Religion, Spirituality and Supreme Being Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion, Spirituality and Supreme Being - Essay Example Suffice it is to say that Chinese believe in a Supreme Being, the greatest and the only force that takes care of the functioning and evolution of the Cosmos. Turn the pages of Chinese history; one sees the interplay of different religions and their lasting impact on the Chinese psyche, under one spiritual umbrella. A truly spiritual man reposes faith on a tree, a mountain, a river or any facet of nature. Viewed from this angle the Chinese are spiritual. Religion comes next. Religion though basically faith-related, is to comply with a set of rules and regulations and rituals that have evolved as customs and traditions over a long period. So much so, that the individual loses sight of the intrinsic spiritual worth of that custom and follows them blindly. When one is member of a single organization and views all other faiths/organization with suspicion to start with, and contempt to follow, one develops fanaticism. A man without an abiding faith is not a truly religious individual. With out such an affirmation one will not be able to confine to ethical levels, which sustain the healthy growth of the society. Without faith, downward spiral of the society commences that will ultimately lead to uncontrollable social ills. Western vs. Chinese Religions To the Chinese, religion is not mere the view of life, but the way of life. Confucianism has been the eternal bridge that connects the peoples of a vast country like China. One may hail it as a philosophy and/or a religion. According to Confucianism heaven is the ultimate authority. That transcendental power engulfs everything, physical, secular, spiritual, nature and destiny. Shao Yong, Confucian scholar of the eleventh century CE, argues, â€Å"Error in human knowledge is due to the fact that we observe things from our own experience†¦.we must view things, not with our physical eyes, but with our mind, and not even with our mind, but with the principle inherent in things. When the boundary between subject and obj ect disappears, we will be able to see things as they are.†( xi, xii) Some of the western books on philosophy and religion are kindergarten stuffs as compared to the profundity of the Chinese spiritual lore. It is not necessary that the entire populace of the country needs to practice one faith; what is important is what type of people that faith molds! Religion and faith make it easier for the human being to reach the level of spirituality. Religions of China lay more importance on the inner development of an individual. Each individual contributes to the health of the Nation, just like each brick contributes to the strength of a magnificent mansion! Did religion exist in China prior to engagement with the West? This question is rather an affront to the people of China. China is the homeland of some of the greatest philosophies and religions in the world like, Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Folk Religion. Even when Religion is associated with faith in a Supreme Being and membership in a single organization variable belief systems exist within that faith. Some intellectuals argue that Chinese people are not very religious. But the ground reality is, religious culture has, at all times, a profound effect in molding the psyche of the Chinese people. Not China, but the West has learned many finer aspects of religion and spirituality with interaction with the Chinese scholars and people. Shao Yong argues, â€Å"Christian missionaries and those influenced by Christian images of the eastern tradition have continuously played an important

World War 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World War 2 - Essay Example Roosevelt went into the conference with the agenda of trying to influence the Soviet Union to join in the war in the Pacific where the United States almost single-handedly fought Japan. He was of the belief that if Russia were to enter the war on its side, then it would be much easier for the allies to defeat the Imperial military of Japan and force the latter to surrender. Roosevelt desired to end the war with Japan with minimal American casualties and the participation of the Soviet Union would have made this possible (Berthon & Potts285). Stalin, because of his relatively strong position, declared that the only way that he would agree to declare war on Japan would be if the United States recognised the Mongolian Peoples Republic as an independent state and that all of the islands which Russia had ceded to Japan after their war in 1902, namely the Kuril and Sakhalin Islands, were returned.These conditions were agreed to by the other participants in the conference and it has remaine d controversial ever since because China, the biggest loser in their implementation, was not consulted. Furthermore, Roosevelt and Stalin reached an agreement to keep the Korean peninsula in one piece once the Soviet Union became involved in the Pacific arena. Stalin agreed to enter the war with Japan some three months after the fall of Germany so that the Soviet Union could be able to marshal itself sufficient to help the United States invade the Japanese home territory. Stalin agreed to the proposition that the Soviet Union join the United Nations and this guarantee was secured through the Soviet Union is one of the nations which had the veto power in the Security Council; ensuring that all of the decisions that it did not agree with were blocked (Schlesinger185). During this conference, the three leaders agreed to create spheres of influence in the postwar Europe with each of them having zones to occupy within Germany and this agreement ensured that these three nations upheld the ir supremacy over the entire European continent. In conclusion, the discussion above has shown that the Yalta Conference was held by the Big Three, in a bid to discuss the development of a postwar order of Europe after the defeat of Germany.Each of the leaders went into the conference with their own agenda and it should be noted that before this conference, the Soviet Union had attained great strides and was close to capturing the German capital, meaning that Stalin was in an especially strong position in the Yalta conference and the attendees from Britain and the United States realised that they were in a weak position to oppose his demands.

