Keys to Success in College Essay - 975 Words

Keys to Success in College Different people wish to attain kinds of success but in order to fulfill your first success, college is a very important step and part to start with. Besides you need to make the necessary scarifies to accomplish you goals, your motivation and studies are also very important because your studies are dependent upon your motivation. A goal of this kind will determining the direction and degree of your motivation for itself and it can also make the different between success and failure. Motivation can come from two sources, from inside of you and from outside of you. It can come from your hopes and expectations. It is from your desire to do something or to be someone, but not everyone is highly†¦show more content†¦A subject that does not seem interesting in it may be very interesting in relation to other subjects. Third, interest is upon understanding. If we do not understand the rules of basketball game, we may not have much fun to watch it, but if we take time to learn the rules, we may find it is an exciting sport. Furthermore, although you are interested in a subject and your are really trying to concentrate, but it could also interrupt by distraction. You cannot control over some distraction but the are some other ways to control. You may choose the place and time of study. In order to study efficiently, we need to have a place used for study. More wisely, set your timetable to plan your work and study. The kind of timetable will depend upon on your class schedule, study time and social activities. We should try to follow the rule of plan your work and work your plan. 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The Invention Of Phase Contrast Microscopy By The Nobel...

Abstract In the last century with the invention of phase contrast microscopy by the Nobel Prize winner Frits Zernike, nucleoli were among the most con-spicuous structures. The nucleolus was first de-scribed between 1835 and 1839, but it had to go through another century before it was discovered to be related with a specific chromosomal locus, which marked it as a cytogenetic entity.1 At the end of the 18th century, Montgomery was the first to publish the monumental monograph, which included color figures of nuclei and nucleo-li.1 Based on the Montgomery work, further studies where conducted to analyze the function of the nucleolus in the next century. In fact himself has studied nucleoli in the oocytes of over 175 differ-ent species and had approached at three re-markable conclusions that still hold true today: 1) In one cell there can be more than one nucleolus; 2) Cells with higher growth are presented with more and larger size; 3) The last conclusion was, the size of the cells interfere with the size of nucleolus.2 After the 1960 numerous discovers made a huge impact in the modern science, one of these is the study on the rRNA which lead to the conclusion that the nucleolus is the site of ribosomal RNA synthesis and nascent ribosome assembly.1 In the early 70s it was observed that the ribonu-cleoprotein precursors to ribosomes contain two classes of protein. The difference between these proteins was thought to be that one class could be recognized as ribosomal proteins,

Business Plan for McDonalds Food Chain - myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theBusiness Plan for McDonalds Food Chain. Answer: Business Details McDonalds is the famous destination for a huge customer base every day and making it one of the biggest fast food chain all over the world. Now, the company is considered as a leading fast food organization in terms of restaurants and revenues and profits. Currently, it has 36900 stores in more than 100 nations and provided employment to 385000 employees all over the world. It is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, but it has its operations span from USA to Europe to Middle East and then to Pacific Region (McDonalds, 2012). The stores of McDonalds serve with a standardized menu with the food products such as; burgers, soft drinks, milkshakes, salads, cookies, cheeseburgers, French fries, shakes, coffee, flavored tea, chicken etc. In addition to this, the company offers breakfast items especially in United States and other global markets. Breakfast offerings include biscuits, muffins, hotcakes, bagel sandwiches etc. There are some brands, under which this company is marketing its pr oducts, like; McFlurry, Big Mac, Big NTasty, McNuggets, McMuffin etc. Industry and Market Analysis Industry and market analysis is a method for evaluating the companys current position in prospective industry and market. It assists in understanding the competition and about the major competitors in the market. Competitors are the major component, which are accountable for growth or failure of business. According to previous report, international fast food industry has reached to a value of $103 billion that has grown by 5%. There are various players including McDonalds, which are performing very well in the industry (Armstrong, et al, 2015). In the fast food industry, McDonalds is facing intense competition from some other leading players, like; KFC, Burger King, etc. However, McDonalds is listed as leading fast food chain, but still these competitors are affecting its business with innovative ideas. Burger King is one of the major competitors, which are offering the products, like; burger, salads, shakes etc. Tough the company is still a market leader with the potential of compet itors growing the competition looks very much intense. These competitors in the fast food industry are making efforts to increase their revenues and sales by focusing on health concerns, as people are becoming more health conscious. To compete with the players, the company is using franchise model, which offers the scope for the expansion and development for this business entity (McDonalds, 2010). Customers and Value Proposition Customer value proposition is the statement, which is prepared by an organization, when it introduces its new products and services. It states that why the customers should prefer to buy the products of this particular company. Primarily, it targets the customers rather than employees and other stakeholders. McDonalds is very famous for