-needed supplies. The Germans also got help. On September 27, 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, joining these three countries into the Axis Powers. Germany Invades the Soviet Union While the British prepared and waited for an invasion, Germany began to look east. Despite signing the Nazi-Soviet Pact with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, Hitler had always planned to invade the Soviet Union as part of his plan to gain Lebensraum (â€Å"living room†) for the German people. Hitler’s decision to open a second front in World War II is often considered one of his worst. On June 22, 1941, the German army invaded the Soviet Union, in what was called Case Barbarossa (Fall Barbarossa). The Soviets were taken completely by surprise. The German army’s blitzkrieg tactics worked well in the Soviet Union, allowing the Germans to advance quickly. After his initial shock, Stalin rallied his people and ordered a â€Å"scorched earth† policy in which Soviet citizens burned their fields and killed their livestock as they fled from the invaders. The scorched-earth policy slowed the Germans for it forced them to rely solely on their supply lines. The Germans had underestimated the vastness of the land and the absoluteness of the Soviet winter. Cold and wet, the German soldiers could barely move and their tanks became stuck in mud and snow. The entire invasion stalled. The Holocaust Hitler sent more than just his army into the Soviet Union; he sent mobile killing squads called Einsatzgruppen. These squads were to search out and kill Jews and other â€Å"undesirables† en masse. This killing started out as large groups of Jews being shot and then dumped into pits, such as at Babi Yar. It soon evolved into mobile gas vans. However, these were determined to be too slow at killing, so the Nazis built death camps, created to kill thousands of people a day, such as at Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Sobibor. During World War II, the Nazis created an elaborate, secretive, systematic plan to eradicate Jews from Europe in what is now called the Holocaust. The Nazis also targeted Gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah Witnesses, the disabled, and all Slavic peoples for slaughter. By the end of the war, the Nazis had killed 11 million people solely based on Nazi racial policies. The Attack on Pearl Harbor Germany was not the only country looking to expand. Japan, newly industrialized, was poised for conquest, hoping to take over vast areas in Southeast Asia. Worried that the United States might try to stop them, Japan decided to launch a surprise attack against the United States’ Pacific Fleet in the hopes of keeping the U.S. out of war in the Pacific. On December 7, 1941, Japanese airplanes wreaked havoc on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In just two hours, 21 U.S. ships had either been sunk or badly damaged. Shocked and outraged at the unprovoked attack, the United States declared war on Japan the following day. Three days after that, the United States declared war on Germany. The Japanese, aware that the U.S. would probably retaliate for the bombing of Pearl Harbor, preemptively attacked the U.S. naval base in the Philippines on December 8, 1941, destroying many of the U.S. bombers stationed there. Following their air attack with a ground invasion, the battle ended with U.S. surrendering and the deadly Bataan Death March. Without the air strip in the Philippines, the U.S. needed to find a different way to retaliate; they decided upon a bombing raid right into the heart of Japan. On April 18, 1942, 16 B-25 bombers took off from a U.S. aircraft carrier, dropping bombs on Tokyo, Yokohama, and Nagoya. Although the damage inflicted was light, the Doolittle Raid, as it was called, caught the Japanese off guard. However, despite the Doolittle Raid’s limited success, the Japanese were dominating the Pacific War. The Pacific War Just like the Germans seemed impossible to stop in Europe, the Japanese won victory after victory in the early part of the Pacific War, successfully taking the Philippines, Wake Island, Guam, the Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Burma. However, things began to change at the Battle of Coral Sea (May 7-8, 1942), when there was a stalemate. Then there was the Battle of Midway (June 4-7, 1942), a major turning point in the Pacific War. According to Japanese war plans, the Battle of Midway was to be a secret attack on the U.S. air base on Midway, ending in a decisive victory for Japan. What Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto did not know was that the U.S. had successfully broken several Japanese codes, allowing them to decipher secret, coded Japanese messages. Learning ahead of time about the Japanese attack on Midway, the U.S. prepared an ambush. The Japanese lost the battle, losing four of their aircraft carriers and many of their well-trained pilots. No longer did Japan have naval superiority in the Pacific. A number of major battles followed, at Guadalcanal, Saipan, Guam, Leyte Gulf, and then the Philippines. The U.S. won all of these and continued to push the Japanese back to their homeland. Iwo Jima (February 19 to March 26, 1945) was a particularly bloody battle as the Japanese had created underground fortifications that were well camouflaged. The last Japanese-occupied island was Okinawa and Japanese Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima was determined to kill as many Americans as possible before being defeated. The U.S. landed on Okinawa on April 1, 1945, but for five days, the Japanese did not attack. Once the U.S. forces spread out across the island, the Japanese attacked from their hidden, underground fortifications in the southern half of Okinawa. The U.S. fleet was also bombarded by over 1,500 kamikaze pilots, who caused major damage as they flew their planes directly into U.S. ships. After three months of bloody fighting, the U.S. captured Okinawa. Okinawa was the last battle of World War II. D-Day and the German Retreat In Eastern Europe, it was the Battle of Stalingrad (July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943) that changed the tide of war. After the German defeat at Stalingrad, the Germans were on the defensive, being pushed back toward Germany by the Soviet army. With the Germans being pushed back in the east, it was time for the British and U.S. forces to attack from the west. In a plan that took a year to organize, the Allied forces launched a surprise, amphibious landing on the beaches of Normandy in northern France on June 6, 1944. The first day of the battle, known as D-Day, was extremely important. If the Allies could not break through the German defenses on the beaches this first day, the Germans would have time to bring in reinforcements, making the invasion at utter failure.   