Week 3 Discussion Post Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 3 Discussion Post - Assignment Example Marginalization refers to the relegation of people or societies to the fringe preventing meaningful participation (Faizi 29). The examples of marginalized people are many. I have seen many homeless people spending their lives in subways or under some bridge, and their presence always conjures the concept of marginalization. Governments and social care offices have excluded these people; that is what I feel when I see them. Artists need space, and this demand drives them to work and live in marginalized regions. However, other factors motivate artists to marginalize themselves. Some of the factors are pragmatic while others are philosophical. The overriding reason, though, is that artists see assets, possibility, opportunity, and potential for conversion where other people see deficiency and blight (Jackson 5). Cities that are highly connected provide accessibility. One can hop from a bus to another means of transport say an electric train making movement easy. Accessibility invokes feelings of belonging, and it empowers men, women, and young people alike. They can take part in various things that are of economic and social value. Accessibility and empowerment create conditions that conjure self-reliance, confidence, and capacity to make strategic choices in

Reader Response essay on the book The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Reader Response on the book The Jungle by Upton Sinclair - Essay Example For example, he lost his job after an injury he got from a work accident. Ona, Rudkus wife, also explains that she was raped by her boss. The major opinion of Upton Sinclair in his book The Jungle is that workers, especially immigrants, were exploited at the workplace by their employers. The author uses Jurgis in his book to explain experiences where capitalism operates without checks or balances. To get the extra profit; workers are killed due to workplace accidents, meat inspectors are bribed, wastes are deposited into public water system, and workers get sick due to workplace infection. My opinion is that all workers should be protected from exploitation of any form at the workplace. The government should put in place proper legislations to ensure this; for example, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. One of the values of the author is that he believes in socialism which creates fairness and equity. He stresses that socialism is the only idea that can right all the wrongs of capitalism. Socialism is just because it ensures each and every person benefits. The main character Jurgis believes that a social political system is capable of achieving dignity, respect and humanity of the previously exploited immigrants and working class. The profits that capitalists make should be used to; improve the working conditions, compensate workers adequately and assist in community development projects. The author’s values conflict with mine because I prefer capitalism. People should strive to create wealth by starting enterprises which earns profits; however part of the profit should be allocated to improving working conditions of workers, and also improving the welfare of the surrounding community and workers. Distribution of profits ensures fairness to both workers and employer. The Jungle reminds me of other texts which support social justice, equity and fairness. For example, the Dragon’s Teeth authored by Upton Sinclair

