To Kill A Mockingbird Essays (566 words) - To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird The Maturity Of Scout And Jem In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee It is just plain wrong to murder a mockingbird since they don't do anything however make music for us to appreciate. This was cited from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, an inventive author. To Kill a Mockingbird is about a little youngster named Jean-Louise Finch, her sibling Jeremy Finch and numerous different characters. Jean-Louise is scratch named Scout and Jeremy is scratch named Jem. Their dad Atticus ,who was a legal counselor, had been given a case to deal with and didn't have any decision however to get it and work his best for his customer. The case was about an African man, named Tom Robinson, who was blamed for assaulting a white lady. All through the story the peruser perceives how Scout and Jem fear Boo since they think he is a beast and attempt to prod him. They attempt to pull pranks on Boo. Later in the novel they are no more scared of him and are not, at this point keen on prodding him. Another case of their development is the way they see individuals. At the point when Scout and Jem perceive how Tom Robinson is dealt with on the grounds that he is dark, they start to comprehend the significance of partiality. No one comes to help Tom Robinson with the exception of their dad who safeguards him when Tom is blamed for assaulting a white lady. Scout watches the preliminary and accepts that he will be discovered honest. Tom Robinson is seen as liable. Her failure in the decision makes Scout question the possibility of equity. Who in this town did one thing to help Tom Robinson, exactly who? (215) Scout and Jem had accept that their dad dislike some other dads in school. They consider him to be an elderly person who can't do anything. Be that as it may, when a frantic pooch shows up in the city, Atticus, their farther, murders that hound with one shot. They are amazed to discover that he is the absolute best in the town. They're demeanor towards their dad has changed. This is an indication of development. The rifle split. Tim Johnson jumped, slumped over and folded on the walkway in a earthy colored and-white load. He didn't have the foggiest idea what hit him. (96) Jem turned out to be dubiously well-spoken, 'you see him, Scout? You see him simply remain there? Out of nowhere he simply loosened up everywhere. it appeared as though that weapon was a piece of him...and he did it so speedy, as... I hafta to focus on ten minutes front I can hit something,...'(97) Another occurrence which shows Scout's developing is the point at which she catches her instructor saying that it is a beneficial thing Tom Robinson was sentenced on the grounds that the dark were getting excessively arrogant. This upsets scout especially in light of the fact that the educator is continually enlightening them concerning vote based system and the oppression of Jews yet it is OK to abuse the blacks. Scout wonder how her instructor could be so opposing. The last occurrence which carries Scout to adulthood is the point at which she and Jem are brought securely home from their aggressor by boo. She at long last has the fortitude to remain on the Radley patio, and the children are no longer terrified of Boo Radley. They currently get him. Scout and Jem develop during the length of the novel by viewing the occasions occur around them. They figure out how to analyze the organizations around them all the more intently and to acknowledge individuals as they seem to be. Catalog Me, Myself, and I Lawful Issues

Uk Organic Food

Substance 1. Introduction2 1. 1 Why this industry was picked for analysis2 1. 2 Aim2 1. 3 Brief Background of the natural food creating industry2 1. 4 Competitive condition? 3 2. PESTEL analysis5 2. 1 Political factors5 2. 2 Economic factors6 2. 3 Socio-social factors7 2. 4 Technological factors8 2. 5 Environmental factors9 2. 6 Legal factors10 3. Porter’s Five Forces analysis12 3. 1 Threat of new entrants12 3. 2 Threat of substitute products14 3. 3 Threat of set up rivals14 3. 4 Bargaining intensity of suppliers16 . 5 Bargaining intensity of buyers16 4. Conclusion18 4. 1 The business at present18 4. 2 Future changes19 5. Appendices20 5. 1 Critique of apparatuses and research limitations20 5. 1. 1 PESTEL framework20 5. 1. 2 Porter’s Five Forces20 6. References22 1. Presentation 1. 1 Why this industry was picked for examination The picked business for investigation in this report is the natural food creating industry in the United Kingdom. This envelops gatherings of fir ms that produce comparable items, for this situation, natural food produce.In ongoing years, there has been an uplifted mindfulness in the media corresponding to naturally created food, and an incredible accentuation has been put on ‘healthier eating’ and a decrease in the creation of hereditarily altered food. As this mindfulness expands, it is imperative to break down the business so as to evaluate whether the business is great to exist in, and to determine whether all things considered, it will be entered by new competitors.Another purpose behind deciding to inspect this specific industry is because of the absence of a refreshed Mintel report, or a comparable monetary report, particularly since there has been so much additional consideration being put on this industry recently in the media. So as to show signs of improvement picture about the full scale and smaller scale condition according to the UK natural food delivering industry, structures will be utilized so as to examine data about the business. 1. 2 AimThe points of this report are to look into and survey the idea of the natural food creating industry in the United Kingdom. This will happen by utilizing two unique structures, a PESTEL investigation and the utilization of Porter’s Five Forces so as to completely comprehend the serious small scale and full scale condition of this industry. At the point when the investigation is finished, it will be resolved whether the business is great to enter or not, and future changes in the business will be anticipated. 