Congressinal committee hearing simulation Essay

Congressinal committee hearing simulation - Essay Example On provision of temporary work visas, the bill aims at increasing the availability of a workforce that is non-immigrant with the main aim of reinforcing the existing workforce. I therefore suggests adoption of the bill on the basis that it would commit resources necessary to streamline and modernize current immigration legal systems.Similarly,the bill apart from playing a pivotal role in securing the borders would make regulations tough but not punitive program for guest workers in the United States. The bill covers the business and labor aspects that take into consideration future plights of the workforce. It entails the chances of those under worker program being considered for permanent residence application. Under this tittle, issuances of both permanent and temporary visas are covered. It incorporates aspects of AgJOBS and DREAM ACT. This is to cover undocumented people and workers on agricultural sector respectively (Eule 22-25). Eligibility and requirements The bill is compreh ensive under with its guidelines on those who are eligible for immigrant programs and details of requirements. Workers will need to apply for visa considerations if they have been the United States for at least six years. The applicants need to have a clean integrity records and must have not been convicted in more than three occasions. In the same line, applicants should be admissible under the prevailing legislations. However, this group will not be privileged to benefit from Medicaid, affordable care act, and food stamps. It is recommended that those who have had their application pending for the past five years or even more be considered. The nature of the bill and the fact that it directly influences the revenue collection needed by the various State governments motivates me to vote for the guest worker visa program bill. The other reason is that, security concerns with the bill in terms of border security is a matter that can easily be kept in check by the immigration regulati ons with least interference from the new bill. The decision to vote for this bill is purely because of its general and long-term benefits to the state and even to the guest workers. The sensitivity of the bill therefore pushes me to vote without putting many considerations on party lines but purely on personal conviction.Similarly, the issue of temporary visas would make those who previously stayed and work illegally in the United States come up and apply for the temporary visas. This is because there security and stay in the United States would have a legal backing even if it is temporary. It is my contribution that the six-year period placed as the least number of years to qualify for work visa application be amended. Six years is a long time based on the individual’s contribution to the state. These years should therefore be reduced to three. If such an amendment is effected, then it would encourage influx of gifted expertise from other states. This would in turn facilitat e further revenue to the United States government that could be in return invested in other sectors. Additionally, the amendment plays a pivotal role in filling workforce deficits in areas such as the agricultural and economic sector (Eule 71-73).

Financial Crisis Essay Example for Free

Financial Crisis Essay The term ‘financial’ means money or money related resources and the term ‘crisis’ means deterioration or disaster or emergency so the financial crisis means the rapid deterioration of financial indicators such as asset prices and short-term interest rates which becomes the cause of financial disaster. It is also defined as the sudden change in stock rates in the financial markets. An example of financial crisis is stock market crash (Feldstein 1991, p. 1–2). The reason for financial crisis is not the huge investments made by the business leaders in the venture related activities which fail and do not bring any profitable outcome but the reason is the sweeping of numerous market participants in the heavy risk-involved dealings for the same venture for profitable means. This can be in the form of thrifts lending, bank lending or share investments in the stock market. NBER study classifies the financial crisis into three major components: 1. Domestic capital related financial crisis 2. Economic and financial crisis through international origin and transmission 3. Financial crisis transition through economic collapse Thus, the overall reasons for financial crisis arises through the excessive involvements and investments of financial resources (money, assets, properties) in the stock market for increasing the number of shares in the interest of venture. Other reasons are the unintentional means which too arises from the market through the declining rates in short-term interest and assets prices which ruin the financial resources of a developed company and finally become the reason of ‘financial crisis’ (Feldstein 1991, p. 2–3). References Feldstein, M. (1991), The Risk of Economic Crisis, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.

Leadership is about Forging Relationships

Leadership is about Forging Relationships â€Å"In a nut shell, I believe leadership is about forging relationships and perpetuating communication centered on and around a common vision, goals, and values.† Leaders set vision, strategies, goals, and values in order to guide for desired action and behavior. Leaders are characterized by certain traits which distinguish leaders from non-leaders includes Drive, desire to lead, honesty, cognitive ability, self-confidence and knowledge. Leaders are defined by their personal core values and they lead with their hearts.   In the winter of 1987, I was born in a farmer’s family and I grew up in a joint family of fourteen. Teamwork was not a choice, it was a necessity! I believe my greatest leadership asset is that I am socially resourceful. I can communicate effectively and am comfortable one-on-one or with a large group. I truly believe that learning from the experiences of others is an incredibly valuable resource. Learning about others is also a valuable tool. Exhibiting sincere interest in people empowers a leader with knowledge, perspective and insights they may not have considered. In addition, others are likely to increase their receptiveness to anything you have to say or hope to accomplish when they sense your genuine interest in their point of view. Genuine people who are true to themselves and to what they believe in turned into an authentic leader. They are more concern about serving others than they are about their own success or recognition. My journey into leadership is full of peaks and valleys. Leadership has not always been an easy road for me, but has provided me with several challenges. One of my first experiences was in high school and has continued throughout my professional career. My first experience in leadership was my being elected to represent my high school-Birla school, Mumbai for a state level event named India culture quest. We were team of 22 including dancers, singers, gymnastics, science innovation project team, and team to handle brainstorming and quizzes. I remember being so nervous not knowing how to lead or communicate effectively with my fellow students. It was my primary role that to engage and coordinate my fellow student and also represent our school as of the example for discipline and talent on a state level. I knew I could handle this challenge if I organized the team and prepared the charter. My charter was including everyone’s details about their strength and weaknesses. I organi zed all of them into their respective small groups based on their role in an event and asked each team to choose one leader among them. I distributed my responsibilities among these leaders and kept the track of quality of the performance. I also organized special event and outings to encourage my fellow students to engage them. This to me was my first experience in leadership and it helped me in college where I was pushed to organize and managed the annual cultural event named – ‘Odessy’. I felt challenged, but I knew by extending an outline of my high-school leadership. I agreed to commit that my leadership style improved a lot during those days. It became more authentic. Authentic leaders need to sustain high levels of motivation. Keeping that in mind I started my work by delivering motivational speech to my team and asked them to give best of what they have. I outlined my leadership style in such a way that my team mates should feel comfortable to speak up an d share their views. My contributions allowed others to have a better understanding of the overall planning and execution of the Annual Culture Event. This also helped me overcome challenges and differences by expressing myself among different personalities, ethnicities, and cultures. I learned that leadership has multiple dimensions. Articulating the vision and managing the task are not only the responsibilities of a leader. It’s more than that. It’s to influence others by your core values, your unique characteristics and your authentic and positive approach. You will be most effective as a leader when you find opportunities that highly motivate you and utilize your greatest capabilities. One without the other is insufficient. To find them you must understand your deepest motivations and be honest with yourself about your capabilities. Being motivated by something you are not good at will not enable you to succeed as a leader, nor will pursue leadership roles that do not motivate you. But when you find the role that meshes your motivations with your capabilities, you will discover the sweet spot that maximizes your effectiveness as a leader. I also learned one more lesson that accept both success and failure. My every step, whether it is a mistake or success strategy, will always give me an uncountable experience. I have to learn through that experience. Never afraid of failures because each mistake teaches us the important lessons to succeed. I also developed my listening ability during the whole event. I gained the experience of discovering capabilities which I did not know I had. Another example of leadership includes my managerial experience at my company. The greatest challenge I faced was building a product team at my company. On November 7, 2012 Vice president of my company, Mr. Mahesh Patil, sent me an email and asked me to join him in the cabin. Mr. Patil just returned from a meeting with board of directors. He reported that the company facing challenges to beat the high market competition and we will lose thousands of customers if we are not able to improve our product’s features. As a recently promoted product manager, I was asked to lead the project. I never had experience of leading a huge team of 17 people before. In past, I was working as an associate product manager for the same product and hence I was pretty sure about functionality and technical constraints about the product. I decided to take the opportunity and to challenge myself to enhance my leadership graph. When I entered into my current position, I knew I had to make changes in t he methodologies and product development process. The previous product manager had short of vision and neither organized research work, and process documents. The company relied solely on him, which caused inconsistency in products quality and customers dissatisfaction. I led and supervised 17 employees, coordinated the work of forty two people, and two months later implemented a solution. In order to start with I formed four distinguished teams and re-defined responsibilities and tasks. During the initial discussion with Mr. Mahesh Patil and 5 senior managers, I suggested the methodology for solving the problem. I presented the feasibility of the proposed solution and an initial estimate of the costs, and operational implications. I convinced them that how the new methodology will give us an edge over our competitors and innovative marketing strategy will help us to regain the brand name. However, I felt I have not yet consider all the real time risk factors and it may turn into operationally premature solution due to lack of ability in handling the risk. I asked for more days to conduct trials. I knew that the financial consequences of failure would be tremendous and hence I was very much stressed by this project. Leaders do not succeed on their own. Every leader defined by the members of his team. Strong-support team provides affirmation, advice, perspective, calls for corrections when needed, and, above all, team bonding. I knew that I want to lead a team where I should create comfort and open environment so that during the hard days and low points, as a whole team we should not lose our boost to achieve the target. I knew that it is easy to divert by the expectations of others but as a leader my role is to grounded my team mates with their core values and help them to stay on track. In our first team meeting, I shared my strength and weakness and asked others to join me by expressing their thoughts. Three of seventeen Team members were not open with one other about their mistakes and weaknesses. Such things make it difficult to build a foundation for trust. Teams that lack trust are incapable of engaging in unfiltered and passionate debate of ideas. Instead, they resort to veiled discussions and guarded comments. Again I felt challenged. Whether you are a leader or a team member, you can never take trust for granted. It was a big challenge for me to build a trust and create extremely harmonious and independent environment that embrace my personal values and principles. I took the opportunity and passed Quote of Trust and Accountability a.k.a. QTA based on our discussion. Our Quote of Trust and Accountability (QTA) stated as – ‘Trust lies at the heart of a functioning, cohesive team. Without it, teamwork is all but impossible. Unfortunately, the word trust is used—and misused—so often that it has lost some of its impact and begins to sound like motherhood. That is why it is important to be very specific about what is meant by trust. For me trust and accountability is what I perceive and conceptualize my core values and I am responsible to develop authenticity, integrity, knowledge, authority, respect for others, and trust’. We all agreed to Quote of Trust. Next day I gathered my staff and I presented the issues, emphasized the significance of the business opportunity, and defined a timetable. I also asked my marketing team to evaluate the magnitude of the problem in other markets. I set the vision of our team and also specified the norms of team. I distributed the task among four teams and created guidelines of communication and execution. It was two-way communication session where I asked my teammates to share their views, expert knowledge and level of confidence. It was a great session we had. I learned that being with your team-mates face-to-face; inquiring about their work, their families, their personal lives, and their careers; and being open and vulnerable with them creates an intimacy with people. As we moved forward in the project, I able to developed the series of positive interactions, suggestions, and problem solving methodologies. Initially, few members of my team were hesitating to open up due to language barrier. I organ ized Saturday late afternoon party at my home. I invited all to join and made them to participate in the musical chair game. I had also organized activity exercises’ for my team. We had great fun. The enjoyment ended with musical evening where everyone was singing and all were connected to the music. I was listening to the music with closed eyes but I was experiencing the engagement and strong bonding as a team with open heart. I succeed to diminish the language barrier. Whenever I feel stressed or down, I close my eyes and recollect those memories of empowerment. The breeze of empowerment boosts me to stand again.