Strategic analysis of Nokia Corp

Strategic analysis of Nokia Corp 1.0 Executive Summary The following is the strategic analysis of Nokia Corp., which discusses the external and internal environment. The first part, external environment, presents the opportunities and threats along with the political, economic, sociocultural, and technological issues of the handset industry. It provides Porters five forces framework for the discussion of the attractiveness of the industry. The second part of the report analyzes the main strengths behind Nokias success and leading position as a handsets manufacturer. We proceed with the analysis of Nokias weaknesses which may impede on its ability to utilize the growth opportunities. We also make recommendations regarding Nokias strategy for US market, converged handsets market, and acquisitions. Owing to the complex and self-motivated environment, Nokia faces numerous strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This report is to look for the best possible strategy of Nokia. Initially, the key strategic issues Nokia is facing today is acknowledged to be economy, technology, leading brand, scale, and number one market position based on the strategy analysis in Task A. Secondly, the imposing strategy that Nokia should take on is analyzed to be exhaustive growth strategy, and in particulars, the strategy options of Nokia today is illustrated to be cost leadership, differentiation, and focus strategy. Among which Nokia should select a combination of the cost leadership and differentiation strategy according to its brawny assets, low fixed cost, and elevated research aptitude. The paper also discusses the relationship between Nokia management style, climate and its organizational structure. Strategy can be defined as â€Å"the basic characteristics of the match an organization achieves with its environment.†[1] Owing to the complex and go-ahead environment, Nokia faces several strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This article is to seek the optimal strategy of Nokia. The investigation is affirmed in the following ways. Firstly, the key strategic issues of Nokia are acknowledged based on the strategy analysis in Task A. Secondly, the strategy options of Nokia are analyzed by the competitive generic strategies theory which has been promoted by Porter. Thirdly, after the illustration of the competitive generic strategies, the optimal strategies will be proposed. 2.0 Section 1 Company Background Nokia was established in Finland in 1865. Owing to its digital insurgency starting from 1992 by introducing its first GSM model as well as the new formulation of the key essentials of its strategy by sending-off the old businesses and progressively more focus on telecommunications in 1994, it helps Nokia generate the basis for a triumphant conquer of the world telecommunication market. Till now, Nokia is by now the world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth of the broader mobility industry. Fulfilling an elementary human necessitates for social connections and contact by connecting people is the mission of Nokia. Currently, Nokia comprises four business groups that are mobile phones, multimedia, enterprise solutions and networks. Being the forge of the mobile communication market in the world enjoying about 30% share of the worlds mobile phone market, Nokia is abiding to discover innovative investment opportunity. Teaming up with the Sanyo Electric Corp. Which ranked the 10th world while to shape a shared endeavor, Nokia will carry on to be outrival and advance in the world telecommunication market. 3.0 Assessment of Strategies 3.1 Business Level Nokias trade level strategy is based on a cost leadership. Nokia has an outsized product portfolio which would gratify consumers all over the world. It strives to keep low costs for its products throughout firm costs management and economies of scale. Nokia utilizes strategic suppliers all over the globe to attain extremely modified subassembly apparatus which are used to generate its elevated tech savvy devices. 3.1.1 Tactics Market location: Nokia counts profoundly on its sales in key market regions. More than half of sales arrive from operations in Europe. Another vital market for Nokia is China, and, finally, Asia-Pacific region. 3.1.2 Defensive In order to go with iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones and protect its share in the converged handsets market, Nokia introduced 5800 touchscreen. As a consequence, after the first quarter of 2009, Nokias market shares in smartphones augmented by 3%. 3.1.3 Corporate level On the corporate echelon Nokia is cultivating a growth strategy. Its growth is obsessed principally by acquisitions and concentrated RD. During the past few years Nokia has been vigorously obtaining companies with new technologies and competencies, including besides investments in alternative positions. All of these acquisitions and investments were embattled to improve Nokias ability to assist form the Mobile World. 4.0 Section 2: Eliciting and Evaluating Strategy All companies have their way of identifying and commerce with these, their mainly decisive strategic question. Though, this process of managing emerging strategic issues is typically non-structured, not essentially optimally appropriate to facilitate the efficient identification of the most significant questions and the suitable allocation of top management attention and corporate aptitude support to answer the recognize strategic questions. In spite of the post research during 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s into the domain of strategic issues (SI), strategic issues management (SIM), and strategic issue management systems (SIMS) there is an insufficiency pertinent approaches for firms to use in improving their awareness focus and distribution in strategic issue management process. 4.1 Key Strategic Issues Face Nokia Nokia should concentrate more on the electrical market during the financial crisis era because the financial tumult has absolutely predisposed the global economy. A report of Nokia which exposes a lower mobile device industry outlook for fourth quarter of 2008 than the previous estimate of roughly 330 million units. Nokia acknowledges a tough time for telecommunication industry in 2009 symbolized by an anticipation of mobile device volumes turn down 5% or more from 2008 levels which exposed the immense concern of recession (Nokia Capital Markets Day, 2008). In short, the mobile device market has declined. From the market prediction it will constantly decrease. Such state of affairs is caused by consumers pull-back in spending, legal tender unpredictability, and decreased ease of use of credit from the slowdown of global economy. Especially, Nokia believes the incremental collision affects the emerging markets more other developed markets (Nokia Capital Markets Day, 2008). Technology is the soul of telecommunication industry which is the reason why the RD investment of Nokia in the year passed is EUR 5.6 billion (Company information, 2008). Smart phones, 3G mobile phones and environment friendly mobile phones are the substantiation of technology progressing in telecommunication industry. Nokia Research Center make-believe many new technology reflected by the forthcoming innovations as well as indoor positioning, location sensing, mobile journalism and so on (Upcoming innovations, 2008). The most important brand, scale and number one market position is the most noteworthy strengths of Nokia (Nokia Capital Markets Day, 2008). As the most well-known brand of mobile device supplier in the world, Nokia is the representation of quality. Consumers are comfortable with its devices and services. Nokias highly variable, low fixed business model gives it the opportunity to scale to a declining market (Nokia Capital Markets Day, 2008). The mobile communications industry is changing quickly, for instance, network plays a more and more significant part and the market articulations have been introduced and are still being familiarized (Annual report, 2007). Nokias sales and profitability are considerably exaggerated by the growth and success of the innovative market division, which needs a distant outlook and sympathy of the market. Nokia lost the market share of 3G mobile phones once owing to the neglect of the significance of network. On the contrary, Apple experiential the tendency and brought out iphone. Competition is extreme in mobile communications industry. To shun the collapse the company should progress its market standing, or become accustomed to the changes in the spirited scenery which is very imperative for Nokias strategic marketing design. Though Nokia has already been the top one in the mobile communications industry. The existing the pressure is from other telecommunication providers such as Samsung, Motorola. Moreover, as the rising importance of network in mobile communications industry, the entrance of network companies becomes an enormous anxiety. 5.0 Strategic Options 5.1 The Grand Strategy of Nokia Considering the SWOT analysis of Nokia, the grand strategy Nokia should accept is growth strategies. And among which, exhaustive growth strategy is deserve to be paid immense consideration in order to reinforce the competitive position of accessible products or services of Nokia such as devices, PCs and the amalgamation with the Internet (Nokia Capital Markets Day, 2008). 5.1.1 Competitive generic strategies In particulars, the competitive strategies lead the success in the marketing. The key attitude for a competitive strategy is how to build advantages in market competition. Cost leadership〠differentiation and focus are three competitive generic strategies (Porter, 1980, 1985). Three of them let companies to gain the profits over the average level of industry and form steady competitive recompense. 5.1.2 Cost leadership Strategy Nokia claims a cost reducing on its capital markets day at the end of this year. Nokia CFO, Rick Simonson emphasized that Nokia is practicing a cost reduction which is effective now and is continuing to keep the strategy for 2009 and 2010 ((Nokia Capital Markets Day, 2008). Nokia is always using a highly variable, low fixed cost business model. The balance sheet of 2007 gives us a clearer view of this. The fixed assets and other non-current assets are 8305 EURm, but the current assets are 29294 EURm (Annual report, 2007). Mobile phones are identical products if you do not call for multifunction except sending massages or making calls. Thus, the cost leadership strategy is possible to follow and the switching cost for customers of mobile telecommunication industry is very low, almost zero. So its rather easy for a customer to purchase another brand of mobile phone only for a lower price. One of the risk of adopting a cost leadership strategy maybe the simulation of competitors which guide to a price campaign and lower the gainful aptitude for the whole market. And the change of technology can dissolve the low cost benefit. 5.1.3 Differentiation Strategy Differentiation strategy means providing diverse products or services from competitors to attain competitive advantages focused on enormous market. Modern telecoms market is changing quickly, grows up rapidly, and compete fiercer than most other markets. So it is quite vital to keep competitive by maintaining up to date and spotlight on modernization. The marketplace is shifting all the time and the conventional mobile device industry is implicated with internet services, therefore, the products and services Nokia offers should be totally change (People management, 2008). Seeing this trend, Nokia amalgamated with Nokia Siemens Networks. 5.1.4 Focus Strategy Focus strategy is using the cost leadership or differentiation focus on certain customer group, regional market and product segment market. It often applies to medium and small enterprises which are not able to achieve cost leader and differentiation in the whole industry (Lynch, 2003). As for a leading company of mobile telecommunication industry, the focus strategy is not appropriate for Nokia. 5.1.5 Optimal Strategy According to the analysis above, Nokia should acclimatize a mixture of cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategy. Nokia has burly assets which craft the strategy is likely to carry out, and in the year passed total tangible assets are 33857 EURm (Calculated based on Annual accounts, 2007) comparing to 21777 EURm in 2006. Wherein, Property, plant and equipment amounts to 1912 EURm, Inventories is 2876 EURm, and accounts receivable is high to 11200 EURm (Annual account, 2007) Sometimes, an stress on cost leadership can perform as a shape of differentiation when the cost leadership strategy focused on providing value-oriented customers with products that are certainly value-for-money, relation to its competitors. And its guarantee is to help people sense close to what is imperative to them. Focusing on customers rather than the competitors is vital when deciding differentiation strategy. Several customers apprehension the design, quality or customer services of a company. Consumers needs are constantly what Nokia anxious the most. Continuous of innovation is critical in a company adopted differentiation strategy. Nokia put its priorities for 2010 in increasing Services Software and mobilizing customer email and consumer instant messaging for millions of Nokia product purchasers. 6.0 External environment and organizational audit 6.1 PESTEL (located in Finland) 6.1.1 Political and legal Finland has the steady economics and policies. Finland is exceedingly open to investment and free trade. Finland has peak levels of economics sovereignty in many areas, although there is a profound tax load and nonflexible job market. Finland has topped the patents per capita statistics, and overall efficiency growth has been brawny in areas such as electronics. The legal system is obvious and business bureaucracy less than most countries. Poverty rights are able-bodied confined and contractual agreements are severely honored (CIA World Fact book, 2007). From that, it is straightforward to see that Nokia can befall reputation because of the steady policies and economics of Finland, where head office of Nokia is situated. Moreover, Finland constantly tries to expand job market regulation. Finland increased job market regulation in the 1970s to offer steadiness to manufacturers. 6.1.2 Economic The global financial disaster exaggerated most companies all over the world. Constant economic downturn has unfavorable effects for Nokias business. Moreover, exchange rate fluctuations interrupt the repatriation of profits earned abroad. A change in incomes is definitely associated to Nokias sales. Nokias profits are contingent on the costs of their inputs, profits will likely decrease if the input increase. 6.1.3 Socio-cultural According to document searched, labor force had 2.68 million people in 2007. In labor force by profession, industry has 17.5% labor, finance, insurance, and businesses devices are 12%, and public services are 30.2% (CIA World Fact book, 2007). This statistic proves that income of end is higher than Europeans income. In addition, finish has elevated living situation. According documents, in 2006, there were 2,381,500 household of average size 2.1 persons; and approximately 92 percent has mobile phone (CIA World Fact book, 2007). Therefore, it is easy to see that this is immense market for mobile manufacturers as Nokia. 6.1.4 Technological Finland is extremely incorporated in the global economy, and global trade is a third of GPD. In a 2004 OECD assessment, high technology built-up in Finland ranked second biggest after Ireland (CIA World Fact book, 2007). Nokia realize that technology is really essential for their expansion so that they have slogan: 6.1.5 Environment Firstly, substance management means that they try to work closely and create the friendly environmental with their suppliers. Second issue is energy effectiveness, to make sure devices use as little energy as possible. Finally, it is to get back and recycling. They want to boost customer responsiveness of recycling, recommend better recycling in all markets and encourage the recycling of used devices through precise initiatives and campaigns (Nokia, 2008). 7.0 Nokia Value Chain An evaluation of Nokia value chain is displayed in Fig 7 based on work by Porter (2004: p.38), who describes it as: The linkages show how distinct key and supporting actions interrelate to generate value within the industry. 8.0 Section 3 Core Competence Core ability of Nokia is scheming and executing extensive term expansion programs employing core competence of interacting in-house and outside capability in conditions of Nokias name of the most victorious (Marshalls plan) and consistent global growth leader. This mixture of assets represents Nokia core competence since it could not be simply copied or imitated while meeting two theoretical situation of a resource-based potential formulated by Teece at al. (1997). Competitors cannot build up similar combination competences and capabilities promptly (Dierickx and Cool, 1986). â€Å"Nokias core competencies approach in three main fields mobile handsets, network technology and middleware. When deciding on the development and manufacturing of innovative products, speed is the serious factor in this quickly changing technological environment. For example, when deciding whether to work together on a product or software development, we will mull over if we are able to create the product alone fast enough and do we have the competencies to create it within a short time frame. If it is a core product, that is mobile telephony, Nokia will manufacture it internally because it is much well-organized and the finish product will also be of enhanced quality. But on the other hand if the new product is not within our capability and core product range, our next step will be to decide on the form of association or outsourcing with a company that can create it quick adequate. And if a new technology emerged and is not shaped by Nokia, Nokia will work together and subcont ract for the technology† (A manager at Nokia Group). 8.1.0 Example 1 In 2000 Nokia initiated SyncML a usual for universal of synchronising far-flung data and personal information crossways multiple networks, platforms and devices, while a range of companies sponsored for the standard. These companies comprise Ericsson, IBM, Lotus, Matsushita, Motorola, Operwave, Starfish Software, and Symbian whilst the technology is supported by frequent most important wireless companies. Outsourcing to external vendors however not a well-liked choice within Nokia and prior to 2002 is, this activity contributed only about 15 to 20 percent. 8.1.1 Example 2 Nokias two key core competences are GSM handsets assembling and the mainly wide-ranging distribution network building up. Early before 1998 in India, Nokia had mastered on designing GSM handsets. It had been the top one worldwide on making the paramount excellence and the most creative GSM handsets. Besides, it rolled out the distribution network by partnering with HCL ([emailprotected], 2007). The network now is the most extensive in Indian market and it at least involves over 90000 retailers to market Nokias handset over India, compared to Samsung, which is the third top handset seller in India and only has the distribution network that associate 35000 retailers (Rao, 2007). With these two core competence; Nokia had succeeded in creating a brawny charisma from zero ground between its rivals since 1997 (Datta, 2004). By looking within Nokias core competence, we see that Nokias in-house organization operation is too successful feature for supplementary it to govern handset market. It constantly at once adjusts itself to adjust any environment changes. In operating in early time in 1990s, being short of local a talent that was common. For avoiding lack of local talents, Nokia established an art studio and add program into Indian university to train locals and attract them work in Nokia (Pahwa, 2007). Further, for its auxiliary more intensely understand the Indian culture mechanism, it reduce the number of Finnish expatriate and boost the amount of hiring Indian as local managers. In addition, it also accomplishments to alter its shortage. For atoning for the short of technology that making CDMA handsets, it in 2004 established RD center for developing CDMA technology (Staff Writer, CNET News, 2004). Although it regained market share of CDMA in India from Samsung (Grinsven, 2003), the circumstances becomes worse in 2008. So far, they have held very little number of CDMA handset models. As a result, they lose the chance that work with Sprint and Verizon and thus they indirectly lose U.S. market (Gardiner, 2008). Their newest handset models- n96, n95, n85, n79, Nokia E series handsets, and typically Nokia 4 digit number of model dont support CDMA (http://www.Nokia.co.in/products). 9.0 Appendix 1 Strategic Evaluation Tools, Techniques Artifacts and applicability to Ladbrokes LBO business stream Positioning School BCG portfolio matrix (Henderson, 1979) Experience curve (Henderson, 1979) Game theory tools (Von neumannn and Morgenstern, 1944) PIMS (Buzzell et al., 1975) Porters 5 forces (Porter, 1980) Porters generic strategy model (GSM) (Porter, 1985) Strategic groups (McGee and Thomas, 1986) Value chain (Porter, 1985) 5 Forces: external environment exerts pressure over betting and gaming industry especially legislation and pure economies of scale. This is not a high velocity environment due to relatively slow moving changes in numbers of overall LBOs in the UK. Changes to legislation which govern the industry are also slow moving. It is a low knowledge intensive environment where key skills are concentrated in risk management and trading departments concentrated in Head office. Value Chain: value is created through use of financial resources and technological assets to add value to management of risk, store level efficiencies and customers experience in-store. Game Theory: The relaxation of the ‘demand test in the Gambling Act 2005 has allowed the key operators to play a strategic defensive/offensive ‘game with shop locations, thereby making it harder for smaller operators to compete in popular locations Strategic Groups there is some evidence to support the grouping of the three key operators in the UK betting industry: Ladbrokes, William Hill and Coral in a Strategic group as described by McGee and Thomas, 1986, given that strategic decisions Ladbrokes make, cannot be easily replicated by firms outside this ‘key operator group due to the nature of the regulatory environment and essential economies of scale required in the industry. Barriers to entry or ‘mobility barriers as described by Henderson and Thomas, are high. While in other industries, this could be considered an ‘oligopoly, it is not the case in the betting industry because the betting firms are primarily price takers, not price setters, therefore cannot control prices. Experience Curve: This does not primarily apply to the Betting industry because supply prices are fixed and are the same for all firms, resulting in no gain through a superior ‘experience curve. Other costs, however, could be less in firms with more experience, but some of these are costs levied by industry legislation and do not reduce over time due to the experience curve of individual firms. PIMS: Profit Impact on Market Share as described by Buzzell et al, provide some explanations for profit increases as a result of scale. The comparison of profitability between the three key operators demonstrates that market share will not deliver profitability in the betting industry unless they manage their financial resources and capital structures in an efficient manner. Note the similarities in operating margins based on similar gross margins, market share and market capitalization. Costs, including interest payments are potentially profit sapping in this industry, especially as products are homogeneous and supply price is fixed. Capability-building School Porters Value Chain See above Core competences (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990) Dynamic capabilities (Teece et al, 1997) Knowledge management (Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995) RBV: Valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable (Barney, 1991) Value chain (Porter, 1985) Sample of textbook schemata: Resources, capabilities and rents (Grant, 2002:153) Resources, competence strategic capability (Johnson and Scholes, 2002: 146) The contextual Not particularly relevant to the LBO operations due to low levels of environmental velocity and low Knowledge intensity (source for argument in main doc). RBV the analysis of Ladbrokes LBO operations suggests that advantage is primarily gained through greater financial resources. This is not a resource which meets the VRIO test as it is a fundamental economic and static resource and (arguably) easy to acquire. In terms of rent extraction this is down to leveraging scale to achieve higher value of margins through increase volume properly risk managed. Additionally, Ladbrokes display capabilities designed for sustainability, defensibility and ultimately market dominance. Core competences in general, there is little innovation required in the LBO business due to the homogeneous nature of the products and the economic structure of the pricing. Being a low knowledge intensity business, the tacit and intangible knowledge inherent in the definition of core competences further supports the lack of applicability of this concept in the LBO business. VRIO/Dynamic capabilities again, the contextual environment of low KI low EV reduces the need for Ladbrokes and other betting companies to be truly learning organisations or organisations creating dynamic capabilities which meet the VRIO characteristics and definitions. It could be argued that Ladbrokes do not create competences as defined by Prahalad and Hamel but possess a number of capabilities designed for margin protect and greater financial resources. High Velocity School Cycle-time reduction (Stalk, 1988) 7S Disruption: speed, surprise, shifting the rules, simultaneous and sequential thrust, signaling, strategic soothsaying, and stakeholder satisfaction (DAveni, 1994) Market disruption analysis (Bower and Christensen, 1995; Rigby, 2003) Patching flexible modular organizational design for rapid entry and exit of markets (Eisenhardt and Brown, 1999) Real options to negotiate favourable environments (McGrath, 1997)d Simple rules to facilitate speed and flexibility (Eisenhardt and Sull, 2001)e Time-pacing (Eisenhardt and Brown, 1998; Stalk, 1988) Delta model (Hax and Wilde, 1999) Ladbrokes operate in a low velocity environment with regards to LBO operations and these concepts are less appropriate for that contextual environment. Applicability would be more relevant in the ‘remote business operations: Internet Sportsbook and Exchange (see figure Core betting industry) however, there would still be imposed constraints on the velocity due to industry regulations. Complex ecosystem school Co-evolution (Eisenhardt and Galunic, 2000) Knowledge management tools Managing the system architecture (modular design, reward systems, team processes, strategic language) to ensure diversity and increase within-firm and extra-firm interactions (Eisenhardt and Galunic, 2000; Moore, 1993; Nahapiet, 2001; Pascale, 1999 and Stacey, 1995) Porters diamond (1990) explains ecosystem competitive advantage as complex interactions between co-evolutionary pockets (McKelvey, 1999 and Thomas, 1996) Real options and multiple scenarios to capture emergent learning in complex conditions (Bowman and Hurry, 1993, Copeland and Keenan, 1998, Luehrman, 1998 and Miller and Waller, 2003) Simple rules to condition system interactions (Eisenhardt and Sull, 2001, Macintosh and Maclean, 1999 and Sanchez, 1997) Supply chain integration and simplification (Levy, 1994, Harvard Management Update, 1999 Harvard Management Update (1999) And now: Complexity theory. Harvard Management Update, 4(3), 8-9.Harvard Management Update, 1999; Whiting, 2001) Labrokes does not primarily operate within a high knowledge intensive environment. While there is clearly are need for knowledge to flow from the wider bet-taking channels to Head Office to ensure adequate risk management, most of this information is done via the use of technology. It could be argued therefore that Ladbrokes core knowledge is concentrated in the central trading functions. In this context therefore, complex ecosystem theories are a less relevant strategic influence for the Ladbrokes LBO business. 9.1 Appendix 2 Competitors Analysis Ø LG LG is a Korea based company which provides ranges of mobile phone for customers to choose. Since its establishment, LG has evolved a lot according to the trend of mobile phone in Hong Kong. However, instead of putting all emphasis on 2-G GSM mobile phone, LG has put more focus on the 3-G mobile phone market and worked closely with the Hutchison Group, The 3 Hong Kong service provider, to provide high quality 3G mobile to customers. LG has used different means of marketing strategies including print advertisements, TV advertisements and celebrities to promote the products. Ø Motorola Motorola introduced the first mobile phone in Hong Kong in the 1980s Motorola emphasizes on the transformation of device formerly known as the cell phone into a universal remote control for life by adding more functions and innovations in the mobile phone. Motorola won the Asian Innovations Award by the technology of the product A668 with a â€Å"finger writing board† on the mobile phone, also, with the integration of the technology of iTunes ® by cooperation with Marc ®, Motorola launched the product ROKR E1. Motorola aims to be the leader in multi-mode, multi-band communications products and technologies. Ø Samsung Samsung provide a wide range of products for customers to choose from, including the 3G mobile phone, the MegaPixel Camera Phone, the Camera Phone and the Color Display Phone. No matter from the prime mobile phone of the latest 3 G mobile phone, Samsung provides choices for customers to deliver the desirable benefits and solutions for different customers. Ø Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson has the mission to be the most attractive and innovative brand of mobile phone in the world. To achieve this goal Sony Ericsson integrated design into every step of the process intelligent features, user-friendly applications, innovative materials and attractive visual appearance. Design is the essential differentiator when comparing mobile communications products. The attractive good looking appearance and the sophisticated integration of technology has contributed to the success of Sony Ericsson, some products like W800i and W55

