Review of Related Literature of Volcano Tourism in the Philippines Essay Example

Review of Related Literature of Volcano Tourism in the Philippines Essay Review of Related Literature The travel and tourism industry is the world’s largest and most diverse industry . In a report of World Tourism Organization entitled International Tourism, it has pointed out the desire to standardize the definitions in the tourism industry throughout the world. This shows that tourism is an industry at its mature stage. Standardization has been a product of the big growth of demand for this industry. Meanwhile, studies show that there is a present shift of tourism growth in Asia. Asia has experienced a great increase in tourism for the past years. Southeast Asia, in particular has experienced the fasted growth in tourism. Tourism contributes significantly to 11 of the 12 countries that account for 80% of the worlds poor. Seven of these countries are in Asia, namely, Bangladesh, Peoples Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines. In fact, tourism in Asia is in a thriving condition. Since 1990, the Asia-Pacific region has become an increasingly important tourist destination, and it is the fastest-growing region for international tourism worldwide. The Philippines is trying to catch on with the key players of the Southeast Asian tourism, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) study. The double digit gain is attributed to growth of global tourism business; increase travel to the Asia Pacific region; and aggressive and sustained marketing of the Philippines through the WOW Philippines. The United States remained the top tourism source for the Philippines. Japan and Republic of Korea followed The figures are very promising. The Philippines reported that tourism products such as health, sports, nature and adventure, ecotourism, convention and business have been aggressively promoted by the Department of Tourism both in international and local tourism forum. We will write a custom essay sample on Review of Related Literature of Volcano Tourism in the Philippines specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Review of Related Literature of Volcano Tourism in the Philippines specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Review of Related Literature of Volcano Tourism in the Philippines specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In addition, new types of tourism products are continually being developed by the government in coordination with the private sector and local government units not only to attract more tourists but to promote a more quality tourism experience. The simple concept of tourism has transformed into many specializations such as sustainable tourism, peace through tourism†, poverty reduction through tourism and â€Å"nature-based tourism†. Furthermore, it has shifted from being a collective effort of the entire government to it being decentralized. And different studies have now embarked on focusing on these trends. Holistic Approach Holistic approach to developments has been greatly considered. Within this holistic approach are the concepts of ecotourism and sustainable development. This ‘general’ approach has been attributed to the Agenda 21 which was a product of the â€Å"Earth Summit† in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. In the said summit, also known as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the concept of sustainable development – a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs—was introduced. Within the scope of the said summit, are the principles for guiding action on environment and development. Since then, developments have geared towards addressing the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Ever since, these outlook on developments have been considered. Safeguards for environmental protection and cultural sensitivity should be developed and enforced, together with effective land use planning, zoning, and regulation. Most importantly, a sensitive balance between destination marketing and destination preparedness needs to be maintained. Studies have assimilated and promoted such perspectives. In a joint publication of WTO, the World Travel Tourism Council, and the Earth Council entitled: â€Å"Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry† practical steps that governments and private tourism companies can take to implement the goals of the Rio Earth Summit and make the future of the tourism sector and our entire planet more sustainable. For example, in China similar approaches have been taken into consideration as it explores the relationship between development and conservation. In a paper on the mentioned perspective, said that both conservation and development, if working harmoniously together, lead to the best approach.. Eco-tourism One aspect of tourism which has greatly been considered is eco-tourism. As climate change guilt among tourists grows, many tourist attractions are touting their environmental credentials in an effort to cash in on the eco tag. We define nature-based tourism as the segment of the tourism market in which people travel with the primary purpose of visiting a natural destination. If we were to draw an imaginary line through the tourism industry, with one side (the smaller side) representing sustainable tourism and the other side representing non-sustainable tourism, then nature-based tourism and cultural tourism, etc. would span the divide. We equate ecotourism with nature-based tourism that falls on the sustainable side of the line, where impact on the local environment and human communities is low, direct financial benefits accrue to conservation efforts and the local communities, there is respect for local cultures and needs, and the experience builds environmental awareness. As the demand for tourism grows, the notions for eco-tourism sometimes drift away from its original goals. Studies have been conducted on eco-tourism which aims to standardize its goals purposes. For instance, a study has pointed out the simplistic understanding of eco-tourism as the overlap between nature and sustainability. Ecotourism projects must go beyond prevailing notions of the overlap between nature tourism and sustainable tourism(1) to encompass the social dimensions of productive organization and environmental conservation. Ecotourism must do more than create a series of activities to attract visitors, offering them an opportunity to interact with nature in such a way as to make it possible to preserve or enhance the special qualities of the site and its flora and fauna, while allowing local inhabitants and future visitors to continue to enjoy these qualities. They must also establish a durable productive base to allow the local inhabitants and eco-tourist service providers to enjoy a sustainable standard of living while offering these services. These trends have been monitored by organizations such as WTO. A lot of studies have been conducted being able to go into great new heights in understanding and implementing the views on tourism. Studies on the tourism industry have indeed brought more light on the once simple notion of tourism as the act of travelling. Its complexity has brought up studies on specialized areas in different and diverse settings. Volcano Tourism Volcano tourism although have long been an industry, have not been a popular study. This could be attributed to the nature of volcano tourism, which is very specialized. But nevertheless studies about it have been considered. Countries have greatly dealt with specializations of their tourism industries. And volcano tourism has been harnessed by countries that have sufficient resources. El Salvador for instance has mentioned in their National Plan of Tourism 2014 the importance of specializing tourism by identifying the country’s strength. â€Å"It turns out interesting to develop a supply of specialized nature that leans in identifiable and competitive advantages. The United States and European countries constitutes the main markets of reference in the international scope for the nature tourism. .. it requires a strategy of innovation and diversification Within the framework of the thematic tourism of nature he is feasible to differentiate diverse slopes †¦volcano tourism, the scientific tourism, the photographic tourism, agroturismo, ornithological tourism, etc â€Å" Some papers done in China which dwells on such area of interest are: â€Å"Research on Volcanic Tourism Resources and Their Development and Utilization† and â€Å"The Development of Volcano Tourism Resources and Ecological Conservation in Zhanjiang†. Both papers discuss the role of volcano tourism resources on the success of the proposed development of eco-cultural tourism. Through such papers, this specialized form of tourism appends even more variables. Some key variables of volcano tourism are its volcanic resources, volcanic tourism resources, volcanic ecology, and volcanic culture. Thus volcanic tourism in the context of a holistic approach involves a wide spectrum of factors and issues. Furthermore, through these papers, one would have an overview of needs and possibilities of such developments. It is said that volcano tourism is a rare tourism resource. Author Guo Jinjie of Greenpeace China has pointed the value of the landscape features and geological structures volcanoes possess. This implies that developments around the vicinities of volcanoes are site specific as volcanoes takes many forms and natural features. Aside from the features of this natural wonder, the presence of different sectors which interacts with it has been noted as well. Volcanoes shape not only the Earth’s surface but also the course of human history. Eruptions have contributed to the downfall of civilizations, changed the course of wars, and, more frequently, destroyed whole cities killing thousands of inhabitants. On the positive side, volcanoes make fertile lands that are the source of livelihood for numerous people all around the globe. One of the most interesting aspects of visiting a volcano is learning how its eruptions have affected the local people and their culture. Equally fascinating is to find out how the current population views the volcano: feelings run from pride to terror, depending largely on the frequency and character of the predominant eruptions. In itself, volcano tourism is very varied. The Volcanic Hazards Despite of the hazards volcanoes pose to life, studies show how people would prefer to stay within the vicinity of the volcanoes because of the great opportunities and potentials it renders. The USGS has pointed out the following reasons: fertile soils, geothermal energy, mineral resources, industrial products, business opportunities, recreation and tourism. It should be emphasized that the short-term hazards posed by volcanoes are balanced by benefits of volcanism and related processes over geologic time. Thus has led to even more study about its hazard in the view of keeping volcanic areas ‘safer’. Moreover, any development should consider a lot of things other than profit. In an article, it pointed out that the positive thing is we get people outdoors, appreciating the spectacle of nature. The downside is people sometimes get taken to the wrong place at the wrong time. Volcanic hazards are crucial elements to consider in any development around volcanic vicinities. Much has been studied about the hazards of volcanoes around the world. Government organizations like the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) as well as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) have conducted various studies about the natural hazards of volcanoes. The unique relationship between human settlements and volcanoes has been grounds for the researches done. There are many discussions in the geophysics literature of the types and nature of volcanic eruptive behavior. In the social science literature there are discussions of public education strategies for hazards, controlling access to dangerous locations and evacuation systems. Key techniques have been explored with regards with human safety. Three critical social management techniques are commonly described: public education, access controls and evacuation systems. Furthermore, research has been done on areas where the volcanic hazards and tourism converge. In an article, it tried to highlight that tourism industry should be given more attention when it comes with disaster management. Tourism and natural disasters are not commonly associated, but they some-times have geographical congruence. An examination of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens and the 1985 East Kootenay forest fires reveals how tourism factors fit the general model of natural-disaster planning. Evidence suggests that tourism should be given more attention in disaster planning. A study had shown the key role of a multidisciplinary approach in reducing the social impact of volcanic hazards through assisting communities, organizations, and individuals following an eruption and, importantly, during quiescent periods. Meanwhile another paper looks into the capacity of resilience of traditional societies and the concurrent degree of cultural change rely on four factors, namely: the nature of the hazard, the pre-disaster socio-cultural context and capacity of resilience of the community, the geographical setting, and the rehabilitation policy set up by the authorities. These factors significantly vary in time and space, from one disaster to another. Vulnerability of communities to such hazards has also been studied. In one paper, vulnerability is discussed relative to psychological factors namely: sense of community, coping style and self-efficacy) is used to investigate this issue. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Agence France-Presse, Southeast Asian Toursim Industry Going for a Greenerimage, Inquire- Business, July 10 2008. Cezayirli, Gulfer. Fast-Growing Asian Tourism Should Enlist Help of the Urban Poor. Manila, Philippines: ADB, 2003 Chuck Y. Gee, International Tourism: A Global Perspective. ; Chuck Y. Gee, International Tourism: A Global Perspective, (2007) David Barkin, Ecotourism: A Tool for Sustainable Development (Mexico, 1996). Gulfer Cezayirli, Fast-Growing Asian Tourism Should Enlist Help of the Urban Poor (Manila, Philippines: ADB, 2003). Guo Jinjie, The Development of Volcano Tourism Resources and Ecological Conservation in Zhanjiang, Greenpeace China (2005). Integrated Rega Technology Utilization for Eco-Tourism Parks Development Baron Village, Yogyakarta, (National Technical Experts (P. T. Chazaro Gerbang Internasional), 2004). Jinjie; Rosaly Lopes, The Volcano Adventure Guide (U. K. : Cambridge University Press, 2005). Lopes, Rosaly. The Volcano Adventure Guide. U. K. : Cambridge University Press, 2005. Sanjay Kumar Verma, International Association of Tourism Co-Operatives, in Cooperatives and Tourism : An Asian Perspective (Cartagena (Colombia): 2005). Verma, Sanjay Kumar. International Association of Tourism Co-Operatives. In Cooperatives and Tourism : An Asian Perspective. Cartagena (Colombia), 2005.

