The Lost Letters Of Pergamum - 1217 Words

The Roman Empire, in which the early Church rises in the wake of Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, is complex cultural melting pot. Rife with hedonism, the honor/shame structure of the Roman Empire encourage the worship of the Emperor as God and the Empire as his Holy Empire. Against this narrative, the early Church was a counterculture to the ways of the empire and it is against this backdrop that Bruce Longenecker’s The Lost Letters of Pergamum takes place. The Lost Letters of Pergamum is a historical narrative following Antipas and encounters with Luke through an associate in a neighboring town. Antipas, named after his relative Herod Antipas, has come to great wealth and influence in the Roman empire. Antipas is introduced to†¦show more content†¦In Roman society, the food would be served based on position in society, but in the Church, everyone was treated as an equal. Paul admonishes the church at Corinth for such practices in the celebration of t he Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:17-22). Paul bemoans the division that are present in the fellowship among believers and points to the counterculture equality that characterizes Christians. The Corinthians are following the conventions of their societal practices, yet in Christ there is a unity that overcomes the divisions of society. Upon first reading of this passage it seems that the Corinthians should have known better than to allow this practice to take place. However, with the cultural context this passage becomes less about intentional discrimination on the part of the Corinthians and more about the church finding its identity in the ways of Christ and not in the ways of the world. The cultural of the Roman Empire was a melting pot of the religious and cultural influences of the conquered societies that had been assimilated into the Empire. The various religions and cultural practice created a complex pantheon of â€Å"gods.† Ever larger temples and statues were ere cted to bring glory and honor to cities and give honor the Emperor. Additionally, cities would host gladiatorial games to bring honor to the Emperor. These events and building projects were facilitated by those who sought to bring greater glory and honor upon themselves with Roman society.Show MoreRelatedThe Lost Letters Of Pergamum1000 Words   |  4 PagesBruce W. Longenecker emerges as a contemporary innovator of Christian literature through his historical fiction work The Lost Letters of Pergamum. Throughout this work, Longenecker analyzes the fundamental features of first-century Christianity, which were primarily affiliated with the New Testament. The Lost Letters of Pergamum is composed of the combination of letters. These letters primarily document the communication between two citizens: Antipas, â€Å"citizen of the blessed empire of Rome, and worshiperRead MoreLost Letters of Pergamum2257 Words   |  10 PagesBandy Lost Letters of Pergamum Assignment 13th February, 2013 The Lost Letters of Pergamum Ancient Customs Form of Letters: * The form of ancient lettering is seen in every new script written from the characters, they are very formal at first, and being sure not to offend the people they are directing their words to, while still maintaining a respectful tone even if it is a disagreeing one. What I enjoyed about the works were the quick friendships that were formed through simple letter writingRead MoreLost letters of Pergamum Essay1275 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Ivy Davison October 25, 2013 Prof. Brodin Pergamum Reflection The Lost Letters of Pergamum â€Å"You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives.† (Revelations 2:13). In â€Å"The Lost Letters of Pergamum†, by Bruce Longenecker, he takes the name found in Revelations and creates a fictional character in a world based two thousand years ago. Antipas is a Roman Civic leader who learns much about ChristianityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Lost Letters Of Pergamum 1806 Words   |  8 PagesLongenecker, Bruce W. The New Testament. The Lost Letters of Pergamum. Orlinda, TN: PhD and Lecturer at the University of St. Andrews. 2002. The Lost Letters of Pergamum is a book by Professor Bruce W. Longenecker, is a fictional book of letters that are exchanged between the fictional characters Antipas, a benefactor of Rome, and Luke, a physician and writer of the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. This book is artfully written to give the modern reader a glimpse into the context and cultureRead MoreThe Lost Letters of Pergamum by Bruce W Longenecker555 Words   |  2 PagesAntipas, a quite wealthy nobleman, began his letters in a bragging type of tone sharing that not only did he come from the house of Philip but he was in fact a benefactor to two very large cities in Rome. In the beginning of the book he boasted about his standing with little to no sense of restraint. But the more his relationship with Luke grew his manner became that of a much humbler person, and opened one of his letters in such a way, â€Å"Antipas, a nobleman of Caesarea; To Luke and the noble Calpurnius†Read MoreAnalysis Of The Book Re velation Of The Bible 1204 Words   |  5 Pagesof the Asia Minor. There is some