Epiphany :: Literary Analysis, Joyce and Calvino

World War I and World II are basically the same, right? If so, Araby, written around WWI by James Joyce, and The Flash, written around WWII by Italo Calvino, are also the same, no? Indeed, these short stories have many similarities. At the same time, both stories have many differences. Thus, it is difficult to compare both stories when considering all the details. If the subject of comparison is more specific, such as epiphany, then more emphasis and effort can be put into the comparison. In Araby, the protagonist falls in love with a girl, but love deceives him. In his moment of epiphany, â€Å"[g]azing up into the darkness [he] saw [himself] as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and [his] eyes burned with anguish and anger† (Joyce 1). In The Flash, the protagonist suddenly grasps a reality, but only for an instant: â€Å"[He] stopped, blinked: [He] understood nothing. Nothing, nothing about anything. [He] didn’t understand the reasons for things or f or people, it was all senseless, absurd. And [he] started to laugh† (Calvino 1). The comparison between the epiphanies of both short stories reveals the relationship amongst the similarities and differences regarding theme, symbolism and setting. Most importantly, comparing the themes of both epiphanies reveals they can simultaneously be similar and different. An important common theme in both epiphanies is facing reality. In Araby, the protagonist realizes â€Å"[his] stay was useless† (Joyce 6) since the young lady only â€Å"spok[e] to [him] out of a sense of duty† (Joyce 6). Likewise, in The Flash, the protagonist realizes he â€Å"accepted everything: traffic lights, cars, posters, uniforms, monuments, things completely detached from any sense of the world, accepted them as if there some necessity, some chain of cause and effect that bound them together† (Calvino 1). Both characters face the reality and randomness of the world. Even so, each epiphany implies each protagonist faces a different sort of reality. The protagonist of Araby faces the reality of love and â€Å"[sees himself] as a creature driven and derived by vanity† (Joyce 6). On the other hand, the protagonist of The Flash faces the reality of existence and hopes â€Å"[he] shall grasp that other knowledge† (Calvino 2). Therefore, reviewing the theme similar to both epiphanies leads to discovering different themes as well. Conversely, looking at the differences in the symbolism of each epiphany hints at a comparable aspect of symbolism.

