Fast Food Franchises Pakistan Essay

A survey was conducted amongst several people from different categories of the society to determine the conclusion of this report’s research. Also, certain threats to western fast food franchise were discussed. In this report we covered McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut as the main western franchise restaurants, with a few references to the Subway chain. 2. Introduction 2. 1. WHAT IS A FRANCHISE? A franchise is defined as a legal and commercial relationship between the owner of a trademark, service mark, trade name, or advertising symbol and an individual or group wishing to use that identification in a business. Each franchise business has been authorized by a parent company, or franchisor, to sell their goods or services either in a retail space or a designated geographical location. The franchise administers the method of conducting business between the two parties. Generally, a franchisee sells goods or services supplied by the franchisor or that meet the franchisor’s quality standards. The franchisee has the rights to market the product or service using the operating methods of the franchisor. The franchisee has the obligation to pay the franchisor certain fees and royalties in exchange for these rights. The franchisor has the obligation to provide these rights and generally support the franchisee. In this sense, franchising is not a business or an industry, but a method used by businesses for the marketing and distribution of their products or services. Both franchisor and franchisee have a strong vested interest in the success of the brand and keeping their customers happy. 2. 2. WHAT IS FAST FOOD? Fast food is any food that is quick, convenient, and usually inexpensive. It is a type of food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with low quality preparation and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-away. Fast food can be bought just about anywhere that sells food and snacks. Street vendors and drive-thru restaurants are probably the most common places to find fast food. It’s so popular because for a cheap price you can usually get a meal that’s satisfying. But fast food is inexpensive because it is usually made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat and foods that contain lots of unhealthy fats (saturated and trans-fats) and cholesterol, instead of nutritious foods such as lean meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Fast food in Pakistan is available almost anywhere, and the franchising of international fast food brands has created a new and successful market. 1 2. 3. WESTERN FAST FOOD CHAINS IN PAKISTAN Globalization has made our world a smaller place. Cultural exchange has exposed our society to foreign ideas and foreign foods have entered our country. The following is an introduction of the three most famous western franchises in Pakistan: 2. 4. McDonalds [pic] McDonalds first opened its store in Pakistan in September 1998. Since then, they have opened seventeen new stores throughout Pakistan. Today, millions of Pakistanis place their trust in McDonald’s everyday to provide them with food of a very high quality as well as good service. In the past five years, the response to McDonalds coming from Pakistanis has been overwhelming. Currently, Lakson Group Companies has taken over McDonalds Corporation, USA and a local partner making it a 100% owned and operated Pakistani company. The first set of golden arches began shining back in September 1998 in the city of Lahore. The opening was met with great excitement, and about a week later the McDonalds in Karachi opened. As of 2005, there were 18 restaurants in Pakistan: 7 in Karachi, 1 in Hyderabad, 9 in Lahore, and 1 in Faisalabad. [1] 2. 5. KFC [pic] In Pakistan KFC was franchised by Artal Restaurants International in 1997. it was a Belgium based business group. KFC opened its first restaurant in Pakistan in 1997 at Nipa Chorangi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi. KFC opened its first restaurant in Lahore, in June 1997, which was third in Pakistan. Today, KFC has more than 43 restaurants in Pakistan. The market is ripe for many more restaurants and the investors are keen to invest. In 2001, KFC franchise was taken over by Gray Mackenzie Restaurants International. Currently KFC in Pakistan is owned by a Dubai based company Cupola which is the world’s largest restaurant system with over 32,500 restaurants in more than 100 countries and territories. KFC is in a phase of growth and is expanding rapidly. The quality of their product is convincing the customers not to shift to any other brand. KFC has won several awards for there good food quality, customer relationship and for providing means of income for the masses of the country. The company is presently a giant in the fried chicken industry as there competitors are far behind. Presently they are trying to innovate there products for the ease of the customers, and they are also focusing on providing there customers with more healthy food. KFC is expected to dominate the huge local market of fast food restaurants in the Pakistan and provide high quality and healthier food to their customers. KFC has a huge scope of progressing further and has lots of opportunities in local market. KFC is expected to have more than 100 branches all over Pakistan in the near future. [2] 2. 6. PIZZA HUT [pic] When it was initially opened in Pakistan, over 10 years ago in December 1993, Pizza Hut got a very good response by the Pakistani consumer base. Pizza Hut–Pakistan is working under a franchise agreement between MCR (Private) Limited and TRICON Restaurants International (Former Pepsi Co restaurant International). Pizza Hut Pakistan reports to TRICON (India) & TRICON Singapore simultaneously. Pizza Hut opened its first outlet in Clifton Karachi and the people of Pakistan welcomed them with open arms. As most restaurants do, Pizza Hut did not face the problem of taste development because it introduced some of the local taste in their Pizzas, like Chicken Tikka Pizza, Masala Pizza and Chappli Kebab Pizza. Currently, Pizza Hut has 14 outlets in all over Pakistan and it still aiming to further expand. It is the market leader in the pizza market within Pakistan. [3] 3. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT The establishment of western franchise fast food chains in Pakistan has affected the business activities to some extent. They have also developed new tastes for our society and lifestyles. Here are a few aspects of how McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut have contributed in our economy and social lives. 3. 1. [pic] †¢ McDonald’s in Pakistan is currently employing about 1,000 Pakistanis and each store is managed by Pakistani managers. †¢ McDonalds has investment of over Rs 300 crore in the country and payment of taxes and duties amounting to more than Rs 100 crore. †¢ Since McDonalds is doing so well in Pakistan they will continue to grow and add more stores in more cities in the future. †¢ The managers working for Lakson, reportedly monthly to the McDonalds headquarter located in Illinois. In the eighteen restaurant located in Pakistan all of the employees, managers as well as those working for Lakson are of Pakistani descent. †¢ Since McDonald’s first opened in Pakistan back in September of 1998 they have been able to add things to their menu that cater to the needs of the Pakistani’s culture. Almost all the people of Pakistan practice Islam. The Islamic dietary laws are called Halal. Halal is also the term for permitted foods. Prohibited foods as described in the Quran are called Haram. Some of these foods include pork and birds of prey, alcohol is also prohibited and stimulants, such as coffee and tea, are avoided by the most devout. There are also guidelines on how meat must be slaughtered. McDonalds has tried to work with this by offering menu choices such as the McArabia that are acceptable for Muslims. In Muslim countries all of McDonald’s meat is slaughtered and prepared according to Islamic Halal standards. Not that long ago McDonalds change their burgers, cookies, and hamburger buns so they do not contain any lard, making more acceptable to more people in Pakistan. †¢ They also keep the classics on the menu. They do offer what they call a McArabia, which is chicken on flatbread with a special sauce and they also offer many of the originals such as the Big Mac and hamburger with chicken. So while McDonalds has modified their menu to include some local favorites they have also kept the infamous burgers and meals. †¢ As does the McDonalds in the United States, the McDonald’s in Pakistan also caters to the children of the community. They offer four types of happy meals, which of course include a toy. Currently with the purchase of a happy meal the kids get a Kung Fu Panda Movie toy. †¢ Another exciting fixation that McDonald’s Pakistan is doing is they are now offering their McDelivery service free of charge. This delivery service will deliver all menu items to customers with order of RS 150 or more. Since this service is relatively new it is only offered at two stores at this time. They include Karachi and Lahore, but other locations will be added to this list soon. †¢ Just like the McDonalds in the United States they also hold birthday parties at McDonald’s in Pakistan. They even offer birthday packages with food and surprises for the kids. †¢ McDonalds has also become involved in the Pakistani community by taking part in local projects and charities. As stated in their vision McDonalds is firmly committed to giving back to the communities they operate in. They take part by giving money they receive in stores every month to Darul Skoon (orphan house). †¢ When McDonalds opened its first store in Pakistan the drive through lines were seven kilometers long. With lines this long is was obvious that many Pakistanis were happy to welcome McDonalds into their homes. †¢ According to The News International McDonalds in Pakistan has sold more burgers in Pakistan than anywhere else in the world. With only 18 stores currently in Pakistan this shows how busy McDonalds is. Many people are excited to have McDonalds because it is a â€Å"brand-name† and it gives them the opportunity to enjoy the same things that foreigners enjoy. †¢ McDonald’s costs the same in Pakistan as in the US, and given the per capita GDP disparity between the two countries, it is the cheapest food in the United States, while being one of the most expensive in Pakistan. Even with the high cost people are still flocking to McDonalds. †¢ McDonald’s business operation in Pakistan overall has been a complete success for the McDonalds Corporation as well as the Pakistani community. Both parties involved have gained more than their anticipated outcome from the arrival of McDonalds back in 1998. †¢ In the future it is believed that McDonalds will continue to grow within Pakistan and throughout the world. It is also felt that the Pakistani people will work very hard to keep McDonalds name and food service at the high quality people are used to. [4] 3. 2. †¢ [pic]The government of Pakistan receives over Rs. 10 million per month from KFC Pakistan as direct taxes. †¢ Around 95% of all food and packaging material used in KFC Pakistan is produced locally, which sums up to a purchase of over Rs. 35 million per month. †¢ For each new outlet developed by KFC Pakistan, it costs approximately Rs. 40 million, which is a huge amount for Pakistani construction industry. †¢ The products of KFC are not comparatively cheaper than the other brands in the market but still it doesn’t matter much because the quality as compared to there competitors is so good that people still go to KFC. KFC has tried to cater to the local environment in recent years and some achievements and adaptations include: †¢ Offered discounts on festival like Eid and Ramzan (all you can eat deals). †¢ Expansion of outlets throughout Pakistan. †¢ Children diversified products (nuggets, chicky meals). †¢ Improved dessert section (deal with Wall’s ice cream). †¢ Employing over 1000 Pakistanis. †¢ Introduction of local menu such as Arabian rice. [5] 3. 3. [pic]One of the greatest strengths of Pizza Hut is its strong brand name. Pizza hut is a well-known and popular chain of restaurants not only all over the world but also in Pakistan as well. Its positive brand image has furthered helped it gain a competitive edge in the market. †¢ Pizza Hut offers a different varieties of pizzas that agree with the tastes of all members of the target market. †¢ Main strength lies in the variety of deals offered by Pizza Hut from time to time. Deals such as â€Å"Midnight Deal† and â€Å"Rupee 1 Deal† actually help attract customers from different income segments. It has also pioneered in introducing membership cards to offer the members pizza at discounted rate. Special dicount cards are also offered. †¢ Yet strength of Pizza Hut is the large number of outlets that can be found all over Karachi and also within Pakistan. Pizza Hut has its outlets in all major areas of Karachi. †¢ Pizza Hut branches also have an unmatched ambiance not found in other restaurants. The ambiance and the environment and the feeling of just being there and being seen there is also unmatched by its competitors. †¢ Pizza Hut employs thosuands of Pakistanis. Another internal strength of Pizza Hut is that it has an attractive compensation program and low employee turnover. It provides best compensation package in the industry. It has a Health Care Policy, according to which it provides medical facilities to all its employees. Thus resulting in lower employee turnover rate. †¢ Pizza hut branches,such as the one in Clifton, Karachi , have installed arcades to provide recreation for children. Dot puzzles and a colouring layout is designed behind te dinner mats for the children. [6] 3. 