Essay --

‘Man perfected by society is the best of all animals; he is the most terrible of all when he lives without law, and without justice.’ – Aristotle. I believe this aphorism sums up precisely what it is to have a just and lawful society- a peaceful reasoned society. Without law and justice we would be living in an anarchic and nihilistic world - a dystopia where traditional society loses its intrinsic value. A commitment to these ideas underpins my decision to study law. I first became interested in law when learning about civil and human rights, how different interpretations of the law give and take rights. My study of Politics also spurred my interest in the political aspects of law, especially in the American Constitution. Specifically how it implements Montesquieu's tripartite system, giving the Supreme Court great influence on daily life, but also acting as a check on other branches, ensuring protection and justice for all. The most notable example being Nixon’s impeachment over the ‘Watergate Scandal’ which demonstrated that no-one was above the law. During the summer, I spent so... Essay -- ‘Man perfected by society is the best of all animals; he is the most terrible of all when he lives without law, and without justice.’ – Aristotle. I believe this aphorism sums up precisely what it is to have a just and lawful society- a peaceful reasoned society. Without law and justice we would be living in an anarchic and nihilistic world - a dystopia where traditional society loses its intrinsic value. A commitment to these ideas underpins my decision to study law. I first became interested in law when learning about civil and human rights, how different interpretations of the law give and take rights. My study of Politics also spurred my interest in the political aspects of law, especially in the American Constitution. Specifically how it implements Montesquieu's tripartite system, giving the Supreme Court great influence on daily life, but also acting as a check on other branches, ensuring protection and justice for all. The most notable example being Nixon’s impeachment over the ‘Watergate Scandal’ which demonstrated that no-one was above the law. During the summer, I spent so...

Hertz Corporation

ALTRIA GROUP, INC. (MO) 10-Q Quarterly report pursuant to sections 13 or 15(d) Filed on 07/26/2012 Filed Period 06/30/2012 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549 FORM 10-Q (Mark One) y QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2012 OR ? TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from o Commission File Number 1-08940 Altria Group, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Virginia 13-3260245 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I. R. S. Employer Identification No. ) 6601 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (804) 274-2200 Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last reportIndicate by check mark whether the re gistrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ? No ? Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T ( §232. 05 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ? No ? Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of â€Å"large accelerated filer,† â€Å"accelerated filer† and â€Å"smaller reporting companyâ₠¬  in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer ? Accelerated filer ? Non-accelerated filer ? (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company ?Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ? No ? At July 16, 2012 , there were 2,032,833,474 shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0. 33 1/3 per share. Table of Contents ALTRIA GROUP, INC. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION Item 1. Financial Statements (Unaudited) Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 3 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 5 Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 7 Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 8 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stoc kholders’ Equity for the Year Ended December 31, 2011 and the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 9 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 10 Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements 12 Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 61 Item 4. Controls and Procedures 99 PART II – OTHER INFORMATIONItem 1. Legal Proceedings 100 Item 1A. Risk Factors 100 Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 100 Item 5. Other Information 101 Item 6. Exhibits 102 Signature Signature 103 – 2- Table of Contents PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION Item 1. Financial Statements. Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) June 30, 2012 December 31, 2011 Assets Consumer products Cash and cash equivalents $ Receivables 1,528 $ 3,270 256 268 Leaf tobacco 799 934 Other raw mater ials 184 170 Work in process 269 316 Inventories:Finished product 432 Other current assets 1,779 1,207 Deferred income taxes 359 1,684 1,207 468 Property, plant and equipment, at cost 607 5,143 Total current assets 7,131 4,750 2,512 2,131 Goodwill 4,728 2,619 Less accumulated depreciation 2,216 5,174 Other assets 12,098 6,486 Investment in SABMiller 5,174 12,088 Other intangible assets, net 5,509 472 1,257 31,494 33,385 3,012 Total consumer products assets 3,559 Financial services Finance assets, net Other assets 41 Total Assets $ 18 3,053 Total financial services assets 3,577 34,547 $ See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.Continued – 3- 36,962 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Continued) (in millions of dollars, except share and per share data) (Unaudited) June 30, 2012 December 31, 2011 Liabilities Consumer products Current portion of long-term debt $ Accounts payable 600 $ 600 335 503 Marketing 5 81 430 Taxes, except income taxes 218 220 Accrued liabilities: Employment costs 110 225 Settlement charges 2,184 3,513 Other 1,217 1,311 Dividends payable 836 7,643 13,089 Long-term debt 841 6,081 Total current liabilities 13,089 Deferred income taxes 5,074 4,751Accrued pension costs 1,139 1,662 Accrued postretirement health care costs 2,367 2,359 Other liabilities 606 602 28,356 30,106 1,764 Total consumer products liabilities 2,811 Financial services Deferred income taxes Other liabilities 119 3,141 30,239 33,247 33 32 935 Total liabilities 330 1,883 Total financial services liabilities 935 Contingencies (Note 11) Redeemable noncontrolling interest Stockholders' Equity Common stock, par value $0. 33 1/3 per share (2,805,961,317 shares issued) Additional paid-in capital 5,647 Accumulated other comprehensive losses 5,674 24,334 Earnings reinvested in the business 3,583 (1,674) (1,887) Cost of repurchased stock (773,116,613 shares in 2012 and 761,542,032 shares in 2011) (24,969) (24, 625) Total stockholders’ equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc. 4,273 3,680 2 3 Noncontrolling interests Total stockholders’ equity 4,275 Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity $ 34,547 See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 4- 3,683 $ 36,962 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (in millions of dollars, except per share data) (Unaudited) For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012Net revenues $ 2011 12,134 $ 11,563 Cost of sales 3,878 3,825 Excise taxes on products 3,560 3,618 Gross profit 4,696 4,120 1,130 1,272 Marketing, administration and research costs Asset impairment and exit costs 37 3 Amortization of intangibles 10 11 3,519 2,834 Operating income Interest and other debt expense, net 586 Earnings before income taxes 572 (743) Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller (344) 3,676 Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 1,224 2,421 Net earnings 2,6 06 1,255 Provision for income taxes 1,382 (1 ) Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc. (1) $ ,420 $ 1,381 Basic earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. $ 1. 19 $ 0. 66 Diluted earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. $ 1. 19 $ 0. 66 $ 0. 82 $ 0. 76 Per share data: Dividends declared See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 5- Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (in millions of dollars, except per share data) (Unaudited) For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 Net revenues $ 2011 6,487 $ 5,920 Cost of sales 2,086 2,030 Excise taxes on products 1,907 1,918 Gross profit 2,494 1,972 596 671 16 1Marketing, administration and research costs Asset impairment and exit costs Amortization of intangibles 5 Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller 1,295 293 Interest and other debt expense, net 5 1,877 Operating income 294 (223) Earnings before income taxes (155) 1,807 581 Net earnings 712 1,226 Provision for income taxes 1,156 444 Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests (1 ) Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc. — $ 1,225 $ 444 Basic earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. $ 0. 60 $ 0. 21 Diluted earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. $ 0. 60 $ 0. 21 0. 41 $ 0. 38 Per share data: Dividends declared See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 6- Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 Net earnings $ 2,421 2011 $ 1,382 Other comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes: Currency translation adjustments — 1 61 64 154 135 Benefit plans: Amounts reclassified to net earnings SABMiller: Ownership share of SABMiller's other comprehensive earnings before reclassifications to net earningsAmounts reclassified to net earnings (2 ) 5 152 205 2,634 Comprehensive earnings Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 140 213 Other comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes 1,587 (1) Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc. See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 7- $ 2,633 (1) $ 1,586 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 Net earnings $ 2011 1,226 $ 444Other comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes: Currency translation adjustments — 1 39 32 (23) 78 (5) 1 Benefit plans: Amounts reclassified to net earnings SABMiller: Ownership share of SABMiller's other comprehensive (losses) earnings before reclassifications to net earnings Amounts reclassified to net earnings (28) 112 1,237 Comprehensive earnings Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 79 11 Oth er comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes 556 (1) Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc. See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. 