Medias role in religous conflicts

Media plays a vital role in our daily lives as it influences the way we view certain situations that are taking place in the world. Media can be used as a powerful weapon for propagation to the masses or as an essential tool to help us understand. It also helps us to objectively view a current situation. We also need to remember that most media coverage is meant to inform us about current situations while still being objective.This is to avoid offending anybody which is a good thing but we need o be cautious as this could also mean that the media is with-holding vital Information that could give us a greater understanding of the situation. I have chosen the Issue of the massacre of the Rollway Muslims by the Manner Buddhists in Burma. The conflict started when three Muslim men allegedly raped and murdered a Buddhist girl. 3 days later a mob set upon a bus riding through western Manner and ten Muslim victims were beaten In a frenzy and then urinated upon before the bus was set ablaze .Even though the accused rapists were already sentenced to jail. Now that we understand what happened, the reasoned It happened, and how it happened we automatically feel an Instinct to choose a side. This Is a sign of our dependence on the media. After reading various articles on the matter, the newspaper headlines alone tell me a great deal about the way the article has been written. From world Silent as Muslim Massacre Goes on In Manner† â€Å"We should either kill all the Salary in Burma or banish them otherwise Buddhism will cease to exist†.So the headlines we read are all sculptured by the author's views and so our views re also sculptured. For example I am going to explain two ways in which we can be manipulated by the media with reference to my topic Use of words In the last title you see the use of the word â€Å"salary† this word Is a racial slur used to slander the Raying Muslims. It is used openly in many forms of media and by predominant leaders in M anner. This shows us that there has previously been heightened levels of resentment towards the presence of Muslims in Manner society on a much wider scale.We need to understand the reasons for this resentment if we wish to be objective. Also, the use of adjectives in the source will give you a hint that the author of the source is being biased. This means that the author is being personal and if you are trying to be objective you cannot base your views on the views of others you need facts. An example of this is newspaper articles, magazines. Radio talk shows or government owned news coverage these are all forms of personal and biased people's views.The Information Given 1 OFF sentence highlighted in yellow and did not include the sentence highlighted in green or red. Your view on the situation would have been completely different. That is not just a magic trick that I'm showing you for your amusement. This is exactly how the media controls the way we think, they with-hold informat ion to insure a certain reaction from the masses. For example the Raying Muslims are refugees placed in Manner by the I-JNI. What does this tell you?The Manner Buddhists could've been xenophobic due to the fact that they are afraid of losing their religious heritage and ethnic culture. Also the government would have to now fund the inhabitance of the effuses so the Buddhist would have to pay more taxes. This also shows us that the Muslims were discriminated against for various reasons before the massacre took place, various forms such as racial and religious discrimination. They were also victims of countless attempts of ethnic cleansing by the MILITARY, so it was approved by government, meaning that discrimination against Muslims is an open thing in Manner.The information highlighted in red makes it very clear that there was a great deal of miscommunication, which is another form of media as word of out is also a form of media so we need to understand that yes the raping of the lit tle girl would cause a stir in any society BUT it was clearly not known that the rapists were already persecuted therefore causing the Buddhist to attack the Muslims. My conclusion I am not defending the Buddhists either as they attacked a bus full of innocent bystanders so in no way are they innocent. This shows us how important it is to be an independent thinker and how easy it is to become a victim of propaganda.Choosing a side makes us blind and ignorant to the errors committed by the ones we whose to follow. The media produced by the Burmese government was very much manipulated in order to protect the integrity of their politicians and the worlds view of Burma . The UN has stated before that the Muslims in Manner are one of the most oppressed ethnic groups in the world at that time yet it still insisted on sending refugees to that country The Muslim men who raped that girl should be sentenced to death by public execution as there is no excuse for such an act. These are my opini ons regarding the matter that I have researched

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Summary

Unhappy Ending I think that the outcome of Ambrose Bierce’s story, â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,† was credible because Bierce hints that Peyton Farquhar, the main character, is dead throughout his journey. If the reader pays close attention to the story, it becomes obvious that the escape is imagined and he is actually going to be hanged. The first piece of evidence that Farquhar is hallucinating is how unaware he is of his own struggle to free himself underwater.Farquhar states that â€Å"he was not conscious of an effort, but a sharp pain in his wrist [told] him that he was trying to free his hands† suggesting that he isn’t actually aware of his own attempts at escape (Bierce 493). Some may argue that Farquhar wasn’t aware of his effort because he had an adrenaline rush, but the injuries are too close to the injuries of a hanging to be ignored. The second piece of evidence that Farquhar didn’t escape is the pain in his neck and h ead.As he is fighting to get free, Farquhar describes how â€Å"his neck ached horribly; [and] his brain was on fire† (Bierce 494). A person struggling at the end of a hanging rope would experience the same pain. He simply imagines breaking free as he dies, but in reality, the intense pain is caused from the noose tightening and eventually choking Farquhar. His freedom swim is clearly a dying dream. The third piece of evidence that proves that Farquhar imagined his freedom is the unbelievable detailed description of nature.There is no sort of adrenaline rush that could show the â€Å"prismatic colors in all the dewdrops upon a million blades of grass† just for Farquhar (Bierce 494). It is more probable that Farquhar imagined his escape right as he strangled to death. In conclusion, the ending of â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† was credible and powerful because it hints to the reader that Farquhar doesn’t survive and merely dreams of the beautiful escape from his horrible fate.

About the Artful Use of Stucco

About the Artful Use of Stucco Stucco is a mortar mixture that is commonly used as an exterior siding application on houses. Historically it has been used as a sculpting medium for architectural ornamentation. Stucco can be made by mixing sand and lime with water and various other ingredients, most often cement. Like frosting on a cracked layer cake, a good layer of stucco can enrich a once-shabby exterior. The plaster-like material, however, has many decorative uses and is found throughout the world. For centuries stucco has been used not only in Middle Eastern mosques, but also as ornate Rococo ornamentation in Bavarian pilgrimage churches. The Stucco Wall Stucco is more than a thin veneer but it is not a building material- a stucco wall is not structurally made of stucco. Stucco is the finish applied to the wall. Usually, wooden walls are covered with tar paper and chicken wire or galvanized metal screening called casing bead. Interior walls may have wooden laths. This framework is then covered with layers of stucco mixture. The first layer is called a scratch coat, and then a brown coat is applied to the dried scratch coat. The tinted finish coat is the surface everyone sees. For masonry walls, including damaged brick and concrete block that a homeowner wishes to hide, preparation is easier. A bonding agent is usually brushed on, and then the stucco mixture is applied directly to the power-washed and prepared masonry surface. How to repair stucco? Historic preservationists have written extensively on the topic in Preservation Brief 22. Definitions of Stucco Stucco is often defined by both how it is made and where (and how) it is applied. Historic preservationists in Great Britain describe a common stucco as a combination of lime, sand, and hair- with the hair long, strong, and free of dirt and grease, from the horse or ox. A 1976 Time-Life home repair book describes stucco as mortar containing hydrated lime and asbestos- probably not a recommended additive today. The 1980 Penguin Dictionary of Architecture simply describes stucco as Plasterwork usually rendered very smooth or modeled as in stucco ceilings. The Dictionary of Architecture and Construction covers all bases: stucco 1. An exterior finish, usually textured; composed of portland cement, lime, and sand, which are mixed with water. 2. A fine plaster used for decorative work or moldings. 3. Simulated stucco containing other materials, such as epoxy as a binder. 4. A partially or fully calcined gypsum that has not yet been processed into a finished product. Decorative Stucco Although stucco-sided homes became popular in twentieth-century America, the concept of using stucco mixtures in architecture goes back to ancient times. Wall frescoes by ancient Greeks and Romans were painted on fine-grained hard plaster surfaces made of gypsum, marble dust, and glue. This marble dust compound could be molded into decorative shapes, polished to a sheen, or painted. Artists like Giacomo Serpotta became stucco masters, incorporating figures into the architecture, like the male nude sitting on a window cornice in the Oratory of the Rosary in Saint Lorenzo in Sicily, Italy. Stucco techniques were elaborated by the Italians during the Renaissance and the artistry spread throughout Europe. German craftsmen like Dominikus Zimmermann took stucco designs to new artistic levels with elaborate church interiors, such as The Wieskirche in Bavaria. The exterior of this pilgrimage church is truly Zimmermanns Deception. The simplicity of the walls on the outside belies the extravagant interior ornamentation. About Synthetic Stucco Many homes built after the 1950s use a variety of synthetic materials that resemble stucco. Mock stucco siding is often composed of foam insulation board or cement panels secured to the walls. Although synthetic stucco may look authentic, real stucco tends to be heavier. Walls made of genuine stucco sound solid when tapped and will be less likely to suffer damage from a hard blow. Also, genuine stucco holds up well in wet conditions. Although it is porous and will absorb moisture, genuine stucco will dry easily, without damage to the structure- especially when it is installed with weep screeds. One type of synthetic stucco, known as EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems), has long been associated with moisture problems. The underlying wood on EIFS-sided homes tended to suffer rot damage. A simple Web search for stucco lawsuit reveals plenty of problems up and down the East coast beginning in the 1990s. Experts say stucco can be done right, or it can be done quickly, reported Floridas 10NEWS-TV. And when builders are trying to put homes up as fast - or as cheap - as possible, they often choose the latter. Other types of synthetic stucco are durable, and the AIAs magazine, Architect, reports that building codes and commercial products have changed in the past few years. Its always wise to have a professional inspection before purchasing a stucco-sided home. Examples of Use Stucco siding is most often found on Mission Revival style and Spanish and Mediterranean style homes. When traveling to southern US environs, notice that concrete block is often used for sturdy, wind-resistant, energy-efficient homes and public buildings like schools and town halls. Many times these blocks are finished with only a hearty paint, but a coating of stucco is said to increase the value (and status) of these concrete block homes. Theres even an abbreviation for the practice- CBS for concrete block and stucco. When visiting the Art Deco buildings throughout Miami Beach, Florida, note that most are stucco over block. Weve been told that developers who insist on a stucco finish on wood frame structures end up having a heap of moisture problems. But not all stucco problems are the same. A wall made of straw bale will have different needs than concrete block or timber frame construction. Consulting a stucco restoration specialist who may know nothing about straw bale construction might be a mistake. Stucco recipes are not one size fits all. Mixtures are many. Having said all that, you can buy premixed and pre-formulated stucco. Both DAP and Quikrete sell bags and buckets of the mixture at big box stores and even on Amazon.com. Other companies, such as Liquitex, supply stucco mixtures for artists. Resources and Further Reading Revisiting EIFS, the Once-Maligned Cladding System that May Help Architects Meet New Energy Codes by Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, Architect, August 5, 2013Floridas billion-dollar stucco problem by Noah Pransky, WTSP,  10NEWS-TV, June 24, 2015The Stucco Book: The Basics by Herb Nordmeyer, 2012Exterior Stucco by Ian Constantinides and Lynne Humphries, The Building Conservation Directory, 2003 at buildingconservation.com [accessed February 12, 2016]Time-Life books, Home Repair and Improvement, 1976, Masonry, Index/Glossary, p. 127The Penguin Dictionary of Architecture, John Fleming, Hugh Honour, Midolaus Pevner, 3rd edition, 1980, p. 313Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, Cyril M. Harris, ed., McGraw- Hill, 1975, pp. 482-483