its customer value proposition. Under its business, the company is targeting the people, who love to eat outside their home (Baker, 2014). Under this expansion, the value proposition of McDonalds will include most convenient locations, efficient and fast service, comfortable seats and in-store amenities, a variety of fast food products, effective value offering and pricing etc. In addition to this, the company is making focus on offering the food products with the constant quality, which is served very fast and consistently all over the world. It is preparing the food by targeting the people of all age groups. This value proposition of company will en tice a number of diverse target markets. Thus, by this value proposition, this company has various advantages over its major rivals, such as; facilities, locations, fast services and diverse product range (Bauer, 2012). Marketing Strategy When a company introduces a new business or new franchise, it needs to formulate new marketing strategies, so that it can reach to its potential customers. These marketing strategies can be developed under marketing mix tool, which includes 4 Ps of marketing. McDonalds will also use this tool to develop its strategies (Bhasin, 2016). The marketing mix for McDonalds is stated below; Product Predominantly, McDonalds sells hamburgers and soft-drinks, which forms its standardized menu all over the world. In addition, the company offers different types of chicken products and other products, like; French fries, breakfast items and desserts. It provides diverse range of products within limited promotional durations. This element of marketing mix shows that McDonalds continuously tries to innovate its products to appeal more customers. Price The pricing strategy of McDonalds includes the price bundling united with the emotional pricing. Under this process, the organization provides the meals and other product combos for discount. Under this pricing strategy, McDonalds offers prices, which appear to be critically more affordable. This component of McDonalds marketing mix includes the significance of price bundling to boost the customers to purchase the products of McDonalds (David, David, David, 2016). Place The restaurants of McDonalds are the most noticeable places, where the products and services of the company are distributed. This component of marketing mix tool demonstrates the locations and venues, where the company can offer its fast food products. There primary places of McDonalds for distribution of products are, such as; kiosks, restaurants, mobile app of the company and website of other food delivery firms. People can order their desired products through its McDonalds website, Postmates website and application. Promotion This company is engaged in promotion and advertising process for attracting more customers. The component of the marketing mix describes the methods, which are used to interact with the customers. There are different strategies, which are used by McDonalds for promoting its products, like; advertising, sales promotion, and public relations and direct selling of the products. It is primarily engaged in the direct selling to events, like; local government events, corporate clientele, community events and parties (Hill, Jones, Schilling, 2014). Thus, these marketing strategies of the company are assisting it in attracting the customers and increasing its all over customer base. It will help the organization in generating more revenues under competitive scenario. Operations Plan In order to expand its business operations, McDonalds will create an operations plan under its business plan. This operation plan will includes all the operations strategies and processes, which will support its overall objectives. The operations management of this company will assist its position as one of the largest fast food chain in the world. There are some areas, which need to be considered in formulating its operation plan. These operation practices are stated below; Product Designing The major goal of McDonalds in this area is to offer affordable products. The prices and serving size of products are done on the basis of needs and expectations of customers. However, some of the products of this company are reduced in the size to make more affordable for all the people (Kenawy, 2015). Quality Management McDonalds aims to enhance the quality of products with components, like; price limits and costs. It implements a production line approach for maintaining the consistent quality of products. Quality consistency fulfills the expectations of customers about this company and its brand under quality management. Location Decision Under this aspect of operations management, the major objective of the company is to choose a strategic location, so maximum people can reach to its products and services. The above-mentioned marketing mix of the company includes kiosks, outlets and websites as venues. Via these strategic locations, the company reaches to its customers in modernized and traditional ways (Kotlar Armstrong, 2012). Human Resources Human Resource Management of McDonalds is also an important part of operations management. The company will use effective HR strategies, which will include the training and development program for improving the skills and abilities needed for production in kitchens and restaurants. Under this area of operation plan, organizational and individual learning are focused to aid the organizational culture of McDonalds (Lam, and Harker, 2015). Supply chain and inventory Management The supply chain of firm aids its different locations all over the globe. This organization will implement a strategy of diversifying the supply chain for operation management. This type of strategy includes availing more suppliers from different areas to decrease the risks associated with supply chain at McDonalds. Under inventory management, the company has the goal to reduce the inventory costs with aiding the operations in restaurants. It does not sell the ingredients and products directly to the restaurants. In its place, regional and local distributors communicate with the outlet managers of McDonalds to maintain the inventory and stock (New, 2015). Management Team and Company Structure For introducing this new franchise, the company