Finance Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Money Management - Essay Example A rising benefit is a decent business include though a falling gainfulness is a terrible one. The net revenue shows the benefit that a business can create subsequent to meeting the different costs and expenses (Gitman, 2007, p.32). For the four divisions of Jools Furniture Industries Ltd this edge reflects blended signs. On account of Quality items division the net revenue has improved in the course of the most recent three years. In 2007 the overall revenue of this division was - 9.90%. In the following year the administration of the division had the option to eliminate the pointless uses pushing the overall revenue in the positive region. This further improved to 3.36% in 2009. For the Kitchen and Office division the net revenue uncovers a declining pattern. ... The ROI produced by all the divisions has been over 10% throughout the previous two years. Quality items division revealed the most noteworthy ROI for the year 2009 at 18.99%. The division detailed a negative ROI of 14.9% in 2007. Kitchen division announced a ROI of 12.75% in 2009. This figure was higher in 2007 at 17.97% and it dropped to 12.87% in the next year which is a fall of about 5%. In spite of an expansion in the turnover of the division the divisional administration neglected to support the gainfulness edge of the earlier year. Room division created the second most noteworthy ROI for 2009 at 14.63%. The arrival produced by this division was surprisingly better in the earlier years at 16.62% and 18.18% for 2007 and 2008 individually. Office division revealed the third most noteworthy ROI of the organization at 13.48%. In any event, for this division the arrival produced has dropped when contrasted with the most recent couple of years. Productivity The advantage turnover pro portion is a significant marker of the executives proficiency. A high proportion infers that the organization the executives has had the option to use the advantage base proficiently for example it has had the option to create more deals (Nelson, 2008, p.370). For Kitchen division this proportion has stayed more than two throughout the previous three years. In 2007 this proportion was 2.14 and it expanded to 2.19 in 2009. This shows the administration of this division has utilized the accessible resource base wisely and effectively. With the ascent in the benefit base in 2008 the administration detailed a higher turnover for example the division made ideal use of the accessible assets. On account of Office division this proportion has improved consistently in the course of the most recent three years. It expanded from 1.68 in 2007 to 2.10 in 2009 which is very noteworthy. This proposes the divisional chiefs are constantly

Random Walk Down Wall Street essays

Arbitrary Walk Down Wall Street papers Burton G Malkiel, the writer of A Random Walk Down Wall Street, gives me the peruser a simple way comprehend data about close to home putting resources into todays financial exchange. The book is partitioned into four sections: Stocks and their qualities, the new venture innovation, a handy guide for arbitrary walkers and different financial specialists, and how the experts play the greatest game around. This book considers a wide range of perspectives for a person on what are the most ideal ways for that individual to put away their cash. The title of this book intends to me that one individual can't anticipate the future estimation of a stock by taking a gander at the historical backdrop of what it has done previously. In this way, in this new update, Malkiel thinks about his hypothesis that the market is difficult to beat whether one is a specialist or not. His realized hypothesis presently expresses that it may be conceivable to beat the market due to surtin procedures of stock c hoice. This book gives you the general rules in turning into a brilliant speculator on Wall Street. The one theroy that sounded good to me was Castle-in-the-Air. This hypothesis expresses that no stock has characteristic worth. the main worth a stock has is the thing that individuals are eager to pay for it, According to this hypothesis. I like this hypothesis since, it not just applies to stock worth, it applies to each private great. Somebody in chicago would pay much more for an umbrella than somebody in the Sahara desert. I concur with this, yet the specialized investigation I don't see totally. For what reason would I Looking at the past patterns to anticipate the future patterns. For what reason would I do this, I locate this moronic and absurd. I don't know how to express this but rather I will attempt, Trends are set by the condition that encompasses it I see, however isnt nature under steady change, so as I would see it how could the past foresee the future stock to rise. The major examination, is more arbitrary than some other ... <!

Hull, Cordell

Hull, Cordell Hull, Cordell kôrdel ´ [key], 1871â€"1955, American statesman, b. Overton co. (now Pickett co.), Tenn. Admitted to the bar in 1891, he sat (1893â€"97) in the Tennessee legislature and, after service in the Spanish-American War, was appointed (1903) circuit court judge. He served (1907â€"21, 1923â€"31) in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was the author of important tax legislation. He was elected (1930) to the U.S. Senate, but resigned (1933) when Franklin Delano Roosevelt named him Secretary of State. Hull placed great emphasis on international economic relations. Through his efforts, pacts were signed with several nations under the Reciprocal Agreements Act (1934), and he fostered the good neighbor policy toward Latin American countries. After World War II broke out in Europe he pushed for aid to the Allies and recommended revision of the Neutrality Act. After U.S. entry into the war, he worked to improve cooperation among the Allies, visiting Moscow in 1943, and back ed the establishment of a world organization to maintain peace. Ill health caused his resignation as Secretary of State in 1944. He was awarded the 1945 Nobel Peace Prize. See his autobiography (1948); biography by J. W. Pratt (2 vol., 1964). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies

Feminist Theory Definition and Discussion

Feminist theory is a major branch within sociology that shifts its assumptions, analytic lens, and topical focus away from the male viewpoint and experience and toward that of women. In doing so, feminist theory shines a light on social problems, trends, and issues that are otherwise overlooked or misidentified by the historically dominant male perspective within social theory. Key Takeaways Key areas of focus within feminist theory include:discrimination and exclusion on the basis of sex and genderobjectificationstructural and economic inequalitypower and oppressiongender roles and stereotypes Overview Many people incorrectly believe that feminist theory focuses exclusively on girls and women  and that it has an inherent goal of promoting the superiority of women over men. In reality, feminist theory has always been about viewing the social world in a way that illuminates the forces that create and support inequality, oppression, and injustice, and in doing so, promotes the pursuit of equality and justice. That said, since the experiences and perspectives of women and girls were historically excluded from social theory and social science, much feminist theory has focused on their interactions and experiences within society to ensure that half the worlds population is not left out of how we see and understand social forces, relations, and problems. While most  feminist theorists throughout history have been women, today people of all genders can be found working in the discipline. By shifting the focus of social theory away from the perspectives and experiences of men, feminist theorists have created social theories that are more inclusive and creative than those that assume the social actor to always be a man. Part of what makes feminist theory creative and inclusive is that it often considers how systems of power and oppression interact, which is to say it does not just focus on gendered power and oppression, but on how it might intersect  with systemic racism, a hierarchical class system, sexuality, nationality, and (dis)ability, among other things. Gender  Differences Some feminist theory provides an analytic framework for understanding how womens location in, and experience of, social situations differ from mens. For example, cultural feminists look at the different values associated with womanhood and femininity as a reason why men and women experience the social world differently. Other feminist theorists believe that the different roles assigned to women and men within institutions better explain gender difference, including the sexual division of labor in the household. Existential and phenomenological feminists focus on how women have been marginalized and defined as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"other†Ã‚  in patriarchal societies. Some feminist theorists focus specifically on how masculinity is developed through socialization, and how its development interacts with the process of developing femininity in girls. Gender Inequality Feminist theories that focus on gender inequality recognize that womens location in, and experience of, social situations are not only different but also unequal to mens. Liberal feminists argue that women have the same capacity as men for moral reasoning and agency, but that patriarchy, particularly the sexist division of labor, has historically denied women the opportunity to express and practice this reasoning. These dynamics serve to shove women into the  private sphere  of the household and to exclude them from full participation in public life. Liberal feminists point out that gender inequality exists for women in a heterosexual marriage and that women do not benefit from being married. Indeed, these feminist theorists claim, married women have higher levels of stress than unmarried women and married men. Therefore, the sexual division of labor in both the public and private spheres needs to be altered for women to achieve equality in marriage. Gender Oppression Theories of gender oppression go further than theories of gender difference and gender inequality by arguing that not only are women different from or unequal to men, but that they are actively oppressed, subordinated, and even abused by men. Power is the key variable in the two main theories of gender oppression: psychoanalytic feminism and  radical feminism. Psychoanalytic feminists attempt to explain power relations between men and women by reformulating Sigmund Freuds theories of human emotions, childhood development, and the workings of the subconscious and unconscious. They believe that conscious calculation cannot fully explain the production and reproduction of patriarchy. Radical feminists  argue that being a woman is a positive thing in and of itself, but that this is not acknowledged in  patriarchal societies  where women are oppressed. They identify  physical violence  as being at the base of  patriarchy, but they think that patriarchy can be defeated if women recognize their own value and strength, establish a sisterhood of trust with other women, confront oppression critically, and form female-based separatist networks in the private and public spheres. Structural Oppression Structural oppression theories posit that womens oppression and inequality are a result of capitalism, patriarchy, and racism. Socialist feminists agree with  Karl Marx  and Freidrich Engels that the working class is exploited as a consequence of capitalism, but they seek to extend this exploitation not just to class but also to gender. Intersectionality theorists seek to explain oppression and inequality across a variety of variables, including class, gender, race, ethnicity, and age. They offer the important insight that not all women experience oppression in the same way, and that the same forces that work to oppress women and girls also oppress people of color and other marginalized groups. One way structural oppression  of women, specifically the economic kind, manifests in society is in the gender wage gap, which shows that men routinely earn more for the same work than  women. An intersectional view of this situation shows that women of color, and men of color, too, are even further penalized relative to the earnings of white men. In the late 20th century, this strain of feminist theory was extended to account for the globalization of capitalism and how its methods of production and of accumulating wealth center on the exploitation of women workers around the world.