doubt into how the letters to the seven churches fits into the Book of Revelation and why they are not their own separate entities. Through careful analysis one will gain a strong insight into the message that these letters contribute to the overall Book of Revelations. Through the analysis of the letters sent to Ephesus and Laodicea one will gain understanding that the letters are not actually individual letters sent to each church, but in actuality are meant to encompassRead MoreHannibal and the Second Punic War Essay1406 Words   |  6 Pagesmilitary commander in history. In his early life he was made to swear oath of hatred against Rome, which lead him into starting the Second Punic war. During this time he transformed Carthage from being a lowly place into a military superpower. Although he lost the war, his tactics were far beyond any other person at the time, which had won him many battles even when the odds were stacked against him. Hannibal was born in 247 BCE in Carthage, located in North Africa. When he was born, Carthage was aboutRead More Role of Christian Faith in Ancient and Contemporary Turkey1487 Words   |  6 Pagesbeing exiled to the island of Patmos, the Lord gave John a vision, which he wrote of in the book of Revelations.? It is the message for the ?seven churches? (Revelations 1:1) and all seven congregations are located in what is now Turkey:? Bergama (Pergamum), Akhisar (Thyatreira), Alasehir (Philedelphia), Sart (Sardis), Pamukkale (Hierapolis, near Laodicea), Efes (Ephesus), Izmir (Smyrna).? Christians used to meet secretly in these seven churches of the Apocalypse when being a Christian was prohibited

I Have The Privilege Of Taking Graduate Courses - 867 Words

It is with pleasure that I recommend my former professor, Dr. Nicholas Bourke, for Associate Professor of School of Education at Auburn University in Montgomery (AUM). I have had the privilege of taking graduate courses with Dr. Bourke. He is a true educator and role model, a treasure at AUM’s School of Education. The things I have learned in his classes as well as the professional development courses he has offered have been extremely valuable to me as an educator. He is passionate about his work and I am certain that his passion as well as his extensive knowledge will serve to motivate his future students, as he has motivated me. While attending AUM’s Graduate School of Education I had Dr. Bourke for two courses. The first course I had Dr. Bourke for was Curriculum and Teaching Elementary Math. My first impression of Dr. Bourke’s math course was, it will be like every other math class I had taken in the past and I just wanted to get through it with a passing grade. Contrarily, I learned a great deal in his class, I gained valuable knowledge and insight as it pertained to my career as an educator. In my youth, I was often told by adults that I was bad at math. Many of my teachers had given up on me throughout my schooling. Growing up knowing and hearing these things caused me to have a phobia of math and it negatively impacted my self-esteem. However, Dr. Bourke’s class was not like every other math class. I learned a lot about myself that semester, I was not bad atShow MoreRelatedTalkshow Script1487 Words   |  6 Pagesagain to our show! And friends let us welcome our guest for today we have Ms.Sam Aurillo, 17 years of old,2nd year student taking up bachelor of science in information technology from Colegio de pater. (musulod daun xa) and our second guest is from Kamotetops university ,he is Mr.Rhaymond itanung, 20 years of age, (sulod daun xa), a graduating student taking up bachelor of science in nursing. And to join with us today, we have the director of commission on higher education Dr. Zoniel E.InocencioRead MoreEducation Commentary Based on Carl Singlet ´s What Our Education System Needs Is More F’s705 Words   |  3 Pagesnever should have been certified in the first place.† Once parents start to see that their child has in fact earned an F, they may become more of an active parent in the sense of setting boundaries and rules when it comes to grades and entertainment (taking away phone or TV privileges). Along with Singleton I believe that there should be a lot more stern F’s given to students that earn them. More F’s in the educational system would result in providing the world with literate graduates, quality teachersRead MoreEssay On Personal Statement At Fordham University720 Words   |  3 PagesI am a non-terminating senior at Fordham University pursuing both a physics, and a joint mathematics and computer science degree. I’ve chosen to apply to contribute to Cornellâ €™s CNF and PARADIM REU program because of my interest in the intersection of experimental condensed matter physics and nanotechnology. Since May of 2016, I have been doing an independent study on quantum computation with the assistance of two advisors. Among learning about the many facets of quantum computation, my obligationsRead MoreIncreasing Trend Of Lack Of Communicating Effectively983 Words   |  4 PagesWriting has continuously been a major focus in academics, yet recent graduates find it challenging to communicate clearly and concisely while using appropriate grammar. There can be numerous of reasons for the increasing trend of lack of communicating effectively. Three of the main reasons I believe students are not performing as expected include: a wrong focus on length versus clear and concise content, exponential growth of technology, and a new era of mastering multitask skills. When enteringRead Moreâ€Å"I Am A Mother Of 2 Boys. My Husband And I Have Always1117 Wo rds   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"I am a mother of 2 boys. My husband and I have always struggled†¦We both went to a good University. His mother worked for the college so he had free tuition (thankfully). I graduated 12 years ago and I still owe $10,000 because bills keep piling up. I pay my bill faithfully but it seems like it is never going to go away.