8- $ 1,236 — $ 556 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the Year Ended December 31, 2011 and the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 (in millions of dollars, except per share data) (Unaudited) Attributable to Altria Group, Inc. Common Stock (1) Earnings Reinvested in the Business Accumulated Other Comprehensive Losses Cost of Repurchased Stock Non-controlling Interests Total Stockholders’ Equity $ 935 Balances, December 31, 2010 Additional Paid-in Capital $ 5,751 $ 23,459 $ $ (23,469) $ $ (1,484) 3 5,195 — — 3,390 — — 1Other comprehensive losses, net of deferred income tax benefit — — — (403) — — (403) Exercise of stock options and other stock award a ctivity — (77) — — 171 — 94 Cash dividends declared ($1. 58 per share) — — — — (3,266) Repurchases of common stock — — — — — (1,327) Other — — — — Net earnings Balances, December 31, 2011 (3,266) — — (1) 935 5,674 23,583 3 3,683 — — 2,420 — — — 2,420 Other comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes — — — 213 — — 213 Exercise of stock options and other stock award activity — (27) — — 16 — (11) Cash dividends declared ($0. 82 per share) — — — — — (1,669) Repurchases of common stock — — (360) — (360) Balances, June 30, 2012 (1) (1,669) — — — — $ 935 $ 5,647 $ 24,334 — $ (1,674) (24,625) (1) Net earnings (1) Other (1,887) (1,327) 3,391 — $ (24,969) (1) $ 2 (1) $ 4,275 Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and for the year ended December 31, 2011 exclude $1 million and $2 million, respectively, due to the redeemable noncontrolling interest related to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, which is reported in the mezzanine equity section in the condensed consolidated balance sheets at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 , respectively.See Note 11. See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 9- Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 2011 Cash Provided by (Used In) Operating Activities Net earnings (loss) – Consumer products $ 2,311 – Financial services 110 Net earnings $ 1,962 (580) 2,421 1,382 Depreciation and amortization 113 121 Deferred income tax provision 299 132 (743) (344) (34) (24) (456) — Adjustm ents to reconcile net earnings to operating cash flows: Consumer productsEarnings from equity investment in SABMiller Asset impairment and exit costs, net of cash paid IRS payment related to LILO and SILO transactions Cash effects of changes: Receivables, net 2 Inventories (12) 95 Accrued liabilities and other current assets (94) (251) Income taxes 130 (64) Accounts payable 5 58 Accrued settlement charges 58 (1,329) (1,398) Pension plan contributions (514) (209) Pension provisions and postretirement, net 85 122 Other 90 121 Financial services Deferred income tax benefit (1,270) PMCC leveraged lease charges 7 Decrease to allowance for losses 10) Other liabilities (income taxes) 1,437 Other (529) 490 — 505 (21) See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. Continued – 10- 23 (85) Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities 479 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Continued) (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 2011 Cash Provided by (Used In) Investing Activities Consumer products Capital expenditures $ Other (39) $ (3) (40) 1 Financial services Proceeds from finance assets 552 129 510 0 — Net cash provided by investing activities 1,494 Cash Provided by (Used In) Financing Activities Consumer products Long-term debt issued Repurchases of common stock (360) (575) (1,674) Dividends paid on common stock (1,589) Issuances of common stock — 29 Financing fees and debt issuance costs — (23) (133) (155) (2,167) (819) Other Net cash used in financing activities Cash and cash equivalents: Decrease (1,742) Balance at beginning of period (250) 3,270 Balance at end of period $ 1,528 See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 11 – 2,314 $ 2,064Table of Contents Note 1. Background and Basis of Presentation: Background At June 30, 2012, Altria Group, Inc. ‘s direct and indirect wholly- owned subsidiaries included Philip Morris USA Inc. (â€Å"PM USA†), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and certain smokeless products in the United States; John Middleton Co. (â€Å"Middleton†), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PM USA; and UST LLC (â€Å"UST†), which through its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries including U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (â€Å"USSTC†) and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd. (â€Å"Ste. Michelle†), is engaged in the manufacture and sale of smokeless products and wine. Philip Morris Capital Corporation (â€Å"PMCC†), another wholly-owned subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc. , maintains a portfolio of leveraged and direct finance leases. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. held an approximate 27. 0% economic and voting interest in SABMiller plc (â€Å"SABMiller†) at June 30, 2012, whi ch is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Altria Group, Inc. s access to the operating cash flows of its wholly-owned subsidiaries consists of cash received from the payment of dividends and distributions, and the payment of interest on intercompany loans by its subsidiaries. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. receives cash dividends on its interest in SABMiller if and when SABMiller pays such dividends. At June 30, 2012, Altria Group, Inc. ‘s principal wholly-owned subsidiaries were not limited by long-term debt or other agreements in their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their common stock.Share Repurchases In October 2011, Altria Group, Inc. ‘s Board of Directors authorized a $1. 0 billion share repurchase program, which Altria Group, Inc. intends to complete by the end of 2012 . During the six and three months ended June 30, 2012, Altria Group, Inc. repurchased 11. 9 million shares (aggregate cost of approximate ly $360 million , and $30. 16 average price per share) and 2. 0 million shares (aggregate cost of approximately $66 million , and $32. 37 average price per share), respectively. As of June 30, 2012 , Altria Group, Inc. had repurchased a total of 23. million shares of its common stock under this program at an aggregate cost of approximately $688 million , and an average price of $29. 01 per share. The timing of share repurchases under this program depends upon marketplace conditions and other factors, and the program remains subject to the discretion of Altria Group, Inc. ‘s Board of Directors. Basis of Presentation The interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Altria Group, Inc. are unaudited. It is the opinion of Altria Group, Inc. ‘s management that all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim results presented have been reflected therein.All such adjustments were of a normal recurring nature. Net revenues and net earnings for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. These statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes, which appear in Altria Group, Inc. ‘s Annual Report to Shareholders and which are incorporated by reference into Altria Group, Inc. ‘s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Balance sheet accounts are segregated by two broad types of businesses.Consumer products assets and liabilities are classified as either current or noncurrent, whereas financial services assets and liabilities are unclassified, in accordance with respective industry practices. During the second quarter of 2012, Altria Group, Inc. determined that it had not recorded in its financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2012, its share of non-cash gains from its equity investment in SABMiller, relating to SABMiller's strategic alliance transactions with Anadolu Efes and Castel that were closed during the first quarter of 2012.Because Altria Group, Inc. did not record these gains, it understated by $342 million, $222 million and $0. 11 earnings from equity investment in SABMiller, net earnings/comprehensive earnings, and diluted earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. , respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2012. Additionally, Altria Group, Inc. understated its investment in SABMiller, long-term liability for deferred income taxes and total stockholders' equity by $342 million, $120 million and $222 million, respectively, at March 31, 2012.There was no impact on net cash flows from operating, investing or financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2012. Altria Group, Inc. assessed the materiality of – 12- Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) these understatements in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission 's (â€Å"SEC†) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 99 â€Å"Materiality† and determined that the impact was not material to Altria Group, Inc. ‘s financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2012.Accordingly, Altria Group, Inc. has determined that it is appropriate to revise its first quarter 2012 financial statements and has reflected this revision in the financial statements as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2012. Financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2012 reported in future filings will reflect this revision. Altria Group, Inc. ‘s chief operating decision maker has been evaluating the operating results of the former cigarettes and cigars segments as a single smokeable products segment since January 1, 2012.The combination of these two formerly separate segments is related to the restructuring associated with the cost reduction program announced in October 2011 (the â€Å"2011 Cost Reduction Program†). A lso, in connection with the 2011 Cost Reduction Program, effective January 1, 2012, Middleton became a wholly-owned subsidiary of PM USA, reflecting management's goal to achieve efficiencies in the management of these businesses. Effective with the first quarter of 2012, Altria Group, Inc. ‘s reportable segments are smokeable products, smokeless products, wine and financial services.For further discussion on the 2011 Cost Reduction Program, see Note 2. Asset Impairment, Exit, Implementation and Integration Costs. Effective January 1, 2012, Altria Group, Inc. adopted new authoritative guidance that eliminated the option of presenting components of other comprehensive earnings as part of the statement of stockholders' equity. With the adoption of this guidance, Altria Group, Inc. is reporting other comprehensive earnings in separate statements immediately following the statements of earnings. Note 2.Asset Impairment, Exit, Implementation and Integration Costs: Pre-tax asset impa irment, exit and implementation costs for the six and three months ended June 30, 2012 consisted of the following: For The Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 Asset Impairment and Exit Costs For The Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 Implementation (Gain) Costs Total Asset Impairment and Exit Costs Implementation Costs Total (in millions) Smokeable products $ 23 $ (12) $ 11 $ 16 $ 9 $ 25 Smokeless products 14 5 19 — — — General corporate — (1) (1 ) — — — Total $ 37