Getting Prison For Serving Time - 986 Words

Getting sentenced to serve time in prison is an experience no one would like to have. Having to spend either weeks, months, years or an entire lifetime locked away from society, having other people decide your life, is not a life anyone goes out looking for. However, due to circumstances, a lot of people find themselves in these types of positions. These people are leaving behind their families, friends, and work to serve time for an action or crime they supposedly committed. Few members of society, unfortunately, do not think of these prisoners as anything other than delinquents getting what they had coming, when truly they are members of society just like everyone else who have simply made some past mistakes. What people even more rarely fail to notice is the emotional and psychological effect incarceration leaves on a person, and the hardships these people face while incarcerated. This fact has proven to be an important matter that needs to be looked at in a closer level, specific ally in female inmates. People tend to create stereotypes of their ‘average’ inmate. Most people, when asked about to think of inmates, would involve a younger male figure. People under the age of 35 do indeed account for 58% of the jail population in provincial correction institutes (StatsCanada, 2015). In the year of 2013 and 2014, males accounted for 85% of admissions in Canadian provincial corrections; leaving females to make up 15% of admissions, and making up 6% federally in sentencedShow MoreRelatedRacial Disparities And The Judicial System Essay1607 Words   |  7 Pagesthe nation’s prisons and jails today. This is a 500% increase in the last 40 years, prisons are becoming overcrowded and it is only getting worse. Today, people of color make up 37% of the U.S population but make up 67% of the prison population. African American men are six times more likely to be incarcerated and hispanic males are more than twice as likely to be incarcerated than white males. Even white males c ommit the same crimes, and they still do not get the same amount of time as blacks andRead MoreRethinking The Growing Female Prison System1622 Words   |  7 PagesWomen’s population in the prison system is growing vastly, and continues to grow. Julie Ajinkya (March 8, 2013). Rethinking How to Address the Growing Female Prison Population. Retrieved from www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/news. According to the center for progress from the years 2000 through 2009 the number of women incarcerated in state or federal prisons rose by 21.6 percent in comparison to 15.6 percent increase for men. Majority of the women in the prison system struggle with, mentalRead More Alternative Methods to Prison Sentencing in Britain Essay1632 Words   |  7 PagesBritain are being sentenced to jail time: this is a fact. In 2004, there are currently over eighty thousand inmates.[1] (Peter Reydt, 2004 / Scottish Executive, 2003) Crime is on the increase but our prisons are already overcrowded. Consequently, new prisons will be required to accommodate prisoners. Where will the money come from to pay for the construction of new prisons? Will they have a sufficient rehabilitation programs in place? The prison system is obviously failingRead MoreThe Criminal Justice System And The United States Essay1445 Words   |  6 Pagesit first started in the 17th Century. The Criminal Justice System first began in the United States during the colonial times, when the colonist had to follow the rules of the British. During the Colonial times, the Criminal Justices System was not as fair as our current system is today, which meant a lot of people did not have liberties and were ultimately treated unfairly. Times have definitely changed for the Criminal Justice System and for the United States. We now have several documents givingRead MoreThe Common Problem Of Addiction950 Words   |  4 Pagestaking over our community’s but it is also taking over our jails and prisons. There are over 6.8 million people in America that are suffering with a drug or alcohol addiction, and many of these people are suffering alone. Since they have these addictions many times they are arrest for using drugs or c ommitting a crime so that they can get the drugs they need. There are over two million people serving time in our jails and prisons and over 500,000 are there because of a drug related crime. Drug andRead MoreJuvenile in the Adult Prison1351 Words   |  6 PagesJuvenile Delinquency December 3, 2014 Juveniles in The Adult Prison Children as young as 14 years old have been tried as adults and are sentenced to die in prison without considering their age and the factors that led the individual to commit the offense. Society believes that a juvenile should be tried as an adult because it will help them understand the consequences of their actions, however, children and teenagers that commit crimes are too young and they don’t have the mental ability to understandRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Modern Prisons1261 Words   |  6 PagesThere was a time when criminals could anonymously wander within the populous and commit crimes, without getting caught or getting severe punishments. Now, with the idea and creation of prisons, the ability to lawfully punish criminals exists. The innocent are now safe. But is modern prison truly beneficial? London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, is known as the birthplace of modern imprisonment (â€Å"History of Prisons†). Jeremy Bentham, a philosopher th at was highly against the ideaRead MoreMandatory Minimum Sentencing On Violent Crimes Essay1492 Words   |  6 Pagessentencing can be designed to avoid injustices. A substantial number of offenders who commit violent crimes often receive lighter sentences for various reasons, whether it be because they have a â€Å"non-violent† past or they receive an early release from prison. I will also discuss how mandatory sentencing will increase consistency in the criminal justice system and will ensure that justice is always served. Lastly, I will express personal opinions and recommendations to the criminal justice system and willRead MoreAb109 Paper949 Words   |  4 PagesAB 109 Assembly Bill 109 was signed by Governor Edmund Brown Jr. and implemented on October 1, 2011 to close the revolving door of low-level inmates cycling in and out of state prison. It was a way to reduce the number of inmate in our overpopulated 33 prisons. The cause ab109 and ab117 to be put into place was a lawsuit Plata vs. Schwarzenegger fact that California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was in violation of the eight amendments, the American with Disabilities Act and sectionRead MoreEssay about The Growth of Adult Corrections in the United States1472 Words   |  6 Pagesparole and great majorities are non-violent offenders. In â€Å"U.S. Prison Population Dwarfs that of Other Nations,† Adam Liptak states â€Å"The United States has, for instance, 2.3 million criminals behind bars, more than any other nation, according to data maintained by the International Center for Prison Studies at Kings College London.† Americans are arrested for things as minor as using drugs or writing a bad check. Residing someone to a prison should be our last alternative because it’s costly and can

The Right Way to Manage an Intervention Free Essays

For 42 years, Libyans had suffered from the tyrannical dictator Muammar Gaddafi who ruled them without any mercy and allocated Libya’s wealth to his family and himself. On Tuesday 15th of February 2011, Libyans started to demonstrate against the regime of Gaddafi. However, Gaddafi’s response to these demonstrations was horrible. We will write a custom essay sample on The Right Way to Manage an Intervention or any similar topic only for you Order Now He ordered his forces to open fire on the protestors. According to reporters from the BBC â€Å"500 to 700 people were killed† during February 2011 by Gaddafi’s security forces. Libyans did not give up, though. Instead, the number of demonstrators increased day by day, especially in the city of Benghazi where the demonstrators were armed. They forced the police and the army forces to withdraw from Benghazi. For a person like Gaddafi, who ruled Libya for more than 40 years, resignation was not an option. He was willing to eliminate the revolution against him no matter how. He gathered his army around the cities which the demonstrators controlled and was about to commit massacres against Libyans. The United Nations had to do something to prevent the massacres Gaddafi’s forces were about to commit. On March 2011, the UN started an intervention in Libya by imposing a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent Gaddafi’s air forces from killing civilians. This intervention -which was later led by NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) – proved later that it was the best way to end the conflicts in Libya. The three main reasons behind this statement are firstly, to protect Libyans from the Gaddafi’s crime. Secondly, because the intervention was not a direct invasion. And finally, because the intervention was done after the UN approval. The most important reason why the NATO’s intervention was the best solution in the war in Libya is because Libyans needed urgent military help to stop Gaddafi’s forces from killing civilians. If NATO’s navy in the Mediterranean had not imposed a no-fly zone over Libya Gaddafi’s air forces were about to attack civilians in Benghazi and other cities. The Libyan Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi, said in a press conference on March 2011, â€Å"We are expecting a real genocide in Tripoli. The airplanes are still bringing mercenaries to the airports. We are calling on the UN to impose a no-fly zone on all Tripoli to cut off all supplies of arms and mercenaries to the regime†. In other words, NATO’s intervention saved thousands of lives by applying a no-fly zone over Libya. No peaceful solutions would do so, especially since Gaddafi seemed insistent on proceeding in his bloody actions against his oppositions. Another reason why NATO’s intervention in Libya was a model one is because it was not a direct invasion. The NATO’s operations in Libya were all by launching air and missile strikes against important targets on Gaddafi’s forces. Ivo H. Daalder, the U. S. Permanent Representative to NATO, indicated that the NATO’s operations in Libya were successful by any standard. The operations â€Å"saved† tens of thousands of lives from almost certain massacre. These operations greatly â€Å"minimized† direct damage. It helped the â€Å"Libyan opposition† to overthrow one of the world’s worst â€Å"dictators†. All these accomplishments were done without any wounded from the allies and with the cost of only several billions of dollars. That was a â€Å"fraction† of that spent in previous â€Å"interventions in Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In other words, NATO played a huge role in ending a civil war which could last for many years by the least damage possible. The proof of that statement is what happening in Syria today. As no military force intervened to end the bloody war in Syria, the conflicting parties have been killing tens of thousands of civilians for more than two years now. Political ways are not helpful in such situation. If NATO hadn’t intervened in Libya, the civil war could not be finish till today, or at least it could cause much more victims. The third reason to consider the NATO’s intervention a successful one is because it was applied after the UN approval. The military operations were led by a group of allies, and then these operations were led by NATO, which is still a group of allies. This gave legitimacy to the intervention and proved that the intervention was only to save the Libyan people and help them get their freedom, not for the interests of a specific country. Moreover, NATO ended their operations after the death of Gaddafi. Ending their mission is a clear proof that they were not planning to invade Libya. But they were applying the UN solution to save civilians. A report published on the United Nations official website on 17th of March 2011 clarified that the Security Council â€Å"authorized† the use of force in Libya to protect Civilians from Gaddafi’s forces, especially in the city of Benghazi, â€Å"Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter†, which allows to take military and nonmilitary actions to restore â€Å"international peace and security†. In other words, there is no proof that the NATO intervened in Libya for any kind of benefits. Even on the economical perspective, the cost of the military operations is a small fraction compared to the wealth of Libya which was stolen by Gaddafi and his family. Despite the obvious success of NATO’s interventions, there are critics who believe that NATO’s intervention was not helpful. The author of the essay â€Å"The Negative Influence of NATO Intervention in Libya† claimed that the NATO’s intervention that happened in Libya was not helpful. He based his thesis on three main reasons. The first one is because NATO neglected Libyan people. Secondly, because NATO killed innocent people through bombing. Finally, because NATO caused internal conflicts for Libyan people. The author mentioned some good examples to prove that the intervention was not helpful. However, His essay has three unconvincing arguments. The first one is that the author claimed that NATO neglected Libyans basing this claim on one example. That is considered as a hasty generalization. The second unconvincing argument is claiming that the main objective of the intervention was to conquer Libya without mentioning logical evidence. The last weakness in the essay is the last paragraph; the author claimed that NATO motivated Libyans to fight against each other. In the first paragraph, the author of â€Å"The Negative Influence of NATO Intervention in Libya† concluded that NATO neglected Libyans. He based this point on the fact that a boat carrying refugees sank in the Mediterranean Sea and NATO didn’t rescue the refugees. However, this example is not convincing to claim that NATO neglected Libyans because it’s a hasty generalization. Moreover, the author based this example on a person called JOHN-MARK IYI without mentioning his position or how he is related to the topic. On the other hand, there are a lot of proofs that NATO saved Libyans. According to the BBC NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after announcing the end of their mission in Libya, â€Å"NATO’s military forces had prevented a massacre and saved countless lives. † He also said,† We created the conditions for the people of Libya to determine their own future. † There is no doubt that NATO has hurt Libyans to some extent, but this damage was a fraction to the one caused by Gaddafi’s forces. Claiming that NATO’s objective was to conquer Libya is the second unconvincing point in Hijazi’s essay. A clear proof that NATO’s operation was not to conquer Libya is that they announced the end of the mission on the 31st of October 2011 after the end of Gaddafi’s regime. If NATO had any interests in conquering Libya they would not end the military operations in Libya. Moreover, Hijazi mentioned that NATO’s airstrikes killed a lot of civilians and destroyed a lot of houses without supporting his claim with clear evidence that the people killed were civilians. Especially that Gaddafi’s army used to hide inside civilians houses, which makes it hard to specify whether the killed people were civilians or soldiers from Gaddafi’s army. In other words, the points mentioned by the author don’t prove that NATO intended to conquer Libya. The last unconvincing point in Hijazi’s essay is claiming that NATO motivated Libyans to start a civil war. That claim is not logical for several reasons. Firstly, the war started before any foreign intervention in Libya and the main cause of this war is to overthrow the Gaddafi’s regime. Secondly, Hijazi didn’t mention how NATO could get any benefits if a civil war started in Libya. And most importantly, Gaddafi’s soldiers were not Libyan which means it was not a civil war. Martin Chulov and David Smith published an article in The Guardian website, they say,† Many black Africans have been arrested and accused of fighting for dictator, but claim they were press-ganged. † In other words, it’s true that NATO participated in the war in Libya, but claiming that they started the war there is not convincing. To sum it all up, the war in Libya caused the death for a lot of Innocent civilians. Without the involvement of NATO, the war would be running until today, causing the death of innocents every single day. Because simply, there was no other clear, political solution would work with the insanity of Gaddafi. For sure, the intervention of NATO was not a perfect choice. However, it was the one with least damage. Moreover, today Libya seems to heel slowly form the war it had, and fortunately it seems that the NATO intervention had no dangerous impacts on Libya. In general, it’s possible to say that sometimes the only way to end violence is to use violence. How to cite The Right Way to Manage an Intervention, Papers

