Reflect on my roles as student in the university based on Gibbs theory Essay

1.1 Introduction: Reflective practice is â€Å"the capacity to reflect on action so as to engage in a process of continuous learning†, which, according to the originator of the term, is â€Å"one of the defining characteristics of professional practice†, Schà ¶n, D. (1983) Reflective practice can be an important tool in practice-based professional learning settings where individuals learning from their own professional experiences, rather than from formal teaching or knowledge transfer, may be the most important source of personal professional development and improvement. I am going to reflect on my roles as student In the university, The reflective model I have chosen to use is Gibbs model (Gibbs 1988). Graham Gibbs discussed the use of structured debriefing to facilitate the reflection involved in Kolb’s â€Å"experiential learning cycle†. He presents the stages of a full structured debriefing as follows: (Initial experience) Description: â€Å"What happened? Don’t make judgments yet or try to draw conclusions; simply describe.† Feelings: â€Å"What were your reactions and feelings? Again don’t move on to analysing these yet.† Evaluation: â€Å"What was good or bad about the experience? Make value judgements.† Analysis: â€Å"What sense can you make of the situation? Bring in ideas from outside the experience to help you.† â€Å"What was really going on?† â€Å"Were different people’s experiences similar or different in important ways?† Conclusions (general): â€Å"What can be concluded, in a general sense, from these experiences and the analyses you have undertaken?† Conclusions (specific): â€Å"What can be concluded about your own specific, unique, personal situation or way of working?† Personal action plans: â€Å"What are you going to do differently in this type of situation next time?† â€Å"What steps are you going to take on the basis of what you have learnt?† Gibbs, G. (1998), Gibbs, G. (2001). Gibbs’ suggestions are often cited as Gibbs’ reflective cycle or Gibbs’ model of reflection (1988), and simplified into the following six distinct stages: Description 1.2 Why is reflective practice so important? Reflective practice is important for everyone – and nurses in particular – for a number of reasons. First, nurses are responsible for providing care to the best of their ability to patients and their families . They need to focus on their knowledge, skills and behaviour to ensure that they are able to meet the demands made on them by this commitment. Second, reflective practice is part of the requirement for nurses constantly to update professional skills. Keeping a portfolio offers considerable opportunity for reflection on ongoing development. Annual reviews enable nurses to identify strengths and areas of opportunity for future development. Third, nurses should consider the ways in which they interact and communicate with their colleagues. The profession depends on a culture of mutual support. Nurses should aim to become self-aware, self-directing and in touch with their environment . They can only achieve this goal if they make full use of opportunities to gain feedback on their impact on patients, patients’ families, their colleagues and the organization as a whole. Gaining this feedback involves using complex skills in detecting patterns, making connections, and making appropriate choices. Reflective practice enables nurses to develop their skills, increase their knowledge, and deal with emotionally challenging situations. Developing my reflective practice early on in your education will pay dividends on every clinical placement I undertake, building a strong foundation for a successful career in nursing. Developing reflective practice involves asking myself what worked, what didn’t, and what you would change for a better outcome in a particular situation. By effectively assessing my own and other’s practice, I will gain new skills and knowledge as a nurse. A vital part of the reflective process is to plan for changes in your behavior. One way to tackle this is to adopt the creative thinking strategy devised by Walt Disney. He had three stages to his strategy, based on different characters, each of which surfaced at appropriate points in the process of creating new projects. These three characters were: The Dreamer. This character looks towards ideas for the future. The main focus is on how the imagined future feels and looks. In this phase, people say: ‘I wish†¦ What if†¦? Just imagine if†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ The Realist. This character is action-oriented, looking at how the dream can be turned into a practical, workable plan or project given the existing constraints and realities. The realist weighs up all the possibilities, asking: ‘How can I†¦? Have I enough time to†¦?’ The Critic. This character is very logical and looks for the whys and why nots to a given situation. The critic evaluates the plan, looking for potential problems and missing links, and says: ‘That’s not going to work because†¦ What happens when†¦?’ Effective planning of personal learning requires a synthesis of these different processes. The dreamer is needed in order to form new ideas and goals. The realist is necessary as a means of transforming these ideas into concrete expressions. The critic is necessary as a filter for refining ideas and avoiding possible problems 2.1 reflect on my roles as student in the university based on Gibbs theory: First stage of Gibbs (1988) model of reflection requires a description of my roles as student: Only one week before coming to Malaysia my husband and I celebrated our wedding. A wedding transforms both men and women. For whatever reason, spouses begin to talk each other for granted. It is probably because they know that will be together until death do us part. I really believe that even great marriages have terrible years, so bad that you are just tempted to give up. And do not. Hold on. There will come a time when you will look back on this moment as the prelude to something fuller and richer than you have ever experienced (from the movie â€Å"hope springs†) A relationship is like a house. When a light bulb burns out, you do not go out and buy a new house, you change the light bulb. It was very difficult for both of us (my husband and I) to start our marriage life in foreign country without any family support, learning and studying English with a lot of changes in our roles. I am now going to enter into the second stage of Gibbs (1988) model of reflection, which is a discussion about my thoughts and feelings: As student in university I should try to respects the safety and well-being of other people in the learning experience, recognizing my knowledge, skills and abilities, limits of responsibilities, legislative authority and supervision requirements. Understanding and clarifying my roles. Use clear, accurate and effective communication skill in professional interactions, identifying my needs as student, I should try to identify my responsibility and try to improve my ability and quality of my objectives. Becomes familiar with and follows the agency’s policies, procedures and principles. On top of these I should try to cope myself with the new situation as student how live in the multicultural country with different cultures, languages, foods, climate condition, even driving direction and roles. My mother tongue is Persian then Kurdish, the educational system in Iran is very different with here for example most of the time we study Persian text, for the first time it was very difficult for me to study the English text. Evaluation is the third stage of Gibbs (1988) model of reflection and requires the reflector to with state what was good and bad about the event. By living in Malaysia I can choose more suitable education methods for myself because there are more options. The course and teaching methods are quite different from my country. Secondly, I can improve my foreign language furthermore I can contact with others. Thirdly, it helps me to promote the mutual understanding of between my mother land and other destination countries. It gives me this opportunity to exchange information with the locals. I can get better understanding of the destination countries. Similarly, the locals also can get more clear recognition about other countries. On the other hand Believing in certain values and traditions when you are in a country which has the opposite ideals, can sometimes cause stress. Being far from my country and families, trying to cope with the climate and geographical area, trying the new foods and tastes, having allergy to some of foods and products, learning English and try to communicate with other people with English language, high cost of living and studying are the most difficulties of studying in Malaysia. Stage four of Gibbs (1988) is an analysis of the event, where Gibbs encourages the reflector to make sense of the situation. When I first time came to Malaysia I have experienced the cultural shock. Just as it took time to adjust to a different culture when I arrived here. I experience these kinds of symptoms: Restlessness The coping skills and strategies that were successful help me to adjust to my host culture are: Get involved Identify a support group of other study abroad students Suspend judgment until you understand a situation Always, always keep a sense of humor Because of different in geographical area the air pressure in Malaysia is lower than Iran thus the amount of oxygen is lower. Because of these matters After 2 days of arriving to Malaysia I had a severe headache and I was extremely sleepy I try to visit a doctor, she recommend me to do regular exercise. In conclusion, stage five of the Gibbs (1988) model, I really glad to have this chance to study in Malaysia and especially in university of Malaya, gaining an incredible experience and having international friends are the most important things which I have acquired by studying in Malaysia. By living in multicultural society I have this chance to expose to other cultures and learn about them. This leads to respect to other people and adapt to each other. I learn how to improve my talents and passions. I learn to develop tolerance for everything and eventually acceptance. In general being a student in university of Malaysia help me to balance myself and cope myself with my new roles as a wife and students in the university. 3.1 Conclusion In conclusion my reflection skills have developed through the production of this assignment. Using a model of reflection has helped me to structure my thoughts and feelings appropriately. My level of awareness concerning evidence based practice, and its importance, has been enhanced with the use of critical reflection. My competence has been further developed and I now feel that my personal and professional development is progressing. Using this reflective model has helped me to realize that my learning is something which I must be proactive in. Furthermore as a student nurse I have recognized that reflection is an important learning tool in practice. I realized that Reflective practice is the process of developing new Insights through self awareness and critical reflection upon experiences both in the moment and from past experiences. Reflection is a remarkable learning tool, research methodology, and leadership strategy to gain clarity of inner beliefs and enhance the art of being present in the moment. References: Gibbs, G. (2001). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods [monograph online]. Reproduced by the Geography Discipline Network. Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods, Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, Oxford Polytechnic. London: Further Education Unit. ISBN 1-85338-071-7. Section 4.3.5 Schà ¶n, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner, How Professionals Think In Action, Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-06878-2.a

How Society Is Affected by Gov Policies Essay

How society is affected by goverment policies, civil disobedience, This is the deliberate and planned breach of policy or law by an individual or group of people. It is usually done peacefully to highlight how inappropriate a law is and promote the need for a change in the law. Civil disobedience was a common tool in the black civil rights movement in the USA in the 1960s. Black people would deliberately break the racial segregation laws to show how deeply unfair they were and how much the law needed to change. A good example of this is the case of Rosa Parks, who in December 1955 refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man when asked to do so. She was arrested and her arrest sparked a chain of events which led to the US Supreme Court decision in 1956 that racial segregation on transportation was illegal. Demonstration and meetings, Meetings to discuss problems with government policy are very common. They are a way for like-minded individuals to air their concerns. Meeting can be held outside and include a march or demonstration to show the government or local authority the depth of public feeling against decision. A good example of this would be the rallies and protests organised by the Countryside Alliance since the UK government placed a ban on foxhunting. Terrorism, Terrorism is an extreme response to public policy. It involves an individual or group using violence or the threat of violence against civilian and military targets in order to force the government to change its policy.

