Monday, September 30, 2019

Law AS †causation model answer Essay

There are two types of causation which are necessary to establish criminal liability. These are factual causation and cause in law (also known as legal causation). Factual causation means that the defendant can only be found guilty if the consequence would not have happened ‘but for’ the defendant’s conduct. This was seen in the case of Pagett (1982). Similarly, a defendant cannot be found guilty if the victim’s death was unrelated to the defendant’s actions (as in White, 1910). Legal causation, where the actions of D must be found to have caused the consequence, can be established as long as the ‘chain of causation’ (between the act and the consequence) has not been broken. There are a number of ways in which this chain can be broken,: Firstly, through the act of a third party, an example of which is medical treatment that is deemed to be ‘palpably wrong’ such as that seen in Jordan (1956); Secondly, where the victim’s own act is so daft as to not be reasonably expected, as seen in Williams (1992); Finally, as a result of a natural but unpredictable event, such as a flood or an earthquake. Despite external factors, the chain of causation is not deemed to have been broken as long as the D’s actions are more than a ‘minimal’ cause of the consequence. Similarly, the defendant must also take the defendant as they find them. This is known as the ‘thin skull rule’ (as seen in Blaue 1975), meaning that there is legal causation even if D’s actions would not have caused those consequences in a regular or normal person.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

How Entrepreneurs Impact an Economy

Introduction As economies continue to integrate due to globalisation and formally closed economies like India and China march toward total liberalisation, entrepreneurship is on the increase. A close analysis of developed and industrialised economies indicates a common denominator that stands out amongst all of them, which is the important role played by entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs in such economies.This phenomenon has proved to us that if an economy is to develop fully, entrepreneurship should be allowed to flourish. Therefore it is the objective of this paper to critically analyse the impact of entrepreneurs in any given economy. In this paper the writer will identify and discuss the many benefits afforded to an economy through entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship and the disadvantages of the same and draw conclusions on the overall impact of the entrepreneurs. InnovationIndividuals often resort to entrepreneurship for one of the following reasons, because they find a market n iche and have the solution to profit from such niche, because they have been unable to find suitable employment or a suitable means of income and therefore have resorted to using their creativity to generate an income for themselves, or because they have the technological know-how and the financial resources (or able to source all of the above) necessary to generate income by satisfying a need in the marketplace.Irrespective of which of the above led an individual to become an entrepreneur it is clear that innovation and creativity is the driving factor and therefore it can be stated that the biggest impact of entrepreneurs to an economy is the innovative contribution that they make. Job Creation As stated in the previous section one of the main reasons that individuals tend to become entrepreneurs is because they are unable to find suitable jobs.As a result, by being enterprising, creative and finding a market niche, not only are they able to generate an income for themselves but a lso to employ other individuals in their business operations. Therefore one of the most positive impacts that entrepreneurs make on an economy is job creation and the reduction of unemployment levels within that economy. In developed countries we see that almost 40 – 50% of the workforce are employed in small and medium scale business enterprises that were started up by very enterprising individuals.Likewise in countries like India we see that millions of women have been able to pull their families out of poverty through self employment and entrepreneurship that has been made possible by different Non Governmental Organisations and due to the availability of such resources through micro finance etc. Africa is another good example of small scale entrepreneurs helping to reduce poverty and help many avoid destitution. Therefore based on everything that has been stated above it is apparent that entrepreneurs can cause a great degree of impact on an economy through job creation a nd income generation.Increased Competition Another positive impact of entrepreneurship on an economy is the increasing level of competition in that economy as new entrepreneurs join the fray in existing domestic markets. While one may venture to say that this will only lead to market saturation, the upside of such a phenomenon is that it causes all the players in the market to re-evaluate their operational capabilities, increase value addition, lower costs and become more efficient.Thus it can be stated that competition reduces likelihood of monopolies and oligopolies in the marketplace and is beneficial to the customer and the economy as a whole. Increased Productivity One of the advantages of increased competition in an economy is that individuals and firms continue to source methods that can better improve their operations, use resources more efficiently and most importantly reduce costs while adding value. All this often results in an increase in productivity in an economy and a increase in the gross domestic product (GDP), which is indeed a benefit for the economy.While opponents tend to state that when productivity increases the unemployment can often increase, thus reducing the positive impacts, it is the opinion of the writer that increased productivity which can then lead to increased unemployment will then cause more individuals to be creative, find niche markets, become entrepreneurs and begin generating more employment opportunities, thus re-inventing the wheel and driving the economy forward.New Markets As stated in the previous section increased competition in the marketplace can cause saturation and as a result many entrepreneurs maybe driven to seek new markets for their products and services or adapt market penetration tactics.Either way such a phenomena of increased competition, which ultimately causes individuals to look for new markets can be considered as a positive impact on the economy and therefore entrepreneurs can be considered to pla y a very important role in the economy. As integration of economies continues due to globalisation entrepreneurs often tend to look for markets that are outside of their domestic sphere thus generating foreign revenue and increasing the prosperity of the economy as a whole.While this maybe a very simplistic explanation of the impact that entrepreneurs make on an economy, it is also safe to say that the employment generation, increased competition, market expansion, market penetration and sourcing new markets all result in income generation that ultimately help an economy to become more prosperous, draw millions out of poverty and generate funds for social welfare activities that ultimately uplift the living standards of its citizenry.Negative Impacts of Entrepreneurs The single largest negative impact of entrepreneurs on an economy is the plundering of resources, which can have a disastrous affect on the environment. While such negative impacts are mitigated to some extent in develo ped economies due to the enforcement of environmental protection standards and regulations, this is not the case in developing economies.Further entrepreneurship requires a certain degree of business knowledge and know how, without which entrepreneurial ventures can often fail, which can also cause many financial hardship that in extreme cases can even lead to destitution. Social Entrepreneurship Today we see the realm of social entrepreneurship growing exponentially which is a very positive sign and has helped to draw millions out of poverty, decrease unemployment, decrease the number of people dependent on social welfare and all in all uplift the living standards and quality of life of millions.Further social entrepreneurship initiatives are also often seen as ‘green initiatives’ that take into consideration the impact on the natural environment and therefore strives to keep this at a minimum, thus increasing awareness about such issues, avoiding plundering of natural resources and conserving the environment wherever possible. Therefore it can be stated that the negative impacts of entrepreneurs on an economy can be mitigated to some extent through social entrepreneurship. ConclusionBased on everything that has been discussed above it is apparent that the positive impacts of entrepreneurs on an economy, far outweigh the negative impacts. Job creation, reduction in unemployment levels, increased competition, opening new markets, increasing productivity, foreign income generation and poverty alleviation are some of the positive impacts that entrepreneurs have on an economy. However this is not to say that there are no negative impacts such as the wastage and plundering of resources, yet taken as a whole it is apparent that the entrepreneurs positively impact an economy.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Ethics: Social Responsibility and Strategic Planning Essay

