Transforming Finance And Business Education -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Transforming Finance And Business Education? Answer: Introduction In the words of Gitman, Juchau and Flanagan (2015), share price movement is the change in the price of an asset or security, particularly in the short-term. In accordance with the above graphs, it could be observed that the stock price of Amani Gold Limited is fluctuating over the years, while the All Ordinaries Index have maintained almost the identical share price over the same time span. Therefore, it could be observed that high volatility is inherent in the stock price of Amani Gold, while the All Ordinaries Index has lower volatility due to constancy in the stock price movement. On the other hand, the correlation between the chosen stock and the marketing index is obtained as -0.30. If the correlation of two variables is above 0.5, it is positively correlated and a correlation of above 0.8 is considered as strong (Lee, Sameen and Cowling 2015). In this case, the correlation is negative, which denotes that the rise in All Ordinaries Index would result in decline of the stock price of Amani Gold Limited and vice-versa. The most significant announcements that have influenced the share price of Amani Gold Limited are Kebigada and Giro Gold Project. The major concentration of the organisation has been the Giro Gold Project in Congo for delivering a maiden resource. This was released 2017 after the announcement of a Maiden Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource of 45.62 million tonnes for 2.14 million ounces of gold for the Kebigada deposit (Spcagent.co 2018). This is because these projects have the potential of hosting numerous ounces of gold. This significant development in cross-border nation has direct impact on its share price, since it has failed to generate sufficient revenues from the projects undertaken. As a result, the share prices have fallen in the domestic market due to which the shareholders are provided with lower returns. In addition, the organisation has 47,500,000 unlisted options, which were issued previously as portion of the consideration for acquisition of the Giro Gold Project and these have expired on 31st December 2016. This has resulted in fall of share price of the organisation (McLean and Zhao 2014). Beta helps in measuring the volatility or systematic risk of a share or a portfolio compared to the overall market. This is used in the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) that computes expected asset return depending on beta and anticipated market returns (Scholes 2015). As obtained from the annual report of Amani Gold Limited, the computed beta of the organisation is obtained as 1.05. According to the provided information, the risk-free rate is 4%, while the market risk premium is 6%. Based on such information, the required rate of return for Amani Gold Limited is depicted in the following table: Computation of required rate of return:- Particulars Details Units Risk-free rate A 4% Market risk premium B 6% Beta C 1.05 Required rate of return/Cost of equity A+C*(B-A) 6.10% In the words of Serghiescu and V?idean (2014), conservative strategy could be defined as the procedure, in which the investors prefer to invest in stocks carrying lower amount of risk while providing timely returns. A market comprises of different types of investors and they are divided depending on their level of risk tolerance. According to this tolerance level, the nature of the investors could be ascertained regarding whether they are highly aggressive, moderately aggressive or they do not want to bear any risk. In case of conservative strategy, the investors are either moderately aggressive or they are risk-averse. This strategy restricts the investors to obtain greater returns; however, during crisis situations, it helps in avoiding losses. As the beta of Amani Gold Limited is above 1, it indicates higher risk and the profit level of the organisation has declined over the years. Hence, investing in the shares of the organisation could not be termed as conservative investment, a s the investors might incur huge losses in future. According to the annual report of Amani Gold Limited, it has been found out that the organisation has not presented any long-term loan in its balance sheet statement. Hence, it does not have any cost of debt. Thus, the weighted average cost of capital is computed as follows: Computation of weighted average cost of capital (WACC):- Particulars Details Units Total debt A $ 4,87,013 Total equity B $ 2,56,74,183 Total capital C=A+B $ 2,61,61,196 Percentage of debt D=A/C 1.86% Percentage of equity E=B/C 98.14% Cost of debt F 0% Cost of equity G 6.10% Tax rate H 30% WACC (G*E)+(F*D)*(1-H) 5.99% WACC is defined as the average of the minimal after-tax required rate of return that a firm needs to earn for all its stockholders. In order to calculate WACC, long-term borrowings, tax rate, common equity and preferred equity are taken into account. The public firms have various financing sources and WACC plays a crucial role in balancing the related costs of the different sources. If there is increase in WACC, the risk level of an organisation increases and vice-versa (Werner and Stoner 2015). An increased WACC denotes that the organisation needs to devise out a path to earn excess return that would help in combating with the increased level of risk. References: Gitman, L.J., Juchau, R. and Flanagan, J., 2015.Principles of managerial finance. Pearson Higher Education AU. Lee, N., Sameen, H. and Cowling, M., 2015. Access to finance for innovative SMEs since the financial crisis.Research policy,44(2), pp.370-380. McLean, R.D. and Zhao, M., 2014. The business cycle, investor sentiment, and costly external finance.The Journal of Finance,69(3), pp.1377-1409. Scholes, M.S., 2015.Taxes and business strategy. Prentice Hall. Serghiescu, L. and V?idean, V.L., 2014. Determinant factors of the capital structure of a firm-an empirical analysis.Procedia Economics and Finance,15, pp.1447-1457. Spcagent.co. (2018). [online] Available at: https://spcagent.co/nwr-amani//wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2017/09/ANL-1.pdf [Accessed 3 Feb. 2018]. Werner, F.M. and Stoner, J.A., 2015. Transforming finance and business education: Part of the problem.Journal of Management for Global Sustainability,3(1), pp.25-52.

