International Finance Essays - Signal Processing,

International Finance This paper argues that, in studying the monetary policy transmission process, more emphasis should be given to the systematic portion of policy behavior and correspondingly less to random shocks basically because shocks account for a very small fraction of policy-instrument variability. Analysis of the effects of the systematic part of policy requires structural modelling, rather than VAR procedures, because the latter do not give rise to behavioral relationships that can plausibly be regarded as policy-invariant. By use of an illustrative open- economy structural model based on optimizing analysis, and considering variants, the paper characterizes the effects of policy parameter settings by means of impulse response functions and root-mean-square statistics for target errors. Different models give different answers to questions about the effects of systematic policy, so procedures for scrutinizing model specification are essential. In this regard, it is argued that vector autocorrelation functions, augmented by variance statistics for each of a model's variables, seem more promising than impulse response functions because the latter require shock identification, which is inherently a difficult process. Economics Essays

Compare two film posters between different genre Essays

Compare two film posters between different genre Essays Compare two film posters between different genre Paper Compare two film posters between different genre Paper Both the film posters are effective in promoting the film and conveying meaning to the audience. They both use many effective visual devices to do this. The gesture codes are effective visual devices that are used to show facial expressions and body language. Film poster one presents us with a very strong opening image. That of a towering ferocious ape, King Kong. Kong is presented in a crouching pose, shielding the female protagonist from the audience. His protective state suggests he is acting contrary to his animal roots and protecting rather then killing the human female. Also on Kongs forehead we can see a deep scar, showing that even someone as appretnly vicious as Kong can receive harm. This allows the audience to perceive Kong with perhaps not sympathy but definelty a better understanding of his appeal to the audience. The female represents a binary opposite to the posters main focus. Wheares Kong is portrayed as a huge angry ape, our woman protagonist is a small dainty and clearly in some kind of distress. This plays perfect, as her stereotypical feminity allows the audience to understand her better, and the same applies for Kongs body language, as the stereotypical big caring masculine here, or in this case anti-hero. Our female protagonist does not seem scare, rather in awe of this huge beast. Her body language prompts lack of fear and amazement at her position. War Of The Worlds seems to have no gesure codes, it differs from King Kong as it does not portay the protagonist. This is typical of the genre, often Sci-fi films focus on there monster or special effects, rather then there actors. By looking closely at the hand of the alien, we can see the hand throbbing with power and strength, thus displaying a strong action code. But by hiding the aliens face it really gives the poster a strong enigma code. The composition of mise-en-scene shows a strong contrast between the two film posters. King Kong places us above Kong, making us feel more powerful then him. Allowing us to realize that even though he is 10 feet tall, he is still an animal. Also by highlighting the vibrant New York city backdrop it gives us a chance to see the wonderland that Kong has scaled. This adds to the enigma of the poster allowing the audience to see how high he has climbed. The natural colors of the poster also makes this poster seems out of genre. An autumn summery mix of pastel like colours arent exactly typical fantasy conventions, especially ape-related fantasy. While War Of The Worlds places us at a low camera angle, below the gaping hand that is crushing our world. By placing us below the hand it really makes audience feel inferior and helpless. The pitch black background contrats perfectly with the suspended evil that the hand displays. By being very sparse and simple in its appeal , War Of The Worlds swaps emotion for a strong enigma code and downright fear. This works very well, as most Sci-Fi films do not rely on huge emotional ploys, rather than enemies or spacships. Whereas Kong does rile up various feelings. By seeing Kong on top of a large building, this builds a lot of awe, intrigue and mostly excitement. I believe this poster is a metaphor for the female protagonists love of Kong. Just sheer amazement and wonder. Both film posters lack what is considered the key convention of film posters, a tagline , but for this there is good reason. Both these posters advertise remakes of older classic versions. For this reason a tagline is not really required as the audience has there own ideas about the plot and fore knowledge of picture. Also by not placing a tagline on either poster, it really adds to the enigma codes of both films respectively. Both films intial intrest would be gained via the directors rather than the stars. Both having Oscar winning directors at the chair gives the films a sense of purpose and prestige. By having there names on the posters, it relieves the audience that these arent going to be terrible remakes. King Kong uses its maing star Kong to attract the attention of the audience. By placing him at the mainstay of the screen it will surely attract all the previous fans of the series. Whereas War Of The Worlds displays no famous stars, but by showing the alien gripping the world this will surely grip sci-fi fans.