Advantages and disadvantages of E-business

Advantages and disadvantages of E-business Using Internet technology to provide improved customer service, make more efficient business processes, increase sales, and reduce wastage is called E-business. E-business uses the internet tools such as websites, online banking, and web based customer relationship. Advantages of E-Business: There are many benefits an organisation can get with having an E-Business solution for the business. Worldwide Presence: The major advantage of engaging business online, to have presence nationwide or worldwide. IBM uses the e-business term to provide services to the customer and was one of the first companies uses this term. Dell Inc. and Amazon are the other success stories using E-Business to flourish their business. Cost Effective Marketing and Promotions: using internet to market products is a very nominal method which guarantees the worldwide reach. Pay per click advertising is a effective technique which ensure the business only pay for the advertisement that actually viewed. Better Customer Service: E-Business has change the customer services image enormously. Number of customers can visit or the website at same time. Some website have online chat feature to help the customer to find out more about the product they are interested in. moreover orders can be placed online by processing payments securely over the internet and products can be shipped to the customer. In this case customers even do not have to leave the house. Disadvantages of E-Business: Even above mentioned advantages there are some disadvantages of the E-Business. Some of them are listed below. Sartorial limitation: the main disadvantage of E-Business is lack of growth in some sectors i.e. food. Consumer prefers to look the food products physically before buying. Costly maintenance: substantial recourses are required to setup online business which requires computer upgrade, personnel trainings and website upgrade. This can be a disadvantage for some organisation. Security concern: The security concerns also lead to privacy issue. There are many examples of contact lists and personal details were hacked or exposed due to weak E-Business system security. Virus threat. Physical products constrain. Perishable goods. Types of business organisation: There are two major types of the business. Private sector: Private firms are owned and run by private individual. There is further classification in private sector firms. Sole traders: A sole trader owns and runs a business. They contribute capital to start the enterprise, run it with or without employees, and earn the profits or stand the losses of the venture. Sole traders are found mainly in the retail trades (local newsagents), small scale service industries (plumbers), and small manufacturing and craft industries. Advantages: Easy to setup Can keep all the profits Make key decision. Flexibility Disadvantages: Unlimited liability Limited access to capital Pressure of being solely responsible. Partnership: Partnership is defined as the relation who subsists between persons carrying on a business in common with a view of profit. A partnership is not a separate legal person distinct from its members; it is merely a relation between persons. Each partner (there must be at least two) is usually personally liable for all the debts of the firm. Advantages: Greater access to capital Shared responsibility Easy to setup. Disadvantages: Unlimited liabilities All partners liable for the debt of each other. Partnership dissolves on death of one partner. Potential of conflict. Limited companies: Limited companies are essential to be register at companies house. Company must issue a memorandum of association that includes nature of business and structure of the company. Limited companies also called Limited Liabilities Company. Shareholders have limited liabilities, if company winds up shareholders do not have to pay anything. Limited companies are further categorised in two types. Private limited company (LTD) A private limited company is one where the liability is limited to the value of the shares issued. This means that any debts are debts of the company, not of the owners. Company is owned by 1 to 50 shareholders and must have at least one director. Accounts have to prepare and submit to the companies house annually. Legally company can sue and can be sued. Public limited company (PLC) A Public limited company the one which can issue and trade their shares in the stock exchange for general public. Therefore ownership is open to anyone who wants to buy shares. There can be minimum two owners but no maximum numbers. Company must have at least two directors and a fully qualified company secretary. Public sector: Public sector businesses are owned by government. Government holds majority of the stakes in public sector industries. In last twenty years number of government owned firms reduced massively. Very few examples remain for instance: Royal mail, Royal Bank of Scotland. Aims of an organisation: An aim for any business organisation is a long term goal, something to be achieved over a significant period of time. These aims based upon a planned management strategy. For instance for a private company, aims might include To survive To achieve profitability by a certain time To increase profits To achieve technical excellence To improve quality of our products To be leader in the market To improve market share To enter global market. P 1.2: Stakeholders: Stakeholders are group of people who have an interest in a business organisation. There are a number of groups and individual who can be describe as stakeholders in any business. The Business Owners Managers Staff Customer Suppliers Community Government Figure above shows the possible stakeholder in a business activity. Some of the stakeholders are internal, some are external. Internal Stakeholders: Internal stakeholders are those who are members of the business organisation. For instance: Owners Manager Staff and employees External Stakeholders: External Stakeholders  are not a part of the firm and have an interest in the business. For instance: Customers Suppliers Community Government I will discuss the stakeholder in respect to my business later on in my business plan. P 1.3: Organisational Functions: Organisations arrange their resource recourses into different business functions. All organisations, whatever their business nature is have to manage the following business functions. Finance Human Resources Sales and Marketing Administration Research and Development. Each of the function needs to work tighter so the organisation can achieve their goals. Finance Function The financial section of the organisation will keep manual/electronic records of money received and paid out by the organisation. This information will then be used to produce various financial statements for tax purposes and to comply with legal requirements. The information will also be used to produce management accounts to enable senior managers to plan and review business strategy. The finance department or unit may also be responsible for administering employee expenses and salaries. For payment of wages the finance department will need to take into account statutory deductions such as tax, and employee contributions such as pension or loan repayments. Human Resources Function Human resources or Personnels main responsibility is the recruitment, selection, training and development of staff. This will involve developing staff to maximise their potential in a manner that furthers the organisations objectives.   