Informative Sleep free essay sample

To inform the audience about what sleep is and how it helps the body. Central Idea: That sleep is good for you and you should get your eight hours of it! Introduction: I’m sure everyone likes sleep. Everyone needs sleep to keep the least bit active through out there day. Sleep is an important factor for your body to restore energy. Sleeping is a time to rest your body from all the hard work you have done. It is relaxing so deeply that you lose consciousness of your surroundings. Preview Statement: Today I’d like to discuss and inform the audience about sleep. The first thing I want to tell you about is what sleep really is. The next thing I will explain is how sleep helps your body. Finally, I will talk about different sleeping disorders people are living with. I. By definition, medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com states that sleep is a natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially lost, so that there is a decrease in bodily movement and responsiveness to external stimuli. a. This site also mentioned that during sleep the brain in humans and other mammals undergo a characteristic cycle of brain-wave activity that includes intervals of dreaming. These intervals of dreaming can be divided into two categories. i. NREM sleep and REM sleep. There are five stages of sleep. 1. The first four stages of sleep are NREM sleep. NREM sleep is the non-rapid eye movement sleep; during the first stage of this type of sleep, you are in a battle of going to sleep but staying awake. In like the fourth stage, you really notice how NREM sleep is. NREM is the deep, dreamless period of sleep during which the brain waves are slow and of high voltage, and autonomic activities, such as heart rate and blood pressure, are low and regular. REM sleep is the fifth stage or the last stage and is exactly opposite of NREM. This type of sleep is associated with dreaming, mild involuntary muscle jerks, and rapid eye movements. It usually occurs three to four times each night at intervals of 80 to 120 minutes, each occurrence lasting from 5 minutes to more than an hour. b. Most people tend to want to go to sleep when they are bored for example i. Reading a 1462 history book or listening for hours to a mono-tone old man talk about how he and his dog are best friends. ii. Or they tend to go to sleep when they’re real worn out or haven’t had enough sleep. Transition: Now that you sort of understand why, when and what sleeping actually is, I can now explain How sleeping effects your body and how it helps it in a good way! II. There are so many things in sleeping that are beneficial to the body. When someone tells you that you should get your 8 hours of sleep, don’t be stubborn and get your 8 hours of sleep!! About. com lists a few of these things. a. One thing that it mentions is how a good nights sleep makes you feel energized and alert the next day. i. Being engaged and active not only feels great, it increases your chances for another good nights sleep. . Another thing that it mentions is that sleep helps your memory. A process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While your body may be resting, your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. ii. Getting more sleep will help you remember and process things better. c. A third thing is that sleep may help you loose weight. i. Researchers have found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night have impact on the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite and are more likely to be overweight or obese. So if you are interested in controlling or losing weight, dont forget to pay attention to getting a good nights sleep! d. This site also listed that napping during the day is not only an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, it can also protect your health and make you more productive. i. A study of 24,000 Greek adults showed that people who napped several times a week had a lower risk for dying from heart disease. ii. Napping also improves memory and mood. The last thing on the list is how sleep helps the body make repairs to damages caused by different things like stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. . Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage. 1. This is why you see the really sick people sleep a lot, because it helps them repair their bodies and helps them built up a strong immune system. ii. On serendip. brynmawr. edu, they talk about how sleep deprivation weakens the immune system, preventing the body from being able to ward off infections and viruses. They also mention signs of sleep deprivation which include B. reduced energy, like in work performance C. reater difficulty concentrating, for example if your studying for a test, staying up all night is not going to help you the next day because that information, instead of being stored in temporary memory, it can be stored in long-term memory D. The way your moods change frequently E. And greater risks of accidents including fall-asleep car crashes. 2. So if you don’t have a good nights sleep, sleep deprivation can happen. Transition: All of these things mentioned, sometimes get so bad that if you don’t get a good nights rest, they end up leading into a sleeping disorder. III. Last of all I will be naming and explaining a couple of these disorders associating with sleep. a. According to dictionary. com, anything dealing with a disturbance of the normal sleep pattern is considered a sleeping disorder. b. Many of us have experienced different things that may have got you thinking if you are dealing with a sleeping disorder. I will now ask you some questions that Helpguide. org provided me with that can help you decide if you might have a sleeping disorder. i. Do you feel irritable or sleepy during the day? ii. Do you have difficulty staying awake when sitting still, watching television or reading? iii. Do you fall asleep or feel very tired while driving? iv. Do you often get told by others that you look tired? v. Do you react slowly? Do you require caffeinated beverages to keep yourself going? c. If you answer yes to any of the questions I asked, you might have a sleeping disorder. d. One of the most common types of sleeping disorder we hear of is Insomnia. i. Insomnia is when you have difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep. 1. Waking up frequently during the night is one symptom of insomnia. 2. Other common symptoms include when you need to take something (like sleeping pills, nightcap, and supplements) in order to get to sleep 3. And when you have sleepiness and low energy during the day. 4. Many people have this for many different cases and luckily you can cure this with out the help of sleep specialists and without any prescriptions. Just a couple life style changes for example, relaxing more instead of stressing can cure this. e. Another common sleeping disorder is Sleep Apnea, i. In which your breathing temporarily stops during sleep due to blockage of the upper airways. Helpguide. org mentions that this is a serious and potentially life-threatening disorder. ii. Symptoms of Sleep Apnea include: . Loud, chronic snoring 2. Frequent pauses in breathing during sleep. 3. Gasping, snorting, or choking during sleep. Feeling unrefreshed after waking and sleepy during the day, no matter how much time you spent in bed; 5. Waking up with shortness of breath, chest pains, headaches, nasal congestion, or a dry throat. 6. Losing weight, elevating the head of the bed, and sleeping on your side are some ways that can help for mild sleep apnea. f. Final disorder I’ll mention is Narcolepsy. i. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that involves a lot of uncontrollable random sleeping. i. It is a neurological disorder caused by a dysfunction of the brain mechanism that controls sleeping and waking. While in the middle of talking, working, or even driving, people with narcolepsy usually have â€Å"sleep attacks†. iii. Some common symptoms that I find scary are, 1. Seeing or hearing things when you’re drowsy (like hallucinating) or starting to dream before you’re even fully asleep. 2. Another symptom is when you’re suddenly feeling week or when you feel like you have no muscle control during a strong emotion like when you’re angry or laughing. 3. When you’re feeling paralyzed and unable to move when you’re waking up or dozing off is another symptom. Some disorders can be worse than this and involve getting checked by a sleeping specialist and some can be cured on your own. Transition: Besides all of these sleeping disorders IV. Everyone has problems sleeping at time to time, so here are some tips provided by pamf. org that may help you get a good night’s sleep. a. Try to eliminate caffeine or foods that have caffeine. b. Avoid exercising after dinner. c. Wear comfortable clothes or pajamas to bed. Make sure your room is not too hot or too cold. . Avoid stimulating TV, music or computer time before bed. f. Use meditation or relaxation techniques. g. Or even try counting sheep! Conclusion: In conclusion, I hope you haven’t fallen asleep through my presentation because if you did, you missed out on what sleeping really is and the stages we have to go through, how sleeping helps your body and why you should get your 8 hours, and finally some different sleeping disorders and how to get a good night’s sleep. Now if you did fall asleep during my presentation, just blame it on a sleeping disorder and then I won’t be mad at you!