Data Breaches and Debunking Myths †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Data Breaches and Debunking Myths. Answer: Introduction: Earlier on in the year, Verizon the telecommunication company was subject to one of the biggest data breaches in the world. The companys systems were severely exposed which leaked millions of records owned by the companys customers. The company, however, did assure its customers that the attack did not present any serious threat as it was contained and isolated based on their operational systems(Pachal, 2017). Verizon has for many years offered telecommunication services to customers and with mobile communication on the rise, its services have had an increased application which has subsequently increased the data the company accesses. This data was fairly exposed after some systems owned by the organization was left unattended lacking the necessary security procedures. At the start of the breach, investigators highlighted that records owned by 6 million customers were exposed. However, this number later doubled and increased beyond this number as highlighted by independent research investigations. In the final estimate, the leak claimed over 14 million victims as their information was publicly available to the public(Deahl, 2017). In essence, the data breach affected the customer service department where clients regularly contacted to have their queries and problems solved. This leak was therefore outlined to have affected all customers who had been in touch with the company in the six months prior to the data leak. Moreover, the leak was contained to the department as isolated systems were used to control the customer care service as compared to all other services. Nevertheless, the leak exposed a fair amount of sensitive information including addresses, names and contact details. Moreover, some customers access pins were exposed as they had been used them during the communication exercise(Verizon, 2017). Immediately after the breach was discovered by an independent researcher, Verizon placed full blame for the breach on an independent service provider who had been contracted to handle the customer care facilities. In their statements, Verizon highlighted a company by the name Nice Systems as the responsible party in the events that unfolded. Furthermore, the organization had been using a cloud facility hosted by Amazon Web Service (AWS) which helped integrate all the communications between its customers and itself. Now, it was Nice responsibility to maintain and regulate the operations of the cloud server, a duty that they failed and which led to the leak(McAfee, 2017). On Nice Systems behalf, the companys outcome was propagated by a negligent employee who failed to secure the cloud infrastructure which left all the data stored in the AWS servers exposed. The leak uncovered a lot of information which led to the discovery of the amount of information entrusted to a third party member who had no direct contact with the customer themselves. Moreover, after several investigations were conducted, the leak was discovered to have exposed the companys log records where each and every communication was outlined. These log records contained unencrypted information that was available to the public in clear text format which also accounted for minimal redactions as it was earlier thought. In the end, records containing contact information, access PINS and customers account balance was exposed (Kumar, 2017). Vulnerability used: Although cloud services are easy to maintain and manage, their security policies require intricate procedures to secure their structures and infrastructures. For Verizon, these procedures were not implemented at the time of the breach which highlighted the failure of the organization as its actions (sub-contracting another company) led to the problem. Moreover, the parties involved also facilitated the attack as there was minimal accountability based on the hands that the information was exchanged. The data was controlled by the AWS, Nice and Verizon which presents a lot of challenges when accounting for access and security procedures. In addition to this, Nice had also contracted another party member to handle the data which further intensified the problem(Pachal, 2017). First, the problem was caused by a negligent team member who failed to secure the online services. Therefore, the first possible solution would be to implement security procedures that outline detailed descriptions of setting up the necessary security measures. It is common to forget to implement some security measures as they are either too trivial or too extensive to apply. However, with a laid out guideline, the support team can follow a step by step guideline to deploy the cloud service solutions. Therefore, as a company, Verizon should develop a new security policy to guide its employees and sub-contracted company(Micro, 2015). Secondly, Verizon should do away with third party members as they present more challenges when dealing with the security of sensitive information. Remember, cloud infrastructure like any other online services has many risks and threats, from intruders to malware attacks which necessitate the need for accountability. These risks are increased by contracting a third party member to handle the data owned by an organization. Furthermore, as a subcontracted company, Nice Systems does not have a direct connection with the consumers, therefore, they may fail to face the same consequences as the mother company (Verizon). This outcome may facilitate the negligent behaviour observed in this scenario where employees forget to implement the necessary operational procedures(McAfee, 2017). Ransomware attack (May 2017) Ransomware attacks fall under the greater category of malware intrusions where malicious programs are used to infiltrate computer systems. Moreover, with ransomware attacks, the perpetrators will use the intrusion to demand certain resources which in most cases are usually money related. In all, a malicious program will hold a machine under ransom disabling the files and data owned by the user until the money is paid (Mullin Lake, 2017). In accordance with the explanation given above, the attack that took place earlier in the year subjected its victim to financial demands, an outcome that generally disabled the functionalities of many computer systems. The intrusion was known as the WannaCry attack and it affected thousands of computers worldwide as it compromised multiple systems that were connected to the online infrastructure. WannaCry employed serious vulnerabilities in computer systems to propagate its attack, a process that was difficult to stop as it affected many systems at the same time(Chappell, 2017). In all, the problem began with a leak in the NSAs (National Security Agency) hack tools which contained a number of system vulnerabilities as per the organizations cyber-weapons initiatives. Now, the initial leak was conducted by a rogue access group known as Shadow Brokers who for a long time had been compromising many computer systems around the globe. Therefore, its through their initial attack set the precedence for the final attack that took place using the malware(Chappell, 2017). Those affected and how WannaCry attacked all systems without any form of distinction which facilitates its success across the globe. In fact, at the start, the malware had infected over 45, 000 systems across 100 countries. Moreover, these systems were fairly distributed across different fields of life including the public and private sectors. However, the attack did affect some countries more than others as outlined by the damages it imposed on the end users. WannaCry heavily affected the countries of Russia, United Kingdom, China and Spain. These countries had widespread intrusions, some which compromised the major sectors of business(Larson, 2017). In Russia, for instance, the banking industry was severely affected as some of the major financial organizations were attacked. Moreover, the countries public sectors was included as its ministries (Health and Interior) were faced with the intrusion. The same outcome was also experienced in the United Kingdom where its healthcare industry was exposed to the attack owing to the connections of the NHS systems (National Health System). In all, the NHS system coordinated the health care activities in the country providing a centralised access to medical data. Now, the intrusion targeted this system which disabled all the computers connected to it affecting the work of medical practitioners and the services offered to medical patients(Graham, 2017). A similar attack was experienced in Spain where its private sectors, led by the telecommunication and electrical industry were compromised. To start with, the countries second most favoured company Telefonica was affected, an intrusion that was followed by the attack on Iberdrola the countrys Power Company. Furthermore, the attacks on these companies were so severe that the organization's shut down their systems in an attempt to contain the attack, an outcome that led to many financial damages(Larson, 2017). How the attack took place As stated before, the root of the problem was NSA and its hacking tools which were accessed by the rogue group Shadow Brokers. Through these tools a vulnerability known as EternalBlue was discovered, a vulnerability that affected Windows systems based on its Server Messaging Blocks (SMB). Now, the SMB is a communication protocol that is used by the application layer (TCP/IP) to connect and transfer information across networks. This functionality is usually achieved by two main operations; one, the facilitation of the read and write action on files found in networks and two, the ability to request for services across networks. Therefore, using the SMB, a machine is able to access and share information with the networks its connected to as well as other machines(Titcomb McGoogan, 2017). EternalBlue compromised this functionality of the SMB which gave the intruder unsolicited access to machines connected to various networks across the globe. In all, the following simple steps were used to attack machines. WannaCry started by establishing a connection with a network through the SMB protocol. This protocol used a simple handshake, a process that was fairly exploited in this stage. From the access procedure, the second step was the delivery of the malware itself which was done using an encrypted file having the activation program of the ransomware (Response, 2017). After delivering the file, the activation file was triggered which compromised the host machine. In addition to this, the program also scanned for other connections to spread the attack in subsequent networks. The final step was the replication process where other unsecured networks were attacked. According to Windows, the attack would have been avoided if the compromised systems had updated their firmware. WannaCry exploited an initial bug contained in Windows operating systems which based on its extensive application in world facilitated the attacks. Therefore, had the consumers updated their system, the necessary patches that fixed the vulnerability would have been installed stopping the attack before it happened. However, at the same time, the affected organizations should also have had better security procedures to detect and contain network intrusions. Yes, the systems were compromised by the EternalBlue vulnerability, but this weakness should have been contained by the isolation techniques used by the security measures of network control. In addition to this, the users would have had better intrusion detection systems to highlight the possible compromises within the networks themselves. Therefore, the lack of optimal security procedures and policies facilitated the atta ck as much as the Windows vulnerability. As such, the prevention solutions would have been to implement an optimal security policy after thorough risk assessment procedures coupled with the necessary systems updates (EY, 2017). References Chappell, B. (2017). WannaCry Ransomware: What We Know Monday. The two way, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/15/528451534/wannacry-ransomware-what-we-know-monday. Deahl, D. (2017). Verizon partner data breach exposes millions of customer records. The Verge, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/12/15962520/verizon-nice-systems-data-breach-exposes-millions-customer-records. Graham, C. (2017). NHS cyber attack: Everything you need to know about 'biggest ransomware' offensive in history. The Telegraph, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/13/nhs-cyber-attack-everything-need-know-biggest-ransomware-offensive/. Larson, S. (2017). Massive cyberattack targeting 99 countries causes sweeping havoc. CNN tech, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/12/technology/ransomware-attack-nsa-microsoft/index.html. McAfee. (2017). Verizon 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report. McAfee, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://www.mcafee.com/us/security-awareness/articles/verizon-2017-dbir.aspx. Micro, T. (2015). Follow the Data: Dissecting Data Breaches and Debunking Myths. Trend Micro Analysis of Privacy Rights Clearinghouse 20052015 Data Breach Records, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://www.trendmicro.de/cloud-content/us/pdfs/security-intelligence/white-papers/wp-follow-the-data.pdf. Pachal, P. (2017). If you're a Verizon customer, you should change your PIN now. Mashal, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://mashable.com/2017/07/13/verizon-data-breach/#bZDR9.cdOqq9. Titcomb, J., McGoogan, C. (2017). Cyber attack: Latest evidence indicates 'phishing' emails not to blame for global hack . The Telegraph, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/05/15/nhs-cyber-attack-latest-authorities-warn-day-chaos-ransomware/. Verizon. (2017). Verizon's 2017 data breach report. Verizon, Retrieved 30 August, 2017, from: https://www.verizonenterprise.com/verizon-insights-lab/dbir/2017/.