Strategic planning can be defined as the formulation of plans that will lead to well informed and sound decisions and actions that when implemented will help achieve all short and long term organizational goals. During this process, the creation of well defined mission and vision statements along with organizational values and policies that are directly related to the company’s goals will help the business organization achieve long term success. Because success or failure directly impacts all stakeholders, whether employees, suppliers, investors, the local governments or community in general, special considerations of their needs should be included in the strategic planning process. Because of recent well known corporate scandals, business organizations have incorporated business ethics codes and social responsibility programs as part of their strategy to boost their public image and reputation in the community along with the reduction of potential legal fees or financial settlements resulting from legal actions against the organization. Ethics refer to the fundamental principles of an individual or a group. Social responsibility is how a business performs its activities to meet its wider obligations toward the society and environment, such as by avoiding activities which may be harmful. Strategic planning is an essential preliminary step in the corporate world in which senior management defines the organization’s strategy, direction and decision-making. Ethical values and social responsibility serve an important role in the strategic planning process. Social Responsibility To the Stakeholders o Management must ensure that strategic decisions are reached after taking into account the possible impact on the stakeholders. Stakeholders are suppliers, customers, societies and anybody who is affected by the activities of the business. A socially responsible company treats stakeholders equally. Wider perspectives also have to be considered in terms of environmental and social impact of planned activities. Transparency o Members of management should provide information transparently and honestly to help all involved discuss, debate and reach better decision-making. This enables the team to identify and monitor any potential risks which may arise and find an alternative solution. In terms of social responsibility, transparency also enhances the company’s credibility toward its external stakeholders. Independence o A management meeting provides an opportunity for management team members to raise concerns and come up with new ideas. It should be conducted in a professional and coherent manner and everyone should be independent in providing ideas without fear or hesitance as this helps improve the quality of the discussion and the decisions reached. Respect o Members should respect others’ opinions by giving them the opportunity to speak and by listening to their ideas with interest. Constructive comments develop more intellectual discussion but should be dealt with in a way which does not hurt the other members’ feelings. Discussion in a friendly environment improves the relationship among the members, strengthens the strategic planning process and results in better decision-making. Fairness and Truthfulness o During the planning process, the team should take a fair and truthful look at the possible risks and impact of decisions reached. These need to be thoroughly considered to maintain the welfare of the stakeholders such as employees and the society at large. Members should be truthful and frank in providing ideas and comments. Loss of employment and retirement funds, double bonuses, tax evasion, and the dark side of office politics are some of the challenges affecting organizations like a virus causing professionalism and efficiency to be questioned. Walker and Lanis (2009) found that an organization influences and is influenced by the society within which it operates (Cengage, 2009); therefore, an organization needs to take into consideration issues such as product safety, regulations, legal, ethical and economic responsibilities to the society within which it functions. One of the methods which could be used to do so is to integrate ethical and socially responsible techniques in an organization’s strategic plan whilst taking into consideration the needs and agendas of stakeholders. This concept is supported by Drozdenko, and Jin (2010) who suggested core values and beliefs exhibited at the strategic level influences decision making and outcomes throughout an organization. The objective of this research is to explain the role of ethics and social responsibility in developing a strategic plan while considering stakeholder needs and agendas, including an example of a company which overstepped ethical boundaries and preventative measures which could be taken to avoid this type of situation. Ethics appears to be a subject most people take for granted. According to Ciulla (2004), most people think of ethics as practical knowledge and common sense as opposed to theoretical knowledge. Social responsibility involves operating in a society or environment not only to gain or increase profits but to do so in accordance with legal and ethical standards therefore making a positive contribution by adding to the value of life in an area of operation. What is strategic planning and what is the role of ethics and social responsibility when developing a strategic plan? Strategic planning as defined by Bryson (2004 cited from Olsen & Eadie) is â€Å"a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that share and guide what an organization (or other entity) is, what it does, and why it does it† (p. 6). One of the most important needs of a strategic plan is to determine the long term effects of decision making to ensure accountability. Therefore, if an organizatio n takes into consideration its ethical and social responsibilities to its clients, employees, and stakeholders when developing its strategic plan some important areas to focus on includes: Economic Responsibilities – A business should provide goods and services which the society wants at a fair price that provides adequate profits to ensure its long term survival and growth as well as to reward investors (Cengage, 2009). Therefore, although the main objective of an organization is to make a profit, it is imperative to remember profits made should not be made at the detriment of the society. Legal responsibilities – These are laws and regulations under which the organization is expected to operate (Cengage, 2009), however if the organization does not abide by these laws if needed, there is a mechanism in place to seek redress. Ethical responsibilities – The law, according to Cengage (2009) does not cover every issue or emerging issues which may be encountered by an organization. Ethics covers activities which are prohibited even though legislation may not exist at the time the unethical act occurred (Cengage, 2009). Philanthropic responsibilities – According to Cengage (2009) this is when an organization voluntarily â€Å"gives back† to the society by providing assistance, forming relationships and making contributions to improve the community. Kaufman, Browne, Watkins and Leigh (2003) indicated that one of the issues which caused the collapse of Enron, a giant US energy company was that the focus of its executives was for self profit as opposed to seeing to the well being of the stakeholders. By inflating stocks, presenting fraudulent financial reports, cheating, lying and intimidating employees Enron caused employees to lose their jobs, retirement plans, and stakeholders to lose billions of dollars. Additionally, hundreds of dot.com companies came crashing down, shocking international markets as stocks plummeted when it was discovered that â€Å"stocks were inflated through personal ambitions rather than the value they would deliver to shareholders and external clients† (p. 31). Johannesen, Valde, and Whedbee (2008 cited from Odell) stated â€Å"a society without ethics is a society doomed to extinction† (p. 5). This also applies to an organization. Therefore, an organization that is not ethical or socially responsible is doomed to fail. This is supported by Rhodes, C., Pullen, A., and Clegg, R., S. (2010 cited Verschoor, 2004) who believed there was a need to create moral strength and character by reintroducing personal conscience, responsibility, and values in organizations. The best measures to use in order to incorporate this type of behaviour, beliefs, and values within an organization is to integrate ethical and socially responsible objectives, goals, and activities into the strategic plan. Hence to prevent unethical behaviour and social irresponsibility it is important to put measures in place. Following the implementation of the Sarsbane-Oxley Act of 2002 it is imperative that organizations ensure financial reporting is done in a responsible manner. According to Cengage (2009) this legislation was implemented to minimize the use of fraudulent financial reporting and to protect the interest of all stakeholders. Creating policies and guiding principles are also measures which guides the organization to be ethically and socially responsible to its stakeholders by taking their needs into consideration. Last but not least creating a code of conduct which should be followed by all employees not only sets a standard within the organization but can be used as a criterion to reward and punish employees who adhere to or who do not adhere to the code. Conclusion: To create an ethical and socially responsible atmosphere within an organization it is imperative to put in place optimistic, high, achievable standards which must be incorporated at all levels of the organization. By focusing on legal, ethical, philanthropic, and economic responsibilities when creating a strategic plan which sets the direction and guiding principles of an organization ensures transparency and accountability. The world is changing and stakeholders are becoming more ethically conscious and prefer to develop relationships with responsible organizations. Therefore, employee safety, human rights abuses and other concerns such as bribes, corruption, the abuse of cheap labour, questionable payments and child labour which could negatively affect and organization, its image, and reputation should be at the forefront of the minds of executives when creating a strategic plan for the future of the organization.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Raymond Carvers Catherdral Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Raymond Carvers Catherdral - Essay Example Robert had just lost his wife and was meeting her relatives in Connecticut. The narrator’s wife offers him a place to spend the night. While conversing with Robert, the narrator suddenly realizes that though Robert is blind, he is able to ‘see’ far better than the narrator with his eyesight. Thesis Statement The narrator comes upon the realization that even though Robert is blind, he is a better communicator because he uses his other senses of touch and perception as a means to establish a rapport with not only the narrator’s wife but his own wife Beulah as well. Thus Robert has had a much richer understanding with the narrator’s wife than the narrator himself- in comparison, their own conversational exchanges are few, terse and tensed. Discussion The short story writer Raymond Carver (1938-1988) has been acclaimed as one of the best proponents of this form of literature in the USA. His short but eventful life was tragic and interspersed with poverty and want. In a strange way, this state of affairs mirrors the life of Edgar Allan Poe, another short story writer of Gothic fiction. Both were slaves to the bottle. Born into a blue collar family where his father was a worker at a sawmill and his mother a waitress, Raymond nevertheless harbored a desire to write. This desire was sparked when Raymond attended creative writing classes in 1958 at Chico State College under the tutelage of John Gardner, another short story writer of some repute. Gardner took Carver under his wing and advised him to shorten his words from twenty five to fifteen to have a better effect. If that were not damning enough, the stringent editing of Carver’s editor Gordon Lish resulted in a further admonition and Carver having to condense his stories even further into five words for every fifteen. Of course, this would stifle Carver’s creativity and he ultimately rebelled against Lish (Halpert, 2005, 33). All writers love to have their own poetic license and freedom of expression. They also like the company of comrade souls with similar interests and outlook. This was probably one reason why Carter chose to divorce his longtime wife Maryann who was his childhood sweetheart (they had married when he was 19 and she 18 and had 2 kids by the time they were 20) and married another writer, Tess Gallagher in 1988. Their happiness was short lived though, Carver dying just six months into the marriage due to lung cancer. Carver uses a minimalist style and his stories are often sad and melancholy, yet they usually have a moral or lesson attached. One of more of the characters is likely to have been recovering from a tragedy, or set to become a victim of it. What is important is the reaction to this tragedy or circumstance. In Cathedral, the emphasis is on seeing rather than looking, feelings rather than appearances. The narrator does not seem to have a very good relationship or understanding with his wife. Their conversations are few and terse and strained, as though they are estranged or do not really understand or care for each other. For one, the narrator’s wife seems to recall her working experience with the blind man with pleasant memories. She especially recalls the way he touched her face, her neck, her hands etc. on her last day of work (Carver, 2008, 305). There is no sexual connotation here, it is just the element of feelings that the author wants to highlight. Despite his blindness, Robert seems to be imbued with a deep sense of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Recommendation Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Recommendation Report - Case Study Example Investigation is done by conducting a survey on a selected group of workers based on which recommendations are made. The survey was done on a certain group of employees that included both Production Workers and White Collar Workers. The outcome and the recommendations are made based on the employee response. About 63% of the production workers and 82% of the white collar workers think that the drug testing should be done right when the employees are hired. The response suggests that maximum number of the employees want that the drug testing should be done before employment is given. There was a mixed response among the employees when they were asked for random testing. Very few that are about 16% of the production workers and 42% of the white collar workers feel that it is right. The response suggests that the workers do not support the proposal of random testing. The reason may be that they feel some may escape due to this type of random sampling. Hence this may not be an effective method of testing the usage of illegal drug. About 46% of the production workers and 39% of the white collar workers feel that drug testing should be done at the time of physical examination or upon returning to work. This response suggests that the employees are not giving so much importance to the drug testing during physical examination. When asked about drug testing after the employee has met an accident, about 31% of the production workers and 30% of the white collar workers supported the suggestion and said yes to it. But since the response was less than 50% so it can be assumed that the plan may not work. This step was highly appreciated by the employees. About 62% of the Production workers and 72% of the white collar workers feel that this step should be executed. Majority of the workers say yes to implementation of the policy. However 12% and 4% of the production and white collar workers respectively

Adidas Marketing Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Adidas Marketing Communication - Research Paper Example They also gave information about how they learnt about Adidas products. They provided information about the various channels that the company uses in order to reach them. Data that was collected for this study was from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data collection methods that were used include interviews, questionnaires and observation. Interviews were used to collect data about the marketing communication strategies used by Adidas. Both the employees of the company and members of the public were interviewed. Structured and unstructured interview questions were used to question the employees about the marketing communication strategies that the company employs in ensuring that its products penetrate the global market. The members of the public were also interviewed on their perceptions about the promotion, pricing, sponsorship, and other marketing strategies used by Adidas. Interviewing the participants was important in collecting first hand information for the study. Questionnaires were also used to collect information about the marketing communication strategies of Adidas from sportsmen, students, and other consumers. Another data collection method employed is observation. Advertisements of the company were observed in the media such as websites, television, and print media. Secondary sources of data such as books, business journals, and research reports were used in gathering information about the marketing communication strategies employed by Adidas. These secondary sources were important in understanding the history of the company and the market trends over the years. In this research study, data collected was both quantitative and qualitative. The data collected was analyzed in order to identify the various methods of marketing communication that Adidas employs and their impact in influencing consumer decisions over sports equipment and apparel. Through analyzing the data the study was able to reveal the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Organization in Terms of Developing Leadership Diversity Essay

Organization in Terms of Developing Leadership Diversity - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the research that the leadership is highly autocracy, with Evans making a sole decision without consulting or communicating effectively to the workers. Evans is an amoral manager and acts with emotions to solve issues with no ethical reasoning towards the Asians cultural behaviors and religion. Jones is leading a team of people in a department. He had effective communication skills and managerial skills able to met various stakeholders and strike a balance. He has both responsible and with integrity as he noted the cultural issue within the organization. Both the leadership was accountable to the workers whereas the workers were not accountable to air their grievances on the issues instead they involved their spouses to address the issue. The workers lacked confidence and not proactive in addressing the cultural issue. The author would offer an authentic leadership; he would know the Asian cultural beliefs and values, by this, he will win the trust of the A sian community. The researcher will encourage an open door policy to increase information flow and communication. With knowledge of the situation, possible options available from the various responses and critical analysis of the immediate and future consequences, the author will call the leaders forum and develop a work plan to incorporate a win-win situation. Pat had preconceived notions on his success in IT thinking he has more expertise than the rest, further during the interview, he stated that the board should consider the position on the merit of work and reputation. Carmelita had a success in working across departments, i.e. teams, and suppliers and she could solve any problem arising in the section. Whereas Pat had more narrow capabilities only on technical and intelligence aspect.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

WIPO, Berne, TRIPS, Copyright Law and their Implications for Google Essay

WIPO, Berne, TRIPS, Copyright Law and their Implications for Google - Essay Example Thus all national copyright laws to a greater or lesser extent attempt to balance recognition and enforcement of copyright against broader interests and needs. International copyright law has recognised the need for this balance but the exact nature of the appropriate balance has been contentious. The nature of the balance envisaged in the Berne Convention may well have been different from that envisaged in subsequent legislation and this essay will begin by defining the dimensions of that balance. It will then proceed to consider the changes in international copyright law brought about by the TRIPS Agreement and the WIPO Copyright Treaty to establish whether the balance as now recognised in international copyright law is different from that originally recognised by the Berne Convention. Article 13 of TRIPs illustrates the essence of the Berne Convention and TRIPs, which is that the copyright holder's rights cannot be derrogated from except in special circumstances in the public interest. However, the test is very strict whereby the rights of the artist are paramount in the Berne Convention where it it widely accepted that the copyright holder and the artist was one and the same. ... copyright holder is frequently not the artist because the caopyrights are owned by the employer, agent or company that commissions the individual's work. Therefore TRIPs focuses on the economic rights of the copyright holder and ignores the moral rights of the artist. Public interest rights in both of these conventions are ignored except for the cases of academic interest. It is not deemed as important that communal and indigenous rights should be protected or materials that are valuable to the development of the greater good of the community. This is especially so in the developing countries, where licenses and permissions for copyrighted material need to be obtained to educate and fund the development of their citizenry. The WIPO Copyright Treaty in many ways has been introduced to protect public interest rights and limit the copyright holder's rights, but in a balance with the moral rights of the artist. It still focuses too much on economic rights, but it is a move in the right d irection. "Libraries will continue to play a critical role in ensuring access for all in the information society. Properly functioning national and international networks of library and information services are critical to the provision of access to information. Traditionally, libraries have been able to provide reasonable access to the purchased copies of copyright works held in their collections. However, if in future all access and use of information in digital format becomes subject to payment, a library's ability to provide access to its users will be severely restricted."1 Intellectual Property needs to understand that there are public interest rights as it deals with a variety of areas, stemming from inventions through to ideas and artistic writings and pictures. In relation to

Monday, September 23, 2019

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in media communication Essay

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in media communication - Essay Example e recent past as a result of being endorsed by many different companies and corporations to advertise their products and introduce different brands to the market place. The essay will examine the role of these celebrity endorsements to the media communication and how all these can be of benefit to the companies and the general public. Endorsement is the act of picking up an individual to promote a particular brand using different media channels. This is majorly used as a marketing technique but what matters most is the media channel used to carry out the endorsement communication. If the wrong form of media is chosen such as radio and which many people do not listen to, whatever is being endorsed is bound to fail to attract the targeted people (Okorie, Oyedepo & Akhidenor, 2012). Celebrities are being endorsed to carry out the advertisements. Their use is much more effective than regular people as they have large followers worldwide. These celebrities include athletes, movie stars; reality shows stars, famous business personalities and musicians among other celebrities. It is guaranteed that with their endorsement, they are bound to attract an even larger following and whatever they have endorsed will accepted by the people. When choosing the celebrities to use to endorse whatever product is being advertised, it is important to look at their media usage and the following they have on each of these media particularly the social media. This is important because celebrities are endorsed with a lot of money even millions of dollars and hence it is important to know that the people are getting their money’s worth. According to research by (Chan, Leung Ng & Luk, 2013), most companies target young adults as they are the ones who are most likely to identify with the celebrities and they find these celebrities appealing. Media communication refers to exchange of information from one person to another or to a group of people for the purpose of passing on a message. In

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Network Consultant Scenarios Essay Example for Free

Network Consultant Scenarios Essay Complete Case Projects 3-1, 3-2, 3-3 of Guide to Networking Essentials. After determining if a client-based or client/server model will be used, substantively justify your choice in 200 to 300 words. Case Project 3-1 The changes in equipment that are required to bring this company’s network up to date to solve the shared bandwidth problem is replacing the hubs with fast ethernet switches and a router. You could make subnets for each department of the company, creating different collision domains which would eliminate dropped packets. The throughput would be increased based upon the upgraded switch/router. Also Setup a file server to store the large files. I would the issue of this problem by using a mesh topology and run over 300Ft of Cat 5 cable to a single point. You could also run the cable through metal conduits along walls or on the floor or you could always implement a wireless system to solve the ceiling issue. Case Project 3-2 The topology that should be used in this network is an extended star topology because it is a bit more advanced than the regular star topology. Instead of connecting all devices to a central unit, sub-central devices are added in. This allows more functionality for organization. The Extended Star Topology is all but necessary to prevent degraded signals and it is also better for bigger networks. Also the network would be server based because connection will be coming from one central point for all computers allowing for information to be shared between users. There will be as many computers needed for each user of the company, E.biz had 250 computers and five servers so I would probably stick with the 250 computers. The easiest device to reconfigure in an extended star topology would be computers because they would be the last to be connected in the topology. The device that offers the best access to the network medium’s bandwidth would be the hubs connected to the central poi nt because it will be the middle man between the  computer and central point device. Case Project 3-3 This network will be server based because since employees need to access company information and it can be confidential the security level on using a server based network will help control the access of files. There would need to be at least 45 computers connected to the network for the 25 users in the front of the factory and 20 for the workstations on each factory floor. The topology to be used in this case would be physical star topology because all connections will come from one central point, since there are many areas of the factory that will need connection having a central point for connection makes more sense.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Financing A New Venture On Entrepreneurs Point Of View Finance Essay