Advertisement and freedom of choice of consumers free essay sample

In contemporary world, the relationship between freedom of choice, identity and general lifestyle of modern consumers are quite complicated and questioned by a number of scholars like Bauman, Smart, Bourdie and Featherstone. An actual description of lifestyle as a term is very broad. If refer to a sociological explanation lifestyle explained as distinctive style of life of specific status groups, within contemporary consumer culture it connotes individuality, self-expression and a stylistic self-consciousness. (Featherstone, 1991 :92) Contemporary consumers are rifted from a traditional understanding of what is actually needed to rather what is wanted regarding the type of choice people make when shopping or socializing. The actual change of a consumer behavior, understanding of freedom and lifestyle as well as identity explained in several theories. This essay will focus on examining several theories about consumer culture, sense of freedom and the relationships of consumers and adv ertisement, using a critique of Made in Chelsea live show as an example (season 4 episode 4). According to Bauman (1998), society identify itself as consumer society by achieving their identity, status and highlighting relation to a social class through engagement in the consumer activity. A significant fact is that recently a there was a change of the emphasis of priorities from production to consumption, a passage from producer to consumer society occurred. (Bauman, 1998:24). It represents an increasing importance of consumption and an actual choice that consumers make regarding which image of themselves they want to represent. Smart, 2010) More to that, actual choice and sense of a self-identity also an be fashioned and lifestyled. For instance in Made in Chelsea (MiC) episode, the main representation is a group of rich young people who are assumed to be occupied but it is very rarely seen as them actually doing work. Whole series of this reality show illustration Chelsea friends as a constant consumers. They are showed most of the time shopping, at restaurants, clubs or o ther venues, beauty salons or other leisure activities and services. Only one hero Francis Boulle, showed as a hardworking guy who occasionally seeing friends. Smart (2010) argues that recently articipation in work, production or occupation does not stand up as a priority, but the engagement in consumer activity. Thus, people work and occupy themselves Just for the sake of the opportunity to go and spend gained resources for a consumer culture, i. e. shopping, restaurants, cinema etc. That what MiC represents not only in Season 4 episode 4 but also as a whole idea of the content. Everything that meters to the cast there is consuming good and serves while discussing each other relationships and drama. However according to Miller (1998) ethnographic research roved that majority of the population purchasing goods and services for sake of showing love and care to their beloved, friends and family, rather than persuasion of constant upgrade of their self-esteem and identities. Bauman (1998,2000:82-4) call contemporary consumers the society of individualized consumers with their freedom expressed in consumer choice. This is exactly how it look in the show, that everything that people are doing there are their individualized choice. They all nave a bright identity, however very similar as a whole, because of the similar cultural capital, rigin and social class. Television is still one of the most influential medium that produces a set of information and visuals of different content but one aim, promotion of a lifestyles. Simulation world of media exposing and spreading signs and pictures that blurring sense of what is real and what is not by the audience who are alongside are consumers. Oameson, 1983) Particularly in the I-JK lifestyle reality television is very popular. Through the lifestyle media society exposed to the circle of the rules to follow and Judge the other as well as ourselves. The demonstration of a good taste lso displayed in reality TV shows, such as the manner of speaking, body image, home image, meals, places visited etc. Surveillance is internalized but also externalized: its panopticism relates not only to its inward turning, but to its omnipresence in public: we are taught the rules but which to Judge ourselves, but also to Judge others (Bell Hollows, 2005) MiC season 4 episode 4 starts with the mise-en- scene of a Chelsea neighborhood, focusing on brand shops, fashionable cafГÂ ©, stylish young people, focuses on Balenciaga uncle boots and Chanel bag, handsome man with an expensive watch. Next shot is Spencer and Louise having a romantic private moment at daytime (considered as luxury for many middle class workers you spend their days in offices) while Andy calling to her iPhone. All together it represents a high social class , chilled and stylish lifestyle, culture of high consumers that desired by many. From the academic point of view, according to Featherstone (1991) The use of term consumer culture highlighting the values of contemporary society, which are became very materialist, however the use of culture emphasizing the use of material goods as communicators, not Just utilities. On the other hand, from economic perspective of the term it symbolizing the market principles of supply, demand, capital accumulation, competition and monopolization which operate within the sphere of lifestyles, cultural goods and commodities (Featherstone, 1991 :94) Nowadays, consumer choice is represented as an advantage, bold beneficial product of the market economy that usually taken as an expression of freedom, which represented as a cause of modern capitalism. (Friedman, 1982 in Smart, 2010). Smart (2010) also says, that now it is a consumer ociety who is dictating the process of production for themselves, that the origin of production process is according to the wishes and needs of consumers as well as the mode of business activities. Mises (1996:273, in Smart, 2010) noted that entrepreneurs and owners of the means of production are virtually trustees of the consumers. Mises (1996:273, in Smart, 2010) making a point that now the consumers are leading the production process and successful businesses and not vise versa. This article argues that producers are highly depended on supremacy of consumers and accommodating to the individual consumer wishes. Thus, this statement leads to the bold concept of consumers having a freedom of choice and consumption as well as a material control over market economy by making entrepreneurs, owners and producers to face the need to meet the requirements and expectations of their clients. However, there are a question arise whether the wishes and co-called freedom of choice ot society is actually individualized and determine a marketplace; or it is made up and all the needs required, expectations and further cultural processes are formed by the environment of media and advertisement that are all-encompassing odays life of every member of the contemporary society. Marx (1963 [1852]: 15) being a nineteenth-century economic liberalist, outlined a structural constraints on human agency, people make history, but they do not make it Just as the please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances, existing already. Hence the idea that the freedom of consumption is questionable is not new. Smart, 2010) According to Gabriel and Lang (2006), people who consume goods and services offered by market economy do exercise choice and eciding about what exactly to purchase and which brand to choose, but it is all a matter of an influence by variety of factors, such as production and manufacturing, retailing, actual marketing strategies, fair-trade and advertisement