Effects Of Storytelling On Expressions Of Empathy Essays (194 words)

Effects Of Storytelling On Expressions Of Empathy The present study examined affective and cognitive empathy in preschool children. Seventeen children, ages three to five years, were given The Young Children's Empathy Measure to determine their understanding of empathy. Participants were then read a children's story and given the empathy measure again, to see if they expressed more empathy after hearing about a sympathetic protagonist. A second baseline score was obtained one week after the story was administered. On measures of cognitive anger, mean scores increased significantly after the story was heard. Other scores increased after hearing the story, indicating a trend that storytelling is an effective method of increasing expressions of empathy. Affective empathy is defined as being able to know about and understand another person's feelings without having experienced the same situation (Feshbach, 1975). Children as young as three years of age have been shown to exhibit appropriate empathy toward others and to demonstrate corre ct understanding of others' emotions (Gove Poresky, 1990). Although young children can correctly express empathy toward others, empathic abilities do appear to increase as one grows older and is able to view the world in a less egocentric manner (Piaget, 1966). Numer...

How to Make a Glowing Flower

How to Make a Glowing Flower Use chemistry to make a real flower glow in the dark. Glowing Flower - Method #1 Test a highlighter pen to make sure it glows under black (fluorescent) light. Yellow is reliable, but some other colors glow brightly, too.Use a knife or saw to cut open the pen and expose the fibers which contain the ink. Remove the ink strip.Squeeze dye from the ink pad into a small amount of water.Trim the end of a flower so that it will be able to take up water. Place the flower in the water with the ink.Allow several hours for the flower to absorb the fluorescent ink. When the flower has taken in the ink its petals will glow under black light. Glowing Flower - Method #2 many flowers fluorescent light Pour some tonic water into a vase.Cut the end off of a flower so that it has a fresh surface.Allow several hours for the quinine to be incorporated into the petals of the flower.Turn on a black light and enjoy your flower. Glowing Flower - Method #3 Prepare glowing water using diet tonic water or any color of highlighter that you have established will glow under a black light. Its also possible to use thinned glowing paint.Find a glass or cup that is large enough to accomodate your flower. Fill this container with the glowing liquid.Invert the flower and immerse it in the liquid. Gently swish the flower around to dislodge any air bubbles, since areas with bubbles wont pick up the fluorescent or phosphorescent color.Allow your flower to absorb the dye. Just dipping the flower results in spotty coverage. If you want bright glowing flowers, allow the flowers to absorb the color directly into their petals for an hour or two. You can keep the stem of the flower hydrated by wrapping a bit of dampened paper towel around it.Remove the glowing flower from the liquid. You can place it in a vase filled with water or otherwise display it under a black light. Tips for Making a Glowing Flower White or pale flowers work much better than flowers with deeply colored petals. The pigment in the dark colored flowers blocks nearly all the glowing light.You need fresh healthy flowers. Flowers that are nearly dead wont drink the water and wont glow. Its possible you might be able to inject the ink directly into the flower head, but wouldnt you rather just use a fresh flower?Certain flowers work better than others. Carnations and daisies work better than roses. Basically any flower you can dye with food coloring works well for making a glowing flower. A Note About Glowing Chemicals how to make glowing flowers . If the videos involve giving the flowers a chemical that is already glowing or is fluorescent or phosphorescent under a black light, theres a good chance the instructions are legitimate. However, videos that call for you to mix unlikely chemicals like match heads and peroxide are a scam. Those chemicals will not make your flower glow. Dont be fooled!

Analyzing the key public of CASA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyzing the key public of CASA - Essay Example The cases of abandoned or abused children from the African American community make nearly half those in courts these days in Montgomery County. Having volunteers from this community is an absolute importance to the organization as it shall be adding a group that the children will be feeling directly connected to and will be free and open to interact with. The other group that is of at most importance to add as volunteers to the organization is the law students (Tumminia, 2006). This is a welfare that deals with matters that are legal and adding young and energetic volunteers who not only understands but also practices law is needed. It shall be a move that will also ensure smooth transition and stretch the life of the organization in many years to come. Another important group is the retired mental health workers (Montgomery County Office of children and youth, 2008). The children, who have experienced abuse in many cases if not well taken care of and closely examined, can go into state of mental quandary. The organization need people who understand mental cases and who have hands on experience in these situations (Peak & Glensor, 2004). Other minority groups that need to be targeted and urged to volunteer their time and services are: other retirees, past participants, homeowner association members, animal lovers and retired and active police officers. The organization must sell its operations to the public of Montgomery for all people to be aware of its existence. CASA need to target people who will be instrumental in reaching out to the public and sensitizing them about the programs of the organization. One such group is the gardeners (International Conference on Student Mental Health, & In Funkenstein, 2009). Nearly every home in Montgomery employs the services of the gardeners and this makes them to be an important network for passing information about the