1. Brief foundation of the UK Organic Food Producing Industry The term ‘organic’ has been characterized by the Organic Trade Association as a ‘ecological creation the board framework that advances and improves biodiversity, natural cycles, and soil natural activity†¦ dependent on negligible utilization of off-ranch data sources and the executives rehearses that reestablish, keep up, and upgrade environme ntal harmony’ [1]. Practically speaking, this implies counterfeit compound manures and pesticides are not utilized, and creatures are raised without the medications that are typically routinely utilized [2].Protection of the earth is critical, and the nature of the dirt is the thing that decides if the produce can be regarded as ‘organic’ or not. Verifiably, it was regular practice to just have moderately hardly any family run cultivates in which natural food was delivered, and this could be bought in farmers’ markets and littler stores, for example, green merchants. Notwithstanding, since the 1990s, natural food has had development paces of around 20% every year, and figures from April of this current year show that natural food presently represents 1 to 2% of food deals overall [3].This development rate has been mostly because of huge general store chains receiving scopes of natural nourishments, which is lessening the rancher to customer interface, and giving a helpful better approach to eat ‘organically’, and furthermore because of an expanded enthusiasm from the media in this industry. For instance, enormous general store chain Sainsbury’s has in excess of 1000 natural items, had a 14% expansion in deals of its natural produce in 2006/2007, sources all its natural meat, fish, poultry, milk, and eggs from the UK and has contracts with ranchers to ensure least costs to guarantee the drawn out gracefully of natural hamburger [4].A quote from Jerry Dryer, who composed an article called ‘Organic Lessons’ expressed, â€Å"Organic is digging in for the long haul, not a trend walking by in the night† [5], which is a confident recommendation that the piece of the pie is set to increment and that new open doors can be focused on, yet this will be affirmed or precluded toward the end from claiming the report. 1. 4 Competitive condition? The natural food delivering industry comprises of countless litt le makers, who produce food which can be affirmed as ‘organic’ by the Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards and the Soil Association.Due to there being an enormous number of divided makers in the business, it might be viewed as a serious market who are competing for the consideration of huge or little grocery store chains and stores, green merchants, and individual buyers of natural food. Natural produce in itself is sensibly homogeneous, so all makers in this industry will be attempting to sell comparative items which are to a great extent undifferentiated. This expands rivalry between the makers with regards to how they will get their products sold over the merchandise of a competitor.There is additionally the alternative of people developing their own natural produce, which may diminish the interest for the acquisition of produce. The intensity of the earth will be talked about in more detail when an examination is completed utilizing the Porter’s 5 Fo rces structure [6]. ? 2. PESTEL Uncontrollable, outside powers that impact dynamic, which in this way influence the exhibition of an industry is known as the large scale condition. The large scale condition comprises of political, financial, socio-social, mechanical, natural, and legitimate powers, which can be alluded to as ‘PESTEL’ powers [7].A great meaning of this structure for examination is given by Kotler [8], which is â€Å"PEST investigation is a helpful vital apparatus for understanding business sector development or decay, business position, potential and bearing for operations†. This is additionally helpful for determining the heading in which an industry is taking, and the force of this change. Variables can be evaluated and submitted in request of significance, so it is obvious to perceive what outer elements are the most problems that are begging to be addressed in an industry.In request to discover data for every one of the components, solid auxil iary information sources will we utilized, for example, papers, periodicals, books, exchange associations, Government organizations data, and industry investigators results. When this sort of examination is finished, it is more clear to perceive how to make the most of emerging chances, and plan to forestall potential dangers that may happen in the business. The segments beneath separate the large scale condition into six sections. 2. 1 Political factorsGovernment enactment may direct what is viewed as natural in a specific nation. This report takes a gander at natural food makers in the UK, and this is directed by the Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards [9], and the Soil Association [10]. The Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states numerous blueprints of what how produce ought to be developed and the taking care of domesticated animals, with the end goal for in to fulfill UK Government guidelines [11]. These guidelines shift from nation to natio n, inside and outside of the EU.This can profoundly affect the trading of produce by UK ranchers, as what might be considered as natural in this nation, may not be so in another. Relations with legislators should be maintained, as enactment is liable to change at some random time. For instance, it as of late has been chosen to boycott battery hen confines beginning in the year 2009 [12]. 