can reform its organizational structure as per its operations and departments. The management team and organizational structure of McDonalds facilitates managing the target markets on the basis of performance levels (Lee, Hallak and Sardeshmukh, 2016). The company is following a hierarchy structure, which includes all the concerned departments that play an important role in McDonalds operations. The diagram, given on next page indicates all the levels of management team at McDonalds and its company structure. There are different levels of management, like top level, middle level and lower level of management. All the levels have their separate roles and responsibilities in the organization. The top level management is liable for the goal setting, decision making, operation management etc. Other departments, like; marketing, finances, sales departments have their own duties and responsibilities for supporting the attainment of final obje ctives of McDonalds (McKeever, 2016). By looking at the above diagram, it can be understood that company has a big management team, which support the organization in delivering effective food services to its potential customers. Resources The resources and capabilities of a company can be considered as its major business strategy. McDonalds possesses various resources, which leads the organization towards growth and success. The resources of the company are stated below; Physical Resources This company possesses a wide range of physical resources, which are used in offering its services to the customers effectively. Its physical resources include the food outlet location that will be in a strategic location, like; mall or any other popular building in the city. It will have the sitting capacity of more than 50 persons. These fast food outlets are equipped with modern and latest storing and cooking utensils and equipment. There is the facility of playing room for the children and other fun activities also (Paul Roy, 2014). Human Resources In the food service organization, human resources play an important role. The major strength of food organization is not the machines, tools or cash flow; rather the employees are the major resources, which make the company more competitive and great. This organization understands that employee satisfaction is very important in attaining the overall objective of organization. It offers an effective training to the employees for their development. Under the hiring process, it selects the employees by considering their motivation level, integrity and educational qualifications (Popov and Roosenboom, 2013). Organizational Resources The leading player in Fast food industry, McDonalds serves as a training and development center, where it makes more focus on day-to-day training between and interaction between managers of all the levels. This training and development program starts with the lower level, like; first the person learns to cook the French fries. This resource of the company offers a foundation for enhancing the discipline, responsibility and organizational and interpersonal skills. They can learn to work in the team (Scarborough, 2015). Financing When an organization introduces its new business operations, then it thinks about raising the funds from different options. Acquiring the franchise of McDonalds can be major investment for the investors. For its business, the company is availing funds from different sources and options. It is working majorly with two banks, i.e. MayBank and CIMB. Both the banks are handling the financing activities for this company inside and outside the nation and offer the short term loans to McDonalds (Untaru Ispas, 2013). In addition, the company is taking funds from U.S. bank, which is giving it various advantages, like; long term loans, i.e. 7 year term, business and financial solutions, fixed and adjustable rates etc. Thus, the company has a well-grown and established business, so there are so many bank and financial institutions, which are ready to invest their funds in the franchise of McDonalds. Financial Projections The major objective of McDonalds is to expand its business operations to international markets. The company is expanding its business by offering variety of fast food products to customers. The financial projections for the company are given below; Start-up Funds For establishing this new franchise, McDonalds will have various start-up costs. These costs include kitchen and fixtures, interior and furniture, legal fees and rent. In addition, it will include the salaries, which will be given to the staff and restaurant employees in the future (West, Ford, Ibrahim, 2015). The below given table includes all the start-up costs, which can be incurred in establishing this new franchise. Start-up Requirements Expenses Amount Fixtures and Kitchen Interior and furniture Legal expenses Rent Contingencies Total Start-up Expenses $35000 $25000 $5000 $15000 $6000 $86000 Start-up Assets Cash Long-term Assets Current Assets $55000 $0 $0 Total Start-up Requirements $1,41,000 Personnel Plans Personnel 1st Year 2nd Year Managers Cook Cashiers Waiters $0 $25000 $40000 $20000 $50000 $50000 $55000 $35000 Total Payroll $85000 $1,80,000 Break Even Analysis After evaluating other businesses, McDonalds has supposed that break even analysis indicates that it will require unit sales over 9700 per month to reach to break-even point. The below-plotted graph shows the break-even analysis for this organization. Projected Profit Loss For introducing this new franchise, McDonalds has made an effective financial plan, which will help the business in attaining its goals and objectives. McDonalds Profit Loss Statement Amount ($) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 A. Sales $289,397 $312,314 $556,226 Direct Cost of Sales $59,519 $113,694 $196,868 B. Total Cost of Sales $59,519 $113,694 $136,868 Gross Profit (A-B) $229,878 $198,620 $359,358 C. Operating Expenses Salary $157,000 $174,000 $190,000 Rent $8,400 $8,400 $8,400 Insurance $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 Utilities $2,200 $2,200 $2,200 Depreciation $636 $636 $636 Payroll taxes $23,550 $26,100 $28,500 Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses $12,800 $10,200 $9,200 D. Total Operating Expenses $208,586 $225,536 $242,936 Profit