† Courtney, a college graduate, is experiencing the negative effects of college tuition first hand. She tells us how she still owes a significant amount of money twelve years laterRead MoreReflection Of Class Reflection1488 Words   |  6 PagesThis past semester I have the privilege of working with Ms. Velasquez algebra class. I have seen how she teaches and how she conducts her class for the last few months. I was already finished my hour before I received this reflection, and have attempted to reach my cooperating teacher for more information over how she plans for her lesson. However, she did not respond back, it could have been with the holiday that just passed she just forgot to respond back. I will answer, to the best my abilitiesRead MoreSocial Medi Developing Critical Thinking886 Words   |  4 Pages† This is something I must work on in my day to day life. Not just for my career but I think critical thinking is a key characteristic that enables us to be interesting . From critical thinking comes solid questions with exciting answers. One of the areas in my career I’m making a strong push to expand and improve is networking. So when presented the opportunity to take the networking seminar I did. I think the conversation Andrew and Jeffrey had was interesting. I agree with Andrew whenRead MoreSchool Is Not Only A Decision, It s The Start Of A Deep Rooted Voyage873 Words   |  4 Pagesnot only a decision, it s the start of a deep rooted voyage, one that will shape and decide future decisions, choices and purposes. Is school truly justified, despite all the trouble? In today’s world a college education is no longer an option or privilege, but rather a necessity. This is an inquiry numerous understudies begin to ask as the school expense builds and occupations are harder to get. Many people in our society view higher education as an investment that will pay off in the long run butRead MorePhysics : The Precision And Certainty Of Mathematics And Science1389 Words   |  6 Pagessubjects throughout my career. I have always been an avid reader of day to day updates of the scientific world. My interest in Mathematics and Physical sciences prompted me to join in pre-university course with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as core subjects. I was always mesmerized by the computer. My constant thirst for knowledge of how the computer functions and the components of the computer inspired me to multiply the little knowledge I had, with the never ending zeal I possessed at that time,Read MoreMy Experience With My Life933 Words   |  4 Pagesglamorized and vibrant world, I feel fortunate and lucky to be able to learn from my experiences and grow stronger as a human being living, discovering new ideas, and learning from my own mistakes. Walking through the hallway on a cold winter breeze I remember reflecting and thinking about the bad decisions that I was making. Grade point average of 1.8, not being able to graduate from high school, and missing credits were some of the hardest obs tacles that I faced. I remember walking with my head

Building Information Modelling In Construction And Engineering

Question: Discuss about the Building Information Modelling In Construction And Engineering Practices. Answer: Background information Cost efficiency and interoperability have been difficult to achieve in the construction industry. These factors are very important when it comes to the final quality of a construction project. In the past, due to the nonexistence of computer technology, the operations in a construction project were often tedious, time-consuming, inefficient and costly due to the existence of unnecessary procedures (Bride et al., 2013). In spite of its availability, the performance quality of computer technology in the construction field is still in the initial stages of development and has a long way to go. The reasons associated to this underdevelopment could be software types and software examples employed by the industry players, amount of available redundant data and information as well as the transmission of information manually (Murphy et al., 2013). It has been figured out that the use of (BIM) could offer a solution to these challenges in the construction sector. With BIM virtual simulation of construction projects is possible. Unfortunately, users tend to create the related software tools that tend to address interoperability only in their own aid and not considering other peoples application concerns. Evidently, the employment of BIM is growing in popularity within the Engineering world