93% of eggs in the UK showcase originate from battery hens, so once the enactment is completely set up, this won't happen. This will build rivalry in the market, as all eggs will presently be from unfenced hens, which may influence the poultry side of the natural food industry.By adjusting to meet the new laws now, ideal relations will be kept with government officials, and current natural egg makers should discover new manners by which to pick up piece of the pie in what might be an undeniably soaked market. The Government right now gives farmers’ sponsorships, however current news from May 2008 shows that the EU is hoping to cut the cash it gives, and reinvest it with motivating forces on caring for horticultural land, as opposed to offering cash to help produce more food [13].This may profit ranchers wishing to enter the natural food delivering market, as they have additional motivators to change over their territory to natural soil, yet may ruin those as of now in the market because of the expanded rivalry, and the absence of cash to create additional food expected to fulfill need. 2. 2 Economic components The natural food creating industry can be generally influenced by the UK economy, for example, loan costs, trade rates, purchaser force, and shopper certainty, which will all currently be talked about in turn.The current progressing credit crunch, and high expansion has decreased odds of any financing cost cuts, and a genuine danger of a downturn is available [14]. Mervyn King, the legislative leader of the Bank of England, has recently detailed that UK expansion will transcend its objective and the economy will pointedly back off [15], which doesn't mean beneficial things for an industry, for example, this, which depends on individuals purchasing premium quality products.If loan fees are high, at that point it costs more cash to obtain from banks, which dissuades venture, and may make it harder for ranchers to change over their property to natural soil and strategies for creation, as this is an expensive business [16]. This expansion may cause any representatives working in the business to request higher wages so as to cover any

Whats Up with Payday Loans in Kansas City

Whats Up with Payday Loans in Kansas City What’s Up with Payday Loans in Kansas City? What’s Up with Payday Loans in Kansas City?How Many Payday Lenders in Kansas City, MO Have Been Ordered to Pay Settlements in the Past Two Years?You give up? Four. The answer is four.That’s right. In the past two years, four payday lenders lenders in the Kansas City-area have paidâ€"or at least been ordered to payâ€"financial settlements to the US government as a result of unethical business practices.So What Gives?Turns out, Kansas City, MO is something of a hub for payday lenders. In Fact, Kansas City alt weekly The Pitch has called Kansas City, “the payday-lending capital of North America.[1] These are businesses that offer short-term, high-interest loans to people who need cash and don’t have (or don’t believe they have) better options available to them.In each of these cases, it was determined that these payday lenders were taking advantage of customersâ€"usually through misleading terms, confusing loan agreements, and interest rates as high as 700%.One of these lender s, so-called “payday loan mogul” and, umm, professional racecar driver, Scott Tucker, was just handed a $1.266 billion judgment in federal court. That’s the largest settlement in Federal Trade Commission (FTC) History.Another lender, Walter Mosely Sr., whose case had not yet been decided, was arrested on the same day as Tucker on similar charges.[2] Mosely’s lending group, by the way, was called Hydra Lenders which … come on, that isn’t even subtle. If you’re going to start a predatory lending business, maybe picking the same name as the very famous bad guys from Captain America isn’t a great idea.Then there are Tim Coppinger and Ted Rowland, two payday lenders who also settled with the FTC over charges of deceptive and unethical lending. Coppinger was ordered to pay $32 million and Rowland was ordered to pay $22 million.[3]So whats being done about it?If you want to know whats going on with payday lending in America, check out whats happening in Kansas City, Mo.Sinc e Kansas City is an industry hub for payday lending, its clearly drawing a lot of attention. For instance, it is no coincidence that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chose Kansas City of all places to announce their new rules to crack down on predatory payday lending. If you want to know whats going on with payday lending in America, check out whats happening in Kansas City, Mo.And what is happening with payday loans in Kansas City right now is exactly what  should  be happening. The federal government is stepping in, investigating reports of abuse and issuing heavy fines to lenders who have engaged in unethical behavior. Did you know that the $1.266 billion dollar settlement against Scott Tucker the largest settlement in the FTCs history? Sounds like theyre taking this seriously.At OppLoans, we believe in being socially responsible, and in issuing loans that our customers can afford to repay. People with less-than-perfect credit deserve better than payday loans in Kansas Ci ty, and everywhere else. So for the sake of borrowers in Kansas City, and around the country, we hope to see lots more stories like these ones in the months and years to come.References:Vockrodt, S. “KC’s dethroned online payday lenders aren’t gaming the feds anymore.” Retrieved October 12, 2016 from http://www.pitch.com/news/feature-story/article/20553808/payday-lending-kansas-city-joel-tuckerMcGuire, D., Rosen, S. Campbell, M. “KCC payday lenders Scot Tucket and Richard Moseley Sr. indicted in federal crackdown.” Retrieved October 10, 2016 from http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article59551056.htmlHudnall, D. “Unpacking the FTCs payday-lending settlement with Tim Coppinger and Ted Rowland.” Retrieved October 12, 2016 from http://www.pitch.com/news/article/20562219/unpacking-the-ftcs-paydaylending-settlement-with-tim-coppinger-and-ted-rowland