campaigns etc. , which are not under the condition of their choosing. Rosie from MiC is a fashion blogger in outside the reality show. Thus subconsciously by knowing this, and that Millie is a make-up artist, audience would focus their attention on how Rosie wear things and which make-up does Millie have, so to maybe reproduce it on themselves later as a fashionable one. Producers and advertisers want consumers to believe that they have a total freedom of choice, when actually a number of researches investigated that choice is regulated and affected by a number of processes and factors of marketing strategies and general environment. Smart, 2010) Majority of analyses concentrated their attention on cultural intermediaries included in advertisement, branding and marketing that persuade the idea that every member of contemporary society is a consumer that through the material spending of their income on certain thing they can buy a sense of self-worth, self-identity and even appiness Just by consumption of particular objects of production. (Galbraith, 1975; Gorz, 1989; Klein, 2001; Dawson, 2005; in Smart, 2006). Bourdies research investigated how with the help of semiotics and association certain classes desiring to distinguish themselves from the masses with the particular lifestyle, dressing up and places visited. Hence, sending a massage full signs and meanings to public that screaming that they belong to a certain group or class. Another scene at MiC Rosie, Millie and Sophia having lunch in a fancy restaurant while gossiping about Louise nd Spencer : Spencer Genially getting fit and getting healthy, He is doing a marathon, Louise not going out and detoxifying together with him (Millie and Rosie). This is seen as a promotion of a healthy lifestyle, looking after your body, which is perceived as an expensive one to keep up but highly suggested by the media, doctors and recent fashion (many people quit smoking and/or drinking recently as a part of a fashion of a Green lifestyle). More to that girls are showed in Dukes Hotel, Restaurant Thirty Six, which is obviously not ordinary place for a simple workers to have their casual lunch. Another scene is Jamie and Spencer at Spencers own gym, discussing recent gossips and working out. It looks very familiar, but than the cast still placed on a much higher ladder: Girls getting together for lunch and gossiping, but in a luxury London hotel; Guys meeting up to work out in gym and gossiping, but in Spencers private gym. Following scenes are gust a gap between stories but felled in with the image of Chanel boutique, Gizia shoes and anther luxury notel There are many shot ot a tancy t in top restaurants during the episode as well. Again the image of a high lifestyle indorsed to the audiences mind. The image of the consumers in its best, those who can afford to buy almost anything. Contemporary consumer society mode in late modernity neo-liberalism is concentrated at highlighting the premium, wealthy lifestyle and status by investing economic income into objects of proof of that lifestyle, such as cars, traveling, digital devices and brand clothes. According to Smart (2010) those attributes determining an exercise chose to bring a confidence and desired self-image. Lately an activity of people purchasing all kind of good increased due to the marketplace response to a 2008 global economic recession. The effect was that producers should persuade consumers to spend more of their income and shopping to excess once again, instead of saving up and investing, served to confirm, simultaneously illustrating Jamesons point about the inability of politicians and policymakers to imagine anything else beyond a return to the infernal dynamism of consumer capitalism. (Smart, 2010) Bauman (1998) argues that the identifiable sigh of consumer society is not the actual consumption but a significant difference from their predecessors. A perception and idetification of new flexebility of needs and shift of norms setting onsumption free from functional bonds and absolving it from the need to Justify itself by reference to anything but its own pleasurability. (Bauman, 2001) Advertisers making sure that the sense of need is constantly present, increasing and extending to new limits, the need to keep the tension alive. Hence a satisfaction of consumers needs is never possible, gratification measures its progress by ever-rising demand. Bauman, 2001) A good example from the MiC episode is when Cheska, Binky and Ollie went to the luxury adult shop and trying out some devises there. This epresents extended needs that people might have, which is far not primarily needs. In addition It explains that the correspondence in consumer behavior of late modern societies as well as the prominence accorded to consumer activity, flow from the implementation of neo-liberal economic policies and the associated generation of a political economy of insecurity. Smart, 2010:232) There are three main concept of explaining the Neo-liberal economic polices main factors of insecurity, as suggested by Bauman (1998). Firstly it have significantly shifted the understanding and erception of occupation and workplace of majority of workers, especially those who are engaged at low-salary, insecure, part-time forms of occupation, also known as McJobs. (Beck, 2000 in Smart, 2010). Secondly, contributed to dramatic reductions in commodity turnover time through programmed product obsolescence or retirement. Finally, the growing and significantly increased, comparing to previous times, trades of goods and services produced and available for a purchase, but because of two above are not easily accessible. Modern marketplace keeps promoting new options of ommodities and constantly updated fashion on lifestyle and self-identity that requires a constant consumption by society. While the disadvantaged situation with the neo-liberal economic polices making it difficult to keep up for a big amount of workers as well as providing an unstable self-identity image through the processes of advertisement, popular culture and marketing strategies and fashion, which are invariably changing. (Kellner, 1992:172) Hence, when simple workers or teenagers are watching MIC with its representation of an excessively luxury lifestyle, the desire it, but understand hat it is not actually achievable tor them. Essentially, the components of the identity construction including what society think they should be, or a desire to become and the idea of the self-representation are driven by the consumer marketplace. When exercising the choice of goods and services purchased that might help in self-determination and representation is responsible for the actual purchase. However, when making a choice it is heavily depended on financial, informational and other decision process resources, especially time that spent to make a reasonable and free choice examined and decided individually. All above are to a certain degree limitations for a vast majority of society. (Smart, 2010) For example, all the places and venues listed during the MiC episode are straight forward perceived as a top places that is a must to visit. However if to think deeper, this is the business reality show doing, Just by indorsing a hidden advertisement in their episode. We cannot know for real where those rich and young would go, we Just assume that it is those places showed in episode (Dukes Hotel restaurant, Dorchester Hotel restaurant, Luxury apartments Maze restaurant, etc. As Ewen (1976) entioned, apparently advertisement constructing the idea of homogenized national character as a whole and a formatting further capitalist production. The cultural fashion and identity of the contemporary society being formed through the advertisement campaigns that are mainly American type. Sociological term