Eighteenth President Ulysses S Grant Fast Facts

Eighteenth President Ulysses S Grant Fast Facts Ulysses S Grant attended West Point but was not impressive as a student. After graduating, he fought in the Mexican-American War as a Lieutenant. However, after the war he retired to become a farmer. As in a lot of his personal life, he did not have much luck. He didnt rejoin the military until the start of the Civil War. He started as a colonel but quickly rose through the ranks until President Abraham Lincoln named him as the Commander of all Union forces. He would then move on to become Americas eighteenth president.   Here is a quick list of fast facts for Ulysses S Grant. For more in depth information, you can also read the Ulysses S Grant Biography. Birth: April 27, 1822 Death: July 23, 1885 Term of Office: March 4, 1869-March 3, 1877 Number of Terms Elected: 2 Terms First Lady: Julia Boggs Dent Nickname: Unconditional Surrender Ulysses S Grant Quote: My failures have been errors of judgment, not of intent. Major Events While in Office: ReconstructionTranscontinental Railroad Completed (1869)Black Friday Scandal involving James Fisk and Jay Gould (1869)Fifteenth Amendment Ratified (1870)Credit Mobilier Scandal (1872)Panic of 1873Whiskey Ring Scandal (1875)Belknap Bribery Scandal (1876)Battle of Little Bighorn (1876) States Entering Union While in Office: Colorado (1876) Related Ulysses S Grant Resources: These additional resources on Ulysses S Grant can provide you with further information about the president and his times. Ulysses S Grant BiographyTake a more in depth look at the eighteenth president of the United States through this biography. Youll learn about his childhood, family, early career, and the major events of his administration. Civil WarUlysses S Grant was the commander of Union forces during the Civil War. Learn more about the war, its battles, and more with this overview. Top 10 Presidential ScandalsUlysses S Grant was president during three of these top ten presidential scandals that occurred throughout the years. In fact, his presidency was marred by one scandal after another. Reconstruction EraAs the Civil War ended, the government was left with the job of mending the horrendous rift that had torn the nation apart. The programs of reconstruction were efforts to help achieve this goal. Chinese-Americans and the Transcontinental RailroadChinese immigrants had a huge impact on the history of the west in America. They were instrumental in the completion of the railroads, despite intense discrimination from fellow workers and bosses. Chart of Presidents and Vice PresidentsThis informative chart gives quick reference information on the presidents, vice-presidents, their terms of office and their political parties. Other Presidential Fast Facts: Andrew JohnsonRutherford B. HayesList of American Presidents

