About Elephants... Essays - Elephants, Elephant, Gaja, Circus

About Elephants... Essays - Elephants, Elephant, Gaja, Circus About Elephants... Somewhere in eastern Canada, there is a place where elephants live. Elephants seem to enjoy the place where they live, they even seem to enjoy the cold weather. During winter, elephant wants to go in the freezing, icy water; the male breaks the ice to swim in the water. The elephants seem to have a protection against the cold; it could be the fat that keeps them warm. So elephants adapt very well, even in the cold winters of Canada, the thermostat can go below minus twenty degrees Celsius. This place in eastern Canada, it is like an oasis, who would think that in Canada, there are elephants. Charlie Gray is the trainer but also the friend of the elephants, for him it is not just a job, but a passion. When he saw an elephant for the first time, he was fascinated and he stood up in front of the elephant when his parents were gone. Charlie Gray always feeds the elephants before going to bed, an elephant always sleep wake up, because otherwise the elephant will die of choking, because of his own weight. The elephant is the biggest mammal on the continents. An elephant can walk twenty miles a day. Like the human, the elephants need free time to socialise, with the other elephants by going in a lack. During spring, the elephants always have visits but during the winter there is no income so some elephants go to the circus with Mathieu Daley Mathieu is an eager apprentice. The circus, which goes Mathieu and Calvin, is situated in Montreal. Calvin, who is an elephant, loves to travel, like any other elephant. Calvin and Mathieu are partners, Calvin can stand up on his two legs, when Mathieu is on Calvin heads, and they can many other things. It is nice too see someone who enjoys very much his job.

How Writing about Death Saved my Life

How Writing about Death Saved my Life How Writing about Death Saved my Life Christopher Noà «l is a professional on the Reedsy marketplace who has been a freelance editor for twenty-five years. He is the author of seven books, including the memoir In the Unlikely Event of a Water Landing: A Geography of Grief,  which he wrote following a life-changing disaster.

A case study report- POLYSUBSTANCE ABUSE Term Paper

A case study report- POLYSUBSTANCE ABUSE - Term Paper Example Furthermore, although it is not known which factors actually contribute to the polysubstance abuse, perhaps, a mix of many factors actually precipitates it. Chaotic home environment, parental substance abuse, parental mental illness, ineffective parenting, and lack of parental involvement, all of which seem to arise from a family environment are factors that need to be considered in this case. It is considered that family factors are most crucial in promoting drug abuse by the youth. Even the mentally healthy youth demonstrates high risk of abusing when the parents abuse. Poor parental attachment, nurturing, and monitoring, increase the risks of developing substance abuse. It is evident from Antonios case that he was in the middle of a dysfunctional family life. His fathers alcohol abuse and constant domestic fight between his parents leading to marital disruption can be functionally responsible for Antonios abuse behaviors. These led to substantial amount of stress at home and is definitely causative of little or no cohesion, organization, expressiveness, consistency, all leading to absence of communication between family members. More over, in Antonios case, there had been marital disruption between his parents over alcohol abuse, and this could have led to the belief that substance abuse is a normal part of the life. Cohesion among family members prevents delinquency, depression and low self-esteem and fosters self-control and absence of all of these increases the level of social estrangement that strongly predisposes to substance abuse (Dinges & Oetting, 1993). Sudden change in environment occurred in Antonios life due to their relocation from Huntington Beach to Redlands. It created pressure on him, and the factor of ineffective coping came into play. This led to his association with conduct-disordered peers, which was another precipitating factor. Lack of