Despite many things going awry and an especially bloody fight on the beach codenamed Omaha, the Allies did break through that first day. With the beaches secured, the Allies then brought in two Mulberries, artificial harbors, which allowed them to unload both supplies and additional soldiers for a major offensive on Germany from the west. As the Germans were on the retreat, a number of top German officials wanted to kill Hitler and end the war. Ultimately, the July Plot failed when the bomb that exploded on July 20, 1944 only injured Hitler. Those involved in the assassination attempt were rounded up and killed. Although many in Germany were ready to end World War II, Hitler was not ready to admit defeat. In one, last offensive, the Germans tried to break the Allied line. Using blitzkrieg tactics, the Germans pushed through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium on December 16, 1944. The Allied forces were totally taken by surprise and desperately tried to keep the Germans from breaking through. In so doing, the Allied line began to have a bulge in it, hence the name Battle of the Bulge. Despite this being the bloodiest battle ever fought by American troops, the Allies ultimately won. The Allies wanted to end the war as soon as possible and so they strategically bombed any remaining factories or oil depots left within Germany. However, in February 1944, the Allies began a massive and deadly bombing attack on the German city of Dresden, nearly demolishing the once-beautiful city. The civilian casualty rate was extremely high and many have questioned the reasoning for the firebombing since the city was not a strategic target. By the spring of 1945, the Germans had been pushed back into their own borders on both the east and west. The Germans, who had been fighting for six years, were low on fuel, had barely any food left, and were severely low on ammunition. They were also very low on trained soldiers. Those that were left to defend Germany were the young, old, and wounded. On April 25, 1945, the Soviet army had Berlin, Germany’s capital, completely surrounded. Finally realizing that the end was near, Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945. The fighting in Europe officially ended at 11:01 p.m. on May 8, 1945, a day known as V-E Day (Victory in Europe). Ending the War With Japan Despite the victory in Europe, World War II was still not over for the Japanese were still fighting. The death toll in the Pacific was high, especially since Japanese culture forbade surrender. Knowing that the Japanese planned to fight to the death, the United States was extremely concerned about how many U.S. soldiers would die if they invaded Japan. President Harry Truman, who had become president when Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945 (less than a month before the end of WWII in Europe), had a fateful decision to make. Should the U.S. use its new, deadly weapon against Japan in the hopes that it would force Japan to surrender without an actual invasion? Truman decided to try to save U.S. lives. On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima and then three days later, dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The devastation was shocking. Japan surrendered on August 16, 1945, known as V-J Day (Victory over Japan). After the War World War II left the world a different place. It had taken an estimated 40 to 70 million lives and destroyed much of Europe. It brought about the splitting of Germany into East and West and created two major superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. These two superpowers, who had tenuously worked together to fight back Nazi Germany, became pitted against each other in what became known as the Cold War. Hoping to prevent a total war from ever happening again, representatives from 50 countries met together in San Francisco and founded the United Nations, officially created on October 24, 1945.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Book Summary for Siddhartha

Book Summary for Siddhartha Siddhartha is a novel by German author Hermann Hesse. It was first published in 1921. Publication in the United States occurred in 1951 by New Directions Publishing of New York. Setting The novel Siddhartha is set in the Indian Subcontinent (Islands off the southeastern tip of the  Indian  peninsula), is often considered a part of the  subcontinent. during the time of the Buddhas enlightenment and teaching. The period about which Hesse writes is between the fourth and fifth century BCE. Characters Siddhartha - the protagonist of the novel, Siddhartha is the son of a Brahmin (religious leader). During the course of the story, Siddhartha journeys far from home in search of spiritual enlightenment. Govinda - Siddharthas best friend, Govinda is also searching for spiritual enlightenment. Govinda is a foil to Siddhartha as he is, unlike his friend, willing to accept spiritual teachings without question. Kamala - a courtesan, Kamala acts as the ambassador to the material world, introducing Siddhartha to the ways of the flesh. Vasudeva - the ferryman who sets Siddhartha on the true path to enlightenment. Plot for Siddhartha Siddhartha centers on the spiritual quest of its title character. Dissatisfied with the ritualistic religious upbringing of his youth, Siddhartha leaves his home with his companion Govinda to join a group of ascetics who have renounced the pleasures of the world in favor of religious meditation. Siddhartha remains unsatisfied and turns to a life opposite to that of the Samanas. He embraces the pleasures of the material world and abandons himself to these experiences. Eventually, he becomes disillusioned with the decadence of this life and again wanders in search of spiritual wholeness. His quest for enlightenment is finally achieved when he meets a simple ferryman and comes to understand the true nature of the world and himself. Questions Consider the following while reading the novel. 1. Questions about the character: What significant differences are there between Siddhartha and Govinda?Why does Siddhartha continue to question and explore different philosophies and ideas about religion?Why does Siddhartha reject the teachings of the Buddha?In what way is Siddharthas son like his father?Explain the dual role of the ferryman. 2. Questions about the theme: What role does the natural world play in the thematic development of the novel?What is Hesse saying about the quest for enlightenment?How does the internal conflict of Siddhartha add to the archetypal theme of Man vs. Himself?In what way does love confound Siddhartha? Possible First Sentences Like many great novels, Siddhartha is the story of an individual in search of answers about himself and his world.The idea of spiritual enlightenment is very complex.Siddhartha is a revelation of Eastern religion and philosophy.