Break an un written rule of comunication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Break an un written rule of comunication - Essay Example Contravening these rules usually leads to conflict between the communicating parties, especially when inappropriate body language is offensive, inconsequentially seductive, or abusive. A person must always turn to the door and wait until his or her floor is reached upon entering an elevator, stands as one of the rules. Moreover, when a person is sitting across other people, he or she should not look at them for more than two seconds. These rules are some of the unwritten rules that people must always respect. In this case, the paper provides my personal experience in which I broke one of the unwritten rules of nonverbal communication while working at a grocery store. Nonverbal communication should be conscious and purposeful. It should not go against ethics, respect the privacy of other people, and articulate the intended message without digressing. In my case, I happened to break one rule of nonverbal communication when I was attending to a customer who had visited the grocery store. As an attendant at the grocery store, I am always so alert that I see a customer that visits the store. On the fateful day, a male customer came to buy some commodities. From afar, he was adorned in a black designer suit that displayed his great body with his skin tone beaming with freshness. I was so quick to notice his looks even before he reached the store. My eyes were glued to him from the moment he alighted from his car to the time he reached the grocery store. I had given a sufficient amount of time with a stern look that depicted my admiration. He sashayed to the store and was in need of some commodities. At this point, I had already broken the rule of looking at a person directly for more than two seconds. We had locked eyes, and I looked at him for more than 20 seconds. He frowned and looked at me with sharp eyes perhaps wondering why was looking vacantly into his eyes and outfit. I felt that the man was offended since the look he gave me displayed his dismay,

Corporate Marketing Philosophies: Pros and Cons

Corporate Marketing Philosophies: Pros and Cons 1.1 Introduction This essay will critically discuss the philosophies and pros cons of corporate marketing making references to the work of Balmer and Geyser. The essay will also examine the historiography or the phases through which the corporate marketing has passed through over the few decades. Before understanding the concept of corporate marketing, we should first try and understand the reasons for the evolution of the term corporate marketing. According to Balmer 1998, corporate image is interpreted in numerous ways by different writers. The concept has negative association and the literature work in the field has shown that the image association can be perceived differently by groups of stakeholder. The concept of corporate image management has been challenged by many writers and many literary works suggest that the stakeholders are not always important for the organization. The other concept corporate branding is useful but many companies have failed to develop a corporate brand. Therefore the term is ruled out. Visual graphics has been given more emphasis in corporate identity making it a debatable topic. Thus these concepts can be considered as the building blocks of corporate marketing which can be the umbrella title for this era. 1.2 Understanding Corporate Marketing The term corporate denotes that the area of concern is strategy. Its importance is that the CEO and the board of directors are familiar with the strategies within the organization. The basic principle of the term marketing has been the diverse perspectives. The term marketing has been related with corporate earlier also and few related concepts have already been accepted widely for example IMC, green marketing etc. So what is the difference between Marketing and Corporate marketing? The profitable exchange relationship will remain one of the main features of corporate marketing but the emphasis will be on multiple exchange relationship and the corporation will be less concerned with the ownership; they will see themselves as a part of a network. (Balmer and Greyser, Epilogue, Revealing the corporation, pg348 to 350). So to put it in a nutshell, Corporate Marketing is a group of corporation which has a single corporate ethos, aim and values (philosophy) that binds the company and its image, branding, reputation, identity, communication, customers and stakeholders. 1.3 Pros and cons of corporate marketing The works in the field of corporate marketing can provide meaningful insight to thinking on the larger corporate-level area. The area of concern is strategic therefore it importance is such that the CEO and directors are familiar with the scope and significance on a regular basis. Communication, image, reputation, and branding are key concepts within the marketing domain, although marketing scholars and practitioners frequently incorporate others, such as identity but these concepts are conceived in context of the product or brand rather than the corporation but corporate marketing will help to view all the above concepts as one. The term corporate marketing is not a new term. Kotler and Levy (1969) had recommended that the marketing concept should be broadened so as to cover any organisation and that it should be able to be applied to all areas of business and not just product-dominated organizations. The corporate marketing is a very wide term so it is not possible for a head of a department to handle it. It requires a senior board position such as Deputy chief executive. The person should be highly qualified with the knowledge in the fields like planning, organizational behavior and communications etc. The area is also too wide to be covered in a single degree course and the area will require inputs from non- management courses such as philosophy. Finally, the consultancies are still not familiar with new insights in corporate identity. They occupied in producing systems of visual identifications for organizations. (Balmer and Greyser, Epilogue, Revealing the corporation, pg348 to 350) (Balmer, Journal of Marketing Management, pp. 963-996(34)) 1.4 Historiography of corporate marketing According to Balmer and Greyser the corporate marketing have passed through several eras before reaching the present though the focus has always been the customers as correctly said by Frank Taussig, a former President of the American Economic Association stated back in 1912 that, We must accept the consumer as the final judge (The Economist, 2006). 1950-1970- Corporate Imaging There was more stress on the concept of corporate image in the period of 1950 to1970. Corporate image is the consumer perception of the corporate entity behind a brand. In a few cases, the corporate entity is known and the image has a positive influence on brand sales, such as Apple. In other cases, the corporate image acquires negative connotations such as BP did following the oil spill in Gulf of Mexico. According to Balmer (1998), there are three paradigms to corporate imaging. These are Psychological Paradigm- Use of symbolic relation eg logos (Bromley, 1993; Grunig, 1993). Graphic Design Paradigm- Use of visual graphics for companies philosophies, values etc to make it fashionable. (Balmer 1995). Marketing and Public Relation Paradigm- An understanding of the experiences, beliefs, feelings about and knowledge of an organisation, as held by an individual, group, or groups (Bernstein, 1984, cited in Balmer 1998) (Balmer, Journal of Marketing Management, pp. 963-996(34) 1970-1980: -Era of Corporate Identity and Corporate Personality Corporate Personality can be defined as the view and opinion of the personnel within the organisation. By this time it was imperative for the companies to understand that the most their own staff were an important part of the organisation. The companies understood that it was necessary to train their staff and make sure that they were in line with the companys philosophy, mission and values. The concept of corporate identity is still debatable. According to Balmer (1998), there are groups which consider the Latin meaning of the word identity i.e. same and connect it to logos, images and visual branding. Whereas there are other groups which use the word identity when referring to the distinct attributes of an organisation, i.e. what it is. Balmer 1995, cited in balmer 1998. There are few instances when the corporate identity, image and reputation are not in synchronization with each other this usually happens due to bad corporate communication. Therefore the companies need to have a good corporate image in the eyes of the stakeholders and a favorable corporate reputation. According to Balmer and Greyser (revealing the corporation Pg 42), Identity can be regarded as Triquadri Orbis. Visual identification Staff identification Distinct attributes of the organisation (who are we, what are we). Mid-1980s-mid-1990s This era was the dawn of corporate communication and corporate reputation. Corporate reputation A corporate reputation is a set of attributes ascribed to a firm inferred from a firms past actions. (Weigelt and Camerer (1988 pI), cited in Balmer 1998) Fombrun and Van Riel (1997) have identified six distinct academic literatures in relation to Corporate Reputation. This is shown in Figure 2. Discipline Categorization of Reputation Economics Reputation viewed as traits or signals. Perception held of the organisation by an organisations external stakeholders. Marketing Viewed from the customer or end-users perspective and concentrates on the manner in which reputations are formed. Organisational Behaviour Viewed as the sense-making experiences of employees or the perception of the organisation held by an organisations internal stakeholders. Accountancy Reputation seen as an intangible asset and one that can or should be given financial worth. Sociology Viewed as an aggregate assessment of a firms performance relative to expectation and norms in an institutional context Strategy Reputation viewed as assets and mobility barriers. Figure 2. Categorization of Corporate Reputation According to Various Literatures Source: Balmer 1998, cited in Fombrun and Van Riel (1997). Figure 3 Defining corporate reputation (Manto Gotsi, Alan M. Wilson, (2001) Corporate reputation: seeking a definition, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 6 Iss: 1, pp.24 30) Thus corporate reputation is the perception that is build up over the period of time considering the past action of the company. Since Fombrun research, lot of studies has been done on corporate reputation which