across the world and has become significant and beneficial to the stakeholders at large. However, more still need to be done for the improvement of the same. Current state-of-the-art Interoperability issue has become increasingly important in the realm of the construction industry as it directly affects the productivity and quality of a construction project. BIM technology has been brought on board to help streamline the interoperability issues within the construction industry. However, its adoption is still low in the construction industry of many countries across the world except in the US, Europe, Australia and Canada where the adoption is quite doing well. In spite of that, there are some barriers to dealing with BIM. As it was once said, "It is not a problem of knowledge and information on the usage of ICT; it is always about the cost (Murphy et al., 2013)." Although there is awareness of using the ICT its investment cost prevented most companies from adopting the BIM technology (Azhar et al., 2015). Big companies due to their economies of scale and big asset values can afford ICT investment while most of the small companies cannot adopt this new technology due to their inability to afford it. Thus, this research will, therefore, seek to identify the barriers that manifest in the event of dealing of of dealing with the implementation and adoption of BIM practices in various factors such as monetary factors and other related issues (Steel et al., 2012). Project objectives To examine the level of awareness of the engineering industry towards current technologies. To examine the challenges associated with (BIM) and barriers to its adoption in the engineering industry. To find out possible factors which would facilitate adoption and implementation of (BIM). To predict the impacts of adopting (BIM) in an engineering Research Methodology This assignments goal is to focus primarily on the working capital by employing a narrow and a simple work area. The established objectives aim towards discovering the hidden truths regarding engineers and contractors perception of (BIM). In the field of engineering especially quantity survey, BIM is considered as a significant tool. (Murphy et al, 2013). A positivist theoretical perspective best concurs with this research topic, thus making the deductive approach the best way to pre-design the topic. This particular research study tends to navigate through information regarding building information modelling (BIM) with respect to construction and quantity survey engineering categorizing the research under exploratory studies. The research data collected for this research study needs to be of vigor and rigor but of medium level. Due to these forms of factors and categorizations, it is commendable to use the survey approach since it becomes the most suitable a strategy for doing this research. Survey strategy is further subdivided into two types that are the analytical type of survey and descriptive type of survey (Bryde et al, 2013). Analytical survey becomes the most preferred type to do the survey since a research operating under a deductive mechanism tends to emphasize on the reliability of the data gathered systematically. Furthermore, the sample size is quite big and geographically dispersed thus justifying the selection of an analytical approach (Steel et al, 2012). Precise selection of random samples is the sampling method for this particular survey. Its main aim is to standardize error-free data and it shows or exhibits the benefits of survey approach over other such approaches as case-study which has restrictions of generalizability of the findings only to some principles (Azhar et al, 2015). It is also appropriate to choose the questionnaire survey technique for the research. It helps to study and explore the correlation levels of quantity survey engineering and building information modelling (BIM). Besides, an approach known as a focused interview was also used only with an aim of seeking the expert's opinion (Steel et al, 2012). Its worth noting that structured interview technique has a number of advantages compared to other techniques and approaches. In addition, the structured interviewing technique also has other benefits and strengths such as consistency and repeatability (Murphy et al, 2013). With disregard to whether interviews have distinguished advantages or not, the questionnaire technique became the most preferred choice of technique as a result of the representative sample being huge in size and widely spread (Azhar et al, 2015). References. Azhar, S., Khalfan, M. and Maqsood, T. (2015) Building information modelling (BIM): now and beyond. Construction Economics and Building, 12(4), pp.15-28. Bryde, D., Broquetas, M. and Volm, J.M. (2013) The project benefits of building information modelling (BIM). International journal of project management, 31(7), pp.971-980. Murphy, M., McGovern, E. and Pavia, S. (2013) Historic Building Information ModellingAdding intelligence to laser and image-based surveys of European classical architecture. ISPRS journal of photogrammetry and remote sensing, 76, pp.89-102 Steel, J., Drogemuller, R. and Toth, B. (2012) Model interoperability in building information modelling. Software Systems Modeling, 11(1), pp.99-109.