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING - Essay Example Therefore this is the final appraisal report of the evaluation and it is designed to methodically address the said requirements of the Sprocket Ltd management as follows. Table of Contents 1An Overview 2 1.1Existing costing system (20 marks) 3 1.2Issues in the traditional system 3 2An alternate method 5 2.1ABC system 5 2.2Recommended ABC implementation strategy 7 2.3Possible issues for Sprockets with ABC 10 3Conclusions and recommendations 11 4References 12 5Appendix: the most recent costing sheet 13 1.1 Existing costing system (20 marks) Sprockets Ltd was found to be a production company which engages approximately 300 jobs a year. The undertaken jobs are specified by the customers and production is carried on accordingly. At the moment there are three jobs (A, B and C) in production which are broadly similar to each other. As it was understood that A, B and C presents the typical size of a job that is accepted by Sprockets Ltd, they were used to appraise the existing costing system in the company. (The most recent job costing sheet is attached in the Appendix) The current costing system keeps an account of the direct production information i.e. direct materials, direct labour hours and machine operation hours for each job very efficiently. Thereby the respective expenses along with the direct expenses (i.e. 75% of the labour cost) are allocated to each job accurately. The production overhead on the other hand is absorbed at a flat rate of ?3 per machine hour. Based on the total cost calculated by this method for each job, the selling price is set to produce 25% gross profit. 1.2 Issues in the traditional system 1.2.1 The primary issues identified for Sprocket Ltd in their prevailing costing system stems from the production overhead allocation. Production overheads amount to approximately 20% of the total cost of production (ref appendix); which is a significant proportion of costs that must be accurately absorbed into each job separately. The total production overhead was recently analysed and split by Sprocket Ltd as in figure 1. Figure 1 Machinery is said to be a cost pool which consists of machine related expenditure and total salaries (?40,000) of two members of staff. Only the salary cost allocation was identified to be inaccurate in this cost pool as it does not depend on the operation of machine hours. Material handling costs (which are 20%) according to the analysis description is derived from material issues and thus remains unrelated to the machine hours. Inspection cost, which is the salary of the inspector hired by Sprocket Ltd to examine each job too is only barely associated to the machine hours. Sundries on the other hand are only 2% and are related to the factory. Thus its allocation by machine hours is acceptable. Thereby we’ve identified that, absorption of production overheads at ?3 per machine hour for each job is quite inaccurate for most part of the production expenditure. 1.2.2 It is a fact that the data co llected and produced by a costing system is also incorporated into the general accounting system. For this reason the costing approach must allow for easy and sensible delivery of the data for reports to upper management. Sprockets’ traditional costing approach was identified to be lacking in this facility. For an example an in-depth analysis costs in ‘

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Formation Of The US Constitution or The Shaded US Constitution Research Paper

The Formation Of The US Constitution or The Shaded US Constitution - Research Paper Example This essay discusses that another aspect of the argument of the federalists was to ensure that citizens were given equal rights and good protection. This was to ensure that the ordinary citizen could have a universal and inalienable right to information and access to challenging public institutions. This was the only way to ensure that citizens could play a role in safeguarding the running of the state. The US Constitution was borne out of the Article of Confederacy. This involved a series of ideal standards on how to run the newly-independent country which sought to protect the civil liberties and rights of citizens and avoid discrimination and other forms of challenges that were experienced under British Rule. Therefore, the architects of the constitution sought to promote the Bill of Rights which was to maintain the fundamental rights of citizens in the United States. In addition to that, the federalists maintained a set of arguments that promoted the institution of a two-tiered g overnment system that will ensure that the states maintained their sovereignty and also ceded part of it to the federal authority. This was also to be achieved through the institution of the Separation of Power.The Federalists argued for the two-tiered system as a means of protecting human rights through the institution of more checks and balances to ensure that the rights of citizens were protected. This is to avoid the mistakes of Britain and also eliminate anarchy by promoting transparency and inclusion by ordinary citizens of the country.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Religion and Grand Zoroastrian Nation Essay Example for Free

Religion and Grand Zoroastrian Nation Essay It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of the millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects. My thanks, also to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honour of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation, which has sheltered the persecuted, and the refugees of all religion and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion, which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: ‘As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee’. Quoted from Siva Mahimnah Stotram 7. The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: ‘Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to Me’. Quoted from Geeta 4:11. Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced  than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wend ing their way to the same goal.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Pros and Cons of the Industrial Revolution :: American America History