Financing A New Venture On Entrepreneurs Point Of View Finance Essay Introduction Starting a business is the dream of many people and the sole option to others. There are many reasons why a person would be willing to start-up their own company but independently of the reason, many of the new entrepreneurs get stuck right in one of the first and very important steps when it comes to start its venture: financial funds to do the jumpstart, also known for the term seed funding. It is vital to any type of company to have funds enough to start the business and hold the cash flow positive for the starting months until the company is able to finance itself. Many entrepreneurs are luckily enough to hold financial aids from personal savings or from the well known 3Fs: Family, Friends and Fools. Others need to lend money from outer financial sources, such as banks and government agencies. By lending money from others  [1]  , the entrepreneur is doing a commitment to pay the money back plus interests over the borrowed money. Other newer alternatives are the concept of business angels and venture capitalists whose invest in the start-up with the required amount of capital but they expect a portion of the company in return. Cite previous research in the area. It needs a bit more text to introduce the reader to the concepts we are going to present in the document. Background Financial institutions became an important mechanism of injecting money into all stages of businesses; from start-ups to expanding companies. Many literatures have written about available options in financing new business ventures and some interesting conclusions have been released; however due to the geographic focus of this work, there have not been found any similar work in which could replace this study. There are many available options widely used for entrepreneurs in developed countries to get money for start-up their businesses, but in the developing nations most people lack knowledge about new venture financing, therefore limiting available sources. Hence, this thesis will examine the most common options available in Brazil and Thailand and compare such options with the most used in the developed nations expecting to provide more insights to the entrepreneurs in the studying countries that out there are other available options. Definitions Limitation of the study Due to time constraints, it has been necessary to scope down the object of research to a narrowed picture. The study is focused on the financing of new venture in newly start-up product oriented business as it is in the field which match the writers personal interests. Additionally, there is a limitation in size that paper must accomplish. Moreover, the writers have intention of focus their study in developing nations attempting to find the pitfalls that prevent such countries to grow. Therefore been Brazilian and Thai, it is their personal willing to base the thesis in their nationalities. This study might not reflect the entire population of the countries due to the size of both nations. However, this thesis is an empirical study which tries to be as closest as possible of the reality. Countries Brazil Brazil is a developing nation South America, been the 5th largest country in the World both in territory and in population. It is a land of great biodiversity where lies the Amazon rain-forest which accounts for 20% of the words fresh water and oxygen generation. Brazil started to rise as a major economic power in the world stage after been nominated as part of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) as the great powers of the globe by 2050. In terms of growth, currently Brazil is the 7th largest economy  [2]  in the planet in which main exporting areas are agriculture, mining, oil, manufacturing and services. Recently, its middle and higher classes overtook the number of poor setting the mark of 65% of the entire population  [3]  . The country is predicted to grow in fast pace, achieving in 2030 a quality of life of the population similar to the current in the major European countries. Thailand Thailand is located in South East Asia, been the 50th largest country and 21st most populous country in the world with approximately 65 million people  [4]  , and been the second largest economy in South East Asia after Indonesia. Thailands economy is mainly based on exports of rice, rubber, sugar cane and corn even though tourism plays big role. Because of its richness in natural resources  [5]  , Thailand have its own charming to attract foreign investors, and once had been called as the coming fifth Asians tiger. Initial financial aid To any new company, assets are mandatory. Even the simplest company would need some sort of asset, been human or other resources. Assets would be acquired in many manners, but the most common and easy way is to buy, lease, rent or hire, thus, paying in cash. Additionally, money is needed to keep cash flow positive and some spare for savings in case of an emergency. Furthermore, money is also needed in order to keep the company competitive in the industrial landscape. Therefore, for the great majority of companies, seed money is required in order to satisfy these needs. Focus on small business start-ups Small businesses are responsible for employing more people in developing nations than bigger corporations (show some study here). Additionally most of the developing countries have small businesses owned by nationals, hence leading to keep the money and profit of the company within the origin country. Moreover, most successful entrepreneurs has small businesses as a starting point, hence this study is rewarding in terms of possible usage by business owners aspirants in the referenced nations. Concentration in product oriented businesses Nowadays, businesses are mainly split between two major categories: services and product oriented. Services account for the biggest chunk of the pie, however products oriented business are the spark plug to trigger innovation and lead to further development. The choice for studying product oriented business over services is led by the desire of the writers in bringing innovation and entrepreneurship to their home countries. Additionally, there are personal interests in pursuing such business field in the near future. Surveyed entrepreneurs profile As part of the study, an online survey was conducted with product oriented manufacturing companies in Brazil and Thailand in which have survived from at least 5 years. A sample of 20 companies of each country spread onto different states were selected to take part of the survey, in order to make a more concise picture of the nation, not only focusing on particular regions. By selecting companies with at least 5 years in business, the authors ensures that the chosen entrepreneur has a successful business as it is known to be the baseline to consider the company successful. Objective This study has the main objective to elucidate the possible options of seed financing the entrepreneurs have, outlining the pros and cons of each given option and providing a basic guideline on how to obtain such investments. The outcome of this study should have enough information to the entrepreneur be able to select the most viable option of financing based on the nature of the business, required amount of investment and for how long it is expected to have the loan fully paid. Goals Review this text and merge with the above to shrink everything The final results which writers expect from this thesis are to obtain the knowledge based on the financial entrepreneur which related to the program study. Additionally, this paper would provide the reader information and statistical data regarding the available sources of financial institutions, pros and cons of each available sources, the trends of entrepreneur and their behaviours on financing new business venture in both Brazil and Thailand. Due to the analysis in this paper, writers are expected to summarize all data and provide the new possible method which could be match with people in both countries. The aim of this work is to show the various financing options to entrepreneurs whose want to form product oriented companies in Brazil and in Thailand and provide insights of the most financially viable options available in the studied markets. Literature Review Brief about entrepreneur and job creation It is widely known that the word entrepreneur comes from the French word emprendere which means to undertake in English. Joseph Schumpeter, an Austrian economist in summary has defined an entrepreneur as a person who creates wealth by combining various input factors in an innovative manner to generate value to the customer with the hope that this value will exceed the cost of the input factors. Additionally to that, it is understood nowadays that the entrepreneur is someone able to undertake challenges, innovate and create an organization out of it. Entrepreneurs have the power of creating companies. By starting point, normally the ventures created start small and expand along the way. Micro and Small companies employ the major part of the labour force within a country in the majority of the countries. As an estimation of the potential of the Micro and Small businesses in terms of job creation, 52% of all regularly employed people in Brazil in 2010 were employed by such companies size which accounts for approximately 13 million people, according to an employment study done by a governmental agency  [6]  . World Bank shows the very same percentage of employment for Small and Medium sized enterprises in Thailand according to a study done in 1997  [7]  . Figures can vary greatly on each nation, but normally numbers favours Micro and Small organizations than Medium or the bigger ones, thus showing the great importance Small and Micro business have in any country, specially in developing nations such as the ones part of our study. Forms of business entities Choosing the correct form of business entity is an important decision when starting a business. Not all entities are suitable for raising substantial amount of capital or are flexible enough to allow growth within the expected level. With a little forethought and the ability to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of entities, the venture might have the capability to achieve the expected goals. The most common business forms are sole proprietorships, corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships which are briefly explained below. Sole Proprietorship From a literature written by Willam et al. (2000, page 5)  [8]  , a sole proprietorship is a business owned and controlled by a single person and paying the applicable taxes on his or her personal income tax return. A sole proprietor has unlimited personal liability for the debts and obligations of the business and cannot sell equity to fund operations or expand the business. As a sole proprietor, one can use debt to finance operations, but will be personally liable for the repayment. Corporation A corporation is a legal entity or person created to conduct business by acquiring assets, hiring employees, paying taxes and facing pertinent legal issues  [9]  , according to William et al, 2000, page 7. The corporation carries on business in its own name and shareholders, officers and directors, and the employees are not personally liable for its acts. A corporation has appropriate structure for long term life-time as the model allows a wide variety of financing options, hence allowing existences continuity. Partnership A partnership involves two or more people carrying on a business together and sharing the profits and losses  [10]  William et al, 2000, page 6. Depending on the level of ownership and/or agreement, all partners are expected to have similar liabilities, obligations and responsibilities. All profits and losses are passed through to the partners according to their percentage of ownership, even if the profits remain in the business to fund continuing operation or expansion. Stages of a regular business Business professors have different views in terms of which the stages of a company are. It can be argued as several or some however, it is concisely known that they vary from 3 to 6 stages, depending on each scholar point of view. Markova Petkovska-Mircevska, 2009  [11]  points us to 4 brief but yet well developed major stages in which a regular company may have in its life-time, which are explained below. Start-up stage The business is in the conceptual phase, yet in the entrepreneurs mind a precious diamond to be lapidated. In this phase, the entrepreneur has as main challenge to convince people. He or she needs to demonstrate his/her idea to potential investors and to potential human resources or employees that the company will succeed. Usually, at this stage, there is no company formed yet. Seed stage Here the venture starts to takes shape. Normally, production has not started at this point, however planning, sketches, prototypes and alliances are been created at this stage. Even though if the company has actually started producing or selling, the product/service still needs to prove it is sellable and profitable, thus still entering to the market. In this stage, the entrepreneur needs to ensure the venture will not run out of money as key resources (personnel or assets) are required. Human resources can be high skilled workers or a marketing professional, which are known to be key factors to a success story. Normally, the company is up to 1 year old since its foundation. Early stage In the early stage the firm is usually expanding, and producing and delivering products or services. It is often less than 5 years old and it may not yet be profitable. Expanding stage In the later stage, also called the expansion stage, at this level of development the firm is mature and profitable, and often still expanding. With a continued high-growth rate, it may go public within 6 months to a year. Types of firms Available start-up funding depends on its long term potential. There are three types of start-up firms  [12]  : lifestyle, middle-market, and high-growth potential firms; according to Markova Petkovska-Mircevska, 2009. Lifestyle firms provide only a living for their founders and accounts for approximately 90% of all start-ups. Due to their limited nature, they are unlikely to attract external financial funding, thus tending to be funded by the entrepreneur. Middle-market companies ranges on 8-9% of all start-ups. This type of firm start to attract external funding as the average growth rate is 20% annually. High-potential organizations are 1% or less of all start-ups. They are very likely to grow over 50% annually and their initial five year revenue projections are very high. Usually such firms demand multiple rounds of external funding from angels and venture capitalists. Financing stages of a new venture Financing may be injected at different stages of a business, per its demand of extra funds. As different businesses might have dissimilarity in growth pattern, many literatures have the stage of financing differently set. According to Singh, 2000  [13]  , the classification of stages of financing are as follow: Early Stage Financing Later Stage Financing Seed Capital Start-ups Second-round finance Expansion finance Replacement capital Turn-arounds Early stage financing Due to its high risk of failure (related to uncertainty of business), many private investors invest in this phase expecting high returns in the business profit. In addition, as the company is still conceptual, smaller amount of investment is needed which attracts investors. Seed Capital Stage Seed capital stage happens when the business start from the conceptual idea. Lucas Peraquito, 2009  [14]  give the description of seed capital funding as early stage where concept or product is under development and the business is not operational. In this seeding stage, there is great chance of failure. I.e.: the product fails to materialize into workable model or the market is not ripe for the product  [15]  as pointed out by Singh, 2000. Due to high risk and uncertainty on this stage, investors are very scarce and normally it is financed by the entrepreneur. However one of the main objectives of this study is to assess it. Start-ups After the idea or products prototype is proved possible for commercialization and there are some indications of potential market for the product, a business plan is developed in this phase as usually here the needs for investors becomes more prominent. Hence, capital investors will look for evidences of entrepreneurs track record and previous experience before join the venture. If there are funds enough, a prototype is developed and tested and feasible production line on initial samples lots is tested. By launching the first sample batch, initial sales can start. In addition, business owner and investors can take a market research on the first batch sales to predict more precisely the amount of investment needed for a full production. In this start-ups stage, risks are higher than seed capital stage because the investments are substantially higher. Second round phase In this stage, the product is in full production and available in the market. As the company is entering into the market and fighting for its market share, competition would start showing its face, forcing the company to strive for survival. Quite often, to survive in a competitive market, new business demands extra injection of equity-alike funding to maintain or exceed its advantages over the competitors. Later Stage financing According to Singh, 2000  [16]  , Later finance is a term used for funding established businesses, which have passed through the hazards of early stage financings, hence, usually less risky. On the other hand, the amount of investment is typically higher due to the companys profile and products value. Expansion finance After the companys core product is strong in the market and continuously profitable, an established business might decide to expand by organic growth or by acquisition. Organic growth means expansion of business into new product line or new markets. Acquisition implies to expansion in the same business field but increase in volume of line production. (It does not seem to be right.Give me this reference) Hence, business plan with effective future development is important to attract venture capital funds in this expansion stage. Replacement Capital Some venture capital companies invest into this replacement capital stage by purchasing existing shares from the entrepreneurs due to potential profit. The fund expects a reasonable income yield to those who sell shares to the fund. The funds are not directly financing the business but there is a possibility for future financing to assist companys expansion. Turn-arounds A turn-around refers to a recovery situation  [17]  . The recovery situation can occur in both early stages and later stage of a business development. Turn-around which occurred in early stage financing usually happen due to lacking of entrepreneur managerial skills or slow respond of market to the product. Later stage turn-around rarely occurs if experienced venture capitalists or business angels are involved. Investors who are willing to invest in companies in turn-around situations have to weigh whether the business has future prospects of profitable growth and if it worth the effort. Needs for external funds business finance option.pdf -> Check it to rephrase and quote the text below There are countless reasons why small businesses seek finance. It is also known that extra money can boost companys ability to deal more confidently, improve processes, quality, reach new markets, etc. Independently from the reason extra cash is necessary, three main phases of business needs more extra finance; which are: New businesses that are being formed these can be either started up from the ground or acquired by another firm. Existing businesses that have a trading history and simply require additional finance for expansion and growth. Companies with financial difficulties to keep in business. This can happen to any type or size of venture and the reasons why it happen is not in the scope of this study. A business can grow by either using internal or external sources of finance. Internal sources of finance include all net cash flows generated by the business, such as retained profit or sale of assets. External sources of finance include bank loans, sale of a part of the business to investors (e.g., venture capital firms, business angels), and leasing (long-term renting of equipment). External sources of finance have a number of big advantages over the internal financing options, however drawbacks do exist also. Starting up the business When the entrepreneur decides to start-up its venture, there will always be a time when he or she will go through the financial aspects of opening a new company. Lack of financial resources is quite often the main reason why great companies are dreamed but never leaves the papers in developing countries. With no money, the entrepreneur is normally unable to go much further than its initial plans as it is very difficult to gain resources  [18]  (not impossible though) with no cash at all. Expansion A business needs investments to grow. Even the most profitable companies cannot rely solely on reinvested profits to finance their expansion. Accordingly, a business needs to secure bank credit, partner with venture capital firms or in any other way to secure external sources of finance. External finance provides the room for faster growth, allowing the company to operate on a far bigger scale, capturing new markets and providing products and services to an ever greater number of customers. Greater Economies of Scale Large businesses are generally more efficient than small ones. They have a greater bargaining power with suppliers and they can spread their fixed costs, such as administrative expenses, over larger sales. This results in lower costs per unit of production, which, in turn, gives the company a competitive edge in the marketplace. External sources of finance help a company grow faster, achieving the economies of scale necessary to compete with the rival firms on regional, national, or even international levels. Financial crisis recovery Any company at any stage is susceptible to get into financial trouble. The reasons why it might happen is infinite. It can be an outer issue happening in the government level, market level or even globally level. It can be due to an internal flaw committed by the higher management or a key employee that decides to leave the company. It could even be due to a machine that breaks down and turns to major issue, leading the enterprise to trigger a financial crisis. Thus, when such things happen, extra money (if not saved) is required to bring the organization back to its rails making it profitable again. Financing options trends Most common financing options Debt or equity When entrepreneurs consider to start or to expand their business, quite often external funds are pursued. It might come from individuals or companies that can provide a loan or direct investment to the venture, always looking for a future compensation. Investors or other financial sources can get return by two distinct ways, by debt or equity. Debt financing Debt financing usually occurs when you make a loan from a lender has been written by Duncan M. Chembezi (page 1). The loan will be used as capital injection in the business and need to be repaid over a period of time. The loan from each financial sources would have different terms and condition in clear repayment schedules and a set interest rate. Advantages The primary advantage of debt financing is that the entrepreneurs still retain total ownership of their businesses  [19]  . The benefit from having full ownership is that the entrepreneur can make strategic decisions, keep profit and reinvest it in the business. Other major advantages is that debt obligation will limit only in the repayment period which differently from equity finance where a percentage of ownership will not end until the investor sell its shares on the businesses. Disadvantages The major disadvantage of debt financing is the requirements which the entrepreneur needs to address before filing to a loan plus the interest rates to be paid on regular instalments to the lender. Hence, small business which has low cash flow might face difficult to re-pay the debts regularly. Most lenders might charge penalties for late payments which include charging fees, taking possession of collateral, or calling the loan due early. Moreover loans are usually available only for established companies. Start-up business might find it difficult to get a loan granted due to their business high risk and low (or no) company profile. Equity financing Equity capital implies to money that you and any of your business associate(s) inject directly into the operation  [20]   Chembezi. Contributors of equity capital would receive shares in the business as a compensation for the investment made. Advantages Equity financing provides extra capital into the business without the requirement of repayments and payment of interests as compensation. Hence, the equity is added into companys net value, improving the financial stability of business and its ability to obtain debt financing if still required. It can also result in outside expertise being added to the enterprises management or board. Disadvantages Equity financing is a permanent investment which reduces entrepreneurs ownership, thus its ability to control the business. Additionally, profits of the business are shared among the shareholders or equity investors. Internal and external sources of funding Funds can be acquired from a variety of sources however all of them will always be from two different types of sources: internal and external funding. Internal funding are funds available within the organization such as: personal savings, retained profits, bootstrapping and Family Friends and Fools (3Fs). External funding is money that comes from a source which is outside the company. External sources of funding can be countless, however the most common are: bank loans, Angel investors, Venture Capitalists, Government Agencies and general partnership. Internal funding Advantages Possibly internal funding would be the best option to any entrepreneur. Keeping your finances internally and controlling it yourself or within the organization means that one will keep ownership of your business without external unwanted interference. Moreover, by keeping the financing internally, the entrepreneur has the opportunity to grow sustainably and consistently. Disadvantages Although the many advantages of using internal funding, some drawbacks do exists. By using internal money for start and grow the company, it is inevitable that more money will be needed to keep the organization financial healthy. Such money is always needed to keep a balanced cash-flow and allow growth; therefore, using internal money either from the entrepreneurs savings or from the companys profits might constraint growth or imbalance the financial stability of the venture. External funding Advantages By taking external money the entrepreneur is possibly bringing more expertise to the company as if money is secured from business angels, venture capitalists or general partnership people with similar interest in having the company succeeding will try to help the entrepreneur, been many of them very well known in the market the entrepreneur is pursuing the venture. Moreover, by getting funding from the mentioned sources or from government agencies, one will need to get well prepared for presenting and pitching the idea, therefore leading to a better preparation of the entrepreneur in terms of the business itself by elaborating a more concise Business Plan and getting extra knowledge that shall be necessary when presenting. Disadvantages It is known that getting other entities along with the new company a payback to these must be done someh

Friday, September 20, 2019

Takeover and Strategy Proposal

Takeover and Strategy Proposal The following strategy and takeover proposal examines the contracting division of Masters Building Company Limited. The proposal undertakes a SWOT analysis, used as the foundation for strategy in marketing, division structure, and teamwork. Each area of concern is examined based on what has previously occurred, what is proposed to occur, and what the expected outcomes are. The strategic initiatives seek to prompt Masters Building Company Limited into a new era of relationship marketing, decentralised managerial structure, and strong employee morale. The firm’s strengths are that it has a strong consumer base with a positive history and social status. This is assumed from the long tradition of the firm in its operative area. The firm has very low debt and is profitable. There is some growth in the contracting division. The firm’s weaknesses are the lack of new client contracts, the recent decision to open new offices requiring overdrafts for the new offices of the contracting division. The contracting division also has low employee moral. Another weakness is that there is little work in the Exerter area and low complexity of projects. The firm has opportunities in altering its managerial and team structures to create stronger employee moral. It has opportunities in creating more complex projects through regional marketing of the new offices. The firm’s external threats are the credit crisis and recession, increased pressure from creditors for early payment and delays in receiving stage payments. The firm can overcome these threats by focusing in its strengths of tradition and customer relationships which can be implemented through stronger marketing strategies. The construction industry is highly competitive, and the ability of management to use marketing as a valuable service is imperative to gaining contracts (Shutt 1995). The focus of the takeover proposal is to generate more complex construction work for the betterment of the company. In doing so, the takeover proposal recognises that Masters has the potential to increase its commercial bids through a stronger marketing mix. Commercial bids are preferred due to their work complexity, which generates revenue and knowledge based experience for the firm (Finkel 1996). Furthermore, commercial bids are understood to have mixed uses and are often allocated by internal funds, thus they have minimal effects of interest rates and public policies (Finkel 1996). Since the scale of major construction projects is a barrier to small firms, it is imperative that Masters be placed under a strong examination of capital requirements in terms of current and necessary tools and materials, as both time and money are required to create jobs in commercial markets (Shutt 1995). Specialty contract work in commercial industry is the focus as this allows for small to medium sized businesses such as Masters to enter the market, generating stronger income (Canter 1994). The focus will be on small, complex projects in renovation and alteration. The takeover proposal is to include the past customers with new potential in a stronger marketing strategy as the firm moves towards the development of new offices it will require more marketing resources in Plymouth, Bristol and Bournemout. The takeover proposal must include a strategic business outline as: Figure 1 Marketing Strategy The current structure is very linear and hierarchical. While this has worked in the traditional construction industry, it bars open communication. It is recommended that the structure be evaluated and redistributed to increase communication between areas of the contracting division. This is imperative as the firm is expanding to add new estimators and managers. The takeover proposal is not to remove Frank Burton, but to readdress his position as an authoritarian manager into one of quality leadership that allows for stronger determination of the firm’s detection of, allocation of, and income from, the contracting division. Deficiencies in structure occur when there are low knowledge flows, which constrict planning techniques and lessen control of the contractual position (Finkel 1996). Figure 2 Structure Strategy Under Frank Burton’s traditional authoritarian management, the contracting division has low morale. Change management is required to rejuvenate the team. The contracting division has multiple intricacies that are dependent on the ability of management to integrate capabilities (Shutt 1995). The contracting division has a discontinuous business environment due to temporal bidding and allocation concerns, creating less efficient workloads (Shutt 1995). Establishing measures for efficiency is imperative to increase productivity, variables in staff periods, job roles, training incentives, and operations should be set to overcome staffing issues (Shut 1995). Figure 3 Team Strategy The impact of previous changes in the structure of the contracting and specialist service divisions have lead to a third reduction in overhead costs as staffing levels have been reduced, however turnover has increased. The contracting division has a turnover of 4,377,000Â £ with overheads at 9.5% and profits at 2.1%. Thus, net profits are only 91,917Â £, while overhead is 415,815Â £, which shows a negative cost efficiency strategy. Overhead costs are higher in Bristol and Bournemouth, where net profit is also lower, and that regional office has a smaller staff. This is likely due to the increased debt of the Bristol and Bournemouth locations. The common economic pathway for reducing overhead costs is not always to strategically move staff and relocate management or offices in new regions. This may lead to a false economy, since overhead costs were not lowered, just moved. Therefore, the takeover must consider strong evaluation of Masters complete economic position for the sake of reducing the high overhead costs. Market economic show that overhead cost reduction is found in low-cost production, availability of quality products and effective supply chain management (Rockley 1984). Cost concerns require a more efficient use of temporary and low-complexity work, and examining the markets in the regional offices to evaluate their cost effectiveness (Rockley 1984; Shutt 1994). It is not clear if the move to the regions such as Bristol was cost effective, however it is assumed that this was not an efficient move since it has higher overhead and lower profits (Rockley 1984). Therefore, it is likely that these regional offices ar e simply geographically out of place for the construction market (Shutt 1994). Furthermore, the construction industry itself is highly labour intensive, therefore it stands to reason that staff turnover and quality control as well as the product supply chain must be streamlined to lower costs and increase profitability (Shutt 1994). Activity name Project Leader Estimated start Estimated finish Market Analysis of Service Differentiation Len 4-Jan-09 4-Mar-09 Market Analysis of Relationship Management Len 20-Jan-09 21-Feb-09 Market Analysis of Marketing Mix Len 6-Feb-09 16-Apr-09 Restructuring from Hierarchical to Decentralised Gordon and Frank 24-Feb-09 25-Apr-09 Communication Pathways Open Door Policy Gordon and Frank 8-Mar-09 18-Mar-09 Communication Pathways Between Regional Offices Gordon and Frank 19-Mar-09 29-Apr-09 Examination of Job Roles Gordon and Frank 10-Apr-09 20-Apr-09 Examination of Training Gordon and Frank 10-Apr-09 22-Jun-09 Examination of Employee Resources Gordon and Frank 18-Apr-09 30-Aug-09 Supply and Production Analysis Sammy 30-Jun-09 30-Aug-09 Quality and Effectiveness Analysis Frank 30-Aug-09 21-Jul-09 Regional Market Analysis Frank 14-Jun-09 12-Aug-09 Figure 4 Milestones Canter M.R. (1994) Resource Management for Construction, London: Macmillan Finkel, Gregory (1996) Economics For Construction Industry. London: M.E. Sharpe Rockley L.E. (1984) Finance for the Non-Accountant, USA: Business Books Shutt R.C. (1995) Economics for the Construction Industry, London: Longman

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Versatile, and Loved Cherry Tree :: Botany

The Versatile, and Loved Cherry Tree People all across the world enjoy cherries for their sweet flavor in pies, candies, and pastries. They have become one of the most widely cultivated fruits in the world. As reported by the Columbia Encyclopedia Online (2000), they can be found in home orchards all across the country. However, the cherry tree has many uses. Some varieties are valued for their beautiful flowers, others for the wood that can be made into high quality furniture. Whatever the variety or use, the cherry tree is an important plant in today's society. The cherry tree traces its origins back to the east. The earliest signs of cherry trees come from the area around Asia Minor, Persia, and Transcaucasia (www.botany.com, 2000). To this area of the world, the cherry tree has become almost a sacred plant, with many varieties of flowering cherry trees being cultivated into various forms all valued for their flowers. This has become so popular in the east that in Japan they have even instituted a national holiday around the time that the trees begin to blossom (The Columbia Encyclopedia Online, 2000). Cherry trees were introduced to Europe through both natural processes and human interaction. By 73 BC, the cherry tree had been introduced to most of southern and central Europe with the help of the Romans. Soon after, the plants started to appear in Great Britain, where they were able to flourish (MS Encarta Online, 2000). Now there are species of cherry trees all over the Northern Hemisphere with species and varieties that have adapted so well to the different environments that today you can find varieties of cherry tree in almost any region, from California to Japan, that have developed unique and prized characteristics (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1999). Cherry trees, like many fruit bearing trees, are members of the rose family. The scientific name for the family is Rosaceae. Cherries are in the genus Prunus along with apricots, peaches, and plums (The Columbia Encyclopedia Online, 2000). Cherry trees come in hundreds of varieties, but are derived from only a few species. There are two main species valued for their fruit, a couple of species are known for producing high quality wood or are grown as ornamentals. All species of cherry tree have varieties that are prized for their beautiful and aromatic flowers (www.botany.com, 2000). One of the cherries that bear edible fruit is known scientifically as Prunus avium.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

A Fire Tale :: Free Essay Writer

A spark, dry grass, the beginning of life! I am alive and I feel good! As I look around at my humble surroundings, I feel that I was made for much more. I have been made to rule the world! But food comes first†¦ I look over at the gum trees just mere metres away. Food! I sweep over, devouring everything in my path. Nothing can stop me! Muhahahaha! The eucalyptus cackles under my intense heat and the once mighty trees bow down in awe of my awesome power. I show no mercy as I consume them in seconds. That was good, but not enough. I must have more! The eucalyptus was definitely not my style, it was too wet. I prefer the cold hard wood that is part of the handiwork of those good for nothing, self proclaimed, so-called â€Å"rulers of the world†, the homosapian. Ah I see. There, about 200 yards away is a â€Å"barn† and some fruit bushes. That would suit me very nicely. I creep silently up to my victims, first surrounding them and then engulfing it in my hot body. The bushes were a bit wet but were a good treat. I am now sure that I can rule the world! Nothing can stop me now! I continue on my deadly rampage consuming and devouring everything in my path. I come to an old worn down house. Strange looking thing the humans have constructed here. I taste a bit. There seems to be some colourful covering that accents my flame. I hurry on, there’s not much time left. I hurriedly finish the house, eating everything up besides the â€Å"metallic† objects that seem to have a negative effect on me. I reach a blue shimmering disc on the ground. How dare it even try to stop me! This must be the legendary water that has been a treat to my previous ancestors. I touch it. It burns! But not enough to stop me. I hurry over it finding to my surprise that my heat is enough to make it disappear. Muhahahaha. My ancestors must have been terribly weak to be stopped by that tiny thing. I continue on, wreaking havoc on everything from the weak grass to the mighty oak trees. As I look over the land I see a strange collection of human structures. That must be one of those â€Å"towns† I’ve so often heard about. I move cautious over, for the legends have it that no

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Differences in Competencies: Associate Versus Baccalaureate Nurse Essay