Before Interest and Taxes $21,292 ($26,916) $116,422 EBITDA $21,928 ($26,280) $117,058 Taxes $20,095 $0 $24,397 Net Profit $1,833 ($26,280) $92,661 Net Profit/Sales 0.63% -8.41% 16.66% Risks and Strategic Options Under this new implementation, McDonalds may face some risks, which may impact the business and growth of the company in fast food industry. There may be different type of risks, like; operational risks, currency risks, brand image risks and legal risks. Operation risk may occur, when there will be labor strikes and protests against the company. The company will need to make changes in its operations, as the people are becoming very much concerned about their health and they prefer to eat healthy and dietary food (Percy, 2014). It may affect the business of company. In addition, the company may face the currency risks, which need to be mitigated by the organization. When the company expands its business operations in international market, it needs to comply with the laws and regulations in that country. It is one of the major challenges for the organization. To deal with the above-mentioned risks, the company will go with some strategic options. These strategic options will assist the organization in eliminating these risks and challenges. To handle the operation risks, the company should diversify its products and introduce a new segment with healthy and dietary food products. For mitigating the currency and financial risks, it can use hedging instruments. Before opening a new franchise, the company should make a market research in the target country market. It will assist the organization in understanding the imposed laws and regulations in new market. Introduction of healthier menu will assist McDonalds in fulfilling the demands and expectations of people of healthy food products (Yu, et al, 2016). Key Milestones During the setup of this new franchise of McDonalds, the management team will conduct the planning and execution in building its outlets. The implementation of this business plan will include different key milestones. It will take some months along with the refinement and revision process, which will take a period before establishing this franchise (Percy, 2014). The key milestones for the organization are given in the below table; Activity Starting date End Date Manager Concerned Department Business plan formation 1/1/2018 1/4/2018 Marketing Manager Marketing Department Office set up 1/4/2018 1/7/2018 - Owners Website Creation 1/7/2018 1/10/2018 Managers Information Technology department Hiring of the people 1/10/2018 1/12/2018 Personnel manager Personnel Department Marketing Communication Program 1/1/2019 1/3/2019 Marketing Manager Marketing Department Grand Opening Materials 1/3/2019 1/4/2019 Owners Material planning department Training the staff 1/5/2019 1/6/2019 Human Resource executives Human Resource Department Conclusion From the above analysis, it can be concluded that McDonalds can use this business plan for establishing its new franchise in the country. The report describes all the related aspects, which are needed to introduce new business and new business operations under existing organization. The company needs to include various marketing strategies, which can be used for attracting the customers towards its products and services. It is a fast food organization, so it needs various resources, which can assist the organization in implementing its operations. The company should go ahead with this business plan to deal with all the risks and challenges in the future. It can implement different strategic options to mitigate the associated risks and challenges. References Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M. and Brennan, R., 2015.Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Education. Baker, M.J., 2014.Marketing strategy and management. Palgrave Macmillan. Bhasin, H., 2016, Marketing Mix of McDonalds, retrieved from https://www.marketing91.com/marketing-mix-mcdonalds/ Bauer, C., 2012, An integrated decision model for strategic evaluation of the viability of new technologies, GRIN Verlag. David, M.E., David, F.R. David, F.R., 2016, The quantitative strategic planning matrix: a new marketing tool, Journal of Strategic Marketing. Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., Schilling, M. A, 2014, Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Kenawy, E.M., 2015. The economic importance of franchise Industry in Egypt.European Journal of Academic Essays,1(9), pp.23-33. Kotlar, P. Armstrong, G, 2012, Principles of Marketing (14 edition), Pearson Education, Inc. Lam, W. and Harker, M.J., 2015. Marketing and entrepreneurship: An integrated view from the entrepreneurs perspective.International Small Business Journal,33(3), pp.321-348. Lee, C., Hallak, R. and Sardeshmukh, S.R., 2016. Innovation, entrepreneurship, and restaurant performance: a higher-order structural model.Tourism Management,53, pp.215-228. McDonalds., 2012, McDonalds Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report. Retrieved from https://mcdonalds.com.au/sites/mcdonalds.com.au/files/MCD_CRS_Complete.pdf. McDonalds, 2010, About McDonalds. Retrieved from https://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd. McKeever, M., 2016.How to write a business plan. Nolo Publications. New, S., 2015, McDonalds and the challenges of a modern supply chain.Harvard Business Review. Paul, R., Roy, S. K., 2014, Case Study 11: Marketing of Services: The McDonalds Way. InMarketing Cases from Emerging Markets(pp. 99-112). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Percy, L, 2014, Strategic Integrated Marketing Communications. Routledge Publications. Popov, A. and Roosenboom, P., 2013. Venture capital and new business creation.Journal of banking finance,37(12), pp.4695-4710. Scarborough, N.M., 2015.Entrepreneurship and effective small business management. Pearson Higher Ed. Untaru, E., Ispas, A., 2013, Why do young people prefer fast-food restaurants? An exploratory study: Journal of Tourism, (15), 27-34. West, D. C., Ford, J., Ibrahim, E, 2015, Strategic marketing: creating competitive advantage. Oxford University Press, USA. Yu, Y., Wang, X., Zhong, R.Y. and Huang, G.Q., 2016. E-commerce logistics in supply chain management: Practice perspective.Procedia CIRP,52, pp.179-185.