Benefits and costs of foreign direct Investment

Benefits and costs of foreign direct Investment Foreign direct investment (FDI) according to Hill(2007) takes place when a firm invests directly in facilities to produce and/or market a product in a foreign country. The facilities could include resources such as the factors of production; land, labour and capital. It could be said today’s major players in business seek not only to expand their territories in their home market but also have through FDI sought effective ways of improving existing products and breaking into new foreign markets. For example the import tariffs in China make it very challenging for other countries to serve the Chinese market through exports. Hill (2007). Via the use of FDI strategies foreign organisations are able to access pool of economic possibilities. Through the assessment of various sources the essay is going to critically assess the impacts of foreign direct investment (FDI) on a host country. It will critically discuss the benefits and disadvantages FDI has on the growth of a country. Ac cording to Gorg and Greenway (2004) foreign direct investment is a key driver of economic growth and development. FDI assists in the economic progression of the country where the investment is being made. According to Mencinger (2003), a vast number of countries through various ways desperately seek to attract as much foreign direct investment as probable in the hope of advancing their economic growth. The economic growth could be advanced in that FDI leads to the creation of factors such as jobs and more investment into the economy. However it could be argued that the efficient adoption of FDI is most effective under certain conditions. For instance FDI contributes to economic growth only when a sufficient absorptive capability of the advanced technologies is available in the host country. Borensztein, Gregorio and Lee (1998). FDI strategy is more successful if it is carried out in economically developing countries. Developing host countries compared to developed countries are usua lly more keen to attract foreign investments in order to reap the benefits that come with it and this usually reflected in the legislation of one’s country. One could find that a business is more willing to first invest in a developing country as the legislation is more lenient compared to the first world countries. However it is important to note that this does not apply to all countries. China for example has a highly regulated environment, which can prove to be difficult when it comes to carrying out business transactions, and shifting tax and regulatory regimes. Hill(2007). It could be said that when making legislation those in power should regard the relative impact of the laws passed on potential FDI. On the other hand one could argue that more countries are becoming more aware of the importance of creating more favourable conditions for FDI. Gorg and Greenway in their report state that in 1998 legislation changes made by 60 countries, more than 90 percent of those chan ges created a more positive environment for FDI. FDI if managed efficiently should aid to the hosts county’s economic development. â€Å"FDI inflows have been a major source of investment and economic growth in China†¦accounting for perhaps as much as 30 percent of the county’s growth.†(Hill, page 242, 2007). The mixture of cheap labour and tax incentives usually found in developing countries make an attractive base for foreign investors. The new economic investment brought in by foreign businesses will help in increasing the host country’s national income, at the same time bringing other economic benefits known as spillovers that will result in the increase of productivity within the country. Gorg states that, â€Å"†¦theoretical literature identifies four channels through which spillovers might boost productivity in the host country: imitation, skills acquisition, competition and exports.† These channels if recognised and implemented pr operly could lead to the increase of the host country’s productivity and economic growth. Through the imitation of foreign goods, services and processes the host country can increasing improve its processes, facilities and the way business is contacted in its own business environment. One of the worries for many foreign investors when wanting to invest in developing countries is that the host country will not have the facilities ( for example the equipment or the right business structure for the manufacturing and deploying of products) they need in order for business affairs to run smoothly. Through the imitation of the way foreign organisations handle their business affairs, host countries can improve their processes and facilities, arguably to the extent that they will make their country enticing to FDI. Imitation of products will improve the quality and range of products of the local organisations, making them competitive an appealing to customers. The increase of the prod uctivity of more high quality products could lead to the attraction of not only local customers but global customers and this could also lead to more FDI in the host country.

From These Beginnings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

From These Beginnings - Essay Example Thomas Jefferson suggested that new nations should have a written constitution. During the war, congress exercised a high level of political, diplomatic, military and economic authority. Among the many things that happened was adoption of trade restrictions, developed and established an army, created a military code among others. The constitution had major omissions especially in the clauses regarding fugitives of the law would be punished. The bill of rights of 1787 empowered the constitution that said that; no excessive bail will be required, no excessive fines or no cruel and unusual punishments to the fugitives. The bill of rights also made sure that all people were treated as the constitution dictated. The powers not given to the state by the constitution was reserved to the people. Alexander Hamilton was the first treasury secretary. He convinced congress to pass an elastic interpretation of the constitution. Thomas Jefferson rejected the motion because what they were about to do was unconstitutional. Hamilton was a federalist while on the other side Jefferson was an anti-federalist who advocated for the poor and the rights of the state. When Jefferson was voted in office, he did not change the federalists programs. The only thing that he changed was revoking the excise tax (Howard 72). Jefferson philosophy in leadership was due to the weak central government of his administration. As most of the power was in the state. The philosophy stated that the power should be limited, to prevent undermining the state and its people. Hamilton philosophy differed greatly from Jefferson, who advocated for the strict interpretation of the constitution. When Jefferson was elected in office, he hardy touched the federalists programs. The major thing that he did was to revoke the excise tax. It led to outraging of the federalists. By cancelling or revoking the excise tax, which meant that no more taxation from alcohol and cigarettes hence little money for the

Regulation of cancer cell proliferation using siRNA tchnology Research Paper - 1

Regulation of cancer cell proliferation using siRNA tchnology - Research Paper Example The cancer stem cells are connected to maintain the unlimited and self-renewal growth capabilities of cancer while only consist of a small potion of the tumor. Consequently, cancer stem cells might be responsible for tumor progression, metastasis, and drug/treatment resistance development. Other studies have proved that small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) play a big on what genes are expressed or not expressed through gene silencing capabilities (Acton 47). Excitingly, siRNAs might provide some new perception into the complexities of cancer. These siRNA molecules could hold a huge potential therapeutically in the fight against cancer. This paper, discuses the functions of siRNAs and cancer stem cells and explain the link between these 2 topics. The paper also present methods to employ in current and forthcoming research to study the topics and expound upon different molecular therapy options that may have implications in altering cancer stem cells dysregulation and fighting oncogenesis. RNA interference is a key system within cells that assist control which genes get actived and to what degree they get activated. The 2 central RNA interferences are the small interfering RNA (siRNA) and micro RNA (miRNA). Both play a role in gene silencing. The siRNAs originate from procession of long, double-stranded RNA and target the miRNAs for degradation using full complementary sequences. Meanwhile, miRNAs are derived from procession of short RNAs hairpins and silence expression of gene through translational repression or miRNA degradation with partially complementary target orders. However, there is a more important difference. The siRNAs are regularly of exogenous origin, while the siRNAs are endogenously encoded. For this fat, the use of siRNAs has attracted many researchers because of their reliability and efficient application to developing therapeutics in combating diseases like cancer. The biogenesis of siRNAs has been studied and reviewed by

Choose from description below Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Choose from description below - Research Paper Example Lee is a Correspondent at the Alberta University - Edmonton Clinic Health Academy. Her article focuses on driving whilst on as an emerging problem that needs urgent solutions. Body Summary The articles exclusively center on the regulatory laws that have placed limitations on the use of the cell phones by the drivers. It is evident that a majority of the states have embarked on a mission to ensure that the mobile phones are handled properly by the concerned drivers whilst on the roads. Despite the laws ranging from one state to another, the laws focus on a recommendation of the use of hands free devices by the drivers. On the other hand, Strayer  & Drew  argue that as a result of the constant use of the mobile phones by the drivers, a lot of accidents have been seen to take place as drivers on phone are likely to over speed, break other traffic rules or even fail to stop for police checks (646). With driving taking the toll of using one hand, while the other is busy texting or rec eiving a call, Lee argues that a lot of lives have been lost as a result of the same (7728). The costs of distracted driving in this case cannot be quantified especially if the lives of innocent individuals have to be at stake. Lee argues that at times, a lot of drivers are at pressure to be connected, an aspect that makes it almost an obvious behavior in the roads today (7723). The author also insists that the problem is a growing one (Lee 7725). It is evident that one of the major causes of deaths and injuries greatly correlates to this form of driving by the drivers. This explains why a lot of states have then embarked on the implementation of legislations that see to the banning of the handsets for the drivers. Drivers on phone were also said to be slower and to also lose focus whilst driving especially after a phone call (Strayer & Drew  641). It is at this juncture that the authors recommend legislation on the ban of cell phones whilst driving (Strayer & Drew  644). Collet , Guillot & Petit are of the opinion that mobile phones lead to the drivers reacting slowly to responses whilst in the traffic environment (590). They also have minimal control and less attention for visual information whilst driving; thus, cannot focus on one activity (593).Legislation on the use of mobile phones amongst other measures like education would therefore be vital in the responsible use of the phones by the divers. Critique The articles analyzed in this work are ones that may be termed as valid and reliable as reference materials in relation to the theme topic. Collet, Guillot & Petit’s article is one that involves review studies on the topic so as to valid that legislations would be useful for present-day drivers. The authors shed light on the major effects on driving using a phone at the same time judging from the simulator works and field research. Its introduction gives a brief summary of the article and what will be explained in terms of applicable data to au thenticate that mobile phones need to be restricted. The conclusion then summarizes the facts; thus, leading to the commendation that drivers need to correct their behaviour which can be facilitated through restrictions on the use of mobile phones whilst driving. Lee’s work, on the other hand, starts from an abstract that gives the outline of the article. The author then gives guidelines on how to deal with concerns in the topic, highlights on the dangers of driving while on phone, gives solutions to this menace and lastly gives a detailed conclusion

Interpetive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interpetive - Essay Example In the beginning, the streets of London are represented by Woolf as amazingly pleasing and interesting to people. Walking around the city of London arouses the imaginations and discoveries of identity where people are unbound to shortly become â€Å"a nomad wandering the desert, a mystic staring at the sky, a debauchee in the slums of San Francisco, a soldier heading a revolution, a pariah howling with skepticism and solitude† (Woolf 3). This sense of liberty and independence while walking the streets of London somehow manages to merge the individual identity of the narrator to those of the passing crowd. The narrator is simply carried away by the exquisiteness and magnificence of the city that dissolves any form of her hang-up into a â€Å"central oyster of perceptiveness† (Woolf 1). Her character then becomes identity-less as she absorbs the color and light of the city roads. But when the door shuts on us, all that vanishes. The shell-like covering which our souls hav e excreted to house themselves, to make fro themselves a shape distinct from others, is broken, and there is left of all these wrinkles and roughness a central oyster of perceptiveness, an enormous eye. How beautiful a street is in winter. (Woolf 1) In addition, the freedom that the modern city of London offers to the narrator allows her to lose herself in the crowd, and thus discovers herself inquiring about the everyday life of a dwarf (reference)? This event of losing oneself while exploring the streets of modern London is the fundamental reason that haunts the narrator. As she walks around the city, she witnesses different disturbing realities: a dwarf woman, two blind men, a retard, and the limping ludicrous dance of â€Å"the humped, the twisted, and the deformed† (Woolf 2). These realities have brought deep thinking to the narrator that makes her feel so lost in the modern world. The monstrosities that the narrator has witnessed and the beauty that she has experienced shake her identity and left her unstable. All the way through the narration of Wolf in her essay â€Å"Street Haunting† this feeling of uncertain identity is stressed out by referring to her narrator as â€Å"we† instead of â€Å"I†: â€Å"We shall never know† (Woolf 4) and â€Å"We are no long quite ourselves† (Woolf 1). The very instance of the narrator stepping out her door and into the modern city of London immediately strips off her individuality for anonymity. She can no longer identify herself with the different oddities and, at the same time, beauty that she is witnessing around the streets of modern London. The narrator becomes estranged to herself because she cannot connect anymore to the outside world that is entirely different to her inside world. Indeed, the various technological advances and behavioral changes brought by the rapid modernization of the London’s society highly contribute to the new definition and understanding of mobility, communication, time, and speed. Contrastingly, these advances and changes have also expanded the modern London outside the limits of coherent perception making the city unfathomable and too intricate for people to figure out. The enormity of the modern society and how it has become incomprehensible is repeatedly expressed in the essay. The narrator’s encounter at the second-hand bookstore conveys how she finds it

MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP - Research Paper Example Immelt had big shoes to fill but he has carved a niche for himself through his leadership skills and today is one most influential business leaders in the world. Immelt before becoming the CEO of GE had held numerous leadership positions in the company. He had served as Vice President and General Manager for different business division of the company. This paper is aimed at understanding and analyzing the leadership, management and motivational skills of Immelt and how he has used it to take GE to new heights. In the process, the different businesses of the company will be described along with the three major challenges Immelt has overcome in running the company since he has became the CEO. His various leadership skills and strategies can be understood while analysing the challenges. Also the impact that Immelt has had on the world through his vision, business and through other areas will be discussed. When Immelt took over as the CEO he wanted to bring about a cultural revolution in the company. In a company that was process-oriented and hard-driving, he wanted to infuse creativity, bold thinking and hunger for growth into its culture. Also it is to be noted that Immelt took over just a few days before the 9/11 attack, which means that the economic situation in which Immelt started his stint was not an ideal one. It was a great challenge to Immelt to sustain and continue the growth of the company in an era of slow-growth domestic economy, greater global competition and lesser tolerance among investors. In order to achieve his vision of reinventing GE Immelt overcame the following challenges: In order to change the organizational culture that would focus on innovation and creativity, there needed to be a change in thinking. There was very little that Immelt could do single handed to completely change the company and transform his workforce. Majority of the workforce in the company

Brand Evaluation of Paul Smith Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Brand Evaluation of Paul Smith - Assignment Example brand value, brand position, and brand image. Moreover, to present comprehensive outlook of the brand’s successiveness, the paper has also implied the multidimensional approach of brand evaluation. Subsequently, the discussion of the paper initiated to suggest few strategic measures to eradicate the shortcomings of the brand. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 1.0. Introduction 4 2.0. Brand Evaluation of â€Å"Paul Smith† 5 2.1. Brand Value 6 2.2. Brand Image 7 2.3. Brand Positioning 9 2.4. Multidimensional Evaluation 10 2.4.1. Branding Vision of Paul Smith 12 2.4.2. Organisational Culture 13 2.4.3. Brand Objectives 13 2.4.4. Audit Brand Sphere 14 2.4.5. Brand Essence 14 2.4.6. Internal Implementation 15 2.4.7. Brand Resourcing 15 3.0. Conclusion 16 4.0. Recommendations 17 References 18 1.0. Introduction Evidences reveal that the concept of branding has changed drastically from that of the past. In the present era, brands are perceived to be assets. According to the Oxford American Dictionary, brand can be defined as â€Å"a trade mark, goods of a particular make†¦.† (Clifton & Ahmad, 2009). According to many marketers and analysts, it is also referred as â€Å"a promise of satisfaction† which exists between the manufacturers, sellers, performers, and the consumers and environment at large in an unwritten form. While brand is termed as an intangible property, branding is recognised as a multidimensional process through which a marketer continuously strives to improve its products and/or services to develop the trust relationship with the customers. Thereby, brand emerges to be one of the crucial components of businesses in the highly competitive environment of the 21st century. With all its virtues, a well-developed brand rewards numerous advantages to an organisation. It reinforces a superior reputation of an organisation, assures quality-performance from its end and above all, builds customer loyalty besides their stimulate d confidence on the product and/or services. This in turn facilitates shareholder values rewarding the organisation better growth and strength (Healey, 2008). Realising all these aspects of brands numerous companies have initiated to enhance their brand value, brand image and brand reputation in their targeted markets, e.g. Marks & Spencer, Wal-Mart, Gucci, D & G, and others. On the similar context, Paul Smith can also be recognised as a brand. However, in the modern context, few brands can be identified as successful while few others can be recognised as inefficient and less beneficial to the organisations. With this concern, the paper will intend to discuss the various features of branding initiatives adopted by Paul Smith. The objective of the paper is to critically examine the brand, â€Å"Paul Smith† in order to identify its successiveness in the international market. Perpetually, the paper will aim to document the various branding strategies adopted and benefits gained by the organisation, through an extensive research. 2.0. Brand Evaluation of â€Å"Paul Smith† Paul Smith is recognised as a marketer of fashion wears and accessories to the international customers of the fashion industry. The first initiation was taken by Sir Paul Smith, the owner of the organisation in 1970. However, for the first time he showcased his designs as menswear collection in Paris in the year 1976 with his own name. This initiative made the young marketer famous in the region and also rewarded the recognition

Tanning Beds Essay Example for Free

Tanning Beds Essay Have you ever been tanning? I have been tanning multiple times and I love it. Tanning is defined as â€Å"A structure lined with sunlamps in which one stands or reclines in order to acquire a suntan†. Tanning’s purpose as it is defined is to get a tan. Tanning beds are used by people to tan all year around. Men and women are no longer forced to make time to tan outside or to schedule a time around the weather because of tanning beds. Another reason tanning beds are convenient is it only takes a short amount of time to show results when regularly you would have to lay outside for hours before you see results. In this paper, I am going to evaluate tanning where it came from, who invented it, where, and why. Last but not least were going to be looking at the positive and the negative aspects of tanning too. The history of tanning beds begins with Friedrich Wolff. Friedrich Wolff was a German scientist who invented the tanning bed in 1978. Friedrich invented this on accident. He did this when he was doing a study on the positive side effects of ultraviolet light on athletes. Then he noticed a side effect about the skin when under ultraviolet light, he saw that the skin became a nice tan color. Later on he eventually brought the tanning industry to America. Years later to present day tanning has become a huge business, and a common hobby throughout not only the United States but the world. On the contrary, there are plenty of health risks when operating a tanning bed. Some people consider that tanning beds are detrimental to the health of all users. One of the major health risks that someone can get from tanning is skin cancer. The AAD state that â€Å"the number of skin cancers have  been raising over the years due to increasing exposure to UV radiation from the sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps†. At hand are two kinds of skin cancer: melanoma and non-melanoma. Melanoma is the most serious and life threatening form of skin cancer. Then non-melanoma is most common skin cancers, which are not as severe as melanoma. Astoundingly, more than one million cases of non-melanoma skin cancers are found each year and are considered to be sun related. This evidence from studies are shocking because so many people tan but they overlook the risks. In addition, there are other long term effects of ultraviolet radiation which include sunburn, eye damage, premature aging of the skin, and phototoxic reactions. I have tanned off and on for the last five years, and the only noticeable effect I have received from tanning is sunburns and occasionally skin reactions from certain tanning lotions. In spite of that, with tanning there are positive effects as well. One is nutritional health; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates sixty percent of the United States population is not receiving enough Vitamin D. This shows that Vitamin D is essential to the body’s health. Vitamin D has positive effects on keeping your blood level sustained and promotes healthy bones. Furthermore, another positive effect from tanning is the emotional and physical attributes it gives. Emotionally tanning can give you the sense of looking good, but also emotionally it can boost and give you positive feelings. Then that will make you a happier person. Finally, tanning can physically give you better looking skin and also a nice brown skin. .To begin with, every tanning salon has a different aspect that draws attention to the customer. My place of choice is Tan Connection, which is located off of tenth and girls school road. The address is 7329 W. 10th St. Indianapolis, IN, 46214-2515 and the phone number is (317) 271-9828. What caught my eye about this certain salon was the employee, the set up of the salon and the cleanliness. The employees are very friendly and enthusiastic that it makes that whole visit worthwhile. Walking into the salon you see this beautiful waterfall with the perfect lighting, palm trees, and magnificent rock surrounding it all. Not only does the inside look beautiful  but the outside has a walkway and flags and employees leading you inside. The salon itself is picturesque. The way the salon looks inside and outside is my number one observation. If the salon looks like a dump then more than likely the service will too. Also, cleanliness of a salon has a big effect on how I choose where to go. Usually if the floors, windows, and bathrooms are dirty then that probably means they don’t clean the beds that often. Clean beds are something everybody wants when tanning because you don’t know if the last person that was in there had some sort of disease or illness. Tan Connection definitely has clean beds: for one, you can smell when you walk in the room, for two they have cleaning supply in the room with towels, finally they offer to even clean again right before you tan. Tan Connection would be the tanning salon I would recommend to anyone. To conclude, as you can tell by evaluating tanning beds there is controversy on whether tanning is good or bad. When Friedrich Wolff invented tanning accidently, he created a whole new world of social behavior and business. Now today’s society, it is common for people to tan several times a week. Some people know the health risk and choose not to change. On the other hand, I believe tanning is acceptable to a certain point. I think tanning is good for getting Vitamin D, and also I believe it is good emotionally and physically. Conversely, I think there is a certain point when tanning should be set to a limit. You do not want to tan too much because then it is unhealthy. It is terrible for the skin and the immune system and overall detrimental when overexposed to tanning.