4. PUBLIC SURVEY ON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT A host of people were surveyed during this research to obtain the general public opinion on western franchises contributions : [pic] The survey conducted amongst several people in the writing of this report shows a general agreement that international franchise does bring valuable investment and income to Pakistan. Most people agree that there was an increment in government revenue since franchises were established here. [pic] The general survey suggests that most people consider the investment and revenue generated by the franchise industry as the most valuable contribution. Social progress was considered least important whereas the various career opportunities opened up by the franchise industry fared as the second best contribution. Many people agreed that the exposure to western culture through fast food was important too. [pic] In recent years, the health oriented approach to diet has taken a grasp over our society. Fast food is generally considered unhealthy because it is usually made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat and foods that contain lots of unhealthy fats (saturated and trans-fats) and cholesterol, instead of nutritious foods. However, the survey indicated that though the fast food maybe considered as unhealthy, the healthy approach to life does not affect the fast food industry very much. However, most people surveyed (33%) were not sure about this factor’s impact on business. 4. PROBLEMS AND THREATS FACED BY WESTERN FAST FOOD FRANCHISE Every business in Pakistan faces certain problems, and the western fast food franchises are no exceptions. Developing a franchise restaurant in a new country is difficult, and maintainence of business and market strenght is the toughest job for theses franchises. Here are a few problems they faced by Mcdonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut once they were established in Paksitan : 4. 1. PROBLEMS AND THREATS. †¢ [pic] POLITICAL: McDonalds, being an American restaurant, has faced problems due to politics and had to deal with the instability of the government. In 2007-08, Pakistan was having problems with their President Pervez Musharraf, an important US ally. There is also the conflict with Kashmir which could cause U. S. relations to deteriorate and cause McDonalds business in Pakistan to drop dramatically. †¢ GLOBAL: Another worry that can cause future problems for McDonalds is if the United States were to pull out the aid they are providing Pakistan for any reason. At that time since Musharraf was backing President Bush in the war on terror the United States was giving a large amount of aid and highly beneficial trade deals to Pakistan. Any mishap between the US and current Pakistani government can destroy the American business and influence. †¢ SECURITY: Some people who were angry about the bombings in Afghanistan in 2001immediately related McDonald’s back to the United States and began to vandalize the property. Many people believe that McDonald’s in one of the most popular American symbols, which of course puts it at risk when political upheaval begins. So while many Pakistanis enjoy McDonalds others see it as an American company and proceed to vandalize it due to what is going on with the war. There has been protesting against U. S. led attacks against Iraq and some groups have chosen to boycott against all western products including McDonalds. Along with these boycotts sales dropped a little, but there were not any drastic changes. [7] †¢ [pic] LOCAL FOODS: One of the mian competion for western franchises is the local food industry. Pakistan has a vast arsenal of traditional local menus. Hence, KFC still needs to capture fast food market because their market share in Pakistan is still low as compared to their competitor. †¢ DIESEASE: In 2005-07, Pakistan faced major a crises on the breakage of the bird flu virus. As KFC’s main specialty is chicken, in time of epedemics like bird flu they face heavy losses. KFC still needs to innovate their products to maintain competitive advantage. †¢ POLITICS: Politics has played a major role in the franchise food business. A couple of years back in Pakistan a few of KFCs branches were burned because the people thought that they were generating money for the US. †¢ HEALTH FACTOR : Fried Chicken is usually considered the most fat-containing food item. Oil in which chicken is fried is high in cholestrol, and the healthy approach to diet in recent years may hinder KFC’s growth. †¢ [pic]LOCAL FOODS: A major threat for Pizza Hut is the competition from local restaurants. Not only are other franchises a threat but also local restaurants such as Lal Qila, Usmania, Village etc. these restaurants pose as a potential threat to Pizza Hut because they also offer food which is the ultimate aim of the customer. †¢ POLITICAL: Pizza Hut, being an American franchise restaurant, has faced problems similar to that of KFC and McDonalds due to politcal reasons. Hostilty towards American influences can lead to a decrease in sales and hamper business activity. †¢ HEALTH FACTOR: Food form Pizza Hut is considered relatively heavy, due to the massive amounts of cheese used in their pizzas. The ever present salad bar has not dispelled health concerns as people believe that the sauces used in the salad themselves contain heavy fat contents. Pizza Hut has, however, tried to diversify its menu with the introduction of new appetizers. 4. 2. PUBLIC SURVEY ON PROBLEMS AND THREATS FACED BY WESTERN FAST FOOD Many people had their own opinions on which problem threatens the western fast food industry the most in Pakistan. One of the major issues was the health factor as the point of â€Å"well balanced diet† is highly debatable in terms of fast food. [pic] Many people believe that the most important threat faced by western fast food franchise is the security. Most franchises are of American origin, and hence the on going war on terror hugely affect Pak-US relations. Also, any instabilty in the political system can turn the franchise into victims of vandalism. A large propotion of people also expressed that the vast local food industry challenges the strenght of the western fast food franchise. They argued that since local foods are cheaper, few people can afford western fast food. Those who argued for global crises claimed that the recent recession can make western fast food unaffordable. 4. 3. HEALTH FACTOR AS A THREAT [pic] A majority of people agreed that the main rival to KFC, McDonalds and Pizza Hut is the more healthier menu of Subway. Subway offers a large variety of healthy meals with heavy vegetable and protein content as compared to other franchises. Hence Subway is a major threat to the business of these franchises. [pic] This survey on health was again conducted, but from a different angle. KFC and its fried chicken, which is highly oily, was considered appropriately as the most unhealthiest restaurant. However, in this second survey most people also argued that the many sauces used by Subway in its sandwiches contain large fat contents, so Subway may not necessarily pose a huge threat to the other franchises. 5. GENERAL CONSUMER RESPONSE In this report, research was also conducted on factors which compell the people to dine in these western fast food franchises. For this purpose we would like to like to categorize people as follows: i) Low category people ii) Middle category people iii) High category people Their responses are: i) Low category people:- These people eat fast food very seldom. They visit fast food restaurants only at special occassions,as it is not that much easy for everyone to afford the quality food provided by the western fast food franchises like KFC, McDonalds etc. Some of these people dont want to waste their money on fast food, and rather have food at their own homes. Besides this, these people are also not habitual of fast food. They are not encouraging the fast food business in Pakistan. Even if fast food has been banned in this country, these people won’t be affected in any way. ii) Middle category people:- These people consume fast foods on a consistent basis. It depends upon the status factor. Many people like to boast about having dinner in a â€Å"foreign† and â€Å"branded† restaurant. They eat out in these restaurants once or even twice in a week. They pay a valuable response to fast food as they look for quality food and this response encourages the western fast food franchises. iii) High category people:- The people in this category have fast foods very often. They not only look for quality foods but they consider it as a means of having fun with friends. The natural ambience of these restaurants is also a major attraction to them. No matter how high the prices of food items at western fast food franchises go, these people are always ready to pay. They are helping to increase the trend of fast foods in Pakistan, which definitely encourages their business. Besides these categories there are also some health conscious people (as discussed previoulsy) who donot want eat fast food because of fat contents in these fast foods. Such people can be found in all categories discuused above. Reasearch on most important factor for dining in a western franchise fast food is as follows: [pic] The unmatchable quality of food offered by the western franchise fast food restaurants is the main factor of attracting people. Fast food is also widley considers to be tasty, as proved by the above consesnus. The price of food at these restaurants is also significant when opting to dine there. A very few people just dine in these restaurants because of the ambience and its attractiveness. The following is the survey on peoples preferences of various fast food franchises: [pic] Most people, particularly here in Karachi, prefer to dine at Pizza Hut. It is the different variety of pizzas offered that has given Pizza Hut its widespread popularity. Also most Pakistanis generally enjoy heavy diet, and pizzas fulfill this desire. As seen above, very few people enjoy the light delicacies offered by Subway. Chicken constitutes in the basic diet of people here, and it is no surprise to see KFC score 31%. 6. CONCLUSION In culmination, we would like to conclude that the establishment of western fast food franchises in Pakistan has indeed proved to be a successful business endeavor. The economic and social contributions outweigh the threats they face by a greater margin. With greater and successful planning, the western fast food franchises can easily minimize their threats and problems. Doing so can speed their progressive activities in Pakistan. We can also conclude that the general public response to these franchises in Pakistan is positive and many people are willing to dine at these franchise restaurants because of they high quality and standard they deliver. 7. QUESTIONNAIRE Franchise Food Chains in Pakistan Questionnaire 1. Select below the income band you fall under: o Rs. 5000-10,000 pm o Rs. 10,000-20,000 pm o Rs. 20,000-40,000 pm o Rs. 40,000 & above pm 2. How often do you dine out in a month: o Once o Twice o Thrice o Never 3. Do you prefer Pakistani restaurants or western franchise? o Pakistani o Western 4. For western, kindly rate the following restaurants according to your preferences on a scale from 1-5 (1 being the highest): o KFC_____ o Pizza Hut_____ o Subway _____ o McDonalds _____ 5. What are the factors you consider most important when dining out in a western franchise? (Rank from 1-5, 1 being the highest) o Price_______ o Ambience_______ o Status Quo_______ o Taste_______. o Quality_______ 6. Do you think western franchise in food industry is bringing good investments in Pakistan? o Yes________ o If No, then why? 7. In recent years do you think that the more health oriented approach of people has affected the franchise food industry: o Yes o No o Not sure 8. Do you agree that Subway offers a healthier alternative to fast food? o Yes o No o Not sure 9. Rank on a scale from 1-5 (1 being the highest) the most important contributions of fast food chains in Pakistan: o Career Opportunities ________ o Investment/Revenues ________ o Social Progress ________ o Cultural Exchange ________. 10. Has the political situation in Pakistan drastically affected franchise food business: o Yes o No o To some extent o Not sure 11. What are the factors that can hinder the growth of Franchise food industry in our country? o Political Instability o Global Crisis o Security Concerns o Local Food industry o Others, Please specify: 12. On a scale of 1-4 (1 being the highest) rate the restaurants which offer the healthiest food. o Pizza Hut _______ o Subway _______ o McDonalds _______ o KFC _______ 13. According to you what percentage of the urban population consumes franchise fast food? o 60%-40% o 40%-20%. o 20%-10% o Less than 10% 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY WEBSITES: †¢ Corporate Webpage of McDonalds. McDonalds Corporate. 2004. Mar. 2005. . †¢  ¦Corporate Website of Pakistan McDonalds. McDonalds Pakistan. Aug. 2002. Mar. 2005. †¢ http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/kfc+pakistan/0 †¢ http://www. fratfiles. com/essays/55556. html †¢ http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Fast-food_restaurant †¢ http://answers. yahoo. com/question/index? qid= †¢ http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/pizza+hut+pakistan/0 ———————– [1] Reference: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Fast-food_restaurant [2] Refer.ence:  §? Corporate Website of Pakistan McDonalds. McDonalds Pakistan. Aug. 2002. Mar. 2005. †¢ [3] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/ ¦Corporate Website of Pakistan McDonalds. McDonalds Pakistan. Aug. 2002. Mar. 2005. [4] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/kfc+pakistan/0 †¢ [5] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/pizza+hut+pakistan/0 †¢ [6] Reference: Corporate Website of Pakistan McDonalds. McDonalds Pakistan. Aug. 2002. Mar. 2005. [7] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/kfc+pakistan/0 [8] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/topics/pizza+hut+pakistan/0 [9] Reference: http://www. fratfiles. com/essays/55556. html.