3 Great Options for Online Homeschooling Support

3 Great Options for Online Homeschooling Support SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The magic of the internet has dramatically increased the resources available to the average homeschooler. Through online homeschooling resources, homeschools can supplement their existing coursework, parents can get curriculum support, and students with irregular schedules can stay enrolled in high school! In this complete guide to online homeschool, we’ll introduce online homeschooling, discuss the pros and cons to online homeschool, and go over the types of online homeschool and the benefits and drawbacks to each type. We’ll also provide examples of each type of program! An Introductionto Online Homeschool Online homeschooling refers to a homeschooling program (so, no going to a brick-and-mortar building!) where some or all of the learning is done through the aid of an online program. Other than that, it’s a pretty broad term. Online homeschooling could mean you are doing a complete, comprehensive program at an online high school. It could also mean one or both of your parents are your primary teachers, but you are supplementing their teaching with one or two online homeschool classes. It could even mean your parents are getting their homeschool curriculum from an online source, which they are then teaching to you. Thus, â€Å"online homeschool† can refer to pretty much any internet-based homeschooling coursework resources. Should You Use Online Classes in Your Homeschooling Program? There are both pros and cons to making use of online material and courses in your homeschooling program. Benefits of Online Homeschooling There are several benefits to online homeschooling: It's Flexible Online homeschool allows for increased flexibility in schedule. This is really important for students who may be engaged in lots of travel for athletic competitions or who have other constraints that cause them to have irregular schedules. Being able to work on the road and at unusual times is a must for students who are pursuing activities that aren’t compatible with a typical Monday-Friday 8 am-3 pm school schedule. It Doesn’t Rely Solely on Parent Expertise Even if your parents are amazing homeschool teachers, there may be areas where they don’t have enough knowledge to effectively teach you, especially when you get older and start taking advanced and AP classes. In this case, online homeschool classes can fill in the gaps and make sure you get the instruction you need for advanced coursework. Can Have Engaging, Interactive Teaching Methods Some online homeschool programs will mostly involve you reading an online textbook and doing standard exercises. However, there are some programs that strive to present material in an engaging and interactive way using the online/computer-based medium. This can help keep you from getting bored. Validated Grades A benefit to online homeschool programs that give grades is that it helps validate your grades beyond just a parent transcript. If an online, independently run and graded course gives you high marks, that’s going to serve as evidence to colleges that you really know the material and help validate your homeschool grades and achievements. If you're a competitive ice-skater, you might need online homeschool so you can skate and graduate! Drawbacks of Online Homeschooling Here are some of the drawbacks: Self-Motivation Is Required The less structured and monitored a program is, the more self-motivated you’ll need to be. So if you’re doing a very self-guided program without too many deadlines or checkpoints along the way, you will really need to keep yourself on track. A parent can help with this, of course, but it will ultimately be up to you to make sure all the work gets done. Quality Control The landscape of online education is very uneven, so you need to really make sure that whatever online homeschooling program(s) you use are high-quality. Ideally, they would be accredited in some way and have good reviews from other students. Other things to look for include instructor availability, quality and comprehensiveness of content, and workload. Less Curriculum Flexibility Online homeschooling, particularly complete online high school programs, offer less curriculum flexibility than traditional homeschooling, where parents can create the entire curriculum tailored to student interest. For example, parents can arrange every subject in short units around single topics or make all of your math work relate to cooking and baking to keep students interested. With online programs, it’s less individualized and more outside of parental (and student) control. Cost In general, most online homeschooling resources cost money, and they can be quite expensive! At some providers, an individual course can cost a thousand dollars, and enrolling in a complete online high school can cost several thousand dollars a year! Unfortunately, it takes more than a simple stamp to guarantee quality. The 3 Types of Online Homeschool: Pros and Cons There are three overall categories of online homeschool: single classes, complete online schools or programs, and online curriculum support for homeschooling parents. Single Classes As a homeschooler, you can take single classes in specific subjects from a variety of online course providers to supplement your home learning without having to enroll in a complete online high school. Pros: By taking single online courses, you can pick and choose from a variety of sources. This allows you not only to try out different providers and formats but dramatically expands your potential course catalogue! If you can find an online provider that offers a course, you can take it! Taking single courses is also, in general, going to be more cost-effective than enrolling in a complete online high school. You can select only those courses that you absolutely need an online provider for and save money on the ones where you don’t. Cons: The more different providers you take courses from, the more logistically complicated it will be! Not only will you have to make sure that none of your courses clash in terms of scheduling, deadlines, and so on, you will need to request transcripts from all of your coursework providers when it’s time to apply to college! Examples: Here are several examples of providers that offer single classes for online homeschool. Note that many online high schools also offer the option of taking single classes. PA Homeschoolers - This homeschool-student only provider offers robust online AP courses for high-schoolers. Reviews of the site praise the individualized attention that students get from instructors and the overall quality of the curriculum and learning experience. Florida Virtual School - This public online course provider has both single course and complete curriculum options; with FLVS Flex, homeschoolers can supplement their coursework with select online courses. UC Scout - The University of California system offers this online course provider specifically so that students can satisfy California universities’ A-G requirements online (the A-G requirements are fairly standard high school college prep course expectations). But anyone can enroll in their courses! Taking single classes gives you access to a whole buffet of online courses! Complete Online Schools/Programs You can also enroll in a complete online high school program and take all of your courses through the same provider- like a regular high school, but in cyberspace! Pros: This is a great option for students in rural areas or with unusual schedules who still want to be connected to some kind of high school community. Some online high schools really make an effort to connect students, too, through things like extracurriculars. You will get a more consistent, cohesive academic experience from an online school as opposed to if you patch together classes from various online course providers, homeschool, and community college. Some online high schools even have pretty robust institutional resources like guidance counselors to help you apply to college! An online high school gives you the benefit of one simple, complete transcript from the school- which you won’t have if you take classes from multiple sources. This will make it logistically simpler down the line when you start applying to colleges. Cons: You have much less control and flexibility in an online high school versus traditional homeschooling or select online courses. You have to comply with the school’s rules about how many courses you can take, when you can take them, any prerequisites you need, and so on. You’re limited by the school’s course catalogue- if they don’t offer it, you can’t take it. Complete online high schools can be expensive! Many are private schools, in which case you may find yourself paying thousands of dollars annually. However, some states offer free public online high schools to students, so be sure to look into that. Examples: There are hundreds of online high schools out there. These are only a few examples. But if you are going to use an online high school, make sure that it’s accredited! Stanford Online High School - This rigorous, application-only online high school was created by Stanford University and features a lot of interaction with other students as a main selling point. It is fairly expensive, though! Connections Academy - This is a free, accredited online public high school. The Keystone School - An accredited, online private high school based in Pennsylvania but available to students everywhere. Also check out our massive list of over a hundred free online high schools! If you need to keep irregular hours to fuel your frog-hunting passion, online homeschool may be just the thing for you! Online Homeschool Curriculum Support If you’re a parent who is looking for predesigned homeschool curriculum to use with your children, there are tons of online homeschooling curriculums available out there. Pros: The major pro, of course, is that this can be an incredible time-saversince you don’t have to design the entire curriculum yourself. If you can find a well-designed, high-quality, positively-reviewed curriculum for a course, you can confidently use it yourself! Pre-designed curricula can also be helpful when you are familiar with the subject, but not an expert. It will give you a little boost in knowledge and effectiveness if the curriculum is high-quality. Cons: Quality control is an issue for any online homeschool curriculum. Since most curricula aren’t offered by accredited institutions, it can be hard to know that what you’re getting is the real deal. Ideally, you’d be able to look over some of the curriculum before purchasing or using it so that you can validate it. You’ll also want to try to find reviews from other users. Examples: Here are a couple of curriculum support options. Note that it may be the hardest to separate the wheat from the chaff with curriculum support sites because anyone can start up a website and upload a curriculum with little possibility of outside validation. Bridgeway Academy - In addition to single courses and an online high school program, they also offer a program for parents to connect with homeschool curriculum that meets their needs. Calvert Education - Calvert Education offers homeschool curriculum to parents with an online management tool and a support line. They also claim President Barack Obama as an alumnus! Imagine a 24-7 curriculum support line for all your 2 am math-instruction questions. Online Homeschool: Key Takeaways Online homeschooling resources are available from many sources. You can take individual courses, enroll in a complete online high school, or get homeschool curriculum online! Here are some of the pros and cons to online homeschool: Pros: It can offer flexibility for students with unusual schedules. It allows you to get taught by trained experts in a variety of subjects. Teaching methods can be interactive and engaging. An online course transcript helps validates other homeschool grades. Cons: You need to be self-motivated to learn in the online format. Quality control for online learning resources can be a problem. Less flexibility than traditional homeschooling. It can be expensive! There are also pros and cons to the different kinds of online homeschool: Single courses allow youtry out multiple providers and have access to more classes and are more cost-effective than a complete online high school. However, the more providers you take classes from, the more logistically complicated it is! A complete online high school keeps you connected to a high school community, gives a cohesive academic experience, and gives you just one simple transcript, but uou are limited by the high school’s regulations and course catalog. Complete online high schools can also be very expensive. Curriculum support is a less extensive option that can still be ahuge time-saver for parents, but quality control is often an issue with these resources. Online homeschool for everyone! Yay! What's Next? Get more guidance on deciding if online high school is right for you, and a list of 100+ free online high schools to consider. And be sure to learn more about getting a high school diploma online! Thinking about a private online school? See our full expert review of Stanford Online High School. Need to register for the ACT orprep for the ACTas a homeschooled student? Or what aboutpreparing for the SAT as a homeschooler? Considering taking AP courses online? See our guide to 12 pros and cons of online AP courses. And see expert reviews of the best and worst online AP courses. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Three biggest problems in Malaysia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Three biggest problems in Malaysia - Essay Example Malaysia is multi ethnic country that deals with diverse people from different regions of the world. Malaysian economy is evenly distributed in urban areas as well as rural. Hamid et al (2006) repot that Malaysian population floats at 22 million with 55 percent of the population living in urban centers as45 percent dwell in rural areas. Hamid et al (2006) confirms that the main problem faced by Malaysians is the issue of alcoholism. According to Hamid et al (2006), Malaysia ranks at position ten in the lists of countries with the highest consumption of alcohol in the world. In the report of Hamid et al (2006), Malaysia spends $ 500 million per year in the consumption of alcohol with per capita consumption of 7 liters. Hamid et al (2006) unveils that the worst consumers of alcohol are the Malaysian Indians who gallop an average of 14 liters per person on a yearly basis. Hamid et al (2006) repot that the verge of alcohol dependence in Malaysia is 22 years. In addition, Hamid et al (200 6) indicate that alcohol is present everywhere in the economy of Malaysia especially in places like the coffee shops, supermarkets, and sundry, shops and plantation farms altogether. Hamid et al (2006) demonstrates that the trend of heavy alcohol intake in Malaysia is as a result of broad of advertisement channeled to the public through cognizable media houses. Hamid et al (2006) blames on the alcoholic companies like Carlsberg, which uses significant amounts of their profits to intensify advertisements wit attracting the aim of attracting the youth to alcoholism. According to Hamid, et al (2006), most youths in Malaysia start taking alcohol at the age of 18 years. Youths engage in are said to engage in heavy intake of alcohol. Due to high volume of alcohol consumption in Malaysia, many alcohol manufacturing companies have flooded the beverage sector. In the view Hamid et al (2006), the most of the alcohol consumption takes place rural areas. Alcoholism has also been attributed to t he high level of poverty as witnessed in the economy of Malaysia. Heavy consumption of alcohol in the country of Malaysia has resulted to continued insurgence of death cases in Malaysia. Hamid et al (2006) confirm that alcohol manufacturing companies have disguised the nature of their products by indicating medicinal values of their products, which have attracted even women into the intake of alcohol. Hamadi et al (2006) illustrates that heavy alcoholism in Malaysia has led to the rise in cases of concerning family outrage and breakdowns. Hamadi et al (2006) report that increased alcoholism in Malaysia has led to rise of battery of women in the families. Discrimination and infringement of suppressed democracy are the two big problems faced by Malaysia. According to Kuppusamy and Lumpur (2007), several demonstrations have been made by the Indians in Kuala Lumpur on the reasons of rebuking excessive discrimination directed the Indians. The nature of discrimination against Indians in M alaysia has led to underdevelopment of Indian society, as clearly evidenced by poorly structured schools, discrimination against health care benefits and discrimination at the verge of employment opportunities. Kuppusamy (2007) extended to the health sectors and education. Kuppusamy (2007) confirms that the issue of racism and feeling of isolation has resulted to unequal distribution of wealth that has resulted to societal wrangles. Kuppusamy and Lum

Blueprint for the Services at Brithinee Electronics Essay

Blueprint for the Services at Brithinee Electronics - Essay Example started Brithinee Electronics in 1963 after two previous ventures did not work out. The earlier ventures proved to be a springboard for getting into the business of repairing industrial motors. Wallace's young sons, Wally and Don Brithinee worked alongside their father in starting and developing the fledgling company, gradually learning the rewinding business. In 1970 when the Lincoln Electric, a large manufacturer of electric motors, came out with an appealing low priced motor, the Brithinee made a strategic decision to be distributors for Lincoln's new product line. Taking on the Lincoln line allowed Brithinee Electric to offer its customers the choice of repairing or replacing a malfunctioning motor. By 1972 Brithinee Electric had seven employees and enough business to feel optimistic about the future, so it built a 10000 square foot facility to house the business. The company's facilities were expanded to 16.750 square feet seven years later. By 1980 Brithinee Electric had 23 employees. In 1982 Wally and Don Brithinee took over the management of the business when Wallace Sr. decided to retire. In 1987. Brithinee has about $4.5 million in revenue, about 75% of which came from sellings its Toshiba and Baldor lines of electric motors and about 25% came from motor repair work. Building customized electric control panels was of which came from motor repair work. Building customized electric control panels was a new venture with one full time employee, but control panel sales were not yet large enough to be listed as a separate revenue category in the company's financial statements. Brithinee's main emphasis was in motors for water pumping and treatment areas, rock crushing, cement facilities, and the food industry, including wineries and breweries. 1.0 Blueprint Design Blueprint is the term the service experts' use for the structure of the company services Lovelock (2003). It is also known as structural process design and was created by Shostack in 1987. Blueprinting not only highlights the importance of the service design but also concentrates more on flowcharts or processes modeling. It also shows a clearer picture of the process in service mapping. From the perspective of the Brithinee Electric's customer (first stage of process is bringing the motor to the workshop or asking Brithinee to get it picked from the customer's site). When a customer would come with the problem being faced in his motor, the Brithinee staff would firstly take its photos and test it. After the testing the customer would be told of the problems that exists and how would it be cured. If the customer allows, the second stage of repairing starts off. 2.0 Flow Chart of Brithinee's Electric The process consists of 11 steps: 1. Customer brings in his motor 2. The problem existing in the motor is discussed with the staff and the staff is told after the review if they want