Market Trends Analysis of Indian Oil and Gas Industry

Market Trends Analysis of Indian Oil and Gas Industry OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY This study provides an insight into the oil and gas industry. Analyze market trends for oil and gas industry in the global arena. To understand financial performance and financial position of oil and natural gas companies like ONGC, Petro china, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. To analyse the financial statements of 2009-2010, so as to understand about the key factors like Profitability and Solvency for decision making and ultimate business solvency. To find out the ratios of the company and carry out a comparative study. To understand the current position of these companies. To analyze the Indian oil market. To see the international scenario. To analyze the oil prices in India and other countries. BROAD APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY Type The study carried out will be more like a Descriptive Research. For analyzing the financial statement, methodology to be used is financial ratio analysis and comparative study. Purpose The study mainly focuses on giving knowledge about the importance of annual reports. Data collection The data collection has been made in two ways: Primary source: Data has been collected with the help of constant interaction with my mentor Ms. Uma Rajamani Manager (FA). Secondary source: Data has been collected with the help of : Annual report of ONGC. ONGC reports. Internet. This source helped me in collecting information about the company as a whole, financial performance. Before making use of secondary data both the data and its source were evaluated. Particular attention was paid to definitions used, measurement error, source bias, reliability and the time span of the secondary data. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INDIAN OIL AND NATURAL GAS SECTOR HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PETROLEUM NATURAL GAS SECTOR DURING 2009-10 India has total reserves (proved indicated) of 1201 million metric tonnes of crude oiland1437 billion cubic metres of natural gas as on 1.4.2010. The total number of exploratory and development wells and metreage drilled in onshoreand offshore areas during 2009-10 was 428 and 1019 thousand metres respectively. Crude oil production during 2009-10 at 33.69 million metric tonnes is 0.55% higher than33.51 million metric tonnes produced during 2008-09. Gross Production of Natural Gas in the country at 47.51 billion cubic metres during 2009-10 is 44.63% higher than the production of 32.85 billion cubic metres during 2008-09. The production of Natural Gas at 44.94% and 0.08% of the total were highest and lowestin JVC/Private and West Bengal respectively during 2009-10. The flaring of Natural Gas in 2009-10 at 2.09% of gross production is lower than at 3.29% in 2008-09. The refining capacity in the country increased to 184.386 million tonnes per annum(MTPA) as on 1.4.2010 from 177.968 MTPA as on 1.4.2009. The total refinery crude throughput during 2009-10 at 160.03 million metric tonnes is0.46% lower than 160.77 million metric tonnes crude processed in 2008-09 and the prorate capacity utilisation in 2009-10 was 89.92% as compared to 107.43% in 2008-09. The production of petroleum products during 2009-10 was 151.898 million metric tones (including 2.244 million metric tonnes of LPG production from natural gas) registering adecrease of 0.51% over last years production at 152.678 million metric tonnes (including2.162 million metric tonnes of LPG production from natural gas). The country exported 50.974 million metric tonnes of petroleum products against theimports of 23.49 million metric tonnes (including 8.828 million metric tonnes of LNG) during 2009-10. The consumption of petroleum products during 2009-10 were 138.196 million metrictonnes (including sales through private imports) which is 3.60% higher than the sales of133.400 million metric tonnes during 2008-09. The total number of retail outlets of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies as on1.4.2010 has gone upto 36462 from 34948 on 1.4.2009. The total number of LPG consumers of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies as on1.4.2010 were 114.952 million against 105.632 million as on 1.4.2009. The number of persons employed (including contract employees) in petroleum industryas on 1.04.2010 and 1.04.2009 are 129988 138973 respectively. OIL INDUSTRY INTRODUCTION TO THE OIL INDUSTRY Energy in all its forms is critical to economic growth, development, and social welfare. The worlds need for reliable and affordable energy supplies is growing. Energy is a critical input for economic growth and its availability determines the quality of both, the national economy and the life of citizens. Sustainable economic progress hinges crucially around the supply of stable and competitively priced energy. Oil is a fungible, international commodity whose ownership and ultimate destination is determined by market forces once it leaves the producing country. No country can effectively isolate itself from changes elsewhere in the market, nor is it likely that any nation can take actions that do not indirectly affect other nations. Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture. OIL industry is considered to be the back bone of an economy because this is the main source of energy till date. Any economy around the world would fail to precede a single step in the absence of petroleum industry. Thus, before using this energy source, the crude petroleum is required to be refined in the petroleum refineries for extracting various fractions for energy generation namely, petrol, natural gas, kerosene, asphalt and many more. The processes that are involved in the petroleum industry are: Drilling at the site of petroleum for making well so that the crude oil could be extracted. Refining of the crude oil Storing of the extracted oil in a secured place. Transportation of the stored crude oil is required to be done to the different refineries. Processing of the crude oil needs to be done in the processing units of refineries for converting it into usable fuel form along with the other important derivative products. Core activities of oil and natural gas sector Exploration and Production India is heavily import dependent for its oil and gas requirements. Our total imports of crude oiland petroleum products in the year 2008-09 amounted to 146.441 million metric tones (MMT), worth about Rs. 4,01,631 crore. The country also exported petroleum products amounting to 36.414 MMT, earning foreign exchange worth nearly Rs. 1,15,987 crore. The gap between demand and availability of crude oil from indigenous sources is likely to increase over the years. In case of gas, this gap is expected to decrease with production of gas from KG basin. The growing gap in demand and supply of oil and the shortfall in supply of gas requires greater emphasis to be placed on exploration and production. Objectives of Exploration and Production activities To undertake a complete appraisal of the Indian Sedimentary basin area for tapping thehydrocarbon potential. To optimize production of crude oil and natural gas in the most efficient manner. To keep pace with the technological advancements and remain at the technological forefront in the global exploration and production industry. To achieve a near zero impact on environment. Refining and Marketing The development of refining and marketing activities is crucial for achieving self sufficiency inpetroleum products and in moving towards a competitive and consumer oriented market. Objective of Refining and Marketing Activities Maintain self-sufficiency in all petroleum products by appropriate enhancement in refiningcapacities by National Oil Companies private players including international oil companies. Develop export capability in petroleum products so that the refining industry becomes globally competitive and oil security is enhanced. To develop corresponding infrastructure including ports, pipelines and depots, etc. for anefficient oil industry. To make available quality fuels at affordable prices while continuing subsidies for sensitivepetroleum products. To improve consumer services through better retailing practices and competition. Tariff and Pricing A rational tariff and pricing policy is vital to ensure healthy growth of the hydrocarbonsector and to protect the consumers as well. Objectives of Tariff and Pricing Policy To provide incentives for cleaner, greener and quality fuels so as to promote an environment friendly hydrocarbon sector. To balance the need to boost Government revenue with the need to align taxes and duties with Asia- Pacific countries and the prices to international levels. To promote new investments, by ensuring adequate protection to domestic producers The industry is usually divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. The upstream oil sector is known as exploration and production sector. It includes the searching for potential underground or underwater oil and gas fields, drilling of exploratory wells, and subsequently operating the wells that recover and bring the crude oil. The midstream processes, stores, markets and transports the crude oil. The downstream oil sector is used to refer to the refining of crude oil, selling and distribution. Oil companies measure oil production in the unit of barrels (bbl). Oil Natural Gas Commission was established on 14th August, 1956 as a statutory body under Oil Natural Gas Commission Act (The ONGC Act), for the development of petroleum resources and sale of petroleum products. ONGC was converted into a Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 1956 and named as â€Å"Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited† with effect from 1st February, 1994. The Government disinvested around 10% of the equity shares of ONGC in March 2004 through a public offer in the domestic capital market at Rs. 750 per share. After the above disinvestment, the shareholding of the Government in ONGC came down to around 74.15%. HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR 2009-10. ONGC has made 15 oil gas discoveries in the areas under its operative control. State-of-the-art technologies inducted in hardware software for seismic data acquisition, processing interpretation, and in well logging. Advanced drilling techniques for sidetracks, multilateral and extended reach wells absorbed and implemented on fast track. Engineering design audit introduced with significant cost savings. ONGC registered its fifth Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on September 22, 2009. The project, ‘Energy Efficiency of Amine Circulation Pumps at Hazira involves enhancing energy efficiency achieved in the Amine Circulation Pumps of Hazira Plant. The project will fetch an estimated Certified Emission Reduction (CER) of 4043 per year for a period of 10 years. With this, ONGC achieves a total annual CER of about 1.24 lakh. National Safety Awards in Oil Mines Category: ONGC has bagged four National Safety Awards in Oil Mines Category for year 2007. This is fourth consecutive years that ONGC has bagged these awards, instituted by the Ministry of Labour Employment, Government of India to motivate, appreciate and recognize the extraordinary performance in the area of mines safety. These awards were given by the Honble Vice President of India in New Delhi on October 23, 2009. These awards are based on Longest Accident Free Period (LAFP) and Lowest Injury Frequency Rate (LIFR) and were judged by jury of Director General of Mines Safety, Management Representatives and Trade Union Representatives. PCRA Award for Oil and Gas Conservation: ONGC bagged the Best Overall Performance PCRA Award amongst the Upstream Oil Companies for the Oil and Gas Conservation Programmes during the year 2009. The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd, Mumbai The Company has the following ASSETS /PLANTS/ BASINS/ REGIONS : A. ASSETS/ PLANTS: Mumbai High Asset, Mumbai Neelam Heera Asset, Mumbai Bassein Satellite Asset, Mumbai Uran Plant, Uran Hazira Plant, Hazira Ahmedabad Asset, Ahmedabad Ankleshwar Asset, Mehsana Mehsana Asset, Mehsana Rajamundry Asset, Rajamundry Karaikal Asset, Karaikal Assam Asset, Nazira Tripura Asset, Agartala B. BASINS: Western Offshore Basin, Mumbai Western Onshore Basin Vadodara KG Basin, Rajamundry Cauvery Basin , Chennai Assam Assam-Arakan Basin , Jorhat CBM- BPM Basin , Kolkata Frontier Basin , Dehradun C. REGIONS: Mumbai Region, Mumbai Western Region, Baroda Eastern Region, Nazira Southern Region, Chennai Central Region, Kolkata PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE DURING 2008-09 2009-10 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DURING 2008-09 2009-10 PROGRESS OF PROJECTS : MAJOR PROJECTS COMPLETED DURING THE YEAR MAJOR PROJECTS APPROVED DURING THE YEAR MAJOR INITIATIVES Strategic goals set for two decades 2001-2020 Doubling Reserve Accretion to 12 Billion MTO+OEG Improving Recovery Factor to the order of 40% Production of 20 MMTPA O+OEG equity oil and gas from acquisitions abroad. Short-term Strategy Time scheduled exploration activities for prospect recognition and drilling. Prioritisation of exploration activities on fast track basis for enhancing reserves accretion. Pre-drill 3D seismic in deepwater and blanket 3D in key growth areas. Knowledge building in new sectors of producing as well as frontier basins. Medium-long-term Strategy Further intensification of exploration in the producing basins to realise the hydrocarbon resources to in-place volume conversion. Exploration spread in non-producing basins and yet to be explored basins to establish their potential and knowledge building. Major shift to deep offshore as the major thrust and contributing sector. Strategic Initiatives Major development projects including IOR/ EOR schemes with an approved cost of Rs. 30,000 crore are under various stages of implementation to enhance crude oil and natural gas production. A new and dedicated business unit viz. Eastern Offshore Asset has been constituted with an aim to put east coast discoveries on a fast track development through an integrated east coast hub. Substantive decentralization of administrative authorities together with delegation of financial authorities carried out to empower the field executives. Induction of new technologies in core areas of EP activities like: Acquisition, processing and interpretation of seismic data Drilling and production technology IT and communication. Materials Management Inventory Management and codification procedure have been implemented and computerized to track and identify the materials efficiently. NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY (i) Wind Power Project: Wind Farm Project of 50 MW at Motisindoli in Kutch district of Gujarat is an initiative of ONGC towards its commitment for environment-friendly and pollution-free energy production. The power generated from this wind power project is being wheeled to 101 locations of ONGCs oil field installations/ offices/ residential quarters in the state of Gujarat. ONGC shall be saving about Rs. 30 crore per year on electricity charges in Gujarat, considering the present purchase price of electricity. (ii) Installations of Solar thermal plants: Solar thermal plants in ONGC guest house, hospital, academy hostel, officers club, central workshop, Baroda and colony are already installed. Initiatives have been taken to install the solar water heating system at other locations of ONGC also. Solar panels were installed at well heads of (Bokaro) Jharkhand. 