Significant Changes of Education in America

Education in America has seen many significant changes since the Modern Post-War Era. Children are allowed to attend classes with kids of various races, schools have equal opportunities for both males and females, and for children with disabilities or handicaps. These three events in the history of American Education helped set a basic framework that has standardized the minimum educational requirements for all schools throughout the country. Now each and every student can get an equal chance to be educated. Horace Mann†s contributions in 1868 to the common school movement, allowed elementary schools to become free and available to all in the state of Massachusetts. Mann wanted all school doors to be opened to any child of the state, no matter where that child was from or his background. As the Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education in 1837, this position allowed Mann to speak his ideas to improve the quality of schools. Soon after, he and Catherine Beecher established, The Normal School, a professional program that gave teachers the proper training with a higher level of education and skills than previous educators needed. Brown vs. Board of Education was another significant event that changed education in America. By the end of World War I, school segregation was in effect. This meant that all schools with â€Å"white† children were separated from all â€Å"black† children. Children in America were getting a limited education as well as the idea the racism is allowed and tolerated. In 1954, Chief Justice Earl Warren put an end to all segregated schools. While some schools were changed, others were reluctant and resistant to the new change. Not all schools agreed with this new law. Some districts, even a year after the law was in full effect, were so set in their racist ways, allowed school grounds to became battlefields with riots and obscene violence. In 1975, Congress passed the Education For All Handicapped Children Act. This new law enabled an even wider range of children to join an educational setting. It allows children with disabilities an equal opportunity to a greater education. For instance, students may have previously been forced into costly alternative institutions, home schooling, or simply lack of any formal education because of their unique needs. Without this law, students with disabilities would be segregated, just like African Americans were and deprived of the chance for a â€Å"normal,† everyday educational experience in a public school. This Act guarantees that by law, all children will receive a free education in an environment suited for their special needs if they so desire. These legal, moral, and social changes have fostered the need for educator†s instructional strategies to evolve. To deal with the diverse needs of the learning community, teaching mediums and methods must encompass not only the latest legal or school board changes, but embrace the latest technological changes available in the 21st century classroom.

Outline the main problems with the biological approach to crime and Essay

Outline the main problems with the biological approach to crime and criminality - Essay Example (1) The main theme of Demonic perspective is that crime was caused largely by demonic influence. Although the â€Å"devil made me do it† is certainly an explanation of criminal behavior, it is not a scientific theory. Supernatural forces cannot be observed, and the demonic perspective (like our â€Å"little green creature† example) is therefore not testable. Toward the end of the 1700s, the demonic perspective was challenged by a group of philosophers who came to be called classical school criminologists. (1) Classical school believed that God instilled in humans the capacity to exercise free will and the ability to choose a course of behavior through reason. Several scholars — chief among them Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham — used this general platform to argue for legal reform. In doing so, these penal reformers also articulated a scientific Theory of criminal behavior. Classical school theory dominated criminological thought into the late 1800s, until it was challenged by a new group of theorists. The influence of the classical school of criminology began to wane in the late 1800s. One reason for this decline was that changes in the legal system based on classical theory failed to reduce crime (i.e., crime rates continued to increase).43 More importantly, the underlying assumption of the classical school—that behavior was the result of rational calculation — was criticized for being too simplistic. Throughout the 1700s, scientists such as Galileo and Newton made great discoveries about the workings of the physical world. These demonstrations of cause-and-effect relationships were made through careful observation and analysis of natural events. It was not long before scholars applied this scientific method beyond the physical world to the social world. Auguste Compte, the 19th century scientist considered the â€Å"father of sociology,† argued that human behavior was

The Importance of Children Literacy in Early Years Dissertation

The Importance of Children Literacy in Early Years - Dissertation Example The children in their early stages have a particular mindset and developmental learning needs. They usually learn by seeing others in their surroundings from where they belong to, especially from their parents and all those who are providing care for them. So it highly important for them to give proper effort and nurture them to such an extent so that the child develops proper learning spirits. It will help the children to gain various subject knowledge, skills and understanding levels. It is important to provide them with a learning environment so that children can develop their own active learning. (Whitehead, 2009, p.x) It is important for the children in their formation stage to develop language and communication skills. This can be developed similarly which have been mentioned above by the carers, parents, teachers, and people who all are associated with the children during this period. As is known that learning is a continuous process. So it is obvious that children start learn ing since they are born. Thus during this period, they need proper guidance which will help them in future to be a better human being. So communication and language in that sense remain the most important part of a child’s growth stage. (Whitehead, 2007, p.xv) so it needs to keep in mind that development in the early years is very vital part as it is the most delicate stage of children. They could be mold in every possible way which will guide them to build up their future. The purpose of this study is to understand and review the theory concerning early literacy development. The different areas of literacy development could be language, communication structure, writing and reading skills. (Many, 2009, p.171) the view of literacy practices of children in early years must be recognized in their own way rather than forcing them to do something follow any particular strategy forced by other (Bradford, 2009, p.14). A change model is used to propose changes in child literacy progr ams on the basis of the literature survey conducted. The literature search strategy which we will be using here is various sources from books, scholarly articles and other information from Ebsco website. Ebsco provides a database of various articles which can help to collect detail information about the subject. Thorough study on the literature review of various authors will give an idea about the discussion and how they have formulated the issues. Apart from this primary and secondary researches will be evaluated which will provide detailed information about the study. Primary researches conducted by researchers and the result which has been generated as per those researches will help to simplify the matter.

Growth through Internationalisation among Entrepreneurial Firms Essay

Growth through Internationalisation among Entrepreneurial Firms - Essay Example . The study of internationalization and its effects on growth of entrepreneurial firms have been studied using secondary data from relevant articles. These articles are chosen based on its topic and content, which is relevant in the study of internationalization and its effect on the growth of entrepreneurial companies. Each of the articles is thoroughly analyzed and the information recovered from them is used to discuss its implications on entrepreneurial activities. The journal article by Buckley and Hashai is chosen for its analysis. Their article â€Å"Formalizing internationalization in the eclectic paradigm† is based on an equilibrium model which describes internationalization in the light of competitive advantage. It explains why firms adopt overseas expansion strategies and how it acts on behalf of their growth. The aim and objective of this article are to establish a formalized theory on internationalization in the light of eclectic paradigm by reconfiguring certain ne o-classical economic theories. A set of inequalities has been formulated to establish the role of eclectic paradigm in overseas expansion. The equilibrium is based on the concept of ownership advantage, location advantage, and internalization advantage which has been incorporated into the general equilibrium model, mostly preferred by economists. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is explained as an operation model which maximized the utility of workers and entrepreneurs simultaneously. A firm adopts an overseas operation only when the total utility received from FDI activities in a host country is more than the total utility received from the exports, domestic consumption and inward FDI. The three elements of the eclectic paradigm are ownership, location and internalization advantages. These are continuous in nature and often tend to support each other. The decrease in one advantage can be compensated by the other two. These competitive advantages are leveraged by the entrepreneurial firms to enhance their growth overseas and gain an edge over its competitors.