Human resources may also need to comply with legislation applicable to the country in which they are based. For example in the  UK  employers will need to maintain accurate personal records in a manner that is compliant with the UK Data Protection Act 1984. Human resources often adopt a welfare role which includes looking after employees whilst they are at work. They may also create policies that balance organisational needs with those of the employee. They will also interpret employee welfare legislation and ensure that the organisation is complying with the applicable legislation. Sales and Marketing Function The marketing department will research customer needs to develop strategy and product to satisfy that customer need. In its research, the marketing department will investigate the market they are aiming at; the type of consumer making up the market (age, background sex etc) and the preferences of the consumer within that market. The marketing department will then need to marry consumer preferences with producing a product that is profitable. Once the product has been designed by the production department marketing will then need to package, advertise, and promote the product. Sales are responsible for persuading the consumer to purchase the end product, manufactured through marketings research. The Sales Departments selling strategy could involve  mailshots, travelling sales representatives, telephone sales and devising the sales interview. Administration This involves dealing with all administrative tasks including mail handling, dealing with enquiries/complaints, catering, and computer services. They will also produce documents (eg  forms, stationary, and newsletters) for the organisation and maintain the organisations premises and equipment. This function although not always recognised is vital, as it is the glue that holds the organisation together. Without an administrative department, customer complaints would not be resolved, customer orders may not be processed, and the workforce may not have the tools they need to complete their tasks. Research and Development Function The aim of research and development is to improve existing products, create new and better products, improve production methods, and create effective processes. This will enable the organisation to reduce costs, increase profitability and remain ahead of the competition. As not all research will lead to new/improved products/processes companies will need to allocate a specific portion of their budget to research and development activities. P 2.1: E-Business impact on consumer: E-Business brings the merchandise information to the online consumers home wherever they are. The choice available through E-Business to the consumer is enormous. Usually visiting a store physically means trek around, looking for the item consumer wants. E-business made it easy for the consumer to access the stores online to find their relevant item. Online shoping websites like theonlineshoppingtown.co.uk illustrate how e-business provides the consumer vastly increased verity of products available 24/7, both physical goods as well as services such as finance and insurance. P 2.2: E-Business impact on Business: E-business has made a deep impact on society. People can now shop online in the privacy of their own homes without ever having to leave. This can force larger brick and mortar retailers to open an online division. In some cases, it can also force smaller businesses to shut their doors, or change to being completely online. It also changes the way people look at making purchases and spending money. E-business has changed the face of retail, services, and other things that make our economy work. Undoubtedly, it will continue to influence how companies sell and market their products, as well as how people choose to make purchases for many years to come. P 2.3: Market Research: Market research is the procedure of using a variety of methods to collect, analyzes, and report data about possible consumer groups. Market research is used as a marketing strategy. Formal market segmentation requires comprehensive market research. The market research will helps to identify  quantitative  and  qualitative  patterns in consumer groups.  Quantitative  consumer data  refers to numbers such as age,  income, and family size while qualitative data relies on characteristics such as  education, occupation, and personality.  There are several ways you can go about segmenting  a population to target a market. Some are more relevant to your business than others. The  following describes different aspects of market segmentation used for marketing research that will help you in identifying a niche and maximizing business marketing. Types of Market Research: Surveys are the most commonly used  and least expensive market research method available. They can be conducted online, in person, or by phone. Focus groups are a method by which companies gain feedback on products by asking questions in an interactive group setting. This method might also be used to gain feedback on  services,  concept, advertisement, ideas, or packaging. Technology: Apart from surveys and questioners there are few tools available on internet that are used to collect data of the consumers accessing specific business over the web. I tried to access the tools to collect current data of particular business but all of them where required to have a paid membership. I used Google web analyser to analyze website traffic. Another tool which can help finding information about the anchor text used by the linking sites is SEO Books Back Link Analyzer http://tools.seobook.com/backlink-analyser/). It Supplies multiple output data including backlink status, link text, page title, outbound links, links on page, IP address, link type and Google information. P 2.3: Market Research impact on E-Business: Today we are living in vibrant world where numbers of things are changing very rapidly. Therefore it has become very complex to predict anything. Business is also a part of this rapid changing world and it is very difficult to predict any next move of market or customers respectively. However, to achieve success in the business world, it is very significant for any business to have full information about the market progress and the customers behaviour. Therefore, business requires a solution which can help them to gather these facts and figures. A most effective solution for this problem resides in the form of market research, that provides a great possibility to identify the numerous trends in the market and customers need. Market research is a combination of few methods like surveys, analysis, trends, prediction. Adopting the effective market research method can help business to identify new market trends, their competitor activities, acceptability of their products in market, scope for new products, and reason behind failure of products. A large numbers of business organisation have made market research an essential part of the organisation. However, many others take the help of external agencies and advisors. Mode of doing market research may be whatever but one thing is clear that market research significantly help organisations in making right moves at the right time. By making market research an integral part of companies work structure, companies can easily avoid number of shocks coming from market and increase their success rate considerably. Therefore, in simple words we can say that by getting the help of market research, it is possible for any organisation to succeed in the business world. Chapter 2: Online Business Development: Introduction: Handyman online is a website which will provide wide range of repair and maintenance services around the home. This idea for the e business is not unique but in a way it is different from recent trend of customer services. The idea comes through my mind when I required some paint and patch work need to be done around the house. It was not a very large area so there was no need to hire professional contractors as a most people are fear of lengthy process and expensive labour. In search of the person who can carry out this small job I search in the local yellow pages, unfortunately I could not find any person. I browse the internet to search for the right person for the job. I narrowed down my search to 3 persons who carry out this kind of jobs in that area. When I called 2 of them refuse to come and visit the site due to lack of time and one of them promised to visit and never turned up. I have a degree in civil engineering in which I spent three years to learn about construction and its requirements before I come into the IT field. As per my pervious knowledge in the specific area I visited the (do it yourself) DIY stores like Homebase and BQ. I browsed for my required material and the actual work didnt take not more then 3 hour to finish. This draws my attention to the market potential and lack of required skilled staff in this area. People like me spend enormous amount of time over the internet to search person to carry out such a small tasks like assembling a cupboard, hang out a curtain or change the lock. In my case I was very disappointed about the response of the persons to carry out my required work. In my opinion there is a lot of potential in this market which I will discuss later in my report. Mission Statement: Mission is to reach and provide the customer high standard handyman services in quick and efficient way and creates employment opportunities. Goals: Create over 20% of business from repeat customers. Generate  steady revenue per year by the end of year two. Develop the business into full-time employment within 12 months. P 3.1: The Market research: Handyman Onlines target market has been divided into two segments: home owners and property managers. There are 1,340 potential customers in the property manager segment.  