The Body Shop and its Success Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Body Shop and its Success Principles - Essay Example Many of Roddick’s slogans are designed to foster a sense of honesty and integrity, such as her in-store environmentalism campaigns, discounted refill services for environmental protectionism, and her acknowledgment that The Body Shop products have no miracle cure reinforce dedication to ethical business practice. Concepts of caring and loving, more emotionally-driven attitudes in business concept and product variety, clearly indicate a target market of the female audience. This supersedes existing patriarchical business philosophy in the beauty industry in this female-driven business related to policy development, ad concept, and even product development. Understanding the feminine persona at the psychological level gives The Body Shop its competitive edge. The company devotes little cash to marketing and advertising, believing the concept and Roddick’s brash attitudes with the assistance of PR services is enough to satisfy profit objectives and gain visibility in their key market demographic segments; and sales success supports this as a worthwhile strategy. The ample volume of corporate social responsibility activities bring this business much more value publicly and coupled with a more horizontal hierarchy, The Body Shop has established a culture loyal and dedicated to bringing success to the business. The Body Shop believes that â€Å"true beauty comes from confidence, vitality and inner well-being† (thebodyshop.com, 2009, p.1). The use of imagery designed to build on women’s self-esteem was the founding philosophies that brought considerable growth for The Body Shop. However, franchising and global growth have changed the dynamics of the customer/service worker relationship and the family-friendly atmosphere that Roddick so treasured personally and brought her a considerable brand  following. This has too changed Roddick’s relationship with subordinates and franchisees from a mentor to that of a corporate-minded executive, something Roddick is unsatisfied with.  

Pearl Harbor and September Attacks Essay Example for Free

Pearl Harbor and September Attacks Essay The Pearl Harbor and the September 11 attack are two events that changed the United States to a great deal. December 7th 1941 and September 11th 2001 are two dark days that will never be forgotten in the history of the United States. They are the two major attacks against the United States that have occurred in history. Although the intentions of the enemy in both cases were to tear the United States apart, the responses by the administration have resulted into the opposite. Although many innocent lives were lost in both attacks, it is important to note that the attacks left the people of America more united and more prepared for future attacks. However, the most important issue that has come into the picture as a result of the two attacks is the effectiveness of the United States intelligence. Immediately after the infamous 9/11 attack, many commentators linked the attack to the Pearl Harbor attack. There have been arguments that there are similarities in intelligence failures when the two attacks are compared. Commentators have claimed that just as the United States was not prepared for the Pearl Harbor attack in the Second World War, it failed to defend itself against attack by terrorists leading to the infamous September 11 attack (Griffin, 2004). It is not a surprise that the two events are similar in many ways. They were both surprise attacks which had far reaching national and international implications in relation to the United States intelligence community. This is despite the fact that the happening of the two events took place over half a century apart. However, the actors in the surprise attack, the motives, sequence of events and the consequences of the two attacks are different. In both attacks, the United States intelligent community has been accused of ignoring signs prior to the attack that could have been essential in protecting the Americans against the attacks. Despite there being visible warning signs, the intelligence has maintained that the two events were unanticipated. There is no doubt that before the Pearl Harbor attack, the relationship between Japan and the United States had gone sour. President Roosevelt’s administration had placed embargos against Japan and had supported China against the Japanese. The economic sanctions had affected the Japanese economy and they had no option but to destroy the American fleets. The Japanese intention was to seize American lands in the Far East which would force Roosevelt’s administration to negotiate a settlement. Although the American administration recognized the magnitude of the crisis with the Asian power, they did not anticipate any danger of attack until it was too late. The intelligence made a wrong assumption that the Japanese did not have military ability or economic power to attack the United States. Unfortunately, the Japanese proved them wrong by attacking Pearl Harbor and shattered the United States plans in the pacific (Borch, 2003). In the September 11 attack, the warning signs were even clearer. There were various studies that had concluded that the war against terrorism by the United States towards the end of the 20th century made it clear that it was certain the United States would have a major terrorist attack. In the 1990s, the United States was involved in war against terrorist groups such as al Qaeda and retaliation was not unexpected. The 1995 and 1996 attacks in Riyadh and Dhahran respectively and the august 1998 attacks on American embassies in East Africa by the al Qaeda were clear signs that the continental America would certainly suffer terrorists attack. The American response to the attack by bombing suspected al Qaeda bases in Afghanistan and Sudan should have also been carried out with necessary caution. Moreover, the al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had declared his commitment to launching an attack against the Americans in 1998 while Bush’s administration had published the political agendas of Taliban in Afghanistan, its alliance with al Qaeda and their terror campaign against the United States in 1999 (Tobias Foxman, 2003). When the intelligence pertaining to the attacks is considered, technological advancement comes into the picture. In both incidences of attack, the technology used by the enemy surprised the United States intelligence community. The enemies in both attacks maximized the use of technology against the Americans to the surprise of the intelligence. The technological surprise in this case is the manner in which the enemy used a hardware that made it difficult or impossible for quick counter attack by the efficient United States military. In this case, the United States intelligent community was beaten in their own game. In the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese efficiently demonstrated the full abilities of aerial attacks by integrating new aviation in their military attack. They were able to contract the torpedo that could operate in the shallow waters very efficiently. Although aviation technology was not a secret in the Second World War, the Americans were surprised by the ability of the Japanese to incorporate the technology so efficiently and perfect their military powers. This made it impossible for the US’s intelligence to estimate the magnitude of the threat by the Japanese because they were unaware of their technological abilities (Borch, 2003). Similarly, although the use of passenger plane for suicidal missions was not a new phenomenon, the September 11 terrorist attack also achieved technological surprise. It is interesting to note how the al Qaeda utilized modern technology and globalization of the world to plan and execute their attack. They were able to easily launch their attack without the use of conventional hardware and expertise that could have been used for intercontinental attack. The al Qaeda had operatives in all parts of the world including the United States with well established communication networks to the surprise of the US intelligence. They used the internet, satellite telephones and international money transfer in the United States and other parts of the world without attracting any attention (Griffin, 2004). There is no doubt therefore, technology played an important role in the Pearl Harbor and September 11 attack. However, there are two surprising aspects of technology use in the two attacks. First, the technology used in the Pearl Harbor as well as the September 11 attack was not new or a secret. The technology was actually well known if not used by the United States security systems prior to the attack. Secondly, the United States had been the greatest beneficiary of technological advancement in the 20th century and had the leading experts in the development and harnessing technological development. However, they were unaware of the desperation of their enemies which prompted creativity. Thus they underestimated the capability and determinations of the enemy to circumvent their technological superiority and launch a technological surprise (Hulnick, 2004). It is also surprising to note how the enemy exploited the structural vulnerability of the United States defense and intelligence to launch their attack. The confusion between the US Army and the US Navy created by the war warning to the military in Hawaii from Washington prior to Pearl Harbor attack exposed the vulnerability of the United States military intelligence giving the enemy a room for surprise attack. The army concentrated on guarding the aircrafts and ammunitions against possibility of sabotage while the navy thought that the alert had prompted vigilance in air patrols by the army. While the army was guarding the aircrafts and ammunitions, they thought that the naval intelligence was monitoring the Japanese fleets. The army did not realize that the US Navy had lost track of the enemy leading to the surprise attack. The structural vulnerability was evident when the army and the navy operating on Oahu did to clear the air on the responsibility of each group. Even if both the Naval and Army officials cooperated to guard the island, there were no efficient structures to disseminate the intelligence information collected to the respective commanders. Although there is no evidence of the Japanese knowledge on the structural weaknesses of the United States military, there is no doubt that the structural and organizational vulnerability is an important lesson from the Pearl Harbor attack (Borch, 2003). Though at a different level, the organization weaknesses in the United States intelligent service and security systems prior to the September 11 attack may have increased the vulnerability of the United States, the military had a unified command outside the United States such as in the gulf war, but that was not the case in the continental America. The department of defense and the CIA concentrated on external threat while the FBI focused on crimes within the United States. The terrorists could have realized the structural weakness in the intelligence service. Moreover, security in the international airports all over the United States was under the responsibility of the airport management and airline companies who hired private security firms. In other words, other than concentrating on the structural and organizational solutions to the current problems, the United States intelligence concentrated on technological solutions which possibly resulted into the two attacks (Hufschmid, 2002). There is no doubt that the September 11 terrorist attack and the Pearl Harbor attack had numerous effects on the United States intelligence and society. More importantly, the two events changed the United States interests in the world affairs. The isolationism policies of the United States were abandoned after the Pearl Harbor attacks while the Bush administration took punitive measures against terrorists. Although after every attack, there was an improvement in the United States intelligence, it is important to put in proper mechanisms that would not result into a repeat of yesteryears mistakes. The US intelligence should be aware of the desperation of their enemies irrespective of their economic and military abilities. This will enable the integration of the intelligent community in the United States into an effective organizational structure that aid collaboration. This will go a long way in eliminating the mentality of technological solutions to the security threats facing the continental America and the world.

A View from the Bridge Essay -- A View from the Bridge Arthur Miller E

A View from the Bridge There are moments of great tension in this play. Tracing the developments of Eddies obsession, show how Miller creates and builds up tension, particularly in the final part of Act 1. How would the tension be shown dramatically? 'A View from the Bridge' is a play based on pride & justice and Sicilian Honour. There is fine line between natural justice and that that is provided by the law. The theme of 'Justice provided by the law,' starts right at the beginning of the play with Alfieri's opening speech. As a lawyer, he tells the watching audience of his experiences with the people of Brooklyn, "After all, who have I dealt with in my life? Longshoreman and their wives, and fathers and grandfathers, compensation cases, evictions, family squabbles - the petty troubles of the poorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦" The perception of law and lawyers in Brooklyn is not entirely friendly. The people of Brooklyn prefer not to bother with the authorities at a time of legal need. These people would much rather sought out their problems by enforcing Natural Justice, they would deal with a situation in their own way. The community of Brooklyn has its Sicilian Honour, this is a community of people who are against law and order. They find it unlucky to pass a lawyer on the street, in the eyes of Brooklyn people, lawyers are connected with evil and disasters and people would rather not get to close. This play provides the watching audience with a lot of natural justice from the main characters, Eddie, Marco and Beatrice when she intervenes with Eddies and Catherine's relationship. The natural justice with Eddie is with Marco and Rodolpho, Eddie here has taken the law into his own hands and betraying Marco and Rodolph... ... It is now that the tension levels have reached a record breaking high, but that record is broken just a few Brooklyn days later when Marco is released and confronts Eddie. Eddie is very confident and doesn't feel any fear of Marco, Eddie is advised by Beatrice, Catherine and Rodolpho that Marco will seriously kill him and that he should just stay away. However, Eddie couldn't let himself look like a wus towards Marco and so decides to confront him outside. Unknown to the watching audience, Eddie is actually armed, but not dangerous! As Marco tries to seriously harm Eddie, Eddie pulls out his pen knife and the audience a watching have come to their own conclusion that Marco is going to be given the stab, but unsuspectedly tension levels are breaking more world-wide records and Marco decides to take his personal law into his own hands and kills Eddie.

Amusement Park Industry

22nd May, 2010 INDIAN AMUSEMENT PARKS INDUSTRY Highlights SECTORAL REPORT †¢ The amusement industry in India is at a growing stage currently with more and more developments happening in this industry all across the country. †¢ The size of the Indian Amusement Park business is estimated to be around Rs 4000 crores and is estimated to grow by 10% per cent per annum till 2010. †¢ The amusement and theme park industry is deemed to be worth Rs. 10000 crores in India by 2020. Janaki Rao. U Analyst Equity Research Desk [email  protected] com Currently for a population of 1. 15 billion in the country, there are only 120 amusement parks and 45 Family Entertainment Centers. This indicates that the growth potential of Indian amusement and theme park industry is substantial. †¢ Global leaders in entertainment parks and attractions like Universal Studios, Disney, Sony and Ripley Entertainment are mulling over investments of billions of dollars in India considering the vast p otential in this region.Private equity funds are also aggressively dedicating resources towards this sector. The Indian small and big players in the Amusement Industry are looking at the tremendous growth potential of this industry in the next 5 years. †¢ Growth of India's retail sector had been the main driving force for the amusement industry in India. †¢ Globally, domestic and international tourists comprise more than 50% of the total footfall at popular amusement parks. †¢ Transport corridors like expressways and the Metro line are bringing an increasing number of people closer to entertainment hubs. The high growth potential of the industry in highly populated India will boost tourism, social infrastructural development as well as employment generation. The success and growth potential of this industry is resulting into the advent of new manufacturers of amusement parks' rides in India. V. S. R. Sastry Vice President Equity Research Desk 91-22-25276077 [email   protected] com Dr. V. V. L. N. Sastry Ph. D. Chief Research Officer [email  protected] com 1 22nd May, 2010 CONTENTS 1. Sector Overview 2. Current Trends 3. Profile of top three Indian Companies 4. SWOT Analysis 5.Conclusion 2 22nd May, 2010 1. Sector Overview Structure & Development The amusement and theme park industry in India is about two decades old and it is relatively new when compared to its origin in USA & Europe. This industry found its roots in India during mid and late 1980s when a few innovative entrepreneurs took challenge of pioneering few amusement parks in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. The growth in this industry started only in the last decade and that happened possibly during the advent of globalization when economic potential of the social capital began to be perceived.A recent market survey research shows that this industry in India is growing at a rapid pace and over 120 amusement parks and water parks are currently in operation in India. Out of them on ly 15% can be classified in the â€Å"large parks† category, 30% as medium size parks and balance 55% are small size local parks. Investments to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore are likely to flow into the domestic amusement and leisure sector by 2020 with about 500 new parks are expected to come up across the country.The Rs 4,000-crore Indian amusement and leisure industry expects fresh investment of Rs 10,000 crore by the year 2020. In terms of employment generation, the new parks are likely to create jobs for six crore man-hours per month. It is estimated that the total capital investment made in the amusement and theme park industry in India till date, is more than INR 40 billion (excluding investment on land). The estimated annual revenue generated by this industry is approx INR 20 billion, at present, which is expected to grow to almost three times by the year 2020 at a CAGR of over 11%. 22nd May, 2010 Amusement Parks are recreational facilities that offer a varied range of entertainment options ranging from theme parks to spine chilling roller coaster, 3D theater to giant wheel, in a cluster format. These parks provide one-stop-shop leisure and entertainment solutions for the entire family at one place and are a key source of tourist attraction (domestic and foreign) and revenue generation for the State. The demand for entertainment options such as amusement parks, I-max, shopping malls are rapidly increasing across the Country.The key demand drivers for the segments are rising base of middle class, increasing disposable income, changing lifestyle, cultural shift and increasing emphasis to lead a holistic life with a balance of work and leisure. Tourism- Amusement parks During the last decade domestic tourism had grown @ 14% on an average and currently it is estimated at 527 million. Out of this, the amusement park industry generated only 15 million footfall during last year. Globally, domestic and international tourists comprise more than 50% of the total footfall at popular amusement parks. We can, therefore, expect that there ould be manifold increase in footfall in amusement parks in India as the large parks in India are gradually converting themselves to larger destination parks with additional investments following the foot steps of large global parks. Currently for a population of 1. 1 billion in the country, there are only 120 amusement parks and 45 Family Entertainment Centres. This indicates that the growth potential of Indian amusement and theme park industry is substantial. The high growth potential of the industry in highly populated India will boost tourism, social infrastructural development as well as employment generation.The success and growth potential of this industry is resulting into the advent of new manufacturers of amusement parks' rides in India. 4 22nd May, 2010 Today, Indian manufacturers can produce international standard quality products at a competitive price for both the domestic and the global ma rket. Both these areas have good potential. Amusement parks have not received their due recognition for their enormous potential as an infrastructural facility for tourism. The amusement industry worldwide is a very significant part of the tourism effort.In India, the tourism policy does not address the needs and the potential of the amusement industry. As such, today the amusement industry in India receives no special incentives. Recreation Industry – Amusement parks Recreation Industry is currently one of the most exciting sectors in India. The current market for leisure is estimated to cross USD 1 bn in next few years. The leisure industry mainly consist of amusement park, malls family entertainment centers (FECs) and multiplexes. The present consumer base is estimated around 30 million people.At present there are around 200 FECs in the Country and the number is expected to grow to 400 in the next couple of years. Amusement parks contribute nearly 40% of the total leisure industry turnover. Through the years though there is a healthy growth, but at the same time it is burdened by local entertainment tax ranging from 10 to 25 per cent in various states. Further if any imposition of Central Tax like Service Tax will cripple the whole industry. The industry can absorb either of the taxes and not both, he stated.Further he urged to make amusement industry an integral part of tourism and development in India at the Central Government Level. Recreation Industry is currently one of the most exciting sectors in India. The current market for leisure is estimated to cross USD 1 bn in next few years. The leisure industry mainly consist of amusement park, malls family entertainment centers (FECs) and multiplexes. The present consumer base is estimated around 30 million people. 5 22nd May, 2010 At present there are around 200 FECs in the Country and the number is expected to grow to 400 in the next couple of years.Amusement parks contribute nearly 40% of the tota l leisure industry turnover. Retail- Amusement parks Growth of India's retail sector had been the main driving force for the amusement industry in India. Famous Ten Amusement parks in India: 1. Veegaland Park Situated at Pallikkara, this state of art Amusement Park is just 14kms away from Kochi/Cochin. Spread over a whooping 24 acres of land, its 7 storey high Vintage Castle and Caterpillar Village give a Fairy Tale atmosphere. The musical Fountains, flower gardens, water pool and water slides add to the attraction of the Veegaland Amusement Park. 6 2nd May, 2010 2. Ocean Park Ocean Park is situated at Gandipet, 20 km. from Hyderabad, in 20 acres of landscaped gardens, an amusement park that you haven't seen the likes of yet in India. It is one of the first theme parks started in twin-cities and continues to be a great hit especially with children.But it is not the young ones alone who enjoy, even adults can have lots of fun here. It is a family amusement park offering a good mix of fun and thrills for people of all ages with water rideskiddies pool, wave pool, water slides, dry rides- super loop, the 60 feet high ride, bumping cars, slam bomb etc. 7 22nd May, 2010 3. Ramoji Film City Ramoji Film City is the ultimate leisure destination for holidays, honeymooners, corporate conferences, events, theme parties, adventure camps, family picnics and grand weddings. this world s largest integrated film studio complex spread over 2000 acres of land. It was opened by the Film Producer Ramoji Rao in the year 1996. It’s about 25 kms from the main city of Hyderabad and is open the 7 days of a week. The Film City Complex has urban landscapes of US and Australia as well as India.They have the Amazon Army Base as the newest additions to the attractions of the Film City. 8 22nd May, 2010 4. Fun n food Village Fun ‘N' Food Village at Delhi was set up in the year 1993. Fun ‘N' Food Village is situated at Old Delhi-Gurgaon Highway which is just 3 kilometers a way from the Delhi international airport. Fun ‘N' Food Village is for all ages of people. Fun ‘N' Food Village in Delhi was inaugurated by former President of India Giani Zail Singh. 9 22nd May, 2010 5. Essel World Pan India Paryatan Pvt. Ltd. PIPPL) is the company holding EsselWorld – India’s Largest Amusement Park and Water Kingdom – Asia’s Largest Theme Water Park. Pioneers in the entertainment and leisure industry, it was EsselWorld that pulled people out of the staid environment of conventional pleasure trips and unfolded before them the exciting new scenario of a complete leisure destination. A sprawling complex on the coastal Gorai village in northwest Mumbai, â€Å"The Island of Fun† is sprawled over 64 acres and is a refreshing gateway to a whole new world of excitement and fun.The second phase in the expansion plans for PIPPL, Water Kingdom makes this twin park complex a complete destination by itself. It’s never-before seen attractions set amidst unique architecture with international standard amenities and hygiene; catapult Water Kingdom into a different league. It is the only, truly international water park experience in India. 10 22nd May, 2010 6. Adventure Island Sprawling over an area of 62 acres in North West Delhi, it has been made with the venture of Unitech Ltd and International Amusement Ltd. It’s a 164 crore project with a water park and Planet Pogo.There are 26 rides in all and all of them have been imported – supplied by leading European manufacturers such as Intamin, Moser and Zamperla, who supply rides to Disney, Universal Studios and Six Flags. The park is especially popular amongst children and teenagers. The entire Island consists of world class amusement Park, an adventure island and a water park. Retail Environment Metro Walk (Delhi) is spread across 2. 21 lakh sq ft and is anchored to the park. It overlooks a large lake which acts as a separator between the mall and the park.The Park has 26 rides spreading in an area of 3. 5acres. 7. Entertainment City It is thought of as Disney Land of India – the Entertainment City in Noida. Unveiled by former cricket captain and entrepreneur Kapil Dev, it spreads over a whooping 147 acre land with an investment of Rs 10 billion. Built over an area of 100 acres of land, the park has more then 30 rides, supplied from European manufacturers. The Entertainment City Park has three entertainment zones, one for kids, one for teenagers and one for families each with its own separate rides, attractions and food courts.In addition to this it also has a Shopping complex known as the Great IndiaThe Entertainment City is a is a joint venture between Unitech and International Amusement Limited, the promoters of Appu Ghar (Delhi). 11 22nd May, 2010 8. Nicco Park It is situated in the heart of the main City of Calcutta in Salt Lake – its one of the most happening place for the kids and teenagers. The elde rs simply love to be here. Covering an area of 40 acres, it was opened in the year 1991. Jheel Meel was the previous name of the park. It was renamed in he year 1990 with the restructuring of the park. It’s the only Amusing Park in the world which has got ISO 9002 certification. It draws a whopping 1. 5 million people every year. 9. Gujarat Science City Gujarat Science City has been made with a view of imparting education in the form of entertainment. On one of its side, it has small village while on other side the suburban urban area reflects technological atmosphere. The Gujarat Science City has something different from others in the country. Visited by the former Indian President and Scientist Dr.J P Abdul Kalam it exhibits, mind blowing experience, models which can be worked upon, a showcase of virtual reality, activity corners, hands on labs and live demonstrations to provide an understanding of science and technology to the common man. 10. Platinum Resorts The silent ye t beautiful theme park of West Delhi is spreading at 14 acres of land. Big lawns here and the greenery calls people to view the scenery beauty amongst the screaming voice of the city lights. It’s a Resort cum Water Park. The beauty of the Park can be seen from the entrance itself. It has a huge big entrance – with the hugeness it looks more magnificent.The Platinum Resort is just a 30 minutes drive (25 km drive from Paschim Vihar, on Delhi-Rohtak Road, NH no. 10. It’s a good place for family gatherings, parties and of course the entertainment of the entire family. 12 22nd May, 2010 13 22nd May, 2010 Current trends Amusement parks seek uniform entertainment tax The Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries, apex body of the amusement parks, has sought uniformity in the entertainment tax being imposed by different states. The Association rues that the exorbitantly charged entertainment tax by some states is a major impediment in the growth of the indust ry in these regions. West Bengal, Punjab and Gujarat charge entertainment tax at 20%, 40% and 25% respectively, whereas the entertainment tax rate hovers around 5-15% in majority of the states. Real Estate companies plans to enter into this market Though the unorganised players hold a majority share in the market, the organised players are also expanding their base. Groups like Nicco Parks, Zee group, Unitech ; Turner and various real estate companies are developing amusement parks in different regions. The foreign developers are also stepping into the Indian amusement industry through collaborations with Indian companies. 14 2nd May, 2010 V Guard group entered into amusement parks V Guard Group of companies, based in Cochin in Kerala, is negotiating with property owners in Mumbai and Chennai for starting amusement parks. The group, which is running Veegaland in Cochin and Wonderla near Bangalore, has identified a place near Chennai to start a watertheme and amusement park, but nego tiations were still on. Growing transportation facilities Transport corridors like expressways and the Metro line are bringing an increasing number of people closer to entertainment hubs. To that extent, they trigger growth of formal means of entertainment.One major development witnessed in National Capital Region (NCR) over the last 4-5 years has been the expansion of Delhi Metro line. This process started in Central and Western parts of the city and is now on course to link South Delhi and Gurgaon. This has provided common man with a mode of transport that is both economical and convenient. While daily journeys like the ones to college or workplace have been simplified – the occasional weekend outing too has been made much simpler as a result of enhanced connectivity to popular entertainment destinations. 5 22nd May, 2010 Expansion of Metro rail project One of the first entertainment destinations, which is strategically located near Rohini Metro Station, was launched by Uni tech. This project was launched prior to the completion of the Metro line and has been fully operational since December 2007. It comprises Adventure Island – an amusement park and the Metro Walk MallThe expansion of Delhi Metro gives us reason to be very optimistic about future of our projects in Rohini, especially Adventure Island.While the city is dotted with malls and retail spaces – this is one of the few amusement parks and hence we expect a significant increase in footfalls upon extension of Metro line to South Delhi and Gurgaon, as distance will no longer be a prime consideration. Profile of top three Indian Companies: 1. Nicco parks ; resorts ltd NPRL was incorporated with the prime objective of providing educative entertainment and wholesome recreation for the entire family simultaneously promoting tourism. NPRL presents a complete leisure package in an eco-friendly atmosphere with thrilling rides, eateries, exclusive landscaping, and indoor sports.This amusem ent park offers all kinds of entertainment under one roof and handles its offerings with professional elan. Business area of the company: At Nicco Park, it offers a wide range of rides and facilities, which the company manufactures in addition to setting up the operation of Amusement or Water Parks on turnkey basis. 16 22nd May, 2010 The company is associated with TUV, India (affiliated to TUEV, Germany) who commission an annual inspection of all its major rides along with manufacturing inspections for the new rides based on approved quality assurance plans.The company can offer overall consultancy to set-up and run Theme Parks successfully. †¢ At the market price of Rs. 70. 00, the stock trades at P/E of 15. 35 x and 12. 96 xs for the earnings of FY10E and FY11E respectively. †¢ Earning per share (EPS) of the company for the earnings of FY10E and FY11E is seen at Rs. 4. 56 and Rs. 5. 40 respectively for equity share of Rs. 10. 00 each. †¢ We recommend ‘BUY†™ in this particular scrip with a target price of Rs. 85. 00 for Medium to Long term investment. Particulars Net Sales (Rs. Mn. ) Net Profit (Rs. Mn. ) EPS (Rs. ) FY08 214. 0 12. 80 2. 73 FY09 244. 00 21. 30 4. 56 % Chg. YoY 13. 59 66. 41 67. 03 17 22nd May, 2010 2. South Asian Enterprises Ltd South Asian Enterprises (SAENTER) is engaged in the business of setting up and running amusement parks and has ventured into the real estate and films. It was incorporated on Mar. 21, 1990 and came out with a public issue on Mar. 30, 1994. Earlier known as South Asian Entertainment, it acquired its present name on Feb. 24, 1995. Associate companies include VLS Capital, Gaurav Overseas Exports, Needle Eye Plastic Industries, Pragati Moulders, M.P. Mehrotra (HUF), VLS Finance, VLS Securities, VLS Investments, VLS Asset Management, and VLS Investments Inc. (USA). The first park was set up in the city of Kanpur under the name and style of Mikky House. Other parks were set up in Lucknow and Ayodh ya. In FY08, the company ventured into marketing of earthing products and execution of contracts for earthing and lightning protection systems. It has also ventured into television serials and film production in collaboration with AUM Sportainment. Come December is a recent production. †¢ At the market price of Rs. 12. 6, the stock trades at P/E of -0. 14 x and 22. 59 xs for the earnings of FY10E and FY11E respectively. †¢ Earning per share (EPS) of the company for the earnings of FY10E and FY11E is seen at Rs. -0. 54 and Rs. 0. 53 respectively for equity share of Rs. 10. 00 each. †¢ We recommend ‘HOLD’ in this particular scrip with a target price of Rs. 20. 00 for Medium to Long term investment. 18 22nd May, 2010 Particulars FY09 FY10E % Chg. YoY Net Sales (Rs. Mn. ) Net Profit (Rs. Mn. ) EPS (Rs. ) 7. 40 1. 87 0. 47 13. 03 -0. 54 – 76. 08 3. Mahindra Holidays ; Resorts India LtdMahindra Holidays ; Resorts India Limited was incorporated as a priva te limited company called ‘Mahindra Holidays ; Resorts India Private Limited’ on September 20, 1996. The status of the Company was changed to a public limited company by a special resolution of the members passed at the annual general meeting held on January 29, 1998. The fresh certificate of incorporation consequent upon conversion was issued to the Company on April 17, 1998, by the Registrar of Companies, Tamil Nadu at Chennai. †¢ At the market price of Rs. 482. 00, the stock trades at P/E of 30. 2 x and 27. 92 x for the earnings of FY10E and FY11E respectively. †¢ Earning per share (EPS) of the company for the earnings of FY10E and FY11E is seen at Rs. 15. 69 and Rs. 17. 25 respectively for equity share of Rs. 10. 00 each. †¢ We recommend ‘BUY’ in this particular scrip with a target price of Rs. 575. 00 for Medium to Long term investment. 19 22nd May, 2010 Particulars Net Sales (Rs. Mn. ) Net Profit (Rs. Mn. ) EPS (Rs. ) FY10 5101. 96 1178 . 37 14. 44 FY11E 5694. 23 1307. 23 15. 69 % Chg. YoY 11. 61 10. 94 8. 66 SWOT Analysis Strengths †¢ Fastest growing sector High margins †¢ Growing foreign Investments †¢ Customers satisfaction Weaknesses †¢ Seasonal business †¢ Low entry fees †¢ No special incentives from govt 20 22nd May, 2010 Opportunities †¢ Currently for a population of 1. 15 billion in the country, there are only 120 amusement parks and 45 Family Entertainment Centers. This indicates that the growth potential of Indian amusement and theme park industry is substantial. †¢ Transport corridors like expressways and the Metro line are bringing an increasing number of people closer to entertainment hubs. The Indian gaming market is on the path of maturity, income levels are rising and people want to have a fun life. †¢ The foreign companies reportedly interested in the Indian amusement parks market include Universal Studios, Time Warner and Disney. †¢ Growing tourism industry †¢ Growing retail market Threats/ Challenges †¢ Factors such as monsoon and cold weather affect the industry and in a year, only 100 days are the ‘peak season' for the parks. †¢ Lack of uniform taxation †¢ Govt policies †¢ Rising material cost of equipment 21 22nd May, 2010Conclusion: The high growth potential of the industry in highly populated India will boost tourism, social infrastructural development as well as employment generation. The success and growth potential of this industry is resulting into the advent of new manufacturers of amusement parks' rides in India. Currently for a population of 1. 15 billion in the country, there are only 120 amusement parks and 45 Family Entertainment Centers. This indicates that the growth potential of Indian amusement and theme park industry is substantial.Global leaders in entertainment parks and attractions like Universal Studios, Disney, Sony and Ripley Entertainment are mulling over investments of billions of dollars in India considering the vast potential in this region. Private equity funds are also aggressively dedicating resources towards this sector. The growth of the Indian economy will drive the Industry to, â€Å"grow both vertically & horizontally. Vertically, in terms of the scale of investment and horizontally across the length and the breadth of the country. The greatest growth potential is the enormous amount of dormant/under-utilised land in India’s hinterland.Hotels and resorts are already showing interest in developing existing plots into anything form small play areas to full scale theme or water parks. _______________________________________________________ Disclaimer: This document prepared by our research analysts does not constitute an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument or as an official confirmation of any transaction. The information contained herein is from publicly available data or other sources beli eved to be reliable but we do not represent that it is accurate or complete and it should not be relied on as such .Firstcall India Equity Advisors Pvt. Ltd. or any of it’s affiliates shall not be in any way responsible for any loss or damage that may arise to any person from any inadvertent error in the information contained in this report. This document is provide for assistance only and is not intended to be and must not alone be taken as the basis for an investment decision. 22 22nd May, 2010 Firstcall India Equity Research: Email – [email  protected] com B. Harikrishna Banking B. Prathap IT A. Rajesh Babu FMCG C. V. S. L. Kameswari Pharma U. Janaki Rao Capital Goods E.Swethalatha Oil & Gas D. Ashakirankumar Automobile Kavita Singh Diversified Nimesh Gada Diversified Priya Shetty Diversified Tarang Pawar Diversified Firstcall India also provides Firstcall India Equity Advisors Pvt. Ltd focuses on, IPO’s, QIP’s, F. P. O’s, Takeover Offers, Off er for Sale and Buy Back Offerings. Corporate Finance Offerings include Foreign Currency Loan Syndications, Placement of Equity / Debt with multilateral organizations, Short Term Funds Management Debt & Equity, Working Capital Limits, Equity & Debt Syndications and Structured Deals.Corporate Advisory Offerings include Mergers & Acquisitions (domestic and cross-border), divestitures, spin-offs, valuation of business, corporate Restructuring-Capital and Debt, Turnkey Corporate Revival – Planning & Execution, Project Financing, Venture capital, Private Equity and Financial Joint Ventures Firstcall India also provides Financial Advisory services with respect to raising of capital through FCCBs, GDRs, ADRs and listing of the same on International Stock Exchanges namely AIMs, Luxembourg, Singapore Stock Exchanges and Other international stock exchanges.For Further Details Contact: 3rd Floor, Sankalp, The Bureau, Dr. R. C. Marg, Chembur, Mumbai 400 071 Tel. : 022-2527 2510/2527 6077 /25276089 Telefax: 022-25276089 E-mail: [email  protected] com www. firstcallindiaequity. com 23

Ebay Culture Essay

What is organizational culture? This indefinable combination of values, beliefs, and practice that a corporation posses, which makes the difference between surviving and thriving, succeeding and failing. Most large corporations typically have a strong culture with values and norms appropriate to the organizational purpose. In a big organization, sub-cultures also exist, division to division, office to office. In this part of this group assignment I will describe the organizational culture of one of the most famous internet companies in the world, which is also the largest marketplace in the internet – EBay. Many articles and books have been written in recent years about culture in organizations, usually referred to as â€Å"Corporate Culture. † The dictionary defines culture as â€Å"the act of developing intellectual and moral faculties, especially through education. This paper will use a slightly different definition of culture: â€Å"the moral, social, and behavioral norms of an organization based on the beliefs, attitudes, and priorities of its internal community. Every organization has its own unique culture or value set. The culture of the organization is typically created unconsciously, based on the values of the top management or the founders of an organization. Organizational culture has been defined as â€Å"a pattern of basic assumptions, values, or beliefs and norms of behavior. According to O’Reilly, organizational culture defined as the values shared by members of an organization. These basic values may be thought of as internalized normative beliefs that can guide behavior inside an organization. If organizational culture is developed as an organization learns to deal with the dual problems of both external adaptation and internal integration, then values that enhance the organization’s capability in these two functions should be useful for it. To the extent that members of an organization share the same sets of values, thought processes, and languages, they will have similar mind-sets and behaviors as they integrate their efforts inside the organization and adapt to environmental changes. Research has documented a variety of outcomes that are related to organizational culture. For example, organizational culture has been found to relate to organization growth and organization performance. Other studies have shown that its effect can be observed directly at the individual level, in outcomes such as commitment, resource allocation decisions, retention, and perceived attractiveness of an organization. Given the dramatic changes in both the external environment and the internal structure of worldwide organizations, organizations that emphasize cultural values that relate to external adaptation and internal integration should be more effective than those that do not. The character of any corporation or an organization characterized by set of values and principles by which the founders and the upper management run the company from its creation when it’s really begin to become part of the DNA of the company. I believe that companies form culture very early on and they get imprinted very early on with a sense of right and wrong. And it starts from the top. It started with the CFO, the President, and CEO. According to Whitman, sis he had innate sense that they needed at EBay to establish very early on what the code of behavior was going to be, what the code of ethics would be. EBay’s internal company culture was very dominant and strong. Even though its culture had great influence of its member’s behavior, the culture encourages its members to feel more commitment. Employees were expected to be open and honest, to treat one another with respect, and to speak up if they believed they were not being treated in this manner. EBay functioned as being a nonhierarchical, democratic organization that encouraged ideas and feedback from all employees. The culture at eBay characterized as being open and low risk, where employees were encouraged to express their opinions despite their different points of view. Mistakes were acceptable, but employees were encouraged to truly learn from them. According to Whitman, unlike other companies where different views and opinions from the senior management were barely heard , at EBay they do not have â€Å"punishes† attitude, meaning that there is no penalty for being on the wrong side of an issue or changing your mind in the face of better information. If an employee`s point of view contradict with his/her colleague when you end up convinced to be wrong, the culture is to appreciate your opinion and at the same time to come with the approach of: â€Å"ok? hat’s smart. You’re right. Let’s move on. † In addition, As role models, senior managers had to act with a high degree of professionalism and respect. EBay does not encourage people who scream loud or pound the tables. At EBay, it’s pretty even-keeled culture. Sustaining its culture provide a better understanding of the strength of the culture. As EBay grew , in order to conserve the unique internal culture of the organization, EBay made sure it hires only individuals who fit with the culture of the organization. In order to emphasize the importance of its culture, EBay`s CEO Meg Whitman, met with new candidates and describe eBay’s values and to set expectations for how each employee would support and contribute to the company’s culture. According to EBay founder Pierre Omidyar, experience was not the only quality they were looking in potential applicants, but for someone who really understands the significance of its both internal and external communities and that person should express its most respect to these communities. Moreover, measuring the community and organization very often represents a major challenge in terms of being sure the values and culture of EBay are being communicated correctly. Therefore, on the organizational side, they had to be sure they were hiring quality employees who fit with the culture; they could not afford to let that slip. Even though most well establish cultures resist changes, EBay was able to accept changes within its upper management and the way it works. For example, when Whitman arrived EBay she tried to make some changes because she felt they were needed the way the company goes and in order to adapt to these new changes. An example would be her trying to set up these meetings, but no one had a calendar. According to Whitman, at EBay this was a culture where appointments were not needed because of its small size – there were only 35 people at the company. So she laid out a calendar and asked people to sign up for appointments. She did not appreciate the feedback; the employees did not like the changes. What ended up happening was that the employees who had previously worked in big companies signed up for multiple meetings, and the people who had worked primarily in start-ups didn’t sign up at all. Furthermore, EBay`s culture was designed to mirror its external community culture. Very important element of EBay`s culture is a respect for its community. It goes far beyond â€Å"the customer is always right† because eBay wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for its community The meetings helped Whitman realize just how special the chemistry was between eBay’s internal and external communities. EBay’s internal culture mirrored many of the characteristics of its external community culture in tangible ways: they were empowered to develop recommendations, and the company employed a nonhierarchical, team-based approach to problem solving. According to Omidyar this configuration was so important: Internally, EBay had to share the same values as their community because they indirectly influence the community in everything they do. Everything EBay put on the Web site, every press release, every utterance to the press, every corporate action, every deal, every partnership that happens in any part of the organization eventually trickles down to the community. EBay rely on all of its executives and then their managers to continue to communicate the culture. The message should trickle down to the very last employee, so that everyone really understands what we’re about and what our values are. EBay also encourage its employees to call the upper management if we’re doing something that is not quite right. EBay empowered everyone to be a guardian of the culture – everyone.

The British-German naval rivalry as a contributing factor to the start of World War One The WritePass Journal

The British-German naval rivalry as a contributing factor to the start of World War One Introduction The British-German naval rivalry as a contributing factor to the start of World War One : 116). This policy was seconded by the German Imperial Naval Office which, under the stewardship of Admiral Alfred Von Tirpitz, became an influential force in expanding the country’s naval fleet to 2/3 of the size of the Royal Navy (Von Tirpitz, 1920: 134). This essay argues that the British-German naval rivalry contributed the advent of the First World War due to the fact that it compelled London to enter the conflagration in order to maintain the balance of power in the European political order and to preserve its commercial interests in the wider world. These became seriously threatened by the expansion of German naval capabilities. The first part of the essay outlines the historical and geopolitical circumstances involved in the British-German naval rivalry. Particular attention is given to the way in which the United Kingdom reacted to the decision of the German Empire to extend its sea power to the wider world as well as the geopolitical implications involved in the decision to resist the expansion of Germany’s naval capabilities. The second part of the essay examines the way in which those considerations were brought to bear in the decision to enter World War One. The British-German naval rivalry during the period leading up to the First World War The plan for the expansion of German naval capabilities responded to the geopolitical situation that was taking place in Southern Africa in the context of the Boer War (Weir, 1992: 81). When British forces invaded Transvaal at the end of the nineteenth century, plans were put in place in order to place a blockade on Germany, catering for the possibility that the imperial forces may try to intervene in the conflict (Kelly, 2002: 1048). This move would have potentially resulted in severe dislocations to the German economy, which depended on foreign raw materials and markets for its continued expansion (Kelly, 2011: 29). The extension of German naval capabilities was therefore geared towards securing the conditions for the country’s long term economic growth (Grey, 1925: 17). From a technical standpoint, the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906 exacerbated the intensity of the German-British naval race.   The Dreadnought became the first battleship that operated a synchronised mai n battery (Churchill, 1923: 188; Weir, 1992: 39). In addition, it also possessed the highest speed of any other vessel commissioned for military service due to the fact that it ran on steam engines (Wilson, 1985: 55; Lambert, 2002: 22). It is worth mentioning that the naval hegemony possessed by the United Kingdom became a more costly exercise with the rise of Germany and other revisionist states in the late nineteenth century (Neilson, 1995: 99; Kelly, 2011: 46). This state of affairs had prompted the United Kingdom to adopt the ‘Two-Power standard’, which provided that the British naval forces had to be at least as powerful as the next two strongest navies (France and Russia) (Clark, 2012: 122; Steinberg, 1985: 59). In the period leading up to the advent of the First World War there was a great deal of popular support in both countries for a continuation of the policy of naval expansion. It is worth mentioning that in spite of the race for expanded naval capabilities, British sea power had been severely curtailed by the eve of the First World War. (Von Tirpitz, 1920: 136) There are a number of observations that can be made in order to explain this occurrence (Kelly, 2002: 1055). To begin with,   Britain was under severe financial constraints due its ever decreasing share of word trade and political unrest at home, marked by the demands for social justice exerted by the trade union movement and the Labour Party (Weir, 1992: 33; Kelly, 2011: 190). In addition, the expansion of the American Navy as well as the efforts of the German Naval Office to extend the country’s sea power contributed to the diminished capacity of the Royal Navy to project its capabilities in the wider world. In spite of these developments, it is safe to argue that the United Kingdom had the greatest naval power upon entering World War One (Grey, 1925: 23). Furthermore, the country ensured the continuation of its relative superiority in the sea by entering into an alliance with Russia and France, geared towards counterbalancing the emerging central bloc constituted by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy (Wilson, 1985: 59). The Entente Cordiale, signed between Britain and France in 1904, came about as a result of the willingness of the German Empire to enlarge their commercial reach to the wider world, particularly in Africa where both nations had substantial colonial interests (Von Tirpitz, 1920: 130; Clark, 2012: 124). The establishment and preservation of a German colonial system was to be carried out through the expansion of the nation’s naval capabilities (Lambert, 2002: 25). The British Foreign Office was aware of the grand geopolitical designs of the German Empire. Some of its most prominent members distinguished a distinct revisionist stance on the part of Germany, which they likened to the hegemonic drive of France’s Napoleon a century earlier (Grey, 1925: 44). The preservation of naval superiority and the establishment of political alliances with like-minded nations were conducive to abandoning the policy of neutrality in European affairs and to engage in an act of balancing agai nst Germany (Clark, 2012: 144). The threat of a German revisionist drive was outlined by Eyre Crowe, an official at the Western Department of the British Foreign office, in his famous memorandum of 1907. Crowe emphasised the need to maintain naval supremacy in order to preserve the freedom of the seas and international commerce, ‘In proportion as England champions the principle of the largest measure of general freedom of commerce, she undoubtedly strengthens her hold on the interested friendship of other nations, at least to the extent of making them feel less apprehensive of naval supremacy in the hands of a free trade England than they would in the face of a predominant protectionist Power’ (Crowe, 1907). The British diplomatic establishment was aware of the dangers of a revisionist Germany for world peace. At the same time, there was an expressed preoccupation with the possibility that the extension of German naval resources may result in a diminution of British sea power (McDermott in Kennedy (ed.), 1979: 81). This is what transpires from a statement made to the House of Commons in 1911 by Sir Edward Grey, British Foreign Secretary, ‘Germany is rightly proud of her strength. She is building a big fleet. Surely it is natural and obvious that the growth of that fleet must raise apprehensions, or at least make other nations very sensitive to apprehensions, lest the Power which is becoming strong should have aggressive designs towards themselves. I do not believe in these aggressive designs. I do not wish to have it interpreted in that sense, but I think it must be realised that other nations will be apprehensive and sensitive, and on the lookout for any indications of aggression. All we or the other neighbours of Germany desire is to live with her on equal terms’ (Grey, 1911). The geopolitical implications of the rise of Germany were tied to the establishment of a naval network capable of sustaining the growing commercial influence of the nation in the wider world. However, it should be mentioned that in 1912 the German Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, approached the British authorities in order to put an end to the naval race between the two countries (Kennedy, 1983: 120). The Chancellor’s approach might have been motivated by the need to overcome the increasing isolation of Germany in the European political order. The British authorities responded by sending Richard Haldane, the Secretary of State for War, to negotiate the terms of the dà ©tente with Imperial Germany (Grey, 1925: 33). However, this mission failed due to the German proposal to accept the naval dominance of the United Kingdom in return for London’s neutral stance in the case of a general conflagration and the assurance that the Berlin would not be branded as the ag gressor (McDermott in Kennedy (ed.), 1979: 86). The visit of Lord Haldane to Berlin revealed some of the geopolitical concerns regarding the revisionist stance adopted by Germany (Kennedy, 1980: 60). Winston Churchill, who had been a member of the Liberal Cabinet, argued that whilst for Germany the maintenance of naval capabilities was a luxury, for Britain it a was a necessity (Churchill, 1923: 144). Here we see an attempt by a prominent British politician to downplay the importance of the construction of naval resources on the part of Germany (Kennedy, 1980: 67). This was done in order to reinforce the notion that British naval superiority was a feature of the European and international political order that was not to be challenged (Kelly, 2011: 173). As we will see in the next section, the geopolitical considerations pertaining to the possibility of German supremacy in the continent constituted a significant factor in the British decision to enter into the First World War (Epkenhans, 2008: 122).   The impact of the British-German naval rivalry in London’s decision to enter into the First World War In regards to the outbreak of hostilities, it should be argued that the arms race that took place between the United Kingdom and the Germany drove both nations to enter into the war (McDermott in Kennedy (ed.), 1979: 99). Additionally, the inimical interests of the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires in the Balkans made their participation in the war inevitable. France embarked upon the pursuit of war as a consequence of the invasion by the German forces and its alliance commitments to Russia (Kennedy, 1989: 91). It could be posited that one of the most salient aspects of World War One is constituted by the British participation in the war in order to balance the revisionist drive of the German Empire. From this perspective, the British entry into the war may be regarded as an attempt to maintain an equilibrium of forces in the European political order. This balance of power was tilting towards Germany in a decisive manner, since the country adopted the decision to build up its nava l resources that severely threatened British supremacy at sea (Clark, 2012: 132). There is an established consensus on a segment of the scholarship that is centred on the idea that the United Kingdom had become increasingly wary about the intention of the German imperial government to increase its naval capabilities (Massie, 1991: 20). The Reichsflotte Doctrine, propounded by Admiral Tirpitz, revolved around the notion that Germany was impelled to prop up its naval resources in order to be able to inflict damage to the Royal Navy in case of a war (Kelly, 2002: 1037). However, it should be mentioned that in 1912 the German Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, approached the British authorities in order to put an end to the naval race between the two countries (Kennedy, 1983: 120). The Chancellor’s approach might have been motivated by the need to overcome the increasing isolation of Germany in the European political order. The British authorities responded by sending Richard Haldane, the Secretary of State for War, to negotiate the terms of the dà ©te nte with Imperial Germany (Grey, 1925: 33).   This would force the United Kingdom to enter into an alliance with Germany. However, it may be stated that the position of the United Kingdom was one of the defiance, preferring the option of entering into the First World War in order to prevent the possibility that Germany may achieve geopolitical supremacy in the European continent and a broader projection of power into the wider world (Epkenhans, 2008: 101). During the decade that preceded the advent of World War One, the United Kingdom made considerable preparations in order to cater for the eventuality of hostilities against Germany (Kennedy, 1980: 109). In addition to the signing of diplomatic treaties with France and Russia, the United Kingdom also entered into an alliance with Japan, in order to devote their attention to the emerging geopolitical scenario in the European theatre (Modelski and Thompson, 1988: 19). The acceleration of the naval race that took place during the 1908-12 period left an indelible impression on the mindset of British foreign policy makers (Clark, 2012: 141). The shift from a naval to an army doctrine by Germany in 1812 did not assuage tensions between the two countries, as it became another instrument to exert potential domination over the British allies: France and Russia (Massie, 1991: 50). Some alternative explanations to Britain’s entry into World War One gyrate around the idea that London did no t just seek to contain the naval prowess of Germany but to attain a situation in which the other competitors would see their sea power diminished (Kennedy, 1989: 133). For example, the Russian Empire, which had experienced significant economic growth in the last two decades before the war, could have potentially threatened British interests in India (Kennedy, 1980: 11). The British Raj could not have been defended by its tiny armed forces in case of an overland Russian invasion. This prompted London to seek an alliance with Russia, which was duly effectuated in 1907 (Steinberg, 1973: 201; Kennedy, 1983: 50). From this perspective, confecting a German naval threat would be conducive to reassuring France and Russia that only the Royal Navy could provide an equilibrium of forces in the seas (Massie, 1991: 56). Therefore, the British-German rivalry also has to be assessed in the context of British diminution of power due to the rise of revisionist powers such as Japan and Germany (Kelly, 2002: 1036). In addition, the rise of the United States as the largest economy in the world also played into the geopolitical considerations of British foreign policy makers on the eve of World War One (Modelski and Thompson, 1988: 21).The antagonism regarding the naval race between the United Kingdom and Germany has to be appraised in the context of the actual erosion of British power (McDermott in Kennedy (ed.), 1979: 93). Consequently, British policy revolved around the principle of avoiding the rise of a naval competitor that could threaten its imperial possessions, rather than a revisionist power that could attain supremacy in the continent (Epkenhans, 2008: 55). It could be stated that the strategy that led to British entry into World War One was centred around the maintenance of naval supremacy through the introduction of ships that would be able to rise to the challenge of an attack against any of Britain’s imperial possessions (Kennedy, 1989: 139). It was known at the time that Germany did not pose an immediate threat to British Empire. However, the United Kingdom was compelled to enter into World War One in order to prevent a situation in which a victorious Germany would be in a position to reconfigure the geopolitical map through the accumulation of naval forces with France and Russia (Steinberg, 1973: 199; Neilson, 1995: 55).   German supremacy in the European continent would have eventually resulted in naval dominance by an entente between Germany and the vanquished powers (Kennedy, 1983: 88).   The British-German naval rivalry was a significant factor in Britain’s entry into World War One due to the potential ramifications of a German victory in the continent, rather than as a response to its potential supremacy over the European continent (Kelly, 2002: 1034).   Conclusion By way of conclusion, it should be noted that the naval rivalry between the United Kingdom and Germany exerted a significant amount of influence in the decision to enter into the First World War. Prompted by Berlin’s accumulation of naval resources, the United Kingdom attempted to preserve its relative superiority in the sea by forging an alliance with Russia and France (Clark, 2012: 155; Steinberg, 1985: 59). This was geared towards counterpoising the looming threat constituted by the associative framework between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. The Entente Cordiale originated from the need to counterbalance the German Empire’s to commercial and military reach into the wider world, especially in regions where both France and the United Kingdom had substantial colonial interests (Churchill, 1923: 213). The British political establishment was well aware of the geopolitical constructs of the German Empire, which was compared to the hegemonic drive instigated by Napoleon in the early part of the nineteenth century (Steinberg, 1973: 196; Kennedy, 1989: 129). It may be argued that the motivations that led to British entry into the First World War were centred around the need to preserve naval supremacy through the retrofitting of the Royal Navy’s capabilities in order to fend off the challenge of an attack against any of Britain’s imperial possessions (Epkenhans, 2008: 81). For all the reasons to be cited above, it could be concluded that the United Kingdom entered into the First World War in order to avoid a situation in which German supremacy in the European continent would result in an eventual naval alliance between Germany and its former enemies (Neilson, 1995: 61).   Consequently, the British-German naval rivalry was an important factor in London’s decision to enter into World War One, as the potential geopolitical implications of a German victory would have involved an eventual threat to British possessions overseas. These were to be defended at all costs. Even at the expense of entering into a war that diminished the standing of the United Kingdom in world affairs and which did not manage to sort out the position of Germany in the European political spectrum. Bibliography Churchill, W. (1923) The World Crisis, 1911-1914, T London : Thornton Butterworth Limited Clark, C. (2012) The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914, London : Vintage Crowe memorandum, British Foreign Office, 1/1/1907 germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/pdf/eng/603_Percept Germ For Policy_107.pdf   Accessed on 15/5/2014 Epkenhans, M. (2008) Tirpitz: Architect of the German High Seas Fleet, Lincoln, NE : Potomac Books, Grey, E. (1925) Twenty-Five Years, 1892-1916, London: Hodder Stoughton Kelly, P., Strategy, Tactics, and Turf Wars: Tirpitz and the Oberkommando der Marine, 1892-1895, Journal of Military History, Volume 66, Issue 4, (2002), pp. 1033–1060 Kelly, P. (2011) Tirpitz and the Imperial German Navy, I Bloomington, IN: ndiana University Press Kennedy, P. (1989) The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, London: Vintage Kennedy, P. (1983) The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery, London: Macmillan Education Ltd. Kennedy, P. (1980) The Rise of the Anglo-German Antagonism: 1860-1914, Amherst, NY : Prometheus Books Lambert, N. (2002) Sir John Fishers Naval Revolution, Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press McDermott, J. (1979) The Revolution in British Military Thinking from the Boer War to the Moroccan   Crisis   in   Kennedy, P. (ed.) War Plans of the Great Powers, 1880-1914, London : George Allen and Unwin Massie, R.   (1991) Dreadnought: Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War, New York, NY : Ballantine Books Modelski, G. and Thompson, W. (1988) Seapower in Global Politics, 1494-199, London : MacMillan Press Ltd., Neilson, K. (1995) Britain and the Last Tsar: British Policy and Russia 1894-1917, Oxford : Clarendon   Press Steinberg, J. (1985) Yesterdays Deterrent: Tirpitz and the Birth of the German Battle Fleet, London : Viking, Steinberg, J., The Tirpitz Plan, Historical Journal, Volume 16, Issue 1, 1973, pp. 196–204 Von Tirpitz, A. (1920) My Memoirs, London: Hurst Blackett, Ltd. Weir, G. (1992) Building the Kaisers Navy: The Imperial Navy Offi ce and German Industry in the Von Tirpitz Era, 1890-1919, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, Wilson, K. (1985) The Policy of the Entente: Essays on the Determinants of British Foreign Policy, Cambridge   Cambridge University Press,

Free Essays on Fear of Public Speaking

Speech Outline Attention Grabber: â€Å"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.† -Elbert Hubbard Purpose: How to make your fears of public speaking work for you and not against you, and to show that almost everyone gets nervous. Introduction: Everyone is afraid of something. Whether it is spiders, heights, enclosed spaces, or public speaking. When it comes to giving speeches, people tend to let their fears get the best of them. Speech apprehension is a common problem for a lot of people. "About one of every five persons20 percent of all college studentsis communication apprehensive†¦Ã¢â‚¬ {Visual aid,chart} (Pearson & Nelson, An Introduction to Human Communication, p. 224) Preview of Three Major Points: 1. What is Speech Apprehension? 2. Determining Your Fears. 3. Getting Over Them. Body of Speech: 1. What is Speech Apprehension? a. Definition of Speech Apprehension- Fear of speaking to an audience b. Definition of Communication Apprehension- Fear of communication, no matter what the context c. Why People are Scared- Fear of: -Inadequacy- inferiority, incapable -Unknown- how will everyone react to what I have to say? -Being Judged- people are sensitive to what others think about them, which can lead to severe anxiety. -Consequences-Will the audience like or dislike my speech? 2. Determining Your Fears. a. Causes of Fear- Some people are scared they will forget what they have to say, or that everyone will know that they are nervous and will therefore judge them. Some people are scared that they will be laughed at or that everyone is staring at them. b. Symptoms-Some symptoms include; Increased heartbeat, stomach knots, Shaking hands, arms or legs, dry mouth, or a lump in the throat. c. Mental Symptoms- Anxiety is not just a physical problem, it also has a lot to do with how you are thinking. And how you think can also be a helping quality in allevi... Free Essays on Fear of Public Speaking Free Essays on Fear of Public Speaking Speech Outline Attention Grabber: â€Å"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.† -Elbert Hubbard Purpose: How to make your fears of public speaking work for you and not against you, and to show that almost everyone gets nervous. Introduction: Everyone is afraid of something. Whether it is spiders, heights, enclosed spaces, or public speaking. When it comes to giving speeches, people tend to let their fears get the best of them. Speech apprehension is a common problem for a lot of people. "About one of every five persons20 percent of all college studentsis communication apprehensive†¦Ã¢â‚¬ {Visual aid,chart} (Pearson & Nelson, An Introduction to Human Communication, p. 224) Preview of Three Major Points: 1. What is Speech Apprehension? 2. Determining Your Fears. 3. Getting Over Them. Body of Speech: 1. What is Speech Apprehension? a. Definition of Speech Apprehension- Fear of speaking to an audience b. Definition of Communication Apprehension- Fear of communication, no matter what the context c. Why People are Scared- Fear of: -Inadequacy- inferiority, incapable -Unknown- how will everyone react to what I have to say? -Being Judged- people are sensitive to what others think about them, which can lead to severe anxiety. -Consequences-Will the audience like or dislike my speech? 2. Determining Your Fears. a. Causes of Fear- Some people are scared they will forget what they have to say, or that everyone will know that they are nervous and will therefore judge them. Some people are scared that they will be laughed at or that everyone is staring at them. b. Symptoms-Some symptoms include; Increased heartbeat, stomach knots, Shaking hands, arms or legs, dry mouth, or a lump in the throat. c. Mental Symptoms- Anxiety is not just a physical problem, it also has a lot to do with how you are thinking. And how you think can also be a helping quality in allevi...

Alternatives to Using Said When Quoting a Source

Alternatives to Using Said When Quoting a Source Alternatives to Using Said When Quoting a Source When discussing the arguments of other thinkers, as we often have to do when writing a paper, you might find yourself writing so and so says quite often. While this is good enough most of the time, you may also want to vary your word choice. Moreover, in academic writing, says or said might not fully communicate what you intend. It may therefore be better to use a more precise alternative. Alternatives to Said There are plenty of synonyms for said that can be used in academic writing. For instance, if we imagine quoting an author called Johnson, instead of Johnson says that, we could write: States (Johnson states that the results are consistent with past studies) Asserts (Johnson asserts that the technique is flawed) Argues (Johnson argues that the test should be revised) Claims (Johnson claims that the conclusion is valid) Believes (Johnson believes that modern science should be trusted) However, it should be noted that most of these words are more specific than said. As such, youll need to check that the word you pick fits the situation. Saying that Johnson argues such and such, for instance, only makes sense if you are quoting an argument. As such, it wouldnt make sense to say Johnson argues that his favorite ice-cream is vanilla, since this is an opinion, not an argument. Likewise, some terms have connotations that you need to understand before you use them. The word alleges, for instance, can be a synonym for says, but it implies that the claim is unproven, controversial or doubtful. It therefore has quite a specific use. Nor should you avoid using the word says in your work. Its simply a case of being aware of how often you use particular terms and trying to find a suitable alternative if you are using any single term (including said) too much.

Quantitative Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Quantitative Methods - Assignment Example For calculating the monthly expenses for the both types of mortgages first the nominal interest rates should be used to calculate the effective annual interest rates. This is done by using the following formula: I=(1+r/x)^x-1 In order to obtain the effective annual rates the Microsoft Excel formula was used: EFFECT(nominal_rate,npery), where nominal_rate is the annual nominal rate and npery is the number of compounding times per year. These values were calculated in Microsoft Excel using the formula: PMT(rate,nper,pv,fv,type). Rate is the interest rate of the mortgage, Nper is the total number of repayments for the loan, in this case 300 months (25*12), Pv is the present value of the total repayments that are to be made, Fv is the future value that one wishes to attain after the last repayment, in this case 0 and lastly Type indicates whether the repayment is made at the beginning of the month (0) or at the end (1), in this case we assume it is made at the start of the month so 0. In order to evaluate the Interest Only Mortgage option we must first calculate the effective annual interest rate on the deposit placed in the sinking fund. This will be done in the same way as for the Repayment Mortgage. The results are presented in the table below: The monthly cost Interest Only mortgage consists of the interest paid over the mortgage period and the amount accumulated in the sinking fund.... epayments for the loan, in this case 300 months (25*12), Pv is the present value of the total repayments that are to be made, Fv is the future value that one wishes to attain after the last repayment, in this case 0 and lastly Type indicates whether the repayment is made at the beginning of the month (0) or at the end (1), in this case we assume it is made at the start of the month so 0. In order to evaluate the Interest Only Mortgage option we must first calculate the effective annual interest rate on the deposit placed in the sinking fund. This will be done in the same way as for the Repayment Mortgage. The results are presented in the table below: Nominal interest rate on deposit in sinking fund Number of compounding periods per year Effective annual interest rate on deposit in sinking fund 5.50% 1 0.055 5.75% 1 0.0575 6.00% 1 0.06 6.25% 1 0.0625 6.50% 1 0.065 6.75% 1 0.0675 7.00% 1 0.07 7.25% 1 0.0725 7.50% 1 0.075 7.75% 1 0.0775 8.00% 1 0.08 8.25% 1 0.0825 8.50% 1 0.085 8.75% 1 0.0825 9.00% 1 0.09 The monthly cost Interest Only mortgage consists of the interest paid over the mortgage period and the amount accumulated in the sinking fund. In order to calculate the monthly payment into the sinking fund using Excel the PPMT(rate,per,nper,pv,fv,type) formula was used where rate is the interest rate per period, per is the period, nper is the total amount of payments in the sinking fund, pv is the present value of the mortgage, fv is the future value expected in our case 0 and type indicates when the monthly payments are due in this case we assume that they are made at the beginning of the period so we take the value 1. The results are listed below: Annual interest rate Number of years in the loan Amount of loan Payment into investment plan 5.50% 25 350000

Information Systems Service Management (final exam sheet ) Assignment

Information Systems Service Management (final exam sheet ) - Assignment Example -Service Portfolio Management refers to the process applied in assembling the initial service design package for every service along with its maintenance details throughout the service life cycle. On the other hand, Service Catalog management refers to the process of consistent documentation of information regarding all the services agreed to all authorized users or persons. This process begins by conceptual approval, which is used to build a service based on the set of approved design requirements. It is then followed by a plan for the release. The plan entails establishment of the fight group of people, products, process and performance. The third stage in this process is to build the Release based on the design and plan requirements. Test stage then follows. Test involves examining the Release to determine if it meets the targeted Design and Plan requirements. Based on the attestations that all the requirements have been satisfied the Approve stage is initiated. This approves the promotion of the service to production. The Deploy stage then takes place on the basis of the agreed schedule. Lastly, it is a review and close of the Release if successful. The business value of Service Transition is that it improves the quality of the process applied in implementation of a change. This is through ensuring that the targeted changes go hand in hand with the predefined business

Software Quality Assurance Plan for the Agate Ltd Case Study Research Paper

Software Quality Assurance Plan for the Agate Ltd Case Study - Research Paper Example Tools that will be used in QA include program monitors, documentation tools, static or dynamic test tools, and operating system utilities, tree diagram, prioritization matrix and affinity diagram. The program monitors are allow partial or full monitoring of program code such as code coverage, program animation, instruction set simulator among others. The affinity diagram is used to analyze the problem in an organization. All processes in an organization are interrelated; thus, in case there is a problem in any area, it can affect the quality of the final product or service. Thus, through affinity diagram, managers will be able to organize the data and extract essential information for the Agate Ltd case study. Methodology that will be used is the black-box testing method. Black-box method deals with the functionality of the entire system. This methodology consists of graph based testing method, error guessing, BVA techniques, Boundary value analysis among others. Thus, this method will be used because it has several advantages of the others such as the tester can be non-technical, it can be used to verify contradictions in actual system, as well as specifications, and the test cases can be designed once the functional specifications are complete. It is essential for an organization ensure quality of products in each stage so as to meet the demands of customers consistently. For this reason, the QA will monitor the methods and tools used to maintain and control versions of system products through verification and validation of the products. Verification refers to the process of checking the software meets the functional requirements while validation ensures that the needs of customers are met i.e. it ensure the all the functionality expected by the customer is implemented. In addition, even a slight deviation from the functional specification is said to be a fault based on the severity of the case. Also, during the

Cloud Gate by Mr. Anish Kapoor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cloud Gate by Mr. Anish Kapoor - Essay Example The Artist has used stainless steel as the medium of art. The artist has welded up about 168 pieces of stainless steel to make on giant work of art. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron; which cannot be stained but it loses it color and shows finger prints. The chromium in mixed in the alloy to make hard oxide coating on the surface; without the coating it becomes rust liker regular steel. The substance is hard and can be molded into any shape. The piece of art is placed at one of the most prime locations of Chicago; the reflective exterior would mirror the Chicago skyline; whereas its oval shape would twist and distort the image which is reflected; whereas, if a visitor would walk, the surface acts looks like a mirror of any funhouse as it reshapes the images. The underneath of the sculptor act as an indention whose mirror surface would provide numerous reflections of the subject situated below them. Sculptor is a form of art that is to create representational or abstract form, which can be of any shape. These form of arts does not tell a story; and the diversity in art is bought by the material and shapes used. Art is in the mind; these are ideas which are interpreted and then designed. Sculptor art is the most difficult art form; and if we include the size they represent a high level of imaginations.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 235

Assignment Example Human rights Activities and some religions argue that it is not morally acceptable for the state to kill or rather execute people under no circumstances (McClellan 125).4 Human life is very precious and should not be taken by anyone.5 Relatives and friends of the criminal also suffer in the process.6 Capital punishment again does not address the root problem. It is a superficial method and does little to curb the crime.7 There are others who look at capital punishment from another point of view (Draper 39). They look at the advantages it has. They argue that capital punishment instills a sense of fear among the citizens.8 They believe that people learn more by seeing than hearing (Bedau 34).9 They believe that people will not only fear the law but also respect it.10 Others argue that capital punishment is in fact economical.11 Heinous Criminals are not worthy of living from the sweat of innocent and hardworking citizens.12 Others argue that it is better to die than languish in prison where the criminals will undergo both physical and emotional torture (Swartz 112). 13 It also serves as a way of reducing the crime rates and ensures the safety of the victims and other inmates.14 These are some of the different views that different states and people have regarding to capital punishment.15 1. Bedau, Hugo Adam, and Paul G. Cassell. Debating the death penalty: should America have capital punishment? : the experts on both sides make their best case. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Print. 3. Dezhbakhsh, Hashem, and Paul H. Rubin. "From the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"econometrics of capital punishmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ to the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"capital punishmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ of econometrics: on the use and abuse of sensitivity analysis." Applied Economics 43.25 (2011): 3655-3670.

Cloud Gate by Mr. Anish Kapoor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cloud Gate by Mr. Anish Kapoor - Essay Example The Artist has used stainless steel as the medium of art. The artist has welded up about 168 pieces of stainless steel to make on giant work of art. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron; which cannot be stained but it loses it color and shows finger prints. The chromium in mixed in the alloy to make hard oxide coating on the surface; without the coating it becomes rust liker regular steel. The substance is hard and can be molded into any shape. The piece of art is placed at one of the most prime locations of Chicago; the reflective exterior would mirror the Chicago skyline; whereas its oval shape would twist and distort the image which is reflected; whereas, if a visitor would walk, the surface acts looks like a mirror of any funhouse as it reshapes the images. The underneath of the sculptor act as an indention whose mirror surface would provide numerous reflections of the subject situated below them. Sculptor is a form of art that is to create representational or abstract form, which can be of any shape. These form of arts does not tell a story; and the diversity in art is bought by the material and shapes used. Art is in the mind; these are ideas which are interpreted and then designed. Sculptor art is the most difficult art form; and if we include the size they represent a high level of imaginations.

Auditing 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Auditing 8 - Essay Example the bank accounts of the business so that they are able to determine the financial aspects they are needed to have findings on such as revenue, asset base, and cash flows. Full disclosure also has the impact of keeping finances and the operations of accompany open and transparent (Crist, 2009). Not disclosing an account containing $500,000 is gross and has the impact of rendering the auditors work unsatisfactory. It is negligent on the part of the new owners not to be aware of the existent of such an account. To avoid compromise, the auditor should note this in the final report. 2. According to Securities and Exchange Commission actions needed to improve Public Company Accounting Oversight Board selection process. (2002); a public accounting company shall be deemed to be independent in the performance of professional services like auditing of clients as stipulated by the standards promulgated by the bodies authorized by the council such as SEC, DOL or AICPA SEC. The independence of a public accounting company will be considered impaired with regards to a client when the employee of the accounting firm gets employed by the client after leaving the accounting firm unless some conditions are met. However, it is not easy to mention instances when the appearance of independence may be in question. Depending on the type of auditor employed by the firm, they can be paid in terms of audit fees or audit salaries (Funnell, & Robertson, 2005). Audit payments are competitive with the sole objective of ensuring that auditors do not indulge in unethical, unfair practices in the process of their work. To give the true and fair position with regards to a client’s financial position, auditor’s independence is paramount. 3. Representation letters are quite different from audit evidence due to the fact that they may involve transactions with massive impacts on the financial statements of the company without being able to produce corroborative evidence (Engel, 2005). Given the

Continental Congress in Philadelphia Essay Example for Free

Continental Congress in Philadelphia Essay One of the most well-known female politicians of the time was Mercy Otis Warren of Massachusetts. Like several other women concerned with public issues, Warren grew up in a political family. Her father James Otis, Sr. , had long been active in high-level provincial politics; her brother James Otis, Jr. , had been an outspoken detractor of British rule, and her husband James Warren was a most important member of the Massachusetts legislature. Mrs. Warren would write several pamphlets, poems, and plays in support of the Patriot movement. One of her plays, The Adulateur (1772), implicated a legendary kingdom named Servia, where the good subjects possessed with a love of liberty were being enslaved by a tyrannical ruler. Warren took some pride in womens contribution to the colonial resistance. â€Å"Be it known unto Britain even American daughters are politicians and patriots, and will aid the good work with their feeble efforts. † 7 Even though she was well aware that politics remained â€Å"a subject . . . much out of the road of female attention,† 8 she quietly defended the right of women to articulate their opinions. During the war period, she frequently corresponded with like-minded individuals for instance Abigail Adams regarding the latest developments, and afterward wrote an extremely partisan three-volume history of the American Revolution. Equally eager of speaking out politically (albeit in private correspondence) was Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams. Throughout the pre-Revolutionary years, Abigail had ready comments on the regal conflict and very much favoured separation from the mother country. When her husband John was a delegate to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia and beginning to prepare a new system of government, she even confided to him regarding what she considered a very important domestic matterthe rights of women. On the eve of American independence, Abigail wrote: â€Å"By the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. † 9 Abigail was not a contemporary feminist and had no wish to change the conventional relationship between man and woman; however she apparently did want some restraint placed on the use of male power within the family. John appeared more amused than angry at the outburst but made no effort to follow through on Abigails request. Neither did any of his congressional colleagues take up the subject. While John Adams had no wish to alter the legal status of women or grant them voting rights, he did think that they could hold political opinions and comment on significant issues in a family setting. So frequent were his discussions with his wife on such matters that at one point Abigail declared: â€Å"What a politician you have made me. †10 Abigail Adams of all the women at the time would have welcomed the possibility to use the ballot had it been given to members of her sex. On Election Day in 1780, she confirmed her desire to be part of the political process by assisting at the local polling place, preparing tickets. â€Å"If I cannot be a voter upon this occasion,† she said, â€Å"I will be a writer of votes. I can do some thing in that way. † 11 Several years afterward, Abigail commented on the existence of woman suffrage in New Jersey, saying that â€Å"if our state constitution had been equally liberal . . . and admitted the female to a vote, I should certainly have exercised it. † 12 Later, during her husbands presidency, she explicitly handled some of his political correspondence, even writing to Elbridge Gerry, emissary to France, amid the controversial XYZ affair in 1797. She as well carried on an widespread exchange of letters with such luminaries as Thomas Jefferson after her husband left the White House.

Standardization of Anti-diabetic Poly Herbal Formulation

Standardization of Anti-diabetic Poly Herbal Formulation 1. Introduction Now-a-days most of developed as well as developing countries use Ayurvedic medicines then they uses it in past. They avoid use of allopathic drugs because of high risk of adverse effects. So, for the sake of community it is important to standardize the dosage form available in market. Standardization of formulation is evidence that the formulation contains constituents which it says to be contained. In present work formulation containing Gymnemic acid and Resveratrol has been studied. This formulation is anti-diabetic. Gymnemic Acid (GYM) is major constituent isolated from leaves of plant Gymnema Sylvester belonging to family Asclepiadacea. (1) Plant has a property of masking the sugar test so it is known as â€Å"GURMAR†. Gymnemic acid is a triterpenoid saponin found in the leaves of Gymnema Sylvester. (2) Many studies have shown that oral administration of Gymnema extract reduces serum glucose level and improves glucose tolerance in mildly diabetic rats. (3) Administration of water extract of Gymnema sylvestre leaves was found to increase serum insulin level suggesting its insulin releasing effect. (4) Number of beta cells within pancreatic tissue were increased which suggests a restorative effect of the Gymnema extract on pancreatic tissue. (5) So, from above it is now known that Gymnemic acid has the ability to decrease blood glucose level in diabetic patient which ultimately relives Diabetes. Resveratrol (RES) (3,4†²,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is polyphenolic constituent isolated from plant Polygonum Cuspidatum belonging to family Polygnaceae. (6) It has been reported that Resveratrol has a variety of biological and pharmacological effects including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, anticarcinogenic effects, modulation of lipid metabolism and cardioprotection. (7) In pancreatic ÃŽ ²-cells, insulin secretion is linked to the oscillations in membrane potential, intracellular Ca2+ and metabolism. The variations in the ATP/ADP ratio control the conductance of ATP-dependent K+ channels leading to depolarization and periodic influx of Ca2+. The resultant membrane depolarization activates voltage dependent L-type Ca2+ channels and triggers intracellular Ca2+ release, elevating intracellular Ca2+ both in the cytosolic compartment and within the mitochondria, and thereby initiating insulin secretion. (8) From the survey of various literatures it is found that Gymnemic acid has been estimated by various analytical techniques like HPTLC, HPLC Gravimetery. (9) While Resveratrol had been estimated by HPLC and spectrometric techniques. (10) Not a single method is reported for the estimation of both constituents simultaneously. Present work has been focused on estimation of both constituents simultaneously. Here estimation of both constituents was done by UV-Visible spectrometry and HPTLC. For estimation of both constituents simultaneously UV-visible Spectrophotometric and HPTLC methods were developed and validated. Figure 1: Gymnemic acid Table 1: Gymnemic acid Group Figure 2: Resveratrol 2. Experimental Chemical Reagents Gymnemic acid relative Standard was extracted from the formulation. This relative standard was compared with standard obtained from Clearsynth TM Private Ltd (Andheri (w), Mumbai, India) . Then the prepared relative standard was used for methods. Same way, Resveratrol was extracted from formulation and then compared with standard Sigma-Aldrich constituent. Marketed formulation here used was Resveratrol plus (with Gymnemic acid) {Zenith Nutrition’s} containing 100mg Resveratrol and 500 mg Gymnemic acid per 2 capsules. All reagents for UV-Visible Spectrophotometry and HPTLC are Methanol, Chloroform, Ethanol, Glacial Acetic Acid, water and Benzoyl Chloride. Methanol, Chloroform and Ethanol used were analytical grade purchased from merk solutions. Triple distill water was made in laboratory by distillation assembly. Benzoyl Chloride was purchased from SD fines Chemicals. Instruments UV-Visible Spectrophotometric was developed on a Shimadzu UV-Vis double beam spectrophotometer, model 2400 PC series, with spectral width of 1 nm, wavelength accuracy of 0.5nm and a pair of 10 mm matched quartz cells (Shimadzu , Japan). The HPTLC instrumentation consisted of a Linomat V sample applicator with 100  µL Hamilton syringe and a TLC III scanner controlled by WinCATS software (Camag, Muttenz, Switzerland) Merck TLC plates coated with 60F254 silica gel on aluminum sheets were used as stationary phase. The plates were developed in a Camag 10 x 10 cm twin through chamber that was previously saturated for 20 minutes with mobile phase. Spectrometric Conditions GYM didn’t contain chromophore in structure so it has to be derivatized for UV-Visible detection. Benzoyl Chloride was used as derivatizing agent. The solutions of GYM RES were scanned in the spectrum mode from 200 to 400 nm, and from that 303nm for Gymnemic acid determination, 318.4 nm for Resveratrol determination and 349 nm for isoabsorptive point for Q ratio method were selected for simultaneous estimation. Chromatography Condition The solutions were spotted in the form of hands of 5 mm width on pre-coated silica gel 60F254 aluminum plates using a Camag 100  µL sample applicator syringe. They were activated at 110 oC in an oven for 20 minutes before sample application. A constant application rate 0.1 µL/s was applied and bandwidth was 9 mm between two bands. Spotted plates were developed in twin through chamber which is previously saturated for 20 minutes with mobile phase containing Chloroform: Methanol: Glacial acetic acid (13: 4: 0.5 %). The plates were developed for 8 cm run length. The plates were dried by hair dryer and then post derivatization done by dipping plates in Vanillin-Sulphuric acid solution. Then it is heated in hot air oven at 105oC for 5 minutes. Then plates were scanned at 575nm in TLC III scanner. Preparation of solutions Preparation of Standard solution for UV Resveratrol relative standard 10 mg was accurately weighed which is transferred to 10 ml clean volumetric flask. This much quantity was dissolved in 10 ml of ethanol to produce 1000 µg/ ml standard stock solution. From standard stock solution 1 ml is transferred to another 10 ml of volumetric flask and volume was made up with methanol to produce 100  µg/ ml working standard stock solution. Gymnemic acid relative standard 100 mg was accurately weighed which is transferred to 10 ml clean volumetric flask. This much quantity was dissolved in 10 ml of triple distill water to produce 10000  µg/ ml standard stock solution. From standard stock solution 1 ml was transferred to 10 ml volumetric flask diluted with methanol to produce 1000  µg/ ml working standard solution. Benzoyl chloride was diluted in ethanol first and then in methanol lastly to produce 125  µg/ ml solution which was used as derivatizing solution. Preparation of sample solution for UV 10 capsule’s shells were removed and powders from those capsules were mixed and from that weight equivalent to 10 mg Resveratrol and 50 mg Gymnemic acid was weighed accurately and transferred to 10 ml of volumetric flask volume made up with mixture of ethanol: water (1:1). From this solution 1 ml solution was taken diluted with mixture of ethanol: water (1:1).this solution is working sample solution further dilution done by the same mixture. Preparation of standard solution for HPTLC Resveratrol relative standard 20 mg and Gymnemic acid relative standard 100 mg was accurately weighed and transferred to two different 10 ml volumetric flask respectively in which weighed quantity was dissolved in 10 ml ethanol : water (1:1) mixture to produce RES 2000  µg/ ml and GYM 10000  µg/ ml standard stock solution. From these solution 5 ml solution was transferred to 10 ml volumetric flask diluted with ethanol: water (1:1) up to 10 ml to produce RES 1000  µg/ ml and GYM 5000  µg/ ml working standard stock solution. Preparation of sample solution for HPTLC 10 capsule’s shells were removed and powders from those capsules were mixed from that weight equivalent to 20 mg RES and 100 mg Gym was weighed. That much amount of powder was accurately transferred to 10 ml volumetric flask and dissolved in ethanol: water (1:1) mixture. From this solution 5 ml was taken and filtered with 0.45  µm filter sized syringe filter. This solution was then diluted with mixture of ethanol: water (1:1) up to 10 ml solution to produce RES 1000  µg/ ml equivalent and GYM 5000  µg/ ml equivalent. Assay method validation Preparation of calibration curve For UV-visible Spectrophotometric method individual solutions were prepared in methanol from working standard stock solution to produce 5-25  µg/ ml RES and 25- 125  µg/ ml GYM solution. Benzoyl chloride 10  µL was added to each solution. Then these solutions were analyzed in methanol at three different wavelengths at 303 nm, 318.4 nm and 349 nm. Calibration curve here made up was absorbance v/s concentration. For HPTLC method different aliquots of were taken from standard stock solution to make final concentration of RES 1000  µg/ ml and GYM 5000  µg/ ml in the same solution. Then different aliquots were spotted on activated TLC plate. The concentration of RES was varied between (5-25)  µg/ spot while for GYM it was (25-125)  µg/ spot. Then plate was developed in mobile phase and was developed to scan as mention above at 575 nm. Calibration curve here made was peak area v/s concentration of constituents. Accuracy (recovery) For UV-visible spectrophotometer solution of standard RES was added to previously analyzed sample solution at three different levels (80%, 100 % and 120%). Same procedure been followed to have a GYM accuracy by adding standard stock solution at three different levels (80%, 100 % and 120%). Amount of standard RES added was (8, 10 and 12  µg/ ml) to 10  µg/ ml sample solution. Amount of standard GYM added was (40, 50 and 60  µg/ ml) to 50  µg/ ml sample solution. For HPTLC known amount standard solution of RES (8, 10 12  µg/ ml) and GYM (40, 50 60  µg/ ml) added to previously analyzed sample solution having concentration of RES 10  µg/ spot and GYM 50  µg/ spot. Precision The intra-day and inter-day precision of proposed methods were determined by estimating corresponding responses three times on the same day and on three different days for three different concentrations. For UV-Visible spectroscopy RES concentrations were 8, 10 and 12  µg/ ml measured at wavelengths 318.4 nm and 349 nm.GYM concentrations were 45, 50 and 60  µg/ ml measured at wavelengths 303 nm and 349 nm. For HPTLC three different dilutions were made having both RES and GYM in those solutions ranging (RES 9, 10 and 12.5  µg/spot) and GYM (45, 50 and 62.5  µg/ spot). For repeatability in HPTLC, sample solution containing 10  µg/spot RES and 50  µg/ spot GYM was measured in terms of response. LOD LOQ The sensitivity of analytical method was evaluated by determining LOD and LOQ. They are measured by following equations: LOD: 3.3 à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ³/ S LOQ: 10 à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ³Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  S Here, à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ³ is standard deviation of intercept and S is slope in linearity equation. Specificity For HPTLC spots were scanned for its purity with standard sample and checked whether they give a same response or not. This was done by spectral scanning in WinCats HPTLC. Robustness The robustness of methods was studied by analyzing the same samples of RES and GYM with deliberate change in parameters. The changes in responses were noted. For HPTLC, spots scanned at ( ± 2 nm) and mobile phase ratio change was performed. For UV-Visible method solutions were scanned at ( ± 2 nm). 3. Results and Discussions Simultaneous estimation of RES and GYM was difficult task because they are isolated from herbal source and they have RES: GYM ratio 1:5 in marketed formulations. System suitability parameters System suitability run for HPTLC was performed before each validation run. Five replicate spots were made. Parameters monitored were Rf value and Peak areas of them. (Table 2) Table 2: System suitability Parameters HPTLC Optimization of Method For HPTLC Various experimental conditions such as the mobile phase and the wavelength of detection were optimized to achieve accurate, precise and reproducible results for the estimation of RES and GYM. Good resolution and sharp peaks with minimum tailing of these drugs (Rf RES 0.78, Rf GYM 0.236) was obtained by using mobile phase Chloroform: Methanol : Glacial acetic acid (13: 4 :0.5%) at wavelength of detection 575 nm. Figure 3 : optimized Chromatogram of HPTLC, RES (10  µg/spot) GYM ( 50  µg/spot) Figure 4: Wavelength selection for HPTLC of RES and GYM For UV-Visible Spectrophotometric Form overlain spectra (Figure 5) of methanolic solution of RES and GYM three wavelengths were finalized for analysis 303 nm, 318.4 nm and 349 nm. The method here used for simultaneous estimation is Q ratio method. Here both of constituents are measured at 349 nm isoabsorptive point and 303 nm and 318.4 nm GYM and RES respectively. Figure 5: wavelength selection after derivatization of GYM, BCL (Benzoyl Chloride) and RES Method validation of proposed methods Optimized methods were validated in compliance with ICH guidelines. The results of various parameters are discussed following: Linearity For UV Spectrophotometric method, linear correlation was obtained between absorbance and concentration for RES 5-25  µg/ ml at 318.4 nm 349 nm and GYM 25-125  µg/ ml 303 nm 349nm.( Table 3) For HPTLC method, linear correlations were obtained between peak area and concentration of RES was 5-25  µg/spot and GYM was 25- 125 µg/spot. (Table 4) Accuracy The percentage recovery values of RES and Gym were obtained in the range of 98% to 103 %, and relative standard deviation values for both constituents in two methods were less then 2%, it shows that methods are accurate for both constituents. Values are shown in table 3 and 4. Precision Inter-day and intra-day variation in quantification of RES and GYM showed that RSD values were always less than 2% during the analysis by both methods. These low RSD values show that methods are precise. Values of precision studies for UV spectrometry and HPTLC are in table 3 and 4 respectively. LOD and LOQ For UV-Visible spectrometry method LOD and LOQ for RES was found to be 0.09 µg/ml and 0.28 µg/ml respectively. LOD and LOQ for GYM were 0.63 µg/ml and 1.92 µg/ml respectively. For HPTLC method LOD and LOQ for RES were 0.065  µg/spot and 0.20  µg/ spot respectively. LOD and LOQ for GYM were 1.2  µg/spot and 3.87  µg/spot respectively. Specificity For HPTLC method, a good correlation was obtained between standard and sample spectra of RES and GYM correlation suggests that there in no interference in quantification of RES and GYM. Robustness Robustness of the methods was studied by performing assays of RES and GYM in capsule formulation. The parameters are deliberately altered and changes were recorded. Assay values were calculated in the changed parameters. Methods proved to be robust, because assay values in changed parameters were within limits. Assay of marketed formulation Assay of Resveratrol plus from ZENITH nutrition was performed in both the methods. Results of assay were compared with corresponding amounts claimed on capsule. The assay results are shown in table 3 4. Table 3: UV-Visible method Validation parameters Table 4: HPTLC Validation Parameters Conclusion Developed HPTLC and UV-Visible Spectrophotometric method was found to be simple, accurate, precise, rapid, sensitive and robust for the estimation of RES and GYM in combined dosage form. The validation data and recovery shows that methods are free from inferences of excipients used in formulations. Thus method is useful for both constituents to be estimated by both methods. References x