Americanization (through the advertisement exposure) could be also indorsed to this argument. It pro vides common desires build up by the common ethnicity, language, cultural perspectives and matters. The brightest character in MiC is Mark Frances with his extremely posh British accent and way of talking, as well as, style and ehavior. M. Frances: If I go out to night clubs it is only members night clubs, that very well known for the difficulty to get to , hence not mainstream. However now, in London, majority of the newly opened nightclubs call themselves members night club, for example Kensington Roof Gardens, when being quite accessible for the mainstream, but Just attracting by the exclusivity. When consumer identifying his desires in terms of capitalist production, automatically he accepts the rules of modern industrial life. By transforming the notion of class into mass, business oped to create and individual who could locate his needs and frustrations in terms of the consumption goods rather than the quality and content of his life (work). (Ewen, 1976:93) The main content of the MiC season 4 episode 4 is that everyone meeting up with each other in different combination, soc ializing, gossiping an d discussing an organization of a party, night out, bi=but the girls have their own and the boys have their own, to catch up and socialize. Both groups are going to a fancy nightclubs. Nice shot of all ladies dressed up to impress on their way to Dorsia nightclub at South Kensington. When guys chose Embargo club. Following shots of them all having fun, drinking expensive alcohol and dancing. Those all are not perceived as an advertisement or endorsement of a lifestyle while audience watch it, but at the end the image of fun and freedom that are exercised by the consumers if figurating alongside whole episode. In analyses of a consumer activity and its conditions it was investigated that in the USA each day people are exposed to 3000 advertisements which selling their products and rather brands by making a bond and association to a desired, attractive lifestyle or big celebrities. Schwartz, 2005:53-4) It nas been noted that to intluence the way consumers making their choices and which choices they should make, advertisers across the world spending over $1JS400 billion each year on their campaigns. It does not argues that consumers are cultural dopes that are easy to influence, rather that by its frequency of exposure, advertising does make an impact on the choice consumers make. (Smart, 2010) The main goal for all brand is to be automatic choice, which does require right association as well as constant rehearsal and reminding of their features. Hence, MiC episode is a representation of a lifestyle and identity of a high-class people. It Delivering a massage ofa luxurious and perfect image of life, on the top of the market economy, place where all consumers are freedomly aiming to get. Fowles (1996:156) summed up the whole idea described in this essay: The relationship of the advertising / popular culture mix to gender formation is indicative of the relationship of the mix to the entirety of self-identity, and behavior, but are ideals alone and can never be fully actualized in everyday life, at least not for long Illustration of perfectization of a lifestyle, freedom of choice and appearance in most of the live TV shows made to be seen as real, while it is good not to forget that everything that is going on air is formatted and worked on, so to deliver the right massage.

Conceptual Anaylsis of Manets, Luncheon on the Grass Essay Example

Conceptual Anaylsis of Manets, Luncheon on the Grass Essay Conceptual framework analysis: Le dejeuner sur lherbe (The Lunch on the Grass), (1863) Artwork: One of his most famous paintings Le dejeuner sur lherbe (The Lunch on the Grass), was rejected by the prestigious Salon, however he was exhibited in the Salon des Refuses. This composition features juxtaposed well dressed men with a nude woman. His influence on this painting was the Judgement of Paris by Raphael and the Concert Champetre by Giorgione’s, both of which featured naked women with clothed men. This juxtaposition of the two fully clothed men and a naked woman caused a great controversy as it was seen as greatly taboo for a woman to be sitting causally with two men in a public place. The nude female’s body appears somewhat luminous and her gaze is directed at the viewer, this could be seen as a further grab for attention by the artist, drawing the viewer’s attention to the nude female’s body. The two men accompanying the woman seem to be ignoring the woman as they are engaged in deep conversation. Their posture and facial expressions give one the impression that they are not at all astonished at the woman’s presence. We will write a custom essay sample on Conceptual Anaylsis of Manets, Luncheon on the Grass specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Conceptual Anaylsis of Manets, Luncheon on the Grass specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Conceptual Anaylsis of Manets, Luncheon on the Grass specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The woman in the background bathing in the stream also seems ignorant or unbothered by this other nude woman sitting with the men. She appears rather large for figure supposes to be in the background and gives one the impression that she is floating or supernaturally present. The artwork features Manet’s signature blend of blocks of dark/black colours with contrasting lighter colours, the latter of which was influenced by the Impressionist movement, newly emerging at the time. Artist: Edouard Manet was a French painter who was born on January 23 1832 and who died on April 30 in 1883. He was a pioneer when it came to approaching modern-life subjects in his work, bridging the gap between the art movement’s realism and impressionism. His father, a judge, wished for Manet to pursue a career in law however he rejected this for a career in the arts, encouraged by his uncle Charles Fournier. He studied under Thomas Couture and Gustave Courbet, and began to paint in the style of Realism with focus on homeless people, cafes, events and scenery. However he produced very little historical, religious or mythological paintings. He was also influenced by other impressionists, very much so by Monet, this lead him to use lighter colours whilst retaining however use of blocks of black, unlike other Impressionists. His final days were filled with much pain as he died from syphilis. Audience: The Salon des Refuses was established as a reaction against the Salon’s jury refusing a large number of works (above 4000), which made other critics (some even conservative ones) at the time to say ‘that the jury had no right to reject an honourable mediocrity, or at least not before long and deliberate consideration’. The Salon des Refuses was commissioned by the Emperor Napoleon III who was ‘Wishing to let the public judge the legitimacy of these complaints, The Salon des Refuses was recognized as a jumbled mass of different kinds of art but this allowed the public to be presented with an alternative ‘repertoire’ to the usual romantic and classic characteristics of paintings largely sanctioned by academic and art officials. Some critics praised the Salon des Refuses realising that their art world was being prevented from moving forward into the future ‘The artists will always find the attentive public to receive an original try, because creation is one of the most precious qualities of art’, while others critics ridiculed the Salon des Refuses saying the ‘This is not Art’. Some have said that the Salon des Refuses had a ‘greater impact on the artists than the public’ as the exhibition inspired the new generation of artists to explore new art movements. The Salon the following