This group is growing at a 4% annual growth rate. There are 25,190 potential customers in the home owner segment. This  group has a 5% annual growth rate. Competition Handyman online will receive competition from several sources. The most well-known competitors are detailed below: Handymen Fix-It-Up: This is a one man company that is specialized in electrical problems and plumbing. Painting and patios are not serviced. When speaking with the customers regarding their experience with this company their expression was mixed. Handymend.com: This is a handyman company that employs three different workers as handymen. This is a large company (for handymen) with a far less intimate customer experience. If a customer used this service on four different occasions, they are likely to receive four different people on the service calls. Contractors (General) Raj Contractors: This is a full-service general contractor. The organization is large with 17 employees. This company does a mixture of commercial and residential work. This company has an eight hour minimum contract. MF Contractors: This is a small sized contractor of five employees. They concentrate on residential jobs and have a smaller minimum of four hour projects. P 3.2: Market Analysis Summary Handyman online has identified two different market segments, home owners and property managers. As I discussed earlier, like in my case the most important segments as they are the customers who often have small repairs. These repairs are too small for to hire a contractor and complicated enough for the owner to perform themselves. Customers often call the service provider who they are familiar with, regardless of the suitability. For this reason, word of mouth referrals will be very important. Possible customers normally ask neighbours or friends and any other property managers for advice on handyman service providers. Handyman online will take advantage of word of mouth marketing by providing exceptional services to keep customers satisfied. Excellent service will result in new and repeat business. Market research outcomes: As I discussed earlier, I divided the potential market into two distinct customer groups: Home owners The value of the homes ranges generally between  £160,00  £655,00. 48% of home owners try to make small repairs themselves; they often start the repair and later realize that they do not have the appropriate skills to complete the repair. The remaining 52% do not attempt to repair it, they call a professional person to perform the repair. 62% have owned their home for more than two years. 73% of the customers wait until several small problems accumulate before they call a handyman for repair. This behaviour can be explained by not wanting to incur a large upfront charge just to have someone fix one thing. Property managers: Typically do not have their own in-house repair man in an effort to reduce overhead expenses. The range of monthly rental costs of their units is  £350- £675. Market Analysis Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Potential Customers Growth CAGR Home owners 5% 24,090 25,295 26,560 27,888 29,282 5.00% Property managers 4% 1,234 1,283 1,334 1,387 1,442 3.97% Total 25,324 26,578 27,894 29,275 30,724 P 3.3: Company: Handyman online will be formed as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) by myself. i will be the sole employee and owner of the company and I will hire the staff time to time according to the nature of the job. The company will incur certain start-up costs, primarily tools, detailed in the Start-up Summary section. Start-up requirements: Handyman online will incur start-up costs related to start of the business. The following table details the start-up costs as well as indicated the needed capital for initial operations. Stan will be using his personal tools for jobs but will need to purchase the following additional equipment/tools: Assorted plumbing tools including: slip wrenches, snakes, teflon tape, and assorted caps, nuts, and bolts. Electrical tools including: electrical gauge meters, wire cutters, various wires and wire caps, and soldering iron. Painting material including: paint brushes, paint roller, pneumatic paint sprayer, air compressor, sand papers, spackle tools and masking tape. Pressure washer. Various general tools. Assorted power tools (drill, saw, sander, Dremel). Assorted nails, bolts, screws, and fixtures. Laptop with portable printer for mobile invoice printing and submission. Mobile phone. Start-up Expenses Legal  £800 Accountant  £600 Brochures  £250 Insurance  £250 website registration  £25 Website hosting  £75 webpage development  £500 Total Start-up Expenses  £2,500 P 3.4: Details of cost: Start-up Assets Cash Required  £20,500 Other Current Assets  £0 Long-term Assets  £8,000 Total Assets  £28,500 Total Requirements  £31,000 Start-up Funding Start-up Expenses to Fund  £2,500 Start-up Assets to Fund  £28,500 Total Funding Required  £31,000 Assets Non-cash Assets from Start-up  £8,000 Cash Requirements from Start-up  £20,500 Additional Cash Raised  £0 Cash Balance on Starting Date  £20,500 Total Assets  £28,500 Liabilities and Capital Liabilities Current Borrowing  £0 Long-term Liabilities  £31,000 Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills)  £0 Other Current Liabilities (interest-free)  £0 Total Liabilities  £31,000 Capital Planned Investment Investor 1  £0 Other  £0 Additional Investment Requirement  £0 Total Planned Investment  £0 Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) - £2,500 Total Capital - £2,500 Total Capital and Liabilities  £28,500 Total Funding  £31,000 Loan required  £31,000 P 4.1: Company Services Handyman online will provide repair and maintenance for home owners and property managers. All type of services will be provided from just  £40 per hour plus parts. Handyman online will give every customer at least one hour of work at their property. All work is handyman work, for larger nature of jobs that require a contractor; Handyman online will search an experienced service provider free for the customer. By providing only handyman services, handyman online will always attempt to repair the problem first, replacement is only an option if the item cannot be repaired. This differs from a contractor philosophy which is generally to replace everything first. Repairing items is far less expensive for the consumer. Handyman online will offer a one year guarantee for all of their repair and maintenance work, The goal is to not have any unsatisfied customers. Offered services include: Minor plumbing Leaky faucets, repair/replace fixtures, sprinkler repair, minor drain problems, garbage disposal install, install ice maker lines. Minor electrical Ceiling fan repair and install, electrical plugs and switches, vanity lights, motion lights, cable and phone line installation. Fence repair Metal and wood fence repair and install, electric dog fences, gate and latch install. Window, wall and door repairs Small hole repair, door installation, window maintenance and repair. Decks and patios Deck repair and maintenance, chemical cleaning, pressure washing, wood replacement, handrail installation. Painting Interior and exterior (short of an entire exterior of a house). Weather proofing Weather stripping, caulking. Flooring Carpet and hard wood repair Company Ownership: I am the founder and owner of Handyman online. The company will remain a one-man operation