Distinguish between cost leadership and differentiation strategies. Is Essay

Distinguish between cost leadership and differentiation strategies. Is it possible for a company or business unit to follow a cost leadership strategy and a differentiation strategy simultaneously - Essay Example Focus put on the cost leadership approach and differentiation strategy; this paper looks at the differences and the simultaneous working together of the two (Porter & Tanner 2012, pp. 12). Cost leadership strategy is the method by which a firm sets out becoming a low-cost producer in the industry. The cost advantages accrue from different sources depending on the structure of the industry. It may comprise the pursuit of economies of scale, preferential mobility to raw materials and the propriety technology. Low-cost producers tend to find and exploit all the sources of cost advantage. A firm that achieves and can sustain the overall cost leadership is above the average performer in the industry. Such company can command the prices near or at the industry standard (Porter & Tanner 2012, pp. 26). On the other hand, differentiation strategy is the method by which a firm seeks uniqueness in the industry. The distinctiveness is along some of the dimensions widely valued by the buyers. The procedure selects one or a number of attributes that majority of the customers in the industry perceive as significant. Companies in this category exceptionally position themselves to meet the identified needs of its clients. The exclusivity of this strategy is where the company rewarded with a premium price for its uniqueness (Porter & Tanner 2012, pp. 76) It is possible for the company to follow a cost leadership while it follows a differentiation strategy at the same time. Though it does not work for every company. A good example of an organization that can embrace the two approaches together is the Toyota corporation. The Toyota produces quality cars at low price accompanied by differentiating strategy. For example, the introduction of luxury brands of BMW cars and the Mercedes-Benz new series (Porter & Tanner 2012, pp. 138). Some scholars such as Porter argue that cost leadership and differentiation approaches are irreconcilable. A

Australian capital market Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Australian capital market - Assignment Example This paper will discuss the Australian Capital Market and will also focus on the impact of the global financial crisis on the country. The capital markets have been faced with challenges especially during this period of global financial crisis. The global financial crisis has negatively affected the Australian capital markets and therefore there has been a pressing need for a serious counter action to raise the country to its usual state according to RICS Research (2007). In the last three months, positive change has been recorded in Australia’s money market. More initial public offers by private companies have been noted and indications show that this trend will most likely continue. This has increased the share market performance of the various industries. Indications show that banks are reluctant to provide financing in terms of debt financing. Companies have adapted merger and acquisitions to survive through the recession like Tolhurst Noall which merged with Patersons securities (RICS Research, 2007). This has prevented them from dropping out of the industry. Companies are diverting attention to the ecommerce/digital media companies that’s taking a significant market share from newspapers and magazines. The country has seen a lot of reluctance in debt financing since financial institutions have preferred to fund businesses through equity as opposed to debt. Companies that seek to increase their capital, one viable option has always been to give up a generous portion of their shareholdings. While IPOs were a common way of cashing out investments in the last couple of years, this is no longer the case as many investors have not been able to venture into new businesses due to restrictions on IPO’s according to ResearchWhitePaper (2010). The country has however continued to enjoy a lot in terms of issues. In 2007 for example, Ivanhoe Australia

Resident Evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Resident Evil - Essay Example Marc O’Day supports the idea of Resident evil being centered on an action figure female character. From his own perspective, he views this as a change to post feminism. In the past, many films used to have male action figures and ignored the role of females in the society. Resident Evil together with other female centered films tried to bring the issue of women taking leading rules in the society and becoming more independent an extent of running their own affairs (Joanne & Peter 23). This film tries to depict Alice as a sexy woman yet a fearless woman who can face any challenge just to ensure she met her target: destroying Umbrella Corporation. Alice is given a masculine side in the film as she is able to fight zombies, use guns, and fight like a man, but still retains her female identity by being sexy and highly attractive to her audience. Marc O’Day supports the fact that this films are trying to depict the issue of gender equality as more women are taking leading ro les in the film industry (Joanne & Peter 27). Basically, in according to Marc O’Day, such a film is trying to raise critical issues which were usually ignored in the past century of women identity. Women are becoming more outgoing and taking leading roles in the world as gender equality continues to be practiced. Lisa Purse on the other hand supports the notion of the female representation in the film â€Å"Resident Evil† as also being in support of the feminist and postfeminist theories. First of all, she argues that more women are taking active role as key figures in movie supporting the notion of a society that has acceptable females as equal and having a role to play (Joanne & Peter 32). The film through its action figure, Alice, displays the female character as a strong, yet sexy woman. In her role, Alice, manages to play a masculine role through her violent action of killing, fighting