To Defend Free Speech Or Not - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1680 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/05/13 Category Law Essay Level High school Tags: Freedom of Speech Essay Did you like this example? University campuses are subject to debates across the country. Students are speaking out against racial injustice revealed in unwelcoming, sometimes hostile environments on college campuses. But to some, their demands have gone too far. Are the protestors silencing free speech, or are they just trying to be heard? And are the universities responding by defending free speech, or by suppressing it? This paper attempts to discuss these questions. Review of literature The freedom of speech has been defined by the New World Encyclopedia as the right to express oneself, either orally or in writing, without fear of governmental restraint or retribution. In the Unites States, this freedom is protected by the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, and is considered essential to the strength of the government. At the core of 1st Amendment concerns is the protection of expression that is critical of government policies. As with other civil liberties, the freedom of speech does not exist in a vacuum. Limitations of freedom of speech arise when it comes to the violation of the rights of others. Freedom of speech is not protected when it comes to expressions involving slander, harassment, obscenity, subversion, or criminal conduct (Funk Wagnalls, 2016). The concept of freedom of speech developed gradually due to societal problems of the Middle-Ages. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "To Defend Free Speech Or Not?" essay for you Create order For example, in England, freedom of speech emerged due to struggles for individual liberties and democratic government starting in the 16th century. In France, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was issued after the French Revolution in 1789 which included the right of freedom of speech to citizens. In the U.S., freedom of speech was included in the Constitution of the United States, starting with that of Virginia in 1776. It was abridged by congress in 1798 by the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts which in which it was deemed illegal to stand-in opposition to the government. During the industrialization era, problems of free speech were connected with unionization. During World War I, academic freedom was impaired and the freedom of speech was abridged in cases of foreigners, labor organizers, pacifists, and radicals. In Europe, freedom of speech was abolished by the totalitarian governments of some countries. Freedom of speech regained strength with the Unive rsal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 when it was declared as a fundamental right by the United Nations. Since then, the courts became protective of this concept (Funk Wagnalls, 2016). In 2014, two fraternity students were expelled from the University of Oklahoma after an online video was streamed showing them singing a racist song on a bus. The president of the university explained that the two students were expelled because of their leadership role in leading a racist and exclusionary chant which created a hostile educational environment for others. Several argue that the racist chant was protected under the Constitution (Papandrea, 2017). In 2017, Latino students at Cornell University complained to the school that fraternity brothers were heard shouting that they wanted a wall be built around the Latino Living Center on campus. The Latino students demanded an apology and that the fraternity undergo diversity training. They also asked that the school recognizes that there is an environment of discrimination on campus. The university expressed concerns about the incident but also recognized the right of open expression. A Latino student responded to the university statement by stating: Free speech is not speech that is aimed to hurt; free speech that dehumanizes is not free (Steinmetz, 2017). These two incidents catch a glimpse of what is happening on university campuses. Campuses across the country are divided as students and university personnel are trying to fight against discrimination while preserving freedom of speech. Censoring and even punishing students who engage in offensive speech is on the rise among universities (Papandrea, 2017). Universities are struggling more than ever to create a balance between adhering to the First Amendment as it applies to the freedom of speech while creating inclusive communities. The pressure to punish offensive speech increases as does the criticism to this pressure. With the development in technology, complications as to whether and when a university should or can punish students for their online offensive activities. Instead of appreciating the traditional role that the universities play in sharing and discussing ideas, students, alumni, and the public seem to think that whenever a college tolerates offensive speech, it is also endorsing these viewpoints (Papandrea, 2017). The Supreme Court has held that flag burning, public displays insulting American institutions, and published documents critical of America and the government, in particular, are constitutional exercises of free speech and that they are therefore protected from government-imposed limits. Also, the Supreme Court has held that so-called reasonable time, place and manner restrictions on free speech are constitutional. For example, keeping potentially violent protestors separated while they demonstrate at the same location is one of those vital constitutional limits a government can place on free speech. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions shared that thirty-three percent of public universities have speech codes that constrict free speech . . . under the First Amendment. He warned schools and their leaders to ensure that freedom of expression be protected. As Sessions said, speech is under assault on college campuses. According to Sessions, those assaults are deemed unconstitutional (Youn g, T., 2017). Friedersdorf (2016) also shared that free speech is threatened on campus. He cited Professor Shaun Harper, head of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education at the University of Pennsylvania who noted that there has been a significant increase in the demand for our campus climate work. Friedersdorf summarized examples of demands to punish speech on college campuses: The Wall Street Journal reported a survey of 800 college students that found 51 percent favored speech codes. Yale protestors formally asked the university to fire two professors in residence life because they were upset by an email one of them wrote. Amherst students called for a speech code sanctioning a student for making an All Lives Matter poster. Student activists at Duke asked for disciplinary sanctions for students who attend culturally insensitive parties, etc. At Emory, student activists asked that student evaluations include a field to report microaggressions to help ensure that there are repercu ssions or sanctions, and that the social network Yik Yak be banished from campus. Another narrow area of campus expression that is under threat: The formal speech. In 2015 alone, Robin Steinberg was disinvited from Harvards law school, and Suzanne Venker from Williams College. The rapper Big Sean was almost disinvited from Princeton at the request of students. Efforts are seen to censor speakers based on their viewpoints. Free speech on campus is threatened from a dozen directions. It is threatened by administrators, and students who are intolerant of disagreements in point of views. It is threatened by activists asking for speech codes and sanctions for professors or classmates who disagree with them. It is threatened by people who push to disinvite speakers because of their viewpoints and those who shut down events to prevent people from speaking. Although free speech advocates believe that viewpoints need to be heard before getting rejected, others say that if viewpoints invalidate the humanity of some people then restrictions should apply (Ulrich, 2017). While there is a recent focus on reducing/eliminating hate speech on campuses, first amendment advocates are accusing universities and colleges of being squeamish about exposing students to ideas that make them feel uncomfortable. In a poll published by William Buckley, 50% of students said they often felt intimidated to offer views that differ from their classmates or professors. Sixty-three percent of students said that they thought political correctness was a problem on campus, while 50% said they favor their school banning political cartoons on campus that criticize a particular religion or ethnicity. Ron Krotoszynki, professor of law at the University of Alabama shared that Universities need to secure an environment where it protects its core missions of teaching, learning and research, but at the same time, universities cant maintain that environment without regard to First Amendment rights (Madhani Yu, 2015). Discussion The university is the place where students should be challenged, and where everything they know should be put into question. Being subjected to controversial issues is essential for them to think critically. Experiences they face allows them to grow. Universities will not do students a favor by overprotecting them from the real world. It represents a transition stage into adulthood, where students start to analyze and take a stance about what is out-there, what is waiting for them after graduation. The university setting is a place where students from different backgrounds and values come together and learn from each other. The experiences they face allow them to question preconceptions they have and decide for themselves what to believe in and how to proceed in the face of social and controversial issues. The Supreme Court has supported freedom of speech as essential to the atmosphere of the college/university. Nonetheless, racist speech does do psychological harm to students who already are feeling oppressed. Alienation, depression, and anger are consequences of such speech. Millennials are being described as a generation of snowflakes, quick to melt like snow in the sun when challenged. Some argue that the university setting provides a safe space for victims of racism and/or oppression to fight back and educate others about their experiences and the harm that racism does in general. Other believe that victims will get more alienated thinking that the university is just another place supporting racism. So, what is the ethical thing to do and what should universities do in the face of these different point of views? Some universities have chosen to take action by generating codes of conduct and refuting speeches deemed to create hostility or intimidation towards minority students. Others created codes banning verbal assaults. The First Amendment does not deny the university the right to identify sanctions when it comes to usage of obscenity, abuse, or defamation. The confusion stands when it comes to defining these words as they apply to universities settings and managing tensions between eliminating racism and protecting students while also protecting their constitutional rights.