Auto Purchase Worksheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Auto Purchase Worksheet - Essay Example   With all these basic points in my mind I have now prepared a list of three cars which I found to be matching with my requirement ideas. These three cars are Honda accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan  maxima. Undoubtedly, there are some crucial factors that are influencing my decision making. Firstly, my financial status to buy a car is confined within a budget of $20,000 including the bank interest of 4.5 percent by the bank; hence I cannot cross this limit. Optionally, I can buy a car from a private party if it offers a good deal. Secondly, I have to sell my existing car to the dealer or a private party and use the money in a new deal.   Now I am preparing worksheet making it easier for me to compare, calculate and finally decide to buy a particular car.   My research worksheet goes like this.   Through this research I could assume a comparative calculation of the prices of these cars along with the mileage differences.  Here I found dealer’s trade bit costly than the private parties. Take for example Mr. Bill Jones’s Toyota Camry costing $16000. Well it seems to be a good deal than the Highway dealers cost of $20,000. But when I noticed Mr. Bills Camrys mileage I realized that 30259 kilometers is to high mileage. No doubt I am buying a used car but at least its mileage should be below 20,000 kilometers. Frankly saying throughout the worksheet I found Highway dealers Honda Accord to be the best one costing $18000 and my second option is Mrs. Anna Jones Nissan Maxima costing $17000. Though the mileage is bit higher but I liked the condition of the car as it is used single handedly. There are two more conditions that are important for me to consider before the final decision. Firstly, I want to buy the car in a bank loan Finance and pay in monthly installments and secondly, I want to trade in my existing car in the new deal. To solve this

Amazon Metrics Essay Example for Free

Amazon Metrics Essay As a thumb in on-line shopping industry, Amazon surely owned massive competitive advantages. Amazon believes the main competitive factors in its market segments included ‘selection, price, availability, convenience, information, discovery, brand recognition, personalized services, accessibility, customer service, reliability, speed of fulfillment, ease of use, and ability to adapt to changing conditions, as well as our customers’ overall experience and trust in transactions with us and facilitated by us on behalf of third-party sellers’. And there is large number of technologies used to support these diverse advantages, which compared with its competitors are different. First, Look inside a current textbook on software architecture, and you’ll find few patterns that we don’t apply at Amazon. We use high-performance transactions systems, complex rendering and object cashing, workflow and queuing systems, business intelligence and data analytics, machine learning and pattern recognition, neural networks and probabilistic decision making, and a wide variety of other technologies. In other words, Amazon always keep its technologies are the lasted ones. That is also help to operating business, such as deal with the orders, tracking shipping information, customer services, more effective and efficient. Second, Amazon pays more attention to their customers with their unique technologies. Round (2004) notes that Amazon focus on customer satisfaction metrics. Each site is closely monitored with standard service avail-ability monitoring (for example, using Keynote or Mercury Interactive) site availability and download speed. We use a set of applications for accepting and validating customer orders, placing and tracking orders with suppliers, managing and assigning inventory to customer orders, and ensuring proper shipment of products to customers. All these purposes are came true by a transaction-processing system. There is also an automated e-mail measurement and optimization system. This measure would give big contribution to promote available inventory. There is a good cycle from the system to promotion. Amazon tries their best to give personalized services. Web pages tailored to individual preferences, such as recommendations and notifications; 1-Click technology; secure payment systems; image uploads; searching on our websites as well as the internet; browsing; and the ability to view selected interior pages and citations, and search the entire contents of many of the Book’ and ‘Search Inside the Book’ features. Third, to further provide a comfortable shopping environment for customers, Amazon makes many attempts. A company like Amazon could (and did) record every move a visitor made, every last click and twitch of the mouse. In time, the work of editorial reviews, such as Marcus, was marginalized since Amazon found that the majority of visitors used the search tools rather than read editorial. At the last, Amazon devotes itself to improve and innovation constant. Providing the latest and effective technology to guide all stakeholders, such as third parties, as well. As Amazon explains in SEC (2005): using primarily our own proprietary technologies, as well as technology licensed from third parties, we have implemented numerous features and functionality that simplify and improve the customer shopping experience, enable third parties to sell on our platform, and facilitate our fulfillment and customer service operations. And the Amazon retail platform enables other retailers to sell products online using the Amazon user interface and infrastructure through their ‘Syndicated Stores’ programme. Above all, these creative and maturity technology enhanced Amazon’s core capability while competed with other rivals.