Masculinity in Great Expectations

Masculinity in Great Expectations Late Victorian Masculinities are bound up with discourses of evolution and aesthetics. Analyse this statement in relation to Charles Dickens Great expectations and Oscar Wildes The Picture ofDorian Gray This essay will try to assess the validity of the abovestatement using the texts stated, and also referring to existing criticism onthe subject. In answering the question, I shall break the statement into twosections. Firstly, I will discuss masculinity in Great Expectations inrelation to evolution, looking at Pips transition from humble beginnings to amore flamboyant existence, and how this fits in with Darwins theory ofevolution. As well as this, I will look at how masculinity is represented insome of the other characters, and lastly to what extent Pips life story cantruly be said to be an evolution. Next, I will discuss masculinityin The Picture of Dorian Gray in relation to aesthetics. This part ofthe essay will focus on how the portrayals of masculinity in the novel fit inwith the idea of Art for arts sake, promoted by followers of the aestheticmovement. In particular I will examine the identity of the eponymous hero, whoembodies much of the aesthetic ideal. There will also be a consideration of theunderlying theme of homosexuality and how some criticism has suggested that theaesthetes used such themes in order to illustrate their own ideas aboutidentity and masculinity. I will then consider to what extent aesthetics arepart of the representation of masculinity in the novel. Masculinity in Great Expectations doescertainly intertwine with the idea of evolution. Pip is in many ways thearchetypal bildungsroman, progressing from a simple domestic life in ruralKent, to London and fortune (although his ending does represent a variation onthis concept). His masculinity is developed along the way. In earlier chapters,he is governed largely by fear, as in the readers first encounter with Mrs.Joe, in which he is informed that he is in trouble. At this dismal intelligence,Ilooked disconsolately at the fire. Tickler was a wax-ended piece of cane. Contrast this with his behaviour later on in the book, after he has begun to make his way in the world Being on one occasion threatened with legal proceedingsI went so far as to seize the Avenger by his blue collar and shake him off his feet. By comparisons such as this, we can observe a correlation between the kind of personal evolution, common to the Victorian novel, undergone by Pip, and an increase in perceived masculine traits, such as dominance and physical aggression. However, underneath this, there is perhaps amore scientific form of evolution under discussion. No novel exists in avacuum, and being published in 1861, Great Expectations Darwinsgroundbreaking Origin of Species by only two years. Darwin mentions theStruggle for Existence, in which all life strives to be successful,identifies some key factors in this success. I should premise that I use theterm struggle for existence in a large and metaphorical sense, includingdependence of one being on another, and including, which is more important, notonly the life of the individual but the success in leaving progeny. Pips struggle is clearly dependent on others, for example Magwitch, his benefactor, and it is ultimately Joe who helps him in his time of need. Interestingly, however, he does not have an heir. Indeed, in the original ending, Pip notes in an unmistakably gloomy tone Estellas reaction to Little Pip, She supposed the child, I think, to be my child. In this sense, Pips evolution can be seen to be incomplete. But what does this mean with regard to masculinity? It is interesting to note that masculinity in GreatExpectations is not limited to the male characters. One example of this isMrs. Joe, who, as one critic notes, wore the pants in the household, while Joeserves as an effete and effeminate child like figure.Since Joessimple character evolves less than Pip, this might be seen as fitting in withDarwin, but, as has already been mentioned, Joe achieves the ultimate inevolution leaving progeny while Pip does not. Similarly, Mrs Havisham isgiven a somewhat masculine-tinted description her voice had dropped, so thatshe spoke low, and yet she is arguably the most static characterin the book, being unable to move beyond the trauma of her past. In the lightof this, it seems doubtful that Dickens intended a purely evolutionary picture. Although there is a link in the novel between masculinity and evolution, the two do not go entirely hand in hand. Dickens uses the bildungsroman model, but Pips development is one of acceptance of his role in life rather than the outright triumph evolutionary theory suggests. However, I do not believe that Dickens set out to critique Darwin either. The novels discussion of masculinity sometimes coincides with evolution, and sometimes does not. I think it would be fair to say that Dickens was influenced by the effect of evolution on masculinity, but his characters successes and failures do not fit in with any definite theory. In The Picture of Dorian Gray,masculinity is linked less to evolution and more to aesthetics. This is largelya result of Wildes adherence to the principles of the aesthetic movement,particularly that of Art for Arts sake. This consists of the idea, outlinedin the novels preface, that Art is an entity in itself and that its ownbeauty, and not its meaning or purpose, is what gives it the right to exist -All art is quite useless.This idea permeates the main character,Dorian Gray, in lots of ways, not least in the identity of his masculinity.This can be seen in Lord Henrys description of him in the first chapter -this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose leaves.Whyhe is a Narcissus.With its classical references and focus onphysical attributes rather than personality characteristics, this represents aquite different masculine ideal from that which the evolutionists favoured.Masculinity here is perhaps closer to the Platonic ideal, and there is noparticular empha sis on such traits as physical strength