for the foreseeable future. P 4.2: Market Analysis Summary Handyman online has identified two different market segments, home owners and property managers. As I discussed earlier, like in my case the most important segments as they are the customers who often have small repairs. These repairs are too small for to hire a contractor and complicated enough for the owner to perform themselves. Customers often call the service provider who they are familiar with, regardless of the suitability. For this reason, word of mouth referrals will be very important. Possible customers normally ask neighbours or friends and any other property managers for advice on handyman service providers. Handyman online will take advantage of word of mouth marketing by providing exceptional services to keep customers satisfied. Excellent service will result in new and repeat business. Marketing strategy: Website Marketing Strategy The marketing strategy will employ two distinct mechanisms: Search engine submission: This will be most useful to people who are unfamiliar with handyman online but are looking for a local handyman. There will also be searches from customers who may know about handyman online but are seeking additional information. URL on all printed material: For every printed piece of material that we offers, the sites Web address will be listed, encouraging a visit to the site. Website Development Requirements The site will be developed by me because I have an experience to develop a website. I will seek help from a friend to develop some aspect of the website. The value of the development will not increase more then  £600, it will not have to be listed as a payout of 1099 income for tax purposes. P 4.3: Sales Forecast The sales forecast has been developed in a conventional way to increase the possibility of achieving the sales goals. The forecast sales breaks down is based on the activities that Handyman online will perform. Required parts to replacing the faulty ones will be invoiced separately, there consumables such as nails, caulk, and etc., that will be used will be included in the  £40 hourly fee. These consumables are captured in the direct costs of goods as a percentage of the overall service charge. The different services have different percentages assigned to each type of service. Handyman online will perform a wide range of jobs, that will be billed at the same hourly rate. The competition typically bills out electrical work at a higher rate, and painting at a lower rate. Company has chosen a single hourly rate to encourage customers to use the services for more then one repair on the same visit. Sales Forecast Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Sales Plumbing  £4,250  £12,500  £16,550 Electrical  £3,698  £10,875  £14,399 Fences  £782  £2,875  £3,807 Windows  £1,360  £4,000  £5,296 Decks  £945  £4,500  £5,958 Paint  £2,508  £7,375  £9,765 Weather proofing  £1,403  £4,125  £5,462 Parts  £850  £2,500  £3,310 Floors  £1,615  £4,750  £6,289 Total Sales  £17,410  £53,500  £70,834 Direct Cost of Sales Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Plumbing  £298  £875  £1,159 Electrical  £185  £544  £720 Fences  £23  £86  £114 Windows  £109  £320  £424 Decks  £38  £180  £238 Paint  £226  £664  £879 We

Fire and Heat Imagery in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre Essay -- Jane Ey

Fire and Heat Imagery in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre The essence of any true magnificent piece of literature is not what one can see in words. It is what one can see behind the words. It is through the symbolism and imagery found in works of literature that a reader can truly connect with the writer. Charlotte Bronte epitomizes the spirit of the "unread but understood" in her Victorian work Jane Eyre. There have been numerous essays and theories presented examining the complex symbolism and imagery used by Bronte in Jane Eyre. Much of the imagery she uses concentrates on passion, fantasy, and the supernatural. In this essay I will examine Bronte’s use of fire and heat imagery pertaining to Mr. Rochester and Jane’s love relationship. To begin, fire imagery permeates Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre’s relationship from beginning to end. Since the passionate love that Rochester and Jane first held was sinful, it was accompanied by images of fire and burning. This can possibly be an image of hell. For example, when Rochester was trying to convince Jane to stay with him despite the fact that he was married, he described what he expected her reaction to be, "I was prepared for the hot rain of tears†¦but I err†¦your heart has been weeping blood." This image of hot rain and weeping blood lends itself to an image of punishment. Similarly, when Jane showed signs of fatigue, he carried her in his arms up to her room, holding her tightly. As a result of his "sinful" touching, Jane’s senses were dulled, "all was cloudy to my glazed sight." Yet when he placed her in front of the fireplace to warm up, she felt revived, "I felt the reviving warmth of a fire" Here the fire cleansed Jane of her stupor. It awoke her conscience to what Rochester ... ...ns, "it was a just judgment on him for keeping his first marriage secret, and wanting to take another wife while he had one living." Thus, Jane and Rochester reunited and each proved to be reborn, Jane after undergoing her own final period of personal and spiritual growth, and Rochester after facing his vices and rescinding his sinful nature. In conclusion, the concept of fire used by Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre cleanses, foreshadows, strengthens, and reawakens both Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Bronte tempered the passionate nature of her novel by continuously revealing that heated sinful emotions only lead to ruin. Both Jane and Rochester were subjected to emotional and spiritual purgatory for their immorality. They were allowed solace only after achieving spiritual rebirth. Work Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1991

Never: High School High Essay

Dropping out of school is an issue faced by many teens today. I feel that there are many reasons why students want to and do dropout of school. Due to my research students use dropping out of school as a way to escape from their problems. Further in this paper I will provide you with the information telling you what I recollect the problems are. One of the greatest problems students have in countries such as the US is dropping out of school. I feel that the most average reason for students turning to dropping out is because of them being affected by their family problems. One way they could become affected is by their family, is having obsessive parents. Students might feel if they stop going to school it could be the only way to get back at parents that act in such manner. Another reason for students dropping out of schools is because of their family income. Everyone knows that young people these days have the thought that they need flashy and expensive clothing to go to school. Students could also have the thought because of misguidance. They could have a family that has been raised on relying on something other than school for a key into happiness. I think if students have some desire for school one will work their ups and downs out throughout the school years. See it is possible for family to be the problem that’s makes some drop out. If a student does not feel well, it is most likely that the student’s performance decreases. I feel if the student has no desire what so ever for school there no way the student will make it through school. School is another object that forces students to give up and dropout. Changes of the family environment might also affect the student’s progression, if a parent dies, another child is born, the student has a child, and the circumstances change significantly. And some teaching staff teaches to fast and with the teacher moving too fast could cause failure in grades and that also makes students give up. Anything that causes a student to feel unsafe could make them dropout. Additionally, teachers could be the reason as well. The student is the last reason I will tell you about but is not the last reason known. If you want a good future go through school and there’s