Ethics of Full Disclosure of Security Holes Essay -- Hackers Internet

Ethics of Full Disclosure of Security Holes Introduction Security breaches are making big headlines nowadays, and Microsoft is leading the charge. Its flagship operating systems and office suite are so bulky and complex, that it is impossible to be bug-free. The system administrators (the white hats) are up to their noses plugging all the holes from super hackers (the black hats). Yet they are also facing attack from another front – those that post vulnerabilities on the internet (the gray hats). The gray hats are hackers that find security vulnerabilities and post them on the internet, forcing system administrators to patch up the holes. Usually, they inform the vendor ahead of time. Then, if they deem the company is not taking them seriously, and malicious hackers will exploit the threat, they post it on a forum. Though acting in good faith, the ethics of full disclosure of security holes are in debate, including: how full disclosure can cause more harm then good, how long vendors should be allowed to fix the problem, and liabilities for posting on the internet. Issue 1: Full disclosure of security-related information can inflict more damage than good. You are showing people how to break into systems. The debate about vulnerability-disclosure policies involves two main parties. Researchers at security companies say they want to get their latest findings out quickly to hasten software makers' response to bugs. Software makers, on the other hand, say they aren't given enough time to deal with a problem, and that publicizing it simply alerts malicious hackers to an opportunity. There are super hackers out there who find security vulnerabilities, then write a script up on the internet, with one or two l... ...on't publish code, 17 Oct. 2001, CNet News.com, 11 Mar. 2004, 6. Lemos, Robert, Microsoft developers feel Windows pain, 7 Feb 2002, CNet News.com, 12 Mar. 2004, < http://news.com.com/2100-1001_3-832048.html> 7. Lemos, Robert, When is Hacking a Crime? 26 Sept 2002, ZDNetNews, 15 Mar. 2004, 8. Fried, Ina, Attack concerns slow Microsoft's pace, 16 Mar. 2004, CNet News.com, 16 March 2004, 9. Shankland, Stephen, Governements to See Windows Code, 14 Jan 2003, CNet News.com, 14 March 2004, 10. Lemos, Robert, New laws make hacking a black-and-white choice, 23 Sept 2002, CNet News.com, 14 March 2004,