and courage, eitherphysical or moral, with which the bildungsroman might be associated. Moreover, some of the most fundamental aspectsof masculinity are challenged. Wilde was, of course, a homosexual, and thistheme is implicitly covered in The Picture of Dorian Gray. For instance,although all of the main characters have heterosexual relationships, such asDorians love for Sybil Vane, there is a suggestion of homosexuality as well.The men are certainly homosocial, and there are implications in therelationship between Lord Henry and Dorian. The former talks very dotingly tohis protÃÆ'Â ©gÃÆ'Â ©, right up to the end of the book, My dear boy, You are much toodelightful, and so forth, and perhaps more significantly, it isDorians good looks that first attract him. This affects the way masculinity isdealt with in the novel in the respect that it removes the element of trying towin the female love interest that we see in Great Expectations. DespiteDorians brief fixation with Sybil, women seem largely incidental to the livesof the principal male characters. This is arguably b ecause they are onlyrequired when they are of aesthetic value, not for their emotional input.Dorian does not ultimately let Sybils suicide interfere with thepseudo-homosexual, and more aesthetic, relationship he has with Lord Henry. Critics have suggested that thisis part of a movement in society in which Wilde and others brought forwardidentity politics, the concept that individuals can view themselves in thelight of their deviations from the norms of society, often enjoying aspects ofthemselves that some might consider abnormal or even immoral. As Audrey Jaffenotes, the contrast between beautiful and ugly images of Dorian Grayreproduces the aesthetics of contemporary identity politics, in which identitytakes shape as the difference between negative and positive culturalprojections.This is perhaps the biggest contrast with GreatExpectations. Whereas Pips manhood is seen as complete when he has learned to accept his place in the world, Dorians masculinity is defined by his unwillingness to conform. It is his aesthetic makeup that makes him a man. The implied homosexuality is part of that, since it involves breaking the taboos of society. According to Jaffe, we may catch the early strains of an identity politics whose anthem will eventually become loud enough to make itself heard even on St Patricks Day.In this respect, aesthetics are central to the novels portrayal of masculinity, although characters like James Vane do represent a more traditional viewpoint, showing such traits as confrontation, family loyalty and defence of ones honour. In conclusion, the representationof masculinity in Great Expectations does nod to a discourse onevolution. Dickens uses the bildungsroman model, and there is a genuine senseof progression, and with it, the rise of masculinity. In some respects,Darwinian theory is supported, as in Pips dependence on others in thestruggle for existence. However, his failure to sire offspring and hissomewhat humbled ending conflict with theories of evolution. As well as this,there is the consideration that masculine characteristics are often given tocharacters that do not evolve, such as Miss Havisham, while the hen-pecked Joeachieves the ultimate evolutionary success in reproducing. This would seem tolead to the conclusion that Dickens was aware of evolution, and to some extentinfluenced by it, but did not use it as the sole basis for portrayingmasculinity. By contrast, The Picture ofDorian Gray shows a direct link to the principles of the aestheticmovement. With his looks and his sensual approach to life, Dorian embodies muchof the movements ethos, and his masculinity is defined in terms of his charmand visual appeal. The undercurrent of homosexuality in the book reinforcesthis. By failing to conform to the ideals of Victorian society, Dorian isrepresentative of a form of masculinity that relates to identity politics.Rather than taking the moralistic route to manhood, he celebrates the beauty ofhis deviance. In this respect, his masculinity is entirely aesthetic, as it isdefined by his individual beauty, and the contrast between positive andnegative views of him. However, Wild does portray other, more traditional formsof masculinity, albeit marginally, in the character of James Vane. Evolution and aesthetics,therefore, do play a major part in late Victorian masculinity. Thebildungsroman is an evolutionary figure, while aesthetic portrayals of men werebeginning to come to the fore in this period. However, it is important toremember that these ideas do not govern masculinity entirely, mainly becausewriters are artists and not merely theorists. Although Wilde does adhere to aprincipal more closely than Dickens, both authors show a willingness to breakaway from theory when it is necessary for artistic purposes. References Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Wordsworth, 2003, (Ch. 2, pg. 7) Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Wordsworth, 2003, (Ch. 34, pg. 223) Charles Darwin, Origin of Species, 1859, (Ch 3 The Struggle for Existence) Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Wordsworth, 2003, (original ending) Wayne Huang, Problems of autobiography and fictional biography in Great Expectations, www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/ge/huangcd.html (1997) Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Wordsworth, 2003, (Ch. 8, pg. 50) Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Complete Illustrated Works of Oscar Wilde, Chancellor Press, 1991, (Preface, pg. 4) Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Complete Illustrated Works of Oscar Wilde, Chancellor Press, 1991, (Ch. 1,pg 5) Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Complete Illustrated Works of Oscar Wilde, Chancellor Press, 1991, (Ch. 19, pg. 147) Audrey Jaffe, The Aesthetics of Cultural Identity: Embodying Culture, www.victorianweb.org/authors/wilde/jaffe2.html (No date) Audrey Jaffe, Sympathy and the Embodiment of Culture in Wildes Portrait of Dorian Gray, Cornell University Press, 2000 (pg. 167)

