Questions to Ask in a Grad School Admissions Interview

Questions to Ask in a Grad School Admissions Interview An invitation to interview at the graduate program of your choice is an amazing opportunity to let the graduate committee get to know you - but the purpose of the grad school admissions interview is also for you to learn about the graduate program. All too often applicants forget that they too are conducting an interview. Take advantage of the opportunity an admissions interview offers you good questions that will gather the information that you need to determine if this is the right program for you. Remember that you are interviewing the graduate program - you must choose the program that is right for you.   Asking good questions not only tells you what you need to know about a graduate program, but it tells the admissions committee that you are serious. Good, genuine, questions can impress admissions committees. Questions to Ask During a Graduate Admissions Interview What characteristics are specific to this program and distinguish it from competitors? (Be sure to refer to specific characteristics)Where are recent alumni employed? What do most students do after graduation?What types of financial aid are offered? What criteria are used for choosing recipients?Are there any scholarships or fellowships available? How do I apply?Are there teaching opportunities, such as teaching assistantships and adjunct positions?Do most students publish an article or present a paper before graduation?What applied experiences are included in the program (e.g., internships)? Ask for examples of internship placements.What is the relative importance of admissions test scores, undergraduate grades, recommendations, admissions essays, experience, and other requirements?Does the department prefer applicants immediately out of undergraduate programs or do they prefer applicants with work experience? If they prefer or require experience, what kind of experience are they lo oking for? How are mentoring and advising relationships established? Are advisors assigned?How long do most students take to graduate? How many years of coursework? How long do most students take to complete their dissertations?Do most students live near campus? What is it like to live in this area as a graduate student?How closely do students work with faculty? Is it common for students and faculty to publish together?How long does the average student take to complete a dissertation, roughly?How is the dissertation process structured? Are committee members assigned?

Common Grammatical Errors Between You and Me

Common Grammatical Errors Between You and Me Let’s start with a pop quiz: Is there a grammar mistake in the title of my blog? If you answered â€Å"Yes† and believe that â€Å"Between You and I† would be correct, you have a lot of company. However, â€Å"Between You and Me† is actually the correct structure. Why do so many of us say â€Å"Between you and I†? My guess is that at some point, maybe around age 8, you may have said to your mother something like, â€Å"Jimmy and me are going to the store.† She corrected you: â€Å"It’s ‘Jimmy and I’† and something clicked in your head, and you thought that if you’re talking about yourself and another person, you should always say â€Å"I† instead of â€Å"me.† I’m here to set the record straight. There are pronouns that belong as the subject of a sentence. They are: I, you, she, he, we, you, they, it. Then there are pronouns that belong as the object of a sentence. They are: me, you, her, him, us, you, them, it. The first thing you need to know is not to mix these two groups together! â€Å"Him and I† for instance takes one pronoun from the object group and one from the subject group. Mixing and matching is always incorrect no matter where in the sentence the pronouns fall. â€Å"Between you and me† is a little trickier because our language uses â€Å"you† as both subject and object. Which group are we in here? Think about it: Would you say â€Å"Between us† or â€Å"Between we†? Of course you would say Between us. Now you know you’re in the object group which includes both â€Å"us† and (would you believe it?) â€Å"me.† A nice easy way to determine what pronouns to use, when you want to include two subjects or objects, is to try out the sentence with just one of the subjects or objects and see how it sounds. For example: â€Å"I [not me] went to the store.† â€Å"He [not him] went to the store. Therefore, â€Å"He and I went to the store.† Notice â€Å"he† and â€Å"I† are in the group with â€Å"we.† â€Å"We went to the store† is of course also correct. Another example: â€Å"Dave went to the store with him [not he].† â€Å"Dave went to the store with me [not I].† Therefore, â€Å"Dave went to the store with him and me† is correct. I realize for some of you that last sentence might sound completely wrong and ungrammatical. Between you and me, I think it’s time to change that perception. There’s a little quiz you can take at UsingEnglish.com: Quiz: Subject and Object Pronouns.   For more on this topic, see the article The English Personal Pronoun System. 🙂 Log in to Reply

Ethic and critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ethic and critical thinking - Essay Example The movie unconditionally showed that the financial crisis experienced globally was certainly caused by ethical practices that were perpetuated by financial services industry. The film further indicated that the immoral practices in the financial service industry were contributed by the general public, entrepreneurs, and government officials. This means that these groups participated in perpetuating these unprofessional activities in the face of economic meltdown in the world (Fergusson 46). From the film, it is also clear that the financial crisis experienced in the world was caused by the unethical practices in the business environment. The film was understandably irritating because financial institutions concentrated more on undertaking dubious business practices that had serious implications on the economy of the nation. The financial institutions at this time abandoned their responsibility of ensuring that the stakeholders were not exploited by greedy individuals and organizations. These greedy individuals and companies were guided by their individuals’ interests and greed that made them turn into unprofessional practices (Greenspan 98). The financial service industry was no longer interested in promoting strategies that would boost the standard of the economy via increasing the capital for other companies within and outside the industry. The increase in the market capital lowered the unemployment rate and consequently, boosted the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The industry had in the recent reduced capital for some of the firms, thus impacting negatively on the economy of the country. The government, through financial institutions gave capital to few selected companies thus favoring some companies. This created unequal financial implications to these companies. These companies, who were allocated capital, benefited few individuals thus compromising