The Pros and Cons of the Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was a period in history when mankind found innovative and efficient ways of producing goods, manufacturing services and creating new methods of transportation. This not only revolutionized the way the market system functioned, but also changed the way people perceived their status in society and what they required as basic necessities. However, the price that humanity was forced to pay for the emergence of the Industrial Revolution greatly outweighed the rewards that accompanied it. Prior to the Industrial Age, the Western European market operated on a simple "putting-out" system. The average producer was able to manufacture a product in the same area that he or she lived on and the demand for that product was usually set by a few local consumers. The process was easy and simple, provided that the product being created was always required by someone else. However, the invention of Machinery and all of its accompanying peripherals allowed producers to start manufacturing on a mass scale. With factories placed in central locations of the townships (known as centralization), the previous system was dismantled and categorized into steps. No longer would one person be required to build, market or transport their product since the new system introduced the art of specialization. Specialization allowed a person to perform a single task and guarantee them wages as a source of income. However, as wonderful as this might seem, this new system led to the emergence of a n working class (proletariat) and forced them to depend on market conditions in order to survive as producers. Although seemingly content at first, those who became employed by these factories were immediately subjected to deplorable conditions. Arnold Toynbee made a scholarly assessment of this new wave of socio-economic behavior and concluded that the working class is suffering due to a series of hardships that make their lives miserable. He cited low wages, long hours, unsafe conditions, no provisions for old age, a discipline determined by machine and whole families being left with a low income rate as being a recurring problem that exploited the integrity and efficiency of Industrialization. This subsequently led to a period of "depersonalization" which meant that the employer-employee relationship was deteriorating in exchange for this new system. No longer could a worker befriend his boss or maintain a stable friendship since the divisions between their market classes made this al most impossible. One relied on the other for subsistence and therefore this dependency gave the property owners an upper edge in terms of negotiating income and support.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Banking Regulation Act Summary

BANKING REGULATIONS ACT 1949 The Banking Regulation Act was passed as the Banking Companies Act 1949 and came into force wef 16. 3. 49. Subsequently it was changed to Banking Regulations Act 1949 wef 01. 03. 66. Summary of some important sections is provided hereunder. The section no. is given at the end of each item. For details, kindly refer the bare Act. * Banking means accepting for the purpose of lending or investment of deposits of money from public repayable on demand or otherwise and withdrawable by cheque, drafts order or otherwise (5 (i) (b)). Banking company means any company which transacts the business of banking (5(i)(c) * Transact banking business in India (5 (i) (e). * Demand liabilities are the liabilities which must be met on demand and time liabilities means liabilities which are not demand liabilities (5(i)(f) * Secured loan or advances means a loan or advance made on the security of asset the market value of which is not at any time less than the amount of such l oan or advances and unsecured loan or advances means a loan or advance not secured (5(i)(h). Defines business a banking company may be engaged in like borrowing, lockers, letter of credit, traveller cheques, mortgages etc (6(1). * States that no company shall engage in any form of business other than those referred in Section 6(1) (6(2). * For banking companies carrying on banking business in India to use at least one word bank, banking, banking company in its name (7). * Restrictions on business of certain kinds such as trading of goods etc. (8) * Prohibits banks from holding any immovable property howsoever acquired except as acquired for its own use for a period exceeding 7 years from acquisition of the property. RBI may extend this period by five years (9) * Prohibitions on employments like Chairman, Directors etc (10) * Paid up capital, reserves and rules relating to these (11 & 12) * Banks not to pay any commission, brokerage, discount etc. more than 2. 5% of paid up value of one share (13) * Prohibits a banking company from creating a charge upon any unpaid capital of the company. (14) Section 14(A) prohibits a banking company from creating a floating charge on the undertaking or any property of the company without the RBI permission. * Prohibits payment of dividend by any bank until all of its capitalised expenses have been completely written off (15) * To create reserve fund and 20% of the profits should be transferred to this fund before any dividend is declared (17 (1)) * Cash reserve – Non-scheduled banks to maintain 3% of the demand and time liabilities by way of cash reserves with itself or by way of balance in a current account with RBI (18) * Permits banks to form subsidiary company for certain purposes (19) * No banking company shall hold shares in any company, whether as pledgee, mortgagee or absolute owners of any amount exceeding 30% of its own paid up share capital + reserves or 30% of the paid up share capital of that company whichever is less. (19(2). Restrictions on banks to grant loan to person interested in management of the bank (20) * Power to Reserve Bank to issue directive to banks to determine policy for advances (21) * Every bank to maintain a percentage of its demand and time liabili ties by way of cash, gold, unencumbered securities 25%-40% as on last Friday of 2nd preceding fortnight (24). * Return of unclaimed deposits (10 years and above) (26) * Every bank has to publish its balance sheet as on March 31st (29). * Balance sheet is to be got audited from qualified auditors (30 (i)) * Publish balance sheet and auditors report within 3 months from the end of period to which they refer. RBI may extend the period by further three month (31) * Prevents banks from producing any confidential information to any authority under Indl Disputes Act. (34A) * RBI authorised to undertake inspection of banks (35). * Amendment carried in the Act during 1983 empowers Central Govt to frame rules specifying the period for which a bank shall preserve its books (45-y), nomination facilities (45ZA to ZF) and return a paid instrument to a customer by keeping a true copy (45Z). * Certain returns are also required to be sent to RBI by banks such as monthly return of liquid assets and liabilities (24-3), quarterly return of assets and liabilities in India (25), return of unclaimed deposits i. e. 10 years and above (26) and monthly return of assets and liabilities (27-1).