Financial Analysis on Severn Trent PLC, being compared with United Utilities - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1931 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Financial Analysis on Severn Trent PLC, being compared with United Utilities Trend Analysis Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Financial Analysis on Severn Trent PLC, being compared with United Utilities" essay for you Create order The annual reports indicate that Severn Trent has experienced a steady rise in revenue over the period, with the exception of 2006 to 2007, when revenue fell by a third. This fall in revenue was due to the demerger of Biffa Plc, the waste collection and management company; as well as the sale of Severn Trent Property and US Laboratories. In addition, over the period from 2004 to 2007, the companys total equity fell by around 50% as a result of the demergers, as well as the decision to make a 575 million special dividend payout to shareholders in 2006. Over the period of the study, United Utilities has had much smoother performance, with revenue increasing steadily by up to 12% per year, with a small contraction from 2006 to 2007. United Utilities total equity has also risen by around 50%, to the point where it is now more than two and a half times that of Severn Trent, although United Utilities has only twice the post tax profit. This could imply that Severn Trents restructuring and demerging has made it more efficient when compared to its competitor. However, over the period of the study, the company has greatly expanded its balance sheet, taking on an additional 470 million of current assets and around 1.3 billion of long term debt. Most of the current assets were added from 2007 to 2008, as was most of the long term debt. This is due to the issue of new long term debt by Severn Trent to finance a major investment program to improve efficiency and meet its government KPIs. Severn Trents strategy of using long term debt for investment seems to be different from United Utilities, which has also increased its net assets by around 50%, but this has led to an 800 million increase in short term debt, with a 500 million reduction in long term debt over the course of the period. This could indicate that United Utilities current investments are more focused on short term gains and improvements, which Severn Trent is focusing on long term improvements to finance the long term debt. In terms of revenue and profits, Severn Trent has managed to raise its post tax profit by around 25 million, or around 14%, over the period, in spite of the loss in revenue due to the Biffa disposal. This represent significant financial efficiency gains, largely driven by the fact that operating costs have fallen by an even greater amount than the companys revenue. This indicates that the companys demergers and investments have been very effective at increasing the companys efficiency, even with the payout of a 575 million special dividend. In contrast, United Utilities has only seen a 15% rise in profit after tax in spite of seeing an increase in revenue of 11%, and not making any significant dividend payouts to investors. This indicates that, over the period of the study, Severn Trent has been more efficient than United Utilities in producing returns for its shareholders. Indeed, United Utilities has failed to even grow its revenues at the same rate as the overall UK water industry , which increased in size by a CAGR of 3.5% from 2002 to 2007 (Datamonitor, 2008a). Finally, Severn Trent has managed to reduce both its trade receivables and inventory over the period, indicating greater efficiency. However, it has only managed to reduce trade receivables by only 4%, in spite of a 23% fall in revenues. This implies that the company has not actually been effective at reducing receivables, particularly considering receivables fell by 100 million with the Biffa demerger. However, given that United Utilities saw a 37% increase in receivables over the same period, and a 22% increase in inventory, it seems that Severn Trent has performed better than its competitor. Ratio Analysis In this section; I will be analysing the ratios for Severn Trent Plc over the period 2004-2008 to determine the companys performance, and comparing them with United Utilities to gain an idea of the performance relative to industry peers. The main limitation to this analysis is that as Biffa, which was demerged in 2006, was a waste management company, it will have a different cost base to Severn Trent, and results from before this period may not be comparable to those after. In addition, the change in accounting standards from UK GAAP in 2004 and 2005 to IAS in 2006 (Severn Trent, 2009) may have caused inconsistencies in the ratio calculations. Unfortunately, without detailed management accounts, it will be impossible to determine the exact impact these changes will have. Liquidity Ratios Over the period from 2004 to 2005, Severn Trent maintained a very low current ratio of just 0.6, with an acid test ratio of around 0.55. This indicated that the company was in serious danger of liquidity problems should its creditors have decided to call in any loans. Indeed, in 2006 the current ratio fell to 0.44, and the acid test ratio to just 0.4. At this point, the company only had enough liquid assets to cover two fifths of its total short term liabilities, which could have been a cause for significant concern, particularly given that United Utilities maintained current and ratios of at least 1.15 over the same period. In 2007, both Severn Trents ratios rose slightly to 0.48 and 0.47; however this still placed the company in potential difficulties. However, from 2007 to 2008 the additional long term the company took on allowed Severn Trent to boost its cash reserves by around 500 million, boosting the current ratio to 1.15 and the quick ratio to 1.12. This action, which was pos sibly in response to concerns around the liquidity of short term credit during the credit crunch, brought both liquidity ratios up to a comparable level to United Utilities; which stood at 1.30 for the current ratio and 1.28 for the quick ratio respectively. Gearing / Solvency Ratio Over the period, Severn Trents debt ratio has increased from around 56% to 77%. This increase has generally been steady, but there was a significant jump from 2006 to 2007, from 62% to 74%, probably due to the disposal of the Biffa group and other assets. In terms of long term debt only, there was