year deliberately reduced it’s number of rejected works from 70% to 30% so that what was left to be exhibited in the Salon des Refuses were mainly unfinished and indecisive works. The Salon also in that same year exhibited Manet, which was placed ‘in the best place’. The Salon administration was able to manipulate the Salon des Refuses from gaining wide critical acclaim, press and the public’s attention. This caused the Salon des Refuses of 1964 to lack that same spontaneous sensationalism as the previous one. The Salon des Refuses is regarded as a turning point in the history of art and 1863 has been described as ‘the most convenient date from which to begin any history of modern painting’- Encyclopedia. com World: During the 19th century in Paris, art and artists were rapidly growing numbers, leading Paris to become ‘Drunk with Art’. After the French Revolution ‘the Salon’, a previously exclus ively owned gallery, was officially open to the public, it exhibited paintings and sculptures by member of the Academie Royale de Peinture at de Sculpture, a jury system was introduced in 1748, and the event became annual. However as the jury became increasingly conservative/academic artworks relating to the impressionist style were almost always rejected, preventing the acceptance of new art movements and promoting conservatism in art. This made it difficult for the Impressionists to have a successful career, as an artist’s reputation and legitimacy was only made concrete if it was exhibited in the prominent exhibitions, especially the Salon. During the year of 1863 an unusually large amount of works were rejected, this lead to the establishment of the Salon des Refuses, an exhibition held of works rejected by the jury of the Salon. The Salon des Refuses were highly ridiculed by critiques which included the work Luncheon on the Grass. Thanks to the Salon des Refuses the impressionists were able to successfully exhibit their works, which meant a greater chance of success in their careers. However Manet still seeked for acclaim by the original Salon as he wanted to be recognized as a traditionalist although he dabbled in his works with Impressionist characteristics. In 1881 the French government withdrew their sponsorship from the official Salon and the show was taken over by the Societe des Artistes Francais.

Personal Statement Essay Sample

Personal Statement Essay SampleYou might be surprised to find that there are quite a few essay samples online that claim to be your personal statement essay sample, but the sad fact is that the majority of these essays only work as personal statement examples because they use samples from their own teaching material and will not give you the most important piece of advice that you should be thinking about. By understanding this article you will be able to obtain a sample of a personal statement essay and help you rewrite your own.The most important thing that you can do to get a personal statement essay sample that you can be proud of is to research the things that you need to change. This will help you get a better written statement essay and also help you to work more quickly and effectively.Many students spend the majority of their high school years without any sort of scholarship, no matter how much they want to, because of bad grades and some really bad grades. As a result of th is they become aware of the importance of writing a better statement that gets them ahead in life. Although we all know that scholarship and good grades are essential for success, what we often do not understand is that they are just a starting point.In order to write a personal statement that gets you out of bad grades you must be honest with yourself and you must be determined to do whatever it takes to succeed. It does not matter what your parent's or teacher's opinion is on your essay; it doesn't matter what kind of grades you have had or what you have been doing. If you set your mind to doing anything and everything that you are asked to do, you can achieve your dream of going to college.The key to a personal statement is to start thinking about yourself and what you want to accomplish. Start by writing down a list of things that you want to accomplish in your life.Do not allow the bad grades to stop you from achieving anything in your life. While the bad grades will cause you to set the bar lower, you should still hold yourself to a higher standard and try your best to achieve the things that you want to do.To get a personal statement that gets you out of bad grades, you need to learn what it takes to make a better-written essay and to learn how to effectively rewrite your personal statement essay example. Many students have a list of things that they are working towards and while it is nice to have a decent grade you must realize that it is not everything that you will need to get out of bad grades.Your personal statement is an opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd and it is an opportunity to prove to everyone that you are the one person that everyone should want to be like. So take full advantage of this opportunity and think about what it is that you are really trying to accomplish in life.

Real Estate Investment Trusts KIMCO

Introduction KIMCO Reality is a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) company that is mainly based in the United States, Canada, and South America (Deloitte 4). As a REIT company, KIMCO Reality owns and runs multiple real estate properties that mainly include shopping centres. The backbone of KIMCO operations is in the US where the company operates the largest database of shopping stores in 44 states.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Real Estate Investment Trusts: KIMCO specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In total, KIMCO operates over 900 shopping stores within North America and South America included in a leasable area of over 120 million square feet. KIMCO Reality trades at the NYSE (Emily 128). The focus of NYSE includes acquiring, developing, and running multiple shopping centres within the US, North America and South America. Despite multiple challenges in the real estate industry, especially the REIT seg ment, REIT presents a range of opportunities to investors (Deloitte 4). Economic Status The US economy is still recovering from the recession that started a few years back. Multiple sectors of the economy, including the real estate sector, are heavily reliant on the state of the economy. Although some economists are of the opinion that the US economy will need more years to completely emerge from economic recession, a range of indicators predict an improving economy. The rate of unemployment is now 7%; thus, indicating that thousands of jobs are starting to re-emerge in the market (Deloitte 4). Over the last three years, the US economy has grown by an average of about 2.5% (Deloitte 4). Although such a growth is below the 3% threshold required to create considerable jobs for the economy, a positive growth has contributed to the expansion of the US economy (Andrew 87). Generally, the US economy provides a good business environment for companies. Here, the US consists of a capital mar ket regulated by appropriate legal provisions and a suitable environment for business growth. The US is mostly an industrial service economy; hence, a relative high wage bill for workers. Although a high wage bill presents US consumers with a capacity to invest in high expense opportunities such as in real estate, such a direction is resulting in several shortcomings. Multiple multinational companies have transferred operations from the US to cheaper labour markets such as China.