Global study 300 Case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global 300 - Case Study Example obalization, which has led to opening up of economies to global competition, giving room to ideas, goods, capital and people to interact and move freely between countries. Free market, justice to all people, and personal freedom are elements of neoliberalism. It relates to Washington consensus in the sense that it encourages economic policies that aimed to reform and repair the damaged economies of third world countries. He thinks so because via education and government accountability poverty can be eliminated but the movie End of Poverty disagrees because corruption and poor policies to eradicate poverty does not exists. In sum, government is not committed to eliminating poverty. Globalization has destabilized the economies of poor states and uncovered people to harmful competition. Their concern is rational and understandable especially since the gap between the poor and the rich has become more prevalent in recent ages. Poverty can be deliberated in various ways, for instance, relative to a nation’s individual average consumption level or in terms of well being of citizens It is a believe that nations that they have the responsibility to protect its population and resources. It is controversial because states have failed to protect their population which have resulted in murder and massive

Fundamental concepts and techniques in accounting and finance Essay

Fundamental concepts and techniques in accounting and finance - Essay Example Fundamental concepts and techniques in accounting and finance The field of financial management has experienced gradual but significant change during the twentieth century. During the first two decades of the century, financial managers were concerned mostly with the legal issues surrounding the issuance of stocks and bonds. This focus of attention reflected the primitive nature of the capital markets in the early 1900s, the wave of mergers and consolidations occurring at that time, and the lack of what now is considered routine full disclosure of accounting and financial information about companies offering securities to the public. With the Depression of the 1930s, the main focus of financial management shifted to the defensive aspects of business survival. As we enter the twenty-first century, the most significant trend to impact successful corporate financial management will be the continuing globalization of business in general and financial management in particular. There is no major U.S. or foreign corporations that do business solely within the confines of their own country. The need to deal with multiple currencies, worldwide money and capital markets where investment capital moves across borders at an increasing pace facing fewer and fewer barriers, a wide variety of accounting systems and tax laws, and a multitude of political risk environments is now a normal part of the responsibilities of a corporate financial manager. This globalization of business does not change the fundamental theories of corporate financial management, but it does have a substantial impact on corporate financial practice and domestic financial markets. ... t change the fundamental theories of corporate financial management, but it does have a substantial impact on corporate financial practice and domestic financial markets. The only thing certain about the future is that finance and industry will continue to change, offering new challenges and opportunities to financial managers. The importance of competent financial management to the success and even survival of the modern business organization cannot be overemphasized. It is no accident that presidents and board chairpersons of large, successful corporations increasingly rise to their positions by coming up the "finance side of the house" (Kaplan, 1989). In smaller business, experience has shown that the early survival of a new business and prosperity in its developing stages is strongly dependent on effective financial planning and control. The most common reason cited for the high failure rate experienced by new ventures is lack of financial expertise. Similarly, financial administration is receiving increased attention by governmental units at all levels. Financial management in all types of nonprofit corporations and organizations is also benefiti ng from increased attention. Competent financial planning and management are critical components of success in any organization that brings people together to achieve a common goal. The impact of inflation and high interest rates has focused increased attention on the financial implications of nearly all business decisions. Knowledge of financial management principles and techniques has become even more important during our current era of economic uncertainty. Functional specialists in such diverse areas as marketing, production, and human resources management have environment in which the firm operates. A

Company profile and initial analysis of a given case study Research Paper

Company profile and initial analysis of a given case study - Research Paper Example The basic motto of the organization is to expose the struggles and war damages or impacts, occurring down the ages. The company primarily tries to integrate the consequences created by modern wars and ‘wartime experience’ within the displays of its museums. However, the company focuses primarily on the cars of Britain. The five museums of the company are IWM London, Greater Manchester, IWM North in Trafford, the Churchill War Rooms in Whitehall, IWM Duxford near Cambridge and the ship of Belfast that is fastened in the Pool of London in the Thames River. The company’s mission claims that â€Å"Our vision is to be a leader in developing and communicating a deeper understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war† (IWM, 2013a) It is found that though, presently, there are no living survivors of First World War in U.K., yet the war has managed to leave a strong impression on the culture and heritage of the country. It is found that in most of the U.K . communities, building monuments or memorials are practiced widely in order to pay respect and remember the great lives which have been sacrificed during the World Wars. An artistic view on wars surfaced right after personalities like, Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen, had started to write poems on wars. At this juncture, IWM had analyzed that the centenary of the First World War can turn out to be a promising opportunity for its business growth and help the business by augmenting reputation, profile and brand value in the market as well as its market position. The company has undertaken the decision of opening new First World War galleries in its IWM London museum. However, this project, which is expected to be accomplished by 2014, requires a lot of funding. Approximately ?35 million has already been accumulated by the company from donations and Heritage Lottery Grant. In addition, about ?5 million has been granted by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, in 2012 to the company for fi nancing this project (IWM, 2013b). However, the company requires more funds for backing the project. It has introduced the First World War Centenary Partnership Programme in order to acquire pre-digital asset collections and historical information. Through this partnership programme, the company desires to attract millions of users and donators across the world towards its project. It is believed by them that such a project would surely augment its brand value in the market compared to its competitors. Competitor Analysis The organization of Stoke-on-Trent Museums serves a strong competition to other museum owners in the market. The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is an organization that owns the leading museum in Britain. The combination of place and products are expressed in the museum of the company through its exquisite displays. The quests of the museum, unlike the museums of IWM, are not charged. The museum has achieved several awards and accolades from millions of pottery and art lovers in the country. Individuals in U.K. and across the world visit this museum to explore the brilliantly displayed history of potteries in this museum. The exhibitions of the museum change almost regularly and thus, the visitors have a new experience, every time that they visit. There is cafe in the museum premises where visitors can buy refreshments and the managers

Article review on war affairs relating to foreign policy

Review on war affairs relating to foreign policy - Article Example This is because of the Budapest Memorandum, as a foreign policy pact for Ukraine to cease the world’s third largest nuclear potential in exchange for peace, but Russia one of the countries that vowed to provide peace is taking it away. Foreign policy development should be in a position to address such backstabbing in future policy agreements. Foreign policy development also hinged on the article’s theory is to ensure the effectiveness of economic sanctions in deterring evil as demonstrated by the inversion of Russia and threat to use nuclear weapons. This is a deviance from previous foreign policy agreements resulting in the need to develop policy to respond to this theoretical issue presented in the article. The other development of foreign policy analysis evident from the theory in the article is the need for the development of proactive and not reactive foreign policies to guard against foreign aggression evidenced by Russia’s inversion of Ukraine. The arguments in the article are persuasive, for example, the argument for the need to prevent the use of nuclear weapons by Russia as this will result in China and Korea following suit. The realization that the agreement for use of nuclear weapons for defensive use only by Russia will make these other countries follow the same to intimidate and pursue their own selfish interests not regarding the impact on other economies. The other argument in the article is breaking of the treaty outlawing the use and testing of cruise and ballistic missiles ranging between 300 and 3400 miles that form the main foundation of the postwar peace. The argument is persuasive because Russia began withdrawing from the treaty t cruise and ballistic missiles of 300 to 3400 ranges showing that the argument holds some ground. The other ground for the argument to be true is that since 2008, Russia has been testing cruise and ballistic missiles of the ranges disallowed by the treaty. I would critic the

Company profile and initial analysis of a given case study Research Paper

Company profile and initial analysis of a given case study - Research Paper Example The basic motto of the organization is to expose the struggles and war damages or impacts, occurring down the ages. The company primarily tries to integrate the consequences created by modern wars and ‘wartime experience’ within the displays of its museums. However, the company focuses primarily on the cars of Britain. The five museums of the company are IWM London, Greater Manchester, IWM North in Trafford, the Churchill War Rooms in Whitehall, IWM Duxford near Cambridge and the ship of Belfast that is fastened in the Pool of London in the Thames River. The company’s mission claims that â€Å"Our vision is to be a leader in developing and communicating a deeper understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war† (IWM, 2013a) It is found that though, presently, there are no living survivors of First World War in U.K., yet the war has managed to leave a strong impression on the culture and heritage of the country. It is found that in most of the U.K . communities, building monuments or memorials are practiced widely in order to pay respect and remember the great lives which have been sacrificed during the World Wars. An artistic view on wars surfaced right after personalities like, Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen, had started to write poems on wars. At this juncture, IWM had analyzed that the centenary of the First World War can turn out to be a promising opportunity for its business growth and help the business by augmenting reputation, profile and brand value in the market as well as its market position. The company has undertaken the decision of opening new First World War galleries in its IWM London museum. However, this project, which is expected to be accomplished by 2014, requires a lot of funding. Approximately ?35 million has already been accumulated by the company from donations and Heritage Lottery Grant. In addition, about ?5 million has been granted by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, in 2012 to the company for fi nancing this project (IWM, 2013b). However, the company requires more funds for backing the project. It has introduced the First World War Centenary Partnership Programme in order to acquire pre-digital asset collections and historical information. Through this partnership programme, the company desires to attract millions of users and donators across the world towards its project. It is believed by them that such a project would surely augment its brand value in the market compared to its competitors. Competitor Analysis The organization of Stoke-on-Trent Museums serves a strong competition to other museum owners in the market. The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is an organization that owns the leading museum in Britain. The combination of place and products are expressed in the museum of the company through its exquisite displays. The quests of the museum, unlike the museums of IWM, are not charged. The museum has achieved several awards and accolades from millions of pottery and art lovers in the country. Individuals in U.K. and across the world visit this museum to explore the brilliantly displayed history of potteries in this museum. The exhibitions of the museum change almost regularly and thus, the visitors have a new experience, every time that they visit. There is cafe in the museum premises where visitors can buy refreshments and the managers