A Study in Sociology Essay

Suicide always fascinated academic researches for a long time however it is has been an area of study limited to the field of psychology. Sociology is a relatively new field of social sciences. It started looking into suicide, not just as a personal act, but as a social action which is not entirely divorced from social forces. This paper discusses pertinent studies on the phenomenon of suicide and seeks to present literatures concerning this act. Moreover, differing ideas and interpretations on suicide are presented to carefully elaborate different perspectives on the subject matter. A Study in Sociology Arguably the first person to connect suicide to the study of sociology is sociologist Emile Durkheim. He presented that although suicide is a personal choice of the individual, the act is not separated from the context of a society. He looked into pre-existing records and analyzed suicide trends in different societies. Based on these suicide trends, there are four classifications of suicide: 1) Egoistic; 2) Altruistic; 3) Anomic and; 4) Fatalistic. Social cohesion plays a vital role in Durkheim’s theories on suicide. Egoistic suicide occurs when a person has a relatively low degree of integration into a society. On the other hand, a high degree of integration into a society can also result in suicides that are meant for a higher cause within a society. He also argued that changes in social order and the individual’s perception towards social change would explain anomic suicides. The phenomenon of fatalism takes place in extreme social contexts, where a person would decide on killing himself rather than suffering dire social conditions (Durkheim, 1951). Self and Society From an object of study limited to psychology, suicide became a subject of sociology. Durkheim’s research proved that the traditional perspective that view the subject matter as a psychological behavior and entirely individualistic in nature is a constricted framework when looking into suicide. This implies that social structures, social forces as well as social conflicts and changes are intervening factors in a suicide phenomenon. C. Wright Mills (2000) supported that one cannot separate behaviors and actions of an individual from the larger social context. He wrote that â€Å"the personal troubles of the milieu are connected to the public issues of social structure. † The individual committing suicide must therefore be located in his social as well as historical contexts. Current Trends on Suicide Studies After Mills and Durkheim laid the foundations of suicide as a sociological subject, numerous studies concerning suicide have been conducted in both psychology and sociology. Currently, suicide studies are interconnected with other factors such as gender, poverty, small arms, mental disorders and even medicine. It is now linked to modernity (Baudelot and Establet, 2008), attitudes and experiences of oncology patients (Emanuel, Fairclough, Daniels & Clarridge, 1996), a demographic-specific trend such as adolescents (Brent, et. al. , 1988), cultural forces (West, 2005), economic conditions (Ruhm, 2000), as well as access to weapons (Brent, et. al. 1991). Suicide and Modernity Baudelot and Establet (2008) worked with Durkheim’s premises in their study of suicide. They stated that â€Å"The link between suicide, affluence and individualism is more complex—suicide rates do reflect broad social trends but they are also influenced by the structural position and lived experience of small social groups. The notion of social well-being is demonstrated to be a key factor in changes in suicide rates. † While sociology itself cannot accurately predict a suicide case, the collective gathering of these cases provides a fertile ground for sociological interpretations. Modernity is a historical as well as social era where social changes occur and these cases of suicide are descriptive of their milieu. Suicide, seen as such in the context of modernity, is a social fact. It describes the changes that occurred during the time of modernity. Societies that are rigid in its goals during the time of modernity are those that adamantly pursued modernization. It is in this context that suicide rates are known to be higher in the Communist Bloc, China and India (Baudelot and Establet, 2008). Economics and Suicide While both affluent and starving groups of individuals commit suicide, the role of economics cannot be downplayed in the study of suicide. On the macro-economic level, the period of modernity prominently features suicide trends in a time where economies were vibrant and booming. On the other hand, a stagnating economy, such as in a recession, also has an effect on suicide. Ruhm (2000) argues that â€Å"unemployment is negatively correlated to mortality and that unemployment is positively correlated to suicide. † In Japan, suicide is seen in a cultural context. Since individuals in the Japanese society are strongly connected to their social, political and cultural spheres, there is tendency for the push and pull of altruistic-egoistic suicide to occur. This is seen when the rule of law in Japanese society permeates the personal sphere such that debts and divorces are major factors affecting suicide (West, 2005). Suicide and Norms Sociology also attempted to explain suicide in a broader sense—by zooming out of the individual and focusing on social factors that affect the phenomenon. Psychology argues that those committing suicide are psychologically ill or that the individuals committing them are inept in their coping mechanisms. While suicide might seem irrational, there are rational premises that are least likely explored. Societies that are relatively more tolerant of suicide, as well as the individual’s cognitive ability to rationalize the act are also extraordinary factors contributing to suicide trends. Rendering rational suicide normative in a society creates the positive feedback mechanism necessary for a rational suicide to occur. This type of suicide is also surprisingly limited to a specific demographic, namely the educated and successful. Rationality of Suicide One of the fundamental question relating suicide and society lies in the rationality of the act. Is the act ‘rational’ based only on the perceptions and actions of the individual, thereby rendering the act an exclusive study within psychology? Or is this rationality of the act itself being defined not only in terms of the individual’s values but a rationality that is predetermined by the values and norms of a society? Although there are many reasons for suicide, there are factors that least likely determine suicidal trends, but are potent social forces (i. e. education, family, religion) that must be considered. Suicide occurs for a number of reasons such as depression, substance abuse, shame, avoiding pain, financial difficulties or other undesirable fates. † Defying the commonplace definition is the concept of rational suicide. Rational suicide is â€Å"ending one’s life out of a conviction that one has lived long enough, that the likely future holds more pain than joy† (Lerner, 2004). Surprisingly, rationality of a suicide act Keown (1995) showed that there is prime value placed on the moral intention behind the act of death itself. This applies not just in euthanasia but also in rational suicide. What are the intentions behind the suicide? Is the decision independent of life’s problems that can be solved? Is it free from outside pressure from a belief system, mores or culture itself? This is the litmus test of the rationality or irrationality of suicides. Sociological and psychological studies attempted to look into the duality of forces working on suicides—individual and social. It is arguably psycho-social factors that are deterministic of the suicide trends across societies. Social institutions, many sociological studies posit, are playing a huge role in the nature and type of suicides in a given society. Stack and Kposowa (2008) concludes that: â€Å"National suicide rates are predictive of individual-level suicide acceptability. However, the main predictors of suicide acceptability included a measure from social learning theory, religiosity, and a neglected measure of control theory, life satisfaction. † While the act of committing suicide is a very individualistic act, there are factors to be considered that are social forces with repercussions and influences on individual action. The act of suicide presents how the personal milieu is linked to the larger issues within the social institutions. References: Baudelot C. and Establet R. (2008) Suicide: The Hidden Side of Modernity. John Wiley Publications. Brent, D. A. , Perper, J. A. , Goldstein, C. E. , Kolko, D. J. , Allan, M. J. , Allman, C. J. , and Zelenak, J. P. (1988) Risk factors for adolescent suicide. A comparison of adolescent suicide victims with suicidal inpatients. Archives of General Psychiatry. Vol. 45, No. 6, June 1988.

Brock article 1 Essay

(10) In understanding the idea presented by Brock as far as the idea of professional norms are voluntarily adopted, it is essential to point out the two elements that go together with it. The first one involves the creation of norms and values of a specific profession that is often imposed unto its members (Brock,). In this idea, the organization should also coordinate and collaborate with related agencies and institutions that specialize in such area. The second idea refers to the ability of each professional to directly adhere to the norms his/her organization provides (Brock,). It is through such entry that the individual takes on these facets accordingly. (11) The term conventional compromise provided by Brock in the article revolves around the question and issue of moral implications in the practice and facilitation of medicine. Under this facet, the term revolves around a â€Å"physician/pharmacist who has a serious moral objection providing a service/product to a patient/customer is not required to do so† (Brock, 2008, p. 194). At the same time, it is in here that there are several conditions that must also be looked into before saying that a particular case or issue has undergone a conventional compromise. These facets include (1) proper information so as to the facilitation of service/product, (2) proper referrals to other professionals who can provide, and (3) the second facet will not cause burden or difficulty for the patient (Brock, 2008). Under the first facet, there needs to be proper support and ground for the facilitation of a service or mechanism so as to fit the described example. It is in here that active communication about the practice must be given to any patient before declining its prescription or rendering of service (Brock, 2008). On the second facet, it requires the ability of any medical professional to have access to networks that have relatively opinions as theirs as far as the issue is concerned. This will then satisfy the condition that patients can seek for alternatives of providers of such device/service (Brock, 2008). Lastly, there must be careful consideration as far as its suitability and preference of patients are concerned. Since these ideas are prone to subjectivity, medical professionals must then establish these areas to connote the term conventional compromise (Brock, 2008) (12) In responding to the case of the pharmacist, Brock would probably argue against the notion set by the pharmacist. This is because this profession is part of an organization wherein the norms and objectives are stipulated accordingly (Brock, 2008). The action committed by the person is only a matter of moral conscience and does not solely revolve around the basic standpoint of the profession. Likewise, foregoing the facilitation of contraceptives as an option disregards the fact that the organization he/she is part of considers this as an option for practice (Brock, 2008). These are some tenets that is included when she agreed to be part of the institution and agency and collaborated with standards provided by concerned agencies (Brock, 2008). Seeing this disposition, Brock would then argue to the pharmacist that he/she practice a conventional compromise wherein she will actively provide and designate a professional who may think and view the issue differently from his/her perspective. This a way to protect both the opinion and value set of the pharmacist and ability of the patient to recognize the possible options available for him/her (Brock, 2008). By doing this, it can prevent conflict and questions surrounding the ability of such medical professional to provide numerous options for patients despite the differences in opinions and values. Reference Brock, D. W. (2008) Conscientious refusal by physicians and pharmacists: who is obligated and why? in Springer Science. Retrieved June 25, 2009. 187-200.

european enlightenment essays

european enlightenment essays The Enlightenment was an era in human history in which thinkers and philosophers were convinced that they were rising from centuries of obscurity and unawareness into a new age made clear by reason and a respect for humanity. A number of thinkers and writers, mainly in England and France, believed that they were more educated and informed than their fellow citizens and intended to enlighten them. Society and humanity were seen as being in an inferior condition, and major changes were needed to improve the human condition. However, this belief in progress did not appear out of nowhere, it was instigated by two major historical events: the Protestant Reformation and the Scientific Revolution. Both of these key elements had major effects on the ideas and changes which appeared during the Enlightenment. The Protestant Reformation was a challenging of the Catholic churches domination over the politics, economics, and culture of European society. The Scientific Revolution was an influentia l time during which, not only natural scientific and technological advances were made, but also changes in the structure of human thought were established. Both the Protestant Reformation and the Scientific Revolution were events which preceded and directly affected the era of Enlightenment in the history of humankind. The Enlightenment was a consistent progression of these two scientific and religious events, the areas most affected being politics, religion, and the social development of the world. In the modern Western world, the greatest issue at the heart of the political debate was the question of the legitimacy of authority. The arguments revolved around the notions of order, authority, and rights. Prior to the 17th century, nations had been lead my monarchs, such as Kings and Queens, but in reality countries were divided. Nations were fragmented by feudalism and divided into states and political units, each having its own political agenda. Th...

Learn About Wine Legs or Tears

Learn About Wine Legs or Tears What does it mean when a wine is said to have legs or someone refers to tears of wine? Wine legs or tears of wine are the droplets that form in a ring on the glass above the surface of a glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage. The drops continuously form and fall in rivulets back into the liquid. You can see the effect in the shadow of this glass of wine. Cause of Wine Legs While some people think wine legs are related to the quality, sweetness or viscosity of wine, they are really indicative of the alcoholic content of the wine and are caused by the interplay between adhesion, evaporation and surface tension of water and alcohol. How Wine Legs Work Capillary action draws a small amount of wine up the surface of the wine glass above the liquid. Both alcohol and water evaporate, but the alcohol has a higher vapor pressure and evaporates faster, producing a region of liquid that has a lower concentration of alcohol than the rest of the wine.  Alcohol has a lower surface tension than water, so lowering the concentration of alcohol raises the surface tension of the liquid. The water molecules are cohesive and stick together, forming droplets that eventually become heavy enough to fall back down the glass in streams into the wine. History of the Explanation of Wine Legs The effect is called the Marangoni or Gibbs-Marangoni Effect, in reference to Carlo Marangonis investigations into the effect in the 1870s. However, James Thomson explained the phenomenon in his 1855 paper, On certain curious Motions observable at the Surfaces of Wine and other Alcoholic Liquors. Test It Yourself The Marangoni effect more generally refers to the flow of liquid caused by surface tension gradients. You can see this effect if you spread a thin film of water over a smooth surface and add a drop of alcohol to the center of the film. The liquid will move away from the alcohol drop. Swirl a glass of wine or liquor and observe the wine legs or tears of wine on the glass. If you cover the glass and swirl it, wine legs eventually will stop forming because the alcohol will be unable to evaporate.

Strategic Management of the Next PLC Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Management of the Next PLC - Coursework Example The present study would focus on Next as a UK based retailer offering exciting, beautifully designed, excellent quality fashion and accessories for men, women and children together with a full range of homewares. Analyzing the 2010 and 2009 financial reports of Next PLC it shows that the firm has been earning constant revenue and accordingly the profit for both the years has also increased by almost 21%. Accordingly, the firm has also increased its basic and diluted earnings per share. The basic earnings per share in 2009 and 2010 were 156 and 188.5 pound per share. In 2010, the total assets of the firm stood at 1693.5 while in 2009, the total assets of the firm stood at 1760.4. In 2010, the total liabilities of the firm stood at 1560.1 while in 2009 the total liabilities were 1619.9. The total assets of the firm decreased by 3.8% in 2010 as compared to 2009; similarly the total liabilities also decreased by 3.8%. Next is a UK retailer whose principal activities are excellent quality clothing and home products. â€Å"The primary financial objective of the group remains the delivery of sustainable long term growth in earnings per share†. The industries in which Next plc competes are mainly the departmental stores, the retail sector, the shoe and the apparel industry. While next plc has a number of competitors, its main competitors are Arcadia Group, ASDA group, Body shop, Marks & Spencer Plc etc. Arcadia group has more than 2540 stores operating only in the UK. The one year growth of the firm as on August 2010 has been around 33% while the increase in net profits has been around 11%. Body shop PLC has also declared 44.9% of its profits as dividend in the year 2010 while in the year 2009, 43.9% has been declared as dividends. Comparing the two years 2009 and 2010, body shop’s assets and liabilities had grown by around 3.2% in 2010 as compared to 2009. Recommendations: Among its competitors Next Plc has suffered negative profits in the year 2010 as c ompared to the year 2009 but yet Next Plc has an established market in comparison to its competitors. â€Å"The Internal Analysis of strengths and weaknesses focuses on internal factors that give an organization certain advantages and disadvantages in meeting the needs of its target market† (Internal Analysis 2010). The firm is recommended to increase its profits through increasing its sales. External analysis Rivalry (Existing Firms): There is no such rivalry between existing firms other than capturing the market share. External analysis consist of the Porters five forces in analyzing the firm which include the firm’s rivalry between the existing firms, the firm’s bargaining power among its suppliers, buyers. The threat of new entrants into the market and the threat of the product diversity are also included in Porter’s five forces. â€Å"The industry forces take the form of competitive rivalry, barriers to entry, threat of substitutes, buyer power, and supplier power† (Lynch 2003). Bargaining Power of Suppliers: â€Å"Supplier power is increased if there is a high degree of rivalry between companies trying to obtain the supplies† (Porters Five Forces n.d.). The firm has a number of suppliers and in 2009 – 10 there were 463 suppliers while in 2010-2011 the supplier base has increased to 492. Next works directly with it suppliers and monitors the supplier’s progress. The firm uses six tier rating system as a supplier management tool. Bargaining power of buyers Next Plc’s buyers are its retail customers. Next provides excellent customer service and lays high importance in maintaining good relation and

Uninsured 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Uninsured 2 - Research Paper Example Mayo Clinic is a non-profit medical practice as well as a medical research group that is based in Rochester, Minnesota. The medical facility was founded in 1889 and its current Chief Executive Officer is John Noseworthy. It original founders include Charles Horace Mayo and William James Mayo. It mainly serves North America and has its headquarters in Rochester, Minnesota in the United States (Fye, 2010). Mayo hospital was found to have an asset value of 6.947 billion USD, with an annual generation of revenue at 3.137 billion USD. Moreover, the medical facility employs more that 3,800 scientists and physicians and has 50,900 allied health staff (Mayo Clinic, 2013). This has enabled the hospital to propel itself be near the top of the U.S News and World Report list of â€Å"Best Hospitals† for a period of more than 20 years. The Mayo Clinic is significantly present in three U.S metropolitan areas: Jacksonville (Florida), Rochester (Minnesota), and Phoenix (Arizona). As a consequence, in 2013 the U.S News & World Report ranked Mayo Clinic third overall hospital in America. (U.S. News & World Report, 2013). As pointed out by Baier (2012) the American data has shown that the number of Minnesotans aged 65 years and above will rise by 40% in the next 10 years, shifting demographics which are already evident. These patients in the previous year accounted for approximately half of the 1.1 million patients visiting the Mayo Clinic Health System and Mayo Clinic. With regard to research, researchers from Mayo Clinic contribute significantly to the comprehension of best clinical practices, disease processes, and translation of findings from the laboratory to the clinical practice. It has also been shown that it spends over $500 million annually on research. The health facility employs an estimated 400 doctoral level physicians and research scientists. It has an additional 2,800 allied health