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, although many economies in South America and North America remain affected by the economic crisis, Canada is making significant progress in strengthening her economy; thus, providing a strong base of future investments in real estate. Moreover, despite the economic crisis, the US accounts for a total of about 45% of all real estate securities (Deloit te 5). Population Trends The US consists of a large, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic population. The current population of the US stands at about 320 million people. Here, European whites form about 65% of the US population. About 13% of US citizens are African Americans while the Hispanic population is about 16%. However, there are a large number of undocumented immigrants in the US (Deloitte 4). The estimate number of undocumented immigrants range from 12 million to 30 million (Deloitte 4). The average birth rate in the US stands at about 1.85% (Deloitte 4). The replacement rate is just below 2. Such a direction would imply a decreasing population (Emily 128). However, the high number of immigrants who enter the United States from Mexico and other parts of the world is contributing to a high population increase in the United States. The proportion of Hispanics is especially projected to increase significantly in the near future. Despite a high number of Hispanic immigrants who cros s to the United States from Mexico, Mexican women have a higher birth rate when compared to white women (Andrew 89). However, such a projection can change as a result of decreasing birth rates among Mexican women who permanently settle in the US. About 38% of the US population consists of persons aged 25 years and below. On the other hand, senior adults (aged 65 years and above) form about 12% of the US population (Deloitte 8). Capital Capital investments in REIT companies are on an upward trend. Here, an array of parameters that include good cash flows in REIT companies, the weakening of the US dollar in comparison to other currencies and partnerships between the US REITS and foreign subsidiaries contributes to high investment in REIT securities (Emily 128).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Real Estate Investment Trusts: KIMCO specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Currency Risk Because of its use as the main currency of trade in the international market, the US dollar is a very stable and low risk currency as well. However, currency risks could occur from a necessity to exchange into other forms of currency that are rarely used in the international trade. Taxation Usually, REIT companies are under a legal obligation to pay a minimum proportion of 90 percent income to shareholders. KIMCO pays as much as 100% of its income to shareholders (Emily 128). As such, REIT companies are not under an obligation to pay corporate tax (Deloitte 11). However, shareholders pay tax on dividend benefits (Deloitte 7). Market The backbone of KIMCO operations (about 80%) is in the US where the company operates the largest database of shopping stores in 44 states. In total, KIMCO operates over 900 shopping stores within North America and South America included in a leasable area of over 120 million square feet (Deloitte 3). The focus of KIMCO is thus in the operation of shopping canters. In 2009, KIMCO init iated a program of disposing unusable assets. As a result, KIMCO disposed over 80 assets valued at about $850 million. Apart from disposing non usable assets, the management of KIMCO is acquiring strategic properties in the international REIT market. Such a direction is leading to the strategic growth of KIMCO. Indeed, KIMCO’s path for growth has remained clear over the past years. MOAT/ Competitive Advantage A critical requirement for companies to grow is a recognition and use of competitive advantages against rivals. One if the most distinct factors present in KIMCO, unlike other REIT companies in the US, includes its low cost capital. KIMCO utilizes low cost funds in strategic investments. Such a direction is leading to a high return to capital ratio; thus, increasing the value of KIMCO shares (Andrew 87). Here, KIMCO has a knack of disposing non critical assets as well as obtaining new strategic assets. Because the shares of KIMCO are projected to continue in an upward tr end in the coming years (due to an effective use of cheap capital there), the idea of a MOAT holds in KIMCO.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Investors can thus buy KIMCO shares at the current price (cheap) with an expectation that the shares will significantly increase in value in the following years (Deloitte 4). The latest report of the 2012 first quarter financial results indicate a robust management of resources. Here, the total asset value of KIMCO stores stands at just over one billion dollars. Moreover, KIMCO sold over 1.6 million square feet of leasable space for undisclosed value. The management of KIMCO consistently evaluates low performing stores with a view of increasing income. Robust management and investment at KIMCO is leading to a significant increase in the total value of the company (currently valued at about 16 billion dollars). Issues of Control All important indicators of performance such as growth in profits, increase in share price, and a high income to capital ratio point to good results at KIMCO. The high performance KIMCO is mainly as a result of an effective management team which is not deterr ed by the main shareholders. The interest of the management to increase the value of KIMCO mainly aligns with the interest of shareholders to increase the value of their assets (Andrew 87). No series conflicts of interest have been reported between the KIMCO management and major shareholders. Still, there are clear provisions on the handling of disputes that could arise between the management and the major shareholders. Top Shareholders A number of institutions form the top ten shareholders of KIMCO group. About 7 billion of the total equity at KIMCO is from institutions while about 4 billion is from mutual funds. On the other hand, insiders contribute about 230 million dollars of the total equity at KIMCO. The table below provides the detail of major shareholders at KIMCO group (Deloitte 15). Table 1: Current Top Ten Shareholders at KIMCO Name Shares Percentage of Shares Vanguard REIT 25,353,347 6.23 Fidelity Real Estate 8,149,300 2 Rowe Price Real Estate 4,916,100 1.21 Vanguard Mid Cap 5,194,277 1.3 America Funds Capital World 4,964,193 1.2 Goldman Sachs Mid Cap 4,132,329 1.02 iShares Cohen and Steel Majors 4,217,036 1.01 iShares Dow Jones US Real Estate 3,996,332 0.99 DFA Real Estate Securities 3,896,058 0.95 Permanent Portfolio 3,688,342 0.9 Source: Investors.morningstar.com As indicated in the table above, there is no institute/individual that is currently holding shares worth over 7%. However, a number of major shareholders offloaded significant amounts of KIMCO shares in previous trading. Such a direction is inevitable due to the ever increasing price value of KIMCO shares. Short Positions As of mid October 2012, about 20.5 million shares were sold short. Here, the number of short position shares reduced by about 2% from the previous session of trade. Incentive for Managers Like any other large corporation, KIMCO group is designing programs that compensate the top management for performance. KIMCO management is paid on two vari ables. Therefore, part of the salary for KIMCO management is fixed. On the other hand, part of the salary for KIMCO management is based on performance. The high level of performance witnessed at KIMCO in the past years is a direct result of effective management. A program that adequately compensates the top management to improve performance is therefore fruitful in enhancing the capacity of KIMCO. Benchmark In comparison with other REITs companies in the US market, the performance of KIMCO