Multiple Access Relay Network :: Technology, Network

We consider a multiple access relay network where each source transmit channel coded packets, relay decode the transmitted packet, generate network coded parity symbol, and retransmit it. We assume the relay has multiple antennas, so relay to destination link is MIMO channel. We consider two MIMO transmission mode at the relay, spatial multiplexing (SM) and beamforming as transmit diversity (TD), and assume that the relay use different network coding scheme depending on the MIMO transmission mode. In other words, we consider a network with three types of linear combination; channel coding at the source, network coding at the relay, and mixing over the air with MIMO channel. The main objective of the paper is to propose a transmission mode selection scheme at the relay which optimize these three linear combinations concurrently. There are numerous work that optimize either the network coding, MIMO transmission mode, or data rate over multiple access relay channel. Network coding techniques for single antenna relay network has been addressed in [1] - [4]. Authors in [1] investigated the cooperative diversity gain offered by the network coding. Authors in [2] proposed a network coding scheme based on low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes that accounts for the lossy nature of wireless networks and showed that a significant coding/diversity gain can be achieved. Author in [3] investigated the tradeoff between reliability and rate as a function of node density and SNR, and showed how the energy and node density can be traded in achieving a given reliability-rate pair in single antenna case. Authors in [4] analyzed an network coded cooperation which adaptively match networks-on-graphs to the well-known class of codeson- graphs such as LDPC codes. This approach enables realtime adaptation of network codes to variant link states and changing network topologies. Network coding for multiple antennas have been studied for special network geometry in [5], [6]. Authors in [5] proposed a cross-layer design employing multiple antenna techniques and network coding called MIMO two-way relay for one dimensional mesh network and authors in [6] investigated the performance of MIMO network coding in bi-directional relay network. Adaptive relay protocol has been proposed for a network with single antenna relays in [7] - [9] and for a network with multiple antennas using amplify and forward protocol in [10], [11]. Authors in [11] proposed an adaptive antenna selection scheme at both the relay and the source for half-duplex MIMO amplify and forward relay protocol. Rate optimization for relay network has been addressed in [12], [13]. Authors in [12] proposed throughput optimal control policy for a parallel relay network with decode and forward protocol. Authors in [13] analyzed the performance of variable-rate two phase collaborative diversity protocols and optimized the transmission rate based on the node location.