a 90% percent better chance your life will turn out better. The other students gets the student to dropout to see what happens to them because they really is the one who wants to but isn’t sure what will happen. No matter what your problems are you shouldn’t drop out of school. Teachers could be teaching in a way that’s not making the course interesting, which also could make the student bored with the course and not getting any motivation from the teaching staff leads to less attendance of the course. It’s been known for years that young people who do not earn a high school diploma face many more problems later in life than people who graduate. Dropouts are more likely to be unemployed, have poor health, live in poverty, be on public assistance, and be single parents. National leaders have demanded that schools, communities, and families take major steps to retain students but the dropout rate remains high. Every 29 seconds, another student gives up on school, resulting in more than one million American dropouts a year – or 7,000 every day. What defines a dropout? Dropping out is defined as leaving school without a high school diploma or equivalent credential such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics. Characteristics of Students Who Drop Out Social economic Background. National data show that students from low-income families are 2. 4 times more likely to drop out of school than are children from middle-income families, and 10. 5 times more likely than students from high-income families. Disabilities. Students with disabilities are also more likely to drop out. The National Transition Study estimates that as many as 36. 4% of disabled youth drop out of school before completing a diploma or certificate. Race-ethnicity. Hispanics and African Americans are at greater risk of dropping out than whites. Hispanics are twice as likely as African Americans to drop out. White and Asian American students are least likely to drop out. Academic Factors. National research also indicates that academic factors are clearly related to dropping out. Students who receive poor grades, who repeat a grade, or who are over-age for their class are more likely to drop out. Absenteeism. Students who have poor attendance for reasons other than illness are also more likely to drop out. Clearly, students who miss school fall behind their peers in the classroom. This, in turn, leads to low self-esteem and increases the likelihood that at-risk students will drop out of school. Occupational Aspirations. Young people’s perceptions of the economic opportunities available to them also play a role in their decision to drop out or stay in school. Dropouts often have lower occupational aspirations than their peers. Predictive Factors. The following individual-level factors are all strongly predictive of dropping out of high school: Grade retention (being held back to repeat a grade) Poor academic performance Moves location during high school High absenteeism High absenteeism The student’s feeling that no adult in the school cares about his or her welfare Reasons young people give for dropping out: Didn’t like school in general or the school they were attending Were failing, getting poor grades, or couldn’t keep up with school work Didn’t get along with teachers and/or students Had disciplinary problems, were suspended, or expelled. Didn’t feel safe in school Got a job, had a family to support, or had trouble managing both school and work Got married, got pregnant, or became a parent Had a drug or alcohol problem Consequences of dropping out: In recent years, advances in technology have fueled the demand for a highly skilled labor force, transforming a high school education into a minimum requirement for entry into the labor market. Because high school completion has become a basic prerequisite for many entry-level jobs, as well as higher education, the economic consequences of leaving high school without a diploma are severe. Earnings Potential. On average, dropouts are more likely to be unemployed than high school graduates and to earn less money when they eventually secure work. Employed dropouts in a variety of studies reported working at unskilled jobs or at low-paying service occupations offering little opportunity for upward mobility. Dropping out, in turn, causes other secondary, indirect problems: Public Assistance. High school dropouts are also more likely to receive public assistance than high school graduates who do not go on to college. In fact, one national study noted  that dropouts comprise nearly half of the heads of households on welfare. Single Parents. This increased reliance on public assistance is likely due, at least in part, to the fact that young women who drop out of school are more likely to have children at younger ages and more likely to be single parents than high school graduates. Prisons. The individual stresses and frustrations associated with dropping out have social implications as well: dropouts make up a disproportionate percentage of the nation’s prisons and death row inmates. One research study pointed out that 82% of America’s prisoners are high school dropouts. Why do so many students drop out school? Why do students drop out? Today MPs expressed impatience with universities for failure to block the hemorrhage of students from their courses. In the five years since the public accounts committee’s (PAC) last report on university dropout rates, just over a fifth of students still quit their original course. According to the latest figures in today’s PAC report, around 28,000 full-time and 87,000 part-time students who started first-degree courses in 2004-05 were no longer in higher education a year later. This is despite ? 800m being paid to universities over the same period to help retain those students most likely to leave their courses early. Last summer’s National Audit Office (NAO) cited several, inter-related reasons, among them personal and financial reasons, homesickness, failing to bond, dissatisfaction with, or the wrong choice of, course – where working-class students in particular may lack the confidence to change course or institution. But the PAC report suggests widening participation – the government’s desire to see more students with no history of higher education going to university – is partly to blame. But is widening participation really responsible for high dropout rates? Certainly the committee concludes that universities need to do better at providing the kind of teaching and support services those students from under-represented groups need. And there is â€Å"great disparity† between universities in the rate at which students continue to a second year of study. According to the committee’s chairman, Edward Leigh, comprehensive and reliable information upon which decisions on how to improve retention can be based – including data on why students leave – is missing in many cases. â€Å"Personal tuition and pastoral  care should also be given a higher priority and appropriate resources, especially as many universities are large and can be impersonal,† he explained. His committee’s 2002 report recommended more funding to support students from low-income backgrounds, tackling skills gaps, supporting students with disabilities and providing more information for potential students. On top of better data collection, today’s report concludes that universities should provide additional remedial academic support for students and more access to tutors for pastoral and academic help, especially as the number of students entering institutions increases. But vice-chancellors argue their universities have coped admirably with among the best student completion rates for HE internationally, despite student numbers rising by 25% between 1999 and 2004. Universities UK (UUK) president Prof Rick Trainor said: â€Å"Universities are committed to supporting their students throughout their time in higher education and have introduced many initiatives and schemes designed specifically to help students complete their studies – for example, mentoring, study skills and support. † But he conceded there was â€Å"room for improvement in certain areas†. In particular, UUK is looking at whether students who decide to leave could fill in an â€Å"exit questionnaire† to give universities more information on their reasons for dropping out. Pam Tatlow, chief executive of the Million+ group of new universities, wants to see the government commission research to look at the costs to universities of recruiting and supporting different types of students. â€Å"Our research shows that different fee regimes for full-time and part-time students [who respectively pay at the end of their course or up front] is a disincentive for people who are struggling to stay on,† she said. Quite a few universities perform better than the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hence) benchmark sets for them, she explained: â€Å"Universities lose money if they don’t retain their students so it’s in their interest to improve retention rates. † But the money universities get for widening participation or part-time students – â€Å"premium† – does not cover costs, she warned. And universities that do more to widen participation are also likely to have more mature students who are more vulnerable to dropping out: 14% compared with 6. 