English Film Review For Cruel Intentions Essays

English Film Review For Cruel Intentions Essays English Film Review For Cruel Intentions Paper English Film Review For Cruel Intentions Paper Essay Topic: Film Sebastian is stuck in every adolescents dream. At an age where his hormones are raging out of control he questions the policy of respecting women and love. Day in, day out women fall at his feet and all he has to do is work his cunning charm to rob them of their purity. Being sent to sleep by the girls he has so leisurely seduced in the past, Sebastian pinpoints the ultimate challenge the pure, beautiful, blue-blooded head masters daughter Annette Hargrove (Witherspoon). Hearing of Sebastians problematical challenge, Kathryn spots a perfect opportunity for a wager. If Sebastian fails to lure Annette into his bed, he will have to part with his beloved, priceless 1956 Jaguar Roadster; on the other hand if he triumphs, he will be rewarded with the most tantalizing accolade of all Kathryn. In a sub-plot Kathryn takes the innocent, beautiful but witless Cecile Coldwell (Blair) under her wing. As Kathryn is the most popular girl at school as well as student body president, Mrs Coldwell believes that her daughter is in safe hands but little does she know that behind Kathryns pretence lies the devil. Kathryn sets out to destroy Cecile in an attempt to get revenge on her ex-partner and asks Sebastian for much needed help. Initially Sebastian struggles to connect with Annette on even the simplest levels leaving the wager in doubt. Out of desperation he uses sinister tactics, and to claim his much-awaited accolade he must primarily seduce Annette. Obsessed with Kathryn, ever since their parents got married he will stop at nothing to have her. He needs her, craves her. Blackmailing another pupil puts him back into the wager, consequently forcing him to help Kathryn in her nefarious plan to annihilate Cecile but for his own sadistic intention to reek havoc on Mrs Coldwell for warning Annette of his reputation. Accompanied by her lesser stepsibling Sebastian, they make an apocalyptic alliance playing a dangerous game of sex and betrayal with Ceciles life. Although cruel, ruthless and cunning Sebastian finds himself falling for the smart, beautiful, clever Annette as he stumbles across powerful emotions and a genuine connection with her. Petrified of losing his reputation as a lathario he calls the wager off and tells Annette everything, much to the dismay and envy of Kathryn. Caught up in jealousy Kathryn decides to put an end to the blossoming romance; if she cant have him no one can, thus the games begin. Whats right with it? Any film featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar as a dangerous, evil, seductive sex icon is a step in the right direction. Her electric performance as the domineering, vindictive villain is convincing although the coyly raised eyebrow and whimsical sarcasm become slightly predictable and repetitive as the film develops. Yet overall Gellar sinks her fangs into the Kathryn Merteuil role well and rises to the challenge with a snipers rifle for a tongue. Shockingly provocative and in complete contrast to the American girl next door she plays in her present teen drama Buffy, Gellar will give audiences worldwide a shock. Returning once again to British screens, Reese Witherspoon gives another convincing performance as our all-round favourite American Sweetheart. Witherspoon oozes with charm and warmth, convincing the audience of Annettes innocence. Playing the victim-in-love roles come naturally to Witherspoon making her performance seem believable and confident. On the other hand this is casting at its safest; Witherspoon does what she can with a frankly limited script. On top form though was relative newcomer ultra-slick Ryan Phillippe. Phillippe is even more treacherous than he is attractive, creating an edgy tension as soon as he appears on screen. As the film progresses you start to sympathise with his character despite the fact that at times his crudity is more than vulgar, his intensity makes him memorising to watch. Sparks fly between Witherspoon and Phillippe as they generate great chemistry creating a genuinely interesting relationship on-screen. Adapted from the 1982 novel Les Liaisons Dangereuse by Choderlos de Laclos Cruel Intentions is not the first successful adaptation to come out the Hollywood archives. Over 30s may remember the young Uma Thurman playing virginal Cecile in the 1990s film alongside Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer. Cruel Intentions lacks the darkness of the original film, Dangerous Liaisons, but targets a younger audience. Rather than using middle-aged aristocrats Roger Kumble uses fresh, young teenag ers to express the effects of tearing each other apart and finding love. Kumbles stylish direction depicts the twisted lives of the rich stepsiblings, skilfully presenting the cruel and heartless ways they manipulate their targets and deceive others around them. Cruel Intentions is the sort of intelligent filmmaking that hasnt been seen for a long time. Roger Kumble realises that the plot alone is strong enough allowing Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe to achieve their best work to date. It would have been easier to turn the material into a period drama rather than a film but fortunately Kumble doesnt opt for the easy approach and we get a compelling and emotionally exhausting war of the sexes that rarely flags as it races for the inevitable tragic conclusion. Whats Wrong With It? I dont want to overstate how good Cruel Intentions is, but as an adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons it stands out from the rest showing the characters in a more sensitive light. Lacking the much-loved black comedy there are few laughing opportunities throughout the second half of the film. Also, we never get to meet the stepsiblings parents but we do know that Sebastians father is diddling the Vietnamese maid.