is been greatly helpful in expanding the knowledge on this concept. Corporate communication In the mid 1990s companies realized that the corporate communication strategies are not only useful from customers point of view, but it is also very important from shareholders perspective. According to Balmer (2009), the Dutch scholar Van Riel (1995) argues that there are three stands of communication; management communication (employee focus), marketing communication (customer focus) and organizational communication (stakeholder focus). The work of Stephen Greyser, Harvard Business School Professor, has been the greatly acknowledged in the field of corporate communication. He even started a course in corporate communication in Harvard Business School. Mid 1990s till Present Corporate Branding and the dawn of corporate marketing Corporate Brand is the covenant or a promise between an organization and the stakeholders or the customers. It conveys what the company can deliver in terms of product, or customer experience. It can be aspirational, for example, apple promises innovation and quality to the customers. To get a better picture let us try to understand corporate brand covenant. It is a promise or a pledge made by business organisations to stakeholders. These promises, no matter how minute they may be, are binding upon business organisations and they are seen as the parameter upon which corporate brand performance is measured. The notion of promise can be stated in four stages: God/firm Level God has a personality so does a firm. A firm presents themselves like a god who knows everything within their business area. Message Level- Gods presents its covenant to man in the form of a message which is irreversible. The firm also conveys its personality or identity to the stakeholders through corporate communication which is in a way a promise to the stakeholder to remain in the business. The man/stakeholder level and reputation levels- The gods covenant is interpreted by man which then develops the reputation of God. Similarly the corporate personality conveyed by the firm is interpreted by the people concerned with the organisation which then develops positive or negative reputation. Source: Olutayo Otubanjo, Temi Abimbola, Olusanmi Amujo, (2010) Conceptualising the notion of corporate brand covenant, Journal of Product Brand Management, pp.410 422 Figure 4: comparison of biblical and marketing notion of covenant Source: Olutayo Otubanjo, Temi Abimbola, Olusanmi Amujo, (2010) Conceptualising the notion of corporate brand covenant, Journal of Product Brand Management, Vol. 19 Iss: 6, pp.410 422 According to Balmer (1998), several distinct concepts have evolved since 1950: perception of the company by external environment, visual identification and symbolic relationship between the company and the people, corporate personality and identity, how it is perceived by the stakeholders and corporate branding. Corporate branding is closely linked to marketing and the various aspects of the business therefore this theory could lead to the advent of corporate marketing. 1.5 Conclusion Till date the concept corporate identity and corporate marketing has been vague but it is very clear that though there has been emphasis on different concepts in different phases, the organization needs to understand that the key to good image and reputation is through corporate identity. It is possible that corporate identity will evolve into a broader term called corporate marketing which will encompass the various management concepts used till date. Corporate marketing will be an organization wide philosophy which would keep in mind that the stakeholders are as important as the customers. It is like a super term wherein the key management concepts like corporate -identity, branding, communication and reputation are combined together to form a single organizational philosophy. Corporate Marketing I future will be applied to the areas where there is a relationship between the organization and the various stakeholders PART (B) 2.1 Introduction In the second part of the essay I will be critically analysing Balmers Marketing Mix and Balmers 6C making reference to his work. It is very clear that marketing is undergoing through paradigms shifts which are evident from ascendancy of the management concepts. The focus on various stakeholders is as important as the customers, therefore Balmer extended the original 4 Ps to 11Ps. The new marketing mix shifts the focus from the product to organisation as a single entity. Balmer then later simplified the 11Ps to 6Cs which can be used by seniors executives to follow the mission of the organisation. 2.2 Balmers Marketing Mix (1998) The original Marketing Mix was given by Borden which was simplified by Mcarthy to 4Ps, which is easier to remember and recall. In 1998, Balmer extended the marketing mix to 10 elements to articulate the new Marketing Mix. He later added an eleventh P so as to take account of corporate brand. Product What the organisation sells or does Perception The reputation held of the organisation Philosophy and Ethos What the organisation stands for, the way it undertakes its work and activities. Price The valuation its brands (corporate, services and product). What it charges for its products and services. 11 Ps of marketing mix People In addition to customers: the organisations internal and external constituencies and communities Place Selling and distribution of products and services.(Franchising, outsourcing, licensing). Promise The expectations associated with the corporate brand and the promise underpinning the corporate brand Performance Quality of products and services. Standards vis a vis issues of governance, ethics and social responsibility Promotion Co-ordinated corporate communications (Corporate advertising, corporate PR, visual identification etc.) Positioning The organisations position relative to its competitors Personality The critical role of personnel vis a vis corporate marketing activities. Figure 1: The 11 Ps of Corporate Marketing Mix Explanation (Balmer 1998) Source:- Balmer and Greyser, Epilogue, revealing the corporation, pg 348-355 2.3 Merits and Demerits of Corporate Marketing Mix The focus of 4Ps been in terms of products and services rather than corporation. Balmers 11Ps can be orchestrated to underpin the new gestalt of organisations. The 11Ps are not only profit orientated but also focuses on the survival of the business. One of the major component of corporate marketing is coordinated organisational activities therefore the corporate marketing mix helps to understand the present needs and wants of the stakeholders The corporate marketing mix also tries to balance the current shareholders demands and the societal needs with those of the future. Since the Marketing mix are extended to 11Ps, the communications mix will need to be extended in order to encompass the many stakeholder groups which are of importance to organisations, as well as taking into account the numerous channels of communication. Corporate Marketing Mix given by Balmer has the similar problem as Bordons marketing Mix; it had the difficulty of remembering and recalling. Therefore Balmer simplified the mix to Balmers 6C. (Comprehending Corporate Marketing and the Corporate Marketing Mix J.M.T. Balmer Working Paper No 06/08 March 2006 and Revealing the corporation), (Balmer and Greyser, revealing the corporation, pg 349-355). 2.4 The Six Dimensions of the revised Corporate Marketing Mix The 6Cs CHARACTER Corporate Identity: What we are It is the factors that differentiate or one entity from another. The distinct feature can be tangible and intangible such as corporate ownership and structure, corporate philosophy and corporate history CULTURE Corporate Culture: what we feel we are It is the views of the staff about the organisation.. These beliefs are derived from the values, beliefs, and assumptions about the organisation and its historical roots and heritage. CONSTITUENCIES Corporate Governance: Whom we seek to serve The philosophy of corporate-marketing depends on the needs and wants of the stakeholders such as employees, investors, local community etc) because without their support it will be difficult for the organisation to exist. CONCEPTUALISATION Corporate Image and Corporate Reputation: How are we seen? It is the perceptions of the corporate brand held by customers and other key stakeholder groups. COMMUNICATION Corporate Communications: What we say we are Corporate communications is the controlled message from the organisation to the customers and the stakeholders. COVENANT Corporate Brand: What is promised and expected A corporate brand is like a contract, which can be compared to a covenant holder groups often have a religious-like loyalty to the corporate brand. Failure to acknowledge the contract could lead to bad reputation and identity. 2.5 Merits and Demerits of Balmers 6C. Balmers 6c is the revised version of rather than a mix collected together for a department. The importance components of the six dimensions Balmers 11Ps so it easier to remember and recollect. It is a organisation wide philosophy are cleared by the questions underpinned with each element. It provides the senior executives key elements that inform corporate marketing paradigms. However the dimensions are aligned symmetrically, therefore the relationship of each element should be taken in a broader aspect. The senior executive should not follow the same structure of the elements as it is not attainable. They should view the dimensions in a broader perspective and a dynamic alignment because identities are always in the making. A rigid alignment of the elements could be hazardous. (Corporate marketing: apocalypse, advent and epiphany, J. Balmer, pg 544-572) (Comprehending Corporate Marketing and the Corporate Marketing Mix J. Balmer Working Paper No 06/08 March 2006) 2.6 Comparison of Balmers Marketing Mix and Balmers 6C 6C is basically the shortened version of marketing mix. Balmer revised is so that it will be easier to remember and recall. Philosophy (what company stands), Product (what company does), Price (what it charges for the products), Place (distribution), Performance (quality) and Personality (organisations position relative to its competitors) from Balmers marketing mix is combined together to form Character which is one of the Cs. Personality (what the staffs perception about the company) similar to culture Promotion (advertising, pr etc at corporate level) similar to communication People (internal and external communities) similar to constituencies Perceprtion(perception of the stakeholders) similar to conceptualisation Promise (expectation associated with the brand) similar to covenant. 2.7 Conclusion