8% of young entrants. Gamma Tumult, president of the National Union of Students, said: â€Å"It is vital that [widening participation] institutions are funded fairly to provide academic, pastoral and financial support – otherwise, we risk admitting students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds on a false promise. † â€Å"Markets in fees and bursaries will only exacerbate this situation and that must be taken into account in the 2009 review,† she added. Tumult also backed the idea of an exit survey and called for â€Å"more transparency† on how money is being spent. This would enable universities to reallocate funds where they are really needed, she said. Hence, which allocates universities’ widening participation funding, said it was positive drop out rates had stayed the same despite huge increases in student numbers. A spokesman said: â€Å"The funding is worthwhile because if students from non-traditional backgrounds do get through the first year in particular, they do stand a very good chance of succeeding. † Hefted is planning to hold a number of workshops with the NAO and HE representatives in March and April on how to improve performance and retention, which will inform its response to the report. As academics and administrators talk, thousands of students continue to drop out and experience the difficulties, financial and personal, this brings. The sector still seems no closer to a solution. Why Teens Drop Out of School Teens drop out of school for many reasons, and the decision to drop out is rarely spur of the moment. Kids usually drop out of school following a long process of disengagement and academic struggle. Many teens say they were bored and frustrated with classes that didn’t seem relevant to their life. Or they felt they had fallen so far behind they eventually gave up hope. Teen’s report that no one really cared about their school experience, or they felt subtly â€Å"pushed out† by school staff who perceived them as difficult or dangerous. What is absolutely predictable is that many kids who don’t finish high school do poorly in life. Without a high school diploma they will have a harder time finding a job, and they will earn much less when they do find one (about a million dollars less over a lifetime). They are more likely to have poor health, to live in poverty, and to have children at an early age, who in turn are also more likely to drop out of school. Nationally, seventy percent of inmates in prison didn’t graduate from high school. We often ask ourselves why some teens drop out of school. While some may have obvious reasons, other teens seem like a mystery and we have a hard time figuring out why some of them would drop out. Not all students are equal, some simply have special needs and school becomes too hard for them. This includes children with emotional issues, behavioral problems, learning disabilities and other teen problems that may interfere with their school work and the ability to learn. But these are not the only reasons; some kids from certain cultural background simply fail to blend into a school where another ethnicity is dominant. There are also teens that come from homes which are not supportive enough and they lack the motivation to finish school. Teens that drop out can be from both rich and poor families, but poor children with low economic standards and children of single parents have a higher risk of dropping out of high school. The rates of teens that drop out of schools depend on various factors. Teen boys are more likely to drop out of school than girls. Also Hispanic and African American teens are more likely to drop out than Asian American students and Caucasians. Students in large cities are also more likely to drop out than students from small towns and suburbs. As you can see dropping out of school can happen because of learning issues and development or even because of social factors like ethnicity and family heritage. Some of the most common reasons that influence a teen to drop out of school include: – History of poor academic achievements. – Older than classmates due to being left behind – Emotional issues – Behavioral problems – Learning disabilities – Influence by low achieving peers – Low attendance – Social issues – Family problems The reasons are plenty, and they can go from family issues and even history of abuse, drug related issues, mental problems to social issues, low standard, peer pressure, up to medical issues like poor health. Some teens get pregnant so they drop out of school, some teens simply lost interest. One of the factors is the teacher’s attitude and behavior towards students. Most students that dropped out of school reported that they were either ignored and not given enough attention by their teachers or that they were actually encouraged by their teachers to drop out of school. We all know that a teacher can sometimes go after a student; the pressure can very well be the cause of dropping out. Again, the reasons are plenty and as such it is hard to concentrate on prevention as various factors influence this outcome. While the reasons kids drop out vary, the following are six important risk factors: 1. Academic difficulty and failure. Struggling in school and failing classes is one of the main reasons teens drop out, and this pattern often shows up early. Students who fail eighth grade English or math, for example, are seventy-five percent more likely to drop out of high school. 2. Poor attendance. Teens who struggle in school are also absent a lot, and along with academic failure, absenteeism is an important future predictor for dropping out. As with the previous example, students who are absent for twenty percent of their eighth grade year (one day per week) are also highly likely to drop out in high school. 3. Being held back (retention). Linked to academic difficulty, students who are held back and who are older than the kids in their grade also tend to drop out. 4. Disengagement from school. Many kids who drop out say that school was boring and teachers did little to connect learning to real life. They didn’t feel invested in their school and they didn’t feel that adults seemed interested in them or their high school experience. 5. Transition to a new school. A poor transition from the smaller, more protected environment of middle school to the anonymity of a high school can cause a teen to have difficulty catching up-and some kids never do. 6. Other life factors. Pregnancy, family problems, and financial difficulties are all factors that distract a student from schoolwork and make keeping up more challenging. The good news is that dropping out is easily prevented. Most teens who drop out had at least passing grades, and these kids say that, with some help, they could have completed high school. Parents who are involved in their kids’ education often make the difference between academic success and failure. Kids do better when their parents care: when parents make sure their kids get to school and are progressing well and when parents communicate their expectations for success. If problems arise, involved parents have laid a solid foundation for dealing with them. Start early to prevent high school dropouts. Read the article â€Å"Seven Middle School Ideas to Stay Ahead for Parents† for tips.