Is All Music Bad Music essays

Is All Music Bad Music essays People think that some music isn't appropriate. Well, I see it a different way. If you don't like the music then don't listen to it. I like all kinds of music but I'm not really into hard rock so I don't listen to it. Here are some types of music that some people may have a problem with. Alot of people I know have a problem with rap. Maybe it's because of what some of the artists are saying in there songs or freestyles. I'm not really sure why people don't like it but not everyone likes everything. I know a few people who don't like country. They say it's too mushy. I admit that most country is slow and talking about love but it is good music. Maybe it's just because I like slow songs. People just don't like to listen to slow songs all the time so they choose not to like country. I know alot of people you like rock. I hate rock! It is just to much banging and stuff. It's too noisy and annoying to listen to. Some of it is okay when they're not yelling the whole time. It just doesn't sound good to me. There are many reasons as to why people don't like certain music but I don't really know all of them. Not everyone is alike so they all have many different reasons as to why they don't like the music that other people do. ...

OMG Facebook isnt for Everybody

OMG Facebook isnt for Everybody Free Online Research Papers In the beginning, there was a ‘college student-only’ style Facebook where one would have to attend an approved college or university in order to sign up for an account. In recent years, Facebook has expanded on its membership opportunities, first by allowing high school children to join, then later allowing everyone with a valid email address to partake in the online social networking site. Since then, parents have utilized Facebook as a means to keep up with their offspring’s social life by attempting to ‘friend’ them and have access to their Facebook profile. Most teens find this invasive, and some even find it distasteful. It is embarrassing to the child to find out that their mother or father is on Facebook, primarily because of maturity issues. Besides, teens feel that adults have other options when it comes to social networking. Many teens worry that when their parents do join Facebook, they convey a little too much or even embarrassing information via their profile page or constant status updates. Even in the presence of all this evidence stacked against adults on reasons why they shouldn’t join Facebook, there are, in fact, legitimate arguments that support the use of Facebook by adults. Facebook is a place where young people come to freely mingle and network and parents can join also, but they should respect their child’s space because it’s the one of the only places in a child’s life where it isn’t regulated by parental control. If one were to search blogs and threads related to Facebook and parents, the number one reason, by far, that teens don’t want their parents to have a Facebook simply is because they would be embarrassed. Since Facebook was started by students, and primarily used by such, the notion that one’s mother, father, or pretty much anyone over the age of 30 uses or has a Facebook signifies to the teen a sense of immaturity. In the New York Times article â€Å"OMG My Mom Just Joined Facebook!!† the author’s daughter shows her frustration to her mother who has recently joined Facebook in an instant message to her mother. â€Å"Wayyy creepy,† said the instant message. â€Å"Why did you make one!† The daughter then sent, â€Å"im only telling you for your own good†, followed immediately by, â€Å"You won’t get away with this,† and â€Å"everyone in the whole world thinks its super creepy when adults have facebooks.† Since teens view their parents as the epitome of what it means to be successful, independent, and wise, for them to join a site like Facebook puts them in an uncomfortable state of mind and putting their previous judgments about their perceived very mature parents into question. Parents also tend to â€Å"over-share† information when they join Facebook, updating their status multiple times a day with their every move. On the website MyParentsJoinedFacebook.com, there are numerous examples of parents over-sharing their daily lives in status updates and wall posts made on their offspring’s wall, which many children find very embarrassing. Also, parents tend to act like grammar police and will literally make a public spectacle of your bad vocabulary skills. Teens shun away at the very thought of their mother or father joining Facebook, simply because of the embarrassment they might endure from their parents ignorance of the social networking site. Adults have a plethora of other sites they can join where the environment is a lot more mature and professional. Some adults even refuse to join any type of social networking site, simply because of the stereotype that it’s made only for young people. Social networking has gotten a bad rap, and I think thats wrong, says Jim Klein, director of information services and technology at Saugus Union School District in Santa Clarita Valley, CA. It offers lots of options and opportunities that school districts should be taking advantage of. (O’Hanlon) Adults have come up with an interesting way to use social networking for engaging children in learning. Teachers have come together and created social sites where children of that school can come together and discuss homework and other school related issues. Sometimes its hard to convince teachers to use technology as a mechanism for learning, says Kirsten Jordan, online community partnerships coordinator for TakingITGlobal, an o nline community that features an education-themed social networking site called TIGed. Jordan says that just showing educators how they can use social networking for educational purposes can be productive. Once you do that, they can see. (O’Hanlon) In a New York Times article, one professor pointed out other sites that adults can join and be around their own kind. â€Å"He pointed out that there are a number of other social networks - sober, grown-up places like Linkedin.com (for making business contacts) and Care2.com (for social activists) and Webbiographies.com (for amateur genealogists) - where I could cavort without offending my daughter.† (Slatalla) There are sites out there tailored to fit any type of situation; Adults just need to explore their options. The argument against Facebook for parents (usually the children’s’ argument) is that it was a children’s device, originally starting out for college students, and that parents going on Facebook would be like parents in 1969 going to Woodstock. However, using that logic, one could argue that parents should be prevented from getting cell phones, checking their emails, or having mp3 players. Ipods used to be the cool thing that the rich children had at school, now you see sixty-year-old men jogging in Scarsdale with them. Clearly, somewhere along the line, Ipods stopped being â€Å"just for children†. Then there’s the argument for parents on Facebook (usually the argument of the parents). They say that Facebook is just another form of technology, or rather that children should not be interfering with their lives, an â€Å"I’m the parent, you’re the child† type of philosophy. Parents need to keep a healthy distance from their child ren, and exposing their lives to the public is irresponsible and immature. When one has children, one gains many privileges but one also has responsibilities–posting bikini-clad photos of you and your husband kissing is probably one of the things you lose. There has been a bit of backlash since Facebook opened its doors to everyone. Groups have started popping up on showing resentment towards the very unpopular move. In the abc news article â€Å"Friended By Mom and Dad on Facebook†, the author shows that students don’t like the inclusion of nonstudents and parents on Facebook. Its really weird that nonstudents and parents use Facebook, said Emma Gaines, a Tufts University sophomore. It makes me feel really uncomfortable that my older aunt has Facebook, because she says that she likes to check up on her teenage nieces and nephews and takes our pictures for her own use. Thats creepy. (Friended By Mom and Dad on Facebook, Alexa Davis). When Facebook opened its doors to all users, that boosted its visits up 300 percent, and that increase includes parents, ad companies, and anyone over the age of 13 with a valid email address. Even before nonstudents were able to use the site, there were many petitions by students sent to Fac ebook creator Mark Zuckerberg to prevent nonstudents from joining the site. â€Å"For instance, the creator of the Facebook group Dont Let My Parents onto Facebook!! sent an e-mail to Zuckerberg before the change to general admission, detailing the reasons why parents shouldnt be allowed on the site. The description for the group says, Facebook is planning to announce that it will soon make the site open to anyone with a valid e-mail address. This means that your mom and dad, grandmas, almost everyone could possibly see your profiles. Now I am sure the privacy settings will go through the roof when this happens, but that is not the point. Facebook is a site where high school and college kids can be on their own and not worry about their parents or anyone else judging them. Lets keep it that way. (Davis) So what’s the verdict? Can parents have Facebooks, or is it too soon? Is Facebook inherently for children and never to be enjoyed by parents? Parents can have Facebooks. Much like any other technology or social networking site, Facebook is filtering out into the mainstream. It started out for college children, then went to high school children, then middle schoolers pretending to be high school children, then it opened up to pedophiles and random older people, and now parents are joining. Keep in mind people also have Facebooks for their dogs, cats, and babies. Parents may not be the problem at all. However, parents should treat Facebook the way an adult would treat it. Constantly writing embarrassing things on their children’ wall (when the kid has explicitly said not to), or posting anything inappropriate or immature, is just dumb. Giving every detail of their romantic life, or acting like a teenager in any way, is disturbing and shouldn’t be happening. But som e parents come across some really cool stuff on Facebook–they can meet up with a lot of their old college friends and have a reliable way to communicate with them. One wouldn’t say that’s so bad. Research Papers on OMG Facebook isn't for EverybodyPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresStandardized TestingComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoHip-Hop is ArtThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into Asia

Mrs Joe and Mr Joe Relationship Essays

Mrs Joe and Mr Joe Relationship Essays Mrs Joe and Mr Joe Relationship Paper Mrs Joe and Mr Joe Relationship Paper Through the relationship and Interaction of Mr.. And Mrs.. Joe, Dickens has fundamentally questioned the overall role of a male and a female and how this characterizes Joe alongside his actions. By analyzing the historical context of Joe in the growing up in an oppressive and physically abusive household, readers are provided insight to the selfless traits that he possesses and why he allows himself to be subordinate to Mrs.. Joe. When the gender roles of his marriage are reversed and sections him to act as the masculine man of the house, the traditional gender stereotypes are both reinforced and questioned to give overall meaning to the creative novel. Throughout the Victorian era, it was socially accepted and recognized that men should establish their dominance with physical and brutal force. Dickens fundamentally questions this ideology through the Inverted relationship of Mrs Joe and Joe Gagger. This reversal of dominance Is established In the beginning when Pip reminisces that Mrs Joe, throwing the door wide open, and folding an obstruction behind it Applied Tickler He concluded by throwing me- I often served as a connubial missile. . From the beginning Mrs Joe is depicted as the dominant figure that provides the discipline, in a non-maternal manner, alongside her trusty companion Tickler, who we find out is a leather whip. Explain why Dickens uses violence to reverse role. Not only does Mrs Joe direct her anger towards Pip, Joe is a regular boxing bag to the strikes of Mrs Joe as she threw a candlestick at Joe, burst into a loud sobbing, got out the dustpan†which was always a very bad sign- put on her course apron, and began cleaning up too terrible extent. The editor of the Hull Packet remarked that wife beating was being accepted as the habit of the nation and a mans duty was to correct his wife or partner. Welsh medieval law expert was quoted in the Daily Telegraph stating that a man may beat a woman with a stick or rod as thick as his middle finger and as long as his forearm . However, in Great Expectations, Dickens decides to reverse this habitual understanding of woman beating and provide Insight of the other understated possibility. Novel Guide adds that when Women suffered from the abuse of their husbands they were expected to peep the marriage together regardless Joe, although terrified of Mrs Joe, is a very honorable man and would never consider divorcing his wife. Through this condition, however, Joe appears to be even a more honorable man to choose to preserve the sacred marriage rather than seek his comfort. This Initially characterizes Joe as unalterably loyal and dependent as well as undertaking the stereotypical female role of the Victorian era. During the sasss, the family structure showed men as the head of the household, distributing discipline and taking ultimate control. The father was nearly feared throughout the family due to the power that he reinforced daily whilst offering guidance and support was part of a womans duty and was therefore seen as a feminine role. However, in the beginning Joe is characterized as a sensitive, man who serves as PIPs moral compass and clearly separates right and wrong dally confides in Pip saying that l wish there werent no Tickler for you, old chap But this is the up-and-down-and-straighten it, Pip, and I hope youll overlook shortcomings Joe acts as a stable character whos morals and values are completely carved in stone ND unalterable, even by the blows of Mrs.. Joe. Dickens creatively applies Joe to be a product of a domestic violent household in order to explain the preserving of his dysfunctional marriage. The context develops his character further throughout the novel as an understated and subtle hero. In the seventh chapter, readers are provided an in-depth explanation as to why Joe allows himself to be oppressed by Mrs Joe. He confides in Pip explaining that My father, Pip, he were given to drink, and when he were overtook with drink, he hammered away at my mother most unmerciful. It were ammos the only hammering he did, indeed, excepting at myself.. And he hammered at me with a wigwag only to be equaled by the wigwag which he didnt hammer at his IANAL. Knowing his background, the readers are able to understand why Joe has resorted to passive- aggressive behavior rather than mimicking the pain his father caused to both himself and his mother. Joe is stuck in his childlike past, being regularly beaten and in a position to please others as well as protecting one particular character, in this particular time period is Pip. Through his history, we can interpret Joe as a protector ND guardian for the underdogs, to act as a voice to those who are in need and as an ultimate Victorian superhero for Pip in the same way he was to his mother. We can deduce that Joe has strategically chosen to marry a dictating woman in refusing to be a part of the domestic violence culture, and therefore, save another female from the undeserving violence as well as refusing to witness the tears released as a result of his blows. However, in doing so he still remains the innocent child who accepts his oppression, and substitutes as an almost female role. Dickens enables the character of Joe to be emphasized as a selfless character who would rather take the pain on himself than cause the violence to another being. The relationship between Mr And Mrs Joe Gagger is subverted once again to the dominant patriarchal structure of the Victorian era to develop the character of Joe in testing his dominance and leadership. After a brutal attack leaves Mrs Joe incapable of self-sufficiency, Joe takes control of the situation and acts as the head of the household and is forced into the role of a man. Dickens could be questioning that, spite Joeys refusal to act as a puppet of the Victorian culture, Mrs Joeys destiny of being beaten has been ultimately fulfilled nonetheless. This can be taken through a feminist critique of the notion that women are created to be oppressed and physically diminished. Joeys unintentional oppression of his wife completely contradicts his original submissive, childlike nature, where he has been programmed to be controlled. Alternatively, Joeys mental stance has stagnated at this point in his childlike mindset and now is arguably on the same level or even lower than his brain imaged wife. A feminist viewpoint could question that although Joe holds a power stance over the female, is his mental capability enough to enforce the role? Dickens could also be reinforcing that Mrs Joe still has the ability to dominate Joe without the in which he originally was trained to despise. However, when individuals are forced into a role, they can either live up to the position or fall short. The change in circumstance doesnt change his attitude or personality; instead it develops his leadership and empowers Joe to be dominant and confident in his actions. Joe becomes the ultimate caregiver alongside his compassionate and considerate nature, taking care of his wife with unconditional love. Through the stereotypical Victorian gender roles, Joe is identified as a reasonable and moral man who remains selfless throughout his constant physical abuse. His historical context has explained his marriage to an abusive wife and especially his generous and kindhearted nature. Even though Mrs Joe serves as a tyrant for whom Joe is made helpless, he acts as a representation of a hegemonic society, which accepts oppression.

Critical Infrastructure Protection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Infrastructure Protection - Assignment Example However, what is clear is that the intelligence agencies failed to protect the country from such catastrophes. To prevent such attacks in the future and to ensure that America becomes a secure country to live in and do business, George Walker Bush, undertook a proactive move that led to the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security. The move to establish the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was informed by the need to protect the U.S. against terrorism as its main mission, according to the White House (2003). DHS has 22 different federal agencies charged with different roles aimed at ensuring that the country is safeguarded from terrorist threats. The fact that DHS had 22 different federal departments made it the third largest Federal department in the country. Operation and responsibilities of the DHS The responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security as far as prevention and emergency response are concerned are four folds. The first major responsibility of DHS is safeguarding the United States by preventing terrorism and enhancing national security (Charvat, 2012). According to the White House (2003), safeguarding the U.S. and its citizens from terrorism was the cornerstone for its formation, following the 9/11 incident. The 9/11 incident exposed the country’s vulnerability to terrorism of whatever kind. Therefore, in response to the incident, the then president, George Walker Bush found it necessary to form an independent department responsible for safeguarding the country from terrorist threats. The DHS is also responsible for securing the U.S. borders. In fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding the country against terrorism, DHS also focuses on the prevention of unauthorized importation, acquisition, or use of nuclear, biological, and chemical materials and capabilities within the country’s borders. In addition, the DHS is responsible for safeguarding the U.S cyberspace from attack by malicious actors. Further, the DHS is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the country’s resilience to disaster (Filippini, Giannopoulos, and Schimmer 2012). Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) initiatives The U.S. critical infrastructure consists of power plants, highways, cyber networks, bridges, telecommunication, banking, water system financial institutions, emergency services and transport system, both government and private that are critical for the effective and efficient functioning of the country. These critical infrastructures have become vulnerable to attack by terrorists in the past decades. As such, the DHS has a responsibility of identifying, evaluating, and protecting these critical infrastructures from acts of terrorism, sabotage, or disasters. Therefore, the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) initiatives are measures and techniques developed to protect the country’s critical infrastructures from terrorist attacks, sabotage, or disasters. The critical infrastructures p rotected in this case include physical assets, people, and cyber system that are important for the development of the country (Filippini, Giannopoulos, and Schimmer 2012). The DHS in conjunction with other security agencies ensures that America’s critical assets are protected from terrorism, disasters, and sabotage by ensuring the U.S. borders are safeguarded. Securing borders in this case implies the

Ethical Considerations on the End of Life Research Paper

Ethical Considerations on the End of Life - Research Paper Example In other cases, the person to be given euthanasia does not have the power to make a decision. This may happen, for example, if he/she is in a state of a comma, or else, he/she is conscious but is fully paralyzed and can do nothing more than fed artificially. According to (Cavan and Dolan 12), euthanasia can be defined as, â€Å"the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (such as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy.† As this definition indicates, all possible measures are exercised in euthanasia to ensure that it takes the victim minimum pain and labor to die. It is obvious that the victim is given euthanasia by another person.   Issues like euthanasia should be dealt with extreme care and delicacy particularly in the present age when people have grown much conscious about health and safety issues and ethics is considered a priority in every act an individual indulges in. â€Å"All forms of euthanasia, voluntary or involuntary, should be condemned until death is chosen for an individual by law because of his/her criminality.† It is useful to discuss certain types of euthanasia before making an in-depth analysis of the ethical consideration of this dilemma because people tend to argue for or against euthanasia without distinguishing between the various conventional forms of euthanasia. There are two fundamental types of euthanasia depending upon the presence or absence of the will of the person being given euthanasia. These two types of euthanasia are called as the voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia (Dyck). It may seem surprising that there are people who tend to have euthanasia willingly, though it is true and there may be many reasons for that. Euthanasia which is given after seeking due permission from the victim is termed as the â€Å"assisted euthanasia†.

What role does sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) play in wars, Essay

What role does sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) play in wars, and how can peace processes best respond to it - Essay Example Therefore, it is sexual contacts without individuals consent to torture that involves the genitalia (ICRC, 2013). A couple of elements make some people more vulnerable to sexual violence than others. Gender, age and situation posed upon the victims, are some of these factors. Women have been found more vulnerable than men possibly due to their physicality and elements like biased cultures that exploit their vulnerability. Men and boys have been found vulnerable to the events of detention and seclusion. Sexual and gender-based violence comes with severe implications during and post the particular acts. Victims are physically harmed, are traumatized psychologically, and sustain sexually transmitted infections, and such scenarios result in death in some incidences. The survivors deal with stigmatization in the society and may experience rejection. Sexual and gender-based violence have been found to play a key role during wars in many parts of the society. There are established peace pro cesses to address it. The world has witnessed combatants commit these injustices to vulnerable victims during armed conflict. Such incidences have been documented in the world featuring those in Syria, Rwanda, DRC Congo, Cambodia, Haiti, Bangladesh and many other places. Therefore, we can identify the role of these acts in wars and understand how well to address them. Media houses have reported massive rape crisis in Syria, an element that has illuminated the role of sexual violence during armed conflicts. The government forces in Syria have been documented as using rape as one of their military tactics to handle those communities that are affiliated with the rebels (Kerry Crawford, 2014). The act would instill fear in such communities and thus chose to withdraw their loyalty towards the rebel. The government is taking advantage of their vulnerability to suit its needs and agenda. The deeds are degrading to

Describe the butterfly effect and evaluate its implications for Essay

Describe the butterfly effect and evaluate its implications for theology - Essay Example Poincare, in early twentieth century found that even the slightest error in the measurement resulted in enormous unpredictability in the behavior of astronomical system (Poincare, internet). Repeated experiments by him reaffirmed his earlier results that changes in the measurement did not follow Newtonian laws of producing identical behavior but produced outcomes which were vastly different and unpredictable. In 1963, Edwards Lorenz, a meteorologist, discovered that while predicting weather forecast, slight changes in the values in the equations for the theoretical model of prediction of the weather, produced hugely different outcome. When he used .506 instead of .506127, a slightly lesser precise measurement, the results were radically different as opposed to very little variation that should have happened as per the Newton’s laws. The continued erratic outcomes of the computerized model of prediction, with slight variation in the values, emphatically disproved the earlier Newtonian theory. Lorenz became the first scientist to prove it wrong. In 1972, while talking in a seminar on "Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterflys Wings in Brazil set off a Tornado in Texas?" (AAAS, 1972), he successfully illustrated that the behavior of complex system is impossible to predict even when the conditions or factors influencing its outcomes are known mainly because of the fact that those precise conditions cannot be foretold or predicted and therefore the unpredictability of the outcome. Therefore it is impossible to predict the weather accurately. The unpredictable behavior of a physical system came to be known as ‘butterfly effect’ because of the slight difference in the starting point of the curves which can be compared to the flapping of a butterfly’s wings. As Stewart says ‘The flapping of a single butterflys

The Causes Of The Urban Unrest That Broke Out In A Number Of English Essay

The Causes Of The Urban Unrest That Broke Out In A Number Of English Cities In The Early 1980s - Essay Example By any account, the riots that broke out were caused by something; even though everyone is not in harmony about what the exact cause was. Either way, the unrest leads to several problems that could be seen by urban conflict that occurred. John Benyon is one person who tried to pinpoint the exact cause of the riots. He believed that the riots "were a consequence of the malfunctioning of the social system, of its inability to adapt to new demands, coupled with the growth of generalized beliefs which provided an account of why the system had failed and offered a new basis for reconstituted social action. These factors yielded a potential for collective violence: this became actual violence following the occurrence of a precipitator, some development which put discontent into a specific, and reinforcing, context, leading to a build-up of fear and antagonism which was eventually expressed in rioting"(Benyon). Benyon lays most of the blame on the crippling social system, and believes that it was the failure of this system that lead to the unrest that eventually broke out into violence and rioting. He likens riots to the idea of "mere hiccups which took place when social systems were unable to adjust", and believes that the riots also were to blame on the ethnic minorities which were living under these social conditions. Young black kids often found that they had to turn to lives of crime in areas such ads Brixton, due also in part to the lack of support from their families and the lack of needed work, both social conditions that lead to the unrest in these minority strong areas. Scarman however, puts a strong emphasis on the part of the local police forces, which he claims were not doing their best to reduce the crime and unrest that was stirring in Brixton. The police found themselves in a dilemma he claims, a "policing dilemma in Lambeth stemming from, on the one hand, the duty of the police to prevent and detect crime, and on the other, the need to create and sustain good relations with the ethnic minorities (Scarman). Caught between this conflict of work and interest, the police force was not adept in their duties to keep the civil unrest from boiling over into the riots that soon ensued. The police also suffered from many other criticism of how they handled the situation as it arose. The police has been accused of everything from racial prejudice, harassment, failure to stop crime, and many other accusations. Many people feel that the police area almost just as much to blame as everyone else involved in the riots, for as long as the police were not stopping the crime they were letting it expand unrestrained. Not acting against violence is just as bad as promoting it, and the inefficiency of the police force were just as responsible as the people doing the crimes. "Harassment does occur: and in Brixton even one isolated instance of misconduct can foster a whole region of rumors which rapidly become beliefs firmly held within the community", and it was this belief which became ingrained into the community. When people feel like they are being mistreated they will act like they are being mistreated, and this unrest can lead to violence and riots. One of the main areas of unrest was Brixton, and many people have spent sufficient time trying to understand and get to the bottom of the problem as it started there. Previous to the unrest that broke out in the late 1900s, Brixton was a thriving centre of worldly goods and movement, and it was hard to tell of the civil unrest that would soon breed in the upcoming years. "Brixton was a lively and prosperous place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The railway gave it excellent access to the centre of London: business and professional people

Youth Detention as a Measure to Deter Crime Essay

Youth Detention as a Measure to Deter Crime - Essay Example The detention centers perform a number of functions with the main one being to deter criminal activities. Initially, these facilities were not meant for non violent offenders but trends are fast changing to include minors on very minor offenses. These statistics may give a sense of falsehood since these youth who are detained there, may develop deliquescent behaviors by the time they live the detention and pose a larger risk to the community. The unnecessary use of detention centers may expose some of the troubled youths into conditions that resemble penitentiary conditions which instead of solving their problems aggravates them further (Foley, 2001). It is the aim of this paper to argue against youth detention as a deterrence measure since it rarely solves the underlying problems besides compounding it. Detention of youths that have crime tendencies together in large secure holding facilities has been shown to have a very small positive effect in future deterrence of the same. This in fact forms a fertile ground for recidivism aggravation among those minors that are detained together. Studies carried in different states show that 60% of the youth that had been detained in juvenile detention centers returned later in the same facilities for correction purposes. Many factors have been blamed for this observation but the key one is reinforcement of deliquescent behaviors since these youth are detained together. ... within detention centers, their will to control prior offenses goes down and they are more vulnerable than those that had not graced the detention facilities. Most of these studies have been carried in instances where other factors have been held constant such as race and age. Most of the outcome show increased probability of petition before the judicial system which deeply entrenches deliquesce tendencies in them. This is in total contrast of the studies that involve youths that have been committed to community based corrections which stand at 14% less likely to be incarcerated than first time offenders. It therefore helps to have a form of community based correction as opposed to detentions that have similar conditions to those found in jails and prisons (Hughes, 2002; Sheldon, 1999; Steinberg, 2009). Instead of deterring crime, detention deters or interrupts the process of aging out of deliquescence behaviors which should happen naturally. It is a common phenomenon for children wh en growing to show mild tendencies of crime which goes out with time. It has actually been shown that as much as a third of children engage in antisocial behavior that is crime related but they eventually outgrow it. This behavior is usually high in males than females but also the rate of desistance is also unusually high which compensates for the disparities between the genders. The most interesting thing is that desistance happens on its own time with no outside interference and therefore detention in a large way interferes with it. The best way that has been prescribed to help in aging out deliquescence behavior is having a mentorship program that can guide and help the youth to focus in life. The only mentorship that is available in detention is fellow crime offenders which cannot help

Describe the butterfly effect and evaluate its implications for Essay

Describe the butterfly effect and evaluate its implications for theology - Essay Example Poincare, in early twentieth century found that even the slightest error in the measurement resulted in enormous unpredictability in the behavior of astronomical system (Poincare, internet). Repeated experiments by him reaffirmed his earlier results that changes in the measurement did not follow Newtonian laws of producing identical behavior but produced outcomes which were vastly different and unpredictable. In 1963, Edwards Lorenz, a meteorologist, discovered that while predicting weather forecast, slight changes in the values in the equations for the theoretical model of prediction of the weather, produced hugely different outcome. When he used .506 instead of .506127, a slightly lesser precise measurement, the results were radically different as opposed to very little variation that should have happened as per the Newton’s laws. The continued erratic outcomes of the computerized model of prediction, with slight variation in the values, emphatically disproved the earlier Newtonian theory. Lorenz became the first scientist to prove it wrong. In 1972, while talking in a seminar on "Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterflys Wings in Brazil set off a Tornado in Texas?" (AAAS, 1972), he successfully illustrated that the behavior of complex system is impossible to predict even when the conditions or factors influencing its outcomes are known mainly because of the fact that those precise conditions cannot be foretold or predicted and therefore the unpredictability of the outcome. Therefore it is impossible to predict the weather accurately. The unpredictable behavior of a physical system came to be known as ‘butterfly effect’ because of the slight difference in the starting point of the curves which can be compared to the flapping of a butterfly’s wings. As Stewart says ‘The flapping of a single butterflys

Youth Detention as a Measure to Deter Crime Essay

Youth Detention as a Measure to Deter Crime - Essay Example The detention centers perform a number of functions with the main one being to deter criminal activities. Initially, these facilities were not meant for non violent offenders but trends are fast changing to include minors on very minor offenses. These statistics may give a sense of falsehood since these youth who are detained there, may develop deliquescent behaviors by the time they live the detention and pose a larger risk to the community. The unnecessary use of detention centers may expose some of the troubled youths into conditions that resemble penitentiary conditions which instead of solving their problems aggravates them further (Foley, 2001). It is the aim of this paper to argue against youth detention as a deterrence measure since it rarely solves the underlying problems besides compounding it. Detention of youths that have crime tendencies together in large secure holding facilities has been shown to have a very small positive effect in future deterrence of the same. This in fact forms a fertile ground for recidivism aggravation among those minors that are detained together. Studies carried in different states show that 60% of the youth that had been detained in juvenile detention centers returned later in the same facilities for correction purposes. Many factors have been blamed for this observation but the key one is reinforcement of deliquescent behaviors since these youth are detained together. ... within detention centers, their will to control prior offenses goes down and they are more vulnerable than those that had not graced the detention facilities. Most of these studies have been carried in instances where other factors have been held constant such as race and age. Most of the outcome show increased probability of petition before the judicial system which deeply entrenches deliquesce tendencies in them. This is in total contrast of the studies that involve youths that have been committed to community based corrections which stand at 14% less likely to be incarcerated than first time offenders. It therefore helps to have a form of community based correction as opposed to detentions that have similar conditions to those found in jails and prisons (Hughes, 2002; Sheldon, 1999; Steinberg, 2009). Instead of deterring crime, detention deters or interrupts the process of aging out of deliquescence behaviors which should happen naturally. It is a common phenomenon for children wh en growing to show mild tendencies of crime which goes out with time. It has actually been shown that as much as a third of children engage in antisocial behavior that is crime related but they eventually outgrow it. This behavior is usually high in males than females but also the rate of desistance is also unusually high which compensates for the disparities between the genders. The most interesting thing is that desistance happens on its own time with no outside interference and therefore detention in a large way interferes with it. The best way that has been prescribed to help in aging out deliquescence behavior is having a mentorship program that can guide and help the youth to focus in life. The only mentorship that is available in detention is fellow crime offenders which cannot help

Respect Education Essay Example for Free

Respect Education Essay Treating people with respect makes your world a nice place to live in, whether it’s at home, at school, or out in your community. And it’s easy-all you have to do is treat people the way you like to have them treat you. Respect is an important thing to give and to receive. Respect shows that you think that the other person has value and that you want to show them that. Education is so important because it is the key to a persons future. If you have a good education it will help you to achieve all types of goals. Respect plays a huge role in our everyday lives. You may not notice it, but that’s only because they are being respectful to you. If you’re not respectful then you will be disrespected because you’re being mean. So you should always be respectful to others so they will treat you the way you want to be treated. A liberal education is at the heart of a civil society, and at the heart of a liberal education is the act of teaching. Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom. To get freedom you need education, to get education you need to learn how to respect. To respect you need to educate yourself. Respect in the education aspect of society is important because relationship between students and teachers, relationship between peers, and relationship between school. The secret in education lies in respecting the relationship between students and teachers. A student-teacher relationship is very important. The best teachers genuinely care about their students. They care about passing on their martial art right, not just going through the schedule and collecting the tuition. Respect plays a huge factor in this. A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. When a teacher respects himself and the martial arts he teaches, his/her students will learn to respect them as well. It’s no use if the teacher was a skilled martial artist but lacks patience, open mindedness, communication skills, a positive attitude, and respect must be mutual. Students, likewise, need to appreciate the time and effort their teachers put into train them and not take their teachers for granted. The student must respect his/her teacher and hold him/her in the highest esteem, for this is a necessary prerequisite to accepting his/her advice. The student must trust the teachers concern. The students must commit him/her to following the instruction with utmost discipline, for only then can the intended effect be realized. The teacher also has some responsibility toward students. The first is fulfillment of the prerequisite of getting to know his/her students individually, to probe the innermost depths of their hearts as well as examining the outer details of their lives. A teacher must express love and affection toward his/her students. A teacher must take time to reflect upon his/her students’ progress, refining and adjusting his/her vision of how best to influence them toward positive change. You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. Friends are important in educational outcomes; most people agree that friends matter-not just for personal wellbeing but for achieving their goals in life. Several studies have shown this to be particularly. The case in education but the detection and measure of such peers effects is often found wanting. Using detailed information on friendship not works of American high-school students; this column finds that the friends we make at age 15 to 18 have a strong and persistent effect on our lives. Each student influences his/her classmates not only through knowledge spillovers and how teachers respond to students, but also in how he/she affects classroom standards. Less disciplined students are more likely to disrupt his/her classmates, forcing the teacher to devote more time in class to disciplining rather than transmitting knowledge. Therefore a student’s performance in school may be influenced by the characteristics and behavior of his/her peers. If these peers’ group effects are substantial, government policy may exploit them by optimally grouping students in different classrooms to achieve desired socioeconomic outcomes. He, who opens a school door, closes a prison. School maybe hard, annoying, and irritating, but admit it, you’re going to miss it when it ends. A school should not be a preparation for life. A school should be life. Relationship between schools is important because it affects respect in the education. God made the Idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board. A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and learning necessary for a productive, contributive, and satisfying life in a democratic society. This climate includes norms, vales, and expectations that support people feeling socially, emotionally and physically safe. People are engaged and respected. Students, families, and educators work together to develop, live, and contribute to a shared school vision. Educators model and nurture an attitude that emphasizes that benefit of, and satisfaction from, learning. Each person contributes to the operations of the school as well as the care of the physical environment. However, there is a great deal of research that shows that many students do not feel physically and emotionally safe in schools. For example, a study forward evidence that high school students are fearful about going to school because of the violence and personal victimization some of them experience during the school day. Remember the philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next. Respect, respect others, and respect yourself, respect school, Respect old people: they graduated high school without Google or Wikipedia!

The History Of Payless Shoesource Inc Marketing Essay

The History Of Payless Shoesource Inc Marketing Essay Payless ShoeSource Inc. is a self-serve fashion-focused low cost shoe retailer.   The company was founded in 1956 in Topeka, Kansas and has expanded significantly within the domestic and international markets to almost 4,500 stores.   On their website, the stated mission is to democratize fashion and design in footwear and accessories.   Payless seeks to compete effectively by bringing to market differentiated, trend-right merchandise before mass-market discounters and at the same time as department and specialty retailers but at a more compelling price.  [1]  Payless is a subsidiary of Collective Brands, which a holding company for three business units: Payless ShoeSource,  Collective Brands Performance  + Lifestyle Group,  and Collective Licensing International. These units function separately, but have significant business relationships especially in brand licensing for Payless. In 2009, Payless reported $2.576 billion in sales and capture a large percentage for the cost-leader footwear market.  [2]  Payless is represented in all 50 states.   Internationally, Payless has multiple locations in Central and South America, Canada, and the Caribbean.   In 2009, Payless opened stores in the Middle East and has signed agreements to franchise into Russia, the Philippines, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, Mexico and Indonesia.  [3]  Ã‚   When Payless was founded, it was based on being a low cost provider of shoes for families in a self-service format.   During the 50 years since, Payless has evolved from a low cost distributor to a low cost producer to an on-trend fashion, cost conscience producer and provider while retaining the self service format.   This evolution was a result of changing customer demands and increased retail competition.   Payless retooled their strategy when other low-cost shoe providers such as Wal-Mart and Target entered the shoe market.   This increase in competition on the cost-leader strategy forced Payless to examine their core competencies and their position in the marketplace.   As a result, the emphasis on fashion and design became a priority which is reflected in both their shoe and retail store design.  [4]  Ã‚   Over the past fifteen years, Payless has been increasing the fashion level of their products and have now repositioned themselves as an on-trend fashion outlet with trendy names at reasonable prices.   Payless has formed several partnerships with designers to create capsule collections exclusively at Payless that comprise one season; however due to the success of these designer collections Payless has been expanding these designer relationships.  [5]  Ã‚   The partnerships with designers started in 2007 with Abaetà ©, as a seasonal collection.   The success of the Abaetà © collection leads Payless to develop other partnerships with designers like Lela Rose, Alice + Olivia as well as Zack Zoe.   The most recent guest designer, Christain Siriano, has been a success due to both his design and his popularity of winning season four of Project Runway.   With the immense success of the show, there was instant name recognition and the target audience of the show is in line wit h the target market of Payless.   In fact, Christian Sirianos capsule collection contract was recently extended to be a multi-year contract to its immense success in the market.  [6]   External Analysis When looking at the external analysis for Payless ShoeSource, the general environment is composed of elements that influence the shoe industry and the companies within it. These elements group into six different environmental segments: demographic, economic, political/legal, sociocultural, technological, and global. Demographics for Payless have always played an important role in their overall strategy. Targeting women 16-49 with an income lower than $75,000 USD is their key to success.  [7]  This target market is ideal because individuals within this demographic express themselves through fashion. The economic factors for their general environment are a major downfall. With a target segment on a middle-class income, economic hardships are going to be devastating for Payless. Consumers will spend less on non-necessity goods in hard times, shoes being one of those items. The economy will also influence Payless because they compete based on lower priced fashion items to gain market share. However, since Payless is an international business, economies in other countries such as Latin America or the Middle East can offset these issues in the domestic market. International expansion is where political and legal elements can comes into play for Payless. Currently Payless has 643 international stores with plans to expand heavily in the years to come. By executing joint ventures and franchising, Payless is able to mitigate some of the political and legal risk it could encounter in foreign markets. The sociocultural environment for Payless externally is again positive. Since they are well known in the United States and Canada for keeping up with the latest trends, they can leverage this strategy worldwide. Each country is researched constantly for new trends or looks in the footwear and accessory industry. This research combined with knowledgeable local partners helps Payless with product selection to meet local demand. By researching and overcoming the sociocultural factor, Payless has gained market share each year, even in rough economic times in the United States.    When looking at the technological external environment for Payless, the company is far beyond its competition. Although Payless is based in Topeka, Kansas, all of their shoe manufacturing is completed in the Unites States and 13 other countries around the world. Their main warehouse is 807,000 square feet designed with a state of the art coordination system. These systems keep all the stores replenished with new supply at least twice a week based on style, color and size of the shoes. The global environmental factor for Payless is also a significant part of their strategy. Global factors influencing business are legal, political, social, technological and economic. Each country Payless enters, these influences will change. Moving into global markets via joint ventures or franchising helps lessen the risk for Payless because the partner understands the market and environment the store is operating in. When looking at the supplier power for Payless, 85% of their footwear comes from Chinese factories, 10% from Vietnam and the other 5% from Brazil, India, Indonesia and Thailand.  [8]  Since Payless depends on third parties to manufacture and supply their products, this could cause several problems. There could be a shortage of raw materials, inadequate manufacturing and shipping capacity of the product. In addition, the third parties price fluctuations of raw material, skilled labor as well as currency exchange risk could impact the low price strategy of Payless. Payless also has risk in transportation since it relies on third parties to transport and deliver its products. These third party relationships impact the ability to deliver footwear on time and at a low cost. The buyer power for Payless is a significant threat. Given their current fashion strategy, Payless could one day overcome buyer power, but as of now, they still compete on price and focus this incentive to benefit the consumer. With this buyer power, the threat of substitution is very high for Payless. The footwear industry is all about the latest styles, colors and looks. If Payless did not have a research team focused on implementing new products, substitution would be high for Payless. Bringing in Christian Siriano, Lela Rose and Isabel Toledo as new designers has given Payless a more upscale look at a cost effective price for the consumer. Though there are substitutions for their brands in each product category, Payless is less expensive overall. Competitive rivalry in the footwear industry is never ending. Payless has to compete with the big box stores such as DSW, Famous Footwear, J.C.  Penney, Kohls, Macys, Marshalls, Ross Stores, Target, TJ Maxx, and Wal-Mart. All of these competitors have the capability to hurt Payless in a cost leadership strategy. However, Payless competes in fashion at a lower price point. This fashion focus aligns with their target market that will buy these designer shoes with Christian Siriano, Lela Rose and Isabel Toledo.  [9]   The threat of new entry for Payless is currently small. Although Payless has many competitors in their industry, it would be almost impossible to compete with their net sales and store locations around the world. The startup costs would be high and the sourcing for factories would be time consuming. Designers would need to be experienced and willing to work with foreign factories. New competition could compete on price, but not on quality fashion footwear. Payless has a very favorable position and it should be easy to defend against new entrants. Internal Analysis Payless ShoeSource is dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories to the world and inspiring fun fashion possibilities for the family.   We provide our customers with the style they want at a great price, and our nearly 4,500 store locations offer an engaging, easy-to-shop experience and outstanding customer service.  [10]  The current mission of Payless ShoeSource has not been long-lived in this form.   After the company experienced it is first lost in 2003, the company worked hard to turn things around.   Beyond working to increase sales and correct the inventory problems, the company revised its mission statement, vision, and company strategy in 2005.  [11]  Ã‚  The current mission has driven the company to develop strategies, which have led the company to exhibit internal strengths and prevailing weaknesses. The most obvious overlying strategy for Payless is cost leadership.   This can be determined not only by the mission statement,  [12]  but also by the name of the store.   As the mission statement states, Payless wants to provide their customers with the style they want at a great price.   Also, the title Payless gives the impression that customers will pay less when buying their shoes at Payless Shoe Source.   This name not only exhibits the goals of the company but what customers can expect by shopping at any of Payless ShoeSources 4470 locations. With the major changes made in 2005, Payless developed new strategies to expand their customer base, which would in turn lead to more sales. These strategies developed in 2005 will be focused on in this analysis as 2005 was a monumental year for strategy development and will be compared to the 2009 annual report analysis of the success of such strategies. One of these new strategies was that Payless would go forward with an offer of on-trend, differentiated products.  [13]  Ã‚  With this, it would increase its accessories and offer a larger athletic footwear section.  [14]  In the 2009 Annual Report, Payless stated that they advanced their strategy to grow beyond footwear as broader and deeper product offerings drove dramatic improvement in the accessories business at Payless ShoeSource.  [15]   Another strategy developed in 2005 was to strengthen and reposition Payless by introducing a house of brands available to the consumer at a discounted price,13 which would fall directly in line with their overlying cost leadership strategy.   This house of brands allowed customers to have access to a variety of brands within Payless, which, according to Matt Rubel, CEO of Payless, would fulfill their focus of democratizing design and fashion in footwear and accessories and their goal to inspire fun fashion possibilities for the family.   Acquiring brands like American Eagle à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, according to Mr. Rubel, is an important step in achieving this and to our ability to connect with young consumers.   The house of brands includes American Eagleà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, Champion ®, Airwalk ®, Spalding, and Shaquille ONeal endorsed Dunkmanà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ .  [16]   The third strategy developed in 2005 was to enhance the customer experience by hiring friendly, helpful employees to improve customer service.  [17]  The 2009 annual report confirmed that one aspect of this customer service included measuring childrens feet, which helped increase the sales of the childrens shoes segment.  [18]  Ã‚  Beyond this, there is no data shown as to how successful this strategy has been. The last change in strategy added in 2005 was to improve the efficiency of the business by introducing better technology including a POS system in order to shorten checkout time and keep better track of sales.   In addition, a logistics network would be introduced to improve the companys inventory system and also to improve flexibility in the inventory.13 As far as efficiency goes, the 2009 annual report stated that an added U.S. distribution center shorted replenishment times and lowered costs, improving the gross margin by changing how sizes were assorted and defined store clusters, improving productivity and profitability in 2009.  [19]   Beyond the 2005 strategy developments, a more recent development for Payless is its newly defined international expansion strategies as outlined in the 2009 annual report. Looking at Payless specifically, Collective Brands began franchising Payless internationally 18 months ago and predicts that it will have about 700 locations abroad within the next five years, including 300 of those in Indonesia.  [20]  Ã‚  In the 2009 annual report, it was stated that Payless opened a significant amount of stores in Columbia within the year.  [21]  Ã‚  In 2010, the store introduced a new franchising business model to expand internationally in a quick, low-risk, capital-efficient manner.  [22]  Although the strategy was introduced in 2010, the first three franchised stores opened in the Middle East in 2009.  [23]   Ownership strategy differs by geographic regions.   In North America, mainly the USA and Canada, Payless stores are company-owned.   In Central and South America, stores have been opened as joint ventures with a multitude of partners.   As stated above, franchised stores have existed thus far in the Middle East with franchising as a strategy for future expansion, mainly focused on the Middle East and Asia.  [24]   The last strategy to be assessed in this analysis is a method Payless developed just this year.   Ã‚  This strategy is to develop a recognition of the company as social responsible in order to lure in the socially conscious consumers.   Payless has teamed up with Airwalk   for The Good Shoe Project to allow shoppers to Buy-One-Give-One to a child in need where customers can buy a pair of Airwalk shoes for $19.99 and Payless will give a pair of kids shoes to a child in need through their new partner, World Vision.   Payless plans to give a minimum of 100,000 pairs of shoes to children in South America this Christmas season.  [25]   The core competencies and strengths of Payless ShoeSource exist in its store presence, financial stability, and its ability to keep prices low.   Store presence encompasses the fact that it has already established itself in all 50 states plus a growing number of international locations.  [26]  Ã‚  This presence includes 4470 stores total in 19 countries as of 2009, with 18.6% of stores abroad, or 873 total in 2009.   According to many sources, Payless can be considered one of the largest footwear retailers in the Western Hemisphere selling 140 million pairs of footwear and over 40 million accessories in the US, Canada, Caribbean, Central America, and South America in 2009.  [27]   Financially, Payless has grown its gross margin regardless of the 3.9% decrease in sales due to the recession.   This includes a 5.2% increase in gross margin in 2009, increasing the gross margin to 34.5%.   However, this is primarily due to a low gross margin in 2008 attributable to pre-tax charges of $88.2 million related to the impairment of trade names, $45.1 million due to pre-tax litigation expenses, and $13.2 million of pre-tax charges related to the tangible asset impairment and other charges.   However, the higher gross margin can also be attributed to lower product costs and higher initial mark-on prices of footwear in 2009.  [28]  Ã‚  Though all of these additional charges decreased the gross margin in 2008, a better representation of gross margin improvement is to compare to the 2007 32.6% gross margin.   From 2007 to 2009, the gross margin was improved by 1.9%, or 0.95% per year. Lastly, Payless has been rather successful in their skill to encompass a wide variety of skills including supply chain management and sourcing to keep prices low while also focusing on fashion.   This has allowed Payless to capture the market of moms and middle-class people who care about both fashion and their budget, which is considered to be a success factor of 2009 in the annual report.  [29]   The supply chain management procedures of Payless assist in keeping prices down by making the company more efficient.   This includes the strong supply chain management (SCM) system satisfying the 2005 strategy to improve inventory levels.  [30]  Ã‚  In 2009 annual report, Payless manages inventory through the use of a variety of systems and models related to planning, forecasting, pricing, and allocations to help align promotions, product flow, and pricing with customer shopping patterns.   Although the annual report does not give technical details on these systems, it is clear that the organization of Payless SCM systems have proven to increase the efficiency of the company, and improve the gross margin as previously stated.    One way it has done this on a large scale is by reducing markdowns through using intelligent SCM tools which have been able to stock stores by use of customer clusters, or customer profiles based on lifestyle, demographics, shopping behavior, and appetite for fashion.   Also, the systems keep track of seasonality and climate considerations by geography which have improved the timing of inventory distribution.   The SCM systems have the ability to track historical data to use as a precedent of stores sales volumes and categories that stores tend to sell well along with specific proportions for inventory forecasting.   The high amount of data stored in this system also involves a size assortment matrix tool. This data has reduced old product markdowns by analyzing sizes that could have been avoided in initial purchasing.  [31]  Ã‚   On a smaller scale, the supply chain management systems have provided store-level data management which allows for pricing and inventories to be adjusted on a per-store basis based.   Product pricing is performed per store in order to price products appropriately on a smaller scale rather than one corporate or regional price.   Size variations are also taken into account on a per store basis in order to produce sales forecasts for ordering inventory, optimizing gross margin dollars and reducing markdowns by giving each store individualized attention.  [32]   Another resource advantage of Payless is its sourcing capabilities.   Payless sources out 72% of production to large factories which serve as their manufacturers, consisting mainly of 26 core factories which account for 75% of Collectives footwear purchases.   These factories are given specification and performance standards and then bid for jobs on a competitive basis.  [33]  Ã‚  This network of factories allows Payless to manufacture their products at low prices with companies that they know and trust.   This is a core asset in its ability to keep prices low in its overall strategy of cost leadership. Other than supply chain management and sourcing, other factors providing key assets and skills to Payless are listed in the 2009 annual report.   These factors are the companys ability to develop fashionable, high-quality merchandise in an assortment of sizes, colors, and styles appealing to their target customers; the ability to anticipate and respond to changing customer demands in a timely manner; creating an acceptable value proposition for customers; providing an inviting, customer friendly shopping environment; and, providing effective marketing support.  [34]   Resource disadvantages, or assets and skills that are lacking at Payless, mainly include its lack of knowledge in a few key markets, its marketing resources, its financial resources, and its lack of independence.   These factors keep Payless from optimizing its ability to compete in the market of footwear and accessories. Payless lacks significant knowledge in operating in South American markets.   According to the 2009 annual report, the firm closed 26 Payless stores in Peru and Chile and were categorized as discontinued operations in the report.   The closing of these stores eliminated 200 management and administrative positions, concerning the company with its failure in these markets and the reduced employee morale based on the elimination of these positions.  [35]   Next, the report states its lack of marketing and financial resources as compared to competitors such as Wal-Mart, Target, and other department stores.   Payless is concerned in their ability to continue to compete against these low-cost retailers which provide more of a one-stop-shop for consumers and who also have much larger marketing budgets.   Beyond this, Payless lacks financial ability to withstand reduced shoe sales whereas these competitors have the ability to withstand fluctuations in the market.   High fixed costs in proportion of operating expenses cause declines in operating performance to be magnified with sales shortfalls.   Major fixed costs include leasing costs of stores, debt service expenses, and labor expenses which will all remain regardless of sales.   Labor expenses in particular remain the same as the stores generally employ minimum employees regardless of sales volume.  [36]   The last resource disadvantage to be concerned with in this analysis is the lack of independence from third parties to manufacture and distribute products.   Though this is somewhat an external concern, it is also a problem internally as the company is weak in its ability to withstand factors affecting the manufacturing line.    Overall, the internal analysis of Payless is strong in many areas, mainly its ability to follow execute its mission statement and strategies following directly in line with this mission.   A competitors analysis will get more into the analysis of Payless ShoeSources ability to compete in the footwear and accessories market on both a short and long-term basis. Comparison to Competitors   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The retail footwear and accessories industry is highly competitive. It is comprised of department stores, footwear specialty stores, discount mass-merchandisers, sporting good stores and on-line competitors. In addition, many retailers that have not carried footwear have added footwear and accessories lines to their stores.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For Payless Domestic, they compete mainly with DSW, Famous Footwear, J.C. Penney, Kohls, Macys, Marshalls, Ross Stores, Target, TJ Maxx, and Wal-Mart and they seek to compete effectively by coming into the market with differentiated, trend-right merchandise before mass-market discounters. Besides the timing of producing new merchandise, Payless also requires their trend-right merchandise to be priced below department stores and specialty retailers. In the worldwide footwear industry, Payless faces various competitive challenges from retailers and wholesalers since their financial and marketing resources are less than some competitors. Although under high pressure of increasing competitiveness, Payless still focuses on the following points as bases of enhancing their low cost on trend-fashion competitive advantage: Developing fashionable, high-quality merchandise in an assortment of sizes, colors and styles that appeal to their target consumers: For example, Dyelightsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ is exclusively offered by Payless ShoeSource stores. It is a unique feature that sets Payless apart from the competition. The shoes are dyed to the customers specifications and are available for pick up in about 10 days at the Payless ShoeSource store or delivered to the customer for an additional shipping fee.  [37]  As previously mentioned, Payless also has strategic partnerships with designers that emphasis high fashion for under $60. With their extensive licensing Payless is also able to have a house of brands that appeals to fashion focused consumers. Ensuring product availability and optimizing supply chain effectiveness: Payless uses different systems and models to ensure timely delivered to meet customer demand, which drives sales and margin growth. The company creates targeted assortments based on localized demand and specific product lifecycles. Payless also prices their products at the store level to manage aged inventory. Payless has a global supply chain structure that integrates their design, product development and sourcing functions. Coordinated transportation is also a vital component of efficiency for Payless. They employ the just-in-time model and each distribution center only has eight days of supply for store replenishment.  [38]   High quality assurance and low price:   Payless contracts with factories that meet their specified quality and safety standards for shoe production; minimum capacity requirements; production control processes; and agree not to use forced or child labor.  [39]  Payless also provides technical design support for their direct purchasing functions. For example, Payless locates their field inspection personnel close to the factories and freight consolidation facilities that they use throughout the world. By concentrating on quality, Payless is able to reduce rework costs. Shopping environment and customer service: Payless uses a customer focused sales staff to provide attentive, product knowledgeable service. Payless also offers customers a self-selection shopping environment, which allows customers to select their shoes freely. Shoes and accessories are displayed neatly and grouped by type of shoe ensuring self-selection is easy.  [40]  Customers can seek help from trained and professional associates if they need any help. In addition, Payless executes an easy and convenient return policy even if the shoes are worn. This emphasis on cost containment through efficient supply chain management helps Payless maintain its historic low-cost position. This, when combined with its retail product selection optimization, increases profit margins. Payless is focused on the customer experience through excellent customer service and accessible on-trend fashion. Their competitors compete on cost or brand, but are unable to combine the strategies efficiently. Payless has developed a competitive advantage by leveraging their house of brands, designer partnerships, efficient supply chain, and optimized product mix. Recommendations Although Payless has made some bold and aggressive steps in recent history in order to further strengthen their position in the marketplace, we feel Payless needs to initiate changes on four unique planes. Continued and expanded efforts in pricing strategies and product differentiation, a refined domestic retail system, new strategic marketing initiatives, and a revised overseas expansion policy are all necessary for Payless to realize sustainable competitive advantages in