Omnivores Dilemma Essay

Learning Objective: The goal of this two day exemplar is to give students the opportunity to use the reading and writing habits they’ve been practicing on a regular basis to unpack Pollan’s investigative journalism of industrial farms. By reading and rereading the passage closely combined with classroom discussion about it, students will identify why and how farming practices have changed, as well as identify Pollan’s point of view on the subject. When combined with writing about the passage and teacher feedback, students will begin to appreciate investigative journalism, as well as question from where their food is coming. Reading Task: Students will silently read the passage in question on a given day—first independently and then following along with the text as the teacher and/or skillful students read aloud. Depending on the difficulties of a given text and the teacher’s knowledge of the fluency abilities of students, the order of the student silent read and the teacher reading aloud with students following might be reversed. What is important is to allow all students to interact with challenging text on their own as frequently and independently as possible. Students will then reread specific passages in response to a set of concise, text- dependent questions that compel them to examine the meaning and structure of Pollan’s reporting. Therefore, rereading is deliberately built into the instructional unit. Vocabulary Task: Most of the meanings of words in the exemplar text can be discovered by students from careful reading of the context in which they appear. Teachers can use discussions to model and reinforce how to learn vocabulary from contextual clues, and students must be held accountable for engaging in this practice. Where it is judged this is not possible, underlined words are defined briefly for students to the right of the text in a separate column whenever the original text is reproduced. At times, this is all the support these defined words need. At other times, particularly with abstract words, teachers will need to spend more time explaining and discussing them. In addition, in subsequent close readings of passages of the text, high value academic (‘Tier Two’) words have been bolded to draw attention to them. Given how crucial vocabulary knowledge is for academic and career success, it is essential that these high value words be discussed and lingered over during the instructional sequence. Sentence Syntax Task: On occasion, students will encounter particularly difficult sentences to decode. Teachers should engage in a close examination of such sentences to help students discover how they are built and how they convey meaning. While many questions addressing important aspects of the text double as questions about syntax, students should receive regular supported practice in deciphering complex sentences. It is crucial that the help they receive in unpacking text complexity focuses both on the precise meaning of what the author is saying and why the author might have constructed the sentence in this particular fashion. That practice will in turn support students’ ability to unpack meaning from syntactically complex sentences they encounter in future reading. Discussion Task: Students will discuss the passage in depth with their teacher and their classmates, performing activities that result in a close reading of Pollan’s text. The goal is to foster student confidence when encountering complex text and to reinforce the skills they have acquired regarding how to build and extend their understanding of a text. A general principle is to always reread the passage that provides evidence for the question under discussion. This gives students another encounter with the text, helping them develop fluency and reinforcing their use of text evidence. Writing Task: Students will paraphrase different sentences and paragraphs of Pollan’s text and then write either a compare and contrast essay illustrating the differences between the traditional farm and the factory farm or an argument against the factory farm. Students might be afforded the opportunity to rewrite their essays or revise their in-class paraphrases after participating in classroom discussion, allowing them to refashion both their understanding of the text and their expression of that understanding. Text Selection: This selection, taken from the young readers edition of Pollan’s bestseller, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, asks students to consider how their food is grown today and why and how that has changed. This brief history and science of United States farm ecology offers students diverse opportunities for exploration and close reading. Outline of Lesson Plan: This lesson can be divided by the teacher into two days of instruction and reflection on the part of students and their teachers, with the option of a written homework assignment after Day 1 and the possibility of adding an additional day devoted to peer review and revision of the culminating writing assignment. Standards Addressed: The following Common Core State Standards are the focus of this exemplar: RI. 7. 1, RI. 7. 2, RI. 7. 3, RI. 7. 4, RI. 7. 5; W. 7. 1, W. 7. 2, W. 7. 4; SL. 7. 1; L. 7. 4, L. 7. 5 The Text: Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat (Chapter 3: From Farm to Factory) Rule or order A substance that kills insects Corn grown from seeds with different traits DNA is the chemical name for genes. Genes give all organisms their traits such as how fast they grow Animal dung used for fertilizing land Relating to energy from the sun Branch of science concerned with the relationships between living things and their environment Grassy fields where animals can graze A basket Exemplar Text Vocabulary That’s around seventy-five gallons of oil per acre of corn (Some estimates are much higher. ) Here’s another way to look at it. Calories, like the calories in food, are units of energy. On the industrial farm, it takes about ten calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calorie of food energy. That means the industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing. This is the opposite of what happened before chemical fertilizers. Back then, the Naylor farm produced more than two calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil fuel energy invested. In terms of energy, the modern farm is a losing proposition. It’s too bad we can’t simply drink the petroleum directly—it would be more efficient. The factory farm produces more food much faster than the old solar-based farm. But the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap. A plan of action oil; more productive and less wasteful Day One: Instructional Exemplar for Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Young Reader’s Edition) Summary of Activities 1. Teacher introduces the day’s passage with minimal commentary and students read it independently (5 minutes) 2. Teacher or a skillful reader then reads the passage out loud to the class as students follow along in the text (5 minutes) 3. Teacher asks the class to discuss the first set of text-dependent questions and perform targeted tasks about the passage, with answers in the form of notes, annotations to the text, or more formal responses as appropriate (40 minutes) Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students It may seem that I’ve given corn too much credit. After all, corn is just a plant. How could a plant take over our food chain and push out almost every other species? Well, it had some help-from the U. S. Government. [read the intervening paragraphs] Then in 1909 a chemist discovered a way to take nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen could be used for fertilizer. However, making nitrogen this way takes enormous amounts of energy, energy that we mainly get from fossil fuels. Not only that, it uses a lot of hydrogen that also comes from gas and oil. With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. 1. Introduce the text and ask students to read independently Other than giving an initial gloss to words students would likely not be able to define from context (underlined in the text), teachers should avoid giving any background context or instructional guidance at the outset of the lesson while students are reading the text silently. This close reading approach forces students to rely exclusively on the text instead of privileging background knowledge and levels the playing field for all students as they seek to comprehend Pollan’s words. It is critical to cultivating independence and creating a culture of close reading that students initially grapple with rich texts like Pollan’s without the aid of prefatory material, extensive notes, or even teacher explanations. 2. Read the passage out loud as students follow along Asking students to listen to Pollan’s text exposes students a second time to the rhythms and meaning of his language before they begin their own close reading of the passage. Speaking clearly and carefully will allow students to follow Pollan’s narrative, and reading out loud with students following along improves fluency while offering all students access to this complex text. Accurate and skillful modeling of the reading provides students who may be dysfluent with accurate pronunciations and syntactic patterns of English. Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students It may seem that I’ve given corn too much credit. After all, corn is just a plant. How could a plant take over our food chain and push out almost every other species? Well, it had some help-from the U. S. Government. At the heart of the industrial food chain are huge businesses, agri-businesses. The same businesses that create new seeds provide farmers with the tools and fertilizer they need to grow lots of corn. Agribusinesses also need cheap corn from which they make processed food and hundreds of other products. To get the corn flowing and keep it flowing, agribusiness depends on government regulations and taxpayer money. The government started seriously helping corn back in 1947. That was when a huge weapons plant Muscle Shoals, Alabama, switched over to making chemical fertilizer. How can a weapons plant make fertilizer? Because ammonium nitrate, the main ingredient in explosives, happens to be an excellent source of nitrogen. And nitrogen is one of the main ingredients in fertilizer. After World War II, the government found itself with a tremendous surplus of ammonium nitrate. There was a debate about what the government should do with the leftover bomb material. One idea was to spray it on forests to help out the timber industry. But the scientists in the Department of Agriculture had a better idea: Spread the ammonium nitrate on farmland as fertilizer. And so the government helped launch the chemical fertilizer industry. (It also helped start the pesticide industry, since insect killers are based on poison gases developed for the war. ) Rule or order Substance that kills insects 3. Guide discussion of the first half of the essay with a series of specific text- dependent questions and tasks. As students move through these questions, be sure to check for and reinforce their understanding of academic vocabulary in the corresponding text (which will be boldfaced the first time it appears in the text). At times, the questions provided here may focus on academic vocabulary. (Q1) Ask students to define â€Å"agribusiness. † It is important for students to understand that agribusinesses are not farmers. Some students might need clarification here. Teachers should discuss the following sentence: â€Å"Agribusinesses also need cheap corn from which they make processed food and hundreds of other products. † Agribusinesses are large companies that manufacture farming equipment, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, processed foods as well as provide services to farmers. Sidebar: Website listing many different types of products made from corn. If students are intrigued to learn all the different types of products made from corn, have them view the graphic web on pages 68-69 of Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Young Reader’s Edition) or examine the following website: http://www. ontariocorn. org/classroom/products. html#Products%20that%20 use%20Corn (Q2) How did the U. S. government help launch the chemical fertilizer industry? The U. S. government sprayed their WWII surplus of ammonium nitrate on farmland. Ammonium nitrate was manufactured for weapons during the war. After the war, the U. S. government needed to do something with the remaining bomb material. It must have worked well as a fertilizer because after that the chemical fertilizer business took off, and many farms began using it to grow crops. Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students Chemical fertilizer was needed to grow hybrid corn because it is a very hungry crop. The richest acre of Iowa soil could never feed thirty thousand hungry corn plants year after year without added fertilizer. Though hybrids were introduced in the thirties, it wasn’t until farmers started using chemical fertilizers in the 1950s that corn yields really exploded. Plants and Nitrogen Plants and all living thing organisms need the element nitrogen. Without nitrogen, cells cannot make proteins or DNA. For thousands of years, farmers added nitrogen to their soil, even before they knew what nitrogen was. They fertilized their crops with manure from their animals. They also rotated crops. That means they never grew corn in a field more than two years in a row. Then they would switch that field to soybeans or some other legume. Legumes such as beans add nitrogen to the soil with the help of friendly bacteria that live on their roots. Then in 1909 a chemist discovered a way to take nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen could be used for fertilizer. However, making nitrogen this way takes enormous amounts of energy, energy that we mainly get from fossil fuels. Not only that, it uses a lot of hydrogen that also comes from gas and oil. With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. Corn grown from seeds with different traits DNA is the chemical name for genes. Genes give all organisms their traits such as how fast they grow Animal dung used for fertilizing land Relating to energy from the sun (Q3) Why are chemical fertilizers so important and necessary to agribusinesses? Students should remember from (Q1) that agribusinesses rely on corn to produce many of their products. The type of corn being grown, hybrid corn, needs very fertile soil. Chemical fertilizers are necessary to create this fertile soil especially because of the quantity (thirty thousand hungry corn plants) being planted. (Q4) Ask students to describe in writing one cause and effect relationship they have read about thus far. Possible answers should include the U. S. government’s surplus caused the chemical fertilizer industry to take off or that corn farming exploded as a result of the chemical fertilizers. (Q5) What is the natural way to fertilize crops? The natural way to fertilize crops is by planting different crops every couple of years in addition to spreading animal manure on the fields. (Q6) What are fossil fuels? What might be some problems with using