Foundation Broad Cost Leader Essay

This practice exercise will help you understand the relationships between business strategy, tactics, functional alignment, and the Foundation ® simulation. We will use the Chester Company for this example. (During the practice rounds, each company is assigned a different strategy.) You will execute your plan by inputting the decisions described below. At the same time, your competitors will execute their assigned plans. The practice exercise will take three rounds As each round is processed, you will evaluate the results and then input the next round’s assigned decisions. Upon completion of the practice rounds, the simulation will be reset to the beginning. You can then create and implement your own strategic plan for the actual competition. Executive Summary The Chester team will adopt a Broad Cost Leader strategy, maintaining a presence in both segments. We will gain a competitive advantage by keeping R&D costs, production costs, and raw material costs to a minimum, enabling us to compete on the basis of price. Our Cost Leader orientation will allow us gain a competitive advantage based upon low prices. We will increase automation levels to improve our margins and to make it acceptable to run overtime (which we can also view as a second shift). Vision Statement Low priced products for the industry: Chester brands offer solid value. Our primary stakeholders are bondholders, customers, stockholders and management. Research and Development (R&D) We will keep our existing product line and launch one new product in order to maintain a presence in both the Low Tech and High Tech segments. We will work to keep our products up to date (i.e. Size and Performance) in each segment despite high automation levels. Marketing We will maintain awareness and accessibility. After we establish our cost leadership position we will revisit our situation to decide whether sales and promotion budgets should be reduced or if we should keep pace with our competitors. Our prices will be lower than average. Production We will significantly increase automation levels on all products. However, because automation sets limits upon our ability to reposition products with R&D, we automate more in the slower moving Low Tech segment than in the fast moving High Tech segment. We will prefer overtime to capacity expansions. Finance We will finance our investments primarily through long-term bond issues, supplementing with stock offerings on an as needed basis. When our cash position allows, we will establish a dividend policy and begin to retire stock. We are not adverse to leverage, and expect to keep debt/equity between 2.0 and 3.0. PRACTICE ROUND 1 Follow the decisions below. After the practice rounds are complete and the competition rounds begin, you are free to choose a different strategy; you are not obligated to continue as a Broad Cost Leader. R & D Round 1 Cake – Reduce reliability (MTBF) to reduce material cost. Example: Reduce MTBF from 21000 to 18000. Do not reduce MTBF below 17000 hours, because that is the lower limit of acceptable reliability (MTBF) for High Tech customers. New Product – Launch a new High Tech product, with a project length less than 2 years (no later than December of next year). Example: Name: Cedar (replace the first NA in the list), performance 9.0, size 11.0 and a reliability (MTBF) 20000. 1 Important: Under the rules of the simulation, the names of all new products must have the same first letter as the name of the company. Important: With the exception of the new product, make certain that the projects complete during this year before December 31st. Under the rules, a new project can only begin on January 1st. If these projects do not complete before the end of this year, you cannot begin follow-up projects next year. Perceptual Map from the Research & Development Spreadsheet: Product names in black indicate the product’s current location, names in magenta indicate the product’s revised position (with slight revisions, the names will overlap). Names of newly invented products appear in magenta. Marketing Round 1 Cake – Make moderate price cuts and decrease promotion and sales budgets. Forecast unit sales near last year’s level. Example: Price $33.50, promotion budget $800, sales budget $800. Forecast sales of 1300 units. New Product – Marketing decisions will be made next year when the new product is ready to begin production. Production Round 1 Production schedules will plan for eight weeks of inventory. That is, have enough inventory on hand to meet demand eight weeks beyond the sales forecast. This requires a 15% inventory cushion (8/52 = 0.15). For example, suppose Marketing forecasts demand at 1000, and you have 100 units in inventory. You want 1000 x 115% = 1150 available for sale. Since you have 100 on hand, you would schedule 1050 for production. If you cannot meet demand, sales go to competitors. Therefore, you want to plan for the upside as well as the downside. Your proforma balance sheet will forecast about eight weeks of inventory. You hope that your actual sales will fall between your sales forecast and the number of units available for sale. Schedule production for your existing product using this formula: (Unit Sales Forecast X 1.15) – Inventory On Hand. Cake – Increase automation level by 1.0 point. New Product – Buy 300,000 units of capacity by entering 300 in the Buy Sell Capacity cell. Set an automation level of 3.0. Important: There is a one year lag between purchase and use of new capacity and automation for both new and existing products. 2 Important: Make certain the Cake project completes during this year, before December 31st. Under the rules, a new project can only begin on January 1st. If a project does not complete before the end of this year, you cannot begin follow-up project next year. Finance Round 1 Your fiscal policies should maintain adequate working capital reserves to avoid a liquidity crisis. Working capital can be thought of as the money that you need to operate day-to-day. In Foundation ® working capital is current assets (cash + accounts receivable + inventory) – current liabilities (accounts payable + current debt). If you run out of cash because your sales are unexpectedly weak, an Emergency Loan will be issued. Here are some guidelines to help you avoid an Emergency Loan. Your proforma balance sheet predicts your financial condition at the end of this year. Make conservative sales forecasts. Do not rely on the computer prediction. Override it with a forecast of your own. If you are conservative, it is unlikely that your worst expectations will be exceeded. Next, build additional inventory beyond your conservative expectations. This forces your proforma balance sheet to predict a future where your sales forecast comes true and you are left with inventory. (If you sell the inventory, that’s wonderful.) On the Finance spreadsheet, issue stock, bonds or current debt until the December 31 Cash Position for the upcoming year equals at least five percent of your assets, as displayed on the proforma balance sheet. This creates an additional reserve for those times when your worst expectations are exceeded and disaster strikes. As you gain experience with managing your working capital, you will observe that the guidelines above make you somewhat â€Å"liquid,† and you may wish to tighten your policy by reducing cash and inventory projections. That is fine. The better your marketing forecasts, the less working capital you will require. Match your plant investment with a long-term bond. If you do not have sufficient new bond debt capacity, issue stock to cover the shortfall. Do not pay a dividend. Save decisions (select â€Å"directly to the website†). PRACTICE ROUND 2 R & D Round 2 Cake – Improve positioning and reduce age. Reduce reliability (MTBF) to reduce material cost. Example: Increase Cake’s performance to 6.7, reduce size by 13.0, and reduce MTBF to 17000. New Product – Note that the new product’s row is yellow instead of green, and that you cannot change these cells. This is because your product will not emerge from R&D until its current project completes. Under the rules of the simulation, new R&D projects cannot begin until the old one completes. 3 Marketing Round 2 Cake – Offer a price cut to $32.50. Hold promotion and sales budgets near current levels. Cake will still sell to both Low Tech and High Tech customers. Enter a forecast of 1100. New Product – Price at $44.00, Promotion at $1000, Sales at $1000. Since Cedar won’t be ready to enter production until well into this year, so enter 200 for sales forecast. Production Round 2 Schedule production using the formula: (Unit Sales Forecast X 1.15) – Inventory On Hand Important: As your new product is coming out sometime during the year, you might not be able to use the above formula – new products cannot begin production prior to their revision (release) date. Should the number you enter into the production schedule turn red, reduce the schedule until the red number turns black. Cake – Increase automation by 1.0 or 2.0 points. New Product – Increase automation level, but only by 1.0 points. We will want to begin repositioning it next year in order to keep it fresh for High Tech customers. The higher the automation rating, the more difficult it is to reposition. We must strike a balance between our cost pressure requirements vs. our need to reposition often. FINANCE ROUND 2 Match your plant investment with a long term debt (bond). If you do not have sufficient new bond debt capacity, issue stock to cover the shortfall. Look at the proforma balance sheet, and add together your Cash and Inventory accounts. Apply the following rule of thumb. Keep between 15% and 20% of your balance sheet assets in Cash plus Inventory. You do not care about the mix, but you do want to have adequate reserves to cover unexpected swings in inventory.