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Dttls Assignment Essay

Unit 4: Theories and principles for planning and enabling learning In modern day teaching, the onus is shifting further and further away from teacher dictated methods of educational delivery, to methods that ensure the learner is placed at the heart of teaching, and every individual within the classroom is considered and catered for. Advances in technology available to teachers has contributed to a broadening of teaching styles, but this has mainly come about through the need to differentiate teaching more effectively and break down the barriers that exist between teacher and learner. Engaging every learner is a difficult task and requires the teacher to have a plethora of knowledge of teaching methods and theories. Learners may differ in terms of age, gender, ability level, communication skills, confidence, learning styles and many other factors. The job of the teacher is to ensure these factors do not hinder individual learning and that success and achievement within the group is widespread and at a high level. Planning and implementing learning is paramount to this process. To effectively plan and deliver to diverse and varied groups of students, teachers can draw upon a number of teaching theories and principles put forward by educational academics. Theories of teaching and behaviour are themselves, in general, varied and diverse in the way they approach the dissemination of learning and the bringing about of desired responses. Similarly, different theories of communication have been put forward that document methods through which we as teachers can effectively converse with our students. All of these theories can provide a vital insight or tool for teachers to improve their practice and ultimately promote inclusive learning for all students. Many examples of different teaching theories are evident across academic literature. Examples of these include Classical and Operant conditioning, Kolb’s learning cycle, Gagnes 9 events of instruction, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Knowles’ Pedagogical and Andragogical approaches. An example of a communication theory is Berne’s (1970) transactional analysis. It is concerned with ensuring that control and understanding occurs through ommunication between groups or individuals. Berne believes that transactional analysis represents â€Å"a theory of social intercourse and used it to help people understand and improve their behaviour towards others† (Huddleston & Unwin, 1997, p115). This theory also suggests that communicating effectively will directly impact on success, motivation work rate and b ehaviour through increased understanding of the nature and demands of a task or the content of the message itself that is being communicated. If we also also consider the effectiveness of communication in the classroom and relating theoretical concepts, i. e. ehaviourist and humanistic theories, these have some distinct differences which affect greatly the approaches and techniques adopted by teachers. Behaviourist theories suggest all behaviour is ‘learned’ or that these theories bring about a recognisable ‘change’ in behaviour (Armitage, 2003). Examples of Behavioural theorists include Pavlov (Classical conditioning), Thorndike (Operant conditioning), Skinner and in terms of early behaviourist studies, Watson. These theorists along with others have over the past 100 years put forward a number of different behaviourist theories that are concerned with changing or ‘conditioning’ behaviour. Classical conditioning was pioneered by Pavlov who looked at learning by association. His famous study involved the use of dogs as a medium to facilitate associative learning. Pavlov rang a bell every time a dog was to receive food, the presence of food elicited a saliva response from the dog, which over time it associated with the sound of the bell. After a period of time, the stimulus of food was no longer produced, but the dog continued to salivate at the sound of a bell, as it now ‘associated’ this behaviour with the onset of a meal. Classical conditioning essentially elicits a reflex and an association is formed (Artmitage, 2003; www. learning-theories. com). Operant conditioning is a theory put forward by Thorndike. This theory waits for a desired behaviour to occur and then rewards it. It builds somewhat on the work done by Watson regarding trial and error learning. Perhaps the most prominent or influential behaviourist work is that done by Skinner. Skinner adopted an operant approach to behaviourism and famously conducted experiment using rats in specially designed boxes. Skinner’s ideas revolved around the presence of a reinforcer to cause a desired behaviour to be repeated. This could be in the form of a primary reinforcer (a basic need like food) or a secondary reinforcer (such as money or praise). In the case of his rats, Skinner effectively trained them to pull certain levers to release food. Initially, the release was accidental but after a while, the rats learned to associate the arrival of food with the pressing of a lever. Skinners work revolved heavily around the need for reinforcement, reward, punishment and feedback. The scheduling and delivery of these things was also important to Skinner who suggested the timing of something like a reward was paramount to its success at brining about long term changes in behaviour. Similarly, he suggested giving punishment should occur immediately after the event in question and in a consistent manner. Also, it was skinner who introduced the concept of successive approximations – small steps towards a desired behaviour (Artmitage, 2003; www. learning-theories. com). Humanistic theories of learning are much more concerned with the individual themselves than the behaviour. Maslow identified a Hierarchy of Needs which he believed outlined the basic requirements of all individuals Figure 1 – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (www. talkingtails. files. wordpress. com) Both humanistic and behaviourist theories have a huge application in the delivery of teaching and learning. In the curriculum area of Public Services, evidence of the use of both theories is apparent across different subject areas. Operant conditioning is embedded widely across public service lessons. This occurs on many occasions where praise is used within a fitness session to reinforce good performance. Primary reinforcers are also often used, for example, excellence certificates sometimes act as a tangible reward for students who perform well in strenuous task such as fitness testing. When coaching exercise techniques in the gym, classical conditioning is used to develop the desired response of good form. For example, when learning to perform a squat, the learner must bend their knees to a 90 degree angle. This is taught by putting a bench under the learner so that when they feel their posterior touch the surface of the bench they know to begin the upward phase of the lift. At the point of touch, they will be encouraged to reverse the process. Over time, the bench is removed from the lift but the learner still remembers the motion. Punishment is often used to discourage certain behaviour. For example, at South Devon College if a student is rude in a lesson they are given a set amount of press ups to do. Whilst punishment is deemed less effective than a positive reinforcement strategy, the section have a consistent and department wide policy towards distributing press ups which contributes to making this a more effective way to manipulate behaviour. Humanistic approaches such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs are also evident within the curriculum, looking at developing individuals through agendas such as Every Child Matters and through the departmental tutorial process. The teamwork and overall nature of the course is also a particularly effective medium for learners to progress through the top two stages (esteem and self actualisation) of the hierarchy. Inclusive practice is something that all teachers are ultimately striving for. Within the curriculum, inclusive practice is complicated by the both theoretical and practical element of the subject area. A teacher must look to facilitate learning for those who are academically able, practically gifted and also attempt to integrate the study of theory and practical to enhance learning as a whole. Computer based learning, for example, is common place on all courses, and although often difficult to facilitate in all subjects, such as outdoor activities, the needs of the learner and future employer is paramount. The Uniformed Public Services today use computer systems, including email, online study, and specific service systems such as Wotan, on a regular basis and so it is vital that learners are prepared for this. This also helps out those learners who may struggle with putting pen to paper. Much of what the Public Services do is very practical and so as much as possible I try to embed a practical way of delivering the course specification. For example, team building activities using equipment outdoors. This enables some learners to shine as they are more practically minded. However, an indoor table top scenario does the same job, but gives learners with different learning styles chance to shine. Linking theory to practice is related to another teaching theory put forward by Kolb (1984). Kolb’s Learning Theory Kolb’s theory is ‘based on the assumption that people learn best by doing things then thinking about how they have done them, considering both the thoughts, feelings and perceptions which emerged during the experience’ (Harkin et al. 200, p42). This makes the process of learning more efficient, relevant and enjoyable. It also promotes inclusive practice with all three learning styles (Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic) being catered for effectively. The nature of our learners has a significant influence on the techniques and theories we implement in the preparation and delivery of lessons. In my own teaching practice, I have exposure to both adult and child groups. This difference in age groups has a big impact in how I teach and communicate with these groups. This is linked to Knowles’ (1970) theory of Pedagogy and Andragogy. These two states relate to the differences associated with teaching these varying groups. Effective communication is required throughout all levels of teaching. Transactional analysis is strongly linked to communicating and giving feedback and reflects the way we use our voice (in terms of tone, pitch, volume and content) to relay information to our students. The way this is done will affect whether a student understands a task and understands the nature and direction of the feedback. Within pastoral support mechanisms, teachers often undertake one on one tutorial discussions with students. Depending on the situation and the learner, the teacher may adopt one of the 3 ego states (Parent, Adult, and Child) in order to most effectively converse with the student. The ego state may also change over the course of the tutorial process as the teacher gets to know the learner more. Within the classroom, communicating with learners in the form of feedback allow them to understand if they are being successful or not achieving and what they can do to improve. As teachers, it is essential we have the ability to adopt the correct ego status for the situation but also to consciously manipulate the interaction of ego states between teacher and learner. Doing this involves manipulating our own tone of voice and delivery of information and also encouraging certain behaviours and attitudes amongst our students to allow them to best understand what is being said to them. In Public Services, when feeding back to a student on their performance in a practical session, a teacher may look to switch between the adult and parent ego states to best deliver positive and negative comments to a learner. Currently I teach a subject that is well within my comfort zone, particularly as a serving member of Her Majesty’s Forces, where I can relate much of my teaching to my current role. However, I am acutely aware of the need to teach and develop my own core skills in literacy, numeracy, language and ICT. To progress in a career in the Public services, it is vital that these core skills are maximised. As mentioned previously, the ICT is developing in all aspects of our lives and as a teacher, I feel this is an aspect where I maximise my potential. My own literacy and language is adequate for the subject matter that I teach, but would be limited I believe if I were to teach another core subject. My use of voice and body language overcomes many of my shortfalls when addressing learners but may not be appropriate in other subjects. Numeracy is my weakest area and as such my teaching reflects this. As a teaching group we play to our individual strengths and so the subjects that I teach have limited numeracy base. However, this is an area that I am conscious of and it does need to be addressed. As a teacher, I teach across a range of courses from Level 1 to Level 5 and with groups ranging from 15 years old to adult learners. This necessitates that I employ a range of teaching strategies and adopt a range of learning theories to best accommodate for all my students. I feel one of my particular strengths is my adaptability to work effectively with these diverse groups and adopt different ego states through which to control these groups and facilitate their learning. Sub consciously, I feel for a long time I have been utilising many of the learning theories discussed in this assignment, however through recent further study I now feel much more confident and able to take what I perceive to be the most advantageous parts of these learning theories and implement them in my classroom. I believe a further strength of mine is to bring about certain behaviours or encourage those that are most appropriate within the classroom. Using operant conditioning ideology, I am quick to recognise and praise desired behaviour but am careful how and how often I deliver this reinforcement. Although I understand the limitations of punishment, I believe it has a place in the classroom and feel I am fairly competent at being consistent and fair with punishments/press ups. Feedback from learners is clearly an essential medium to assess one own teaching. With my adult learners I widely adopt a andragogical approach, allowing them a lot of freedom to learn in their own way. This is effective but often leads to a lack of feedback from learners in terms of how they are progressing and learning. I feel I could improve by embedding some more formative assessment methods into my andragogical style of teaching to allow for freedom within learning, but also actually more feedback for me from learners. This will ultimately help me see how they are doing, and also how I am doing in terms of teaching. For future development, I believe it is essential for me to continue to develop my use of Kolb’s ideas integrating theory into practice. This is something I believe to be essential, especially given the more practical/kinaesthetic orientation of the learners who study upon the course on which I teach. I also feel that I could benefit from more in depth investigation into the Skinner’s schedule of reinforcement linked to operant conditioning. I feel I am good at giving constructive praise but could improve by really analysing how I give feedback, especially in terms of frequency.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Importance of Strategic Planning and Management in the Business Environment Paper Essay Example