fossil fuels to produce chemical fertilizers? Fossil fuels are natural sources of energy such as oil, coal, and gas. Teachers should point out why â€Å"fossil† appears with â€Å"fuel† (because these types of fuels are derived from the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals). Students might recognize that â€Å"making nitrogen†¦takes enormous amounts of energy† and fossil fuels are not free, thus raising the cost of chemical fertilizer. Students might also cite the environmental costs (using their own prior knowledge) of using fossil fuels. Day Two: Instructional Exemplar for Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Young Reader’s Edition) Summary of Activities 1. Teacher introduces the day’s passage with minimal commentary and students read it independently (5 minutes) 2. Teacher or a skillful reader then reads the passage out loud to the class as students follow along in the text (5 minutes) 3. Teacher asks the class to discuss the first set of text-dependent questions and perform targeted tasks about the passage, with answers in the form of notes, annotations to the text, or more formal responses as appropriate (40 minutes) Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students Then in 1909 a chemist discovered a way to take nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen could be used for fertilizer. However, making nitrogen this way takes enormous amounts of energy, energy that we mainly get from fossil fuels. Not only that, it uses a lot of hydrogen that also comes from gas and oil. With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. [read the intervening paragraphs] The factory farm produces more food much faster than the old solar-based farm. But the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap. 1. Introduce the text and ask students to read independently Other than giving an initial gloss to words students would likely not be able to define from context (underlined in the text), teachers should avoid giving any background context or instructional guidance at the outset of the lesson while students are reading the text silently. This close reading approach forces students to rely exclusively on the text instead of privileging background knowledge and levels the playing field for all students as they seek to comprehend Pollan’s words. It is critical to cultivating independence and creating a culture of close reading that students initially grapple with rich texts like Pollan’s without the aid of prefatory material, extensive notes, or even teacher explanations. 2. Read the passage out loud as students follow along Asking students to listen to Pollan’s text exposes students a second time to the rhythms and meaning of his language before they begin their own close reading of the passage. Speaking clearly and carefully will allow students to follow Pollan’s narrative, and reading out loud with students following along improves fluency while offering all students access to this complex text. Accurate and skillful modeling of the reading provides students who may be dysfluent with accurate pronunciations and syntactic patterns of English. Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students Then in 1909 a chemist discovered a way to take nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen could be used for fertilizer. However, making nitrogen this way takes enormous amounts of energy, energy that we mainly get from fossil fuels. Not only that, it uses a lot of hydrogen that also comes from gas and oil. With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. THERE GOES THE SUN When George Naylor’s father spread his first load of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, the ecology of his farm underwent a quiet revolution. Until then, the farm’s nitrogen had been recycled in a natural loop. Legumes used the sun’s energy to fix nitrogen in the soil. Other plants used the nitrogen to grow. Animals ate the plants and the farmer recycled the nitrogen by spreading the animals’ manure on the soil. But now the Naylors didn’t need to produce their own nitrogen—they went out and bought it. The nitrogen for the fields would no longer be made with the sun’s energy but with fossil fuels. Farming was no longer an ecological loop—it was more like a factory. The farmer bought raw materials (seed and fertilizer) and turned it into a finished product—corn. Since there was no need for legumes to fix nitrogen, farmers could plant corn in every field, every year. Animals and their pastures could be eliminated. Farming became much simpler. Like a factory, the industrial farm produces just one product (or at most, two. ) Relating to energy from the sun A branch of science concerned with the relationships between living things and their environment Grassy fields where animals can graze Ask students to write a paragraph explaining the last sentence of the text box (â€Å"With chemical fertilizer, farming went from being solar powered to being powered by oil, coal, and gas. †) Answers might sound like this: The traditional farm fertilizes its soil with animal dung and by rotating its crops. The crops such as corn and beans grow from the sun’s energy. Crop rotation allows the soil chemistry to change and become more fertile. Alternatively, chemical fertilizers treat the soil without the use of the sun. Chemical fertilizers are manufactured in a factory and transported to farms by machines powered by fossil fuels. (Q7) What does the author mean when he wrote, the â€Å"ecology of his farm underwent a quiet revolution†? Students should recognize that the natural order of fertilization described in the first paragraph was dramatically altered when Naylor’s father began using chemical fertilizer. It was a â€Å"quiet† revolution because nothing in this natural world protested the change. (Q8) Cite textual evidence for the claim, â€Å"Farming was no longer an ecological loop—it was more like a factory. † Teachers should highlight the connection in meaning to â€Å"loop† and â€Å"revolve/revolution. † Students will cite textual evidence such as: â€Å"The farmer bought raw materials (seed and fertilizer) and turned it into a finished product—corn. † â€Å"†¦farmers could plant corn in every field, every year. † â€Å"†¦the industrial farm produces just one product (or at most, two. )† â€Å"†¦the industrial farm, is powered with fossil fuels. † Text Under Discussion Directions for Teachers/Guiding Questions For Students And like most factories, the industrial farm, is powered with fossil fuels. There’s natural gas in the fertilizer and the fossil fuel energy it takes to make the pesticides, the diesel used by the tractors, and the fuel needed to harvest, dry, and transport the corn. Add it all up and you find that every bushel of corn from an industrial farm requires about half a gallon of oil to grow. That’s around seventy- five gallons of oil per acre of corn (Some estimates are much higher. ) Here’s another way to look at it. Calories, like the calories in food, are units of energy. On the industrial farm, it takes about ten calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calorie of food energy. That means the industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing. This is the opposite of what happened before chemical fertilizers. Back then, the Naylor farm produced more than two calories of food energy for every calorie of fossil fuel energy invested. In terms of energy, the modern farm is a losing proposition. It’s too bad we can’t simply drink the petroleum directly—it would be more efficient. The factory farm produces more food much faster than the old solar-based farm. But the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap. A basket Suggested plan of action; oil; more productive and less wasteful (Q9) What fossil fuels are needed to power the industrial farm? Students should highlight phrases such as: â€Å"natural gas in the fertilizer† and â€Å"the diesel used by the tractors, and the fuel needed to harvest, dry, and transport the corn. † (Q10) What does Pollan mean when he writes, â€Å"†¦the modern farm is a losing proposition†? This question will determine if the students understand the author’s purpose in writing this passage. It asks students to determine the importance of certain phrases and identify the central theme of this section. Students might cite the following phrases in their answers: â€Å"the industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing† and â€Å"the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap. † Students should recognize the traditional farming methods produced more with less fossil fuel energy than the industrial farm. Students can also extract information from the bar graph found in the exemplar. Explanatory Writing Assignment: Directions for Teachers and Students / Guidance for Teachers Choose one of the following writing assignments based on the excerpt from Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (Young Reader’s Edition): Write an essay comparing and contrasting traditional farming methods with those of an industrial/factory farm. Write an argument against the industrial/factory farm. Support your argument with textual evidence. Reread the last three paragraphs of the exemplar and examine the bar graph. In your own words, describe the author’s opinion of the industrial farm. Support your ideas with particular words or phrases that highlight the author’s opinion. Supporting details for a compare and contrast essay might include: Traditional Farm Factory Farm fertilizes soil with manure (needs animals) rotates crops every couple of years solar powered produces more food energy than it uses to grow crops exists as a cycle â€Å"The farmer bought raw materials (seed and fertilizer) and turned it into a finished product—corn. † â€Å"†¦farmers could plant corn in every field, every year. † â€Å"†¦the industrial farm produces just one product (or at most, two. )† â€Å"†¦the industrial farm is powered with fossil fuels. † â€Å"industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing† Not a cycle Textual evidence for an argument against the factory farm might include: â€Å"factory farm produces more food much faster than the old solar-based farm. But the system only works as long as fossil fuel energy is cheap† â€Å"the industrial farm is using up more energy than it is producing† â€Å"†¦ the industrial farm, is powered with fossil fuels. There’s natural gas in the fertilizer and the fossil fuel energy it takes to make the pesticides, the diesel used by the tractors, and the fuel needed to harvest, dry, and transport the corn. † Factory farms need chemical fertilizers to grow hybrid corn Guidance regarding an essay about the author’s point of view: Asking students to identify the author’s opinion or point of view (â€Å"the modern farm is a losing proposition†) forces them to synthesize the whole text. Students might notice the author’s ironic tone in the sentence, â€Å"It’s too bad we can’t simply drink the petroleum directly—it would be more efficient. † Teachers should point out that this type of emotional language often signifies an author’s point of view. Additional Reading Passages from The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat (Young Reader’s Edition) 2009; pp. 48-52 CAFO-Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation The old-fashioned way of raising cattle, like the old-fashioned way of growing corn, was on the small family farm. Cattle were raised in pastures, eating grass and hay—the food they naturally eat. But as corn took over the family farm, cows and other animals were pushed out. Cattle are now raised in densely packed animal cities like Poky’s. These places are called CAFOs—Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. Farmers gave up raising cattle because, as strange as it might seem, it costs a farmer more to grow feed corn than it costs a CAFO to buy it. (Thanks to those government subsidies. ) Eating meat used to be a special occasion in most American homes. Thanks to CAFOs, meat is now so cheap that many of us eat it three times a day. Of course, the American taxpayers have already paid part of the cost by subsidizing corn. But there are other costs involved in raising cattle this way, costs that shoppers don’t see when they buy a steak at the supermarket. On the old-fashioned farm, there is really no such thing as waste. Animal manure goes back into the fields as fertilizer. But the waste from CAFOs is a huge source of very toxic pollution. Tons of animal manure are produced with no good way of disposing of it. The feedlots are also breeding grounds for new and deadly bacteria. Some of these bacteria are finding their way into our food. And there is another cost to raising cattle on CAFOs, one that’s even harder to see. These animals have evolved to eat grass. But in a CAFO they are forced to eat corn—at considerable cost to their health, to the health of the land, and ultimately to the health of us, their eaters. (†¦) Cows and Grass—A Partnership Cows have evolved over millions of years to eat grass. It’s not a one-sided deal. At the same time, grasses have evolved over millions of years to be eaten by cows. This partnership is one of nature’s wonders. When a cow eats grass, it doesn’t kill the plant. Grasses have evolved so that they can survive being eaten very well. (As long as the cows give them a chance to recover. ) In return for being chewed on, the plants get help from the cows. The cow protects the grass habitat by eating young trees and shrubs that might compete with grasses. The animal also spreads grass seed, plants it with his hooves, and then fertilizes it with his manure. Only certain animals, including cows, sheep, goats, and bison, can make a meal out of grass. They can do this because they have a specialized second stomach called a rumen. (That’s why these animals are called ruminants. ) The rumen is like a twenty-five-gallon fermentation tank. Here is where the cow gets some help. Inside the tank lives a type of bacteria that dines on grass. The bacteria break down the cell walls of the grass and allow the cows to get at the protein and carbohydrates within. On the plains of the American west, where steer 534 was born, bison and the prairie grasses lived together in partnership for thousands of years. (I guess we should include the bacteria in that partnership, also. ) It was a natural, solar-powered loop. The plants used the sun’s energy to make food. The bison (with the help of bacteria) ate the grass and in return planted it, fertilized it, and defended its territory. It was a successful ecological system. A rumen has evolved into the perfect organ for digesting grass. But it is not good at digesting corn. So then why is steer number 534 forced to eat corn instead of grass? The answer is one word: speed. Cattle raised on grass simply take longer to grow than cattle raised on corn. â€Å"In my grandfather’s time, cows were four or five years old at slaughter,† Rich Blair explained to me. â€Å"In the fifties, when my father was ranching, it was two or three years old. Now we get there at fourteen to sixteen months. † What gets a steer from 80 to 1,100 pounds in fourteen months is tremendous amounts of corn, food supplements, and drugs. Fast food indeed. This work was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation