Role of Private Sector Organisations in Education Essay

Role of Private Sector Organisations in Education - Essay Example After realising the historical significance of the private sector education that has been since the last 130 years and by considering the upcoming opportunities of commercialising private education, UK Government has stepped forward and invited individual organisation to sponsor schools and cluster of schools in Education Action Zones (EAZs) for up till now more than 850 companies and organisations including charitable trusts have sponsored these zones. Government is encouraging commercial funding for building new schools contracts from the private sector from which it can acquire benefits by saving immediate capital expenditure, but since the companies are hesitated to renew long-term contracts for public funding, school repairs and renovations, therefore the Government is proposing substantial increase. Right from the ICT to the National Lottery, the Government has induced many companies to develop software programs and online content for all types of curriculum and online interactive materials. Local Education Authorities (LEAs) while emphasising on the ways of improving efficiency are well aware that they have to maintain a high attainment target or else they would suffer from negative publicity and reduction in fess. Why Private Schooling The reason for promoting the private education organisations in UK could be defined in two broader contexts: The first is that the maintained education system remained inefficient to fulfil the needs that go in interests of the producers-educational administrators and teachers-while the interests of the consumers-pupils, parents, employers and governments-were being neglected (Aldrich, 2004, p. 4). Privatisation on one hand introduced competition and market forces and reckoned as the best means of ensuring value for money, on other hand privatisation realised that the meeting the diverse needs and expectations of different religious and cultural groups can be met through maintaining a particular rising of standards. It also made the private sector acknowledged that since the state cannot fund educational and private provisions from taxation, therefore the requirements of students in some form or another is inevitable. The second position for encouraging the need for private sector is that since an education system that is public and not private is directed by professionals that prefer to highlight and place the true interests of pupils and students first. Such a situation provokes problems like under-funding which identify smaller classes and limited facilities as the main problem being faced by state schools. Since private firms understand the difference to what it means to supply educational services in terms of profit making and providing better environment for the children, the Government has now proposed a substantial increase for the private sector to play their best part in Education. When we talk about educational development in UK, we are visualising the following: 1) Improvement and enhancing of the current trends of teaching and assessment practices, curriculum design, and learning support including the

Australia Pre-Primary Education Industry Essay Example for Free

Australia Pre-Primary Education Industry Essay Rising Traction of Private Players to Foster Growth of Australia Pre-primary Education Industry: Ken Research The pre-primary education and childcare markets in Australia have showcased separate growth trajectory over the years. The pre-primary market in Australia is an emerging market characterized by the rising awareness about the quality early childhood education and care amongst parents. Although the public spending on the pre-primary education in Australia is amongst the lowest spending countries in the OECD, the government has taken substantial steps to promote the access and the importance of the pre-primary education amongst the masses. The regional pre-primary markets in each of the state or territory differ from another as the governing system is decentralized. Henceforth while the market-run kindergartens account for a dominant share in the states such as New South Wales, Victoria and Queens land, in states including Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory, a vast majority of preschools are government funded and run. Subsequently, the format of education and age-group of the children varies accordingly. The childcare market in Australia is a developed and matured market and is marked by a high degree of fragmentation. The childcare market caters to children aged up to twelve and has experienced a steady growth in the last six years, propelled by high demand prevailing in the market. In the last few years, childcare market has been increasingly recognized by the government as a means of increasing womens employability in the workforce. Henceforth, various provisions such as Child Care Rebates, Child Care Benefit have been provided, which has encouraged increasing enrollments in this sector. The market revenues of the childcare market have increased from USD 7,081. 6 million in FY’2008 at a CAGR of 5. 6% during FY’2008-FY’2012. The marketplace of pre-primary education and childcare industry in Australia has witnessed a growing number of market players after the fall of the market leader ABC Learning in FY’2008. A majority of the ABC centers was taken over by Goodstart Learning, a nonprofit organization, which accounted for ~% of the market share of the childcare market in FY’2012. Other major players include G8 education and KU children services. The market has showcased an increasing number of profit-making players over the years, owing to the growing attractiveness of the market. With the increasing number of Long-day care centers providing preschool education, the pre-primary education market of Australia has been reflecting signs of growing integration with the childcare market. As the number of nuclear families and women workers has grown in the Australian economy, the dependency on child care has also consequently increased, leading to many preschools providing child care services as well. The report â€Å"Australia Pre-primary Education and Childcare Industry Outlook to FY’2017† provides detailed overview on the pre-primary education and childcare industry from various perspectives. The report encloses a comprehensive analysis of the various segments of the market reflecting the present scenario and future growth affected by changing industry dynamics in coming years. Additionally, the report also entails information about the public and private sector initiatives, rational analysis of the macroeconomic factors, along with the profiles of the major market players of the pre-primary education and childcare industry. The report will help industry consultants, companies and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to ongoing and expected trends in future. For more information on the industry research report please refer to the below mentioned link: http://www. kenresearch. com/education/pre-school-education/australia-pre-primary-educationresearch-report/398-99. html The report titled â€Å"Australia Pre-Primary Education and Childcare Industry Outlook to FY’2017Increasing Influx of Private Players to Foster Industry Revenues† provides a detailed analysis of the preprimary education and childcare industry covering various aspects including market size of pre-primary education and childcare markets in terms of revenues, enrollments, establishments and number of teachers, and market segmentation on the basis of gender and region-wise enrollments and type of funding institutions along with ongoing trends in the industry. The report also includes competitive landscape and profiles of the major players operating in the industry. The future projections are included to provide an insight on the prospects in the Australia childcare market. The pre-primary and childcare industry of Australia is a diverse market which has undergone significant changes over the years. The pre-primary education and childcare markets in Australia are distinguished by the age-group of the target population and the mode of education. The childcare market of Australia is a matured market serving to children aged up to twelve. The type of services provided in the Australian market is quite diverse catering to the various needs and requirement of the families. The revenues of the child care market have grown strongly over the years, with supply largely keeping in pace with demand. Over the past years, child care in Australia has evolved from a form of early learning and education to a key mechanism to support labor force participation. The market for the childcare is competed by private businesses, communities and government run centres. The pre-primary education market of Australia is an emerging market marked by low penetration of the services. The enrollment rates for the children aged 3 and above are still very low. The formats and settings for preschool education in Australia vary from one state or territory to another with departments of education responsible for governing the preschool sector each state. Consequently, the market setting of pre-primary education sector is assorted, with Queensland being one of states which has mandated the admission in the pre-primary education for young kids. Preschool programs in Australia are run by both government and non-government services, including community preschools and child care providers. The competitive landscape of the Australia pre-primary and childcare industry is quite fragmented which has witnessed increasing market entries over the years after the fall of ABC Learning in FY’2008, the market leader the industry. Presently, the childcare market of the industry features a number of players which operate on non-profit basis. However, the increasing influx of the profit-making players has been driving the revenues of the market in recent years. Goodstart Learning, G8 education and KU children services constitute some of the major players of the industry. The pre-primary education and childcare industry in Australia has been witnessing growing integration of the pre-primary and childcare markets with the increasing number of Long day care centers with preschool programs in the country. Preschools with childcare facilities are increasingly becoming a common phenomenon, with increasing trend of customized services being offered by the providers. Computer-based education has also entered into the preschool segment, reflecting the increasing quality of the education imparted.

The Great Depression :: essays research papers

Cut wages, growing unemployment, poverty, and suffering were unforgettable experiences during the Great Depression of the thirties. Many people learned to face these hard times with the help of famous sports figures. They gave hope and to many people pride in what they stood for to them. One of these great sports figures who helped Americans was boxer Joe Louis. In 1936 he fought the world champion Max Schmeling and had his first lose. Max Schmeling was a German boxer and the Nazis equated his victory over Joe Louis as a Nazi superiority over American democracy. Once again the two boxers, Joe Louis and Max Schmeling, fought in 1938 and this time Joe Louis won in the first round. This was an enormous lift for Americans. It was a victory for democracy. Joe Louis was also an inspiration to the African American people. He was a famous African American boxer and had beaten a German boxer who was as Hitler believed the perfect race. This gave the African Americans self-respect and pride in who they were. â€Å" African Americans pointed with pride to athletes like Joe Louis, who was the world heavyweight boxing champion.† (Cayton, Perry, Winkler, 764 ) Louis also went on to become a hero for the war effort and gave inspirational speeches. Jesse Owens great accomplishments on the track field made him one of the most famous in history. While on the Ohio State University track team in 1935 he set a world record in the broad jump (26 feet 8 1/4 ). In 1936 he set a new world record in the 100m. dash,(10.2 sec.). In 1936 as a member of the U.S. track team at the Olympic games in Berlin, Jesse Owens won four gold medals and set more new world records. This is an important moral buster to the American people, white and black, because once again it showed Nazis were not a superior race. An African American man had won four gold medals. This was humiliating and angered Adolf Hitler . â€Å" His paramont victory at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin was made even more memorable when Adolf Hitler refused to award Owens his four gold medals because he was black.† ( Encyclopedia 97 ) This was as much a victory for the American people as for Owens. It was especially important to the African Americans because it was an acknowledgement of his Olympic victories because he was black.

Razzle Dazzle

‘Competition destroys the fun and enjoyment of activities like dance. ‘ Drawing on events in the film, write an essay arguing for or against this statement. ‘ Competitive dancing is a popular activity that involves competitors performing dance routines in various styles before a panel of Judges. Dancing in a competitive program can enhance natural ability, self-esteem and confidence.However, the film Raze Dazzle shows that there are the downsides of competitive dancing which can include extracting yourself from everyday activities and a social life, feeling strained, reassured and nervous which can cause a build-up of anxiety that could potentially affect a performance as well as ruin friendships and/or relationships. Competitiveness can change the nature off person's personality.In the film Raze Dazzle, Tinsel's mother Justine is an overly competitive stage mother who pushes her daughter hard in order to make her famous by assisting her performance related needs an d requirement as well as obnoxiously demanding special treatment for her daughter and placing unnecessary and inappropriate pressure on her. The use of Tinsel's archival footage shows the audience a perspective of a past and makes it Lear that Justine is eager for her daughter to be a star.When the new student, Grace, comes with the possibility of stealing some of Tinsel's spotlight, Justine breaks down from the pressure and has to be consoled by Tensile. Tensile eventually has enough of Justice's pressure and collapses from exhaustion. Placing too much pressure on a child can make them dislike the activity. Miss Elizabeth is a perfectionist and strict dance teacher who is brutally critical on her students' errors and flaws, removing those whom she labels as â€Å"fat, lazy and untalented†. We learn hat her mother was also a dance teacher who later on got married and the business's name was later on changed to ‘Mrs..Elizabeth' and went somewhat downhill. As Miss Elizabe th is committed to her career, she literally has no life and refuses to get married like her mother. During a scene where she is discussing her success, the symbolic placement of her trophies in the foreground represents her love for her Job as a dance teacher she claims she is married to it. A announcement is a type of film in which dramatic techniques are combined with documentary elements to present fictional events in a documentary style. Satire is used in the film to represent and mock the inside world of competitive dancing.Mr.. Jonathans choreography comes off us Weird' to others and they contain political messages, but his Gazetteers eventually get first prize. Barbara didn't need to capture a boy from the orphanage and Justice's pressure on Tensile was unnecessary. The satirical nature of the film is trying to show us that we need to value our creativity and be true to ourselves. In conclusion, competition destroys the fun and enjoyment of activities like dance as the press ure and competitive attitudes has a negative outcome.A competitive attitude can help you feel good and ready to be able to take on challenging tasks and ready to achieve many things in life. However, competitive behavior can change the nature of a person. Rather than being there to have a good time as well as showcase their talent and creativity, competitiveness can change their focus to only being there to defeat others and associating people around them. Unsuccessful and falling short of winning, dancers can be left feeling like their efforts and skills aren't good enough therefore feeling even more pressured to be the best.

A New American Society Essay

After the Americans gained independence from Britain in 1783 in the revolution. The colonies began to change their economic, social and political system, and began to write their new constitution that lead to the override of the Articles of Confederation in 1781. The major change the Americans accomplished was the separation from the monarchy. Thomas Paine said â€Å"the nearer any government approaches to a republic the less business there is for a king.† (Common Sense 1776) During the process of a new central government, states became independent with their own central government. However, this would give the central government less power over the 13 states. Another huge change in the colonies was the separation from the church. A preacher stated that under British rule that there was a â€Å"Moral obligation, imposed on the world, to answer the purposes of ambitious usurps.† (Lorenzo Dow pg.197) This would later lead to outpouring religious enthusiasm in the colonies and the Great Awakening. An economic issue was that only the states could impose taxes in the states and congress could only request funds to pay off debt. Another factor was that the government did not have a stable money currency in the colonies, which made it difficult to barter or trade with other states. The Northern part of the colonies focused more in manufacturing and the South depended on agricultural needs. Jefferson believed in more of an agricultural economy â€Å"our exterior commerce has suffered very much from the beginning†¦ we have manufactured†¦those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God† (Notes on the state of the Virginia pg. 170). On the other hand, Hamilton believed in trading manufactured goods with Britain and believed in a society of manufacturing. The weak Articles of confederation lead to a new constitution in the colonies. The articles of confederation were ratified in the constitutional convention of 1781 in Philadelphia. Reasons it was considered â€Å"weak† was the lack of checks and balances, government could not impose taxes, and central government was weak and the lack of personal rights of the colonists. â€Å"Make the following declarations, of our humble opinions, respecting the most essential rights and liberties of the colonists†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Declaration of rights pg. 124). James Madison was one of the founding fathers of the new constitution, because of his federalist papers.

90 Of The Best Marketing Quotes To Prove Every Point - CoSchedule

90 Of The Best Marketing Quotes To Prove Every Point Sometimes, you just need some marketing quotes to prove your points (because you, my friend, are gonna win every conversation) 😉 Maybe you need some inspiration from some p smart marketers. Or maybe you need a lead-in for a blog post youre writing. Whatever the case, youve found this blog post that rounds up some pretty great marketing quotes (imho). So peruse on to find your quotes (along with images and embed codes) that you can easily copy/paste and use to prove whatever points you need to make. Heres how to use this article to your full advantage: Use the table of contents to jump to the section that best suits your needs. Copy/paste the quotes and images into your own content. Use them to spice up your social feeds. Share the inspiration. And so forth. Use the links at the end of each section to jump /table of contents (as you see fit). Be a kickass marketer. Lets get to it. 90 Of The Best Marketing Quotes (And Never Seen Before) To Prove Every Point by @njellering via Table Of Contents David Ogilvy Quotes Inspirational Marketing Quotes Marketing Strategy Quotes Social Media Marketing Quotes Content Marketing Quotes Digital Marketing Quotes Famous Marketing Quotes Funny Marketing Quotes21 David Ogilvy Quotes [+ 19 Twitter-Sized Shareable Quote Images For Download] This guy came up with some pretty rad quotes. You may have heard a few gems like: â€Å"If you want to be interesting, be interested.† -David Ogilvy and â€Å"It’s not creative unless it sells.†Ã‚  -David Ogilvy and â€Å"On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.†Ã‚  -David Ogilvy Well. There are 18 more essential quotes from David Ogilvy in this free tear sheet. Plus, there are 19 Twitter-sized marketing quote images you can share, too. Download em all right now. 😉 10 Inspirational Marketing Quotes "The gap between what's expected and what you deliver is where the magic happens, in business and in life." -Jay Baer, Founder of Convince and Convert, and New York Times best-selling author of Youtility: Why Smart Marketing Is About Help Not Type â€Å"If you love what you’re doing†¦ that will make it so much easier to actually sit down and create content, inspire, entertain, and educate. That’s what’s really important.† -Jeff Bullas, CEO of Jeffbullas.com Pty Ltd "If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try."  -Seth Godin, Founder and CEO of Do You Zoom (among others) and author of lots of books, including the one where this quote comes from, Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable "You stand out more by being weird than fitting in." -Emma Tupa, Product Marketing Specialist at â€Å"I’m only now doing what only I can do. Everything else is being taken care of by the team, and it’s so essential.† -Pat Flynn, Founder of Smart Passive Income and author of Will It Fly â€Å"Don’t look for perfection. That isn’t the goal.† -Ash Maurya, Founder of LEANSTACK and author of The Lean Startup Movement, That's Running Lean, and Scaling Lean â€Å"You can’t let perfection get in the way of getting things done.† -Gini Dietrich, Founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich â€Å"Don’t be paralyzed; just get started.† -Leah Schothorst, Social Media Strategist at "Creativity is intelligence having fun." -Albert Einstein "It's quite fun to do the impossible." -Walt DisneyGet inspired with these 10 marketing quotes via @ 21 Marketing Strategy Quotes "If your competitors start copying you, then you are doing something right!" -Jay Baer, Founder of Convince and Convert, and author of Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers â€Å"If you just help your customers, or help your buyers buy, and answer the questions that they have in that journey, then you can really succeed.† -Michael Brenner, CEO of Marketing Insider Group and co-author of The Content Formula â€Å"We can’t do a lot of motivating with copy, but you can take someone’s motivation and turn it into something.† -Joanna Wiebe, Creator of Copyhackers and Co-Founder of Airstory "Whatever the status quo is, changing it gives you the opportunity to be remarkable." -Seth Godin, Founder and CEO of Do You Zoom (among others) and author of one of my favorite books, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable â€Å"Anybody who is trying to learn to do marketing is you have to niche yourself down to into a specific industry†¦if you pick something, be the best at it.† -Brittany Thompson, Social Marketing And Media Manager at Virtual Resort Manager (VRM) â€Å"The only way to outdo, to outperform the competition is to offer something unique and something better than they have.† -Tim Soulo, Head of Marketing and Product Strategy at AHREFs â€Å"Limiting our work and focusing is the only way we’re gonna get to the point of doing really good, high-quality work that’s focused on the audience.† -Andrea Fryrear, President and Lead Trainer at AgileSherpas â€Å"Marketing strategy will impact every piece of your business and it should be tied to every piece of your business.† -Brandon Andersen, Chief Strategist of Ceralytics â€Å"Do you have a product or service that people want? If you don’t have that, nothing else matters.† -Noah Kagan, Founder of Sumo â€Å"You have to understand your target customer and what you’re trying to sell them.† -Daniel McGaw, Founder of Effin Amazing â€Å"Where we always start is: What’s the user’s itch? What’s their pain point that occurs frequently enough to build a habit around?† -Nir Eyal, Author of Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products â€Å"There are a lot of opportunities that you can discover by listening closely to what your customers are saying.† - Joei Chan, Head of Content at Linkfluence â€Å"We not only need to understand the demographics of our customers, but we need to make sure that we create content for each of these different stages of the buyer’s journey.† -Kyle Gray, Founder of Conversion Cake and author of The Story Engine: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Content Strategy and Brand Storytelling Without Spending All Day Writing â€Å"Say no to the things that keep you on a certain level and say yes to the things that will help you keep moving on.† -Brian Honigman, CEO of Honigman Media â€Å"Starting and being consistent and not giving up is more important than being brilliant.† -Mark Schaefer, author of Known: The Handbook for Building and Unleashing Your Personal Brand in the Digital Age â€Å"Consistency is key. Whenever you start, give your audience something to look forward to.† -Julia McCoy, CEO at Express Writers â€Å"It isn’t just creation and promotion; it is process as well. I think that’s what a lot of people forget.† -Neil Patel, Co-Founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, and Kissmetrics â€Å"Hire people that you can trust, pick a tool that you trust, and just keep everybody on the same page. Then back off.† -Len Markidan, Chief Marketing Officer at Podia "Start an editorial calendar that everyone involved in your blog (writers, editors, marketing team, etc.) can access. -Kristi Hines, Freelance Writer "One thing is certain: if you don’t keep an editorial/content calendar, the content doesn’t get done." -Joe Pulizzi, Founder of Content Marketing Institute "For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned." - AnonymousCheck out these 21 #marketing #strategy quotes via @ 6 Social Media Marketing Quotes "Content is fire and social media is gasoline."  -Jay Baer, Founder of Convince and Convert â€Å"Viral marketing is almost like finding love. You have to stop doing it to actually make it happen.† -Tim Topham, Founder of timtopham.com â€Å"Rule number one is if it’s not good, don’t share it.† -Christin Kardos, Social Media and Community Manager at Convince and Convert â€Å"When you are first getting started on social media, you really need to do your research†¦ don’t just choose a channel because Facebook owns the world or because everyone’s doing Twitter.† -Celeste Mora, Social Media Manager at Grammarly â€Å"In order to engage on social, in order to attract customers, regardless of what kind of customer you have, you have to build trust.† -Lindsay Scarpello, Strategic Communications Director at OBI Creative "Content is the party. Promotion is the invitation to attend." -Nathan Ellering, Head of Marketing Demand Generation at Get inspired to do better #social #media #marketing with these six quotes 10 Content Marketing Quotes "With traditional marketing, you tell people you a are a rock star. With content marketing, you show them you're a rock star." -Robert Rose, Chief Strategy Advisor at Content Marketing Institute and co-author of one of my favorite books, Managing Content Marketing: The Real-World Guide for Creating Passionate Subscribers to Your Brand â€Å"You really have to create legitimately great content and a legitimately great Website to rank in Google.† -Brian Dean, Founder of Backlinko â€Å"You get biased by your existing understanding of the field.† -Rand Fishkin, Founder of SparkToro and author of Lost and Founder â€Å"Ask yourself: 'Have we covered the fundamentals?' And second to that: 'Are they the best experience on the internet for those things?'"  -Jennifer Pepper, Marketing Manager For Content Creation of Unbounce "I think nowadays, you need to do inbound and outbound–it’s crucial to do both." -Ian Cleary, founder of RazorSocial and OutreachPlus â€Å"Have your own content; support your own content.† -Pat Flynn, Founder of Smart Passive Income and author of Will It Fly â€Å"It’s not about trying to crank everything you can into the article. It’s about delivering value and persuading people that you can solve their problem in as few words as possible.† -Tim Soulo, Head of Marketing and Product Strategy at AHREFs â€Å"If you’re writing things that are on par with what others are writing, go back and double that part. Go deeper.† -Sujan Patel, Co-Founder of Web Profits â€Å"My main advice for anyone working content marketing or starting at a content team is make sure that you have a really, really clear opinion about the world.† -Geoffrey Keating, Editor at Intercom "Content marketing is the gap between what brands produce and what consumers actually want." -Michael Brenner, CEO of Marketing Insider Group and co-author of The Content FormulaGet inspired to rock your content marketing with these 10 quotes from @ 9 Digital Marketing Quotes â€Å"The internet is a big place and yes, most things have already been done†¦ You have to be even more creative.† -Jon Henshaw, Senior SEO Analyst at CBS Interactive â€Å"Even if you are a small business and you can’t afford to do costly studies, you do have the ability to run different kinds of tests in your app or on your website and see what works best.† -Roger Dooley, author of Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing â€Å"Optimize your website for just being a good user-friendly website. It’s generally the most important thing that you could focus on.† -Lydia Gilbertson, SEO Analyst at Distilled â€Å"If you’re not making mistakes, you’re probably not experimenting enough.† -Noah Kagan, Chief Sumo at AppSumo â€Å"If we produce something original, that will have a better chance in rising above the noise.† -Andy Crestodina, Co-Founder and Strategic Director at Orbit Media Studios "Content is the atomic particle of all digital marketing." -Rebecca Lieb, Analyst and Founding Partner, Kaleido Insights â€Å"Just because you can measure everything doesn’t mean that you should.† -W. Edward Deming "Content is the reason search began in the first place." -Lee Odden, CEO of TopRank Marketing "Google is the new corporate homepage." -Jeremiah Owyang, Founder of CrowdCompaniesElevate your digital marketing smarts with these eight quotes via @ 7 Famous Marketing Quotes â€Å"People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.† -Simon Sinek, Founder and Visionary of Start With Why "Make your marketing so useful, people will pay you for it." -Jay Baer, Founder of Convince and Convert "Content is king." -Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft "On average, 8 out of 10 people will read your headline copy, but only 2 our of 10 will read the rest." -Brian Clark, CEO of Rainmaker Digital "The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself." -Peter Drucker â€Å"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing about.† -Benjamin Franklin "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -Leonardo Da Vinci How many of these famous marketing quotes have you heard? Via @: 5 Funny Marketing Quotes "Content marketing is really like a first date. If all you do is talk about yourself, there won't be a second date." -David Beebe "Martin Luther King did not say, 'I have a mission statement'." -Simon Sinek "You can't wait for inspiration; you have to go after it with a club." -Jack London "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." -Henry Ford "If you're looking for the next big thing, and you're looking where everyone else is, you're looking in the wrong place." -Mark Cuban

Essay on Legalize Marijuana Teen Esaay

Essay on Legalize Marijuana Teen Esaay Essay on Legalize Marijuana Teen Esaay Esthela Obregon Per 3 Legalize Marijuana The use of marijuana is a very controversial issue today because many people only see it as a way to get â€Å"high†. It is true that marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a huge recreational drug but it is also a very big help to people with medical problems. It is a great remedy for anxiety issues, stomach pains, and sleeping problems as well. There are many drugs used for what marijuana implements to. It has been legalized in Colorado and Washington recently and seems to be a big hit as far as the amount of people consuming it so far. Marijuana is an all-natural plant that grows without any person making and producing it. It is a plant that is dried and consumed, it is not some pill you take that is produced and created that you have no idea what it is made up by. Marijuana can help cure many problems around the world such as insomnia, stomach pains and headaches. There are many more small problems that can be solved by a natural plant that is considered illegal. It c an be said that marijuana is abused but there are many legal drugs that are abused just s much if not more. I don’t believe that saying marijuana is abused is a good argument for it to be illegal. Vicodin, Tylenol with Codeine, OxyContin and Percoset and many more are all drugs that are highly abused and legal. These drugs are highly abused and much more dangerous than marijuana. These other drugs that are abused are also on the market to cure one issue of the body and cannot be used for other illnesses while marijuana can help to take out many issues at once with one â€Å"medication†. Glaucoma is one condition that can be relieved by marijuana. It is a condition in which pressure on the eyeball increases over time causing blurred vision, pain and could possibly lead to loss of vision. Cannabis has active chemical compounds called cannabinoids that aid in limiting pressure in the eyes. Limiting the pressure in the eyes limits the damage being done to the eye. This is just one example of marijuana helping medical conditions. THC is the substance that naturally occurs on the marijuana plant that is responsible for the cannabis high. Marijuana is illegal because the government believes there is not enough research and tests done. The affects of marijuana could be a reason most people believe it is bad and should be illegal. With a little research, you will find that it is not that bad. The public spends tax dollars on many projects researching hoe much THC it takes to make a person severely ill when it is nearly impossible to make someone virtually ill from THC. My opinion on the affects of marijuana is that it does not affect the brain, or as

Converting Ounces to Grams

Converting Ounces to Grams This worked example problem demonstrates how to convert ounces to grams. This is a common type of mass unit conversion problem. One of the most common practical reasons to know how to do this conversion is for recipes, so lets start with a food example: Ounces To Grams Problem A chocolate bar weighs 12 ounces. What is its weight in grams? Solution One of the easiest ways to solve this problem is to use the pound to kilogram conversion. If you like in a country where both units are used, this is a useful conversion to know. Start by converting ounces into pounds. Then convert the pounds into kilograms. All that remains is to move the decimal point three places to the right to convert kilograms into grams. Here are the conversions you need to know:16 oz 1 lb1 kg 2.2 lbs1000 g 1 kgYou are solving for x numbers of grams. First, convert ounces into pounds. The next part of the solution converts pounds to kilograms, while the final section converts kilograms to grams. Note how units cancel each other out, so all you are left with is grams. x g 12 ozx g 12 oz x (1 lb/16 oz) x (1 kg/2.2 lb) x (1000 g/1 kg)x g 340.1 g Answer The 12 oz chocolate bar weighs 340.1 g.

Movement in education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Movement in education - Essay Example It is further stated that movement affects the brain which is activated during physical activity. The movement enhances the reading with utmost alertness, emotions are monitored and emotional intelligence is regulated through appropriate expressions. The movement also enhances the creativity by memorizing the past which can lead to self confidence. Children’s given physical education training so that their main movement center of brain remains activated enabling effective concentration during class hours. K-12 students are involved in creative topics enhancing their individual creativity. Physical activity is an important factor in building the students brain and physical fitness. Physical education is essential and should be made mandatory and part of the curriculum. All the schools in country should include various activities as part of the curriculum so that students don’t get sleepy sitting in the classroom. Physical activity like exercise, playing, creative development and all other activities apart from education which may build and develop brain’s activeness should be included in the curriculum. It was previously assumed that the physical and mental are separate and it is necessary to concentrate hard on books to be mentally strong. Further it was assumed that physical education may distract mental ability from the academic activity which was the main reason for reduction in recess and physical education in most of the school

The officer in story In the Penal Colony Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The officer in story In the Penal Colony - Essay Example He moves in ways that are familiar to him. What he has done in the past matters much to him. He is found to be extremely loyal to his cultural tradition. Historic practices are of great value to him. His commitment towards the machine shows his mindset. He is found to be much dedicated to the general way of punishment. He is very much loyal to the traditions and the historic way of doing things. What he is aware of is nothing but the cultural traditions of his place. His thoughts and actions are based on the â€Å"current individual† factor. This very factor drives his attitude. The officer is the product of his circumstances. The author Franz Kafka places the officer in a situation that justifies his strange attitude. In the story we find that the officer is compelled to convince the explorer about the relevance and necessity of the machine. The presence of the explorer created an atmosphere of urgency in the colony. This urgency is visible in the words and actions of the off icer. The officer feels that unless he convinces the explorer, the machine and the punishment system will be put to an end. He therefore explains the positive aspects of the machine. We find that the officer fails to convince the explorer about the importance of the machine. The officer’s mood changes because of the explorer’s attitude. Current situation again starts dominating the officer’s behavior. This gave him the motivation to free the condemned man and place himself in his place. The situation made the officer resort to such an action. The officer understands that his mission is no longer successful. The system which he believed and followed all these years is going to be abolished in the colony. He therefore decided to subject himself to the machine. His act means that he willingly became a martyr for the machine. He represented his mistake and accepted the punishment for that. This is evident in the inscription ‘Be just’. This very behavior of the officer is caused by his situation and brought up. The officer has immense enthusiasm about the machine he created. The so called ‘justice’ of the old commandant made him crazy. The officer blindly follows the old Commandant. He is overenthusiastic over the system he formed. The machine embodies the system he created. The apparatus symbolizes the notion of justice. The officer is fully devoted to the system of the old Commandant. He is crazy to be the judge of the colony. He is of the belief that by executing people using the machine he is establishing justice. ‘Guilt is never to be doubted’ is the motto of the officer. The machine puts immense torture on the body of the punished individual. The officer’s satisfaction lies on the idea that injustice is rightly punished. He feels that the punishment establishes transfiguration and enlightenment. This very notion makes him subject himself to the machine. He wants to personally experience the fe eling. We read that â€Å"But how quiet he grows at the sixth hour! Enlightenment comes to the most dull witted. It begins around the eyes. From there it radiates. A moment that might tempt one to get under the Harrow oneself! Nothing more happens than that the man begins to understand the inscription; he purses his mouth as if he were listening. You have seen how difficult it is to decipher the script with one’s eyes, but our man deciphers it with his wounds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kafka 1995). The officer further believes that the individuals who are

Income Insurance Protection (IPI) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Income Insurance Protection (IPI) - Essay Example For example, Mr. Farid in his application failed to be honest by giving false information. Given information provided by the party seeking insurance cover provides the basis upon which sum assured and premiums are based, information asymmetry will most likely result in an adverse selection. In Mr. Farid’s case, the information he gave during application showed that he is not involved in manual or outdoor duties implying that his risk profile was low. The information contradicts the one given in the claims form which actually showed that he was doing manual duties that exposed him to higher risks than that of a company director he purported to be. Based on the information provided during application, that is, Mr. Farid was involved in inspecting construction sites and training workers on health and safety awareness, it is therefore easier to understand why the insurance company ignored his heart disorder problem and granted him the cover. Had the insurance known that Mr. Farid did manual jobs with the heart valve disorder, it would have taken him as high risk client, and therefore choose a higher sum assured (Claassen, 2008). Question 2. Whether one would approve Mr.Farid application for income protection insurance Based on the information provided by Mr. ... Question 3. Should Prudent Insurance Inc. pay or deny it? The insurance company should use its underwriter or appointed claims adjuster to investigate and verify the claims with the help of a medical practitioner to establish whether the poor health condition was work related or not. Based on the information generated, then the company can choose to compensate him in full, adjust the compensation accordingly or deny it all together. Where the poor health condition is not related the work done by Mr. Farid, the company should compensate him in full and if its work related they can adjust the compensation or deny with factual explanation. Part II: Household items insurance. Mr Green v Sun Insurance Inc. Question 1. How would the information about Mr. Green’s earlier convictions affect the insurer’s underwriting decision on Mr. Green’s application? The earlier convictions of three offences on Mr. Green would certainly have affected his application. First, he was con victed of a domestic violence which raises the possibility of a loss occurrence on household goods arising from his conduct. Secondly, his conviction for causing actual bodily harm to the police officers confirms he is a violent person increasing the propensity of a definite loss given his temperament. These two cases in point following each other would have force a company underwriter to consider Mr. Green’s application critically. Where household items to be insured are very valuable, then the underwriter can choose to abandon the application given that the probability that the company will pay a higher compensation within the cover is high. In the event that the underwriter chooses to accept Mr.

Amazon Rainforest Environmental Studies Research Paper

Amazon Rainforest Environmental Studies - Research Paper Example Amazon Rainforest Amazon rainforest is found to be the biggest forest and the biggest space which is covered by tropical animals and plants. Forest territory of Amazon is basically a tropical rainforest which is spread across the northern region of South American continent. The entire rainforest is shared by almost eight nations which are Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia, Peru, Guiana, Venezuela and Suriname (Save the Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Rainforest). The largest section (almost 60%) of the Amazon rainforest can be found in Brazil. In fact, half of Brazil is covered by this rainforest. The rainforest of Amazon is also famous as Amazonia. It is seen as one of the most important greatest natural resources that are found on planet earth. Experts often call it the â€Å"Lungs of this planet† as it consistently produces oxygen by converting carbon dioxide of the environment (Amazon Rainforest, Blue Planet Biomes). It is found that almost 20% the world’s oxygen come fr om this rainforest. The nickname ‘rainforest’ signifies the humidity that is found in this region. However, rainfall does not happen all the time. Usually tropical rainforests are situated near the equator, as a result they are found to be very hot. All the heat leads to huge volume of evaporation of water into the air. The trees in the forest retain the water in their roots and branches. The combination of all these actions makes the entire area very much humid. The humidity, rain and heat have made the Amazon rainforest a rich ecosystem (Save the Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Rainforest). The magnitude of both rain and temperature is found to be consistent throughout the year. The average temperature in this region is 79 ° F (Amazon Rainforest, Blue Planet Biomes). It is already mentioned that approximately half of Brazil is covered by the Amazonia. A very crucial fact is that the canopy of the Amazon rainforest is less studied as compared to the ocean floor. Many exper ts believe that it is very much possible that the half of all the species in world can be found in the canopy of this rainforest. What is already found is that more than 500 mammals, 175 types of lizards and almost one of third earth’s birds live in the Amazonia. It is predicted that nearly 30 million types of insects live in this region (Amazon Rainforest, Blue Planet Biomes). The Amazon rainforest can be seen as the combination of four different layers. Each of these layers consists of unique plants, animals and ecosystems. The first layer is happened to be the tallest among all. In this layer trees having height of 200 feet are found. The leaves are often found to be small. Furthermore, a thick waxy surface is found over the leaves. This layer experiences significant fluctuation of wind, rainfall and temperature (Amazon Rainforest, Blue Planet Biomes). The next layer i.e. ‘the canopy’ is considered to be a major layer of Amazonia. Most of the trees in this lay er have oval and smooth leaves and almost 80% of sunlight gets filtered through them. The canopy acts as a home to hundreds and thousands of species. The next layer gets 3-5% of the sunlight. Plants in this layer find some unique ways of adaptability in this shadowy system. Due to very low movement of air, plants and their leaves greatly depend on the animals and insects for pollinating the flowers (Amazon Rainfores

Australian accounting standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Australian accounting standards - Essay Example Several international legal systems are based on approaches derived from principles. Practically, the FRC supported the adoption process because of the indication towards lessening of information costs. Following the accounting processes under International Accounting Standards is accompanied by the cost reduction. Adoption of the international standards would also enhance efficiency within the Australian capital market through capital flow into the market. Enhancement of market efficiency would be possible because through the adoption, the nations would be able to set internationally accepted, competent quality, equivalent and apparent standards of accounting. Although there are considerable benefits associated with the adoption of international standards of accounting, there are also various potential barriers that hinder proper implementation of the International Accounting Standards all around the world. Cultural factor is also among those potential barriers to the standards’ adoption. The propensity to restrict the implementation primarily prevails among the businesses which are conducted locally inclusive of the small and medium enterprises. This is due to the existence of strong cultural and regional values among the people within the firms. For completely implementing the international accounting standards, it is the most significant to educate the firm’s auditors and accountants about the processes to be followed. Due to the cultural resistance to international adoption, the entire implementation process gets hampered. Cultural barriers impact the way that the financial statements are overviewed. Adoption of internati onal standards would require evaluation of financials based on concepts. Pertaining to the cultural beliefs, a massive expense incurred due to a day-off because of regional program might not be considered to be harmful. A number of day-offs would at times lead to prevalence of huge imbalance in financial statements (Sawani, 2006). Answer to Question No 1 b From January 1, 2005, the units operating under the Corporations Act (2001) of Australia were required to frame and present their respective financial statements as per the standards being followed in the International Accounting Standards Board. Although Australia was boosting up towards harmonizing its standards as per the international ones, after the comprehensive adoption, the transformation process would make various business aspects to change. As regards to the practices within financial reporting, reported results of the Australian firms had to be presented in a changed way and also the adoption affected compensation based on performance. Apart from these general transitions, the acknowledgment and measurements of the firms’ assets and liabilities also were affected. To name a few, various financial instruments were to be recorded within the financial statements as per their fair values. This change even resulted in classification of instruments as debts which were previously classified as equities. Amortisation of goodwill

Amazon Rainforest Environmental Studies Research Paper

Amazon Rainforest Environmental Studies - Research Paper Example Amazon Rainforest Amazon rainforest is found to be the biggest forest and the biggest space which is covered by tropical animals and plants. Forest territory of Amazon is basically a tropical rainforest which is spread across the northern region of South American continent. The entire rainforest is shared by almost eight nations which are Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia, Peru, Guiana, Venezuela and Suriname (Save the Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Rainforest). The largest section (almost 60%) of the Amazon rainforest can be found in Brazil. In fact, half of Brazil is covered by this rainforest. The rainforest of Amazon is also famous as Amazonia. It is seen as one of the most important greatest natural resources that are found on planet earth. Experts often call it the â€Å"Lungs of this planet† as it consistently produces oxygen by converting carbon dioxide of the environment (Amazon Rainforest, Blue Planet Biomes). It is found that almost 20% the world’s oxygen come fr om this rainforest. The nickname ‘rainforest’ signifies the humidity that is found in this region. However, rainfall does not happen all the time. Usually tropical rainforests are situated near the equator, as a result they are found to be very hot. All the heat leads to huge volume of evaporation of water into the air. The trees in the forest retain the water in their roots and branches. The combination of all these actions makes the entire area very much humid. The humidity, rain and heat have made the Amazon rainforest a rich ecosystem (Save the Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Rainforest). The magnitude of both rain and temperature is found to be consistent throughout the year. The average temperature in this region is 79 ° F (Amazon Rainforest, Blue Planet Biomes). It is already mentioned that approximately half of Brazil is covered by the Amazonia. A very crucial fact is that the canopy of the Amazon rainforest is less studied as compared to the ocean floor. Many exper ts believe that it is very much possible that the half of all the species in world can be found in the canopy of this rainforest. What is already found is that more than 500 mammals, 175 types of lizards and almost one of third earth’s birds live in the Amazonia. It is predicted that nearly 30 million types of insects live in this region (Amazon Rainforest, Blue Planet Biomes). The Amazon rainforest can be seen as the combination of four different layers. Each of these layers consists of unique plants, animals and ecosystems. The first layer is happened to be the tallest among all. In this layer trees having height of 200 feet are found. The leaves are often found to be small. Furthermore, a thick waxy surface is found over the leaves. This layer experiences significant fluctuation of wind, rainfall and temperature (Amazon Rainforest, Blue Planet Biomes). The next layer i.e. ‘the canopy’ is considered to be a major layer of Amazonia. Most of the trees in this lay er have oval and smooth leaves and almost 80% of sunlight gets filtered through them. The canopy acts as a home to hundreds and thousands of species. The next layer gets 3-5% of the sunlight. Plants in this layer find some unique ways of adaptability in this shadowy system. Due to very low movement of air, plants and their leaves greatly depend on the animals and insects for pollinating the flowers (Amazon Rainfores

Women's Rights in voting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Women's Rights in voting - Essay Example Women have enough intellect to decide the kind of leader they want, one that will stand for this country. Denying women the right to vote is discriminatory. It is stealing away their voice, hushing them to the realities they face. However, I believe that one day; women will celebrate their victory in this. I believe that soon, liberation is coming for the womenfolk of this country. Men have chained women, and dominated over them today. Women attempting to vote are arrested, while men vote freely. I refuse to believe that men alone are capable of choosing good leaders. I stand up to challenge fellow women to stand up for their rights, and not languish under this psychological oppression. It is time for women to rise above male dominance today, and be advocates of their own rights. I believe in the future. Although voting is a crime for women today, I challenge all women not to despair, one day we will be smiling our way to the ballot box. One day, our daughters will choose the leaders of their choice. One day, women will rise above male chauvinism, taking up great leadership positions in this important country. No matter what, I believe, and see a day when this nation state will put the needs of women first. This is the day, manipulation of women and gender inequality will be history. This day, women will be heroes for the many challenges and oppressions of the past, which they have withstood. A little more patience and advocacy will bring us this

Empirical Effect Of Sacking A Coach In Football Team Essay Example for Free

Empirical Effect Of Sacking A Coach In Football Team Essay Changing or sacking the coaches is the most commonly seen incidents in the game of football. Football is the most widely watched and popular game in this world. It is game of passion for not only players, coaches, or managers but also for audience, who come to watch this game. Numerous teams, clubs of football exist in this world and every team have their own followers, who wish that their team must fare well in each match. If the team fails to perform, the person who is held responsible for the poor performance is the coach of that particular team (Balduck and Buelens, 2007). The coach is either asked to resign or is sacked. Thus, this study tries to investigate whether firing the coaches renders any positive impact on the performance of the team or not. For that purpose, we are analysing few great teams of world and scrutinise their performance using empirical research model. We analysed the effect of sacking coaches by scrutinizing of few great teams in the world and their performance from 1970-2007 (Balduck and Buelens, 2007). Description Researchers have always tried to find out whether the sacking the coaches render any influence on the performance of the team or not. The first way to address this issue would be to concentrate on the rapport between team performance and sacking of the coach. Studies made by Grusky in 1963 and Brown in 1982 were based on management research whereas the case studies put forward by Theberge, Loy in 1976 and Bennet et al in the year 1986 were based on perspective of sports management (Balduck and Buelens, 2007). However, majority of researchers concluded that most teams sacked the coaches when the teams performed badly (Cannella and Rowe, 1995). It is also argued that there are three theories, which dominate the sport fraternity (Kesner 1994). The first theory says that for a while when a coached is sacked it renders positive influence on team and over all effectiveness of a particular club. Studies reveal that performance of the team improves after sacking of the coach. However, as per the second theory known as the vicious theory, the resignation or sacking of the coach affects the team’s performance in negative way for short duration. The reason being stated is it upsets the internal relationship in the club. Such disturbance within the clubs further degrades the team’s performance. The third theory is the scapegoat theory, whenever team plays badly or loses in succession; the authorities sack the coach even, if players fail to deliver themselves. Sacking the coach, trainers or manager is the most easy to way to pacify the higher authorities of the club, fans, audiences and other stakeholders (Balduck and Buelens, 2007). If we look at the performance of Manchester United from the year 1970 to 2007, we see that initially the club authorities sacked the coaches after faring poorly in matches. In the year, 1970, Wilf McGuiness was nominated as the coach of team. The team struggled to deliver under his coaching and finished eighth in football charts that year. Ultimately, Wilf was demoted and was replaced by Matt Busby in the year 1970. New coach bought some relief to the team but the coach resigned after serving the team for six months. Later, in Frank O’Farrell took the reign in his hands and bought some great talent in his team. Team fared well in domestic circuits but even Frank left the team after 18 months. Thus, it can be seen that constant sacking as well as resignation of the coaches were the reason why the team could not won any major title from the duration 1970 to 1972. Tommy Doherty was named as the new coach of Manchester United in 1972. Although, team could not deliver its best performance, Tommy was never asked to put down his papers. It was the long-term association at the club that Man Utd reached the final of FA cup in the year 1976 but could not win the title. In subsequent year, the team won FA cup. However, Tommy was sacked as coach due to some other reasons. This findings show that teams deliver their good performance when the association of the coach with the team is for long duration. In 1977, Dave Sexton took over as the coach of Manchester United, under his guidance the team shared Community shield with Liverpool. The team also made it to the final of the FA cup but could not win the cup. The association of the Dave lasted with Manchester United until 1981 and club won seven games under his coaching until he was sacked in the 1981 for not making the team capable of winning the big matches. Ron Atkinson was appointed the next coach of Manchester United, and the results were quite evident in the next three years. The club won FA cup in next consecutive years under his coaching. However, due to dipping performance in the later half of 1986, Atkinson was sacked. The authorities of the club then selected Sir Alex Ferguson as the coach of Man Utd. Alex was considered as the man who transformed the club and helped team to win huge matches. Alex is still reigning manager of the club (Manchester United – Coaches, 2003). The club won several titles under his coaching such as FA cup in 1990, 1994, and 1996. However, the club lost five matches continuously in the year 1997-98. Nevertheless, 1998-99 was the most memorable year in the history of Manchester united as it won all major cups, Premier league, FA, intercontinental and UFEA cup. The same year Alex was conferred knighthood for his contribution to the English club (Manchester United F. C. -wikipedia, 2009). In 2000-2001, Man Utd won the leagues but experienced major failures such as it made it to the final of EU cup but failed to win the match. So, one point to be noted in this regard is that the even though, Man Utd won matches and lost some in succession the authorities did not attempt to sack the coach. In 2001-2002, the club achieved third place in premiership league whereas in 2002-03, the club fared well in leagues but its performance dipped following the suspension of Rio Ferdinand. In 2004, the team again won FA cup. Year 2005 was again the year of failures for Man Utd. Most of its players failed to score gaols and there was huge uproar about sacking the coach. However, Alex remained the coach of the team. Year 2006 too started poorly as team even failed to qualify for the knockout phase of UEFA (Manchester United F. C. -wikipedia, 2009). Most of the players were gripped with injuries but team bucked up, managed to win leagues, and qualified for Champions leagues by defeating Charlton athletes by 4-0.

TESCOS NEIGHBOURHOOD MARKET ENTERS UNITED STATES

TESCOS NEIGHBOURHOOD MARKET ENTERS UNITED STATES The world economy has evolved from isolation from each other by barriers to cross-border activities wherein distance is no longer an issue due to advances in transportation and telecommunication technology. Moreover, it is noted that material culture is starting to look similar as national economies are merging into an interdependent and integrated global economic system (Friedman, 2005). All these processes are linked and referred to globalisation. The impact of globalisation has encouraged companies to expand its operation across its home country in order to compete in the challenging market environment. As one of the leader in the retail industry, Tesco PLC (Tesco) has taken advantage of the current environment by moving into the United States (US) for expansion purposes. The report will analyse Tescos strategy in the US by analysing the impact of globalisation towards the industry, evaluating the reasons and strategy for internationalisation, the effect and challenges faced in regards to the internalisation exercise. Description of Tesco Tesco is a United Kingdom (UK) based international supermarket chain, which has the largest global sales and domestic market share sales. Based on its revenue, the company is the third largest retailer in the world next to Wal-Mart and Carrefour (Data Monitor, 2010). The key to Tescos success is based on its low prices, high quality products and experienced customer service which overall has lead to continuing growth of profit to the company. In 2006, Tesco announced its plan to enter the US market by opening small size grocery stores named Fresh Easy Neighbourhood Market (Fresh and Easy). Tesco has selected the less aggressive market location on the west coast, California, Nevada, and Arizona to avoid the highly competitive market. The store has started its operation together with the distribution centres in 2007. Based on the latest financial report in 2009, it was noted that Fresh and Easy is currently trading at loss. Tescos competitive advantage According to Teece, Pisano and Shuen (1997), the success of a company highly depend on the uniqueness of the companys resources and capabilities in creating competitive advantages. The two main perspectives in the Resource-Based View (RBV) are the internal analysis of phenomena within an organisation and external analysis of the industry and its competitive environment (Collis and Montgomery, 1995; Eisenhardt and Martin, 2000). The resources and capabilities are evaluated in terms of value, rarity, inimitability and organisation (Barney, 1995). Furthermore, Carpenter and Sanders (2009:103) suggest that in turn for a company to gain competitive advantage, it should possess resources and capabilities that are valuable, rare, inimitable, non-substitutable and exploitable (VRINE model). The value of the resources and capabilities interacts with the market sources and will differ based on time and industry. The three fundamental market forces; scarcity, demand and appropriability determines the value of the resources and capabilities (Collis and Montgomery, 1995). To answer the question of value, organisation could evaluate whether its available resources and capabilities are meeting the market demand. As for Tesco, it relies on its brand, supply chain capabilities, store location and varied product offering wherein all these components have satisfied the value requirement, as it has been able to meet the demand in the grocery market. For instance, the company has a strong brand image that is associated with good quality, trustworthy goods that represent excellent value (Data Monitor, 2010). Resources and capabilities owned by Tesco are similar to other retailers but in terms of the brand name and variety product offering differs them from the competitors. Tesco pays detailed attention in transforming its brand through packaging and the promotion of every little worth concept. The success of the company in terms of customer loyalty relies on the loyalty card system and customises approach for each customer. In RBV concept, Tesco can be characterised as a competitive parity company based on its valuable but not rare resources and capabilities (Collis and Montgomery, 1995). Tescos strong position within the retail industry is due to its different approach in the service concept and introduction of various quality products. Moreover, it has competencies in its supply chain that affected its operational level in the work routines. Competitors could imitate the said resources and capabilities but it is difficult to do so as the tacit amount of knowledge, time and huge investment is required (Hanan and Freeman, 1984) which in the meantime, Tesco will continue to gain its competitive advantages. Based on the above evaluation, it is observed that Tesco has managed to exploits its resources and capabilities that as a result provide competitive advantages to the company. Tescos exploitation of its resources and capabilities is reflected in its market share and financial performance. Tesco currently controls about 30% of the grocery market in the UK with a turnover of  £56,910 million (Data Monitor, 2010). Moreover, with the aided competitive advantage, Tesco has managed to perform well in its international operation. Theory of globalisation The era of globalisation has started in the early 1970s due to the convergence of several political, technological, social and competitive factors. According to Yip (1989), it is considered as one of the most important business strategies as it is a process which businesses create value by leveraging its resources and capabilities across borders. The topic on globalisation has been widely discussed which resulted to different perspectives and arguments. There are two different theories in relation to globalisation which are hyperglobalists and transformationalist theory. Hyperglobalists theory argues that the world is moving towards a global world that is subject to massive economic and political process of change which is clearly identified by the existence of a single global economy. National culture differences are largely seen by the progressive powerful multinationals as variations in consumer preference is reflected in the international marketing mix (Wall and Rees, 2004:14). In view of this, the theory supports the globalisation in terms of efficient allocation of resources through international trade. In contrast, the transformational theory argues that globalisation is a powerful force impacting economic, social and political environments which involve uneven processes with unpredictable outcomes rather than linear progression to a predictable outcome. Many have argued that globalisation tends to reinforce inequalities of power both within and across nation resulting in global hierarchies if privilege and control for some but the economic and social exclusion of others (Wall and Rees, 2004:15). Therefore, the affect of globalisation is differently experienced across the globe. Based on the above theories, it is believed that globalisation can act as a tool that could benefit every human being across the globe. Although the negative effect has been discussed and identified, the same should not be ignored and must be addressed for the benefit of mankind. Globalisation drivers and its impact on the retail industry Yip (1992) has identified the globalisation drivers based on the industry conditions. Each industry has its own level of globalisation that is determined by the external drivers which are normally uncontrollable by the business or market environment. Economic, Political and Legal Financial Factors Factors In respect of the retail industry, technological factors play an important contribution to the drivers of globalisation. The technology change has impacted on the lower cost of transportation and communication as well the unit cost of production through economies of scale or the localisation of productive capacities and sourcing in low-cost economies (Lasserre, 2007:17). For example, the current electronic global marketplace would not exist without the existence of the global communication network such as the World Wide Web. Moreover, the low cost transportation has made shipping products around the world more economical, thereby helping in creating a global market. In response to the changes, Tesco has managed to apply the technology to selling through online which has is impacted on the companys sales performance. Moreover, as a result of globalisation, there is a convergence of consumer needs which has increased the brand awareness of consumers worldwide (Yip, 1989). Urbanisation and industrialisation of societies are one of the reasons for convergence of customer behaviour and needs. By having the same needs, consumers are bound to have the same requirement that leads to standardisation of products. Meanwhile, the liberalisation of trade and investments played an important factor in supporting the need of globalisation. It has therefore created a common market place and economic integration worldwide. Previously, there were rules and regulations that limit the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as to protect the local players. However, the scenario has changed and with the development of the free trade among nations, many companies took the advantage by doing cross-border investments to expand its market existence and profitability. In terms of Tesco, its initial output was significantly limited by the size of its domestic market in the UK but now, it has the chance to take advantages of economies of scale by going global. The trend in globalisation creates changes in the macro dimension of the environment. The change in the economic dimension has leaded the society to enter world or global economy. Clearly, the changes could be seen in the emergence of global market, global competitor and the integration of the economic. The impact of the fundamental changes is noted through the capital movements, concern on productivity and employment as well as emergence of the world economy as a dominant economy unit (Friedman, 2005). The continuous and rapid globalisation of the world economy indicate that globalisation of retailing activities is a major management issue for retailers nowadays and currently it is foresee to be more intensified in the near future. Tescos Strategy for Internalisation 5.1 Country and Risk Analysis Framework The county analysis framework provides an overview of the national business environment in terms of opportunities and risks which enable companies to enhance value creation and strategic fit for its business. Ghemawat (2007) examined distance as the root of most costs and risks of conducting business in new markets and concluded that distance is more than geography; it includes dimensions of culture, administrative and political power, and economics. Therefore, in decision-making, businesses must account for these dimensions of distance as its influences in different ways. CAGE framework is used for the analysis as it provides further in-depth analysis on the country compared to PESTEL framework. The total population of 301 million in US indicate a huge market opportunities that allow Tesco to build its position as a world largest retailer. By penetrating the market, Tesco foresee a better growth in terms of its international expansion. It is seen as a right move by Tesco to the previous expansions have proven to be a success. The operation in the US will be similar to the UK due to the same language used as medium of communication. This leads to an easy option in conducting business wherein the similar concept in the UK could be exported to the US with minimal changes in adapting to the market. US have been a dominant global power in terms of economy, political, technological and cultural affairs and has a long enjoyed its status as a superpower over nations policy making (Data Monitor, 2010). It is clearly seen from its economic point of view where the county is categorised as the largest economy in the world which is back-up with the most developed economic systems. This links to the process of entering the US market which is supported by a comprehensive legal framework for business entities that creates a positive investment climate. US have favourable policies in promoting Foreign Direct Investment. Furthermore, in the international arena, it has secured the support of majority of nations that allows it to direct global policies. With the stabilised politic environment, there is absence of violence that ensures a safety business environment. All this factors have encouraged Tesco to pursue its goal in penetrating the US market. Cross-Cultural Risk RISK Based on the risk analysis, it is identified that the main related risk to Tesco in the US are financial, economic and operational risk. In terms of financial risk, the fluctuation of the currency exchange rate and inflation will definitely have an impact on Tescos ability to operate at an efficient capacity. As to reduce the risk, Tesco has decided to enter single markets at a time and evaluate the success before considering for further expansion. For the US expansion, stores are opened based on geographic region rather than entering different states, which allow Tesco to limit its exposure to a loss if the expansion is unsuccessful. Meanwhile, for the operational risk, problems related to logistic and stock will lead to inefficiency of production and performance. 5.2 US Retail Industry Analysis The competitive environment involves factors that are relevant to an organisations strategy. The industry-based view can be analyse using Porters five forces as include it includes the overall structure rather than focusing on one element (Peng, 2009:35). The competition in the US grocery market is intense as they compete in terms of price, product and promotion. Some of Tescos major competitors in the US are Trader Joes, 7-Eleven, Safeway, and Wal-Mart. Tescos Fresh and Easy operates within the retail industry that forces are driven in the industry would identify the strength and weaknesses of the organisation. There has been a significant growth in the grocery environment in terms of size and market dominance of large players. Competitive rivalry is considered a high threat as other retailers are applying the same operation concept wherein power has been built through operating efficiency. As a result, retailers have to be innovative to maintain and build its market share. Hence, Fresh and Easy has refocused its strategy based on price and value with added value elements of good customer service (Times online, 2007). High competition is a powerful force and stands as a strong barrier for new entrants who desire to enter the industry. For example, it will be difficult for new entrants to raise sufficient fund due to large fixed costs and highly developed supply chains. This is in line with Tescos huge investment for Fresh and Easy in terms of advanced technology for stock controls systems (Euromonitor International, 2009). However, a high level of product differentiation together with low cost and dynamic market revenue growth has elevated the rivalry to an extent. Retailers in this sector are highly fragmented and therefore retailers will put considerable barriers to entry to ensure less competition in the market (Alexander and Korine, 2008). The more standardised or undifferentiated the product, the lower the switching cost and hence there is a high threat of the bargaining power of buyer. Buyer power acts to force the price down but due to the various choice of substitute products, retailers have the power for the price setting. Therefore, in meeting customers needs, customising service combine with low prices, constant promotion and better choices have enabled Fresh and Easy to control and retain its customer base. There is a low threat to the bargaining power of suppliers as often retailer such as Fresh and Easy dictate the price to be paid to the supplier as if the suppliers does not agree on the price, they will be left with no retailer. The relationship with the suppliers has impacted the limitation of the strategic freedom for the company which influences its margin. As a result, the forces of the competitive rivalry will reduce the profit margins for retailers and suppliers. There is a threat of consumers switching to substitutes due to the variety of choices of products in the market. The industry has change overtime wherein small chains of convenience stores are emerging which provides more alternative choices to the consumers. In response to this trend, Tesco has started to open Fresh and Easy based on small-scale operations in local town and city centres. The biggest threats for Tesco in regards to its Fresh and Easy stores are the rivalry and bargaining power of buyers. The retail industry in the US is viable which results to healthy profitability provided the company continuously improves itself and is flexible in the challenging market. 5.2 Tescos expansion to US Due to competition and the impact of globalisation, companies are expanding its operation to other countries outside the home country which indeed require that application of the global strategy. According to Peng (2009:18), global strategy is defined as strategy of firms around the globe which particular form of international strategy which is characterised by the production and distribution of standardised products and services on a worldwide basis. Tescos motivation for expansion to the US with its Fresh and Easy stores are merely based on market and innovation seeking as its main goal is to achieve higher profit margins as well as future organisational learning and growth. Ghemawat (2007) suggest that in order to boost sales and market share, companies have to maximise its local relevance. Therefore, by entering the US retail market organically has provided advantage to Tesco to start fresh by creating a highly distinctive new store concept. This route allows the company to manage its capital expenditure and learn from experience for its future expansion. Fresh and Easy is a small format convenience grocery stores focusing on fresh foods and ready meals at low price. The strategy to break into the US market is based on three key areas: affordability, freshness and convenience (Data Monitor, 2010). By focusing on convenience store, Fresh and Easy will not be directly competing with retailers like Wal-Mart and meanwhile will differentiate itself from the larger format traditional retailers. In addition, Ghemawat (2007) suggest that strategic choice requires some degree of prioritisation of which the AAA Triangle Model can assist the company in doing so. It is suggested that it is impossible to employ three strategies but companies normally should focus on own or two in trying to build competitive advantages. Due to the matured and intense competition in the US retail industry, it was difficult for Fresh and Easy in terms of arbitrage. Therefore based on the said model, Tesco global strategy was based on a minimal adaptation of which Fresh and Easy stores are designed, by adapting to the local responsiveness and aggregation on standardisation of product to take advantages of economy of scale. International strategy adopted by Tesco for Fresh and Easy is similar to its Tesco Express approach in the UK, featuring fresh produce, alcohol and an in-store bakery with minimal adaptation to the US consumers requirement (Times online, 2007). This is line with the integration-responsiveness framework which indicates the replication of the strategy by using its core competency and specific advantage wherein pressure of local responsiveness and pressure for global efficiency are both low (Peng, 2009:353). By using this strategy, expansion process will be at a slower compared to the global retailers but the advantage of this strategy is it provides a greater learning effect and broader knowledge-based to the company (Palmer, 2005). The minimal adaptation incorporated is related to the store format wherein larger pack sizes and more space allocation on frozen food to cater for various types of product assortment which is based on the US consumers preference (Euromonitor International, 2009). Meanwhile, the chain uses a straightforward everyday low prices strategy which is 15% cheaper compared to other competitors (Finch, 2009). The existence of Fresh and Easy has created awareness by the competitors wherein competitors have improved its products offering and seeking for a suitable location in order to compete. In terms of aggregation, it uses one brand name fit all strategy which was argued by consumers as there are no differentiation among the store brand products on value price product, natural and organic and premium products. In lieu of this, Fresh and Easy did not manage to create consumer perceptions on the brand name and subsequently affected its sales performance. 6.0 Tescos future in US In terms of profitability, Fresh and Easy has yet to make profit from its operation. There is uncertainty for the company to achieve profitability in the near future as its expansion process has delayed as compared to its initial plans due to economic crisis which particularly affected the consumers in some of its first few store opened in 2007. Therefore, it will definitely take longer period for Fresh and Easy to achieve its target goals. It was observed that Tescos Fresh and Easy stores use one brand name fits all strategy for its products and marketing strategies (Times online, 2007). This approach is not relevant to the US market as consumers have a strong perception of brands (Euromonitor International, 2009). This has to lead to confusion to consumers as there is no product differentiation between discounts or value priced, natural and organic and premium products in the stores. Fresh and Easy should separate its brand names similar to its UK approach i.e. finest for premium products and value for discounted products that will lead to a better merchandising, pricing and marketing strategies. This assist consumer to have different brand names for each category than price focused items. Further analysis is required in analysing the progress of Fresh and Easy in the US. By doing so, a decision can be made either to leave the market and expand to other potential markets. Based on Tescos track record on its international operation, the company has successfully penetrated the market well which is reflected in the financial performance. Strategy formulation is an important element as it is a continuous learning process which enables Tesco in planning for its future expansion. Tescos strategy for expansion to the US seems flawed as a different global strategy was applied although in-depth research was made before the expansion. Tesco should maintain its existing strategy to enter a market through joint venture or acquisition with an existing player in the market as it is observe as an effective manner for expansion (Palmer, 2005). Moreover, Tesco should take note that other companies which have attempted to enter US highly competitive market have failed due to the reason of not understanding the psyche of the American consumer. Tescos bold move to the US without a partner seems unreasonable as the existence of a partner will provide essential knowledge for local business environment and consumer cultures. This indeed observed when Tesco overlook on the interpretation of a convenience store in US which differs from the UK. In the US, convenience store is associated with petrol stations wherein the UK, is it a store. In addition to this, Kay (2009) indicates that findings from the US consumers suggest that consumers are less loyal to the US as purchase are made based on the cheapest price at any stores. Based on this differences, Tesco did not managed to introduce the British model in the US market although is foresee as a competitive advantage in the retail industry. Conclusion During the past years, there has been a growth in the scale of international investment and as the process continues, it is important to understand the learning and experience gained from the expansion exercise. It is undeniable that by entering new markets like US, it acts as one of the main drivers for the companys revenues and expansion strategy. However, Tesco needs to evaluate its strategy in order to sustain its performance in the US. One of the mistakes made by Tescos US expansion is believing that exporting successful business model to foreign country is an easy process. Although Tesco has its own competition advantages, the aspect of culture should not be left out as it plays an important role in ensuring the success of the business (Ghemawat, 2007). The success of a strategy depends on the strength in terms of learning, knowledge and suitability. Tesco would need to apply the entire lesson learned from the expansion exercise as future expansion is dependent on the companys capacity to recognise the sources for international learning of the knowledge gained. This will definitely allow Tesco to move, adapt and learn fast for better performance in the US market.

Rumors Essay -- essays research papers

Rumor   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rumors can be passed easily and are spread on an everyday basis. A rumor is like gossip; some of it true or untrue, and it is passed around by word of mouth. Most rumors start off being true, then when it is being passed from one person to the other, it starts becoming untrue because some people forget details, add new information in, or just change the whole story around. In the rumor experiment conducted in class, a story was told to one person out of four. The first person had to repeat the same story to the next person who of course was waiting outside of the classroom, until it got to the fourth person. The story that the fourth person ended up with was extremely dissimilar from what was initially told to the first person. This is a prime example of how rumors change while they are being said from one person to the other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were two rumors in the experiment conducted for the rumor assignment. Both rumors were very different in context but both proved the same thing in the end. Rumor number one was first told to the first individual who was standing outside of the classroom with three other students. Person one listened as the professor said the rumor, and then they had to remember it, and tell the next person (person two) outside the classroom this rumor. The central theme of rumor one was there were two men on the subway who started arguing while many people watched near by.   Ã‚  Ã‚   ...

What is religion

What is religion? There are many definitions for the term â€Å"religion† in common usage. On this web site, we define it very broadly, in order to include the greatest number of belief systems: â€Å"Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life. † Thus we include here all of the great monotheistic religions, Eastern religions; Neopagan religions; a wide range of other faith groups, spiritual paths, and ethical systems; and beliefs about the existence of God(s) and Goddess(es). We recognize that most people define â€Å"religion† in a much more exclusive manner. Christianity: There are many definitions for this term as well. Again, we use an inclusive definition: â€Å"An individual or group is Christian if they sincerely, thoughtfully and devoutly believe that they are Christian. † This generates a lot of angry Emails from some visitors to this site who are insistent on excluding the Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholic Church, the Mormons and some other denominations as sub-Christian, quasi-Christian non-Christian, or anti-Christian. We treat Christianity in greater detail than other religions, simply because about 75% of North Americans identify themselves with that religion. Christians outnumber the next largest organized religions, Judaism and Islam, by about 40 to 1 in the U. S. and Canada. We are not in any way implying that Christianity is superior or inferior to other religions. It is simply much more popular. Destructive, doomsday cults: These are fortunately few in number, and are listed elsewhere. Information for these essays was extracted from reliable sources, and believed to be accurate and reasonably unbiased. Where possible, they have been reviewed by a group (typically 3 or more) of persons who follow the belief before the material is placed online. â€Å"World† Religions: There are many, long established, major world religions, each with over three million followers. We have shown the five largest North American religions in bold: Baha'i Faith Buddhism Christianity; Christian groups, denominations and families (Amish to The Way) Confucianism Hinduism Islam Jainism Judaism Shinto Sikhism Taoism Vodun (Voodoo) 1 Neopagan Religious Faiths Neopagan faiths are modern-day reconstructions of ancient Pagan religions from various countries and eras. They experience a high but diminishing level of discrimination and persecution in North America. They were once rarely practiced in public for reasons of safety. This is rapidly changing for the better. Asatru (Norse Paganism) * Druidism Goddess Worship Wicca Witchcraft Notes: Many followers of Asatru regard themselves as â€Å"Heathens† rather than â€Å"Neopagans. † Many followers of these religions refer to themselves as â€Å"Pagans. † We use the term â€Å"Neopagan† because it is less ambiguous. Pagan† has a variety of unrelated meanings. Other organized Religions These are smaller religions, with a well defined belief in deity, humanity and the rest of the universe. Of the many hundreds of faith groups in the world, we have chosen these because of their historical significance, or because of the massive amount of misinformation that has be en spread about them in North America: Caodaism Damanhur Community Druze Eckankar Elian Gonzalez religious movement Gnosticism Gypsies Hare Krishna – ISKCON Ifa, the religion of the Yoruba people of West Africa Lukumi Macumba Mowahhidoon Native American Spirituality Rom, Roma, Romani, Rroma, (a. k. a. Gypsies) Santeria Elian Gonzalez religious movement Satanism; The Church of Satan Scientology Unitarian-Universalism The Creativity Movement (formerly called World Church of the Creator) The Yazidi branch of Yazd? ism Zoroastrianism what is RELIGION? The English word â€Å"religion† is derived from the Middle English â€Å"religioun† which came from the Old French â€Å"religion. † It may have been originally derived from the Latin word â€Å"religo† which means â€Å"good faith,† â€Å"ritual,† and other similar meanings. Or it may have come from the Latin â€Å"relig? e† which means â€Å"to tie fast. † Defining the word â€Å"religion† is fraught with difficulty. Many attempts have been made. Most seem to focus on too narrowly only a few aspects of religion; they tend to exclude those religions that do not fit well. It is apparent that religion can be seen as a theological, philosophical, anthropological, sociological, and psychological phenomenon of human kind. To limit religion to only one of these categories is to miss its multifaceted nature and lose out on the complete definition. † All of the definitions that we have encountered contain at least one deficiency some exclude beliefs and practices that many people passionately defend as religious. For example, their definition might include belief in a God or Goddess or combination of Gods and Goddesses who are responsible for the creation of the universe and for its continuing operation. This excludes such non-theistic religions as Buddhism and many forms of religious Satanism which have no such belief. Some definitions equate â€Å"religion† with â€Å"Christianity,† and thus define two out of every three humans in the world as non-religious. Some definitions are so broadly written that they include beliefs and areas of study that most people do not regard as religious. Some define â€Å"religion† in terms of â€Å"the sacred† and/or â€Å"the spiritual,† and thus require the creation of two more definitions. Sometimes, definitions of â€Å"religion† contain more than one deficiency. However, this definition contains an element of controversy, because it implies that religions, and thus perhaps deity/deities, are created by humanity and not the reverse. A less contentious meaning might be the sum total of answers to the problem of our relationship with the universe, we call religion. â€Å"Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, a philosophy of life, and a worldview. † A worldview is a set of basic, foundational beliefs concerning deity, humanity and the rest of the universe. Thus we would consider Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Na tive American Spirituality, Wicca, and other Neopagan traditions to be religions. We also include Agnosticism, Atheism, Humanism, Ethical Culture etc. as religions, because they also contain a â€Å"belief about deity. Their belief is that they do not know whether a deity exists, or they have no knowledge of God, or they sincerely believe that God does not exist. Some people do not consider their personal spiritual path to be a religion. Many conservative Christians refer to Christianity not as a religion but as an intensely personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Many Native Americans believe that their spiritual beliefs and practices are not a religion in the normal sense of the term. They form a integral and seamless part of their very being, totally integrated into their life experience. Agnostics and Atheists often do not regard their beliefs to be a religion. To most, Atheism and Agnosticism simply represent a single belief about the existence or non-existence of a supreme being. They do not necessarily include ethical matters. The New Age is sometimes referred to as a religion. However, it is in reality a collection of diverse beliefs and practices from which a practitioner may select those that appeal to her/him. The individual often grafts these beliefs and practices onto an established religion. â€Å"True religion is not about possessing the truth. No religion does that. It is rather an invitation into a journey that leads one toward the mystery of God. Idolatry is religion pretending that it has all the answers. † â€Å"†¦ just because you don't bow on your knees and worship an idol or an invisible being, does not mean you are not a Satan worshiper. The worship of any other god (s) is the same thing. There are no other gods. They are demons and Satan is in control of them. â€Å"Yes, Christianity is the one true religion. That may sound awfully dogmatic and narrow-minded, but the simple truth is that Christianity is the only true religion. Jesus said that He alone was the way to the Father (John 14:6), that He alone revealed the Father (Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22). Christians do not go around saying Christianity is the only way because they are arrogant, narrow-minded, stupid, and judgmental. They do so because they believe what Jesus said. How many religions are there in the world from which to locate the â€Å"true† one? According to David Barrett and team, there are 19 major world religious groupings in the world which are subdivided into a total of about 10,000 distinct religions. Of the latter, there were 270 religions and para-religions which had over a half million adherents in the year 2000 CE. Within Christianity, they have identified 34,000 separate groups (denominations, sects, individual unaffiliated churches, para-church groups, etc) in the world. â€Å"Over half of them are independent churches that are not interested in linking with the big denominations. † 1 Even considering a single religion, Christianity, within a single country, there are often thousands of individual â€Å"Christian confessions and denominations. 4,684 groups in the U. S. ,364 in South Africa. 2,079 in Nigeria. 1,581 in Brazil. 1,327 in South-central Asia. Among other English-speaking countries, there are: 828 groups in the UK. 469 in Canada. 267 in Australia 175 in New Zealand. 2 Differences in the beliefs and practices of various faith groups: Probably the one area where religions differ the most is over the nature of deity. Various groups teach Agnosticism, Animism, Atheism, Strong Atheism, Deism, Duotheism, Henotheism, Monism, Monotheism, Panentheism, Pantheism, Polytheism, the Trinity, and probably some others that we have missed. Perhaps the next greatest range of beliefs are about the fate of people after death: whether there is simple annihilation, some form of energy-less existence as taught by the ancient Hebrews, Purgatory as taught by the Roman Catholic Church, Heaven or Paradise as taught by many religions, Hell which is also taught by many faiths, Limbo, reincarnation, transmigration of the soul, nirvana, an alternative world much like Earth, and probably some other places or states that we have missed. There is also a great range of beliefs and practices among different religions over other theological beliefs, ritual, organization, family structure, personal sexual behavior, and other topics. For example, differences exist on matters such as: abortion access, adult celibacy, animal sacrifices. ppearance factors (shaving, jewelry), birth control usage, calendar, clergy celibacy, clergy gender, clergy organization, meeting day, documentation, family power sharing, family types, gender of deities, homosexual rights, meeting place, nature of deities, nature of humanity, new year date, number of deities, origin of the universe, prayer, pre-marital sex, role of women, sacred texts, suicide, surgical modifications to the body, special clothing, symbols, etc. More details To our knowledge, no two religions teach the same message or expect the same practices from their followers. One would be hard pressed to find two faith groups within the same religion which have identical teachings and practices. If a â€Å"true religion† exists, then it would probably have to be one or a few faith groups within one of the 10,000 religions. All of the other religions and faith groups would be in error. What do faith groups teach about their own status? Most religious groups teach that their own beliefs and practices are the only true set, and that all other faith groups contain some degree of error. For example, the largest single faith group in the U. S. in Canada, and in the world is the Roman Catholic Church. According to the Times News Service, a year 2000 statement by the Church titled â€Å"Dominus Iesus† implies that â€Å"Churches such as the Church of England, where the apostolic succession of bishops from the time of St. Peter is disputed by Rome, and churches without bishops, are not considered ‘proper' churches. † Only the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches are â€Å"churches in the proper sense. † They suffer from â€Å"defects. † Dominus Iesus further states that religions other than Christianity are considered to be â€Å"gravely deficient. Their rituals can constitute â€Å"an obstacle to salvation† for their followers. 3,4 Other faith groups are either more inclusive or more exclusive than the Roman Catholic Church regarding the â€Å"truth† status of other faith groups. Which, then, is the true religion? Because religions are so different, only one could be the â€Å"true religion. † Perhaps none are. Within the â€Å"true religion† there may be more than one faith group that are sufficiently accurate in their beliefs and practices that all could qualify as â€Å"true. † The problem is how to find out which religion and which faith groups have this status. Some methods of determining the â€Å"true† religion are conduct an opinion poll. Unfortunately, beliefs differ around the world: In Saudi Arabia, the government claims that 100% of the population is Muslim. So there is probably a very high probability that a given citizen picked at random would firmly believe Islam is the true religion and that theirs is the true faith group. India is about 80% Hindu. There is a very high probability that any given citizen believes that their tradition with Hinduism is the true religion. The U. S. is about 75% Christian. The population in the American â€Å"Bible belt† is significantly higher than that. There is a very high probability that any given citizen in South Carolina, for example, believes that their denomination within Christianity is the true religion. It is obvious that one's personal beliefs about the true religion is largely a function of the country in which one happens to have been born, the area of that country, and the beliefs of one's parent(s): Pray to God 5 and ask to be enlightened. The founder of the Mormon movement, Joseph Smith, did precisely this. Mormons believe that God and Jesus Christ appeared to him side by side, and told him that none of the then existing Christian denominations were the true religion. He was instructed to create a new denomination to restore Christianity to its first century CE purity before it fell into heresy. This method appears to be unreliable. When people pray to God for enlightenment, most seem to conclude that their own religion and faith group is the true one. If people could access the will of God on this matter, then a vast majority of the world's population — the folks who pray — would realize that their faith group was not the true one. They would gradually migrate to the true religion. There would eventually be only one religion and one tradition within that religion left standing. Otherwise, people would be rejecting the will of God. All the other 11,000 religions and their tens of thousands of denominations or traditions would be phased out. The OCRT, the group that sponsors this web site, conducted a pilot study to determine whether a person can assess the will of God through prayer. We used a controversial topic: whether God favors same-sex marriage for homosexuals and some bisexuals. The answer that we found was that people appear to be unable to assess the will of God through prayer. Communication from God: God could initiate a direct communication to humanity. In order to be convincing, it would have to be totally unambiguous, clear and convincing. One example might be for God to rearrange a few thousand stars to spell out in the evening sky the name of the true religion. Unfortunately, at least within the Judeo-Christian traditions, God seems to be progressively withdrawing from humanity. He walked in person with Adam and Eve. Later, he only appeared in rare occasions as at Mount Sinai. Still later, he communicated with humans only through prophets. Most Christians believe that Jesus Christ is God and walked among humans in first century CE Palestine. However, he was seen by only a miniscule percentage of the human race. Now, access to God is through prayer. Unless God were to take the initiative, it appears that there is no way for humans to determine which religion is â€Å"true. â€Å"