Domestic violence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Domestic violence - Research Paper Example Owing to its legality, alcohol is a ubiquitous in many societies around the world and many individuals engage in alcohol consumption. In North America alcohol can be found in liquor stores, neighborhood convenience stores, grocery stores as well as in your local bar. Although alcohol is prevalent and easily accessible, it remains a harmful drug with the potential to kill, ruin lives and destroy families. Accordingly, one of the most insidious aspects of alcohol is that it is so freely available that we forget that it is a harmful drug with important health ramifications as well as a many important social consequences for individuals who choose to over indulge in alcohol. Alcohol-related fatalities remain an important concern across the globe and despite its ubiquitousness, alcohol abuse has been proven to lead to conflict and violence.2 Seeking to address the relationship between alcohol abuse and domestic violence, the following will, discuss alcoholism and provide a broad conceptual framework for our analysis. We then turn to a discussion of the dynamics of different types of alcohol-related conflicts, including the role that alcohol plays in perpetuating conflict with the family unit, with a spouse and with children Following this thorough discussion of the different dynamics and types of conflict caused by alcoholism, we turn to an in-depth discussion of the particular approaches used to deal with conflict. In this section we will explore the use of mediation as a method to deal with alcohol-related conflict. We will discuss groups such as Alcoholic’s Anonymous (â€Å"AA†) and the role that group mediation can play in resolving conflicts which have been brought on by alcohol abuse. We then turn to an analysis of family/group counseling and a discussion of the role of intervention in combating alco hol-related conflicts. With the goal of providing a holistic analysis to a complicated – yet increasingly

Modern Poetry Comparison Essay Example for Free

Modern Poetry Comparison Essay Over the past few weeks, my class and I have been studying a bank of poems, all of the same theme, they all deal with racist issues in modern life. I have chosen two of these poems to compare, these are, The Negro and Prayer of a black boy. Throughout the coursework I shall be calling Prayer of a black boy Poem A, and The Negro, poem B. Poem A uses imagery contrasting white and black cultures, lots of words and expressions in the poem underlines the wonder and amazement of the Negros natural environment, and the barrenness and unproficness of the white mans. I will be disusing these and pointing out the affects they have. Poem B is in 6 clear stanzas but uses imagery of a symbolic and/or historic kind, and so I will also explain the affects this has upon the poem, and although Poem A is written continuously, it can easily be broken into six stanzas for comparison. Also both poems are written in the first person, we know this because they say I. Due to Poem B being in six stanzas it is very quick and easy to read and understand, so I have split Poem A into six parts as well to make it easier to compare. Poem A tells us that the mans roots are very black, and that he is proud to be Black and that him and his people originated from Africa, I concluded this from the line Black as the depths of Africa. In poem B the man says he is tires of this world, he is saying a prayer, which means he is fed up of the way white people act and live and he wants out, also he says since the cock crew he wandered, this means he is worn out of looking for a better place of peace amongst the white people. Poem A explains that the man in the poem has always been used as a slave and that he has been treated like a second class citizen because of his race. Also he says Caesar told me this means that black people have been slaves for a very long time, even when Caesar was around. But he seems to be proud of what he and his race have done to get where they are now. During the second part of Poem B, the man describes a beautiful scene of where and what he wants to be, but then he thinks about what will really happen, which is that his people are slaves and workers all day then he says they are spat out of the factory in which they work. He also dreams of going back to his own country and living freely amongst his people, but he then awakes with great disappointment to se he is still stuck in a white mans world. In the third part of Poem A the man explains that he worked on ancient buildings as well as very modern buildings, which shows us a sense of time, of which he and his people have been treated with a lower standard from the white people, and over a long period of time. The man in Poem B tells us that what the so called gentleman is, he doesnt want to be, because he can see the real white people and they are not kind and generous as a real gentleman is thought to be. Also he compares his brown skin with the brown sugar bags in the street, which are from his country and makes yet again think of being at home with black people. The forth part of Poem A, tells us that he is a singer, and this shows he is proud of the situation he is currently in. We have a mention that he worked his way up from his homeland (Africa) to Georgia, where he sings ragtime for white people and they like it, and this makes him very proud to be who and what he is, a Negro. In the forth section of Poem B the Negro explains that he really wants to be back where he knows is a lot better place, which is his country, because in this country there is nothing better than his home, Africa. In section five of Poem A, he tells us that he and his race have been victims all their lives, he tells us the horrors oh what has happened in the past to him and his race. They have been treated unfairly and with no trial they are punished. Poem B section five, tells us that the man doesnt want to learn the ways and religion of the white people, he wants to know his own history and practise his own religion, the religion of the black people from his home country. He asks why he should read about things he doesnt know or understand of. The white peoples religion comes from a book, (the bible), whereas black religion is carried through time in stories and songs. The final section of Poem A is the exact same as the first stanza, he repeats how proud he is of where how hard him and his race have worked, and that he is proud of his wonderful country, his wonderful home, Africa. The final section of Poem B isnt the same as its first, in this final part, the black man explains that white people are too sad for his kind, and that his culture are in touch with there countries natural habitat and that the white people are far too industrious. The final line tells us that the white culture needs to lighten up a bit.

Hanson :: essays research papers

. What kind of authority did he have? What were his limitations? Was the principle disclosed? Is there a question of interpretation? Is the principal bound by the agents statements? Tests – 1. An agency is a relationship based on an express or implied agreement by which 1 person, the agent, is authorized to act under the control of or for another, the principle, in negotiating and making contracts with third persons. 2. A general agent is authorized by the P to transact all affairs in connection with a particular kind of business/ trade. 3. The usual method of creating an agency is by express authorization, that is a person is appointed to act for, or on behalf of another. **A majority of states, by statute, require the appointment of an agent to be in writing when the agency is created to acquire/dispose of any interest in land 4. An A. has implied incidental authority to perform any act reasonably necessary to execute the express authority given to the A. **3rd persons should recognize that a contract made with an officer of a private corp. may not be binding unless ratified by the P. 5. When the A, makes know the identity of the P. and the fact that the A is acting on behalf of that P., the P is disclosed. 6. To avoid any question of interpretation, an A should execute an instrument by signing the P’s name and either By: or Per: and the agents name 7. A P. is bound by a statement made by an A. while transacting business within the scope of authority. This means that the P cant later contradict the statement of an A and show that it is not true. Application –   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Alexander Sumner Company is one that buys and sells real estate and has subsidiaries that act as brokers bringing together commercial landlords with businesses that need to rent commercial space. One of those subsidiaries is the Alexander Sumner Industrial Company which is a corporation. James Hanson works as VP for that corporation. As VP Hanson negotiated and made contracts with businesses to rent commercial space, for the AS Company. He was an agent for the company in many of these situations before, and so he did have the authority as an agent to make arrangements with Ms. Rogers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now, when the arrangements were being made, Hanson told Ms. Rogers that a current tenant of a building had over 40,000 sq.