The First World War Essay Example

The First World War Essay The First World War which began in 1914 and ended in 1918 engaged more nations and produced greater destruction as compared to any other war in recorded history besides the Second World War (Roberts 265; Williamson 485).   An assassin’s bullet fired the battle and a system of military alliances drove the central European powers into the battlefront.   Each side anticipated immediate triumph.   However, it took four years for the war to finally draw to a close as it cost the lives of virtually 10 million troops (Roberts 265; BBC News; Williamson 485).Several developments directed to the cruel violence of the Great War, as the First World War was formerly known (Roberts 265; Williamson 485).   War plants continued manufacturing large quantities of newly invented weaponries which can cause extraordinary destruction.   Military conscription created larger defense forces than ever before, and great patriotism made several men commit to a cause they were ready to risk thei r lives for.   Propaganda brought about support for the battle by making the opponent appear villainous.Origins of the First World WarThe assassination of Austria-Hungary Archduke Francis Ferdinand happened on the 28th day of June 1914 at the country’s Bosnia province capital (Roberts 265; BBC News; Williamson 485).   Gavrilo Princip, the assassin is associated with a terrorist group in Serbia, which is now part of the present Yugoslavia (Roberts 265).   Austria-Hungary accused the Serbian government as the mastermind of the assassination.   It took the opportunity to enter into conflict with Serbia and resolve an old dispute.The archduke’s assassination ignited the First World War.   However, it had can also draw its roots in the development of the 1800’s.   Its main causes were a system of military alliances, the race for colonies, the build-up of military power, and the rise of nationalism.Role of ImperialismThe European countries shaped practical ly the entire Africa and much of Asia into colonies by the 1800’s until the earlier part of 1900’s (Roberts 266).   The competition for colonies was ignited by the rising industrialization of Europe.   Colonies provided European countries with opportunities for investment, markets for manufactured goods, and raw materials for factories. However, the race for colonies damaged relations between European nations.   Clashes between opposing powers broke out practically every year.Role of MilitarismAn increase in military power took place among European nations prior to the start of the First World War.   Nationalism promoted public support for military upsurges as well as for a nation’s employment of force to attain its objectives.   Germany had the best-trained defense force the world has ever known during the latter part of the 1800’s (Duff).   It depended on a military conscription of all physically fit young men to improve the strength and exp and the size of its peacetime defense force.   Other European nations chased their lead and built-up their existing armed forces.Initially, Great Britain remained indifferent concerning the military upsurge being done by Germany.   As an island country, it depended on its naval forces for protection – and it had the strongest naval forces in the world at that time.   However, Germany started to form a naval force huge enough to challenge the British naval force in 1898 (Williamson 485).Role of NationalismA century prior to the outset of the First World War, Europe prevented major wars from happening. Even though small wars took place, only few nations were actually involved in the warfare.   However, a force came to the European continent in 1800’s and erupted into a war (Roberts 266; BBC News; Williamson 485).   Such force is otherwise known as nationalism.   The principle behind nationalism is that loyalty to an individual’s country as well as to i ts economic and political ambitions is more important than any other public duty (Roberts 266; Strikwerda 1138).   The exaggerated manifestation of loyalty raised the chances of war since one country’s objectives unavoidably came into contact with that of the others.   Moreover, patriotism caused countries to blow up minor conflicts into major problems.   Consequently, it could lead to a threat of waging a war over nations in dispute.Nationalism destabilized the empires of Ottoman Turkey, Russia, and Austria-Hungary in Eastern Europe.   These empires led many national groups who cried for independence.   Tensions between national groups were particularly tense in the Southern European peninsula in Balkan.   The Balkan Peninsula, otherwise known as the â€Å"Power Keg of Europe† is where conflicts which threatened to provoke a major warfare took place (Williamson 485).   The Ottoman Empire constituted the majority of the Balkans.   The nations who gained independence beginning in 1821 until 1913 were Greece, followed by Montenegro, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania, respectively (Williamson 485).   Each nation argued with each other over the subject of borders.   Russia and Austria-Hungary also capitalized on the Ottoman Empire’s failure to spread its influence in the Balkans.Competition for power over the Balkans augmented the conflicts which led to the eruption of the First World War.   Serbia headed a movement to unify the Slavs in the region.   It gained the support of the most powerful Slavic nation, Russia.   However, Austria-Hungary dreaded Slavic nationalism, which caused instability to its empire.   Austria-Hungary seriously provoked Serbia in 1908 when it added Bosnia and Herzegovina, a Balkan territory to its empire (Williamson 485).   Since many Serbs lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia wanted to gain control of the territory.Role of Great Power PoliticsIn the span of weeks following Archdu ke Francis Ferdinand’s assassination, the major European powers were dragged into the First World War.   A few efforts were exerted to avert the warfare.   Great Britain, for instance, suggested an international conference to stop the conflict.   However, Germany turned down the proposal, arguing that the conflict concerned only Serbia and Austria-Hungary (BBC News).   Yet, Germany attempted to prevent the conflict from spreading.   Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany advised his cousin, Russia’s Czar Nicholas II not to set off (Roberts 267; Williamson 486).Russia had originally withdrawn its support for its ally Serbia.   