also a jump from 69% to 75% from 2007 to 2008, as a result of the additional long term debt taken on for restructuring and to raise cash. In contrast, over the same period United Utilities has steadily paid down its debts and reduced both debt ratios from both being around 68% in 2004 to the total ratio being 59% and the long term only being 54% in 2008. This could indicate greater prudence from United Utilities, or it could indicate that United Utilities is less efficient, and cannot find good places to invest its debts. Both companys debt to equity ratios have mirrored their debt ratios, with Severn Trents going from 129% in 2004 to 339% in 2008, whilst United Utilities has fallen from 213% in 2004 to 145% in 2008. In addition, Severn Trent has seen its interest cover fall from 9.6 in 2004 and 2005 to just 3.9 in 2008, whilst United Utilities has risen from 5.5 to 9.2 over the same period. This could indicate that, in spite of the greater efficiency discussed above, Severn Trents high debt levels could now be a cause for concern, and could cause the company to post losses if revenue falls or costs rise. Activity Ratios Severn Trents net asset turnover ratio and the non-current assets turnover ratio has remained fairly steady over the period 2004 to 2006, however it dropped quite sharply as the revenue generating assets of Biffa and the other demerged parts of the business were sold in 2006, going from 0.42 in 2006 to 0.29 in 2007. However, as of 2008, both ratios stand at around 0.25, which is very similar to United Utilities where they are 0.28 and 0.3 respectively. This indicates that Severn Trents demerging has brought its asset turnover ratios back to the standard level for the industry. Inventory turnover ratios for both companies are very high, however given that both companies primarily trade water, this is to be expected. Severn Trents inventory turnover has increased significantly since the Biffa demerger, and it now turns over its inventory around every six days. However, United Utilities turns its inventory over around every 3.5 days, indicating that it is either more efficient, or holds lower levels of inventory relative to its customer base. Both companies have high receivables days, which again could be expected given that the companies must work out flexible payment plans with their customers according to their charters. As such, any late payment generally needs to be treated more flexibly than in most businesses (Datamonitor, 2008b; Datamonitor, 2008c). However, Datamonitor (2008c) reports that Severn Trents asset and receivables turnover ratios are much lower than its peer companies, indicating a lack of operational efficiency. Profitability Ratios Severn Trents ROCE saw a quite significant increase from 7.7% in 2004 to 9.4% in 2006, with the ROCE on long term debt only going from 8.5% to 11.3%. However, following the Biffa demerger ROCE fell back to 7.57% and 8.29% respectively, which is likely due to the additional debt the company took on. This is mentioned in the 2008 accounts, where the Chief Executive discusses maintaining the debt ratio (Severn Trent, 2009). This is lower that Severn Trent, which has a ROCE of 8.4% and ROCE on short term debt of 9.5%. However, these figures have fallen from 11.6% and 11.7% respectively, which may indicate that United Utilities is moving towards where Severn Trent is. However, Severn Trents return on equity shows a significant and decisive move from 8.3% in 2004 to 17.5% in 2008. This is consistent with the companys strategic goal of increasing its return on equity to its shareholders, and indicates significant shareholder value creation. In contrast, over the same period United Utilities has fallen from 17.6% to 13% respectively, indicating that United Utilities is becoming more inefficient and creating less value for shareholders. Over the same period, Severn Trent has increased its gross profit margin from 19.4% to 25.8%, and net profit margin from 9.2% to 13.6%. This again indicates significant efficiency gains, mainly from the disposals which occurred in 2006, with gross margin going from 20.6% to 25.3% and net margin going from 9.9% to 16.8% from 2006 to 2007, before falling back in 2008. In contrast, United Utilities has witnessed more stagnant performance, with its gross profit margin falling from 35.3% to 28.1% and net profit margin rising slightly, but only from 17.1% to 17.6%. This implies that, as discussed above, United Utilities is performing poorly, and failing to create value through efficiency and gross profits. As such, it is forced to resort to paying down debt to maintain its net profit margins. Segmental Analysis Segmenting Severn Trents business is extremely simple: over 80% of the companys revenue comes from its core business of water and sewage, operated in the area from mid Wales to Rutland and from the Bristol Channel to the Humber (Severn Trent, 2009). Other important areas of business generally fall under water purification and operating services; pipeline rehabilitation; pipeline repair; and metering services. This is combined with a diversified portfolio of environmental services, giving Severn Trent a broad base to operate within water services. Prior to the demerger of the Biffa group and other business groups, Severn Trent had interests in other sectors including household waste management. However it has now concentrated its business in the water segment, with significant financial benefits. If this focus can allow its operating efficiency to reach that of its competitors, it may be able to improve yet further. References Datamonitor (2008a) Water Utilities Industry Profile: United Kingdom. Datamonitor Industry Profiles; September 2008. Datamonitor (2008b) United Utilities Plc. Datamonitor Company Profiles; April 2008. Datamonitor (2008b) Severn Trent Plc. Datamonitor Company Profiles; January 2008. Severn Trent (2009) Severn Trent PLC. https://www.severntrent.com/ Accessed 6th January 2009.