“How we discourage creativity” The creative spirit Essay Example for Free

â€Å"How we discourage creativity† The creative spirit Essay Evaluation is the polarization of the learner’s work by a particular set of criteria introduced by the teacher (Goleman, 1992). This can be as simple as commenting on what type of art work is good and what type is ugly to an early learner. While the learner’s work would have to be evaluated sooner or later, doing so too soon might constrict the learner’s ideas of what is â€Å"good† and â€Å"acceptable† as well as what is â€Å"bad† and â€Å"ugly† on as narrow a perception as that provided by the teacher. While this does train the learner to â€Å"do as told†, and conform to generally acceptable measures, it is insensitive to the idea of diversity and freedom of action. When kids are made to worry too much about whether they’re doing things right or not, they become too afraid to try new things that â€Å"might not be right† in their teacher’s eyes. Rewards are positive motivations given to learners in either tangible or intangible means (Goleman, 1992). These can be tangible rewards such as candies or toys or intangible ones such as praises. Giving rewards motivates the learner to continue doing whatever tasks in the same manner as in order to continue getting rewards. The problem is that excessive use of rewards would take away the simple joy of the activity from the child. The child will not wish to experiment with the activity and be more creative since the objective becomes doing exactly as the teacher says in order to receive the rewards. Furthermore, if the learner simply looks forward to the rewards, no attention will be paid on the value of the activity itself which supposed to inculcate lessons that should remain even after the rewards are gone. Competition is placing two or more learners in a situation where some of them could â€Å"win† while others would â€Å"lose† (Goleman, 1992). This makes children step up to the challenge by motivating them with the prospect of outdoing one another. This could train students to answer the teacher’s questions faster if only the first person to answer could win a prize. However, holding competitions as part of learning activities is insensitive to the fact that children learn differently and should be allowed to learn at their own pace. Instead of forcing every learner into a competition where they would have to play by the teacher’s rules, the teacher should find out how each of the learners learn best and provide a proper atmosphere for each to develop creatively in their own time. Restricting choices is limiting the possible activities that a learner could do in order to explore a particular subject matter (Golema, 1992). This could be as simple as disallowing a student from using certain colors when drawing a picture. It is the learner’s curiosity that leads him or her to enjoying activities and learning from them. Limiting the choices that a learner can make limits the places where curiosity could go, thereby limiting creative learning in general. While it is true that this gives focus to the learner, it takes away the possibility of exploring avenues that could also be enriching experiences. Reference Goleman, K. (1992). â€Å"How we discourage creativity† The creative spirit. Vol. 3 No. 2 pp. 61-62.

Terms of a Construction Contract

Terms of a Construction Contract Construction Contract What component parts are required for the formation of a contract? There are four components which are essential for the formation of a contract. They are: Offer, Acceptance, Consideration and Intention to create legal relationship What do we mean by terms of a contract? The terms of a contract are the statements that describe the rights and obligations of each party to the agreement. Terms are all the matters agreed between the parties about what is to be done, how it will be done and under what circumstances. Exactly what those terms are must be determined by the parties to the agreement. Terms are the elements of the contract. They are binding and carry legal consequences if they are broken. They can be divided into two categories: Implied Terms Expressed Terms. An express term is stated by the parties during negotiation or written in a contractual document. Implied terms are not stated but nevertheless form a provision of the contract. Do all terms carry equal weight in law? If not what are the differing categories, and why is it important to categorise contract terms? No, not all terms carry equal weight in law. Lawyers divide contractual terms into warranties and conditions. There might be a third type, the inominate term (term without a name) Conditions are terms that go to the very root of a contract. Breach of these terms gives the right torepudiatethe contract, allowing the other party to discharge the contract. A warrantyis less imperative than a condition, so the contract will survive a breach. Breach of either a condition or a warranty will give rise todamages. Lord Diplock, inHong Kong Fir Shipping Co Ltd v Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd, created the concept of an innominate term, breach of which may or may not go to the root of the contract depending upon the nature of the breach. Breach of these terms, as with all terms, will give rise to damages. Whether or not it repudiates the contract depends upon whether legal benefit of the contract has been removed from the innocent party. Megaw LJ, in 1970, preferred the use of the classic categorizing into condition or warranty due tolegal certainty.This was interpreted by the House of Lords as merely restricting its application inReardon Smith Line Ltd. v Hansen-Tangen Terms can also be implied by common law(in fact), statute, by custom or trade, course of dealings What is the difference between expressed and implied terms? When are terms implied and what are the rules governing the inclusion of such terms? An express term is stated by the parties during negotiation or written in a contractual document. Implied terms are not stated but nevertheless form a provision of the contract. The purpose of implied terms is often to supplement a contractual agreement in the interest of making the deal effective for the purpose of business, to achieve fairness between the parties or to relieve hardship. Terms may be implied into contract through statutes or by the courts. When implied by statute, Parliament may well make certain terms compulsory, example: Sales of Goods Act 1979 When terms are implied by courts, the general rule is that they can be excluded by express provision in any agreement. The courts have developed an apparent distinction between terms implied in fact and those implied in law. Terms implied in fact are said to arise when they are strictly necessary to give effect to the reasonable expectations of the parties. Terms implied in law are confined to particular categories of contract, particularly employment contracts or contracts between landlords and tenants, as necessary incidents of the relationship. What is meant when reference is made to a standard form of contract†? Standard Form Contracts are agreements that employ standardized, non-negotiated provisions, usually in preprinted forms. These are sometimes referred to as â€Å"boilerplate contracts,† contracts of adhesion, or take it or leave it contracts. The terms, often portrayed in fine print, are drafted by or on behalf of one party to the transaction – the party with superior bargaining power who routinely engages in such transactions. With few exceptions, the terms are not negotiable by the consumer. Examples of standard form contracts are insurance policies (where the insurer decides what it will and will not insure) Is there an alternative to a â€Å"standard form of contract†? There is an alternative to a standard form of contract, usually standard form of contracts can be modified, terms/clauses added/amended to suit a specific projects. Another form of contract is : Bespoke Contract How many â€Å"standard form contracts† do you know about? Is there one type of standard form – or is there more than one? There is more than one type of form of contract, namely: Joint Contractors Tribunal (JCT) New Engineering Contract (NEC) La Federation Internationale D’Ingenieurs-Conseils (FIDIC) Association of Consultant Architects (ACA Form of Contract; PPC 2000) Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) GC/Works/1 Contract for building and civil engineering major works ICE 7 Conditions of Contract Measurement Version Who publishes â€Å"standard form contracts† and how do you get one? Professional Registered Bodies (ACA, ACE, BPF, CIC, FIDIC, GC/Works, ICE, ICC, IChemE, IMechE, JCT, NEC (NEC3), PPC (PPC2000), RIBA, and RICS) publishes the standard form of contracts and they are subject to copyrights. You can buy hard copy and digital copies of the various standard forms from a number of external websites and specialist bookshops: ACA PPC2000. The PPC2000 may be bought from theACAs website. ACA Standard Form of Agreement for the Appointment of an Architect. The SFA may be bought from theACAs website. The 2012 version includes Construction Act 1996 amendments. ACE Agreements 2009. The ACE Agreements 2009 may be bought from theACEs website. BPF Consultancy Agreement Version 2. The BPFs Consultancy Agreement Version 2 is available to buy from the construction contracts section of theBPF website. Building Centre bookshop. The Building Centre bookshop stocks a variety of materials for the built environment, including a number of the standard form contracts published by the ACE, FIDIC, JCT, NEC and RICS. These are available to buyonline, or by visiting the bookshop on Store Street, London WC1E 7BT. Construction books direct. TheChartered Institute of Buildings(CIOB) online bookshop sells its own forms of contract, such as the CIOB Facilities Management Contract and CPC 2103, as well as other forms of contract. CIC Consultants Contract Package. The CICs Consultants Contract Package may be bought from the publication section of theCIC website. The second edition (November 2011) includes amendments prepared by the CIC to take account of the changes to the Construction Act 1996. FIDIC forms of contract. Copies of all of the FIDIC contracts may be bought from the bookshop on theFIDIC website. The  FIDIC MDB Harmonised Edition (Pink Book)is available to download free of charge. GC/Works. The GC/Works suite of construction contracts may be bought from the Stationary Officesonline bookshop. ICC conditions of contract. The Infrastructure Conditions of Contract (ICC) may be brought from theACEs website. The amendment sheet for the payment provisions to comply with the Construction Act 1996 (as amended) is free to download from itswebsite. ICE conditions of contract. With effect from 1 August 2011, the ICE conditions of contract have been replaced by the Infrastructure Conditions of Contract (ICC). The ICE contracts have been withdrawn from sale. SeeICC conditions of contractabove. IChemE forms of engineering contract. The IChemE forms of engineering contract may be bought from the shop on theIChemE website. The amendment sheets to comply with the Construction Act 1996 (as amended) are free to download from itswebsite. However, note that these have now been incorporated into the 2013 versions of its contracts. IMechE/IET model forms of contract. The model forms of contract and their commentaries can be bought from the publishing section of theIET website. MF/4 is available to download free of charge from theIMechE website. JCT standard forms of building contract. All of the JCT standard form building contracts and related contracts may be bought from the contracts section of theJCT website. Some amendments, updates and corrections may be free to download. NEC contracts. The NEC contracts are published by Thomas Telford, and may be bought from theNEC contracts website. RIBA bookshop. In addition to the RIBA professional forms of appointment, theRIBA bookshopstocks a range of publications on architecture, design and construction, a selection of standard form contracts (including GC/Works, JCT and NEC) and the building regulations. These are available to buy online, or may be bought by visiting one of the RIBA bookshops. The amendment sheets to comply with the Construction Act 1996 (as amended) are free to download from the RIBA bookshop. RICS bookshop. The RICS forms of appointment are available to RICS members to buy from the knowledge section (practice standards and guidance) of theRICS website. Alternatively, copies of the forms of appointment may be bought from theRICS bookshop.