The Qualities of Leaders Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Qualities of Leaders - Assignment Example There can be a list of leadership qualities in the personality of Jeff Bozos (Anders, 2012). It is famous that Bezos always keeps an eye on system thinking. He always adds customers as an important member in the meetings. He is always planning for a long-term approach. Initially his investments may look like wastage but it may reap profits in the end. Failure is not a problem for him, but surely, he prefers to be creative and inventive. He always believes on a participative decision-making and due to this reason, he always prefers customer feedback. He is famous for giving values to his employees. Every single person at Amazon is considered as the Amazon Leader. Steve Jobs is a person who is considered as a very strong and successful leader; but there are some negative traits associated with his leadership style (Sander, 2011). It is famous that he was a bit arrogant towards other people. For involving all the team members, there should be a friendly environment in the organization. A good communication is badly needed between the leader and the team members. In case of his leadership, the communication element was missing. There were no training programs for the staff members. A good leader should keep his team members updated. Feedback is also another important part of business cycle and in his case there was no clear system to collect feedback. Sander, B. (2011), ‘Unforgiveable Leadership Mistakes That Steve Jobs Made’, Sanders Consulting Group, retrieved on July 6, 2014 from

Final exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Final exam - Essay Example Grand nursing theories are broadest in scope and, therefore, present general propositions and concepts. Mid-range theories act as bridges between grand and nursing practice theories. They have narrower scopes and offer effective concepts. Nursing practice theories, on the other hand, offer the most limited scope and strive to address the specific issues in nursing. The three types of theories differ in their application of grand and mid-range theories proving useful in nursing researches thus contributing to the development of knowledge in the practice. Nursing practice theory offers reliable ways of handling situations by specifying the conduct of nurses and their relationships with the patients in order to enhance the recovery of the patient. Despite the above differences, the theories have a number of similarities given the fact that they enjoy immense relations. The three types of theories broaden a nurse’s understanding of the practice thereby improving professionalism. They all provide objective ways of analyzing different categories of challenges that nurses encounter in their practice thus improving the productivity of the nurses (Kim & Kollak, 2006). In his hypothesis entitled, The helping art of clinical nursing Ernestine Wiedenbach asserts that helping process should meet the needs of the patient by individualizing the care (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2011). After observing Mary for a while, it becomes evident that she suffers from depression. Mary has a relentless feeling of loneliness, helplessness, and hopelessness that proves her depressed condition. Her condition is unique and, therefore, requires the type of individualized care that Ernestine Wiedenbach describes. Her environment enhances her depression. As such, I will advise Mary to join social groups and engage in activities of the group. Additionally, I will advise Mary to get a house help who will help provide her

Impact of Globalization on General Motors Essay

Impact of Globalization on General Motors - Essay Example These include simplifying the process where possible, finding cheaper but high quality material to help with the manufacturing process (Reader 2006, p.7). Additionally the company believes that innovative technology will help it attain better production hence increasing output but the question is how globalisation in the automotive industry affects GM. Globalisation is a double-edged sword that cuts both ways in this case it has both the positive and the negative impact on any industry. However, the degree of managing these effects determines the success or failure of a company in a particular industry. When examining the effects of globalisation in a company for instance GM, we have to look at all the department, branches, plants and any subsidiaries of the company. The reason for this is that globalisation is a multifaceted phenomenon. For instance, we have to look at how globalisation has affected GM employees, the production process, the marketing aspect, the information technolo gy aspect and the management aspect (Alias 2008, p.10). The complexity of the automotive industry demands that the company should effectively deal with the impact of globalisation because if the competitors are able to deal with it more effectively than the GM then this can be catastrophic or detrimental to both the company image and the market. The world is moving towards becoming a global village hence having a very fast rate of globalisation. As a result, companies should strategise and gear up for this cause to avoid eradication due to drastic changes. However, in dealing with the effects of globalisation on the GM it is important to separate all the sections and critically examining them individually ratherthat having a... The paper tells that increased globalisation has led to increased competition in the automotive industry with registration of new entrants who have better ways of manufacturing and production of vehicles. However, one of the biggest competitors to GM is the Japanese company Toyota manufacturing durable and affordable vehicles. Additionally, due to the persistent hard economic times more and more people are opting to buy fuel-efficient vehicle and vehicles whose spare parts are easily available. The Toyota Company has managed to tap into this market both locally and globally hence giving GM very stiff competition. Additionally, due to globalisation vehicles are becoming cheaper hence reducing the profit margin of GM. Because of this, it forces the company to seek ways of cutting down costs in order to increase the profit margin because they cannot increase the prices due to the demand and supply forces of the market. Globalisation has also made information readily available to consume rs in the market. Additionally, the introduction of ecommerce solution has also cut down on the cost of business transactions. Customers are now able to purchase vehicles from another counter through the internet and go through all the relevant processes that will enable him or her get the vehicle at his or her disposal. GM has to deal with these globalisation effects in order to stay afloat in business. The distance between countries is closing up very fast due to the development of efficient ways of transportation and business transactions are becoming easier due to the technological development.

Performance Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Performance Evaluation Essay There are forces of the government of the United States of America that give the protection and assurance that the said country will be safe and sound despite the opponents or the countries that try to oppose it. There are air forces, military on land and something that we call the United States Marines whom are assigned to take charge of the transactions and dealings with the bodies of water under the premises of America. There might be some circumstance that we have no grasp in evaluating the performances of the officials under this sector since they are a bit far from the media. However for this case, we might wish to evaluate their performance, whether they deserve the positions they are into, or they are just wasting the funds of the government of America. In what I assume to be a reasonable form of evaluation, there must be written and oral reports of the transactions of the marines. Since they are all trained, I think they have the capability of putting their actions and performances into words that will be understood by many. The reports will contain financial and development reports that happened during a month because it will be a burden for them if they will do it everyday. Another form of evaluating their performances is by checking on the stocks of the country whether the Marine forces contribute to the rise of the economy or not. This is a form of auditing aside from the reports they might be passing every month. One of their duties is ensuring peace and safety on seas, that is, if there are reported incidents of conflicts, maybe they are not doing their duties well. It might be a sign that if the rate of progress regarding tourists will rise, the marines perform their duties with the extent of their abilities. With that case, we can say that we can be proud of them because they are worthy of our trust and that they can be good models of discipline throughout the country. References About. com. Marine Corps Assignments Moving. 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://usmilitary. about. com/od/marineassign/Marine_Corps_Assignments_Movin g. htm Marines. A Heart-pumping Glimpse into the Marines’ World. 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2008 from http://our. marines. com/cms_content/show/type/blog/id/517

Deer hunting with dad Essay Example for Free

Deer hunting with dad Essay Some of us have had that life changing experience spent with our fathers or mothers. The bond between a father and son can be something truly magnificent whether it is a small or a large event. The accumulation of memories is what makes a relationship so special and deep, and what keeps a parent and child so close throughout life. Such memories become embarrassing stories in front of new dates, toast at weddings, eulogies at funerals, and lifelong memories of someone who might just not be around any longer. This is an account of the single most incredible bonding moment I have ever had with anyone, and fortunately it is a memory of the coolest man I have ever met, my father. For twenty years I have been gathering memories of my father and while some are bad, ninety nine percent of them are great ones. The one funny thing about memories is that you never realize they are going to be memories until long after the occurrence takes place. For instance when I was very young, if I were to misbehave in public my father would take me on what we now call spankin walks where I would be lead out the door by the wrist while my father spanked my lil bottom until his message was clear. At the time it was not such an enjoyable walk, but now I can look back and laugh with an appreciation for how I was raised. Unable to predict the magnitude of such an experience, at the age of twelve my father took me deer hunting for the first time ever. It was late October and as a high school football trainer, he finally had a Friday evening off and wanted to make the most of it. We drove south to my uncles farm in Owen County, Kentucky, and stayed the night in his very primitive trailer to stage an early morning hunt. That morning my father and I headed into the woods with our muzzle loading rifles; his was a hand made replica of a Kentucky Long Rifle and mine was a $100 starter rifle. We took our spots in a tree stand we built the Saturday before. The stand was perfect for two people; sitting back to back we could each see our respective ends of the fields as well as a decent distance into the woods on the opposite side of the stand. Most of the morning went by without any action at all, but I grew to learn just how squirrels prepared for the winter. As the afternoon approached, my Dad asked me if I was ready to go back to the trailer for lunch to which I replied in a lil while, Im not too hungry yet. About twenty minutes later in a blur came a deer out into the field in front of me, so I shouldered my gun, took aim and fired. My father was half asleep and with no warning of my shot he almost fell out of the tree stand. When he turned and looked he saw the same magnificent eight point buck that was just as scared as he was. The deer took to running and Dad spun around his gun and took a desperation shot at the sprinting whitetail but his bullet found the side of the ridge instead of his moving target. With the deer out of sight we began to look at my gun and to see why the weapon had malfunctioned when I pulled the trigger. Upon further investigation, we found that after the hammer struck the cap to ignite the spark, the spark did not ignite the powder that was lodged in the barrel resulting in a misfire. Disappointed and disgruntled we made our way out of the tree and began the journey back to the campsite. Upon returning to the trailer, my Uncle and his three friends were waiting to hear a success story after hearing several shots coming from our area of the farm. After explaining the event we began to disassemble my gun and figure out the reason for its malfunction. At the bottom of the barrel we found a small piece of cloth that my father left in the barrel after cleaning the weapon. At that point I do not know who was more disappointed, Dad or me, since my golden opportunity was spoiled. I placed no blame on him, but I could tell his guilt would haunt him regardless. Since that day Dad has lost interest in deer hunting for reasons unknown to me, but he did spark a passion in his son to succeed at a task that I have yet to master. Eight years later I still have not had an opportunity at a trophy like the one that eluded us that day, but I have tried every fall and winter since then. The drive that I have to go into the woods for hours on end every season might have subliminal reasons that I have not truly thought about until I began to brainstorm for this project. I have begun to realize  I might be trying to put a perfect ending on a nearly perfect afternoon with my father. Like any other memory, this one had no significant meaning until much later in life when the misfortunes can be laughed at due to a much deeper meaning of the tale. It is a story I can be proud of when it is recited in front of dates, at my wedding, or, God forbid, in a eulogy. Its a story that is only a portion of the memories that I have accumulated over the years. It is a story that I will never forget and will always recall when I need it. Since then my father an I have become closer and this experience will bond us together for the rest of our lives. I can only hope that my father can provide such a memory for my twelve year old younger brother.

Financial Performance Analysis of Amazon

Financial Performance Analysis of Amazon Executive Summary Amazon.com, Inc (Amazon) registered strong growth of 36% in 2008 mainly due to increased unit sales and expanded sales base in several categories. Meanwhile during the 3rd quarter of 2009, Amazon managed to report a steady growth despite the recession period. This report reviews and analyse Amazon financial performance as well as comparison with its competitors. All analysis and ratios are derived from data collected from respective companies annual reports and www.reuters.com. Brief Description of the Company Amazon is one of the leading online retailers in the world based in Seattle, Washington, United States of America. The company started its operation in 1995 and has regional involvement in the Asia Pacific, North America and Western Europe. Initially the core business of the company is selling online books however has diversified to products such as apparel, electronic and home improvement products. The company is involved in the internet retailing industry with 7.5% market share in 2008. The e-commerce industry has gone through major phases of growth and decline however, Amazon persevered and surprised everyone. Amazon achieved its first annual profit in 2003 and has continuously performed better each year. Amazons main competitors are the book retailer, Barnes and Nobles (BN) and third party retailing non-book related good, Ebay.com (Ebay). BN and Ebay are engaged in the similar industry as Amazon, which is online business and catalogue retailing of single and diversified product lines In terms of market capitalisation, Amazon has the highest at $59.57 billion and followed by Ebay and BN at $30.59 billion and $1.21 billion respectively. This indicates that Amazon has greater stability and low risk compared to the competitors. Financial Analysis Profitability The companys performance has improved wherein it has performed above the projections made throughout the four years period. Net sales have increased by 29.2% from $14,835 million in 2007 to $19,166 million in 2008 with net income of $476 million and $645 million respectively. The Cost of Sales (COS) has increased throughout the years partly contributed from the free shipping cost and has affected the net income figure. There was a drop in the net income in 2006 due to increase spending on technology and content and in income tax expenses. However, the said figure has increased thereafter. In terms of sales, Amazon has performed double from the competitors throughout the four-year period. Sales increased tremendously primarily due to low prices, vast selection of products and free shipping offers. However, in terms of Gross Profit Margin (GPM), Ebay operated at 74% has outperformed Amazon at 23% in 2008. The reason behind this is due to Amazons high expenditure on Cost of Sales (COS), which is about 70% of its sales value. The high COS was mainly contributed from the free shipping cost incurred. In comparison to Ebay, the company applies different business model from Amazon and have managed to minimise its expenditure on COS at about 20% of its sales value and therefore reflected to a high GPM. GPM proves that eBay is generating a very large percent of net income from each dollar of sales and this contributes greatly to the growing of eBays overall financial strength. Meanwhile, BN showed a better margin because of its smaller size and the retailer aspect. Amazon and BN have a stable Operating Profit Margin (OPM) of 4% compared to Ebay, which fluctuates within the same period. Its constant operating expenses of 20% from its sales value support the stable growth for Amazons OPM. Ebays fluctuation figures are resulted from high expenses incurred from selling, general and administrative. Based on the industry standard, Amazon and its competitors have performed ahead from the standard, which are 14.1% and 0.53% for GPM and OPM respectively. The low OPM standard can be ascribed to the effect of the recent financial crisis. As of the 3rd quarter of 2009, Amazons sales were $14,989 million with net income of $518 million. For the current year, it is projected a further increase of 21% and 19.5% in sales and COS respectively from 2008 primarily to the low prices, vast selection and free shipping offers. With the said sales projection, the net profit is projected at $743 million in 2009. The basis for the projection takes into consideration on the global economic downturn and changes in customer purchasing preferences. Based on the current quarter performance, the same trend was observed wherein Amazon is still having the highest net sales while Ebay still dominating the net income figure. BN was badly hit from the result of economic crisis. In comparison with the competitors, Amazons Return on Equity (ROE) was high in 2005 at 135% but drastically dropped throughout the years to 40% and 20% in 2007 and 2008 respectively. The main reason for the decrease was due to the yearly increase in the businesss equity. As at 2008, Amazons ROE is equivalent to the competitors and is expected to be in line with the competitors in the future. In comparison on the ROE and Return on Assets (ROA), Amazon has the highest growth among its competitors as it has a smaller capital base than Ebay and a higher profit level than BN. The high ROE is indicates that Amazon is continuing to grow. Meanwhile the ROA showed that Amazon is efficient in generating income from its assets compared to its competitors. The industry standard for the ROE and ROA are 3.8% and 1.6% respectively. The lower industry standard might be driven by the economic condition, which has a great impact to the performance and profitability of most companies. There was an increase of 1% for each year from 2006 to 2008 for the Return on Investment (ROI), whereas the Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) was at the highest in 2008 at 29%. These have indicated that Amazon is efficientat using its assets to generate earnings compared to the competitors. Liquidity and leverage analysis The companys current ratios are more or less similar to BN during the four-year period. The companys current ratio was between the ranges of 1.3 to 1.5 for the past four years. This indicates that Amazon is able to lay its hands on $1.30-$1.50 for every $1.00 they owe. In comparison between current and acid test ratio, acid test ratio is lower at average of 1.0 within the years. It will enable the company to cover its short-term liabilities adequately with its liquid assets. This is within some of the industry standards of 1:1, showing that the company will be able to cover its short-term liabilities adequately with its liquid assets. In comparison with the industry, Ebay performed better than Amazon for both the current ratio and acid test ratio. Amazon fell below the standard in the initial years but almost meeting the standard in 2008 at 1.5:1. Although not performing better than the industry average, Amazon has good and stable ratios, which indicates that the company is able to cover its current liabilities. Amazons gearing ratio was high in 2005 at 86% and subsequently reduces within the years to 13% in 2008. Due to the operational efficiency, increased sales and improved liquidity, Amazon was able to reduce its debt and currently the business is funded with internal generated funds. Meanwhile, Ebay has no borrowings and BN has an average of 30% for the gearing ratio. The high borrowing in 2005 has a huge impact on the debt-to-equity ratio, which was 6:0:1. However as the borrowings is paid, the debt equity ratio when down to 0.2:1 in 2008. This indicates that Amazon has 20 cent debt for every $1 equity the company have. As for BN, its debt/equity ratio was at average of 0.5:1 during the four years. Therefore, in comparison, Amazon is less risky than BN. As Ebay has no borrowing, the interest cover for the said company is high compared to Amazon and Ebay. In comparison with the debt-to-equity ratio set by the industry, Amazon has a very low ratio of 0.2 compared to 40.98. As mentioned earlier, the industry ratio is on the high side due to the economic condition. Investment analysis Amazons common shares outstanding plus shares underlying stock-based awards outstanding totalled 446 million on December 31, 2008, compared with 435 million a year ago. As of to date, the said shares amounted to 451 million. Based on Amazons Earning per Share (EPS) trend, it indicated that the markets willingness to pay for the companys earnings has increased. This indicates that the market foresees Amazons long-term prospects over and above its current position. As at 3rd quarter 2009, the EPS was $1.20 and to grow further based on the companys projection on higher earnings in 4th quarter. Analyst predicts that strong online holiday sales will boost the shares of retailers, including Amazon and has recommended that the said shares will outperform in the market (Reuters.com, 2009). In terms of market performance, Amazons share price fluctuates throughout the years and increased tremendously in 2007 at $92.64 due to the launch of its e-book reader, Kindle. However, during the economy downturn in 2008, the share price dropped to $51.28 due to low operating profit as Amazon begins its price reduction for the goods and services. In 2009, the share price gradually increased and after the 3rd quarter results, it continuously went up and as at 11 December 2009, the share price was $134.15. The current Price/Earning Ratio has increased to 80.70 times from 33.80 times in 2008. Analyst predicted that with a strong revenue growth Amazon would be able to gain significant market share from other competitors (Stahl, 2009). Due to the economic downturn, all companies are affected which was reflected in its performance. Similar to Amazon, Ebays and BNs share prices had an initial stable growth but in 2008 it dropped by about 50%. While others are still struggling to recover from the economic situation, Amazon has showed a growth in 2009 and the share price has currently increased by 168% compared to Ebay and BN at 70% and 62% respectively. Cash flow Analysis As at 3rd quarter 2009, the cash and cash equivalents was $2,514, which a reduction from the opening balances at the beginning of the year of $2,769. During the period, the cash used in financing activities was $229 million compared to $1,199 million in 2008 of which the cash outflows results from repurchases of common stock, repayments of long-term debt. Repayments on long-term debt and payments on capital lease obligations were $379 million for the 3rd quarter 2009 and $335 million in 2008. Meanwhile, free cash flowwas $446 million for the quarter. Throughout the years, Amazon has managed to have a positive cash flow from its operating activities. This indicates a good sign that the core operation of the company is generating income. In comparison of Amazons total liabilities to the cash flow generated from operations, the company has enough funds to cover level of investment and takes about 3.3 years to pay back all its financial commitments. With the current cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities balances, the company is likely to be able to meet its anticipated operating cash needs for at least the next 12 months. In comparison between the cash flow from operating activities and net income, it indicated that Ebay has the higher ability compared to Amazon in managing its operating cash cycle through receivables, payables and inventory. The reason is that Ebay takes advantages of its payable days for as long as 361 days. Due to the similar business model, both companies have a negative cash cycle of which cash is generated from its payable and quick settlement payment from the customers. Management of Working Capital In terms of managing working capital, Amazon had maintained its positive cash flow being the highest at 2007 for an amount of $1,450. This indicates that the company is able to pay off its short-term liabilities and operating expenses accordingly. In comparison between the competitors, Ebay has the highest working capital of $4,023 million in 2007 while BN has the lowest at $841million in 2006. The high working capital for Ebay has enabled the company to be successful in its expansion programme and improve their operations. For the 3rd quarter ending 31st December, Amazons working capital is $1,832 million and is expected to increase further due to higher expectation of sales in the coming quarter. Working capital provides information on the companys underlying operational efficiency. In terms of efficiency, Amazon is efficient in using its assets in generating sales compared to its competitors, which are reflected in the asset turnover ratio. This indicates Amazons improved efficiency in inventory and asset management that is partly supported from the low pricing strategy and low profit margin. In comparison to the competitors, BN has the lowest account receivable days due to its retail business model, which is based on the cash transaction. Based on the account payable days, Ebay has taken advantage on the free source of finance for the business at 361 days compared to Amazon at 62 days. In respect of the inventory days, Amazon is able to turn the inventory quickly as low as 12 days compared to BN at 140 days. BN has high stock inventory days due to the reason of its retailing business model and product which requires some time to be sold. Due to the same business application, both Amazon and Ebay have a negative cash operating cycle, which indicates efficiency in cash management. In term of the industry standard, the three companies are performing above the indicative ratios, which are supported by the significant growth in the industry. Based on the industry standard, Amazon and the competitors are performing ahead from the standard. For the assets turnover ratio, Amazon was the highest at 2 times compared to 0.7 times industry standard. This indicates the companys efficiency at using its assets in generating sales. The reason Amazon performed better than the competitors is relatively derive from the pricing strategy wherein low profit margin company tends to have high asset turnover. Amazon Future Prospects Based on Amazons current performance, it is projected that the company will have a strong growth supported by the low pricing strategy and free shipping. Moreover, the latest acquisition of Zappos.com and improvised version of Kindle are expected to increase Amazon sales which leads to higher profitability. Due to the growth of Amazon, its annual earning is expected to grow over the next two to three years with sales reaching $2.38 million and $2.86 million respectively. Due to robust financial performance during the current economic condition, it has enhances investors confidence. Share prices are expected to increase with earnings of $2.57 and $2.38 per share in 2008 and 2009 respectively. In line with the said growth, Amazon will benefit in gaining additional market share despite tough competition from other online sites such as Ebay. References Amazon.com Annual Report 2008 Available from: http://amazon.com (accessed on 11th November 2009) Amazon.com 3rd Quarter 2009 Report Available from: http://amazon.com (accessed on 11th November 2009) Ebay.com Annual Report 2008 Available from: http://ebay.com (accessed on 11th December 2009) Barnes and Noble Annual Report 2008 Available from: barnesnobleinc.com ((accessed on 11th November 2009) BBC News (2008), Amazon Shares Fall Despite Growth. (Online) Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk (accessed on 5th December 2009) George Stahl (2009), Amazon Shares Hit All Time High. The Wall Street Journal (0nline), Available from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125630854623203899.html (accessed on 4th December 2009) John Pacskowski (2009), Spare Change for Amazon Shares. The Wall Street Journal (Online), Available from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125630854623203899.html (accessed on 4th December 2009) Richard Waters and Jonathan Birchall (2009), Amazon Share Surge Recalls Tech Boom Days (Online) Available from:http://ft.com (accessed on 5th December 2009) Reuters.com (2009), Nasdaq rises with Online Retailers Dos Dips on Oil. (Online), http://ul.reuters.com (accessed on 3rd December 2009) www. reuters.com (accessed on 1st December 2009)

A Satire of Life as Performed by Monkeys Essay -- Literary Analysis, S

He was a visionary, an artist, an illusionist like no other: William Shakespeare. Shakespeare, a master at his craft, believed that â€Å"all the world’s a stage†; Ralph Ellison seems to agree. Ellison crafts a world in which the narrator of the Invisible Man learns through his experiences with performances and exile that true power can only be wielded by people uninhibited by the strict routines of society. The narrator is completely powerless and exiled from freedom in the theatre called school. He is the pride of the young black boys, bright and college-bound. His speech given at his high school about â€Å"social responsibility† is obviously well thought out and fleshed with purpose and meaning, but because of the shallow nature of the entire ceremony, he is mostly ignored (30). The crowd homes in on exactly what they want to hear. His rehearsed lines deteriorate into a reading from a crudely-made teleprompter that displays no more than three syllables at a time. His speech about the values of social harmony go mostly ignored or overlooked by the crowd until he makes a mistake and openly reveals his beliefs. His carefully dictated speech, filled with ideas of societal acceptance and â€Å"social equality,† is harshly criticized and undermined by the racist, white men who act as though they are friendly to the narrator, but turn vicious at the sign of such radical, free thinking from the black boy (31). At the front of the hall, he is exiled and alone while attempting to speak out for what he believes in. He learns that he’s â€Å"got to know [his] place at all times† with the white men (31). He understands that the whole ceremony is a farce and no one is actually there to listen to a young black boy speak. Nevertheless, he is forced to stand ... ...that people threw at him hoping that eventually they would just forget about him and leave him alone. He has then embraced the idea that now â€Å"on the lower frequencies, [he speaks] for [everyone]† (581). His exile to the underground has stripped him of his previous identity and possessions, but he emerges strong empowered by his invisibility. Ralph Ellison, in his novel Invisible Man provides a view of a character whose identity has been shaped by his experiences as an actor on the metaphorical stage of life and exile from various groups he’s been a part of. Through school, Brother Clifton’s Sambo doll, Rineheart, and his exile underground, the narrator has been able to shed his misconceptions about the world and grow into a person possessing both freedom and free thought in a society full of mindless drones that are enslaved by the systems that they are a part of.

Educational Goals and Philosophies Essay -- Education Teaching Philoso

Educational Goals and Philosophies For the past seven years, I have had the same dream - to someday be a high school math teacher. I am finally on my way to turning that dream into a reality. Along the way, I am learning a lot of things and forming a number of opinions. One of the main areas in which I am forming new beliefs is in relation to what methods I will use in teaching my class and what aspects of what philosophies I will employ. First of all, however, I must reach the point where I have a class to teach. How am I going to reach my goal of becoming a teacher? I believe I am taking the most important step right now by attending a good college where I am gaining further knowledge in many areas, especially math and education, as well as gaining practical experience in the public school system. At the present time, it is not my plan to attend graduate school. Since I took some extra time to earn an Associate of Arts in Bible, I will have already been in college for five years when I graduate, and I am eager to get out there and start teaching now. Math teachers are in short supply right now, and if I am able to get a good teaching position with only a Bachelor of Science, I would rather do that than continue on with further schooling. I know that teachers with their Master’s Degree make more money, but I am not worried about money. If I were, I would not become a teacher. I want to teach because I love math, I love to be able to help other people, and I love young pe ople. I realize that if I decide to teach college level math someday, I will need to go to graduate school, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it if I ever do. At the moment, it is just my desire to teach high school. When I am teaching in a high school someday, what philosophies will be evident in my classroom? What methods will I use to reach my students? In my present education, I am beginning to think carefully and deeply about these issues. From what I have read and learned and from comparing various philosophies with each other, I have come to realize that I am a strong essentialist, and I also see many strong points in progressivism and behaviorism. Essentialism, made popular by William Bagley in the 1930’s, is the form of education most of us know well from our schooling experiences. It has also been called the â€Å"... ...ng that is based on behaviorist principles. Students work at their own pace to reach a certain goal. When they pass that phase, they move on to the next one; otherwise, they repeat it until they can reach the objective. Mastery learning often provides rewards or reinforcement. Programmed learning is a type of mastery learning in which students work with an interactive program on a computer. The material is broken into small portions, and the computer provides immediate feedback to the student’s answers. Students are able to work at a speed comfortable for them. I want to be the best possible teacher I can be. I want to communicate well with my students, and I want to be able to help them both now while they are in school and provide them with tools they will use when they are finished with school. In order to be a good teacher, I will use various methods and ideas from the philosophies of essentialism, progressivism, and behaviorism. I want to be open and willing to try new things and to always keep in mind the reason I became a teacher – to help my students learn math, in whatever way I can. When all is said and done, I want my grade as a teacher to be an â€Å"A.†

Fun with Education Essay

In a general sense, ‘education’ means a form of learning process in which knowledge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training and research. Accordingly, education aims at the physical, intellectual, spiritual and moral development of man. Education merely does not give knowledge to a human being and enabling him to earn his livelihood. But it does much more than this. Nowadays, what we can see the society as a future teacher is the students do not have an interest in learning by the way of ‘chalk and talk’ anymore. They prefer something new from the teachers which are more interesting and fun. One of the most effective ways is including games in teaching and learning process. Education can be fun through games. As a sports teacher, we can build our student’s potential. Games are a mean of keeping the body healthy and fit. Indeed, good health is the first condition of happiness in life so those who play games generally maintain good health. For example, sports teacher can create interesting games that can help students in building up their critical thinking skills besides physical strength. They can learn different types of skills such as throwing, passing, and kicking in sports like basketball, football and others. On top of that, education can also include songs which are forms of entertainment. In this way, we can make our class more interesting and students will be entertained. From the song lyrics, we can polish our student’s language and vocabulary besides making learning more fun. They can also learn to express their emotions through songs as songs can be a good cure for stress. Furthermore, education can be fun through role playing. We can involve our students act out a drama which may help to improve their acting skills and self confidence. Indirectly, they will be able to express their thoughts through role-play in a form of voice projection, facial expression and also body language. Apart from that, they can strengthen their memorizing skills too. This is because they need to memorize their scripts. As we know, the world we are living today is technology dominated and everything can be done fast and furious. For examples, cell phones, instant coffee machine, one hour-photo shops and internet can help us to complete our task in a short time. In short, technology makes the world moves faster than the past. But, education does not have any shortcut for us to reach the destination. We must learn step by step. Practice makes perfect. So, we take time to achieve our goals in the field of education. In a nutshell, we can make education fun in many ways such as games and songs. Thus, we can make our classroom full of joy and students will not feel bored while learning from the teachers. Besides, students will be able to think out of the box. With this, the goals of ‘fun in education’ could be achieved.