is top class. The consideration of performance parameters such as stock value, profits, ratio of income to capital, among others indicates a top performance at KIMCO group (Andrew 87). KIMCO remains among the high yielding REITS at the New York Stock Exchange. Besides, KIMCO is among the best performing REITS that specialise in the management of shopping canters. KIMCO has a healthy leverage ratio. Here, the ratio of debt to equity is about 0.8 (Deloitte 4). Analysis Performance As noted earlier, the financial performance of KIMCO has generally been good. The use of cheap capital to invest in strategic properties is paying off for KIMCO management. The balance sheet of KIMCO group is generally good. Although KIMCO group is among the highest yield performers in the US REITs, dozens of other REITs produce better yields than KIMCO. However, KIMCO is among the best performing REITs in terms of low leverage ratio. Investors that buy KIMCO shares are thus guaranteed of consistent (about 0.2 dollar per share) returns on their shares over a long-term period (Emily 128). Since the yield on KIMCO shares is consistent over a long period of time, KIMCO shares offer a better alternative to investment that treasury rates. Figure 2 shows the value of 10 year bond treasury rates in previous years. As it can be seen below, the value of treasury rates has significantly decreased over the past years. On the other hand, the value of KIMCO shares is steadily increasing due to increasing equity t here. It is therefore more profitable to invest in performing REIT shares, such as KIMCO shares, than in treasury bonds. Short term investors can exploit the large MOAT capacity at KIMCO to sell shares at a much higher price in the future. The cap rate of KIMCO stands at a healthy 6%. Moreover, long term investors can hope for consistent returns on invested shares. Still, it is important to note that at an average of 20 dollars, KIMCO shares remain overvalued. A theoretical valuation of KIMCO shares yields a market value of about 15 dollars. Since KIMCO shares are currently trading above their theoretical value, some stock market analysts are advising investors to wait for the stock value of KIMCO shares to fall before buying. However, a consistent and a high dividend payout may contribute to a high value of REIT shares (Emily 128). Although a fluctuation in real estate prices (as it happened at the start of the US economic crisis) may affect real estate companies including REITs, t he focus of REITs on property management can help to limit the risk of property fluctuations (they can always generate income by running business properties). Figure 2: Graph showing the value of treasury rates (10 year) from 1980-2010 Figure 3: Five Year Share Chart Key Ratios As observed earlier, KIMCO is among the US REITS with a low leverage ratio. Currently, KIMCO’s leverage ratio stands at a healthy 0.8%. KIMCO is showing signs of improvement over the past years due to a falling leverage ratio. For example, the leverage ratio has decreased from 1.25 in 2008 to just 0.8 in 2012. KIMCO’s cape rate (return on capital rate) is also very healthy at 6.0%. On the other hand the WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital) discount rate for KIMCO group is 10.0%. Financial Recap Figure 4: Financial Recap for KIMCO: 52 Weeks Period Component Value Range of Share Value 19.3-19.6 Average Volume 3.2 Million Market Capitalization 7.6 billion dollars Price per Earning R atio $65 Dividend /Yield 0.2/4.3 Total shares 407.61 Million Percentage of Shares owned by Institutes 97% Generally, the data above shows a healthy financial performance at the KIMCO group. Importantly, multiple parameters above ascertain the capacity of KIMCO group to perform consistently in the coming years. For example, the share price of KIMCO group is within a stable range. Besides, most of the shares at KIMCO group (97%) are held by institutions; thus, helping to stabilize the share price of KIMCO shares due to the long term interest of institutions. Apart from having a significant rate of yield return, KIMCO returns considerable dividends from yields; hence, offering a good opportunity for real security investment (Andrew 87). Legal Risks Like other business corporations, REITs can encounter multiple legal risks. Since KIMCO and other US REITs are mainly international companies, a conflict in different legal provisions within countries of operation can frustrate thei r operations. Besides, the business of acquiring and running properties can easily result in multiple legal disputes on ownership. To mitigate legal risks, REITs functionalities must limit themselves to legal procedures, rules, and provisions in areas of operation (Emily 128). Conclusion Because of their versatility and capacity to serve business communities, REITs provide a better alternative of investing in real estate than other segments of the real estate such as the housing segment. Moreover, REITS provide a framework where the input of the management has a great bearing on performance than other real estate investments. REITS will thus continue to offer multiple opportunities for investment in real estate securities. The success of REITs can be enhanced through the creation of economies that have necessary support infrastructures such as non-hostile tax rates, a suitable legal environment, and a robust business environment. Works Cited Andrew, Robert 2012. Investors, PDF file. 7 Nov. 2012 Investors.morningstar.com Deloitte. REITs and Infrastructural Projects: the next Investment Frontier, New York: McMillan, 2011. Print Emily, Jones. The risk of REITs Securities, Washington: McMillan, 2011. Print This research paper on Real Estate Investment Trusts: KIMCO was written and submitted by user Aria N. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Reformation and Counter-Reformation and examples

Reformation and Counter-Reformation and examples Within the Church, decisive action had to be undertaken to meet the challenge of the Reformation and other difficulties that had arisen. The rise of Protestant power in northern Europe set off a defensive and totalitarian response in Catholic Italy. The Counter-Reformation put Italian culture on a war footing with the Catholic Church claiming, in effect, total control of Italians' minds and bodies. The Council of Trent, which met intermittently from 1545 to 1563, was called by the pope to deliberate these matters and to undertake reform of the Church from within. As a result of the Council's recommendations, humanistic thinking was replaced by violent reaction, with coercion and persuasion being used as twin prongs to ensure conformity to the teachings of the Church. Promises of liberal religious attitudes were broken by a return to strict Church doctrines. New access to literature and knowledge through the printing press and scientific discoveries was suppressed through the Inquisit ion; the Inquisition was a vast repressive machine that worked through informants and secret courts to meet ideological deviance with humiliation, prison, torture and burning alive.Matthias Church and Calvinist Church, Danube, Buda...God appeared not as the Loving Father but as a terrifying Judge, Christ not as the Good Shepherd but as the Great Avenger.Art was enlisted to serve the purposes of the church militant, but that art was rigorously policed according to a system of decorum in painting which dictated what was and what wasn't acceptable in art. It was all set out by Cardinal Paleotti in 1584 and reinforced by Carlo Borromeo, the young, energetic archbishop of Milan who spent time in Rome. Borromeo gave voice to the new Church doctrines in the manuals he wrote for architects and artists, as well as for students and teachers in the many seminaries he founded. Nudity and eroticism were out,