Importance of Strategic Planning and Management in the Business Environment Paper Essay Example Importance of Strategic Planning and Management in the Business Environment Paper Essay Importance of Strategic Planning and Management in the Business Environment Paper Essay Importance of Strategic Planning and Management in the Business Environment Paper Tight Lines Sport Fishing is the vision of Captain Alex Smith to provide an outstanding and unforgettable fishing experience for his clients. With 20 years of experience fishing the local waters of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Kona coast of Hawaii Alex plans on employing all his knowledge and experience combined with the lessons he has learned from other chartering experiences to provide exceptional value to his customers. Experience and a vision will not guarantee success, a strategic plan that will provide a roadmap on how success will be measured and achieved. â€Å"Strategic management is the set of decisions and actions that result in the formulation and implementation of plans designed to achieve a company’s objectives. † (Pearce II Robinson Jr. , 2004) With several tasks required in the development of a strategic plan for Tight Lines Sport Fishing. Beginning with an outline of the company’s vision and the means by which they will go about implementing and reviewing the plans successes and failures will be required. Starting with the vision and mission statement Alex will set the foundation for Tight Lines Sport Fishing. Defining long-term objectives and strategies that will achieve the company’s goals will require the input from various levels of the organization. â€Å"Implementing the strategic choices by means of budgeted resource allocations in which the matching of tasks, people, structures, technologies, and reward systems is essential and evaluating the success of the strategic process as an input for future decision making will allow the company to adapt to changes in the market. † (Pearce II Robinson Jr. 2004) Analyzing the company’s capabilities will allow the company to maximize it resources and not over commit itself fiscally, this will take input from boat captains and deck hands. The boat captains can be looked at as the managers within the organization and the deck hands are functional leads both will valuable local experience and knowledge. With locations o n two coasts separated by a minimum of five hours of flight the first steps in the planning stages will be critical to the company’s success. As defined, management is â€Å"The process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals. (Bateman-Snell, 2007) The four functions of management are planning, leading, organizing, and controlling. Planning would have to rank at the top of any text in priorities for a successful strategic plan or project. With many variations of the project management five â€Å"P’s† Poor planning produces poor performance. In terms of defining planning, the function of defining goals, resources and budget that Alex’s team will follow to achieve a defined result. â€Å"Organizing is the function of coordinating all of the resources needed to achieve goals. (Bateman-Snell, 2007) Second only to leading, which I will cover later in this paper, organizing is one of the more challenging skills for a startup co mpany. Tight Lines will have to demonstrate they can consistently put their clients on the fish. An example of organizing organizational resources is to break down the traditional organizational charts and pull members of different areas into a team as discussed in the text. Bringing together a group of employees with different areas of expertise to attack a critical problem or plan a future direction within the organization can produce amazing results. Leading is a skill that cannot be solely taught. With many definitions of leadership; a search on a popular search engine produces over 24 million responses. A definition of leadership that captures all its qualities is â€Å"Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills† (Wickramasinghe, 2006) Providing a quality experience is a high priority for Tight Lines. Controlling or monitoring is a fundamental skill of management. The best managers use this function religiously. â€Å"Controlling is the process in which you monitor the performance of a task and make the necessary changes when required. † (Bateman-Snell, 2007) After carefully going through the planning and organizing stages of plan development a leader must monitor the progress of the plan to insure they will meet the company’s goals. For Tight Lines that will mean return customers year after year. Monitoring is the tool to identify these critical opportunities to make required changes. This is an area were technology has had the greatest impact in the business community. With numerous software templates and programs that monitor strategic plan performance, from budget to resources and major milestones required to deliver top quality results. Strategic planning is a work in progress. It starts with an idea that turns into a vision and mission statement, forming a foundation for a plan. With several traditional structures in which a strategic plan can be developed from the top down approach to a more functional team developed. Engaging resources from different levels of the organization will allow for a vast span of input and ideas when goal setting. For Tight Lines Sport Fishing the inputs of the boat captains and deckhands will be beneficial in determining short and long-term goals and milestones. Employing the four functions of management will help develop and monitor the success of a strategic plan. Following a model of the more successful companies adapting to change will be essential as Tight Lines Sport Fishing gets under way. Careful monitoring and adjusting milestones will lead to a successful launch of this new endeavor and satisfy customers on both coasts for years to come. References: Bateman-Snell. (2007). Managing . In S. A. Thomas S. Bateman, Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World (p. 19). The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. . Pearce II, J. , Robinson Jr. , R. B. (2004). Strategic Management: Formulation, Implementation, and Control. New York: The McGraw? Hill Companies. Wickramasinghe, D. V. (2006). Dynamic leadership in unstable and unpredictable environments. International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development , 339.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Complete Guide to Conic Sections on ACT Math