9600 lakhs per day (LPD) capacity of solar water heating system is added in this year and total capacity installed is 38100 LPD. HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT (HSE) Environmental initiatives encompassed solid waste, liquid effluent, air emission monitoring mechanism for proactive planning to manage waste through environment-friendly technologies like bio-remediation, reduction and recycling options and environmental reporting based on global reporting initiative principles. Several initiatives of long-term and continuous nature like bio-remediation of oily sludge, effluent management, ISO certification of installations on international benchmark standards, Mangroove and Hingal plantations etc. are also being carried out in ONGC. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ONGC is actively pursuing energy conservation measures. The conservation of petroleum products namely HSD, Lube oil and natural gas are important activities. These measures include: Phasing out of old diesel engines more than 15 years old. Awareness campaign on use of bio-diesel as alternate fuel. Use of small DG sets during lean periods in rigs, proper capacity utilization, rationalization and efficiency improvement of equipments, use of energy efficient devices. Substitution of diesel engines with gas engines at installations where gas is available. Increase in lube oil change period resulting in substantial saving. Natural gas flaring has been reduced and the same is being supplied to consumers. Use of small DG sets and waste heat recovery equipment at offshore platforms, rigs, LPG plants at Hazira and Uran. Use of energy efficient equipment and devices such as top drives, linear motion shale shakers, electronic diesel engines, soft start systems and energy efficient lamps etc. Use of gas engines in place of diesel ones for power generation. Thermal energy cost reduction achieved by maintenance of steam traps at processing plants. Conducting energy audit on regular basis and Petroleum Products Conservation Opportunities (PPCOs) are identified. Harnessing solar energy by using solar water heaters/ photo-voltaic panels at various locations. ONGC VIDESH LIMITED (OVL) ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ONGC, was incorporated as Hydrocarbons India Private Limited on 5th March, 1965 with an initial authorised capital of Rs. 5 lakh, for the business of international exploration and production. Its name was changed to ONGC Videsh Limited on 15th June, 1989. The authorised and paid-up share capital of OVL as on 31st March, 2007 was Rs. 1,000 crore. The primary business of the company is to prospect for oil and gas acreages abroad. These include acquisition of oil and gas fields in foreign countries as well as exploration, production, transportation and sale of oil and gas. OVL currently has participation in 39 projects in 15 countries namely, Vietnam (3 projects), Russia (2 projects), Sudan (3 projects), Iran (1 project), Iraq (1 project), Libya (3 projects), Myanmar (5 projects), Syria (2 projects), Egypt (2 projects), Cuba (2 projects), Nigeria Sao Tome Principe JDZ (1 project), Brazil (5 projects), Nigeria (2 projects), Colombia (6 projects), and Venezuela (1 project). OVLs share of crude oil and natural gas production is currently from 9 projects in seven countries, viz., Russia, Sudan, Vietnam, Syria, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. OVLs share of crude oil and natural gas production in 2009-10 is expected to be 8.142 Million. Metric Tonne of oil equivalent (MMTOE) including of 2.017 BCM of natural gas. The other 30 projects being implemented by OVL are at various stages of exploration and appraisal. The gross revenue of Rs.13,444 crore is estimated by OVL during the financial year 2009-10 with net profit of Rs.412 crore. Further, OVL is pursuing acquisition of various oil and gas exploration and production opportunities in Russia, Central Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Middle East, which are at different stages. Established as a joint stock company with limited liabilities on November 5,1999, as part of the restructuring of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). It was respectively listed on the NYSE (ADS code: PTR) and the HKSE (stock code: 00857) in April 2000 and on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (stock code:601857) in November 2007. As at end of 2010, CNPC holds 86.292% shares of Petro China. Ranked 7th by Platts in the â€Å"Top 250 Global Energy Companies† published by Platts Energy in 2010, which was the top ranking among enterprises in the Asia Pacific region for eight consecutive years. Included as a constituent stock of the SSE Social Responsibility index and the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index. Adheres to the corporate policy of â€Å"Caring for Energy, Caring for You† and core business management principles of â€Å"Honesty, Innovation, Performance, Harmony and Safety†. Perseveres in carrying out business in a more effective, safe and environmentally friendly manner; pursues the balance among the economy, environment and society; provides sustainable energy for economic and social development; and creates a better life for people. CORE BUSINESSES Engaged in a broad range of businesses related to oil and natural gas, which mainly include the exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas, the refining, transportation, storage and marketing of crude oil and refined products, the production and marketing of primary petrochemical products, their derivatives and other chemicals, and the transportation and marketing of natural gas. Chevron is an American multinationalenergycorporation. Headquartered inSan Ramon, California, and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of theoil,gas, andgeothermalenergy industries, includingexplorationandproduction, refining, marketing and transport; chemicals manufacturing and sales; andpower generation. Chevron is one of the worlds six super major oil companies. For the past five years, Chevron has been continuously ranked as one of Americas 5 largest corporations byFortune 500. Market Trends Analysis of Indian Oil and Gas Industry Market Trends Analysis of Indian Oil and Gas Industry OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY This study provides an insight into the oil and gas industry. Analyze market trends for oil and gas industry in the global arena. To understand financial performance and financial position of oil and natural gas companies like ONGC, Petro china, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. To analyse the financial statements of 2009-2010, so as to understand about the key factors like Profitability and Solvency for decision making and ultimate business solvency. To find out the ratios of the company and carry out a comparative study. To understand the current position of these companies. To analyze the Indian oil market. To see the international scenario. To analyze the oil prices in India and other countries. BROAD APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY Type The study carried out will be more like a Descriptive Research. For analyzing the financial statement, methodology to be used is financial ratio analysis and comparative study. Purpose The study mainly focuses on giving knowledge about the importance of annual reports. Data collection The data collection has been made in two ways: Primary source: Data has been collected with the help of constant interaction with my mentor Ms. Uma Rajamani Manager (FA). Secondary source: Data has been collected with the help of : Annual report of ONGC. ONGC reports. Internet. This source helped me in collecting information about the company as a whole, financial performance. Before making use of secondary data both the data and its source were evaluated. Particular attention was paid to definitions used, measurement error, source bias, reliability and the time span of the secondary data. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INDIAN OIL AND NATURAL GAS SECTOR HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PETROLEUM NATURAL GAS SECTOR DURING 2009-10 India has total reserves (proved indicated) of 1201 million metric tonnes of crude oiland1437 billion cubic metres of natural gas as on 1.4.2010. The total number of exploratory and development wells and metreage drilled in onshoreand offshore areas during 2009-10 was 428 and 1019 thousand metres respectively. Crude oil production during 2009-10 at 33.69 million metric tonnes is 0.55% higher than33.51 million metric tonnes produced during 2008-09. Gross Production of Natural Gas in the country at 47.51 billion cubic metres during 2009-10 is 44.63% higher than the production of 32.85 billion cubic metres during 2008-09. The production of Natural Gas at 44.94% and 0.08% of the total were highest and lowestin JVC/Private and West Bengal respectively during 2009-10. The flaring of Natural Gas in 2009-10 at 2.09% of gross production is lower than at 3.29% in 2008-09. The refining capacity in the country increased to 184.386 million tonnes per annum(MTPA) as on 1.4.2010 from 177.968 MTPA as on 1.4.2009. The total refinery crude throughput during 2009-10 at 160.03 million metric tonnes is0.46% lower than 160.77 million metric tonnes crude processed in 2008-09 and the prorate capacity utilisation in 2009-10 was 89.92% as compared to 107.43% in 2008-09. The production of petroleum products during 2009-10 was 151.898 million metric tones (including 2.244 million metric tonnes of LPG production from natural gas) registering adecrease of 0.51% over last years production at 152.678 million metric tonnes (including2.162 million metric tonnes of LPG production from natural gas). The country exported 50.974 million metric tonnes of petroleum products against theimports of 23.49 million metric tonnes (including 8.828 million metric tonnes of LNG) during 2009-10. The consumption of petroleum products during 2009-10 were 138.196 million metrictonnes (including sales through private imports) which is 3.60% higher than the sales of133.400 million metric tonnes during 2008-09. The total number of retail outlets of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies as on1.4.2010 has gone upto 36462 from 34948 on 1.4.2009. The total number of LPG consumers of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies as on1.4.2010 were 114.952 million against 105.632 million as on 1.4.2009. The number of persons employed (including contract employees) in petroleum industryas on 1.04.2010 and 1.04.2009 are 129988 138973 respectively. OIL INDUSTRY INTRODUCTION TO THE OIL INDUSTRY Energy in all its forms is critical to economic growth, development, and social welfare. The worlds need for reliable and affordable energy supplies is growing. Energy is a critical input for economic growth and its availability determines the quality of both, the national economy and the life of citizens. Sustainable economic progress hinges crucially around the supply of stable and competitively priced energy. Oil is a fungible, international commodity whose ownership and ultimate destination is determined by market forces once it leaves the producing country. No country can effectively isolate itself from changes elsewhere in the market, nor is it likely that any nation can take actions that do not indirectly affect other nations. Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture. OIL industry is considered to be the back bone of an economy because this is the main source of energy till date. Any economy around the world would fail to precede a single step in the absence of petroleum industry. Thus, before using this energy source, the crude petroleum is required to be refined in the petroleum refineries for extracting various fractions for energy generation namely, petrol, natural gas, kerosene, asphalt and many more. The processes that are involved in the petroleum industry are: Drilling at the site of petroleum for making well so that the crude oil could be extracted. Refining of the crude oil Storing of the extracted oil in a secured place. Transportation of the stored crude oil is required to be done to the different refineries. Processing of the crude oil needs to be done in the processing units of refineries for converting it into usable fuel form along with the other important derivative products. Core activities of oil and natural gas sector Exploration and Production India is heavily import dependent for its oil and gas requirements. Our total imports of crude oiland petroleum products in the year 2008-09 amounted to 146.441 million metric tones (MMT), worth about Rs. 4,01,631 crore. The country also exported petroleum products amounting to 36.414 MMT, earning foreign exchange worth nearly Rs. 1,15,987 crore. The gap between demand and availability of crude oil from indigenous sources is likely to increase over the years. In case of gas, this gap is expected to decrease with production of gas from KG basin. The growing gap in demand and supply of oil and the shortfall in supply of gas requires greater emphasis to be placed on exploration and production. Objectives of Exploration and Production activities To undertake a complete appraisal of the Indian Sedimentary basin area for tapping thehydrocarbon potential. To optimize production of crude oil and natural gas in the most efficient manner. To keep pace with the technological advancements and remain at the technological forefront in the global exploration and production industry. To achieve a near zero impact on environment. Refining and Marketing The development of refining and marketing activities is crucial for achieving self sufficiency inpetroleum products and in moving towards a competitive and consumer oriented market. Objective of Refining and Marketing Activities Maintain self-sufficiency in all petroleum products by appropriate enhancement in refiningcapacities by National Oil Companies private players including international oil companies. Develop export capability in petroleum products so that the refining industry becomes globally competitive and oil security is enhanced. To develop corresponding infrastructure including ports, pipelines and depots, etc. for anefficient oil industry. To make available quality fuels at affordable prices while continuing subsidies for sensitivepetroleum products. To improve consumer services through better retailing practices and competition. Tariff and Pricing A rational tariff and pricing policy is vital to ensure healthy growth of the hydrocarbonsector and to protect the consumers as well. Objectives of Tariff and Pricing Policy To provide incentives for cleaner, greener and quality fuels so as to promote an environment friendly hydrocarbon sector. To balance the need to boost Government revenue with the need to align taxes and duties with Asia- Pacific countries and the prices to international levels. To promote new investments, by ensuring adequate protection to domestic producers The industry is usually divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. The upstream oil sector is known as exploration and production sector. It includes the searching for potential underground or underwater oil and gas fields, drilling of exploratory wells, and subsequently operating the wells that recover and bring the crude oil. The midstream processes, stores, markets and transports the crude oil. The downstream oil sector is used to refer to the refining of crude oil, selling and distribution. Oil companies measure oil production in the unit of barrels (bbl). Oil Natural Gas Commission was established on 14th August, 1956 as a statutory body under Oil Natural Gas Commission Act (The ONGC Act), for the development of petroleum resources and sale of petroleum products. ONGC was converted into a Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 1956 and named as â€Å"Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited† with effect from 1st February, 1994. The Government disinvested around 10% of the equity shares of ONGC in March 2004 through a public offer in the domestic capital market at Rs. 750 per share. After the above disinvestment, the shareholding of the Government in ONGC came down to around 74.15%. HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR 2009-10. ONGC has made 15 oil gas discoveries in the areas under its operative control. State-of-the-art technologies inducted in hardware software for seismic data acquisition, processing interpretation, and in well logging. Advanced drilling techniques for sidetracks, multilateral and extended reach wells absorbed and implemented on fast track. Engineering design audit introduced with significant cost savings. ONGC registered its fifth Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on September 22, 2009. The project, ‘Energy Efficiency of Amine Circulation Pumps at Hazira involves enhancing energy efficiency achieved in the Amine Circulation Pumps of Hazira Plant. The project will fetch an estimated Certified Emission Reduction (CER) of 4043 per year for a period of 10 years. With this, ONGC achieves a total annual CER of about 1.24 lakh. National Safety Awards in Oil Mines Category: ONGC has bagged four National Safety Awards in Oil Mines Category for year 2007. This is fourth consecutive years that ONGC has bagged these awards, instituted by the Ministry of Labour Employment, Government of India to motivate, appreciate and recognize the extraordinary performance in the area of mines safety. These awards were given by the Honble Vice President of India in New Delhi on October 23, 2009. These awards are based on Longest Accident Free Period (LAFP) and Lowest Injury Frequency Rate (LIFR) and were judged by jury of Director General of Mines Safety, Management Representatives and Trade Union Representatives. PCRA Award for Oil and Gas Conservation: ONGC bagged the Best Overall Performance PCRA Award amongst the Upstream Oil Companies for the Oil and Gas Conservation Programmes during the year 2009. The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd, Mumbai The Company has the following ASSETS /PLANTS/ BASINS/ REGIONS : A. ASSETS/ PLANTS: Mumbai High Asset, Mumbai Neelam Heera Asset, Mumbai Bassein Satellite Asset, Mumbai Uran Plant, Uran Hazira Plant, Hazira Ahmedabad Asset, Ahmedabad Ankleshwar Asset, Mehsana Mehsana Asset, Mehsana Rajamundry Asset, Rajamundry Karaikal Asset, Karaikal Assam Asset, Nazira Tripura Asset, Agartala B. BASINS: Western Offshore Basin, Mumbai Western Onshore Basin Vadodara KG Basin, Rajamundry Cauvery Basin , Chennai Assam Assam-Arakan Basin , Jorhat CBM- BPM Basin , Kolkata Frontier Basin , Dehradun C. REGIONS: Mumbai Region, Mumbai Western Region, Baroda Eastern Region, Nazira Southern Region, Chennai Central Region, Kolkata PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE DURING 2008-09 2009-10 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DURING 2008-09 2009-10 PROGRESS OF PROJECTS : MAJOR PROJECTS COMPLETED DURING THE YEAR MAJOR PROJECTS APPROVED DURING THE YEAR MAJOR INITIATIVES Strategic goals set for two decades 2001-2020 Doubling Reserve Accretion to 12 Billion MTO+OEG Improving Recovery Factor to the order of 40% Production of 20 MMTPA O+OEG equity oil and gas from acquisitions abroad. Short-term Strategy Time scheduled exploration activities for prospect recognition and drilling. Prioritisation of exploration activities on fast track basis for enhancing reserves accretion. Pre-drill 3D seismic in deepwater and blanket 3D in key growth areas. Knowledge building in new sectors of producing as well as frontier basins. Medium-long-term Strategy Further intensification of exploration in the producing basins to realise the hydrocarbon resources to in-place volume conversion. Exploration spread in non-producing basins and yet to be explored basins to establish their potential and knowledge building. Major shift to deep offshore as the major thrust and contributing sector. Strategic Initiatives Major development projects including IOR/ EOR schemes with an approved cost of Rs. 30,000 crore are under various stages of implementation to enhance crude oil and natural gas production. A new and dedicated business unit viz. Eastern Offshore Asset has been constituted with an aim to put east coast discoveries on a fast track development through an integrated east coast hub. Substantive decentralization of administrative authorities together with delegation of financial authorities carried out to empower the field executives. Induction of new technologies in core areas of EP activities like: Acquisition, processing and interpretation of seismic data Drilling and production technology IT and communication. Materials Management Inventory Management and codification procedure have been implemented and computerized to track and identify the materials efficiently. NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY (i) Wind Power Project: Wind Farm Project of 50 MW at Motisindoli in Kutch district of Gujarat is an initiative of ONGC towards its commitment for environment-friendly and pollution-free energy production. The power generated from this wind power project is being wheeled to 101 locations of ONGCs oil field installations/ offices/ residential quarters in the state of Gujarat. ONGC shall be saving about Rs. 30 crore per year on electricity charges in Gujarat, considering the present purchase price of electricity. (ii) Installations of Solar thermal plants: Solar thermal plants in ONGC guest house, hospital, academy hostel, officers club, central workshop, Baroda and colony are already installed. Initiatives have been taken to install the solar water heating system at other locations of ONGC also. Solar panels were installed at well heads of (Bokaro) Jharkhand. 9600 lakhs per day (LPD) capacity of solar water heating system is added in this year and total capacity installed is 38100 LPD. HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT (HSE) Environmental initiatives encompassed solid waste, liquid effluent, air emission monitoring mechanism for proactive planning to manage waste through environment-friendly technologies like bio-remediation, reduction and recycling options and environmental reporting based on global reporting initiative principles. Several initiatives of long-term and continuous nature like bio-remediation of oily sludge, effluent management, ISO certification of installations on international benchmark standards, Mangroove and Hingal plantations etc. are also being carried out in ONGC. CONSERVATION OF ENERGY AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ONGC is actively pursuing energy conservation measures. The conservation of petroleum products namely HSD, Lube oil and natural gas are important activities. These measures include: Phasing out of old diesel engines more than 15 years old. Awareness campaign on use of bio-diesel as alternate fuel. Use of small DG sets during lean periods in rigs, proper capacity utilization, rationalization and efficiency improvement of equipments, use of energy efficient devices. Substitution of diesel engines with gas engines at installations where gas is available. Increase in lube oil change period resulting in substantial saving. Natural gas flaring has been reduced and the same is being supplied to consumers. Use of small DG sets and waste heat recovery equipment at offshore platforms, rigs, LPG plants at Hazira and Uran. Use of energy efficient equipment and devices such as top drives, linear motion shale shakers, electronic diesel engines, soft start systems and energy efficient lamps etc. Use of gas engines in place of diesel ones for power generation. Thermal energy cost reduction achieved by maintenance of steam traps at processing plants. Conducting energy audit on regular basis and Petroleum Products Conservation Opportunities (PPCOs) are identified. Harnessing solar energy by using solar water heaters/ photo-voltaic panels at various locations. ONGC VIDESH LIMITED (OVL) ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ONGC, was incorporated as Hydrocarbons India Private Limited on 5th March, 1965 with an initial authorised capital of Rs. 5 lakh, for the business of international exploration and production. Its name was changed to ONGC Videsh Limited on 15th June, 1989. The authorised and paid-up share capital of OVL as on 31st March, 2007 was Rs. 1,000 crore. The primary business of the company is to prospect for oil and gas acreages abroad. These include acquisition of oil and gas fields in foreign countries as well as exploration, production, transportation and sale of oil and gas. OVL currently has participation in 39 projects in 15 countries namely, Vietnam (3 projects), Russia (2 projects), Sudan (3 projects), Iran (1 project), Iraq (1 project), Libya (3 projects), Myanmar (5 projects), Syria (2 projects), Egypt (2 projects), Cuba (2 projects), Nigeria Sao Tome Principe JDZ (1 project), Brazil (5 projects), Nigeria (2 projects), Colombia (6 projects), and Venezuela (1 project). OVLs share of crude oil and natural gas production is currently from 9 projects in seven countries, viz., Russia, Sudan, Vietnam, Syria, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. OVLs share of crude oil and natural gas production in 2009-10 is expected to be 8.142 Million. Metric Tonne of oil equivalent (MMTOE) including of 2.017 BCM of natural gas. The other 30 projects being implemented by OVL are at various stages of exploration and appraisal. The gross revenue of Rs.13,444 crore is estimated by OVL during the financial year 2009-10 with net profit of Rs.412 crore. Further, OVL is pursuing acquisition of various oil and gas exploration and production opportunities in Russia, Central Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Middle East, which are at different stages. Established as a joint stock company with limited liabilities on November 5,1999, as part of the restructuring of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). It was respectively listed on the NYSE (ADS code: PTR) and the HKSE (stock code: 00857) in April 2000 and on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (stock code:601857) in November 2007. As at end of 2010, CNPC holds 86.292% shares of Petro China. Ranked 7th by Platts in the â€Å"Top 250 Global Energy Companies† published by Platts Energy in 2010, which was the top ranking among enterprises in the Asia Pacific region for eight consecutive years. Included as a constituent stock of the SSE Social Responsibility index and the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index. Adheres to the corporate policy of â€Å"Caring for Energy, Caring for You† and core business management principles of â€Å"Honesty, Innovation, Performance, Harmony and Safety†. Perseveres in carrying out business in a more effective, safe and environmentally friendly manner; pursues the balance among the economy, environment and society; provides sustainable energy for economic and social development; and creates a better life for people. CORE BUSINESSES Engaged in a broad range of businesses related to oil and natural gas, which mainly include the exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas, the refining, transportation, storage and marketing of crude oil and refined products, the production and marketing of primary petrochemical products, their derivatives and other chemicals, and the transportation and marketing of natural gas. Chevron is an American multinationalenergycorporation. Headquartered inSan Ramon, California, and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of theoil,gas, andgeothermalenergy industries, includingexplorationandproduction, refining, marketing and transport; chemicals manufacturing and sales; andpower generation. Chevron is one of the worlds six super major oil companies. For the past five years, Chevron has been continuously ranked as one of Americas 5 largest corporations byFortune 500.