U.S. Penitentiary Administrative Maximumâ€ADX Supermax

U.S. Penitentiary Administrative Maximum- ADX Supermax US Penitentiary Administrative Maximum, also known as ADX Florence, the Alcatraz of the Rockies, and Supermax, is a modern super-maximum security federal prison located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Florence, Colorado. Opened in 1994, the ADX Supermax facility was designed to incarcerate and isolate criminals deemed as being  too dangerous for the average prison system. The all-male prison population at ADX Supermax includes inmates who experienced chronic disciplinary problems while at other prisons, those who have killed other prisoners and prison guards, gang leaders, high-profile criminals, and organized crime mobsters. It also houses criminals who could pose a threat to national security including Al-Qaeda and U.S. terrorist and spies. The harsh conditions at ADX Supermax have earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as being one of the most secure prisons in the world. From the prison design to the daily operations, ADX Supermax strives for complete control over all prisoners at all times. Modern, sophisticated security and monitoring systems are located inside and along the outside perimeter of the prison grounds. The monolithic design of the facility makes it difficult for those unfamiliar with the facility to navigate inside the structure. Massive guard towers, security cameras, attack dogs, laser technology, remote-controlled door systems, and pressure pads exist inside a 12-foot high razor fence that surrounds the prison grounds. Outside visitors to ADX Supermax are, for the most part, unwelcome. Prison Units When inmates arrive at ADX, they are placed in one of six units depending on their criminal history. Operations, privileges, and procedures vary depending on the unit. The inmate population is housed at ADX in nine different maximum-security housing units, which are divided into six security levels listed from the most secure and restrictive to the least restrictive. The Control UnitThe Special Housing Unit (SHU)Range 13, an ultra-secure and isolated four-cell wing of the SHU.Special Security Unit (H Unit) for terroristGeneral Population Units (Delta, Echo, Fox, and Golf Units)Intermediate Unit/Transitional Units (Joker Unit and Kilo Unit) which houses prisoners entered into the Step-Down Program which they can earn their way out of ADX. To be moved into the less restrictive units, inmates must maintain clear conduct for a specific time, participate in recommended programs and demonstrate a positive institutional adjustment. Inmate Cells Depending on which unit they are in, prisoners spend at least 20, and as many as 24-hours per day locked alone in their cells. The cells measure seven by 12 feet and have solid walls that prevent prisoners from viewing the interiors of adjacent cells or having direct contact with prisoners in adjacent cells. All ADX cells have solid steel doors with a small slot. Cells in all units (other than H, Joker, and Kilo units) also have an interior barred wall with a sliding door, which together with the exterior door forms a sally port in each cell. Each cell is furnished with a modular concrete bed, desk, and stool, and a stainless steel combination sink and toilet. Cells in all units include a shower with an automatic shut-off valve. The beds have a thin mattress and blankets over the concrete. Each cell contains a single window, approximately 42 inches tall and four inches wide, which allows in some natural light, but which is designed to ensure that prisoners cannot see anything outside of their cells other than the building and sky. Many cells, except those in the SHU, are equipped with a radio and television that offers religious and educational programming, along with some general interest and recreational programming. Inmates wishing to take advantage of the educational program at ADX Supermax do so by tuning into specific learning channels on the television in their cell. There are no group classes. Televisions often are withheld from prisoners as punishment. Meals are delivered three times a day by guards. With few exceptions, prisoners in most ADX Supermax units are allowed out of their cells only for limited social or legal visits, some forms of medical treatment, visits to the law library and a few hours a week of indoor or outdoor recreation. With the possible exception of Range 13, the Control Unit is the most secure and isolated unit currently in use at ADX. Prisoners in the Control Unit are isolated from the other prisoners at all times, even during recreation, for extended terms often lasting six years or more. Their only meaningful contact with other humans is with ADX staff members. The compliance of Control Unit prisoners with institutional rules is assessed monthly. A prisoner is given credit for serving a month of his Control Unit time only if he maintains clear conduct for the entire month. Inmate Life For at least the first three years, ADX inmates remain isolated inside their cells on an average of 23 hours a day, including during meals. Inmates in the more secure cells have remote-controlled doors that lead to walkways, called dog runs, which open into a private recreation pen. The pen referred to as the empty swimming pool, is a concrete area with skylights, which inmates go to alone. There they can take about 10 steps in either direction or walk around thirty feet in a circle. Because of the inability for prisoners to see prison grounds from inside their cells or the recreation pen, it is nearly impossible for them to know where their cell is located inside the facility. The prison was designed this way to deter prison breakouts. Special Administrative Measures Many of the inmates are under Special Administrative Measures (SAM) to prevent the dissemination either of classified information that could endanger the national security or of other information that could lead to acts of violence and terrorism. Prison officials monitor and censor all inmate activity including all mail that is received, books, magazines and newspapers, phone calls and face-to-face visits. Phone calls are limited to one monitored 15-minute phone call per month. If prisoners adapt to the rules of ADX, they are permitted to have more exercise time, additional phone privileges and more television programming. The opposite is true if prisoners fail to adapt. Inmate Disputes In 2006, Olympic Park Bomber, Eric Rudolph contacted the Gazette of Colorado Springs through a series of letters describing the conditions at ADX Supermax as one meant to, inflict misery and pain. It is a closed-off world designed to isolate inmates from social and environmental stimuli, with the ultimate purpose of causing mental illness and chronic physical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis, he wrote in one letter. Hunger Strikes Throughout the prisons history, inmates have gone on hunger strikes to protest the harsh treatment that they receive. This is particularly true of foreign terrorists; by 2007, over 900 incidents of force-feeding of the striking prisoners had been documented. Suicide In May 2012, the family of Jose Martin Vega filed a lawsuit against the United States District Court for the District of Colorado alleging that Vega committed suicide while incarcerated at ADX Supermax because he was deprived of treatment for his mental illness. On June 18, 2012, a class-action lawsuit, Bacote v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, was filed alleging that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) was mistreating mentally ill prisoners at ADX Supermax. Eleven prisoners filed the case on behalf of all mentally ill prisoners at the facility. In December 2012, Michael Bacote asked to withdraw from the case. As a result, the first-named plaintiff is now Harold Cunningham, and the case name is now Cunningham v. Federal Bureau of Prisons. The complaint alleges that despite the BOPs own written policies, excluding the mentally ill from ADX Supermax because of its severe conditions, the BOP frequently assigns prisoners with mental illness there because of a deficient evaluation and screening process. Then, according to the complaint, mentally ill prisoners housed at ADX Supermax are denied constitutionally adequate treatment and services. According to the complaint Some prisoners mutilate their bodies with razors, shards of glass, sharpened chicken bones, writing utensils and whatever other objects they can obtain. Others swallow razor blades, nail clippers, broken glass, and other dangerous objects. Many engage in fits of screaming and ranting for hours on end. Others carry on delusional conversations with the voices they hear in their heads, oblivious to reality and the danger that such behavior might pose to them and to anyone who interacts with them. Still, others spread feces and other waste throughout their cells, throw it at the correctional staff and otherwise create health hazards at ADX. Suicide attempts are common; many have been successful. Escape artist Richard Lee McNair wrote to a journalist from his cell in 2009 to say: Thank God for prisons [...] There are some very sick people in here... Animals you would never want living near your family or the public in general. I dont know how corrections staff deal with it. They get spit on, s*** on, abused and I have seen them risk their lives and save a prisoner many times. The BOP to Access of Its Solitary Confinement Practices In February 2013 the Federal Bureau of Prisons  (BOP) agreed to a comprehensive and independent assessment of its use of solitary confinement in the nation’s federal prisons. The first-ever review of federal segregation policies comes after a hearing in 2012 on the human rights, fiscal and public safety consequences of solitary confinement. The assessment will be conducted by the National Institute of Corrections.

Civic engagement experiences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Civic engagement experiences - Essay Example Some challenges of public concern can only be addressed when people volunteer to serve the community (Sherrod, Purta and Flanagan 368). After finishing my secondary education, I joined a community group of twenty youths and was appointed the chairman. The agenda for the group was to make an effort of solving some of the challenges faced by members of the community. The community was ignorant about HIV/AIDS and the overall hygiene level was below average. As a group we volunteered to organize seminars to educate fellow youths and parents on the causes, effects had how to prevent HIV/ AIDS. We rallied the members of the community to donate funds for supporting the infected persons and the orphaned children.   The donated funds helped the orphans to continue with studies and the infected to afford better. Through this campaign, many people learnt the dangers of the diseases. The community acknowledged that AIDS has no cure and it prevention is abstaining from immorality and being fait hful in marriage. As a result, the spread for the disease declined.As a team, we volunteered to sensitize the community on the importance of maintaining proper hygiene. We donated laundry products and clothes to the poor members of the community. We conducted general cleaning in the neighboring towns regularly. Our campaign on proper hygiene, helped to reduce the number of ailments caused by dirty environment such as malaria and typhoid.   Ã‚  According to Sherrod, Purta and Flanagan (221), Civic engagement has a lot of benefits to the public.

Amazon.com Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Amazon.com - Research Paper Example Success factors determine the success of both current and future operating activities within an organization. There are different success factors that define the success of an organization. The key industry success factors depend on the nature of the organization and they vary from one organization to another (Rockart 81-93). For instance, market share is one factor that determines the success if an organization. Depending on the market share, some companies will have a competitive advantage over the rest. For example, Amazon, the biggest online retail shop that also deals with other products such as electronic commerce is the world leader in selling various products online. With a market share of 29 percent, Amazon has a competitive advantage as compared to other competitors such as eBay, eMusic, Bol and many more. Another key industry success factor is customers. Organizations that have mastered the art of meeting the demands of the customers are successful and they understand mark et segments well (Daniel 111-121). Competition is also another industry success factor. Here, just like the competitors, Amazon strategizes on how to dominate the market by beating their competitors. For example, with retails shops all around the world, Amazon controls over 30 percent of the world’s consumer electronics and other online retail products due to its burly distributive and networking power. Lastly, the corporation itself is a key industry success factor. Amazon has huge resources and thereore; this makes it more competitive in the market. Additionally, the burly innovativeness experienced in Amazon is vital to its market dominance and has made it to have a competitive advantage over its rivals (Boynlon and Zmud 17-27). Company distinctive competences and competitive advantages Organizations, for example Amazon, which enjoys massive sustained profits within an industry, always have a competitive advantage over competitors. However, it is paramount to note that in order to have a prolonged competitive advantage, business strategy is vital. There are two forms of competitive advantage: cost advantage and differentiation advantage. The company’s distinctive competencies exhibit when the company is able to generate the same revenue as those of the rivals but at lower operating costs—cost advantage. On the other hand, a company that acquires more benefits than those of other rival companies experiences competitive distinctive competencies—differentiation advantage. Thus, competitive distinctive competencies are useful to the company since they help it to fashion better-quality value first for itself, and secondly, the buyers. It is competitive advantage based on cost and differentiation that defines the company’s success history and business success strategies. Through resources and capabilities, big firms such as Amazon have had a competitive advantage over their rivals in the consumer electronics market and sporting products, which has led to advanced value creation (Porter 3-24). In order to create a company’s distinctive competences, there are two things to consider: resources and capabilities. A company with superior resources and capabilities is already having an edge over its competitors. For example, with market share of 29 percent, Amazon already has a competitive adv

Adelphia Scandal Essay Example for Free

Adelphia Scandal Essay Adelphia was founded in 1952 by John Rigas and his brother Gus Rigas in Coudersport, Pennsylvania with the purchase of their first cable franchise for $300. After 20 years, the Rigas brothers incorporated their company under the name Adelphia which derived its name from a Greek word which means brothers, an apt corporate title for a business that would employ generations of the Rigas family. Adelphia was a cable television company and built its success on a strong commitment to customer care; and because of this commitment, a glorious growth spree would follow. By 1998, Adelphia passed the two million-customer milestone and served approximately 5.6 million cable television customers nationwide. The company made significant strides in product development and the implementation of fiber optic technology and expanded their home and business offerings to include digital cable, local and long distance telephone services, messaging, enhanced data, high-speed Internet and video services . John Rigas managed Adelphia from its corporate headquarters in Coudersport, PA. His brother Gus sold his interest in Adelphia in 1983. And after some time, Johns sons Michael, Timothy and James, serve as executive vice presidents, directors and principal stockholders. John built Adelphia on a strong commitment to family, community, quality service and customer care which became the core values and culture of the company. The Evolution of Adelphia In August of 1986, Adelphia Communications went public. Its first three years were focused on generating revenue by increasing its customer base through mergers and acquisitions. Although the companys profitability had suffered as a result of the ambitious expansion, its revenue-generating capabilities had not. From the $30 million generated in sales during its first year, annual sales shot up to $131 million in 1988. Adelphia continued to make its presence known by making several important acquisitions of other cable systems such as the Suburban Buffalo System from Comax Telcom Corp., the South Dade System from Americable Associates, Ltd., New Castle System from Cablentertainment, Inc., and Jones Intercable which was the third largest cable system operator in New York during that time. Moreover, Adelphia entered into a partnership with unaffiliated parties to form Olympus Communications in southeast Florida which became a powerful money-making business as it served roughly 250,000 subscribers in West Palm Beach area. Adelphia was performing admirably and continued to expand by making other acquisitions and consolidation maneuvers through 1999 and 2000, bringing its subscriber base up to an impressive 5.5 million. Though the company was heavily indebted after the succession of major purchases of other cable companies, equipment, and infrastructures, analysts were looking favorably on Adelphia as late as January 2002, noting that the company was well positioned for acquisition or merger with another major cable company. The Discovery of the Fraud Oren Cohen, a high-yield-bond analyst for Merrill Lynch had followed Adelphia for a decade and thought there was something about the familys spending that didnt add up. Hed noticed that the Rigases were buying their own stock aggressively, but he couldnt figure out how they were paying for it. They didnt appear to have the cash themselves. John Rigas made $1.4 million in 2000. Michael, Tim, and James each took home $237,000. The Rigases didnt have any sources of income outside Adelphia. They never sold their stock, and it didnt pay a dividend. Cohen was pretty sure their private cable systems werent throwing off cash. But every time Cohen tried to get an explanation, Adelphia rebuffed him. On March 27, 2002, however, Adelphia officials disclosed $2.3 billion in previously unrecorded debt incurred through co-borrowings between Adelphia and other Rigas family entities under the umbrella of the familys private trust, Highland Holdings. Under these loan agreements, the Rigas entities were responsible for repaying the debt, but if they were unable to do so, Adelphia would be liable. Cohen was astounded to see the footnote disclosure and pressed Tim Rigas for details at the end of a conference call that day. Things in Coudersport quickly spun out of control as shareholders asked for clarity and transparency. The revelations and the investigation that followed sent the company spiraling deeper and deeper into a scandal that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) eventually called, one of the most extensive financial frauds ever to take place at a public company . The stock continued to fall and on May 15, 2002 John Rigas resigned as chairman and CEO.

family culture Essay -- essays research, family values

Often times when we hear the word culture, we think of the differences of different countries. That statement may be true; however, there are different cultures within the same country, even within the same city. No matter what culture we call our own, there are distinct differences between that of other cultures around us. One of the major differences occurs in the realm of family; family affection to be more specific. When talking about family affection, we should consider many different aspects. It was my task and privilege to explore these aspects. I consider myself having a strong American culture. My family has been here for many years and has adopted the â€Å"American Way†. After being born and raised in Wisconsin, I now spend my summers in Hawaii with my relatives. Despite my being away from my family for the summers, my family and I are very close to all of our relatives, and family affection is a daily occurrence. I recently interviewed Teresa Tran, a student at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Teresa was born and raised in Minnesota â€Å"after [her] parents emigrated from Vietnam. When [her] parents came to the United States, they brought with them their Vietnamese culture. [She] grew up in a culture mixed with mainly Vietnamese and some American from [her] surroundings.† Even though we have different cultures, we have both differences and similarities in our family affection. The first aspect that I explored was by which medians affection is portrayed in the family. When looking at my own culture, my family and I show affection verbally, through gestures and through voice tones. For example, every night before I go to bed, I give both of my parents hugs, and occasionally kisses, and I always tell them that I love them. As far as tonal affection goes, by not raising our voices at one another we are showing affection in a small way. We still fight, but instead of yelling, we choose words carefully and try to show our point of view without putting down the other person. One last way that we show affection is simply by remembering important dates, like mothers’ day, fathers’ day, birthdays, and anniversaries. Teresa’s Culture differs very much from my own when comparing family affection. The differences come in all of the medians in which to show affection. â€Å"Affection towards my family members is rare,† says Teresa, which is t he biggest differ... ...through hugs and kisses and so on. I think as long as you know that you care about each other, it is enough. So I guess my family ‘affection’ does not fit in to society’s view of what affection should be.† Family affection is a big difference throughout cultures. The many aspects of affection, how it is shown, how people react, public versus private, face value, family versus friends, and family versus society, account for the many differences that are present. No matter what the differences are, I believe that each family member knows that they care about each other and are cared for themselves. I believe that my relationship with my family is excellent. I love them all very much and I let them know it time and time again. However, people do not have to be a part of my culture to feel as I do. Take Teresa for example. Our cultures are very different, but in the end, it comes down to how you feel about your family and how your family feels about you. As for Teresa, â€Å"My relationship with my family is very good. We have our own privacy yet know that we have each other. We make each other laugh, scream, sometimes swear, and even throw tantrums. However, in the end, we are happy.â₠¬ 

A Financial Analysis of Next

A Financial Analysis of NEXT By Tingyu WANG AC2407 Shakil Iqbal Patel Tuesday, 1st November, 2011 CONTENTS 1. Introduction3 2. Roles of Accounting and Finance3 3. Financial Analysis4 3. 1. Discussion of NEXT4 3. 2. Finance of NEXT5 3. 3. Ratio Analysis6 3. 4. Application of roles to NEXT9 4. Conclusion10 5. References10 6. Appendices11 1. Introduction ‘Accounting is the process of recording, classifying, and reporting and interpreting the financial data. ’ (Johal et al, 2010:2). Accounting provides a key source of information about a business to those who need it, such as managers or owners.The framework makes cash and profit can be monitored, planned and controlled. It is essential to the running of any business or organization. (Jones, 2006:3). ‘Finance exists to help users to make better decisions and is concerned with the financing and investing activities of the business. ’ (Eddie et al, 2005:21). This essay will discuss the roles of accounting and fina nce within an organization and include a financial analysis of NEXT, which through the following structure: the next section identifies the roles of accounting and finance to NEXT.Section three makes some financial analysis, including the discussion of NEXT, evaluation of its finance, and ratio analysis. The fourth section is to examine the application of roles to NEXT. The final section is to make conclusion. 2. Roles of Accounting and Finance There are three main roles of accounting and finance within an organization. * Financial Accounting: Deals with the mechanistic bookkeeping progress and the preparation and interpretation of the financial accounts. For companies, it also includes the preparation of the annual report.It concludes measuring and reporting financial position, financial performance and anlaysing and interpreting financial statements. (Jones, 2006:13). * Financial Management: It is about managing the sources of finance of an organization which involves ‘manag ing the working capital (that is, short-term assets and liabilities) of a company or finding the cheapest form of borrowing. ’ (Jones, 2006:14) * Management Accounting: Covers the internal accounting of an organization. It consists of costing, budgeting, standard costing, short-term decision making, strategic management accounting, capital investment appraisal and discounted cash flow. IBID). 3. Financial Analysis 4. 1. Discussion of NEXT NEXT plc is a UK based retailer offering exciting, beautifully designed, excellent quality fashion and accessories for men, women and children together with home products. The company was founded by Joseph Hepworth in Leeds in 1864. The first NEXT shop opened on 12 February 1982. In 1986, Davies moved the headquarters from Leeds to Leicester, to be closer to the main garment manufacturers. In autumn 2009, NEXT plc launched an online catalogue for the United States offering clothing, shoes and accessories.It distributes through three main cha nnels: Next Retail, a chain of more than 500 stores in the UK and Eire; NEXT Directory, a home shopping catalogue and website with nearly 3 million active customers; and NEXT International, with more than 180 stores around the world. NEXT also has a growing website capability in more than 30 countries worldwide. (Next Corporate, 2011). In UK, there are three analogous brand companies like Top shop, Monsoon, and Aquascutum. They all operate as similar home products as NEXT, like clothing, footwear, and accessories for men, women and children and have online services and various strategies.It is obvious to increase competition to NEXT. While for NEXT, they use their influence to promote good practice and raise awareness, believe working together in partnership is the best way they can make a positive difference. Using approach to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy use, minimize waste produced and increase the quality recycled, increase the efficiency of their delivery fleet h elp NEXT to increase revenues, profits, earnings per share and dividends per share from 2010 to 2011. It is believed that NEXT will have a brighter future. (IBID).According to the report in Financial Times (2011), FTSE 100 drops to fortnight-low, while NEXT was up 2. 9 percent to ? 26. 14, which plans to launch a fixed-odds sports book next year could boost group profit by 50 percent. The fact claims that NEXT have a specific operating strategy make brilliant finance performance. 4. 2. Finance of NEXT The sources of finance of NEXT were used include following: * Use of funds: According to NEXT report (2010), the company use funds for registered charities, groups or organizations and purchased a further ? 1. 4million shares at a cost of ? 28million. * Internal Sources of Finance: 1) Short-term: ? Delay payment to creditors: For NEXT, the business has more trade payables in 2011 than 2010, it delays payment to creditors can keep cash longer. ‘Suppliers are in effect offering a b usiness an interest-free loan, the period of the ‘loan’ is extended and funds can be retained within the business. ’ (Peter et al, 2008:395). ?Tighter credit control: ‘All customers who wish to trade on credit terms are subject to credit verification procedures. ’ (NEXT plc, report of 2010:79). It is possible for the business to reduce the proportion of assets held in this form and so release funds for other purposes. 2) Long-term: Retained profit: From 2009 to 2011, the profit earnings have been increasing from ? 1523. 2, ? 1615. 2, to ? 1782. 6. (NEXT, 2010: 46) The profits are retained within the business rather than being distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends, the funds of business are increased. * External Sources of Finance: (1) Long-term: ? Ordinary shares: For NEXT, the ordinary shares were changed several time at different time because of the high risks associated with this form of investment, the ordinary shareholders also re quired a comparatively high rate of return. Loans: The unsecured bank loans in 2010 is ? 75million and ? 115million in 2011. Their interest rate are ? 22. 7million and ? 24. 3million. (NEXT, 2010:47). ‘The company’s medium term borrowing facilities may be subject to early repayment if a majority of lending banks gave written to notice to the company within 30 days of the change of control. In addition, there are some security social costs. ’ (NEXT, 2010:24). This means interest will be paid only on amounts drawn and so the business will not have to pay interest on amounts borrowed that are temporarily surplus to requirements.Term loans tend to be cheap to set up and can be quite flexible as to conditions. Besides, corporate bonds are a type of long-term loans. In 2010, it is ? 520. 9million and ? 471. 2million in 2011. The decreased gearing ratio states the company has the lower risk to pay the interests on its loans. (Peter et al, 2008:399) (2) Short-term: ? Ban k overdrafts: The bank overdrafts in 2010 is ? 4. 7million and ? 10. 2 million in 2011. It represents a very flexible form of borrows and easy to arrange as the size of bank overdraft can be increased or decreased. Debt factoring: Take over NEXT’s debt collection agencies. ‘It can result in savings in credit management and create more certainty with the cash flows. It can also release the time of key personnel for more profitable activities. ’(IBID:425) 4. 3. Ratio Analysis Profitability | Year 2011| Year 2010| Gross Profit Margin| 29. 21%| 29. 26%| Net Profit Margin| 16. 67%| 15. 58%| Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)| 60. 01%| 56. 72%| Asset Turnover| 3. 60| 3. 64| The gross profit margin was decreased 0. 05% from 2010 to 2011. The lower the gross profit margin, the worse for the company.The decline in this ratio is because of the change in the cost of goods sold, the stock sell more expensive; this year more inventory wastage and fewer products selling than la st year. The net profit margin increased 1. 09% due to the expenses being controlled very well. The business can make more profit, means the bigger, the better. The ROCE ratio increased 3. 29%, which comes from the returns from the bank. It measures high efficiency the assets are used to generate profit, the bigger ratio, the better return. The asset turnover decreased 0. 04. This result is affected by the increased ROCE.The smaller, the worse for the company. Efficiency | Year 2011| Year 2010| Inventories Turnover| 55. 0 days| 46. 8 days| Trade Receivables Turnover| 56. 4 days| 55. 7 days| Trade Payables Turnover| 29. 2 days| 26. 5 days| The inventories turnover increased 8. 2 days. The more frequently stock is turned over the better. The reason of the improvement is the more inventories and lower cost of sales in 2011 than 2010. The trade receivables turnover has a slight increase as at 0. 7 days. It means more cash was tied up in trade receivables for each ? 1 of sales revenue in 2011 than in 2010.Therefore, it is bad for the company. It may because of incurring lower expenses, such as discounts allowed to customers who pay quickly in 2010. The trade payable turnover increased 2. 7 days, in the average length of time that elapsed between buying inventories and services and paying for them. This result depends on the length of credit period agreed with trade creditors. It is beneficial because the business is using free finance provided by suppliers. Liquidity | Year 2011| Year 2010| Current Ratio| 1. 28:1| 1. 37:1| Quick Assets Ratio| 0. 84:1| 0. 97:1| The two current ratios are between 1 and 2. A range from 1 to 2 is considered optimum. ’ (Patel, 2010:11). It decreased 0. 09 because of the type of the business of NEXT, the higher the ratio, the more liquid the business is considered to be, the decline is good for the company. The quick assets ratio decreased 0. 13 due to stocks removed from the numerator. ‘The optimum range is usually consider ed to be in the range 0. 75-1. 00. ’ (Patel, 2010:12). It is obvious to see that the ‘liquid’ current assets do not quite cover the current liabilities, so the business may be experiencing some liquidity problems.With the decline of the quick assets ratio, it is beneficial for the company. Capital Structure | Year 2011| Year 2010| Gearing| 49. 1%| 55. 7%| Interest Cover| 23. 7 times| 21. 0 times| ‘Broadly, the gearing range 30% – 60% is considered OK. ’ (Patel, 2010:2). The gearing decreased 6. 6%, because it has borrowed more in 2010 than 2011. ‘The higher the gearing, the higher the risk that the business will be unable to pay the interest on its loans or make repayments in times of economic recession. ’ (Jill et al, 2007:197) So, this is good for the company. The interest cover increased 2. times, because the decreasing long-term debts. ‘Generally, a figure over 2 is needed to be on the safe side. ’ (Patel, 2010:4) . It is positive for the company, the higher the level of operating profit coverage, the smaller the risk to the shareholders. Investor | Year 2011| Year 2010| Earnings per share (EPS)| 221. 9p| 188. 5p| Dividend Cover| 3. 1 times| 3. 4 times| Return on Equity (ROE)| 2. 7| 1. 7| The latest price earnings ratio (PE) is = 11. 44 (Financial Times @ 24/10/2011) The latest dividend yield is = 3. 32% (Financial Times @ 24/10/2011) The EPS increased 33. p because of particular business over time. The bigger, the better for the company. The dividend cover decreased 0. 3 times because of the proportion of earnings have been paid out as dividend is changed. ‘The more usual situation of a high value, greater than 1, shows only a proportion of the profits being paid out as dividend. The higher the figure the more profits have been retained in the business. ’ (Patel, 2010:7). The ROE was increased 1. 0. It is a very big improvement, because the company put much profit on equity hold ers than shareholders’ equity.For the company, the bigger, the better. 4. 4. Application of roles to NEXT Based on the annual report and accounts of NEXT in January 2011, it is one part of financial accounting. The financial statements such as Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement show evidence of financial accounting, because all of the finance information and financial ratios can help assessing the financial health of NEXT, and examine various aspects of financial position and performance. They are helpful to plan and control operating purposes for NEXT.By considering the main sources of finance of NEXT to examine various aspects of the capital markets and identifying the factors that must be taken into account when managing the working capital of NEXT, the business can make financing decisions on investment and new objectives and so on. These evidences can be the role of financial management. Because of the management accounting consists of costing, budge ting, standard costing, short-term decision making, strategic management accounting, capital investment appraisal and discounted cash flow. There is no evidence in this case, therefore, For NEXT, it has no management accounting. . Conclusion In order to make a financial analysis of NEXT plc, the essay was first to identify the three main roles of accounting and finance to an organization, they are financial accounting, financial management and management accounting. After that, it discussed some issues of NEXT, such as the history, size, future, economic climate and topical information and so on. Based on the NEXT annual report and accounts in January 2011, to understand how the company is financed, the report was listed some sources of finance which NEXT used, added the changes and the reasons as well.Following was the ratio analysis for NEXT, including profitability, efficiency, liquidity, capital structure and investment ratios. Through the results, it was clear to see the trend and effects on NEXT. Finally, by examining the annual report and accounts, it has applied the roles of accounting and finance to NEXT. In this case, NEXT plc applied the financial accounting and financial management. To sum up, financial analysis is the important basis for evaluating financial position and operating performance. It also realizes financial goals and the important steps to implement correct investment decisions. . References 1. Johal et al, (2010) in Patel, S. ,(2011), What is Accounting, University of Central Lancashire. 2. Jones, M. (2006), Accounting, John Wiley, Chichester. 3. Eddie McLaney, Peter Antrill (2005) Accounting: An Introduction, FT Prentice Hall. 4. Peter Atrill, Eddie McLaney, (2008), Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists, FT Prentice Hall. 5. Jill Collis and Roger Hussey, (2007), Business Accounting, Palgrave Macmillan 6. Patel, S. , (2010), A Ratio Analysis Worksheet (Part 1and 2), University of Central Lancashire. 7.Financial Times, (2011), FT SE 100 Drops to Fortnight-low, p4, 20 October 2011. 8. Financial Times, (2011), Companies & Markets: Retailers: NEXT plc, 24th October 2011. 9. NEXT plc, (2010), Annual Report and Accounts. 10. Next Corporate, (2011), About Next. Available at: http://www. nextplc. co. uk/about-next. aspx. Accessed: 25th October 2011 6. Appendices 1) Profitability Ratios: Gross Profit Margin = Gross ProfitSales * 100% FY 2010: Gross Profit Margin = 996. 93406. 5 * 100% = 29. 26% 2011: Gross Profit Margin = 1008. 73453. 7 * 100% = 29. 21%Net Profit Margin = Profit before Taxation and InterestSales *100% FY 2010: Net Profit Margin = 505. 3+25. 33406. 5 * 100% = 15. 58% 2011: Net Profit Margin = 551. 4+24. 33453. 7 * 100% = 16. 67% Return on Capital Employed = Profit before Taxation and InterestTotal Assets less Current Liabilities * 100% FY 2010: ROCE = 505. 3+25. 31693. 5-758. 1 * 100% = 56. 72% 2011: ROCE = 551. 4+24. 31792. 3-832. 9 * 100% = 60. 01% Asset Turnover = SalesTotal Assest less Current Li abilities FY 2010: Asset Turnover = 3406. 51693. 5-758. 1 = 3. 64 2011: Asset Turnover = 3453. 71792. 3-832. = 3. 60 2) Efficiency Ratios: Inventories Turnover = InventoriesCost of Sales * 365 FY 2010: Inventories Turnover = 309. 02409. 6 * 365 = 46. 8 days 2011: Inventories Turnover = 368. 32445. 0 * 365 = 55. 0 days Trade Receivables Turnover = Trade ReceivableSales * 365 FY 2010: Trade Receivables Turnover = 520. 23406. 5 * 365 = 55. 7 days 2011: Trade Receivables Turnover = 533. 33453. 7 * 365 = 56. 4 days Trade Payables Turnover = Trade PayablesCost of Sales * 365 FY 2010: Trade Payables Turnover = 175. 02409. 6 * 365 = 26. 5 days 2011: Trade Payables Turnover = 195. 52445. * 365 = 29. 2 days 3) Liquidity Ratios: Current Ratio = Current AssetsCurrent Liabilities FY 2010: Current Ratio = 1041. 2758. 1 = 1. 37:1 2011: Current Ratio = 1067. 3832. 9 = 1. 28:1 Quick Assets Ratio = Current Assets-InventoriesCurrent Liabilities FY 2010: Quick Assets Ratio = 1041. 2-309. 0758. 1 = 0. 9 7:1 2011: Quick Assets Ratio = 1067. 3-368. 3832. 9 = 0. 84:1 4) Capital Structure: Gearing = Long-termnon-currentloansTotal Assets less Current Liabilities * 100% FY 2010: Gearing = 520. 91693. 5-758. 1 * 100% = 55. 7% 2011: Gearing = 471. 21792. 3-832. 9 * 100% = 49. % Interest Cover = Profit before Taxation and InterestInterest Payable FY 2010: Interest Cover = 505. 3 +25. 325. 3 = 21. 0 times 2011: Interest Cover = 551. 4+24. 324. 3 = 23. 7 times 5) Investment Ratios: Dividend Cover = Profit on ordinary activities after taxationOrdinary equitydividends FY 2010: Dividend Cover = 364. 1108. 5 = 3. 4 times 2011: Dividend Cover = 401. 1129. 6 = 3. 1 times Return on Equity (ROE) = Profit on ordinary activities after taxationEquity Shareholders'Funds * 100% FY 2010: ROE = 364. 1133. 6 * 100% = 2. 7 2011: ROE = 401. 1232. 3 * 100% = 1. 7

Levi’s Strauss: a case study from an organizational plan point of view Essay

Levis is undoubtedly one of the most recognizes brand of jeans on the planet. The business found by the Strauss family in 1875, initially manufactured jeans for miners out of tent fabric and canvas. However they later shifted to manufacturing jeans from denim which gained popularity amongst miners during the California gold rush. Strategic elements of an organisational plan The process of developing strategic elements of an organisational plan involves three broad categories. Analysing: Levi’s Strauss analysed its visions, mission objectives and external environments. This meant evaluation of the current market share and its segmentation, product range of competitors and what the company may want to do about it. Decision: From the findings of the analysis, the company had to decide on two main factors. What industries to try and expand into and how to be competitive in those industries. As such Levi commissioned market research agencies to carry out survey and research on the habits and attitudes of its customer base. This was all done with the idea of moving into the higher price clothing market since up until now Levi has mostly produced casual wear of the low price category. After such quantitative surveys the target market was selected. This target market comprised of Independent consumers with expensive tastes looking for classic designs which are not massed produced and rely on individual styling and fitting. It was then decided by Levi to carry out analysis of its target market in order to study their attitudes and behaviour in details so that further plans to enter the specific market segment can be made. It was decided by Levi to avoid direct price wars and as a result Levi decided to charge 10% above the prices of it closest competitors. In order to cater to the classic independent nature of the target market segment, Levi also decided to distribute through quality departmental store chains. The final stage of the decision making process involved carrying out tests for acceptability. This was done through the use of consumer discussion panels led by psychologists and were targeted at seeking out the real motivations behind the way the target market behaved. This led to the understanding that Levi was not just ready to produce classic suits because of the affiliation of its brand identity and value with casual standardised clothes and its strong ties and origins to jeans related clothing. This in turn led to the marketing team to focus on jackets and trousers rather than suits so that it can first overcome its image for casual apparel. Actions : The final step in the process for developing strategic elements for organisational plan involved the process of bringing all that planning and decision making to reality. The decision was made by levi to emphasise mainly on jackets and trousers in its new Tailored Classics line and so the initial idea of suits was dropped before the new line was launched. The organisational plan developed by Levi in order to move into new market segments, mainly the higher priced clothing market when put into effect, showed signs of underperformance. This was mainly because of the decision to abandon the manufacturing of suits based on its acceptability test findings. Those findings convinced the marketers in Levi to accept that Levi was too closely associated with casual only wear and customers were not favourable of the idea of Levi producing classic natured suits of non standardised but custom shape and taste. It was later evident that Tailored Classics failed to achieve its sales targets in the consequent months after its launch. Strategic effects on an organisational plan The implementation process of the organisational plan drawn up by Levi involved implementing its various quantitative and behavorial reseach findings in its final execution of the organisational plan. This meant moving away from its initial decision to produce what the target customer segment wants and manufacturing jackets and trousers instead. The decision was made on the basis of accpetability test results. In order to overcome the underperformance of the Tailored Classics line in its inital few months prices were reduced to meet sales targets which failed critically. The effects of these on the stakeholders was reduced returns for the investors, and a lack of faith in the brands ability to cater to the custom independent classic demand andconseuquential underperformance of the brand hindering its brand expansion. Strategy to communicate organisational plans to key stake holders To come up with an workable plan, the Levi public relations had to work through a sequence of steps. The first of such steps was setting out a communication objective. Ideally, whatever the objective is , it is best effective if its specific, measurable,achievable and realistic. The communications objective for Levi was to convey to the customer that levi is able to make a good suit when they put their mind to it despite its origins being in the jeans manufacturing industry and its past history of mostly casual only clothes. Secondly The Levi staff had to come up with a key message to its stake holders. The most important stakeholders group, the consumers themselves were made aware of the message with the help of the name for the new line â€Å"Tailored Classic†. This conveyed the idea that Levi is engaging in the manufacturing of non standardised custom classic wear that were more tailored to the customers individual need. Having decided upon the overriding key message each seprate group of stakeholders were prioritised and a seperate key message was set for them in order to make sure that most of the stakeholders were addressed and no one felt left out despite the aim of targetting the new line at the higher prices market. Different communications tactics had to be developed for each of the stake holders groups, ranging from the consumer, the media, the investors and the donors and volunteers involved with Levi. Finally the budgets and responsibilities were decided upon by the Levi directors based on their surveys and were allocated amongst its different departments and staff. Evaluation: Following all the steps regarding implementation of the strategic elements of the organisational plan and the process of communicating with the various stakeholders, Levi had to ensure that it was wrking to achieve the objective set. And depending on the results of the various surveys and research, starting from the consumer behaviour patterns and spending habits, the analysis of its target customer segment and finally the acceptability test of its new line before its launch all in term one by one allowed levi to review and change its key messages, communication tactics and finally its objectives. Ths led to the final decision to focus mostly on the jackets and trousers market rather than the tailored suits market because of the lack of the consumer confidence in Levi’s ability to produce tailored suits that meets individual reuqirements. Overall the assessment and evaluation process contributed to a great extent in the final decision to introduce the new line in a much differ ent form than intitally percieved.

The Naturalists Progress essays

The Naturalist's Progress essays This article was one that used the array of exotic plants and animals to show humankinds narrow-minded approach to the observations made in our world. It displayed our shallow approach in environmental education that the whole of that species has to be appreciated as opposed to individual parts. The author illustrated this with the Paradisea apoda the footless bird of paradise; which is commonly known as the Toucan. As stated in the article the natives on New Guinea saw this magnificent bird as an aesthetically beautiful creature too and gave it to the first Europeans who visited their land. The only thing was that the beauty that the natives saw was in the plumage of the bird and removed the feet thus bringing forth the name. The author also brought forth that fact that when children and amateurs collect flowers that they collect the buds of the flower, not including the roots and stems. These characteristics in both the Toucan and the flowers/herbs can show us that by not studying the whole of the specimen that there is a limitation on what you can find out about the creature. Therefore making it harder to observe these different species. When observing one must ask questions like why is the beak of a Toucan so colorful? Why is the beak so long? How does the Tou can perch on a branch? In conclusion without studying the whole, we are just swimming in a kiddy pool of life never going to the deep end to explore a more in-depth view. Without asking everything we can about a creature then we may never be able to explore the full aspects of a creature. Without the whole we only have part of the answers. ...

The Best AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download)