Austria-Hungary had provoked Serbia by attacking Bosnia and Hercegovina in 1908, and Russia had receded (Williamson 486).   Russia pledged to support Serbia in 1914 Roberts 267).   Russia initially obtained a pledge of support from France.   In addition, at that time, the czar permitted plots to mobilize among the German boundary.   Russ ia declared on the 30th day of July 1914 that it would completely set off (Roberts 267; Williamson 485).On the 1st day of August 1914, Germany entered into conflict with Russia to counter the latter’s mobilization (Williamson 485).   Two days after, Germany waged war against France.   The defense forces of Germany invaded Belgium as it headed for France.   The attack of neutral Belgium triggered Britain to enter into conflict with Germany on the 4th day of August (Roberts 265).   When the war finally drew to a close in November 1918, only a few portions of the world was kept neutral.Role of the Alliance SystemPrior to the outset of the First World War, a sense of security was provided to the European powers by the system of military alliances.   A nation attempted to prevent an assault from its opponents by engaging in a military alliance with one or more nations.   In the event of an assault, the aforementioned agreement assured that other members of the alliance would rescue the nation in danger or to the very least, not to take sides.Even while military alliance granted protection for a nation, the system at the same time formed threats.   As a result of its alliance, a nation could possibly trust to chance its dealings with other nations, something that it would reluctantly engage in without the guarantee of support from its allies.   In times of war, the alliance system required that a number of countries would engage in a battle besides the two who are originally engaged in conflict.   Alliances could push a nation to enter into conflict against another country it had no disagreement with or on a matter it had not concern about at all.   Moreover, the conditions of many alliances remained undisclosed.   The confidentiality increased the possibilities that a nation might mistakenly estimate the costs of the actions it takes.Major Players, Individuals, and EventsArchduke Francis Ferdinand’s assassination sparked the outb reak of the First World War.   However, historians take into account that the war had deep-seated roots.   The war resulted primarily from the development of great national pride amongst diverse European peoples, the establishment of military alliances, a competition for colonies, and a huge expansion of the European defense forces.   At the outset of the war, Russia, Great Britain, and France – collectively known as the Allies supported Serbia (Williamson 485).   The Allies were in opposition with the Central Powers which constitutes Germany and Austria-Hungary (Roberts 265).   Other countries eventually form an alliance with either the Central Powers or the Allies.The War shaping Society, Technology, and WarfareThe First World War resulted in substantial transformation in society.   The loss of many young lives impacted France more than any other nation.   Their population declined in 1920’s due to a low birth rate (Strikwerda 1138).   Millions of peo ple were displaced because of the conflict.   There are those who left their homes laid waste by the war and soon discover their villages, farms, and houses similarly shattered.   Some became refugees because of the changes in leaderships and national boundaries, particularly in Eastern and Central Europe (Strikwerda 1138).When Germany decided to become a major sea power, it turned out to be Great Britain’s bitter rival.   The British naval forces launched its maiden and modern battleship, Dreadnought in 1906 (Roberts 265).   The heavily equipped battleship had superior military capability as compared to any other ship that ever existed during that time.   For this reason, Germany, on its end, hurriedly developed ships resembling the Dreadnought.Technological advances, particularly the techniques, materials, and tools for industrialization augmented the destructive power of the armed forces.   Machine guns as well as other newly developed weapons fired more swiftl y and more accurately as compared to the previous military hardware.   Railways and steamships could accelerate the transfer of equipment and troops.   During the late 1800’s, technology has already made it possible for nations to wage longer battles as well as endure greater damages than they have ever done in the past (Duff).   In spite of that, military experts maintained that future conflicts would be shorter.The First World War produced results that no one from the feuding nations had predicted.   It aided in overthrowing emperors from Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary.   The peace treaties following the war established new nations out of the overthrown powers.   It left Europe depleted, in no way able to reclaim its influential position in the world affairs as it previously had before the war began.   The peace settlement also produced situations which thrust the world into another major war.

The Events Described in Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence

The Events Described in Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence Introduction Seven Pillars of Wisdom is a historical autobiography written by T. E. Lawrence. During the First World War, British instigated the revolt of Arabs against Turkey while she herself engaged Germany. The plan was for British to win the war from two fronts, though the idea was sold to the Arabs as a freedom campaign which Britain was apparently ready to support.