Classroom Observation Report Observation - 1759 Words

Tami Lesser June 4, 2017 Observation Report: I observed a girls second grade classroom in Arie Crown Hebrew Day School. The class had 28 students. There was one head teacher and one teacher’s assistant in the class. Bathrooms were located down the hall and students did not need to ask permission to use them, however, only one student could leave at a time. Students lockers were located right outside the classroom, they can leave their coats and boots there if need be. The room was quite large considering the size of the class. There were five rows of desks, that sometimes would be pushed together into groups of four, and to the side of the class was a big carpet the children could sit on. Backpacks where hung on the back of their chairs†¦show more content†¦April 5, 12:30- 3:55 The students sat back in their desks and were asked to take out their writing notebooks and folders. 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Improvement Strategies of the Post-Secondary Education

Question: Discuss about the Essay for improvement strategies of the post-secondary education. Answer: This essay aimed to make a thorough analysis on the two attractive ideas regarding the improvement strategies of the post-secondary education made by Barack Obama. These ideas would deal with the expansion of the use of community colleges as well as the tuition tax credits. One of the two attractive ideas is about discarding the bachelors degree as a job qualification. In this essay, Barack Obama has stated that this first idea would not be that difficult to establish. On the other hand, the second attractive idea that has been mentioned and described by Barack Obama in this essay is about the Certification test that would not omit the role of innate ability. From the entire discussion of the story, it can be understood that Barack Obama has tried to make the contemporary post-secondary education more interesting for the learners. He has mainly established the benefits of the two ideas relating to the improvement of the post secondary education. Therefore, from this story it can be understood that the advantages of discarding the bachelors degree as a job qualification would be very influential for the job applicants as well as employers. On the other hand, certification tests would not result in the elimination of the role of innate ability. The author of this particular essay talks about the education that is being provided in the primary and the secondary school. According to the author, the education that is being provided in these schools, are not useful. It is nothing more than mere athletic or musical talent. The statement can be considered as a truth because most of the time students of liberal arts do not succeed in achieving good results in the science subjects. There are of course exceptional but those exceptional are very rare in a country. The people who are gifted with ability to succeed in all the major subjects in the college level are rare (Brankovic 2016). Moreover, students are not only gifted because they have the ability to succeed but also because they have plenty of money. Most of the students do not fall into this category. Therefore, even though, many students can pursue liberal arts in their college level, they do not show that willingness to do that. It is true that in case of job the bachelors degree of the students are given much more importance than any other degree. It is something that is common in almost every nation. It is because of these reasons that there are many students, who are worthy enough to get an opportunity to apply for a job. It can be argued that in reality these degrees really do not have any importance at all, and they are nothing more than a time waste (Chow and Chu 2013). If there is an opening in any job position then employees should be selected on the basis of their skills. The author argues that the employees need to know the job description and had to work accordingly. Therefore, there is no need of the bachelor degree, for this thing. People could apply for the job without their bachelor degree. The author here argues for the use of the certification test. The author, supports the fact that if the companies, who are hiring employees. Introduce the certification test then that is better for the employees. The certification test will let the company, whether or not the people are at all eligible to carry on the work in that particular organization. It can be said that the certification tests can eliminate the innate abilities that are there in a particular human beings. The bachelors education and the other education can help in nurturing those innate abilities. The author of the essay again negates the particular argument. The author here suggests that the certification course does not mean that there will be an elimination of the innate abilities. People who have the real talents and the abilities should show their work and apply for any job. The author provides the example of the computer programmers, who does not have any degree and they do not event sit for any certificat ion exam as well; yet they get a job by showing their job. The essay here argues that in todays world what people need is little bit of imagination. The degrees are important in the life of the students; but this statement is true for the students living in the 20th century (Grove and Ostrer 2015). Today, the vocational training, the certification tests and the imagination of the students are enough for getting a job. The bachelor degree should be for there who are interested in the academics. Bachelors degree in a company is not at all, all the organization need is someone who could understand and carry on the work efficiently. Thus, if the bachelors degree is discarded in case of the job application then it will help both the companies and the unemployed youth. References Brankovic, J. (2016). The Re-Institutionalization of Higher Education in the Western Balkans [electronic resource] : the Interplay between European Ideas, Domestic Policies, and Institutional Practices.Frankfurt : Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften, 2014.. Chow, M. and Chu, J. (2013). After college tweet book01 [electronic resource] : dealing with life after college.Cupertino, CA : THiNKaha,. Grove, T. and Ostrer, I. (2015).The world is waiting for you : graduation speeches to live by from activists, writers, and visionaries. New York: The New Press, p.208. Hassan and the graduates. (2014). [DVD] Bullfrog Films: James Heer. Kehm, B. and Musselin, C. (2013).The development of higher education research in Europe [electronic resource] : 25 years of CHER. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers, p.135. Mary Kay., S. and Johnston, J. (2012).Survival secrets of colleges students. 2nd ed. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, p.193. Rostan, M. and Vaira, M. (2011).Questioning Excellence in Higher Education [electronic resource] : Policies, Experiences and Challenges in National and Comparative Perspective. Rotterdam: SensePublishers, p.193. Schwarzenegger., K. (2014).I just graduated... now what? : honest answers from those who have been there. New York: Crown Archetype, p.278. VukasoviĆ¡, M., Maassen, P., Nerland, M., Stensaker, B., Pinheiro, R. and Vab, A. (2012).Effects of Higher Education Reforms [electronic resource] : Change Dynamics. Rotterdam: SensePublishers : Imprint: SensePublishers, p.312. Wang, Z. (2015).Degrees of Affinity [electronic resource] : Studies in Comparative Literature and Translation. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg : Imprint: Springer, p.193.