The Best AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download) Clarity and consistency are building blocks of great content. When your writing is crisp, clear, and easy to understand, audiences are more likely to leave your site with a positive impression. Unfortunately, many brands forego style guides, and choose to wing it instead. This isn’t necessarily a fatal mistake by any means. However, it does often lead to content that looks sloppy. Without guidelines to enforce consistency, it’s easy to allow your content to become a formatting free-for-all where commas roam free and nothing follows a  clear logic. The results leave your blog or website looking the Wild West of basic grammatical conventions. If this sounds hyperbolic, consider this: newspapers are written to be as effortless to read as possible. Concise writing and consistent style go a long way toward achieving this goal. There’s a reason why your daily paper sounds how it does. It isn’t just a stubborn commitment to rules for their own sake. Does your content need to be perfect to be effective? Not nearly, no. But, everything you can do to enforce consistency and clarity will help your cause. The Best AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download) Table of Contents: Free Download What is AP Style? Who Uses AP Style? Ages Abbreviations and Acronyms Cities States Dates, Days, Months, Times, and Years Datelines Numbers Sizes, Dimensions, and Distances Punctuation Peoples Names Hyphens Quotes and Quotations Technology Terms Book, Movie, and Song Titles AP Style Checking Tools, Plugins, and Apps Bonus InfographicDownload Your Free AP Style Guide Cheat Sheet If you’d prefer to keep this guide handy in a portable format, you can download the entire thing as a PDF below. This is a good option for reading on tablets, e-readers, or simply keeping on file on your computer.What is AP Style? The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law  official style guide of the Associated Press, a not-for-profit news agency that’s been around since 1846. It’s often used by news organizations, magazines, and web publications, but brands often use it to form the basis of their own style guides, too. The official Associated Press style guide gets updated year to year. Here’s a look at some changes from back in 2016: Arguably, these changes have led to bloat. Detractors say the guide is excessively detailed, beyond the point of being necessary, or even useful. This author doesn’t disagree with this criticism (hence the creation of this simplified blog post). If following this specific style is important for your situation, though, consider buying the official version. It’s available in both digital and hard copies. NOTE: It’s important not to confuse AP style with APA style. Who Uses AP Style? Associated Press style is generally used by journalists, but they aren’t alone in using it. Here’s a short list of folks who might need to get familiar with it: Journalists Editors PR Professionals Marketers How Do You Denote Ages? A person’s age should always use numerals. When using age as an adjective (using their age to describe an individual), then use hyphens. Examples: The 20-year-old was arrested for underage consumption of an alcoholic beverage. At 34-years-old, Larry Fitzgerald remains impressively athletic. The five-year-old dog greets its owner every morning. Abbreviations and Acronyms Use abbreviations for well-known organizations. Acronyms for Organizations Ex: FBI, NASA, IRS, NFL, MLB, NHL, FIFA. For other organizations, spell it out on first mention, then use abbreviations for subsequent mentions. Use your best judgment. If people are unlikely to understand an abbreviation, then don’t use it. Examples: The FBI agent was assigned the case.NASA announced plans to visit Mars. The MLB has not announced hot dog price restrictions for this year. Abbreviations for Formal Titles Make sure your writing respects people’s formal titles. Some examples include political and medical titles. Follow these guidelines: Political titles should be abbreviated before full names outside of direct quotes. Examples: Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rep. John Lewis. Medical titles follow similar format: Example: Dr. Michaela Quinn. Which Cities Stand Alone in AP Style? Some American cities are considered well-known enough they don’t need a state abbreviation. This makes sense, since most people know where they’re located. Here’s the full list of U.S. cities that fall under this criteria: Atlanta Baltimore Boston Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Las Vegas Los Angeles Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis New Orleans New York Oklahoma City Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh St. Louis Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Seattle Washington The same goes for the following international cities and country abbreviations: Amsterdam Baghdad Bangkok Beijing Beirut Berlin Brussels Cairo Djibouti Dublin Geneva Gibraltar Guatemala City Havana Helsinki Hong Kong Islamabad Mexico City Milan Monaco Montreal Moscow Munich New Delhi Panama City Paris Prague Quebec City Rio De Janeiro Rome San Marino Sao Paulo Shanghai Singapore Istanbul Jerusalem Johannesburg Kuwait City London Luxembourg Macau Madrid Stockholm Sydney Tokyo Toronto Vatican City Vienna ZurichHow to Format State Abbreviations Every state in the United States has a specific abbreviation. Some of these may not seem obvious. Follow this list to get them right. Alabama: Ala. Arizona: Ariz. Arkansas: Ark. California: Calif. Colorado: Colo. Connecticut: Conn. Delaware: Del. Florida: Fla. Georgia: Ga. Illinois: Ill. Indiana: Ind. Kansas: Kan. Kentucky: Ky. Louisiana: La. Maryland: Md. Massachusetts: Mass. Michigan: Mich. Minnesota: Minn. Mississippi: Miss. Missouri: Mo. Montana: Mont. Nebraska: Neb. Nevada: Nev. New Hampshire: N.H. New Jersey: N.J. New Mexico: N.M. New York: N.Y. North Carolina: N.C. North Dakota: N.D. Oklahoma: Okla. Oregon: Ore. Pennsylvania: Pa. Rhode Island: R.I. South Carolina: S.C. South Dakota: S.D. Tennessee: Tenn. Virginia: Va. Vermont: Vt. Washington: Wash. West Virginia: W. Va. Wisconsin: Wis. Wyoming: Wyo.Formatting Dates, Days, Months, Times, and Years in AP Style Dates and times have a number of formatting considerations. Dates: Follow this format: Monday (day), July 1 (month + date), 2018 (year). Times: Don’t use colons for times on the hour. Ex: 3 p.m., 8:30 a.m. Days: Omit st., th., rd., and th. Ex: July 1, not July 1st. Months: Abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. and Dec. when writing out a specific date. Spell out names of months when not used to indicate a specific date. Ex: Aug. 3, 2018. Years: Use numerals rather than spelling them out. Ex: 2018, not twenty-eighteen. Other Considerations For Dates and Times a.m. and p.m. should use periods and lower case letters. Never say â€Å"yesterday.† Use the day of the week instead. Formatting Datelines News articles often start with a dateline indicating the location, month, date, and year a story took place. Include city (and state if necessary in the U.S.). Examples: FARGO, N.D. (July, 1, 2018) MILWAUKEE (July 1, 2018) LONDON (July 1, 2018) Numbers Spell out numbers one through nine, and use digits for numbers 10 and higher. The following exceptions, however, should always use digits: Addresses Ages Monetary values. Dates and times. Sizes and dimensions. Percents. Speeds. Temperatures. When Should Numerals Be Used? Use numerals when referring to a sequence of events or people. Examples: Super Bowl XLV Queen Elizabeth II World War I What About Percentages? Always use the full word â€Å"percent.† The % sign shouldn’t be used. That key might feel neglected, but it’s okay. Example: The analyst predicted a 100 percent increase in site traffic. Sentences Starting With Years Avoid starting sentences with a number, unless referencing a year. Example: 1977 was the last year the Minnesota Vikings went to the Super Bowl. Sizes, Dimensions, and Distances Sizes and dimensions should use numerals and spell out units of measurement. The same goes for distances. Examples: The party sandwich was 10 feet long. The delivery driver traveled 12 miles during harsh weather. Bill Smith is 6-foot-5 and plays basketball in his spare time. Punctuation in AP Style You learned everything you needed to know about punctuation in high school English class, right? Well, maybe or maybe not, but this style has quirks of its own to consider. General Punctuation Here are some general punctuation guidelines: Use a single space after a period. Commas should go inside quotation marks. Serial Commas In AP style, commas are not included before conjunctions. However, they should be used to separate each item in a list. Example: I ate a hot dog, pizza slice, burger, and an entire pie. Using Periods Lean toward using periods in abbreviations where applicable. Example: Examples: U.N., M.A., U.S.A. Singular Nouns Ending in S When proper nouns end in an S, add an apostrophe at the end. Example: Sally Jones’ red stapler has been stolen. People’s Names Use their first and last name on first mention. Then, use only their last name on subsequent mentions. Example: David Johnson is a professional running back. Johnson plays for the Arizona Cardinals. Using Hyphens Correctly Use hyphens to connect words in compound adjectives. Example: The larger-than-life performer juggled seven swords. Formatting Quotes and Quotations Here are two points about quotation marks: Periods and commas always go within quotation marks. Use single quotations for quotes within quotes. Example: â€Å"The candy truck spilled all over the highway,† said the driver. â€Å"It’s a real ‘sticky situation’ on I-94.† Technology Terms There are more tech terms and brand names to consider coming out every day. Here’s a list of some common ones you may encounter. Google hashtag Internet Apple â€Å"i† products: iPad, iPod, iPhone, iMac, unless the word starts a sentence. Then, capitalize the I. e-book email Facebook LinkedIn Twitter tweet website Web page YouTube social media cellphone World Wide Web Android AppleUsing Correct AP Style for Book, Movie, and Song Titles Your favorite author, director, or musician isn’t likely to write you an angry letter over incorrect style usage when it comes to their art. An editor probably will, though. Here’s how to get it right every time. Books, Movies, and Song Titles Use quotation marks rather than italics. This goes against what likely feels right, and how you’d normally format them, but those are the rules. Examples: J.K. Rowling is the author of â€Å"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.† â€Å"Party in the USA† does not make me feel like partying. It turns out that â€Å"Total Recall† was not a documentary. Newspaper, Magazine, and Website Names Use capitalization but no quotation marks nor italics. This blog post uses italics to highlight examples, so the publication names below have been rendered in normal paragraph text. Examples: The Guardian is a well-respected newspaper. Wired is a popular magazine for tech enthusiasts. Bob Jones is unsure where his Cat Fancy subscription came from. Other Considerations Capitalize formal titles before people’s names. Do not capitalize job titles before names. Use quotation marks for titles of books, movies, albums, and TV shows. AP Style Checking Tools, Plugins, and Apps Keeping all of this information straight can be a hassle (and this post only covers the majority of the most important elements to consider). Fortunately, there are several tools and plugins on the market that can help. Here are some worth checking out: AP Style Dates and Times (WordPress Plugin) AP Lingofy (Browser Extension) AP Style Guard (Desktop App) Bonus: AP Style Infographic That’s a Wrap Are there any details we missed? Drop a comment below and share with other readers.

Critically assess the proposition that Muslims have become the main Essay

Critically assess the proposition that Muslims have become the main focus of official efforts to exclude Others from the s - Essay Example 5 Muslim communities of the 20th/21st centuries based on three typologies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6 Multiculturalism†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 Differential exclusion / guest worker system†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 Assimilation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Terrorism as usually associated with Muslim people†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 Social exclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 Introduction Islam is the religion for more than 2 billion people on the earth. Only in Western Europe there are about 10 million Muslims, who are considered to be the largest religious minority in the region and the third largest religion overall growing much faster than traditionally dominant Catholic and Protestant religions. As a result, Islam became a significant religious and social force in the Western European countries, including France, Germany, United Kingdom, and others. In Great Britain, for example, Muslims are the second largest faith group after Christians. More than half of them were born in the United Kingdom having such ethnic backgrounds as Turkish, Arab, Indian, Asian, Kurdish, and Pakistani. Muslims coming to live in France are usually from francophone countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco (Castles and Miller, 2003). Finally, Germany has many Muslims with Turkish and Kurdish origin. Since the number of Muslims living in Western Europe and the United States continue to grow and more and more people become converted into Islam religion, anti-Muslim sentiments and movements started growing across Europe when Muslims have become the main focus of official efforts to exclude them as â€Å"others† from the states of Europe. The main reason for such actions is the fear of a ‘Muslim invasion’ when European national identities can be threatened by the ongoing processes of European integration and immigration from the developing countries (Ferrera, 2005). While in the past immigration rules were less restricted for certain countries, they became tougher recently due to the increased number of immigrants living on the unemployment compensation from the government, which raises concerns and complaints from the citizens who work hard and pay taxes. Even if immigrants find a job, the employers pay much less salaries and wages for them than for national citizens. So, it shifts preferences for employment toward immigrants. In such a way, socially excluded â€Å"national† citizens compete with socially excluded ethnic minorities or immigrant ‘others’ for limited national resources of welfare (Castles and Miller, 2003). Such current situation in the Western European countries can be associated with a â€Å"social regression† or a â€Å"social crisis† in addition to a growing political and cultural crisis based on the established national identities. In such a way, recently there is a strong tendency to exclude Muslim immigrant â€Å"others† out of the European countries to make it â€Å"nationally pure† again. Syncretism Syncretism, which means "combining", is the att empt to reconcile contrary