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Events Described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom† by T. E. Lawrence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lawrence was part of this revolt, fighting alongside Arabs even though he was aware that his government was being dishonest with the Arabs. Chapters 41 through 58 detail Lawrence’s expedition’s imminent arrival at Akaba. Discussion Lawrence wrote that this story ought not to be read as the history of the Arab movement but as the history of him in it (Lawrence). The book therefore comprises of the feelings, experiences and reflections of Lawrence and all the other personalities around him who found themselves caught up in these historical moments. Quite a number of significant players are to be found between chapters 41 and 58 of the book since the Arab revolt involved many people. Foremost, there is Lawrence himself, the Briton charged, on behalf of the British government, to lead the expedition to take Akaba. Lawrence is aware of the insincerity of the British government in its dealings with the Arabs. For this reason, he is guilt ridden and hopes to make the revolt work not only to satisfy British interests but also to ultimately free the Arabs. Then, there are the Arabs, under the leadership of Auda Abu Tayi and Nasri. The Arabs are happy and excited at the prospect of freedom. They are painfully unaware of the immensity of the task they have undertaken and innocently trustful of the good intentions of the Britons. Unseen, but constantly felt, is the presence of the B ritish government and the depth of its insincerity. The chapters describe the passage of Lawrence’s expedition across the deserts and over the ranges of present day Saudi Arabia as it heads for Akaba. The town was deemed strategically important since it could hamper the approach of the British via the Mediterranean Sea as it portended a risk to the operations of the Suez Canal (Lawrence). Akaba, today known as Aqaba, is a strategic port town in present day Jordan, but was at the time under the control of the Turks. These chapters vividly describe the fatigue experienced by the men from riding camels all day; the discomfort of being scorched by the desert sun; the distress of being caught in the sand whirling in the desert wind; the thrill of the constant threat of coming under attack from unknown enemies; and under all this, the knowledge by Lawrence that the whole affair was a lie.Advertising Looking for essay on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your firs t paper with 15% OFF Learn More It being an account of individual experiences, the most important occurrence in the chosen chapters is the deep and profound guilt that is felt by Lawrence. Since the Arabs are deemed distrustful of institutions, and could therefore not be prevailed upon under the mere assurance of the British government to go to war, it had fallen upon Lawrence to be the face of the British to the Arabs. He had strived, and succeeded, in gaining their confidence. He however knew that the McMahon pledges and the Sykes-Picot treaty would come to naught once the war was won (Lawrence). In pushing forward with the expedition, he would be taking advantage of the trust the Arabs had in him, and by exploiting their thirst to free Syria and putting the lives of men at risk on the basis of false pretenses. Having assured them that â€Å"England kept her word in letter and spirit† after which the Arabs fell in line behind him, he felt nothing but consist ent and bitter shame (Lawrence). It is for the need to assuage this guilt that he endeavored to steer the Arab Revolt in such a fashion that it would become â€Å"its own success† and in so doing, Britain would be unable to deny the Arabs their moral earned rights (Lawrence). After the liberation of Syria, The General Syrian Congress arrived at the following resolutions detailing the wishes of Syrians: â€Å"that the people of Syria wanted their independence to be recognized; that they rejected the idea of political tutelage; that they rejected any attempts to divide Syria; and that they would be appreciative of foreign assistance for a limited period of time† (Glubb 106-7). France was however given the mandate to occupy Syria by the Supreme Council of Allies and the British army was soon replaced by that of the French. This was in spite of the fact that Syrians were strongly against foreign occupation. Consequently, Amir Feisal, who had fought in the Arab Revolt, rece ived an ultimatum demanding his recognition of the French mandate in Syria (Glubb 109). The contemporary significance of the events described in the chapters chosen arises from their causal relationship with the sequence of occurrences that followed. The areas in Syria that were occupied by the French happened to be the ones that had been promised to the Arabs in the Sykes-Picot Agreement (Glubb 112). The fact that Britain went back on its word on this particular instance, in view of the ensuing political upheaval in Syria for the subsequent decade, ended up in the Arabs being consistently suspicious of the intentions of the British. Even though no such claims had been made by British, it was felt by the Arabs that the original intention behind the British actions was for Syria to be divided up between France and Britain.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Events Described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom† by T. E. Lawrence specifically for you fo r only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The French occupation of Syria resulted in the eventual adoption of Western political and cultural concepts. The eventual adoption of democratic institutions of governance, though of a rather primary kind, and the increased imitation of Western culture by young generation Syrians led to the neglect of significant cultural practices. For instance, the apparent gradual loss of the traditional politeness and manners that has previously characterized the Syrian tradition has been attributed to this contact with western culture (Glubb 187). Conclusion The events described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom† are of great significance. Through them we get insights behind the complex relationship between Britain and Arabs. It could be argued that in Lawrence is to be found the incarnation of the British sentiment towards Arabs after the events in Syria. The dishonesty of the British in their dealings with Arabs resulted in the French oc cupation of Syria and a deeply ingrained suspicion of Britons by Arabs. The British might not have been able to go against the occupation of Syria by France. What matters however, is that they had conspired to dishonor their promises to the Arabs even prior to the French entry into the equation. This suspicion reinforced by other historical occurrences, still characterizes how Arabs view not only the British but the whole of the Western world. Glubb, John. Britain and the Arabs: A Study of Fifty Years 1908 to 1958. London: J.B.G Ltd, 1959. Print. Lawrence, Thomas. â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom.† 2011. Web. Project Gutenberg.