Reducing Transport Carbon Emissions In The UK Environmental Sciences Essay

The conveyance sector is the fastest turning consumer of energy and manufacturer of green house gasses in the European Union every bit good as in the universe ( EIA, 2010 ) . Energy usage in the conveyance sector includes energy consumed in traveling people and goods by route, rail, air, H2O, and grapevine ( EIA, 2010 ) . In UK, the overall addition in concluding energy ingestion between 1990 and 2008, was 7.5 million metric tons of oil tantamount – an addition of 5.1 % . Transport energy ingestion rose to 21 % between this period, and the largest addition occurred in the air conveyance sector ; where ingestion rose by 83 % . Over the same period, the rail sector ‘s ingestion rose by 31 % , while rider route fuel rose by 4 % ( Govtoday 2010 ) . on the other manus, It has been estimated that 480.9 million metric tons of C dioxide ( MtCO2 ) were emitted during 2009 in UK. Out of these emanations, conveyance sector paged at 121.8 MtCO2- accounted for a one-fourth of all CO2 emanations in the UK ( Department of Energy and climate change,2010 ) This shows that conveyance remains one of the major users of energy and emitter of C, non merely in the universe or European Union in general but besides UK in specific. In position of this fact, the UK authorities demand to follow energy usage decrease schemes so as to cut down its C pes print and aid to accomplish European Union ‘s policy of cut downing C emanations by 2020 so as to accomplish sustainable development.Proposed Options to cut down Energy ingestion and or emanations in conveyance sector.1.Technological options( a ) .Hybrid-electric vehicles. A intercrossed electrical vehicle ( HEV ) is a vehicle equipped with either an internal burning engine ( ICE ) and an electrical motor powered by electrical batteries. HEVs are an emerging engineering in the automotive market, with makers planing and bring forthing intercrossed systems for rider autos, light-duty vehicles, heavy responsibility vehicles, and even engines. The improved efficiency of HEVs over conventional vehicle is achieved by runing a smaller, more efficient ICE within a narrower, more efficient operational speed/power set and utilizing an electric engine and electrical storage ( i.e. the battery ) to equilibrate the public presentation energy demands. ( Deutsche Bank,2008 ) . Potential nest eggs Hybrid vehicles are frequently equipped with â€Å" halt & amp ; travel † devices. In the urban rhythm, these devices may enable farther decrease of energy usage and emanations ( Ricardo, 2009 ) . Mild loanblends ( where an electric motor is non a exclusive beginning of driving power, but besides auxiliary internal burning engine when extremum power is needed ) provide a 10-20 % fuel efficiency addition ( Deutsche Bank,2008 ) , and full loanblends, can cut down CO2 emanations for urban applications by up to 40 % depending on the vehicle. For long draw drive ( i.e. chiefly on high-velocity roads ) an norm of 7 % is reported as more typical ( Ricardo, 2009 ) , and coachs runing on intercrossed system have the possible to cut down emanations by 30 % on the conventional Diesel coachs ( Transport for London ) . Restrictions and possible actions HEVs of In general, offer more efficiency benefits in metropolis drive instead than in long-distance expressway usage ( Ricardo, 2009 ) . Though nearing commercial position, HEVs are rather expensive and it is ill-defined whether consumers will encompass them in the mass market. However, Government can make a batch to advance loanblends, including strong monetary value inducements and instruction runs to do certain consumers are cognizant of this engineering and understand its benefits ( Deutsche Bank,2008 ) . ( B ) .Carbon gaining control and storage engineering ( CCS ) Refers to the gaining control of CO2 from emanations, followed by storage in geological constructions, thereby forestalling it from come ining the ambiance ( Parliamentarly office of scientific discipline and engineering, 2005 ) . This method of C segregation can be done at production phase of fuel such that Carbon gaining control and storage engineering offers a low-carbon manner to utilize fossil fuels to guarantee security of energy supply ( Parliamentarly office of scientific discipline and engineering, 2005 ) . Potential nest eggs Using CO2 gaining control to the UK ‘s energy industries has the greatest possible to cut down current emanations. The cost of emanation decrease utilizing CCS are comparable with those of utilizing offshore wind power or atomic power-Carbon emanation decrease costs of about ?50/tCO2 ( DTI, 2003 ) Restrictions and solutions There are concerns that Carbon could be released during conveyance and injection or over clip from geological storage ( DTI, 2003 ) .Hence, CO2 release would necessitate to be carefully monitored for homo and environmental safety. However, there are already expertise and industrial protocols associated with its handling. Even utilizing pessimistic premises it has been estimated that it is improbable that more than 0.03 % of the CO2 would be released during conveyance and injection ( DTI, 2003 ) . Under present economic conditions CCS is non financially feasible. However, Making inducements for CCS signifiers portion of the wider argument on economic schemes to cut down CO2 emanations ( Parliamentarly office of scientific discipline and engineering, 2005 ) .2. Fiscal techniquesFiscal instruments are an obvious tool for authorities policy in general. They can besides be a tool for rapidly act uponing the consumption of energy efficiency in conveyance so as to cut down energy demand and cut down auto ownership by persons ( Banister, 2006 ) . Examples of financial techniques that can be used are as follows ; Fuel bringing direction measures- where autos can merely replenish at a certain clip of the twenty-four hours dependant on the last figure of their license home base Artificial elevation of fuel monetary values through revenue enhancements, Introduction of route and interior metropolis tolls restrictive parking and debut of parking fees. These financial techniques can ensue to cut down urban vehicle trips to merely indispensable trips and to deviate the bulk of occupants to public conveyance where by cut downing energy usage and C emanations ( Saleh etal,1998 ) . Potential nest eggs These techniques can cut down oil demand and ingestion by between 7 % and 10 % depending on the size of the break ( Banister, 2006 ) . Road pricing/congestion charges have been implemented in London and Durham. Even though the motive has non been to cut down CO2 emanations but traffic congestion, there has nevertheless been a significant betterment in local air quality in cardinal London and CO2 emanations degrees are down by 15 % , chiefly due to fewer autos, higher velocities and less stop-start drive ( Banister, 2006 ) . Restrictions and possible actions Information about possible steps of demand decreases in the conveyance sector is frequently highly limited and dated. Fuel revenue enhancement addition has the possible to keep demand but – recent informations about the effectivity of such steps is scarce ( IE A,2003 ) . However, since other countries have been implementing the techniques, lessons can be learnt from them which can back up determination doing procedure.3.Legislative stepsLegislative steps can besides be used to excite the consumption of energy efficiency in conveyance where by cut downing energy demand and emanations ( The Allen confer withing group,2008 ) . Example include compulsory criterions for fuel efficiency Compulsory Standards for Fuel Efficiency Standards on degree of pollution can be imposed on auto makers, with a mark agreed that all new vehicles should hold mean lower emanation rate of fuel. EU mean rate is 140 g CO2/km3 ( SMMT, 2007 ) . In the UK, the current degree for new autos is 167.2 g CO2/km ( 2006 ) with approximately 20 % more to making the 140 g/km mark ( SMMT, 2007 ) . Potential nest eggs A survey by the The Allen confer withing group,2008 in Australia indicated that a plan affecting compulsory criterions demands for big energy consumers ( devouring 100 TJ or more of energy each twelvemonth ) , is likely to present a net economic benefit over 10 old ages of around $ 710 million ( in cyberspace present value ( NPV ) footings ) .This is based on a demand for these sites to implement energy salvaging undertakings with a payback period of 3 old ages or less, and the consequence of a modest domestic C monetary value ( assumed to average about $ 15 per metric ton CO2e ) in the period 2010 to 2020. Restrictions and possible actions Mandatory energy efficiency plans implementation incur highest plan costs compared to voluntary attacks but the expected benefits are besides the highest compared to other attacks ( The Allen confer withing group,2008 ) .4. Infrastructure alterations and behavioral alteration optionsIncreasing the efficiency of route and rail vehicles so they use less fuel per rider Km or tonne-Km ( IE A,2003 ) ; Reducing the overall auto ownership and sum of personal travel and motion of goods ( IE A,2003 ) ; Transfering riders and cargo from high-consumption manners to low ingestion manners eg public conveyance ( IE A,2003 ) ; back uping Eco- drive -energy usage in conveyance is besides dependent on mean velocity of the vehicle, service quality and driver behaviour hence important sum of energy and C emanations could be saved by learning people how to drive ( Hodac, 2008 ) . bettering journey times and connexions, improved quality, handiness and affordability of public conveyance through electrification of rail webs and disgnating high velocity rail associating metropoliss to do train more attractive option to auto use ( Scots Government Publication,2009 ) . planing substructure and layout to promote and ease walking and cycling ; and do non-motorised manners of conveyance safer, quicker and more attractive ( Scots Government Publication,2009 ) Promoting options to go ( e.g. greater telecommuting ) Potential nest eggs substructure betterments, â€Å" intelligent conveyance † engineerings and systems such as better routing systems and congestion decrease and information systems can assist to replace for travel systems and better theodolite systems. An aggressive combination of such steps could realistically cut travel ( or go growing ) by 10-15 % where by cut downing energy usage and C emanations ( IE A,2003 ) . Freight-efficiency betterment programmes, much more aggressive attempts could give a 10-20 % decrease in cargo fuel usage ( IE A,2003 ) .The IEA estimations that a 5 % -10 % decrease in mean fuel ingestion per kilometer could be achieved through a combination of the undermentioned steps: stronger review and care programmes to aim fuel efficiency, acceptance of on-board engineerings that better in-use fuel efficiency and better driver consciousness of efficiency ; better and more widespread driver preparation programmes, and better enforcement and control of vehicle velocities. Restrictions and possible actions Measures such as transport demand direction and traffic direction systems are frequently supported by specific revenue enhancements, publicity of public conveyance systems to promote voluntary transportation from autos, support for usage of alternate fuels, etc. These steps face a different scope of political jobs and other jobs ( OECD, 2002 ) . However, Measures including outreach and inducements for improved heavy-duty vehicle fuel efficiency and advancing greater usage of telecommuting and public conveyance for better system efficiency can be emphasized ( IE A,2003 ) ..DecisionThere are several options that UK Government can see to follow in seeking to accomplish the purpose of cut downing C emanations from conveyance sector. The options are in the class of substructure, engineering, statute law every bit good as financial techniques. Each option has possible to cut down emanations but has associated restrictions. However, suggested solutions to restrictions are available which so allow the Government to do determinations against its ain precedences.Beyond 2050Carbon gaining control and storage engineering ( CCS ) Using CO2 gaining control to the UK ‘s energy industries has the greatest possible to cut down current emanations. The cost of emanation decrease utilizing CCS are comparable with those of utilizing offshore wind power or atomic power-Carbon emanation decrease costs of about ?50/tCO2 ( DTI, 2003 )

Why Can’t Kmart Be Successful While Target and Walmart Thrive?

What drives some companies to succeed while others languish? Successful companies develop a system of a few truly unique capabilities that help them create differentiated value for their chosen customers. Retailers provide many case studies in capabilities-driven success, one of the most compelling of which is the big discounter triad of Walmart, Target and Kmart. And in this fourth-quarter retail season, we thought it would be helpful to take a closer look at what really distinguishes these competitors because they provide valuable insight into the key components of a winning corporate strategy. We believe that all successful companies — Walmart and Target included — know precisely how they provide value for customers. They make a deliberate choice about their â€Å"way to play† in the market, guided primarily by what those companies do uniquely well: their distinctive capabilities. We define capabilities not as â€Å"people capabilities,† but as the interconnected people, knowledge, systems, tools and processes that create differentiated value. They then select a set of products and services that best leverage those unique capabilities and optimally suit their chosen way to play. Most important, they avoid markets, products or services that require new or disparate capabilities, and thus threaten the company's focus. Focus for us, therefore, is not about picking just one market, but rather about choosing one coherent way of competing. The true story about Walmart's and Target's success is that they have gone to great lengths to focus internally on building capabilities and product offerings that suit their way to play. Kmart, by contrast, has failed to develop a unique or differentiated way to play, and all that goes with it. Let's take a closer look. Walmart's success doesn't just stem from impressive logistics, aggressive vendor management and its position as a low-cost retailer. What really underlies Walmart's advantage is a coherent and differentiated approach to the market. †¢ Their well-defined way to play focuses on â€Å"always low prices† for a wide range of consumer items, from food to prescriptions to electronics. †¢ They support their low-cost way to play with an integrated system of capabilities, including: real estate acquisition; no frills store design; and superior supply chain management involving among others expert point-of-sale data analytics. Their product and service mix is kept tightly aligned with their way to play and capabilities system: avoiding big-ticket items (e. g. , furniture or large appliances) where it has no cost advantage, or where new service capabilities might be required. And it innovates constantly within its chosen constraints: e. g. , tailoring product assortments to loca l trends. Target caters to a similar â€Å"money-saving† market, but offers a very different value proposition, focuses on different capabilities and has a different product portfolio. Target's way to play emphasizes design-forward apparel and home decor for image-conscious consumers. Everything from store layout to advertising to inventory conveys an eye for style. †¢ Its capabilities system supports this way to play with image advertising, â€Å"mass prestige† sourcing (with the use of private brand and exclusive offerings), pricing, and the management of urban locations. †¢ In product and service mix, Target is similar to Walmart in many ways, but Target satisfies the needs of its younger, image-conscious shoppers by stocking more furniture, clothing and exclusive designer merchandise than Walmart. Kmart, the least successful of the group, is struggling to define its way to play, describing itself as a â€Å"mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands and labels. † Yet, that definition could describe just about any retailer. As a Walmart customer, you know you'll save money and still feel welcome. At Target, you know you'll get fashionable products at prices that feel reasonable. What, then, is Kmart's niche? Walk through a Kmart store and you'll discover designers like Jaclyn Smith in the low-budget ambience of a warehouse. They carry Kenmore appliances, which may require high-touch sales assistance that many Sears customers expect and many Kmart stores lack. In short, Kmart has not established an identifiable way to play that reflects both customers' needs and its own capabilities. Harry Cunningham, the founder of Kmart, allegedly admitted that Sam Walton (the founder of Walmart) â€Å"not only copied our concepts, he strengthened them. † The lack of a clear concept about how to reach the market, in our view, is the single most important factor in explaining why Kmart's fortunes have fallen so far, compared to its two rivals. Without a clear way to play, and capabilities to support it, a company cannot achieve the coherence it needs to truly excel at what it does, and thus outpace competitors. http://blogs. hbr. org/cs/2010/12/why_cant_kmart_be_successful_w. html Kmart (sometimes stylized as K-Mart), is an American chain of discount stores headquartered in the United States. The chain purchased Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Walmart and Target, with stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands, and Guam (which houses the world's largest Kmart). [2] As of January 29, 2011, Kmart operated a total of 1,307 (6 closing by early 2011) Kmart stores across 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. This store count included 1,278 discount stores, averaging 93,000 sq ft (8,600 m2), and 29 Super Centers, averaging 169,000 sq ft (15,700 m2). [3] Kmart became known for its â€Å"Blue Light Specials. † They occurred at surprise moments when a store worker would light up a mobile police light and offer a discount in a specific department of the store. At the height of Kmart's popularity, the phrase â€Å"attention Kmart shoppers† also entered into the American pop psyche, appearing in films and other media such as Troop Beverly Hills, Six Days Seven Nights, Rain Man, Beetlejuice, and Dawn of the Dead. Kmart's world headquarters was located in Troy, Michigan, but since the purchase of Sears, has been relocated to Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Kmart also exists in Australia and New Zealand (see Kmart Australia), although it now has no relation to the American stores except in name, after U. S. equity in the Australian business was purchased in the late 1970s. https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Kmart As outlined in â€Å"Private Equity May Be The Only Way To Save Sears,† as restructuring and turnaround advisers and investors, we here at ACM Partners are often asked about the big retail â€Å"stories of the day† (meaning companies on the brink of distress). GAP, Tiffany & Co. and now Sears and Kmart are the most recent â€Å"big cases† we’ve received the majority of inquiries about. Here, then, is our take on what’s in store for Kmart (which hedge fund manager Eddie Lampert officially took control of in 2003, post-bankruptcy): Do we need Kmart anymore? While â€Å"during the early years, Kmart was the fastest-growing of the â€Å"big three† discounters (Kmart, Wal-Mart and Target), easily outpacing their key competition,† Kmart, like its parent-company Sears (which acquired the discount retailer in 2005), has lost significant market share through a ombination of poor market strategy and by being â€Å"squeezed out† by â€Å"sexier† (ie Target) or more affordable (ie Wal-Mart) competitors. In short, â€Å"Kmart is trapped between Wal-Mart and Target, becoming the merchandiser in the middle — and ultimately, the discounter in the muddle. † On the consumer side, it's difficult to say Kmart would be particularly missed – since the retailer provides few unique product or experiential offerings – except in geographic areas particularly dependent on the retailer. On a personal note, while I worked at a Kmart as a teenager, I don't believe I've stepped foot in one in more than decade (nor would have any particular reason to). I do, however, visit Target almost monthly. If yes, can Kmart be turned around? What does the executive team need to do? Here, then, it's a question again of â€Å"Where did Kmart go wrong? † Let's take a look at some core areas in which Kmart could generate a turnaround. Strategy, Strategy, Strategy: Kmart failed to see the writing on the retail wall before initially filing bankruptcy in 2002 (and, some would argue, continues to ignores it). All retailers, even discount ones, must have a coherent pricing-and-product strategy in order to appeal to core consumers. As the brand stands now, Kmart offers very little in terms of â€Å"must-have† items for any particular consumer segment. †¢ Management â€Å"Expansion†: By all accounts, Kmart is an exceptionally insular company, meaning very few outsid ers have been brought in to â€Å"refresh† the store's brand. Consequently, errors in judgment and purchasing have been magnified by continued mismanagement, while fights and fiefdoms have prevented the company from moving forward into the 21st century. Instead of squeezing every last penny from the dying brand, Lampert must insist on reviving both methods and management if Kmart is to reassert its relevance. †¢ Logistics: As a discount player, Kmart has lost nearly every round of the logistics game, from management of its supply-chain to in-store sku measurements. For instance, because Kmart measured potential profitability by gross margin ercentages rather than by sales-per-square, the retailer has and continues to stock higher-margined goods in place of faster-moving products, leading to a decrease in inventory turn-over. Furthermore, inefficient ordering and supply-chain management means everything's cost more and arrives later than at Kmart's competitors. Combine these factors, and you get a dying retailer on the brink of disappearing from the American landscape. Like we outlined in â€Å"Private Equity May Be Only Way To Save Sears,† â€Å"With a market cap of only $3. 5 billion, it wouldn’t be tough to get the financing for a going-private transaction † for Sears Holdings Corporate. In short, the market is not going to allow a $40B+ asset-based retailer simply disappear. Ergo, once again, private equity may end up being the only answer for what ails these dying retailers. Margaret Bogenrief is a partner with ACM Partners , a boutique crisis management and distressed investing firm serving companies and municipalities in financial distress. She can be reached at [email  protected] com.

Top 10 Resume Writing Tips for 2018

Top 10 Resume Writing Tips for 2018 Top 10 Resume Writing Tips for 2018 Top 10 Resume Writing Tips for 2018 By Ali Hale Writing a resume can be really tough. You know you need to convince an employer that you’re the best person for the job – but how exactly do you do that? It can be especially hard if you’ve been out of the job market for a while, and you feel that you’re not sure what’s required from your resume – or if this is the first resume you’ve ever written. Don’t worry! We’re going to quickly recap the basics, before digging into some crucial tips for writing a winning resume. What Is a Resume Anyway? A resume is a document that lets employers know about your work history, your educational achievements, and your key skills. If you’re in the UK, a resume is commonly called a â€Å"CV† (curriculum vitae). (Note that in the US, you may hear CV used to refer to a long, academic resume.) What Should a Resume Look Like? While there’s no absolute rule on how your resume should be formatted, a quick Google Images search for resume will give you an idea of how most resumes look. It’s normally unwise to do anything clever or cute with the format of your resume: employers want to get information clearly and easily from it, and you don’t want to risk standing out in a bad way. Your resume should include the following information, in this order: Personal Details (name, address, phone number, email address) – this goes right at the top of the first page. Normally, you should put your name in a large font as the title for your resume. Personal Profile (optional) – a high-level summary of who you are and what you’re looking for from a job. This has become popular in recent years, though it’s not absolutely essential. Core Skills (optional) – immediately beneath your personal profile, you can opt to include a bullet-pointed list of your core skills, so your prospective employer can quickly see what you’re good at. Career History – list your past jobs, in reverse chronological order (the most recent job should come first on the page). Itll usually be appropriate for your most recent job to have the most details. Education and Qualifications – this should come after your career history, unless you’re fresh out of school / college – in which case it might make sense to give it greater prominence. You can also include information about volunteering on your resume, especially if you have few or no previous jobs to write about. Of course, you probably already know that you shouldnt use coloured backgrounds, lots of unusual fonts, or anything else that makes your CV look odd and hard to read. So how do you write a winning resume in 2018? Tip #1: Tailor Your Resume to Each Position You’re Applying For If you only follow one tip from this list, make it this one: your resume should be carefully tailored to the position you’re applying for. Don’t view your resume as a document that you write once then forget about. Of course, you won’t be restarting from scratch every time – but you should make appropriate tweaks to highlight how exactly your past experience matches up the role you want to be considered for. Youll almost certainly find it helpful to Tip #2: Use the Job Advert to Guide You Whatever job you’re applying for, there’ll be an advert detailing what the company is looking for. Use this to help you make it very clear that you have exactly what they need. For instance, if the advert says they need someone â€Å"who’s adept with Microsoft Word†, you might include Microsoft Word in your core skills, or mention it in the description for one of the jobs you’ve had in the past. If they ask for someone with experience managing a team, youll want to make sure you emphasise this in your career history even if it was only a relatively small part of one of your roles. Tip #3: Present Information Chronologically Although some people think that a â€Å"functional† CV can help show you in your best light, if you have an unconventional work history, this will lead employers to wonder what you’re hiding! As Allison Green puts it in â€Å"here’s the right way to format your resume† on Ask a Manager: Functional resumes – which are focused on one long list of skills and accomplishments rather than connecting them to a chronological work listing – are widely disliked by employers, since they make it difficult to understand what the candidate’s work progression has been. Stick with the standard reverse-chronological order instead. Tip #4: Give Appropriate Weight to the Various Sections Normally, it makes sense for your most recent roles and achievements to take up the most space on your resume. You don’t need to go into lots of detail about a job that you had for six months ten years ago it’s not likely to be very relevant to your employer. The same goes for your educational qualifications: if you’ve graduated college, your high school classes and GPA are no longer very significant. You can include them briefly, but don’t spend half a page of your resume on them. Tip #5: Include Examples to Back Up What You’re Claiming It’s not enough to say that you have â€Å"excellent time management skills† – it doesn’t mean anything, and it’s the sort of phrase that almost any candidate can use. Back up your claims with concrete examples. For instance, you could write: Excellent time management skills: managed heavy workload in a busy department, prioritising and dealing with customer emails (frequently over 50/day). Where possible, give figures: for instance, if you took on the task of writing newsletters to your company’s client base and this resulted in 10% more sales to customers on the newsletter list – say so! Tip #6: Don’t Be Cutesy About Your Stay-at-Home Parenting One rather cringe-worthy trend with resumes is for stay-at-home parents (both moms and dads) to describe their time parenting in terms of a job. For instance,  James Wilkinson from  Advice from Super Dad writes that: If I was to include my stay at home dad role on a resume it would probably look something like this: STAY AT HOME DAD July 2011 – Present Responsibilities /Achievements Primary child care duties. Design and implementation of household operational procedures. Supervising, training and managing children and their needs. Complaint resolution, Household bookkeeping and finance management Additionally you may have had to learn to meal plan and cook, to do cleaning and washing duties or a myriad of other assorted essential household and child rearing skills. Now, I’ll be the first to say that being a stay at home parent is hard work – it’s a whole job and a half, at least. I’ve every respect for parents. But this sort of entry does not belong in your work history. It looks silly, it makes you seem a little desperate for something to put on your resume and it could also come across as quite insulting to a potential boss who may well have children of their own (and all of these duties to handle in addition to their job). So what should you do? The safest professional approach is to simply leave those years out of your work history: you can write a sentence in your cover letter to explain â€Å"from July 2011, I’ve been a stay at home parent†. Tip #6: Keep it to Two Pages Maximum (Unless You’re an Academic) In today’s digital age, you might think that it really shouldn’t matter if your resume doesn’t fit onto two sides of a sheet of paper. But it does! If your resume goes on for three or four pages, no-one’s going to want to read the whole thing plus it makes you look like someone who’ll ignore professional norms. If you absolutely need to fit in an extra paragraph or two, it’s better to go onto a third side than to squeeze all your text so that it’s tiny. The main exception here is if you’re applying for an academic role, where you might well be listing your publication history, presentation experience, and so on in a longer CV. In this case, it’s often expected that your CV will run to three or four pages. Tip #7: Use Bullet Points Where Appropriate If you’re fresh out of school, you might think that bullet points look informal and odd. But in a business context, it’s completely normal to use bullet points to summarise information and to make it easy to take in. You can find plenty of examples of resumes here on Live Career – this should give you an idea of how often bullet points are used! Some key areas to include bullet points on your resume are: Your core skills (probably in a list with two or three columns, rather than a single long list that leaves a lot of white space on the right hand side of the page). Your duties for each of the previous job roles you’ve held Your educational history and qualifications Tip #8: Don’t Include a Photo of Yourself This might seem like a strange tip, but it’s something that employers have increasingly mentioned as an issue – perhaps with the ease of taking and inserting digital photos. You do not need to include your photo on your resume however fantastic you look! Employers don’t (or shouldn’t) care what you look like, and it looks weird and unprofessional to put a photo of yourself on your resume. (The main exception here is if you’re applying for a modelling or acting role, when of course it is appropriate to include a photo.) You should avoid including any other images in your resume, too: for instance, don’t put in company logos from the places you’ve previously worked. You might think it looks slick, but it can cause problems with formatting, and it’s frankly a waste of your time. Stick to text alone. Tip #9: Use a Professional-Looking Email Address This might seem like a tiny thing but your email address matters. If you’re using tequilalover@hotmail.com, it’s not going to create the best impression. A free email address is fine, but make sure it’s something sensible (probably involving your name, and perhaps a number if no version of your name is available). Some people – and I’ll admit I’m one of them – feel that a Gmail address looks better than Hotmail or Yahoo, because Gmail users tend to be a little more tech-savvy. The name of your email provider, though, really isn’t likely to make a lot of difference. Tip #10: Triple-Check Your Spelling and Grammar There aren’t many situations in life when a typo can be ruinous but sending out a resume is one of them. While most people would forgive you a tiny typo, a resume with several typos, or significant typos (like a misspelled company name) will inevitably make you look bad. Proofread your resume as carefully as you can – there are some great tips here on Daily Writing Tips that should help. If possible, get a second pair of eyes on it too: ask a friend to look over it and make sure you’ve not made any mistakes. This is also a good opportunity to make sure that you’ve been consistent with formatting (e.g. that all your headers are the same size, font and style), and that everything looks polished (e.g. that you don’t have a single paragraph running over the page break – if you do, insert a manual page break to neaten it up). Bonus tip: Make sure to check our previous article 44 Resume Writing Tips for additional points you can use.. I know there’s quite a bit to take in here, and you might feel overwhelmed before you’ve even begun on your resume. One of the best ways to tackle any daunting writing project – resumes included – is to start with a small step. You might open up a fresh document and type in your contact details, for instance then you’ve made a start. I wish you the very best of luck with your job search, and I hope you find and land the perfect role for you. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire YouFor Sale vs. On SaleDissatisfied vs. Unsatisfied

Deforestation in Asia

Deforestation in Asia We tend to think that deforestation is a recent phenomenon, and in certain parts of the world, that is true.   However, deforestation in Asia and elsewhere has been a problem for centuries.   The recent trend, actually, has been the transfer of deforestation from the temperate zone to tropical regions. What is deforestation? Simply put, deforestation is the clearing of a forest or stands of trees to make way for agricultural use or development.   It can also result from the cutting of trees by local people for building materials or for fuelwood if they dont replant new trees to replace the ones they use.   In addition to the loss of forests as scenic or recreational sites, deforestation causes a number of harmful side effects.   Loss of tree cover can lead to soil erosion and degradation.   Streams and rivers near deforested sites becoming warmer and hold less oxygen, driving out fish and other organisms.   Waterways also can become dirty and silted due to soil eroding into the water.   Deforested land loses its ability to take up and store carbon dioxide, a key function of living trees, thus contributing to climate change.   In addition, clearing forests destroy habitat for innumerable species of plants and animals, leaving many of them critically endangered. Deforestation in China and Japan:   Over the past 4,000 years, Chinas forest cover has shrunk dramatically.   The Loess Plateau region of north-central China, for example, has gone from 53% to 8% forested in that period.   Much of the loss in the first half of that time span was due to a gradual shift to a drier climate, a change unrelated to human activity.   Over the past two thousand years, and particularly since the 1300s CE, however, humans have consumed ever-increasing amounts of Chinas trees.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - Coursework Example Anne Catherick is â€Å"the woman in white† in the book (Pykett, 40). She is mentally ill and is locked up in a psychiatric hospital. She has a striking resemblance to her sister Laura Fairlie. She escapes from the asylum. It is after the escape that she meets with the main character in the story Walter Hartright on his way to work at the Limmerage House. Laura also falls in love with Walter when he moves to Limmerage House in Cumberland to work as a drawing master. She is however bound to her secretive and mysterious husband Sir Percival Glyde, who at times assaults her, but even the law cannot protect her. Glyde tells his best friend Count Fosco of the resemblance between Laura and Anne. They come up with a scheme switch Laura’s identity with that of her sister Anne after Anne’s death. The plan succeeds, and Glyde then inherits Laura’s marriage settlement worth 20,000 pounds. When Walter returns from Honduras, he is determined to restore Laura’s real identity. While doing his researches, Walter discovers that Glyde was a con. His title and property were illicit. Glyde suspects Walter is about to discover his secret. He tries to destroy the registry entry to hide his secret. In the process, the church burns down and Glyde dies in the fire. Walter confronts Laura’s mother and learns that Anne and Laura have the same father. Fosco tries to flee from the country, but Walter catches him and forces him to write a confession that can enable him restore Laura’s identity. Their son becomes the heir of Limmerage. (Pykett, 127). As seen through the experiences that Anne, Laura and other female characters go through in the book, Wilkie Collins paints a picture of a society that mistreats and oppresses women just because of their gender. Women undergo many forms of mistreatments including assaults by their husbands to denial of the rightful inheritances by their male siblings. Through the book, the writer paints a

International finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International finance - Research Paper Example Engaging in International trade is important for the economies of the two or more countries involved; because there is an exchange of foreign currencies, creation of jobs and enhancement of revenues through taxation of the business profits. For multi-national organizations to survive in this import and export trade, they have to employ financial tools in their assessments, and this includes financial agreements and use of security exchanges. A product of trade in international finance varies depending on locations, legal requirements of operating in such destinations and transaction requirements. This paper seeks to assess the impact of selling beverages from United States of America into the Kenyan market. Abinam Inc. has been in the beverage industry for over 20 years, and recently decided to expand its operations in Africa, and specifically East Africa. To start its operations, the company identified Kenya as a convenient starting point because of its economic dominance in East Af rica, and the high quality its infrastructure, which includes roads and telecommunications. The Kenyan political structure advocates for liberalization and a free market economy and all this are conducive for our operations. Kenya is a lucrative destination of the beverage industry because of the financial capabilities of its citizens and their thirst for new ideas and products. In analyzing the practicality of beverage sale in Kenya, this paper seeks to identify the different methods of International Business that Abinam Inc. will employ in the Kenyan market. It will assess Kenyan balance of current account in the last ten years to determine whether the planned beverage product is an export of the country. This paper will analyze Kenyan main exports and thereafter use them to predict the profitability rate of the beverage products. In achieving this, this paper will scrutinize the import data of Kenya for the last ten years and thereafter make a conclusion regarding the beverage pr oducts. This paper will review the import control mechanisms of the Kenyan State in order to assess the possibility of Abinam Inc. in conducting trade in the and its effects in its operations. In analyzing these mechanisms, this paper will identify specific controls set by the Kenyan government, giving an explanation of its intended objectives and thereafter its effect in the operations of beverage sale of Abinam Inc. This paper will review the changes in the various currencies of the two states, i.e. American Dollar and the Kenyan Shilling. This will help in analyzing the type of currencies to use, since changes in currencies can affect the profitability of a business organization. In understanding the foreign exchange rates of the two currencies, Abinam Inc. will be able to develop currency features which will minimize risks associated with fluctuations in foreign exchange rate. This paper has a conclusion, which highlights the process of registering a business organization in Ken ya. Kenyan economy is agriculturally based and it imports most of its products from Europe and Asia, because of this, most of its international trade is skewed in favor of the industrialized states. In the last ten years, the Kenyan current account has seen a deficit (Goswami and Matoo, 2012). A current account is the balance between values of the country’s imports compared to the revenues generated from its exports. The current