The field of nursing has come a long way. It was once considered to be a profession for that of the less fortunate. But as the years went by the field of nursing has made drastic changes in that of schooling and duties of the nurse. No longer has the field of nursing considered for those who has nothing else to do or those of less fortunate, but over the years education has played an important role in the success of this profession. In the eighteen century, nursing were considered to be more hands on, but theories saw the need for a more formal education. Over the years, there have been debates about the entry level for nursing. Some say there’s no difference between the associate (ADN) and the baccalaureate (BSN) degree. In the following paragraphs I will expound on the differences between the ADN and the BSN degree. The ADN program came about because of the shortage in nursing in the post-war years. It is a two year program developed by Mildred Montag designed as an entry level for nursing. Friberg, 2011, p. 14). The outcome of this program was very successful. It yielded the same results and those who had completed the five year program by successfully passing the licensure examination for nurses. Because of this great success the ADN program went full force into action. The ADN program became more popular. It now opens the door for those who were not able to attend the five year program. It worked well for older ladies, especially those who were married, and certainly more cost effective. (Friberg, 2011, p. 15). Nurses at the associate and the baccalaureate level are taught in nursing schools to use the nursing process. This is a tool that is set up for nurses to help the patient recover from their current illnesses, and also to aid the physicians in treating their patients. The nursing process includes assessing the patient or situation, diagnose the patient using nursing diagnosis and gathering pertinent information, developed a care plan on how the needs of the patient will be met, put those plan into action and monitor the patient to see if any changes need to be made to the current interventions. The American Association of Colleges of nursing (AACN) states the difference between the associate and baccalaureate level as that of theory, research, public and community health and that management. (AACN, 2012). Both programs take the same exit exam, the NCLEX to become a registered nurse in order to practice in their own state.. At the BSN level the nurse can take on leadership responsibilities. You may find them as charge nurses, managers, and even as bedside leaders as on the unit that I currently work. Because their training consists more of research; you may also find them to be more efficient with the nursing process. They are able to think fast in an emergency situation and developing a plan of action. Because of their leadership skills they are able to delegate the right task especially to new nurses or those flexing from another floor. My charge nurse currently has her BSN and when in doubt or have questions about a doctor’s order she is always quick in examining the order and ready to make suggestions based on her leadership skills. Three weeks ago I had a fresh post-operative patient from PACU. Upon arrival his blood pressure was 109/62 and heart rate 88. At four A. M. the tech called me and said that the patient’s Bp was 88/55. I immediately lowered the patient’s head and raised his feet, waited for fifteen minutes, then retake his BP. The new reading shows 99/56. Based on the patient’s baseline I was ok with that. I delegate to the tech to retake BP in an hour. An hour later it went even lower. I then went to the charge nurse who has her BSN to let him know of the situation and my plan of action. He immediately got a different BP machine and went to the patient’s room explained what we’re doing and that if his BP is still low we will need to call the emergency response team. To our surprised the patient’s BP was in the low 100’s. At that moment I was not thinking about changing the machine, but he being trained critically was able to think quick in coming up with another plan. I do understand that practice becomes perfect, but the level of education of my charge nurse sure did make a difference. Some say there’s no difference in the competencies of the ADN level versus the BSN level. Based on my own personal experiences and that of the theories, it does demonstrate that those trained with a higher level of education are more versed to critically think their way through problems and act quickly. According to Grand Canyon University philosophers, students are educated to provide, direct, and evaluate client-centered care while focusing on the person as an integrated whole. Baccalaureate degrees also broaden your job search. There are more positions available at this level, than that of the associate level. Most hospitals i. e. Emory no longer employ nurses with an associate degree. A lady once said to me that whatever I am now doing will not take me to where I am going. So it is with the associate degree, based on theological and scientifically advancement, the associate degree will not take us much further throughout this profession.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Drama on Social Values

A Christmas Odyssey By John McNeil Summary A narrator takes a journey of discovery into the true meaning of Christmas, with Easter in view. This play was designed as a vehicle for participation by all age groups of a Sunday School, who appear in sequence from youngest to oldest. There are 2 alternate versions of this script. The first is written for a Southern Hemisphere summer Christmas, the second for a Northern Hemisphere winter Christmas. Script 1 Narrator: What does Christmas mean to you? Is it a family get-together, a big feed, Father Christmas and all that?Or what? You know, we've inherited a lot of European customs in our Christmas, perhaps when we should have been developing our own style of things. So while picnicking in blazing sun on the beach, we still sing a song about a white Christmas, and hunt for mistletoe. Bit silly when you think about it, isn't it! And after all, if the middle of winter is the proper time for Christmas, then maybe that's when we should have ours! ? It's a thought. Choir:  (Starts singing in background) Narrator: But there's always one thing you can count on at Christmas, and that's carols.Used to sing them myself once when I was a kid. How did they go? (Hums to himself. )  Away in a manger, no crib for a bed. Yes, something like that. (Finishes off verse of carol. ) Group of children:  (Pre-schoolers; they wander on) Narrator: Kids! I think kids were made for Christmas. It's really their time, with all the goodies we pile on them. Lots and lots of goodies. (Turns to group)  What does Christmas mean to you? (Narrator asks several questions, such as, â€Å"What's the first thing you do Christmas morning? † â€Å"Where do you go for Christmas? † â€Å"Did you ask Santa for anything special? etc. After they have given their answers, Narrator suggests they go and sit in a corner, and pretend they're opening their Christmas stocking, quietly acting out what they hope to find inside. ) It's a bit like watchin g yourself, isn't it! You know, there's something else about Christmas I was going to mention to you, but it's slipped my mind for the moment. It'll come back to me. Singing!? Choir:  (5-7 years; they file on, singing carol) Narrator:  (When they have finished singing, asks questions of some of the choir, such as, â€Å"Who are you singing about? † ‘Who's he? etc. Finishes with, â€Å"Where are you going now? ) Choir: Off to church. Bye bye! (They file off. ) Narrator:  (Turns to group still acting on floor. )  Aren't you lot going to church too? Group: Yes. Come on, let's go. (They get up, look to see if anyone's watching, and run off playing with toys. ) Narrator: I guess church is different things to different people. Jesus? I knew I'd heard the name before. His birthday or something. I wonder what sort of birthday he had. What would it have been like to be there then? Animals:  (7-10 years. File on, chattering among themselves.Perhaps a donkey, cow, goat, sheep, dog, etc. They have just been in the manger when Jesus was born, and now they tell each other what they think of Jesus, looking at it from an animal's point of view. ) Choir:  (At rear, sing â€Å"Away in a Manger† quietly. ) Family:  (Four children in congo line. When the animals have finished their discussion, the family comes on, honking, making other car noises, and comments such as: â€Å"Why can't we find a good place for a picnic? † â€Å"Did you bring your swimming costume? † â€Å"Mummy, can we have lunch now? † What are all these animals doing on the road? † etc.They tour the stage once, and then exit out front. As they go, one of the animals – a lamb – is knocked over, and it lies down crying. ) Narrator: Hey, you've knocked over a lamb! Come back! (Goes over to the lamb, and picks it up, carries it down the aisle. Other animals file down in procession after. ) Choir:  (Enter singing. They do one verse or choru s only. ) Paper boy:  (Enters, waving papers. )  Paper! Extra! Read all about it! Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem. Hit and run driver wounds family pet! Read all about it! Paper! Narrator: Thanks, I'll buy one of those. (Paper boy exits. Newsreader:  (While the voice is reading, choir hums a verse of its song. )  Here is the news. The year 1AD was marked today by the birth of a baby boy in Bethlehem. Three travelling salesmen offered prizes to the mother, Mary, for having the first baby of the new century, and local farmers have given a year's supply of groceries free. Several authors are offering to write biographies of the child, but a prophet named Isaiah claims he already has copyright on the story. King Herod has sent a telegram of congratulations, and says he is planning a special reception for the family†¦ ut the parents are understood to have declined the offer. A new song for the event has been written by a local choir of angels. It's selling well, and is expect ed to top the charts this week. Narrator: Hold on a minute. What's going on here? Who is this Jesus person everyone's talking about? Choir:  (Starts another verse of song. ) Narrator:  (Breaks in at end of verse. )  Now hold it! You still haven't answered my question. Reporter:  (Enters, explains he is from the local radio station; carries a tape recorder. Asks some members of the choir what they think of Christmas, who Jesus is, etc. Choir:  ( Finishes song. As they do, Paper Boy comes back through. ) Paper Boy: Extra! Extra! Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem. Paper! Choir:  (Start to file out after Paper Boy. ) Narrator: Hey, where are you all going? Choir:  (Some members turn back and call out)  To worship Jesus. We're going to church, etc. Narrator:  (Picks up paper, starts looking through it again. ) Child:  (10-13 years. Same sex as Narrator. Enters carrying a sack. ) Narrator: Hello, what have you got there? Child: A present for you. Narrator: A present! That 's very kind of you, seeing it's Christmas. Can I open it now? (Child smiles and nods. (Narrator reaches in and takes out a hammer, and two pieces of wood. Comments on each. Then reaches in and takes out a doll dressed in baby's clothes. Child takes them all off the Narrator, and cuddles the doll. ) Narrator: What is this all about? Why are these things in this sack? Child:  (Whispers in his ear. ) Narrator: Are you sure? That's in there? (Child smiles and nods. Narrator looks inside again, puzzled. )  Who are you? Child: Just someone you knew a long time ago, when you were my age. (Child takes the doll, hammer and pieces of wood and sits down to one side of the stage. ) Television crew:  (Five or six of them.They are making a film, though the audience doesn't know this yet. They enter and act out the scene where the Pharisees come to Pilate and try to get him to indict Jesus. In explaining why they hate Jesus, they should bring out the reasons he is Saviour of the world. ) Pr oduce:  (Comes on carrying a video camera. )  Okay, cut it there. I didn't like that scene. We'll try it again in a moment. In the meantime, take five. And will the actors for the Crucifixion scene get ready please. (Director exits. ) Choir:  (Enter and sings. While they sing, the TV crew stand round to one side, pretending to drink cups of coffee.Child sitting with the doll in the corner starts to hammer the two bits of wood together, in between verses. As the choir finishes, the actors break into laughter at a joke. One of the actors, laughing, chokes and falls unconscious to the floor. Members of the choir go over and pick him up, carry him out. Rest of the choir file after, singing. When they've finished, Child finishes hamemring the two pieces of wood, holds the result up so the audience can see it is a cross. Child looks at the Narrator. ) Child: Would you do this to a baby? Then why do you do it every day to a grown man? Child goes over to Narrator, drops the doll at hi s feet, and goes out. Narrator stares at the doll, then bends over it, crying. As Narrator is bent over, Questioner enters. Narrator looks up at Questioner. ) Questioner: Well, what do you think now? Narrator: Why did he/she do that? Questioner: We all do. Narrator: But why did they kill Him? He was such a good man. There was no need for it? (Stands up, picks up sack, throws it over shoulder. )  Such a good man, and they killed him. (Starts to go. ) Questioner: Where are you going? Narrator: To see if I can find out where they took him. Questioner: But what have you got in that sack?Narrator: A Christmas present. This sack is my life. The Child told me it contains everything that ever happened to me. Questioner: Wait a minute! Don't you see? That's what Christ died for. So we don't have to carry all our sins around with us. Christ died, but He also rose fromt he dead. He's alive now, and wants to give  you  life. Narrator: You really mean that? Questioner: Of course. 500 peopl e saw Jesus not long after he rose from the dead, and millions since have turned to him and found that he's still real. He loves you. Let that sack go. Narrator:  (Looks at sack questioningly, shrugs shoulders and lets it drop. )  Hey, you're right.Suddenly there's no load. Questioner:The Bible says, â€Å"God loved the world so much, He sent us his only son, Jesus Christ; so that whoever believes in him won't die, but will be given everlasting life. † Narrator: That's tremendous. It's the best Christmas present I ever had. You've got to tell me more. (As they exit, Choir and congregation sing a further song. ) Script Narrator: Christmas! What does it mean to you? Is it a family get together, a big feed, Father Christmas and all that? Or what? You know, we've inherited a lot of European customs in our Christmas, maybe we should have been developing our own style of things.Why is it we don't have Christmas in the middle of summer with fireworks and camping and cookouts and . . . we already have a holiday then, don't we. Men's Quartet: (Starts singing Deck the Halls in background) Narrator: But there's always one thing you can count on at Christmas, and that's carols. Used to sing them myself once when I was a kid. How did they go? (Hums to himself. ) Have Congregation sing ‘Good Christian Men Rejoice'. Group of children: (Pre-schoolers; they wander on) Narrator: Kids! Now that I think of it, kids were made for Christmas. It's really their time, with all the goodies we pile on them.Lots and lots of goodies. (Turns to group) What does Christmas mean to you? (Narrator asks several questions, such as, â€Å"What's the first thing you do Christmas morning? † â€Å"Where do you go for Christmas? † â€Å"Did you ask Santa for anything special? † etc. After they have given their answers, Narrator suggests they sing a couple songs (Away in a Manger, ). When they have finished they go and sit in a corner, and pretend they're opening their Christmas stocking, quietly acting out what they hope to find inside. ) Narrator: It's a bit like watching yourself when you were young, isn't it! Those were the days . . .You know, there's something else about Christmas I was going to mention to you, but it's slipped my mind for the moment. It'll come back to me. ( 5-7 year olds enter dressed as carollers and chatting quietly) Oh yes, Singing! Congregation sings: ‘Angels from the realms of Glory' Choir: (5-7 years; they file on, singing carol) Have this group do two or three songs. Go tell it on the mountain Hark the herald Angels Ring the bells Narrator: (When they have finished singing, asks questions of some of the choir, such as, â€Å"Who are you singing about? † ‘Who's he? † etc. Finishes with, â€Å"Where are you going now? Choir: Off to Our Christmas program at church. Bye bye! (They file off. ) Narrator: (Turns to group still acting on floor. ) Aren't you guys going to church too? Group: Yes . Come on, let's go. (They get up, look to see if anyone's watching, and run off playing with toys. ) Narrator: I guess Christmas is different things to different people. Jesus? I knew I'd heard the name before. It was His birthday or something. I wonder what sort of birthday he had. What would it have been like to be there then? Animals: (7-10 years. File on, chattering among themselves. Perhaps a donkey, cow, goat, sheep, dog, etc.They have just been in the manger when Jesus was born, and now they tell each other what they think of Jesus, looking at it from an animal's point of view. ) Angels We Have Heard on High O Little Town of Bethlehem A Child is Born Choir: (Sing ‘Away in the Manger' with congregation) Narrator: I wonder what it was like on that morning in Bethlehem. If the people back then were anything like they are today, It must have been an interesting scene. Paper boy: (Enters, waving papers. ) Paper! Extra! Read all about it! Jesus born in Bethlehem. Confusion a bounds! Read all about it! Paper! Narrator: Thanks, I'll buy one of those. Paper boy exits. ) Narrator: Here is the news. The year 1AD was marked today by the birth of a baby boy in Bethlehem. Three traveling salesmen offered prizes to the mother, Mary, for having the first baby of the new century, and local merchants have given a year's supply of groceries free. Several authors are offering to write biographies of the child, but a prophet named Isaiah claims he already has copyright on the story. King Herod has sent a telegram of congratulations, and says he is planning a special reception for the family†¦ but the parents are understood to have declined the offer.A new song for the event has been written by a local choir of angels. It's selling well, and is expected to top the charts this week. Narrator: Hold on a minute. This can't be what really happened? Who is this Jesus person everyone's talking about? Scripture reading: Luke 2:1-7 Narrator: (Breaks in at end of verse. ) Now hold it! This still isn't clear to me. No one has really answered my question. Scripture reading: Luke 2:8-20 Paper Boy: Extra! Extra! Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem. Paper! (Exits) Choir: (Start to file out after Paper Boy. ) Narrator: Hey, where are you all going? Choir: We're going to worship Jesus.Do you want to come along? Narrator: No, I think I'll just read more about it. (Picks up paper, starts looking through it again. ) Scripture reading: Luke 2:21-22,25-38 Child: (10-13 years. Enters carrying a sack. ) Narrator: Hello, what have you got there? Child: A present for you. Narrator: A present! That's very kind of you, seeing it's Christmas. Can I open it now? (Child smiles and nods. ) (Narrator reaches in and takes out a hammer, and two pieces of wood. Comments on each. Then reaches in and takes out a doll dressed in baby's clothes. Child takes them all off the Narrator, and cuddles the doll. Narrator: What is this all about? Why did you give me these things? I'm not sure a doll's quite my style. There must be something else. Child: (Whispers in his ear. ) Narrator: Are you sure? That's in there? (Child smiles and nods. Narrator looks inside again, puzzled. ) Who are you? Child: Just someone you knew a long time ago, when you were my age. (Child takes the doll, hammer and pieces of wood and sits down to one side of the stage. ) Song: (During the song, the Child sitting with the doll in the corner starts to hammer the two bits of wood together, in between verses.As the choir finishes they file out, singing. Child finishes hammering the two pieces of wood, holds the result up so the audience can see it is a cross. Child looks at the Narrator. ) Scripture reading: Isaiah 53:1-12 Child: Would you nail a baby to this cross? Then why did they do that to Jesus? (Child goes over to Narrator, Places the doll at his feet, and goes out. (Narrator stares at the doll, then bends over it, confused. As Narrator is bent over, Questioner enters. Narrator looks up at Questioner. ) Questioner: Well, what do you think about Christmas now?Narrator: ( Still thinking about his gift) Why did he/she do that? Questioner: He wanted you to understand what Christmas was all about. It's not about presents, packages, trees or tinsel. Not even about carols. It's about God coming to Earth to do something no-one else could do. Narrator: But why did they kill Him? He was such a good man. There was no need for it? (Stands up, picks up sack, throws it over shoulder. ) Such a good man, and they killed him. (Starts to go. ) Questioner: Where are you going? Narrator: To see if I can find out where they took him. Questioner: What have you got in that sack?Narrator: A Christmas present. This sack is my life. The Child told me it contains everything that I've ever done wrong or that has ever happened to me. Questioner: Wait a minute! Don't you see? That's what Christ came and died for. He wasn't just a good man, He was God in the flesh. Christ died, but He also rose fr om the dead so we don't have to carry all our sins around with us. He's alive now, and wants to give you life. Narrator: You really mean that? Questioner: Of course. 500 people saw Jesus not long after he rose from the dead, and millions since have turned to him and found that he's still real.He loves you. You can let that sack go. Narrator: (Looks at sack questioningly, at first cannot drop it, but finally shrugs shoulders and lets it drop. ) Hey, you're right. Suddenly there's no load. But why did God do it that way. I would have done things differently . . . Special Music: He Became a man like me Questioner: The Bible says, â€Å"God loved the world so much, He sent us his only son, Jesus Christ; so that whoever believes in him won't die, but will be given everlasting life. † Narrator: That's tremendous. It's the best Christmas present I ever had. You've got to tell me more. As they exit, Choir and congregation sing Joy to the world. ) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..  © John McNeil 1973 All rights reserved This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and for what purpose the play is performed. He may be contacted at [email  protected] net. nz Or at: 36B Stourbridge St, Christchurch 2, New Zealand.