U.S. History - Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

U.S. History - Reflection Paper - Essay Example While pursuing the course under consideration I came across a few things that were new to me. Britain first lost the War for Freedom in the minds and hearts of the people inhabiting the American colonies, before it lost it on the battlefields of America. Britain never tried to holistically and formally participate in the political issues that were of emotional, social, economic and cultural significance to the colonies. Whatever political influence Britain exercised on the colonies was pecuniary and ‘Britain centric’ in nature that included recognition of the Proclamation Line, posting of British garrisons and imposing arbitrary taxes. Had Britain been more sensitive and astute in its response, perhaps the American Revolution would have never taken place. The other thing that was new to me was the fact that the political and social figures that are oft revered in the American history were marked by immense contradictions in their personal choices and political beliefs. For example Thomas Jefferson is considered to be one of the greatest American Presidents who was publically opposed to slavery. Yet, it was amazing to find out after some research that due to a big personal debt, Jefferson owned slaves for his entire life. 2. One most important thing about the American history that surprised me pleasantly was the text of the Declaration of Independence and its moral and ethical ramifications. I personally feel that the Declaration of Independence is a document that is not only of timeless relevance to the American democracy, but the very ability of its drafters to envisage and formally consolidate the ideals and principles that were of universal appeal and importance, in an age when the means of communication and hence the possibility o f a global spread of ideas was very constrained, is amazing, surprising and pleasant indeed. The Declaration of Independence was indeed a worthy culmination of the liberal ideas enshrined in the Western philosophy and politics. Consider the words: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.† The very ability of the drafters to come out with the idea of universal equality in those times is indeed astonishing and surprising. No doubt, at a very late stage, it was Lincoln who once more brought to fore the views and ideals of the Founding Fathers enshrined in the Declaration of Independence to start a war to end slavery, which was to change America forever. I found it really surprising that the Declaration of Independence is a document of recurring importance that is perhaps never going to lose its salubrious fr eshness and appeal in the times to come. 3. The things about the US history that surprised me unpleasantly or disappointed me were the treatment met to the Native Americans and blacks and the very fact that America harbored and exercised imperialist intentions and designs at some time in its history. These aspects of the US history were not only contrary to the American ethos and beliefs, but signified the tendency of a nation to resort to hypocrisy in the face of commercial advantages and interests. Though, the Founding Fathers promised a fair treatment to Native Americans, yet the practice of a specific race to resort to unchecked expansion in the Indian territories, encouraged by a belief in the inferiority of the Native races and culture sounded simply horrific and contradictory. The very same beliefs allowed the plantation holders to exploit the black slaves in an emotional and ethically callous pursuit for

Financial Analysis of Mitsui & CO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Analysis of Mitsui & CO - Essay Example The company seems to be well managed. The profitability assessments are mostly positive, the liquidity position of the company is also steady and the operational efficiency is also relatively good. But the capital structure shows weaknesses. The company needs to reduce its leverage for it to be viable in the longrun. The ratings provided by the above organizations show that the company is well trusted in the market and shows strength. Appendix 1. Return on Investment (ROI) = {Profit before interest and tax (PBIT) / Investment (total assets - current liabilities)} 2007: (2798 / 50,874) x 100; 2006: (2164 / 43270) x 100 2. Gross Profit Ratio = (Gross Profit) / Revenue 2007: (2798 / 41,363) x 100; 2006: (2164 / 29741) x 100 3. Return on Equity (ROE) = {Profit after interest and tax / Equity }x 100 2007: (1347 / 17,884) x 100; 2006: (1066 / 14,341) x 100 4. Earnings per share (given as income per share) 5. Working Capital = Current assets - Current liabilities 2007: (42,998 - 32,290) ; 2006: (40,571 - 30,008) 6. Current Ratio = Current assets : Current liabilities 2007: ((42,998 / 32,290) ; 2006: (40,571 / 30,008) 7. Acid Test (or Quick) Ratio = Quick Assets : Current liabilities (Quick assets = current assets - stocks) 2007: (42,998 - 2155) / 32,290 ; 2006: (40,571 - 2736) / 30,008 8. Total Asset Turnover = Revenue / Total assets (fixed + current) (times) 2007: (41,363 / 83,164) ; 2006: (35,175 / 73,278) 9. Fixed Asset Turnover = Revenue / Fixed Assets (times) 2007: (41,363 / 8365) ; 2006: (35,175 / 6378) 10. Cash Turnover Ratio = Revenue / Average Cash Balances (times) 2007: {41,363 / [(6780 + 5958)/ 2] }; 2006: {35,175 / [(5958 + 7400) / 2]} 11. Gearing ratio = {Total debt capital / (Total debt capital + Equity funds) }x 100 2007: {(5583 + 3151) / [5583 + 3151 + 17,884] ] x 100; 2006: {(4622 + 3019) / [4622 + 3019 + 14,341] } x 100 12. Debt-Equity ratio = (Debt capital / Equity capital ) x 100 2007: {(5583 + 3151) / 17,884 }x 100; 2006: {(4622 + 3019) / 14,341} x 100 13. Debt Ratio = (Total Debt Finance / Total Assets) x100 2007: {(5583 + 3151) / 83,164}x 100; 2006: {(4622 + 3019) / 73,278}x 100 References Annual Report 2007: Mitsui & Co, Ltd. [Online]www.mitsui.co.jp. Annual Report 2006: Mitsui & Co, Ltd. [Online]www.mitsui.co.jp. Annual Report 2005: Mitsui & Co, Ltd. [Online]www.mitsui.co.jp. Annual Report 2004: Mitsui & Co, Ltd. [Online]www.mitsui.co.jp. "Financial Information: Credit Ratings." www.mitsui.co.jp. "Mitsui &