Green Roof

Many people don’t know what green roof is. So, what it is? A green roof is not a surface painted green, it is a living surface of plants growing in a soil layer on top of the roof. A thinner or thicker soil layer is spread over the roof membrane itself, sometimes with a protective root barrier, often with a drainage layer underneath. On the substrate, draught-tolerant species of plants are grown. Roof vegetation like this one doesn’t at all damage the waterproofing membrane of the roof. In fact it protects it from the uv-light which does damage the membrane over time.There are two types of green roofs: extensive and intensive. There are some differences of its. An extensive roof has very thin soil layers, draught tolerant plants and requires little or almost no maintenance. The limitation here is in the choice of plants. Extensive roof can be established on a very thin layer of soil. An intensive roof garden has much thicker soil layers, and can look like an ordinary ga rden, with trees and shrubs. Intensive roofs are more park-like with easy access and may include anything from kitchen herbs to shrubs and small trees.This of course needs as much maintenance as a garden does, and can only be constructed on a roof that can bear heavy loads. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Green_roof) It doesn’t matter what type roof is, but construction is a similar. Construction includes drainage materials, plant materials and establishment methods. For each green roof project, different site conditions and your aims and motives will govern the choice of materials and establishment methods. Therefore, if you are planning to build a green roof, consider the following two sections carefully.There are some roof sections which are important. First is a waterproofing. The membrane is made waterproof, and it will stay waterproof unless it gets physically damaged or aged. What ages a bitumen membrane is mainly uv-light and temperature extremes. Unless the roof memb rane is damaged while laying the green roof, the soil and vegetation cover protects the membrane from these types of injuries later. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=32&sub=19) Second section is root barrier. The asphalt waterproofing itself is not classified as root resistant and had to be reinforced with a root barrier.This barrier consists of rubberized asphalt enforced with polyester and treated eight a root-repelling agent. There are also synthetic waterproofing membranes (like PVC liners) available that are root resistant and do not require an additional root barrier. Different countries have different building practices and rules for green roofs – and many countries have no rules at all yet. In Germany, for example, a root barrier is always laid under a green roof. This is to ensure that no roots can damage the waterproofing.A root barrier is sometimes incorporated in the drainage layer. It can be chemical and poisonous to plants, or it can be a thin copper sheet, or r ubber sealed so as to avoid seams. If your motive for having a green roof is sustainability and ecological consciousness, it’s a good idea to ask your contractor about the method. In Sweden, the usual practice is that under extensive roof vegetation (2 – 5 cm soil), where only sedums and moss can survive, an extra root barrier is not considered necessary, since the sedums used have weak roots, and moss has no roots at all.When the soil layer is thicker, and therefore can hold more water, other plants grow there, and there is a risk of getting weeds with more penetrative roots. Second layer is insulation. Insulation boards can be made from extruded polystyrene which has high water resistance and compressive strength. The main difference from the old roof is that the insulation layer must be places above the waterproofing membrane, but on the new roofs insulation must be located below the waterproofing. Second, but not less important, is drainage.The main reason for usin g a drainage layer is that if a lot of water drains off along the surface of the soil, this will cause erosion. The second reason, is that for roofs which are almost flat, too much water would remain on the roof, forming puddles. Especially sedum vegetation is adapted to dry conditions, and tends to rot if submerged. Besides, too much water available can lead to unwanted plants establishing on the roof. Another function of the drainage materials that are often used is to store some amount of water.This effect becomes more and more important the drier the conditions on the roof are, due to climate, a steeper slope or other conditions on the roof. Drainage materials used in green roofs include natural materials, recycled materials and manufactured drainage mats. (â€Å"Green roof systems† Susan K. Weiler, Katrin Scolz-Barth) And finally, the top layer is growing medium with plants. The growing medium provides nutrients and structure for the roots to anchor in. the proprietary m ixes of the manufacturer consist of a lightweight aggregate, expanded shale, and some compost.The organic components make up about three to six percent of the shallow planting areas. The mix for deeper planting areas has slightly more organics. This mix is also heavier and allows a higher water-holding capacity in order to support the larger plants of these areas. In conclusion, one has to realize that there is no cookie cutter approach when it comes to the design of a green roof section. Though certain layers are always present – waterproofing, root barrier, insulation, protection layer, drainage layer, growing medium – their actual composition varies widely responding to a particular situation. â€Å"Green roof – a case study† Christian Werthmann) Green roofs have many advantages. One is a cooling effect. It is very useful effect for individual houses at summer time. A black bitumen roof easily reaches temperatures of 80 ° Celsius in the summer. When a soil layer and the shading plants protect the roof, the surface temperature usually doesn’t rise above the surrounding air temperature. A study conducted by Environment Canada found a 26% reduction in summer cooling needs and a 26% reduction in winter heat losses when a green roof is used.In addition to this, the plants and soil evaporate water, creating a cooling effect, and a moister air, more comfortable to breathe. Cooling effect is useful at summer, but at winter there is another green roof feature – insulation. The soil layer provides an additional insulation. In warmer climates a green roof especially the versions with thicker soil layer, can make a difference in the heating required in the building. Life expectancy of the root membrane is also important. The waterproofing of the roof, for example bitumen, has a normal life expectancy of 25 years.After that it needs replacing. The reasons are that the uv-light from the sun makes the surface brittle, and then t he expansion and shrinking caused by the fluctuations in temperature, together with the loss of elasticity, causes cracks to form in the membrane. The high temperatures in themselves, above 60 ° Celsius, age the membrane. The green roof protects the waterproofing from both the uv-light and the temperature extremes, increasing the life expectancy of the membrane to at least 60 years. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=28&sub=19)One of the most important effects of green roofs in the cities is their potential for retaining and delaying rainwater during storms. The gutters and sewers in the city have to be big enough to cope with the amounts of water that falls during extreme storm events. As more and more surfaces in the built up areas are made hard and impermeable, less water can percolate naturally into the soil. This means that the sewers and treatment plants get higher and higher loads. For the water treatment plant this can be a great problem, since they take care of sewage as we ll as rainwater.If the sewage gets very diluted by a heavy rain, the sensitive chemical and microbiological processes are disturbed. Getting the balance back costs time and money, and in the meantime, sewage is less completely cleaned. Also, the treatment plants cannot store unlimited amounts of water, so during extreme rains, they are forced to let completely untreated water to the natural waters. The more rain water that is taken care of locally, the less often we will have to face these polluting events. (http://progressivetimes. wordpress. om/2010/10/04/one-roof-two-roofs-green-roofs-blue-roofs/) There are some effects which are interesting. The heat island effect. This is the effect that makes cities reach a higher average temperature than the countryside around them. The large amount of stone, asphalt and concrete in the towns and cities that absorb the heat from the sun in the daytime, and release it at night. An additional cause is the lack of trees and other vegetation. The night time temperature rises, and in the summer people suffers from sleeplessness. The cost of air condition goes up.Green roofs can protect from noise and electromagnetic radiation. Thick layers and plants can reduce noise in the outdoor environment and green roofs can reduce the electromagnetic radiation that enters a building to a great extent. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=28&sub=19) The most important problem in big cities is pollution. Green roof vegetation, as well as other vegetation, use CO2 for their respiration, and therefore reduce the negative effects of pollution. Best are highly productive plants, which in a year can produce a lot of biomass.An extensive green roof does not produce very much, but intensive ones could. In this case, it might be a question of a small extra advantage, when large surfaces of the cities rooftops are used for vegetation. This is not a method that can be used as an only solution to the problems of pollution and global warming, but togeth er with all the other beneficial effects of green roofs, it is a small step in the right direction. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=28&sub=19) Green roofs also provide habitats for plants, insects, and animals that otherwise have limited natural space in cities.In modern city planning, â€Å"green corridors† are planned into the cities, where parks and waterways can connect the city with the surrounding countryside, and get humans in closer contact with nature. In the places where there isn’t enough ground space for green space, the green corridors, and the habitats for animals don’t have to be discontinued, if the flat roofs are used. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=28&sub=19) Thus green roof save materials, energy and money, produce less waste, can protect from negative cities impact and what is the most important – is environmental friendly. However, green roof has some disadvantages.Weight is problematical field. A thin extensive green roof of the t ype widely used weighs about 50 kg/m2 when saturated with water. Lighter versions are available, that uses rock wool as substrate instead of soil, which gives a weight of about 35 kg/m2. Compare that to tiles that weigh 33 – 37 kg /m2, depending on the type. If you live in a region where you can expect snow, then weight has to be reckoned as well. So some buildings, especially old buildings, cannot be retrofitted with certain kinds of green roof because of the weight load of the substrate and vegetation exceeds permitted static loading.Depending on what kind of green roof it is, the maintenance costs could be higher. Cost is the main reason why people didn’t want green roofs. Properly designed and -installed systems include root barriers. It is true that installing adequate waterproofing systems and root barriers automatically can increase the initial cost of the roof. A properly designed and installed green-roof system can cost 15 to 20 dollars per square foot as a to tal cost, not including the roof's waterproof layers.In Europe, a well-designed and professionally installed fully integrated green roof can cost anywhere between 100 to 200 euros per square meter, depending on the kind of roof, the building structure, and which plants are used. Despite of that, I think that green roofs have more advantages than disadvantages. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Green_roof) It is clear that living green roofs and landscapes over structure are not a panacea for ameliorating the negative environmental impacts resulting from increased development or the loss of open space.They cannot and will not replace our forests and prairies, will nor remediate the degradation of all stream corridors, and will not stop global warming by themselves. However, green roofs and landscapes over structure can act buffers to mitigate the impacts of unbridled and unplanned urban growth and development. Reducing building roofs generates less storm water runoff, reduces the heat gain that affects our indoor and outdoor environments, and mitigates the continued degradation of air and water quality. Green roofs provide additional usable, confortable open space. Green Roof Many people don’t know what green roof is. So, what it is? A green roof is not a surface painted green, it is a living surface of plants growing in a soil layer on top of the roof. A thinner or thicker soil layer is spread over the roof membrane itself, sometimes with a protective root barrier, often with a drainage layer underneath. On the substrate, draught-tolerant species of plants are grown. Roof vegetation like this one doesn’t at all damage the waterproofing membrane of the roof. In fact it protects it from the uv-light which does damage the membrane over time.There are two types of green roofs: extensive and intensive. There are some differences of its. An extensive roof has very thin soil layers, draught tolerant plants and requires little or almost no maintenance. The limitation here is in the choice of plants. Extensive roof can be established on a very thin layer of soil. An intensive roof garden has much thicker soil layers, and can look like an ordinary ga rden, with trees and shrubs. Intensive roofs are more park-like with easy access and may include anything from kitchen herbs to shrubs and small trees.This of course needs as much maintenance as a garden does, and can only be constructed on a roof that can bear heavy loads. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Green_roof) It doesn’t matter what type roof is, but construction is a similar. Construction includes drainage materials, plant materials and establishment methods. For each green roof project, different site conditions and your aims and motives will govern the choice of materials and establishment methods. Therefore, if you are planning to build a green roof, consider the following two sections carefully.There are some roof sections which are important. First is a waterproofing. The membrane is made waterproof, and it will stay waterproof unless it gets physically damaged or aged. What ages a bitumen membrane is mainly uv-light and temperature extremes. Unless the roof memb rane is damaged while laying the green roof, the soil and vegetation cover protects the membrane from these types of injuries later. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=32&sub=19) Second section is root barrier. The asphalt waterproofing itself is not classified as root resistant and had to be reinforced with a root barrier.This barrier consists of rubberized asphalt enforced with polyester and treated eight a root-repelling agent. There are also synthetic waterproofing membranes (like PVC liners) available that are root resistant and do not require an additional root barrier. Different countries have different building practices and rules for green roofs – and many countries have no rules at all yet. In Germany, for example, a root barrier is always laid under a green roof. This is to ensure that no roots can damage the waterproofing.A root barrier is sometimes incorporated in the drainage layer. It can be chemical and poisonous to plants, or it can be a thin copper sheet, or r ubber sealed so as to avoid seams. If your motive for having a green roof is sustainability and ecological consciousness, it’s a good idea to ask your contractor about the method. In Sweden, the usual practice is that under extensive roof vegetation (2 – 5 cm soil), where only sedums and moss can survive, an extra root barrier is not considered necessary, since the sedums used have weak roots, and moss has no roots at all.When the soil layer is thicker, and therefore can hold more water, other plants grow there, and there is a risk of getting weeds with more penetrative roots. Second layer is insulation. Insulation boards can be made from extruded polystyrene which has high water resistance and compressive strength. The main difference from the old roof is that the insulation layer must be places above the waterproofing membrane, but on the new roofs insulation must be located below the waterproofing. Second, but not less important, is drainage.The main reason for usin g a drainage layer is that if a lot of water drains off along the surface of the soil, this will cause erosion. The second reason, is that for roofs which are almost flat, too much water would remain on the roof, forming puddles. Especially sedum vegetation is adapted to dry conditions, and tends to rot if submerged. Besides, too much water available can lead to unwanted plants establishing on the roof. Another function of the drainage materials that are often used is to store some amount of water.This effect becomes more and more important the drier the conditions on the roof are, due to climate, a steeper slope or other conditions on the roof. Drainage materials used in green roofs include natural materials, recycled materials and manufactured drainage mats. (â€Å"Green roof systems† Susan K. Weiler, Katrin Scolz-Barth) And finally, the top layer is growing medium with plants. The growing medium provides nutrients and structure for the roots to anchor in. the proprietary m ixes of the manufacturer consist of a lightweight aggregate, expanded shale, and some compost.The organic components make up about three to six percent of the shallow planting areas. The mix for deeper planting areas has slightly more organics. This mix is also heavier and allows a higher water-holding capacity in order to support the larger plants of these areas. In conclusion, one has to realize that there is no cookie cutter approach when it comes to the design of a green roof section. Though certain layers are always present – waterproofing, root barrier, insulation, protection layer, drainage layer, growing medium – their actual composition varies widely responding to a particular situation. â€Å"Green roof – a case study† Christian Werthmann) Green roofs have many advantages. One is a cooling effect. It is very useful effect for individual houses at summer time. A black bitumen roof easily reaches temperatures of 80 ° Celsius in the summer. When a soil layer and the shading plants protect the roof, the surface temperature usually doesn’t rise above the surrounding air temperature. A study conducted by Environment Canada found a 26% reduction in summer cooling needs and a 26% reduction in winter heat losses when a green roof is used.In addition to this, the plants and soil evaporate water, creating a cooling effect, and a moister air, more comfortable to breathe. Cooling effect is useful at summer, but at winter there is another green roof feature – insulation. The soil layer provides an additional insulation. In warmer climates a green roof especially the versions with thicker soil layer, can make a difference in the heating required in the building. Life expectancy of the root membrane is also important. The waterproofing of the roof, for example bitumen, has a normal life expectancy of 25 years.After that it needs replacing. The reasons are that the uv-light from the sun makes the surface brittle, and then t he expansion and shrinking caused by the fluctuations in temperature, together with the loss of elasticity, causes cracks to form in the membrane. The high temperatures in themselves, above 60 ° Celsius, age the membrane. The green roof protects the waterproofing from both the uv-light and the temperature extremes, increasing the life expectancy of the membrane to at least 60 years. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=28&sub=19)One of the most important effects of green roofs in the cities is their potential for retaining and delaying rainwater during storms. The gutters and sewers in the city have to be big enough to cope with the amounts of water that falls during extreme storm events. As more and more surfaces in the built up areas are made hard and impermeable, less water can percolate naturally into the soil. This means that the sewers and treatment plants get higher and higher loads. For the water treatment plant this can be a great problem, since they take care of sewage as we ll as rainwater.If the sewage gets very diluted by a heavy rain, the sensitive chemical and microbiological processes are disturbed. Getting the balance back costs time and money, and in the meantime, sewage is less completely cleaned. Also, the treatment plants cannot store unlimited amounts of water, so during extreme rains, they are forced to let completely untreated water to the natural waters. The more rain water that is taken care of locally, the less often we will have to face these polluting events. (http://progressivetimes. wordpress. om/2010/10/04/one-roof-two-roofs-green-roofs-blue-roofs/) There are some effects which are interesting. The heat island effect. This is the effect that makes cities reach a higher average temperature than the countryside around them. The large amount of stone, asphalt and concrete in the towns and cities that absorb the heat from the sun in the daytime, and release it at night. An additional cause is the lack of trees and other vegetation. The night time temperature rises, and in the summer people suffers from sleeplessness. The cost of air condition goes up.Green roofs can protect from noise and electromagnetic radiation. Thick layers and plants can reduce noise in the outdoor environment and green roofs can reduce the electromagnetic radiation that enters a building to a great extent. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=28&sub=19) The most important problem in big cities is pollution. Green roof vegetation, as well as other vegetation, use CO2 for their respiration, and therefore reduce the negative effects of pollution. Best are highly productive plants, which in a year can produce a lot of biomass.An extensive green roof does not produce very much, but intensive ones could. In this case, it might be a question of a small extra advantage, when large surfaces of the cities rooftops are used for vegetation. This is not a method that can be used as an only solution to the problems of pollution and global warming, but togeth er with all the other beneficial effects of green roofs, it is a small step in the right direction. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=28&sub=19) Green roofs also provide habitats for plants, insects, and animals that otherwise have limited natural space in cities.In modern city planning, â€Å"green corridors† are planned into the cities, where parks and waterways can connect the city with the surrounding countryside, and get humans in closer contact with nature. In the places where there isn’t enough ground space for green space, the green corridors, and the habitats for animals don’t have to be discontinued, if the flat roofs are used. (http://www. greenroof. se/? pid=28&sub=19) Thus green roof save materials, energy and money, produce less waste, can protect from negative cities impact and what is the most important – is environmental friendly. However, green roof has some disadvantages.Weight is problematical field. A thin extensive green roof of the t ype widely used weighs about 50 kg/m2 when saturated with water. Lighter versions are available, that uses rock wool as substrate instead of soil, which gives a weight of about 35 kg/m2. Compare that to tiles that weigh 33 – 37 kg /m2, depending on the type. If you live in a region where you can expect snow, then weight has to be reckoned as well. So some buildings, especially old buildings, cannot be retrofitted with certain kinds of green roof because of the weight load of the substrate and vegetation exceeds permitted static loading.Depending on what kind of green roof it is, the maintenance costs could be higher. Cost is the main reason why people didn’t want green roofs. Properly designed and -installed systems include root barriers. It is true that installing adequate waterproofing systems and root barriers automatically can increase the initial cost of the roof. A properly designed and installed green-roof system can cost 15 to 20 dollars per square foot as a to tal cost, not including the roof's waterproof layers.In Europe, a well-designed and professionally installed fully integrated green roof can cost anywhere between 100 to 200 euros per square meter, depending on the kind of roof, the building structure, and which plants are used. Despite of that, I think that green roofs have more advantages than disadvantages. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Green_roof) It is clear that living green roofs and landscapes over structure are not a panacea for ameliorating the negative environmental impacts resulting from increased development or the loss of open space.They cannot and will not replace our forests and prairies, will nor remediate the degradation of all stream corridors, and will not stop global warming by themselves. However, green roofs and landscapes over structure can act buffers to mitigate the impacts of unbridled and unplanned urban growth and development. Reducing building roofs generates less storm water runoff, reduces the heat gain that affects our indoor and outdoor environments, and mitigates the continued degradation of air and water quality. Green roofs provide additional usable, confortable open space.