METAPHORS :: Essays Papers

METAPHORS I have usually found writing papers to be a stuggle, but this paper was different. At first I was intimidated by the fact that it had to be an analysis of ones own writing pertaining to a specific discourse, but then once I saw the opportunity for creativity, the paper seemed fun and interesting. It gave me an opportunity to focus on the things I like about writing, the things that to me make writing an art form containing beauty and freedom. Words are groups of mixed and matched letters which create sentences. The above words and analagous words are silly-putty that one can maneuver into any shape, size, or form one chooses. Manueuvering these words to express ideas in a different way would describe a metaphor. Metaphors can help convey a thought, or make a transition among ideas smoother; like a football that glides through the air from one player to the next. I find there is an excitement in taking words, as Webster's Dictionary puts it, taking, "units of language...typically seen as the smallest such units of space...distinguished phonetically...", and making metaphors; creating words into brief moments for someone else to experience. Everyone in his/her life, at one time or another has had a moment when they have been left speechless. A moment on a cliff overlooking fierce, untamed waters, a sunset that sends blinding sparks off urban buildings, or a basketball game in which the underdog triumphs in the final seconds -- there is at least one time that everyone sees or perceives a sight that to them, is awesome. Something that in one's mind is distinguishable from any other moment and is too breathtaking, scary, or cool to describe in common vocabulary or phrasiology, for the emotions or feelings involved in that moment would not recieve due justice. People behold scenes differently, so metaphors can vary greatly in the degree of imagery and the amount of emotion they elicit. This implies that they appeal to a larger discourse community rather than academic writing, unlike Jennifer Gebelein's term paper, "Giardia", which because of its nature has a more selective community. The discourse community, the writers and reader of metaphors may range from a seventh grade reading class to the C.E.O. of an international company. This emphasizes the freedom that is allowed with metaphors, the fact that metaphors hold no boundaries on audience or creativity. As with any form of freedom, risk is involved.

The Islam-Judaism Clash of Civilizations Essay -- Palestinians Israeli

On the streets of Jerusalem, in the rubble of Ramallah, in synagogues, in mosques, in the hearts and minds of millions in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the remainder of Israel, Israelis and Palestinians are locked in a clash of civilizations. In his masterful work, The Clash of Civilizations, Samuel L. Huntington outlines a theory which approaches international politics on the scale of civilizations. However, he circumvents discussion about Israel. Huntington cautiously describes Israel as a â€Å"non-Western† (Huntington 90) country, but identifies the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as one along a fault line between civilizations (267). Though he chooses to avoid the issue, Huntington’s theory provides a groundwork for analyzing the conflict in Israel in terms of a clash of civilizations between Judaism and Islam. This is a dangerous and provocative idea. But if we dare examine its implications and explore its insights, we risk a more complete understanding of the c onflict which has plagued relations between Palestinians and Israelis in particular, Muslim countries and Israel in general, for over fifty years. Let us begin with a discussion about Judaism’s status as a civilization. This is a highly contentious claim which Huntington himself questions: With the creation of Israel, Jews have all the objective accoutrements of a civilization: religion, language, customs, literature, institutions, and a territorial and political home. But what about subjective identification? Jews living in other cultures have distributed themselves along a continuum stretching from total identification with Judaism and Israel to nominal Judaism and full identification with the civilization within which they reside, the latter, however, occurr... ...ited States. Yet the rational actor model fails. Islam transcends strategic, economic, and political rationalism. So the next time you catch yourself saying that the barbarity, longevity and popularity of the conflict against Israel defies reason, hold your tongue. Islam has traditionally kept its distance from Enlightenment ideas. Works Cited Cleveland, William L. A History of the Modern Middle East. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 2000. Huntington, Samuel P. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. New York: Simon & Shuster Inc., 1997. Kaplan, Mordecai M. Judaism as a Civilization. New York: Schocken Books, 1934. Stoessinger, John George. Why Nations Go to War, 8th Edition. San Diego, CA: Thomson Wadsworth 2001. The Avalon Project: Hamas Covenant 1988. Yale. Web. 19 Mar. 2015 .

Is Subliminal Advertising Effective? Essays -- essays research papers

Is Subliminal Advertising Effective? The average American views an average of 1500 ads every single day! Did you know that some of these ads have hidden pictures, words, or even sound inside of them? These hidden things are called subliminal messages. When used correctly, these hidden messages have been proven to persuade us to do certain things. What are Subliminal Messages? Subliminal messages are things that are stored inside of our subconscious. They are known as are hidden messages because we have no knowledge of the things inside our subconscious. The subconscious is one part of our brain. We are not aware of the things inside our subconscious part. However, our subconscious remembers every single detail of every single thing we see! It works just like a computer because it views information (ads), and stores it into our memory (brain.) Some examples are: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  a small image(s) hidden inside a larger picture †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  a audio message hidden inside a cassette tape †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  hidden messages inside songs that you hear when you play it backwards †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  hidden words or pictures that quickly appear inside a television show, movie, or commercial In order for these items to be subliminal or "hidden" messages, they must not be noticeable to the human eye or ear. Our subconscious effects us on a daily basis. In fact, it is responsible for the following: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  little slips of the tongue †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  unexplainable actions or thoughts †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ideas, songs and memories that suddenly "pop" into our heads In the Beginning: Subliminal messages have become a very powerful way to get your message out to the public. It all started in 1957 when James M. Vicary created an "invisible commercial" for a movie theatre. This "invisible commercial" contained several brief messages that were hidden inside of one main message. For example, during the main commercial the words "Drink Coca-Cola" and "Hungary? Eat Popcorn" would flash on the screen. These interruptions would occur every five seconds, and they would last for 1/3000th of a second. These brief food and beverage interruptions were not noticeable to the viewers. However, the people that watched these commercials had an unexplainable urge to eat popcorn and drink coca-cola. Overall, popcorn sales increased 57.5% and drink sales increased 18.1%. People were outraged when they heard about th... ...ble teach people who would have been almost impossible to reach any other way. Subliminal messages are also inside tapes to help people quit smoking and lose weight. These tapes have proven to be very effective. Unfortunately, people don't always stop smoking after listening to these tapes, but they do smoke less than they used to. Conclusion Subliminal messages are a very, very powerful marketing tool. They can be used to persuade us to feel or do may different things. However, the effects of subliminal messages are short term. The only exception to this short term effect occurs when the subliminal messages are teaching us to do or not to do something. Here is a list of websites with examples of subliminal ads. Sources: "Subliminal Messages Alive and Well" komar.cs.stthomas.edu.qm425/fisher3.htm Butler, S. Ron, "subliminal advertising: return of the hidden persuaders" disinfo.com/pages/dossier/id321/pg1/ "The Effects of Subliminal Advertising" uoguelph.ca/~mbateson/subliminal.html Thomas, Chris "Subliminal Perception" cbt.wiu.edu/John_Drea/subliminal_perception.htm Leroux, Kivi "Subliminal Messages" emagazine.com/july-august_1999/0799curr_subliminal.html Is Subliminal Advertising Effective? Essays -- essays research papers Is Subliminal Advertising Effective? The average American views an average of 1500 ads every single day! Did you know that some of these ads have hidden pictures, words, or even sound inside of them? These hidden things are called subliminal messages. When used correctly, these hidden messages have been proven to persuade us to do certain things. What are Subliminal Messages? Subliminal messages are things that are stored inside of our subconscious. They are known as are hidden messages because we have no knowledge of the things inside our subconscious. The subconscious is one part of our brain. We are not aware of the things inside our subconscious part. However, our subconscious remembers every single detail of every single thing we see! It works just like a computer because it views information (ads), and stores it into our memory (brain.) Some examples are: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  a small image(s) hidden inside a larger picture †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  a audio message hidden inside a cassette tape †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  hidden messages inside songs that you hear when you play it backwards †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  hidden words or pictures that quickly appear inside a television show, movie, or commercial In order for these items to be subliminal or "hidden" messages, they must not be noticeable to the human eye or ear. Our subconscious effects us on a daily basis. In fact, it is responsible for the following: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  little slips of the tongue †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  unexplainable actions or thoughts †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ideas, songs and memories that suddenly "pop" into our heads In the Beginning: Subliminal messages have become a very powerful way to get your message out to the public. It all started in 1957 when James M. Vicary created an "invisible commercial" for a movie theatre. This "invisible commercial" contained several brief messages that were hidden inside of one main message. For example, during the main commercial the words "Drink Coca-Cola" and "Hungary? Eat Popcorn" would flash on the screen. These interruptions would occur every five seconds, and they would last for 1/3000th of a second. These brief food and beverage interruptions were not noticeable to the viewers. However, the people that watched these commercials had an unexplainable urge to eat popcorn and drink coca-cola. Overall, popcorn sales increased 57.5% and drink sales increased 18.1%. People were outraged when they heard about th... ...ble teach people who would have been almost impossible to reach any other way. Subliminal messages are also inside tapes to help people quit smoking and lose weight. These tapes have proven to be very effective. Unfortunately, people don't always stop smoking after listening to these tapes, but they do smoke less than they used to. Conclusion Subliminal messages are a very, very powerful marketing tool. They can be used to persuade us to feel or do may different things. However, the effects of subliminal messages are short term. The only exception to this short term effect occurs when the subliminal messages are teaching us to do or not to do something. Here is a list of websites with examples of subliminal ads. Sources: "Subliminal Messages Alive and Well" komar.cs.stthomas.edu.qm425/fisher3.htm Butler, S. Ron, "subliminal advertising: return of the hidden persuaders" disinfo.com/pages/dossier/id321/pg1/ "The Effects of Subliminal Advertising" uoguelph.ca/~mbateson/subliminal.html Thomas, Chris "Subliminal Perception" cbt.wiu.edu/John_Drea/subliminal_perception.htm Leroux, Kivi "Subliminal Messages" emagazine.com/july-august_1999/0799curr_subliminal.html