The Complete Guide to Conic Sections on ACT Math SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You will usually see one conic section question (though no more than one) on any given ACT, but just what is a conic section and how do you solve it? Luckily for us, though conic section questions are rare, they are generally straightforward and can get you an easy point if you take a few minutes to study them. This will be your complete guide to conic sections- what they are, how you'll see them on the test, and the best way to approach these types of ACT math questions. What Are Conic Sections? A conic section is any intersection of a cone (a three dimensional figure) and a plane (a flat, infinite surface). Depending on how the plane slices the cone, the intersection will create: A circle A parabola An ellipse A hyperbola Picture: Magister Mathematicae/Wikimedia For the ACT, you will only need to know about circles and parabolas. And the only parabola knowledge you'll need are covered by your quadratic functions. The ACT will never test you on ellipses or hyperbolas. What You'll Need to Know About Conic Sections The only piece of information you really need to understand to master conic sections on the ACT is the equation of a circle. Every ACT conic section question will ask you information about this equation and you must either find the proper equation from given information or identify the individual pieces that make up this equation. Equation of a Circle $$(x - h)^2 + (y - k)^2 = r^2$$ This is the equation of a circle. $h$ and $k$ are the coordinates for the center of the circle. $h$ stands in place of the $x$-coordinate and $k$stands in place of the $y$-coordinate. The center will, therefore, be at $(h, k)$. $r$ is the radius of the circle. â™ ª Love (and the equation of a circle) is all you need. â™ ª Picture: byronv2/Flickr Typical ACT Conic Section Questions Though you will only have to know the equation of a circle to solve your conic section questions, you may see conic section questions in a few different ways- as a word problem, as a diagram problem, and/or as a scenario problem. But no matter their form, it should be pretty straightforward to solve the problem if you remember your formula. Let's look at a typical ACT conic section problem. We can see, based on the graph, that our center coordinates for our circle are $(4, 0)$. This means that we can count from the circumference to the center to find that our radius is also 4. So if we replace these values with our $(h, k)$ and our $r$ in the equation for a circle, we would get: $(x - h)^2 + (y - k)^2 = r^2$ $(x - 4)^2 + (y - 0)^2 = 4^2$ $(x - 4)^2 + y^2 = 16$ This means that our final answer is G. ACT Math Strategies for Conic Section Questions Though conic sections are generally fairly simple, you will be able to solve them more easily if you use strategy (especially if you forget your key information on test day). #1: Prioritize Your Time and Energy Conic sections are one of the least common ACT math topics. This type of question may or may not show up on your ACT, and even if it does, there will only be one question on circle equations per test. Though it is not a guarantee that you will see it, it is a useful formula for you to know if you're trying for every last math point. #2: Memorize the Circle Formula If you're going for every last point, then be sure to memorize your circle formula. On every ACT conic section question, you will be given a string of answer choices that all look incredibly similar. This is to muddy the waters for anyone who only has a passing recollection (or no recollection) of the formula. Your best bet for a near guaranteed point on all conic section questions is to simply memorize the formula and quiz yourself on it before test day to make sure you have it down. #3: Alternatively, Remember Just a Piece of the Formula and Guess Strategically If you're worried for any reason that you'll forget your formula or if you would just rather spend your time memorizing more common ACT math formulas like slopes and angles, then even remembering a piece of the circle formula is better than not memorizing any part of it at all. For instance, if you don't remember the $(x - h)^2 + (y - k)^2$ side of the formula, but you do remember that the other side is the radius squared (and not just the radius), you will often be able to eliminate two or three answer choices. Now you have between a 33% and a 50% of guessing the right answer, which is certainly better than a 20% blind guess. So pick just a piece of the circle formula and commit it to heart, even if you can't or won't for any reason memorize the whole thing. Ready to show 'em what you got? Test Your Knowledge So let's put your knowledge to the test on real ACT math problems about conic sections. 1. 2. 3. If a circle has a circumference that is tangent to the origin and a midpoint at $(0, -7)$, which of the following is the equation of that circle? A. $x^2 + (y - 7)^2 = 49$B. $x ^2 + (y + 7)^2 = 49$C. $(x - 7)^2 - y^2 = 49$D. $(x - 7)^2 + y^2 = 7$E. $x^2 - y^2 = 7$ Answers: E, F, B Answer Explanations: 1. For this problem, we know that our circle's midpoint is at the origin, which gives it the coordinates $(0,0)$. We can also see that the radius of the circle is 52. That means that our circle formula will be: $(x - h)^2 + (y - k)^2 = r^2$ $(x - 0)^2 + (y - 0)^2 = 52^2$ $x^2 + y^2 = 52^2$ Our final answer is E, $x^2 + y^2 = 52^2$ 2. For this question, we are actually working backwards, but the principle of the circle formula hold true. We must simply use the values we are given and reverse engineer them to find what we need. We know that our circle formula is: $(x - h)^2 + (y - k)^2 = r^2$ If our equation is then: $(x - 5)^2 + y ^2 = 38$, then we know that the radius must be the square root of 38 and the midpoint must be $(5, 0)$. Our final answer is F. 3. As usual when working without a diagram, let's draw a quick sketch of the scene. We know that the midpoint is at $(0, -7)$ and the circle is tangent to the origin, so this is the circle we're dealing with. We know that the radius is, therefore, 7 and we can plug the midpoint values into our equation. $(x - h)^2 + (y - k)^2 = r^2$ $(x - 0)^2 + (y - -7)^2 = 7^2$ $x^2 + (y + 7)^2 = 49$ Our final answer is B, $x^2 + (y + 7)^2 = 49$ The Take-Aways Though conic section questions are relatively rare, if you're going for every last point, it's a good idea to memorize your circle formula (or even just a piece of it) for a quick point. You will never be asked to do more than identify it when you see it or to identify its pieces, so go ahead and grab it if you can. What's Next? Want to brush up on any of your other math topics? Check out our individual math guides to get the walk-through on each and every topic on the ACT math test. You should also be sure to take a look at our articles on how to complete the square and the four different graph quadrants. Worried what the Ivy Leagues think of the ACT? Learn how some of the top schools in the United States feel about the ACT vs. the SAT. Running out of time on the ACT math section? We'll teach you how to beat the clock and maximize your ACT math score. Trying to get a perfect score? Check out our guide to getting a perfect 36 on ACT math, written by a perfect-scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: