Free Essay Home Depot History and Business Case Analysis free essay sample

First of all, I would like to thank you for giving me the honor to analyze your well organized and developed company. In this memo, I am going to discuss the strategic factors facing Home Depot, the strategies that the company has been following for the past years, and the distinctive competency Home Depot attain. Also, I am going to give my recommendations and opinion. Some of the strategic factors that Home Depot faces are related to product quality, price, advertising, store capacity, competitors, and customers independency and satisfaction. Most of these strategic factors helped in the growth and popularity of Home Depot. Home Depot offers good quality products such as home improvement products, lawn and garden supplies. Installation services for these products are offered too. Home Depot like Wal-Mart Company offers low prices everyday. Operational efficiency had been a crucial part of achieving these low prices while still offering a high level of customer service. We will write a custom essay sample on Free Essay Home Depot History and Business Case Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The company assesses and upgrades its information to support its growth, reduce and control costs and enable better decision-making. From the installation of computerized checkout systems, to the implementation of satellite communications systems in most of the stores, the company had shown that it has been and would continue to be innovative in its operating strategy. In year 1994 Home Depot introduced a prototype store format that offered about 32,000 more square feet of selling space and a significantly broader and deeper selection of products and services, as well as a more convenient layout than the traditional stores. These Type (V) stores were designed around a design center, which grouped complementary product categories. Therefore, this wide store capacity enabled Home Depot to stock like 40,0000 to 50,000 products in each store. I think that this is a very good strategic factor that enables the store to offer a wide variety of products. Lowes is the main competitor against Home Depot. Both companies have big stores, and many products. But Home Depot is still number one. Mike Brune from the Rainforest Action Network declared that Its been a busy month for us all as we attempt to find out the implications of the Home Depot victory on the entire DIY (do-it-yourself) industry, get the all important details of Home Depots new policy, and actually determine to what degree the new policy is a victory at all. The short answer is that there is a lot of good news, with some large question marks. Home Depots announcement, and the extensive press coverage it earned, sent shockwaves through all of Home Depots competitors. (Mike Brune. Important Update on Home Depot and Competitor Policies. Retrieved October 5, 1999, from http://forests. org/archive/america/compdebo. htm). Home Depot has stores all over the map nationally, and is expanding worldwide. It recently put competitor Hechinger out of business, and before that Builders Square. (Rob Landley. A Case for Home Depot. Retrieved January 14,2000, from http://www. fool. com/portfolios/rulemaker/2000/rulemaker000114. htm). Congratulations on being number one in your industry. I would like now to discuss the reasons behind this success for year 2002 . I think that the strategies that you and your employees are following and the great customer service are leading to the growth and success of your company. Home Depot uses a clustering strategy to locate new stores closer to existing ones. The short-term effect is to lower same-store sales. On the other hand, this strategy can create a strategic advantage by raising the barrier of entry to competitors. It reduces overcrowding in the existing stores. It also allows the company to spread its advertising and distribution costs over a larger store base. I think that this strategy led Home Depot to have fewer competitors, and lowered the distribution cost. On the other hand, opening too much stores increase the expenses from equipments, products and employees. Even if, the company can afford to open all these stores, I do not think that the company should open many stores in one area. Another strategy that your company is following is focusing on customer service and satisfaction or what is referred to customer cultivation. Customer cultivation is the result of the provision of highly qualified and helpful employees, professional clinics and in-store clinics. When the company was faced with clogged aisles, endless checkout lines, and too few salespersons, it sought creative ways to improve customer service. Workers were added to the sales floor, shelf stocking and price tagging were shifted to nighttime, when the aisles were empty. Therefore, the availability of sales personnel to attend to customer needs was one clear objective of the Home Depot customer service strategy. It gave the DIY (Do It Yourself) customers the support and confidence that no home project was beyond their capabilities. Home Depot attitude of complete customer satisfaction has led the company to constantly seek ways to improve customer service. I think that this strategy is great and was worth all the expenses because the employees were free to sell during the day and focus more on the customers needs. It the good experience that brings the customer again and its the word of mouth that brings other new customers, therefore, customer satisfaction is the most important strategy that any company shall follow. The third strategy that you company is following is focusing on extensive advertisement. In year 2002, Home Depot spent $895 million on advertising, 9. 5 percent more than the $817 million it spent in 2001 and 24 percent more than the $722 million it spent in 2000. Home Depot is one of the nations largest retail advertisers and spends far more on advertising than comparable stores. Home Depot spent nearly eight times as much on advertising in 2002 than its nearest competitor, Lowes Cos. Lowes, which has just half the annual sales of Home Depot, spent about $114 million on advertising in year 2002. Jim Lovel. Home Depot ad spending $895M. Retrieved April 25, 2003, from http://www. bizjournals. com/atlanta/stories/2003/04/28/story1. html). Therefore, extensive advertising is giving Home Depot a distinctive competency against other companies in the same industry. These strategies are implying higher expenses in order to be achieved, especially the huge expenses on advertising. I would l ike to make a comparison between two most growing companies in the USA (Home Depot and Wal-Mart) . In 2002, Home Depot spent 32 percent more than Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , the worlds largest retailer. Wal-Mart with annual sales almost five times higher than Home Depots spent $676 million on advertising last year. (Jim Lovel. Home Depot ad spending $895M. Retrieved April 25, 2003, from http://www. bizjournals. com/atlanta/stories/2003/04/28/story1. html). Therefore, the more money you spend on advertising, does not lead to increase in annual sales but it leads to increase in expenses. Even though, the extensive advertising made this company have a distinctive competency against other companies but Home Depot spent $ 895 million on advertising and Lowes company spend only $114 million. It is true that the annual sales of Home Depot were more than half than Lowes but Home Depot can lower its expenses of advertising to 5 times and can still be able to compete with Lowes company. So, the main question for you is that can you plan a strategy that does not require higher expenses? I am not implying that these strategies are not working but I think that there should be a strategy that keep the company growing but at least lower the expenses. Net Sales had increase 10. 5% year 2003, comparing to year 2002.

Mans Search for Meaning essays

Mans Search for Meaning essays There are definitely three characteristics that place me out of the ordinary. The first is my drive. I believe that if I want something that motivation is the key. I feel that my determination to conquer the obstacles in my life is the only salvation that has rescued me from my own mistakes. While my drive may not be as strong as most, it has saved me from the worst and granted a way out of the dark. Such as poor decisions like quitting school to pursue other cities for the possibility of another wonderful life somewhere else. I have made this mistake, but when it came down to it I found the path to return and fix the mistake where others cannot even bare the thought of returning a failure. By making such an error I educated myself and still found my way back to the light to make right what I have made wrong. My character has also been a savior in my life for some time. My personality has always been a nice one. This trait has an extreme up considering that when an individual has th e capability to meet new people, they open many doors. These doors can hold windows of opportunity that can benefit your life in many aspects. The people in my life have opened many job opportunities that have exceeded my expectations of what I can achieve. This characteristic leads me closely into another trait, versatility. The ability to adapt to ones surroundings is a key element in survival. Many people are unable to change there personality around to suit the environment. This is one trait that has saved me under many circumstances. For instance, I have been unable to maintain just one single social circle for my entire life. My friends and acquaintances have come from many different social groups. None of the people that I know from these groups can socialize amongst my other friends due to the clash of personalities. I can suit to my personality to the environment to get along with everyone rather than just one group. This versatility has given me ...

The Issue of Animal Rights In the Modern World Essay

The Issue of Animal Rights In the Modern World - Essay Example This essay stresses that the man has a high intellect and capacity for reflective activity that cannot be observed in animals. However, this representation is associated with a conflicting situation. Let us imagine a mentally ill person or a person who suffers from mental retardation. In fact, they are not much different from animals because they lack the ability to think properly. This paper makes a conclusion that the analysis of the problem of equality around the world allows one to see that equality is seen only as the equality between people. However, this notion of equality is not fair. Animals also have their moral rights, because they are able to suffer like humans. The capacity for suffering is the foundation that makes it possible to take into account the moral rights of animals. Intelligent differences between humans and animals are not a valid reason to deny the moral rights of animals. Otherwise, people who have problems with mental activity should be deprived of their moral rights, but this is not happening. Fair equality is the equality that takes into account the interests of not only people but also animals. Animals, in turn, have a moral right to protection of their life and the creation of decent conditions for its existence. If human society wants to be called a fair society, it is necessary to strive for a just equality. Cruelty to animals that are seen as soulless machines is a road to nowhere.

Importance of Good Communication Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 22

Importance of Good Communication Skills - Essay Example Huge tasks were easily achieved through team work proper cooperation amongst individuals. Lack of teamwork resulted into a series of disagreements and the struggle for superiority which slowed down progress. In addition to the two lessons I have mentioned above, I also learnt on the importance of proper leadership skills especially for the managers of the organization. Poor leadership skills, such as lack of rules and regulations in the organization can sink down an organization like it attempted to in this organization. Personally, I have added value to my organization through learning the foreign language Spanish for 60 hours in three months, hence enabling me to communicate effectively with Spanish speaking clients. Many Spanish speakers therefore feel a sense of belonging to the organization (Tovey, 1998). My professional development as a sales agent through the learning of Spanish has spiraled me to higher levels. I was, six months ago appointed to be the regional supervisor for sales agent for six states with a major on the states populated with Mexicans, with a salary that is twice what I got as a sales agent. Besides my organization and my clients gaining from my development, my family has also gained. This is because, my monthly income has improved, and I can afford a better house, and a better school for my children. To identify my learning and professional needs, I look at the needs of the clients and the organization at large. For example I identified the need to study Spanish to communicate with the increasing number of clients of Mexican Origin. In the next one year, I seek to advance my skills in the sales industry by acquiring a Masters degree in Sales and Marketing. Secondly, I would also like to develop my team functioning skills by enrolling for classes with the human resource department.

US army leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

US army leadership - Essay Example Perhaps, it is these values, principles, and system that make the soldier have the respect that is accorded him everywhere he goes. ‘An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot’. The implementation of the structures however depends largely on the functions of personnel in the army. The military institution is made up several officers whose duties are to ensure that there is orderliness with within the rank of soldiers put under his control and that the structures and systems are well implemented. One of such indispensable figures in the implementation of military structures is the non-commissioned officer. The non-commissioned officer however does not work untamed: for the non-commissioned officer to succeed in his role as a leader, he needs to be guided by basic military principles. This is to say that the non-commissioned officer cannot rule within his own discretion but needs to be guided by principles such as the application of the FM 6-22, c ounseling and the seven Army Values. Roles of Non-Commissioned Officers Who is a non-commissioned officer? A non-commissioned officer is a military officer who is given authority through a commissioned officer, but he or she is not technically considered to be in command. Non-commissioned officers rise up through the enlisted ranks, generally with several years of experience to their names before they reach positions of nominal power.The rank an officer has to reach to be accorded the position of a non-commissioned officer varies from country to country and from military force to military force. Also among the ranks, there divisions such as Junior NCOs and Senior NCOs depending on which nation is in question and which military force, be it the Navy, Army or Air Force. In the United States for instance, all ranks of Sergeant in the United States Army, United States Air Force and United States Marine Corps are termed Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) as are Corporals in the Army and Ma rine Corps. However, the rank of Corporal (E-4) in the US Army is known to be a junior NCOs whereas Corporals in the grades (E-7, E-8, and E-9) are referred to as senior noncommissioned officers. The non-commissioned officer can however be generalized to be ‘an enlisted member of the armed forces, such as a corporal, sergeant, or petty officer, appointed to a rank conferring leadership over other enlisted personnel’ (The Free Dictionary, 2003). What are the roles of the non-commissioned officer in the army? The role a non-commissioned officer is supposed to play simply refers to the leadership functions of the officer that is focused on maintaining army values. ‘NCOs must maintain fundamental soldiering at the forefront of everything we do. And that means we must focus on the basics, maintain Army values and facilitate the transformation’ (Anthony, 2001). Even though all roles performed by non-commissioned officers are geared towards enhancing administratio n in the army force, there are varying roles and these roles cut across different areas of operation; defining who may be under the orders or authority of the non-commissioned officer and who may not. In a generalized system however, the role of a particular NCO depends on his rank. The FM 7-22.7 makes a list of five (5) major categories of non-commissioned officers and what their roles are. These categories are classified according to ranks of officers and they are Sergeant Major of the Army, Command Sergeant Major and Sergeant Major, First Sergeant and Master Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant and Sergeant First Class, and Squad, Section and Team Leaders. The Sergeant Major o

Internal Auditors Report On Goodner Brothers

Internal Auditors Report On Goodner Brothers Internal Auditors Report on Goodner Brothers Inc 1.0 Internal Control is a system of checking balances and it is designed to provide a reasonable assurance that assets are protected. Then, accounting data must be accurate according to the information of accounting. Operations should be efficient and also law and policies are compiled with. For this company (Goodners Brothers), We noted that weaknesses in internal control of this company make employee of this company, Woody Robinson was in serious financial trouble. So, the employee took advantage of his companys weak internal controls by stealing a large of inventory, which employee then sold to other parties. We identify that the act of Woody Robinson was a form of major fraud. However, We have stated below that the main key internal control objectives for Goodners Huntington sales office. We also stated that the key internal control weaknesses and its implication that were evident in Huntington units operations and control policies or procedures to alleviate the key internal cont rol weaknesses. On the other hand, We also stated that other parties besides Woody Robinson who partially responsible for inventory losses in the company together with few fraud risk management strategy that could be implemented by this company. 2.0 From this case, we have found that Sales Representative(Woody Robinson) in Goodners Huntington sales office took as an advantage of Goodner Brothers Inc weak in internal controls by stealing a large amount of inventory. So, We believe that this are the following key internal control objectives should be maintain in Goodners Huntington sales office. Firstly, Sales offices staff need to ensure that the every transaction should have a proper authorization to prevent this kind of fraudulent use of resources. For example, Sales offices staff should get the approval from the management or manager for very transactions. By apply this first objective, the shortages of inventory can be minimized and makes all the transactions going very smoothly. Secondly, Physical safeguards and security should have been the key internal control objectives. For example, sales offices staff need to ensure that access to physical assets and information systems need to be controlled and properly restricted to authorized personnel. On the other hand, validity also should have been the key internal control objective. So, sales offices staff need to ensure that all recorded transactions fairly need to be represent the economics events that actually occurred and also should be executed in accordance with managements general authorization. Next, Error in handling also should have been the key internal control objective. So, sales offices staff need to ensure that whatever errors detected at any stage of processing receive prompt corrective action and also should reported to the appropriate level of management. Next, Completeness also should have been the key internal control objective. So, sales offices staff need to ensure that no valid transactions should have been omitted from the inventory records. This five objectives that we stated overall can minimum the bad debts. Furthermore, good control can minimized or maintain of the inventory records. 2.1 On the other hand, we have identify the key internal control weaknesses and that were evident in the Huntington units operations. Firstly, there is lack of sufficient workers in the company to perform the much needed various task because we identify that the company have 14 sales outlets with skeletal crews of 10 to 12 employees. Then, a sales manager supervised the other employees at each outlet and also working a sales district. The remaining staff typically included two sales representative. Furthermore, a receptionist who having double job as a secretary and also as a bookkeeper and seven employees who delivering the tires and working in the units inventory warehouse. So, this shows clearly that one of the major key internal control weaknesses is insufficient of workers is working in the company. Next, another key internal control weaknesses in the Huntington units operations is the failure to coordinate an up-to-date accounting system used to provide an actual or accurate ac count of inventory because we was identify that each goodner sales outlet maintaining a computerized accounting system. These systems also typically made according to a standardized format and not develop for specialized for the company. These systems is ready made. Beside this, we also found that the units sales manager and two representatives had unrestricted access to the accounting system. So, since the large volume of sales and purchase transactions always swamped the bookkeeper . Then, sales representatives also frequently entered transactions directly into system. Furthermore, another key internal control weaknesses in the Huntington units operations is the lack of security needed to safeguard the assets sold. Company failure to restricted the security. We have identify that the sales representative (Woody Robinson) taking an advantage and routinely stole the inventory and kept the proceeds. Woody Robinson also continuing stole in various ways. In some cases, Woody Robinson c harged merchandise that he was sold for his own benefit to the accounts of large volume customers. So, this techniques makes inventory balance in the Huntington facilitys accounting records. We also identify that Woody Robinson charged the customers for merchandise they had not purchase. Goodners customers frequently returned tires for various reasons. We found that Woody Robinson completed all the credit memos for sales transactions voided by his customers and at the same time, Woody Robinson not returning the tires to Goodners inventory. Then, Woody Robinson also routinely sell some of the tires to other customers for cash. So, because of company lack of security needs to safeguard the assets sold. This makes the quantity of stealing tires made Woody Robinson was increasing very high. Next, another key internal control weaknesses in the Huntington units operations is the company failure to make sure that all the accounting information was correct or not. We have identify that the sales representative themselves routinely accessed, reviewed and updated their customers account and also completing purchase orders. Sales orders, credit memos and other accounting document on the timely basis, Furthermore, the sales representative passed all the documents on to the bookkeeper and also use them to enter the transactions directly into the accounting system. We also have identify that sales representative had direct access to the inventory storage areas and during heavy sales periods, sales representative always loaded and delivered customers orders themselves. So, this makes easily errors occurred in the accounting information. So, we have stated those key internal control weaknesses and its implication with the evident in the Huntington units operations. 2.2 This are the following control policies or procedures to alleviate the key internal control weaknesses . Firstly, Proper authorization of transactions. Creating and using budgets is a form of authorization. This makes easier for Huntington units operations. The purchase of goods and services should be requested by one person and approved by another. Individuals that handle cash should be bonded. Secondly , another policies or procedures is Segregation of duties. This includes assigning different people the responsibilities of authorizing transactions, recording transactions, and maintaining custody of assets. The person collecting cash should not be the person who records the cash receipt. If there is enough staff, a rotation of duties can eliminate employee manipulation of records or assets. The approval of purchases should not be made by the person who has access to the checks. Furthermore, another policies or procedures is design and use of adequate documents and records to help ensure the proper recording of transactions and events. Sales representative should always pre- numbered checks, receipts and purchase orders should be used and sequence should be accounted. Then, cancelled checks, vouchers, and receipts should be maintained. Voucher packages (invoices, purchase orders and receiving reports) should be cancelled (stamped paid) after payment to prevent duplicate payments. The invoices should be matched to receiving reports and receiving reports should be matched to purchase orders to ensure that sales representative received, ordered and only pay for what we received. At the same time, journals should be kept for all transactions. Next, another policies or procedures is adequate safeguards regarding access to and use of assets a nd records. Then, access to blank checks, signature plates, and purchase orders should be restricted. Computers should have passwords to access and change information and working area also should be visible to supervisors. However, voided checks should be defaced by tearing the signature line off or writing void on the face of the check and also all voided checks should be maintained. If the company apply all those policies or procedures that we stated. The weaknesses of key internal control will be improved. 2.3 Furthermore, We also identify that besides Woody Robinson, there is few parties were partially responsible for inventory losses goodners suffered. Customers is one of the parties responsible for inventory losses because when customers complained to Woody Robinson for being charged for merchandise they had not purchased, Woody Robinson usually apologized and corrected their account balances but if some of the customers sometimes paid the illicit charges, so this shows that customers unknowingly helped Woody Robinson sustain his fraudulent scheme. Next, We identify that Felix Garcia, the Huntington sales manager is also one of the parties that responsible for inventory losses because Felix Garcia stated that he was not discussed the customers complaints with Woody Robinson or the sales representative. Normally, when Felix Garcia received a customer complaint, he just simply passed it to the appropriate sales representative and was allowed that individual to deal with the matters. F urthermore, We also found that Felix Garcia maintain a file of customer complaints only because he was told to do so by the previous sales manager whom was replaced three years earlier. So, We found that previous sales manager also partially responsible for inventory losses. Next, Al Hunt is owner of Curcio tires and also Woody Robinsons friend is also one of the parties responsible inventory losses because Al Hunt just continue purchase the tires even though another sales representative told that the company only sold closeout merchandise directly to wholesalers. Al Hunt also know that Woody Robinson was incredibly selling the tires at lower price. This shows that Al Hunt really responsible for inventory losses. We also identify that Al Hunt one of the major parties among the other parties who responsible for inventory losses. 2.4 However, there is a various forms of fraud risk management strategy that could be implemented by Goodners Brothers Inc. One of the fraud risk management strategy is communication and training. So, raising employees awareness of their obligations concerning fraud and misconduct control begins with communications and training. While many organisations take an approach, careful planning behind this effort can help send employees a clear message to take their control responsibilities seriously. Secondly, another fraud risk management strategy is audit and monitoring. Because since it is impossible to monitor every fraud and potential misconduct risk, management should develop a comprehensive auditing and monitoring plan that is based on the organizations fraud risk assessment process. Then, another fraud risk management strategy is employee and third-party due diligence. An important part of an effective fraud and misconduct prevention strategy is using appropriate due diligence in t he hiring, retention and promotion of employees, agents, vendors and other third parties. Such due diligence becomes especially important for those employees with authority over the financial reporting process. Furthermore, another fraud risk management is code of conduct. That is actually a well -written code of conduct is one of the most important mechanisms to communicate with employees about acceptable business standards. It sets the organizations tone on control culture, raises awareness of managements commitment to integrity and provides the resources to help employees achieve managements compliance goals. All those fraud risk management strategy that we stated that could implemented by Goodner Brothers Inc. 3.0 Finally, we come with conclusion that the management or the board of this company is mainly responsible for the design of internal control and conveying to staff their internal control responsibilities. Peoples is the one who make internal controls work. Everyone in the company plays an important role. As problems are noted, staffs should be communicated, so that adjustments or corrections can be made. There is few benefits of internal control mainly for employees is actually to help prevent errors and irregularities from occurring. If they do occur, Internal controls will help ensure they are detected in timely manner. By this report, we believed that the board of Goodner Brothers Inc is should be able to overcome the internal control weaknesses. It makes the fraudulent in the company will be reduced and particularly Huntington sales office can be maintained or sustained consistently ranked as Goodners second or third most profitable sales outlet.

concept of consciousness :: essays research papers

An individual is somewhere in space-time, and not somewhere else. Except for God, of course, who was invented to instantiate all contradictions in blessed harmony. He's everywhere and everywhen, though at the same time, as it were, not in time or space[3]. But the upshot of this is that every individual has a point of view, a perspective, and apprehends the world, so far as it can apprehend the world, from somewhere and not nowhere[4] (Nagel 1986). If taken in isolation, the feature of being somewhere in particular affects all kinds of individuals, not just humans. But only those individuals that can view something can presumably have a point of view. Thus Searle again: Subjectivity has the further consequence that all of my conscious forms of intentionality that give me information about the world independent of myself are always from a special point of view. The world itself has no point of view, but my access to the world through my conscious states is always perspectival. (ibid. 95).[5] In itself, however, that could be true of any other living thing. Nor is it a requirement to be alive: an artificial eye has a point of view. More generally, as shown in the excellent discussion of this subject in (Proust 1997), aspectuality can be seen as a consequence of mere differences of informational channels, and doesn't therefore require any level of consciousness. Perspective might itself be of two kinds. This can be seen by asking: Does a still camera have a genuine point of view? One reason to deny this is that for a still camera there is nothing that corresponds to the difference between locality in time, and locality in space. For a living individual, these pose slightly different problems. For there are different ways in which we might care about the effects of our actions in distant space, and in different times. Time is asymmetrical in this sense (among others): we care more, or quite differently, about what happens in the future than about what happened in the past. But although the things we care about may, of course, be unevenly distributed, space has no uniformly privileged direction. So temporal perspectivity appears seems to constitute a more serious species of subjectivity than the spatial kind. Now perspectivity is sometimes equated with subjectivity in general, as suggested in the last quotation from Searle above. Yet subjectivity is also associated with the self, and the temporal form of perspectivity actually causes problems for the view that my self is my subjectivity.

Gay And Lesbian Children

The current estimates of children who live with bisexual parents, either the gay or the lesbians in United States of America are in the tune of between six to ten million. The census conducted in the year 2000 treated these children as single parent children. At the moment, over twenty percent of the existing gay as well as lesbian relationships have a child in their homesteads. In the American society, the families of gay as well as lesbians forms a fundamental element of the daily life. Introduction It has already been established that partners of the same sex ran their households almost in the entire county. It is also true that the homes led by the gay as well as the lesbians are in the tune of 600 000 in the entire nation† (Leff). It therefore implies that, the numbers of the children with transgender, bisexual, gay or lesbian parents are always on the increase. This category of the children may hail in families of mixed race, adoptive families or even families that are si ngle parent. There is also likelihood that the children are biologically fathered or mothered by one of the parents. This is out of the fact that majority of the gay as well as the lesbians commit themselves in gay or lesbian relationships at the time of being parents. The other fact holds that the gay and the lesbians had children in their earlier life of heterosexual relationship but later got involved in their current sexual status (Leff). Literature review The documentary film that talks about what it is like to grow up with gay or lesbian parents that I have chosen for the purpose of this paper is entitled DADDY & PAPA and from the context as presented, Johnny Symons, who is the film maker played the part of Papa, while William Rogers, who was his partner, played the part of Daddy. The two couples were committed for a period of about ten years although in an informally accepted union. They later got married officially in 2004 at a ceremony highly cheered by their sons (DADDY & PAPA). There are some general ideas that are worth reflection. It is therefore upright in as far as the video is concerned to conclude that multiple and diverse ways exist in which a family can be composed. The existing families assume varied and diverse sizes as well as diverse configurations. There exists ordinary aspect among the variety of families in existence. The existing families have their kinds considered normal. However some kinds of a family may be numerous in relation to others. All of these families once in a while experience conflict of some kind which is part and parcel of the family. It is not practical for the families to be happy at all times. If teasing is a common occurrence in the family, hurt feelings as well as low self-esteem is most likely to be the repercussion to the offended member (s) of the family. It is also a possibility for the interruption of teasing to be done by members of the family who the become allies in as far as the other members are concerned. It is possible for families to experience a transformation just as it is with the people. Families of different kinds are potentially gifted to support one another for the purpose of their individual strengths more than any particular kind of family existing independently of any other (DADDY & PAPA). According to Judith, â€Å"The fact that the child is from a straight family with both mother and father does not warrant that the child will always be happy, safe and have a secure environment at home to allow the child a chance to grow into a productive individual who is properly adjusted. Parents of the same gender as well as parents of opposite gender have the same reaction in as far as stings are concerned, the scraps, the shorts as well as and the joys together with the heartaches affecting childhood in a similar manner as their children† (Judith, 12). According to Elias â€Å"Parents who are open about their sexual orientation, who exhibit mentally healthy behavior and provide supportive communities for their kids, tend to have the most resilient youngsters† (Para 9). Further, paragraph. point number 2 states that â€Å"Gay parents share child care and chores more evenly than heterosexual couples. Both men assume mommy/daddy roles. They're coaches and cooks,† (Para 6) Judith further asserts that â€Å"The potential to become great or otherwise in as far as the parent is concerned has no any relationship to the sexual orientation of a person. Adults who are nurturing are reliable whether they are male or female; they have the potential, and are usually excellent parents† (Judith, 33). She further summarizes the issue with a comment that â€Å"The physical appearance of the family is not actually a reflection of the particular family type† (Judith, 37). The most significant thing is the shared love among the members of that particular family which actually brings about the difference in existence among the members of the family. Taken from the perspective of Levy â€Å"the health as well as the development of the child, there is no significant difference among the child of the heterosexual family and a child from a gay or a lesbian family† (Para 1). The organizations with a strong devotion to the health as well as welfare of the children are in no compromise as far as the health is concerned. The adjustment of the child of couples of the same gender is no different from those ones of children from families of heterosexual nature (Lev). According to Elias, There exists no scientific evidence that sexual orientation determines the parenting effectiveness; any parent can provide supportive and healthy environments for their children. Elias says, â€Å"The children will benefit if their parents are able to marry† (paragraph 1). The only shortcomings facing the children of same-sex marriage is the failure of the efforts by the schools to meet their needs in as far as being more inclusive. This situation is compounded by the teasing and the mockery that they face from children of normal families (Elias). According to Lev â€Å"Much of the research describes four general outcomes for cross-gendered children. One, they grow up to be normatively gendered, heterosexual people. Two, they grow up to be feminine men or masculine women. Three, they grow up to be lesbian or gay† (Para 6). Four, they grow up to be transsexual or transgender. The most common outcome seems to be that gender-variant boys grow up to be gay. Treatment—in the form of behavioral modification programs geared at eliminating cross-gender behavior—are the standard recommendation† (Para 6). Chapter 9 of the same website suggests that â€Å"Something is very wrong here, but I’m not sure it is Kyle who has the problem. In order to decide if something is ‘wrong’ with Kyle, we need to define what we mean by wrong. Do we think it is wrong to be a sensitive heterosexual man? Do we think it is wrong to be a gay man? I suspect most of us will respond to those questions with a resounding No! † (Chapter 9). But the minority group has had to encounter great challenges due to discrimination. According to the article Liberation Was For Others â€Å"Latest research estimates that approximately 10,000 – 15,000 men were sent to concentration camps solely for being homosexual the same article stresses that Some lesbians, as well as feminists, were considered A-Socials† by the Nazis and were sent to the camps in limited numbers. Many served their time in camp brothels servicing the Nazis as well as some camp inmates† (Chapter 3). Conclusion The fact of the matter is that shapes as well as the sizes of various families are also diverse. All types of parents are gifted to raise their children, whether they are married, unmarried, grandparents of the children, single parents, widowed, members of an extended family and foster parents among many others. There are high chances of the possibility that children from gay or lesbian parent enjoy a happier life in comparison to a child from a normal family. The family is a care giver of primary importance and a central focus for the strength as well support in as far as the children are concerned. The security given to a child out of a setting of a stable family is the necessary ingredient responsible for the healthy future of the child. The gay as well as the lesbians have been involved in child rearing from the past, a trend that will continue into the future.

Romeo - A Character Profile From Romeo and Juliet

Romeo - A Character Profile From Romeo and Juliet One of the original star-crossd lovers, Romeo is the male half of the ill-fated pair who drive the action in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. Much has been written about the origins of the character, and the influence Romeo has had on other young male lovers throughout Western literature. But Shakespeares Romeo is an enduring representative of young love gone tragically wrong.   What Happens to Romeo Most interpretations of Romeo and Juliet estimate him to be about 16 years old, and Juliet to be about 13.  The heir of the House of Montague, Romeo meets and falls in love with Juliet, the young daughter of the House of Capulet. For reasons unexplained, the Montagues and Capulets are bitter enemies, so the young lovers know their affair will anger their families.  But the titular couple isnt interested in family feuds, and quickly fall in love.    Romeo and Juliet secretly marry with the help of his friend and confidant, Friar Lawrence. But the two are doomed from the start; after Juliets  cousin Tybalt kills Romeos friend Mercutio; Romeo retaliates, killing Tybalt. He is sent into exile, only returning when he hears of Juliets death. But Juliet has only faked her death unbeknownst to Romeo, who kills himself in a fit of grief. She awakens to find him dead and takes her life, this time for real.   Was Romeos Death Fate? After the young lovers die, the Capulets and Montagues agree to end their feud. Shakespeare leaves it mostly to his audience to decide whether this means that Romeo and Juliets deaths are fated. Could the feud have been ended any other way?   Questions long debated among Shakespearean scholars: Is the outcome of the play the result of bad luck? Or were Romeo and Juliets deaths predestined as part of the legacy of their families feud? Origins of the Romeo Character Most Shakespeare historians trace the origin of the Romeo character back to Greek myth. Ovids Metamorphoses  tells the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, two young lovers in Babylon who lived next to each other and communicated through cracks in the walls, their parents having forbid them meeting because of an ongoing family feud. The similarities to Romeo and Juliet dont end there: When the pair arrange to meet finally, Thisbe arrives at the predetermined spot, a mulberry tree, to find a menacing lioness. She runs away, but accidentally leaves her veil behind. Pyramus finds the veil when he gets there and believes the lioness has killed Thisbe, so he falls on his sword (literally). Thisbe returns and finds him dead, then kills herself with his sword.   While Pyramus and Thisbe may not have been Shakespeares direct source for Romeo and Juliet, it was certainly an influence on the works from which Shakespeare drew. Romeo first appeared in Giulietta e Romeo, a 1530 story by Luigi da Porto, which was itself adapted from Masuccio Salernitanos 1476 work Il Novellino. All of those later works can, in some way or other, trace their origins to Pyramus and Thisbe.

The Poetry of Anne Bradstreet and Her Writing Style

The Poetry of Anne Bradstreet and Her Writing Style Most of the poems included in Anne Bradstreets first collection, The Tenth Muse (1650), were quite conventional in style and form, and dealt with history and politics. In one poem, for instance, Anne Bradstreet wrote of the 1642 uprising of Puritans led by Cromwell. In another, she praises accomplishments of Queen Elizabeth. The publishing success of The Tenth Muse seems to have given Anne Bradstreet more confidence in her writing. (She refers to this publication, and to her displeasure with being unable to make corrections to the poems herself before publication, in a later poem, The Author to Her Book.) Her style and form became less conventional, and instead, she wrote more personally and directly - of her own experiences, of religion, of daily life, of her thoughts, of the New England landscape. Anne Bradstreet was in most ways quite typically Puritan. Many poems reflect her struggle to accept the adversity of the Puritan colony, contrasting earthly losses with the eternal rewards of the good. In one poem, for instance, she writes of an actual event: when the familys house burned down. In another, she writes of her thoughts of her own possible death as she approaches the birth of one of her children. Anne Bradstreet contrasts the transitory nature of earthly treasure with eternal treasures and seems to see these trials as lessons from God. Ann Bradstreet on Religion From Before the Birth of One of Her Children: All things within this fading world hath end. And from Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House July 10th, 1666: I blest His name that gave and took,That laid my goods now in the dust.Yea, so it was, and so twas just.It was His own, it was not mine....The world no longer let me love,My hope and treasure lies above. On the Role of Women Anne Bradstreet also alludes to the role of women and to womens capabilities in many poems. She seems especially concerned to defend the presence of Reason in women. Among her earlier poems, the one extolling Queen Elizabeth includes these lines, revealing the sly wit thats in many of Anne Bradstreets poems: Now say, have women worth? or have they none?Or had they some, but with our queen ist gone?Nay Masculines, you have thus taxt us long,But she, though dead, will vindicate our wrong,Let such as say our Sex is void of Reason,Know tis a Slander now, but once was Treason. In another, she seems to refer to the opinion of some as to whether she should be spending time writing poetry: I am obnoxious to each carping tongueWho says my hand a needle better fits. She also refers to the likelihood that poetry by a woman will not be accepted: If what I do prove well, it wont advance,Theyll say its stolen, or else it was by chance. Anne Bradstreet largely accepts, however, the Puritan definition of proper roles of men and women, though asking for more acceptance of womens accomplishments. This, from the same poem as the previous quote: Let Greeks be Greeks, and Women what they areMen have precedency and still excel;It is but vain unjustly to wage war.Men can do best, and women know it well,Preeminence in all and each is yours;Yet grant some small acknowledgment of ours. On Eternity In contrast, perhaps, to her acceptance of adversity in this world, and her hope of eternity in the next, Anne Bradstreet also seems to hope that her poems will bring a kind of earthly immortality. These excerpts are from two different poems: Thus gone, amongst you I may live,And dead, yet speak and counsel give.If any worth or virtue live in me,Let that live frankly in thy memory.

Motivational Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Motivational Theories - Essay Example The X and Y theory The theory X and theory Y formulated by Douglas Mc Gregor in the year 1960 positions previous negative perceptions about employees (Theory X) against a positive outlook towards employees and mindset of individuals (Theory Y) eg: Theory X- People inherently dislike work. Theory Y - People view work as being as natural as play and rest. Motivator- Hygiene factors theory : The hygiene factors theory by Frederick Herzberg in the year 1966 is another path breaking concept which clearly listed the factors of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Most accurately explained as Motivator factors that increase job satisfaction and Hygiene factors whose absence can create job dissatisfaction. The essence of the theory is that hygiene factors are the essentials of any employee or an individual at work they are - Security, Salary, Supervision, Company policy, Working conditions and Peer relationship. On the other hand, motivator factors are - work itself, Responsibility, recognition, achievement, advancement and growth. However, the first two theories give a general insight about an individual's needs and perceptions to understand a human's psychology about work was the theory of Frederick Herzberg that clearly lists the requisites of any given job for an individual. The three needs theory -... The highlight of the theory is direct relation it draws to the relevance to the word "Motivation' or factors that motivate. In this case factors that motivate individuals to perform and succeed. The needs theory includes all factors that come from within an individual. Eg: Competitiveness, influence that one exerts on another, need for achievement, acceptance and friendship. Goal Setting theory and Equity theory: The goal setting theory by the Stacey Adams in the year 1965 states that specific goals set by any organization for an individual increases performance in the of sales the goal is monthly target of sale on products to be achieved. The theory further goes on to explain that acceptance of a difficult goal only results in higher performance, even when compared to a goal that is easily achievable. The equity theory is nothing but the simple equation that any individual draws between the efforts and rewards an individual is constantly trying to match both sides by reducing efforts or increasing the same depending on the rewards and recognition expected. Eg: If a sales representative sees the reward or recognition is receives after he meets the required monthly target is unequal to his effort or sincerity he is bound to under perform the following month. Expectancy Theory: This theory by Victor Vroom in the year 1964 aims to substantiate the motivation theory more accurately for any sales unit. Victor Vroom explains the theory in three simple questions: 1. How hard will I have to work - Effort 2. What is the reward - Reward 3. How attractive is the reward - Attractiveness of reward. Thus the above mentioned theories in one way of or the other help in understanding the various factors of

Smoking Tobacco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Smoking Tobacco - Essay Example Parker’s article accounts for credibility in a number of ways. To start with, the article considers tobacco trade within the international market setting. In so doing, the text is characteristic of diversified perspectives surrounding tobacco trade and the underlying behaviors by the global population. In addition, the article reports progressive developments and trends that were observed across the globe for over a decade in regards to tobacco smoking. These observations make Parker’s insights relevant and credible to the study of tobacco-related topics. Finally, Parker’s text is a reliable source of information as far as tobacco smoking is concerned. In the final paper context, the insights shed by Parker will come in handy in the assessment of global tobacco use. Most importantly, the text will be useful in capturing local, regional, and international variations in tobacco smoking and related practices and/or behaviors. This is because the article has adequate statistics, data, and information relevant to the prospects of the final