Exchange Systems, Trade Networks, and Archaeology

Exchange Systems, Trade Networks, and Archaeology An exchange system or trade network can be defined as any manner in which consumers connect with producers. Regional exchange studies in archaeology describe the networks that people used to gain, barter for, purchase, or otherwise obtain raw material, goods, services and ideas from the producers or sources, and to move those goods across the landscape. The purpose of exchange systems can be to fulfill both basic and luxury needs. Archaeologists identify networks of exchange by using a variety of analytical techniques on material culture, and by identifying raw material quarries and manufacturing techniques for specific types of artifacts. Exchange systems have been a focus of archaeological research since the mid-19th century  when chemical analyses were first used to identify the distribution of metal artifacts from central Europe. One pioneer study is that of archaeologist Anna Shepard who during the 1930s and 40s used the presence of mineral inclusions in pottery sherds to provide evidence for a widespread trade and exchange network throughout the southwestern United States. Economic Anthropology The underpinnings of the exchange systems research were strongly influenced by Karl Polyani in the 1940s and 50s. Polyani, an economic anthropologist, described three types of trading exchange: reciprocity, redistribution, and market exchange. Reciprocity and redistribution, said Polyani, are methods that are embedded in long-range relationships that imply trust and confidence: markets, on the other hand, are self-regulating and disembedded from trust relationships between producers and consumers. Reciprocity is a behavioral system of trade, which is based on the more or less equal sharing of goods and services. Reciprocity could be defined simply as you scratch my back, Ill scratch yours: you do something for me, Ill reciprocate by doing something for you. Ill watch your cows, youll provide my family with milk.Redistribution involves a collection point from which goods are apportioned out. In a typical redistribution system, a village chief collects a percentage of the produce in a village, and provides it to members of the group based on need, gifts, feasting: any one of a number of etiquette rules that have been established in a given society.Market exchange involves an organized institution, in which goods producers congregate at specified locations at specified times. Either barter or money exchange is involved ​in order to allow consumers to obtain required goods and services from purveyors. Polyani himself argued that markets may or may not be integrated within c ommunity networks. Identifying Exchange Networks Anthropologists can go into a community and determine the existing exchange networks by talking to the local residents and observing the processes: but archaeologists must work from what David Clarke once called indirect traces in bad samples. Pioneers in the archaeological study of exchange systems include Colin Renfrew, who argued that it was important to study trade because the institution of a trade network is a causal factor for cultural change. Archaeological evidence for the movement of goods across the landscape has been identified by a series of technological innovations, building from Anna Shepards research. In general, sourcing artifacts- identifying where a particular raw material came from- involves a series of laboratory tests on artifacts which are then compared to known similar materials. Chemical analysis techniques used to identify raw material sources include Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and various spectrographic methods, among a wide and growing number of laboratory techniques. In addition to identifying the source or quarry where raw materials were obtained, chemical analysis can also identify similarities in pottery types or other sorts of finished goods, thus determining whether the finished goods were created locally or brought in from a distant location. Using a variety of methods, archaeologists can identify whether a pot that looks as if it were made in a different town is truly an import, or rather a locally made copy. Markets and Distribution Systems Market locations, both prehistorically and historically, are often located in public plazas or town squares, open spaces shared by a community and common to nearly every society on the planet. Such markets often rotate: market day in a given community may be every Tuesday and in a neighboring community every Wednesday. Archaeological evidence of such use of communal plazas is difficult to ascertain  because typically plazas are cleaned and used for a wide variety of purposes. Itinerant traders such as the pochteca of Mesoamerica have been identified archaeologically through iconography on written documents and monuments such as stele  as well as by the types of artifacts left in burials (grave goods). Caravan routes have been identified in numerous places archaeologically, most famously as part of the Silk Road connecting Asia and Europe. Archaeological evidence seems to suggest that trade networks were much of the driving force behind the construction of roads, whether wheeled vehicles were available or not. Diffusion of Ideas Exchange systems are also the way ideas and innovations are communicated across the landscape. But thats a whole other article. Sources Colburn CS. 2008. Exotica and the  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Early Minoan Elite: Eastern Imports in Prepalatial Crete. American Journal of Archaeology 112(2):203-224.Gemici K. 2008. Karl Polanyi and the antinomies of embeddedness. Socio-Economic Review 6(1):5-33.Renfrew C. 1977. Alternative models for exchange and spatial distribution. In. In: Earle TK, and Ericson JE, editors. Exchange Systems In Prehistory. New York: Academic Press. p 71-90.Shortland A, Rogers N, and Eremin K. 2007. Trace element discriminants between Egyptian and Mesopotamian Late Bronze Age glasses. Journal of Archaeological Science 34(5):781-789.

How to Grade Papers and Assignments When Homeschooling

How to Grade Papers and Assignments When Homeschooling For classroom teachers, grading tests and papers is second nature. However, if you are a homeschooling parent, you may be unsure about the best way to figure percentage grades, letter grades, and grade point average. You may not even be fully convinced that assigning grades is necessary, choosing instead to work to mastery on each assignment. How to Calculate Percentage and Letter Grades If you decide to grade your students’ schoolwork, use these simple steps to determine the percentage and letter grade for any assignment or test. To calculate a grade, you will need to figure out the percentage of questions that your student  answered correctly. All you need to know to find the grade is the total number of questions on the assignment and how many answers are correct. After that, you will just need to plug a simple equation into a calculator and convert the percentage to a letter grade. Heres how: Correct the paper.Determine the number of total questions.Count the number of questions answered correctly.Take the number of correct answers and divide by the total number of questions. (Example: 15 correct answers divided by 20 total questions equals 0.75)Multiply this number by 100 to turn it into a percentage. (Example: 0.75 multiplied by 100 equals 75%)Grade ranges often vary among professors and teachers. However, a typical, easy-to-use grade scale is: 90-100% A80-89% B70-79% C60-69% D59% and below F Using the examples above, 75% would earn a C letter grade. How to Calculate GPA If you’re homeschooling high school, you will likely need to figure your student’s overall grade point average (GPA) for his high school transcript. Calculate the cumulative GPA  by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the number of credit hours attempted. A typical grade point scale is: A 4.0B 3.0C 2.0D 1.0 There are variances for /- grades that will vary based on the percentage grade scale you use. For example, if you use the ten points per letter grade scale, a 95% might indicate an A- which would translate to a grade point of 3.5. Here’s how: To figure out your student’s cumulative GPA: Determine the total number of grade points earned. For example, if your student received three A’s and one B, his grade point total would be 15 (3x4 12; 1x33; 12315).Divide the grade point total by the number of credits attempted. In the example above, if each course reflected one credit hour, your student’s GPA would be 3.75 (15 grade points divided by 4 credit hours 3.75) Why Do Homeschoolers Need Grades? Many  homeschooling families choose not to bother with grades since they don’t move on until a child fully understands the concept. Working to mastery means that the student would ultimately never earn less than an A. Even if your homeschooling family works to mastery, there are a few reasons you may need to assign percentage or letter grades for your students. Some students find the challenge of getting good grades motivational. Some kids like the challenge of seeing how many answers they can get correct. These students  are motivated by earning high scores. This may be especially true for kids who have  been in a traditional school setting  or those who homeschool using a more school-at-home approach. They don’t see the point of completing worksheets or tests if they dont receive a grade for their work. Grades can provide valuable feedback for these students to understand how they are performing.   Grades provide an objective means of assessing student performance. Many homeschooling parents find it difficult to strike a balance between being overly critical and overly lax about their student’s academic performance. It can be helpful to  create a grading rubric  so that both you and your student know what’s expected. A rubric can help you assess your student’s work objectively and force you to focus on specific issues. For example, if you’re working on teaching  him to write a descriptive paragraph, a rubric can help you stay focused on descriptive elements and ignore run-on sentences or grammar errors until another assignment. High school students may need grades for their transcript. Even if you prefer not to assign  grades in your homeschool, homeschoolers who will be applying  for  college admission  may need them for their high school transcripts. Some  courses may be difficult to assign a  percentage  grade, particularly more  interest-led topics. An alternative is to assign  a letter grade based on your student’s understanding of the topic and the effort put forth in doing the work. For  example, a strong understanding and effort  might earn an A. Solid knowledge and a decent but not outstanding effort might earn a B. You might assign a C if your student understands the topic well enough to move on without repeating the course and/or  you would have liked to have seen more effort applied. Anything less would mean repeating the course.   Some homeschooling laws may require grades. Your state homeschooling laws may require submitting grades to the county or state school superintendent, umbrella school, or other governing bodies.   Assigning percentage and letter grades doesnt have to be difficult. These simple steps can make it easy no matter which route you choose. Updated by Kris Bales

Testing Money Demand Equation, Econometrics Assignment, SAS Speech or Presentation

Testing Money Demand Equation, Econometrics Assignment, SAS - Speech or Presentation Example To interpret whether variations in dependent variable, (mt – pt) is explained or not, explanatory powers of each of the two independent variables have to be considered. If the Student’s-statistics of the respective estimated coefficients are found to be greater than the tabulated value at the given degrees of freedom, the corresponding variable is considered to be significantly explaining variations in the model and vice-versa. At 107 degrees of freedom, tabulated t-statistic is 1.99, which is lower than the estimated values in either case. Hence, each one of the two variables is found to be significantly explaining variations in the dependent variable so that variation in the model is perfectly explained. Money demand in excess of the general price level is found to be highly dependent on income and rate of interest in context of the US economy. The dependence is found to be in line with that of theory which says that demand for money is directly related to income but inversely related to the rate of interest. Moreover, the rate of interest in the nation is also gradually falling over time, revealing that the money demand in the nation is rising actually. A rise in money demand is actually a positive sign for economies which had been engulfed in a recession, since that implies a rise in aggregate demand and thus rise in national income. Hence it could be said that the US economy is actually at the verge of experiencing boom. In fact, a rising income will attract investors from all over the world thus ensure the nation a consistent period of boom. Since the number of observations is the same as that in the previous case, the degrees of freedom are equal to 107. So, using the rule mentioned above it can be said that both the intercept and time factor can explain variations in the dependent variable significantly. The model being estimated shows

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 3

Marketing - Essay Example The Star Furniture group has been able to establish an international presence with success, operating in countries such as Taiwan. The Star Living Mall is a retailer of the products manufactured by Star Furniture (Star Living, 2011). The Star Furniture group has created a unique shopping mall by making the Star Living Mall because of the one-stop furniture that it provides and the range of brands that it houses. The Mall not only specializes in furniture but also provides related services such as furnishing. The clientele of the Mall is primarily based in Singapore. There are four main branches of the Mall in Singapore, selling furniture ranging from that of living room and dining room to bedroom furniture. Moreover the Mall also showcases the four main retail brands of the Star Corporate Group including Mondi Lifestyle, Star Furniture and Zen Tradition (Get Singapore, 2011). Lucano is regarded as the high-end collection of the Star Furniture and has been able to establish itself as a unique brand in the country. The production of the Star Furniture is such that new products are brought in the market every four months. This helps to keep the brands fresh and up-to-date. Besides the four main brands that the Mall features, it also offers a store-in-store boutique that houses a number of brands specialising in the mattresses and beddings. This boutique, known as BEDz Store, along with the other brands featured, offers the customers a complete and comprehensive shopping practice (Star Living, 2011). The target market of the Mall is mostly Singaporeans. The myriad of brands that the Mall displays caters to a large segment of the population due to the fact that the products displayed have different price ranges. This makes the products affordable for the lesser income group. The customers can choose the products that meet their budgets and lifestyles (Get Singapore, 2011). The four brands that the Mall has cater to the four individual market segments that the brands have created in the years since their launch. Moreover the Mall promotes the brand image that the products are both stylish and functional. The target market of the Star Furniture group is the mass market of Singapore and Taiwan (Star Living, 2011). Question 1 (b) The Brand Asset Valuator (BAV) model is an important means of investigating the stature of a brand. The model was developed by Young & Rubicam in order to analyze the value of a brand by looking into the strengths and weaknesses of the brand. The model helps to measure both the stature of the brand as well as its durability. The underlying principle in the model is that these two components are able to draft an image of the brand equity while identifying problems and providing solutions (Iane, King & Russell, 2008). The model assumes that the brands are composed of a progression of four main consumer trends: differentiation, relevance, esteem and knowledge. Differentiation and relevance combine together to give rise to br and strength whereas esteem and knowledge are representative of the brand stature. Therefore the model helps to compare brand strength with its stature. The brand stature shows the current strength of the brand; on the other hand, brand strength shows the capacity of the brand to progress and grow. When analyzing the Star Living Mall, by the Star Furniture group, one has to take into consideration these four factors to establish brand equity.