Why Did the Tsarist Regime Collapse in 1917

Why did the Tsarist regime collapse in 1917? ‘By the beginning of 1917, tsarism was rotting from within. ’(1) Romanov’s had ruled Russia since 1613 but people were unhappy and the Tsarist regime was due to collapse for and it was inevitable that it would happen soon, it finally did under Tsar Nicholas II in 1917. There were many factors as to why the Tsarist regime collapsed some of the most important were Tsar’s personality, political opposition ,peasants and workers and The World War I. One of the factors that lead the tsarist regime to collapse was Tsar’s personality.Nicholas II was coronated in 1894 but he wasn’t ready to be a Tsar because just in 1881 he witnessed his granddads, Alexander II’s assassination when his carriage was blown up. Nicholas was not a strong character and he didn’t want to be a Tsar but he was religious and both he and his wife Alexandra believed they were chosen by God and couldn’t challenge hi s decision. ‘He had intelligence†¦ faith and courage but he was†¦ ignorant about governmental matters. Nicky had been trained as a soldier. He had not been taught statesmanship and†¦ as not a statesman. ’ (2) Also he was more of a family man rather than a ruler and was a devoted husband and father who looked good in the eyes of his people but he didn’t really bother about what happened to Russia and didn’t really do what he was meant to do; rule the country, which weakened him significantly. Although he was a good father he was unhappy as his only son Alexis suffered from haemophilia and it was likely to die young which again out the Tsar away from ruling the country. He was ignorant and refused to share power. He mistrusted most of his ministers and yet was incapable of carrying out the task of ruling the vast Russian empire alone. ’ (7) At first peasants were loyal to him and believed he’d carry on what his granddad did, free servants, relax censorship of the press, improve conditions of the army, change education and bring in Zemstva; locally elected councils, however he made the government weaker, he was almost the ‘invisible’ Tsar as he never travelled so his people didn’t know him and he couldn’t see what was best for them.People were poor, the communication and travel were awful as Russia was such a massive country, there were all sorts of nationalities and religions in the country so people couldn’t communicate well, the society was ‘backward’ as there were too many workers and peasants (82% of population) and they were poor and had no laws, the nobles had everything. As the tsar didn’t travel he couldn’t stop any revolutions and so he weakened himself. People began to question him and his ability to rule Russia; they were unhappy and started to plot on how to overthrow him. The present ruler has lost absolutely the affection of Russian people, and whatever the future may have in store for the dynasty, the present Tsar will never again be safe in the midst of his people. ’ (9) This showed people he was careless and weakened him. Another factor that lead the tsarist regime to collapse was the political opposition. ‘The key question is this-is the peaceful renovation of the country possible? Or is it possible only by internal revolution? ’(6) There were many people who wanted the Tsar to collapse.Some like Octobrists or Kadets were more peaceful. Kadets were middle-class liberals who wanted elected parliament. They had the support of well educated wealthy people in towns, but that wasn’t enough people and they didn’t attract peasants and workers which was bad as they were the majority. The Social Revolutionaries and Social Democrats wanted revolution. ’Both groups were prepared to work with the liberals, providing the latter continued to push the tsarist regime towards greater democracy and parliamentary power. (5) Social Revolutionaries were supported be peasants and they wanted to give peasants land to make their life better and make them happy, however because of the size of the country and ignorance of the peasants, the revolution was impossible. They were divided in aims and methods as some wanted to share land and some wanted communism and eventually their revolution didn’t happen. Lenin and Trotsky were in the Social Democrats; they were supported by factory workers and followed communist teachings.They wanted to overthrow the government, however they were also divided; Mensheviks wanted to get a big group of people including the middle class but Bolsheviks wanted small amount of people who would organise strikes and demonstrations. ‘We Bolsheviks will not shirk the task. ’(1) This showed the people that if so many people wanted change then surely there is something wrong with the Tsar’s ruling. The 1905 revolutions was the perfect opportunity for opposition to show the Tsar how many people needed change and to show people the Tsar was not fit to rule.The spark that started it off was the Bloody Sunday it was a peaceful petition from Father Gapon to ask for change but the Tsar got troops to attack the 200,000 workers who marched to him to ask for help, but the Tsar didn’t care he feared for his life, maybe he knew he was a bad Tsar and thought that people were coming to assassinate him like his grandfather. This got people to think whether the Tsar actually care about his people.The economic problems also led to the revolution, the government borrowed money, the violence from troops continued, the taxes for poorest went up, the working and living conditions were terrible and people were angry. The Russo-Japanese war meant prices went up and shops lacked food and goods, industries closed leaving people unemployed and hungry and even though Tsar thought war was a good idea he became less popul ar as people thought he was incapable to rule and Russia got defeated and humiliated which was yet another one of Tsars mistakes. There were riots and disorders in the streets, and I think it’s the best description of a revolution; people were smashing up shops, looting bread shops; women particularly. ’(1) Everyone hated the Tsar which weakened the Tsarist regime as people knew the Tsar wasn’t fit to rule them. The next factors that lead the Tsarist regime to collapse were the peasants and workers. At first the people saw Tsar as a father figure as that was what the Orthodox Church taught and people were very religious and they blamed landlords and factory owners.People believed Russia will change under Nicholas, when he was crowned ‘The crowds have been building up for two days. ’(1) However this quickly began to change and peasants and workers realised that the Tsar didn’t care about them but they had hope. The workers, worked over 12 hour s, they were poor, and they had hard work and had no privacy. Factories were open 24/7 and 30 people had to be cramped into a one little room and worked for minimal wages.Whole families including children were working just so they could buy something to eat and improve their lives. Both workers and peasants ate cheap, awful food and their life expectancy was less than 40 years. The peasants didn’t have enough land; some of them were taken to work in factories as 4/5 people at that time were peasants. This angered them and they started to blame the Tsar directly. ‘They receive terrible wages and generally live in overcrowded conditions†¦ but manufactures have received permission to use overtime. (3) People were so fed up they ‘increasingly formed protests. ’ (4) Which was really bad for the Tsar, as peasants and workers formed protests everyone would soon find out and join them. There were so many of the workers that when Father Gapon made a petition â €˜Do not refuse to help your people. Destroy the wall between yourself and your people. ’(12), it wasn’t hard to get 200,000 people to march to Tsar with him but the Tsar was already threatened and killed most of them, ‘The soldiers fired all day long. (8) However peasants didn’t give up on wanting their bit of land and so when after 1905 revolution they were promised it as the Tsar promised it to them, they stopped all protests and were overwhelmed but a year later the Tsar took it away from them, which was a massive mistake as he proved that he didn’t care about his people at all and was another reason to get rid of him. Russian people were angry and wanted to get rid of the Tsar. Instead of ‘destroying the wall’ Nicholas II made it bigger and this weakened his regime.The last factor that lead the Tsarist regime to collapse was the World War I. Russia suffered from shortage of food due to bad harvests, poor transport and loosing ri ch farmland to Germans, people were starving and were unhappy ‘The combination of a population explosion, backward farming techniques and poor policy making had made for a grave crisis’(5) but the Tsar decided to leave Russia went to be the commander-in-chief of the war. ‘His decisions showed him to be hopelessly out of touch. (1) Russia had no good rifles and soldiers had to wait for someone in front of them to die so they could take their rifle and participate in the war. ‘If we should have three days of serious fighting, we might run out of ammunition altogether. ’(10) The support of the army ebbed away and the Tsar could no longer blame the defeats on his subordinated and had to take the responsibility himself, the soldiers now blamed him directly for their misery.The peasants who made up most of the army and had the image of the wise and caring Tsar further shattered. As the Tsar left, he left Tsarina in charge of Russia, Alexandra refused to tak e any advice from loyal middle-class ‘Alexandra was the dominant personality in the relationship’ (7) and she refused to share power like the Tsar, and so she was blamed for everything that went wrong. The patriotic people became frustrated at Tsarina’s incompetence; they were convinced someone else would be better.People hated everything German, they even changed the name St. Petersburg to Petrograd as it sounded too German, but Tsarina was German, which made her more unpopular. There were rumours that she was sabotaging Russia and was a German spy so that Germany could win the war. Rasputin was believed to be a holy man as he healed Alexis and so he had a lot of influence over Tsarina, there were a lot of scandals surrounding them which made Tsarina even more unpopular. People believed they had an affair and there were rumours that they were German agents. Alexandra made decisions based on whims or messages from God, mediated by Rasputin. ’(1) People bel ieved he was leading the country to its doom. Russian’s were angry as Rasputin was just a peasant and he helped to rule the country and they didn’t understand why such person should be allowed to do that. Some were also wondering why the Tsar allowed Rasputin to be so close with the royal family ‘I did realise that the man possessed great hypnotic power. ’(11) Finally in December 1916, Rasputin got murdered by a group of jealous nobles ‘Rasputin was dead†¦ ur hearts filled with hope’ (1) but it was too late to restore the reputation of the royal family in the eyes of Russian people and so this weakened and lead to the destruction of Tsarist regime. In conclusion I think that the most important weakness was Tsar’s personality as, he didn’t want to be a Tsar in the first place, he was ignorant and if he tried to listen to his ministers he wouldn’t have made as many mistakes as the Russo-Japanese war or the Bloody Sunday ; so in effect the 1905 revolution.The peasants and workers didn’t want much so only if he improved their wages and gave them some land and continue what his granddad Alexander II had done, he would’ve had their support and avoid weakening himself. If he was travelling around and was liked by his people, political opposition wouldn’t form and so there would be peace in Russia and he would’ve been a strong Tsar. If he didn’t care only about himself and his family, the Tsarist regime would have been strong and Russian people would have been satisfied and the Tsarist regime would continue.