Executive Summary for Non Profit Essay

The Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development (CORD) was established in 1985 in Himachal Pradesh, India. CORD started its work by providing Rural Primary Health Care to the surrounding under developed villages in the area. However whilst engaging closely with the rural communities CORD soon realized that critical healthcare issues were inextricably intertwined with the harsh reality of rural India’s poverty, illiteracy, and gender discrimination, all of which hinted at the formidable walls of social and economic disparities to be overcome. The CORD program soon recharged and reshaped its approach to be more holistic and as a result, an integrated rural development model emerged which was successful and could be replicated with local modifications. Our mission at CORD is to facilitate integrated, sustainable social help programs in local communities and in the Indian subcontinent through processes of self-empowerment and enrichment. CORD programs and services have been designed based on dynamic and vibrant interactions with thousands of villagers. CORD’s strength and success has been due to its coalition with villagers, where there is cooperative effort to organize, build, and find relevant solutions to personal, familial, and communal concerns. The services provided by CORD are: Holistic Programs, Services and Course Modules Local Self Governance Community-Based Livelihood with access to micro credit through Self Help Groups, User Groups, and Activity Groups Health, Nutrition, Hygiene, and Sanitation Rehabilitation and Management of Persons with Disabilities Natural Resource Management Social Justice, Legal Assistance, and Gender Sensitization Program Community driven initiatives to change issues like gender discrimination, caste discrimination, female feticide, HIV-AIDS, adult literacy, optimal utilization of services, schemes, and infrastructure provided by the government, Outreach Rural Program to treat alcohol through â€Å"Sinclair Method† CORD has an urgent need for upgraded facilities to meet the increasing demand for trained workers to live and serve in rural India. CORD is seeking a total of $1.4 million for a New CORD Training Centre located in Sidhbari, Himachal Pradesh, India. The New CORD Training Centre will be an experiential learning institute where people will come to understand how to serve at the grassroots level of rural development and to implement projects in the developing world. Currently, the CORD Training Centre, which is being rented in Sidhbari, is not sufficient to meet CORD’s demand for on-site experiential learning. CORD has purchased 3,744 square meters of land near the existing CORD Training Centre in Sidhbari. The proposed New CORD Training Centre includes a multi-purpose hall, a presentation & exhibition hall, kitchen & dormitory building and a twin-sharing hostel. The aim is to have the Training Centre ready for use by 2017. Combining the New CORD Training Centre with its 28 years of rural development experiential learning, CORD has the opportunity to share its innovative approach to integrated participatory rural development for practitioners around the world. The New CORD Training Centre will allow CORD to leverage its role as a leading centre of experiential learning by expanding the number and type of participants and scope of programs offered. It will also enable CORD to develop and deliver a substantially broader and deeper set of rural development trainings to significantly greater numbers of participants than the current training outcomes. Academic training alone does not prepare development workers to face the breadth of challenges that they will encounter in the villages. This training offers advance advantage to trainees due to its emphasis on experiential learning. With the enhanced capabilities of the New CORD Training Centre, CORD will expand its mission of development in rural India as follows: Benefits of the New Training Centre Provide development practitioners and students with field-based practical tools and approaches to implement new and enhanced rural development projects worldwide. Serve as a technical resource and contribute to the base of knowledge on integrated, participatory approaches of rural development, particularly addressing gender inequality and women’s empowerment. Advocate for continued resources and focus on integrated, rural development issues in India. Provide accommodation and meeting space to meet increasing demand for additional trainings for those interested in rural development. Expand trainings to NGO, university, government, and corporate functionaries interested in rural development within India and the world. Over the past 28 years, CORD has worked to empower people through development rather than through welfare interventions. CORD has helped over 500,000 poor and marginalized Indians transform their own lives through programs driven by them. Through CORD’s high-impact, sustainable programs, over 1,000 villages in four Indian states are on the path of integrated transformation. CORD has trained over 33,000 functionaries from the government, non-profit, and banking sectors, as well as community leaders, to promote self-help groups and access to micro-credit. These trainings involved participants from throughout India and were conducted in collaboration with the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (â€Å"NABARD)† and different departments of the Indian government. CORD is led by an inspiring and inspired team of individual and at the helm we have Dr Kshma Metre – National Director for CORD. Dr. Kshma Metre, a pediatrician by profession has dedicated her life to CORD. Her development work began in 1985 in Sidhbari, Himachal Pradesh with mother and child health services. Soon, with input and feedback from the community, forward and backward linkages were built based on their needs. The participatory development model which emerged as a result, empowered the community to be self respecting and self reliant. Dr. Kshma Metre has won numerous awards and recognitions for her contributions to rural development and women empowerment. CORD believes that empowerment is the key to change and development. Resources donated to the New CORD Training Centre will provide a premier facility for which CORD will be able to advance its mission of facilitating integrated and sustainable development in rural. The total cost of implementation for the training center is $1.4 million. Your investment of $50,000 will build towards the funding to fully implement this path breaking project, and we are excited about the prospect of partnering with you. Through your philanthropic donation you will not only be able to form a connection with and but empower those in need by making them self-reliant. Thank you for your consideration of our request.