Mexican Drug Cartel (Many vs Few) Essay Example

Mexican Drug Cartel (Many vs Few) Essay Name Instructor Course Date We will write a custom essay sample on Mexican Drug Cartel (Many vs Few) specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Mexican Drug Cartel (Many vs Few) specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Mexican Drug Cartel (Many vs Few) specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Mexican Drug Cartel The drugs problem is one of the primary issues facing the Mexican society in its political, economic, and cultural aspects. Mexico holds a tight grip on the $400 billion global illicit drug trade, with the country suffering economic losses of about $4.3 billion annually (Rios 1-2). At the center of this drug problem are the Mexican drug cartels, controlling the trade at the national and international levels. The debilitating effects of the illicit drug trade on Mexico indicate the need for discussions on the issue. The present study compares the nature of Mexican drug cartels to the meaning of cartel, before analyzing the rise of Mexican drug cartels and associated spikes in homicide rates. A discussion of whether it is better to have a few large cartels than several dozen smaller cartels then concludes the study. Cartel Definition: Comparison to Mexican Drug Cartels The business conceptualization of the term â€Å"cartel† is that it is a formal agreement between independent firms that are in the same or very similar areas of economic activity, undertaking a deliberate agreement among themselves to stifle competition (McGowan 30). In a cartel, the firms prefer collaboration to competition with one another. The items of the agreement include fixing of prices, determination of total industry output, and allocation of customers and market shares. Cartels usually emerge in oligopolistic economic sectors, where few manufacturers produce similar products and have to incur heavy costs to differentiate their products, which lead to reduced profit margins. Brux (255) cites examples of cartels as including OPEC and De Beers, operating in the oil and diamonds industry, respectively. Entry into the collusive agreement that typifies cartels represents a shift to a monopolistic market, which hinders competition, prevents new entrants, and may harm the c ustomer through changes in prices, supply, and quality. As a result, cartels have taken a negative overtone, attracting the interest of competition authorities. The Mexican drug cartels share a number of similarities and differences with the aforementioned definition of cartels. Most of the cartels began as federations of traffickers who consolidated their efforts to quash rivals and control drug trade in their territories (International Crisis Group 7). This arrival at an agreement to increase market power and turf allocation is similar to the concept of a cartel. However, other aspects of the Mexican drug cartels contradict the described definition. For instance, intra-cartel conflicts and warfare indicate that the agreement among the trafficker groups is not operational. The cartels are also unable to set prices, besides engaging in varied criminal activities including kidnapping, human smuggling, extortion, piracy, car robbery, oil theft, and weapons trafficking (8). These activities defy the concept of similar economic activity and indicate that the so-called Mexican drug cartels are more of transnational criminal organizations than tra ditional trade cartels. The consolidation of efforts and criminal inclinations makes the Mexican groups more of criminal cartels that do not obey all the expected aspects of normal business cartels. The Rise of Mexican Cartels: Link to Increase in Homicides in Mexico The drug trade industry in Mexico is about a century old, but has experienced its most significant growth within the last quarter of a century. Dean et al. (9) traces the spike in the role of Mexico in the international illicit drug trade to events in the 1980s. At the time, Colombia was the major player in the global drug trafficking trade. However, intense enforcement by the U.S. Coast Guard blocked the main route of transporting cocaine to the USA, which was through Florida using aircraft. The Colombian drug traders sought alternative routes, establishing alliances with Mexican traffickers. This is because Mexico emerged as the most appropriate point of entry for the Colombian drug trading organizations, offering a conduit to Texas and Southern California. The alliances involved payments made in kind, which gave the Mexican trafficking groups control of their own stock (Beittel 8). With their own stock, Mexican drug trading organizations gradually took over the drug trafficking bu siness, evolving from being mere couriers subcontracted by the Colombians to wholesalers who could source for their own stock by the 1990s. The political landscape of Mexico also allowed the rise of drug trade organizations in Mexico. During the 71-year reign of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) that ended in 2,000, Mexico was under authoritarian, one-party rule. The PRI government entrenched drug trade in Mexico because the authorities tolerated and even protected drug production and trafficking in some regions. Dean et al. (8) argues that there was a working relationship between the PRI and drug trading organizations. The existing drug trading organizations then sought to collaborate in various alliances that would allow more control and territorial splits, leading to the generation of various cartels. Increased competition for control of the drug trade was the reason behind the intensification of existing cartels and springing up of new ones. The International Crisis Group (7) notes that the cash streaming into the Mexican narcotics business has led to the rapid rise in power of cartels in the 1990s and the 21st century. When the one party rule under PRI ended, denying existing cartels of the stability they once enjoyed, the cartels splintered even further. As a result, the last two decades have seen changes in the landscape of Mexican drug cartels, from a few large ones in the 1990s to involving many more players besides the large organizations. Part of the reason for splinters in drug cartels has been the crackdown by the government within the last decade, where the death of leaders has left ca rtels in disarray and confusion. Dean et al. (9) describes the changes in number and size of the drug cartels in Mexico over time. Mexico’s seven main drug cartels by 2006 were Sinaloa, Gulf, Tijuana/AFO, Juarez/CFO, Beltran Leyva, Los Zetas, and La Familia Michoacana (renamed Knights Templar). However, a closer analysis reveals that the Juarez cartel was once part of the Sinaloa group while Los Zetas is the formerly military wing of the Gulf cartel. The war on drug cartels has led to deaths such as those of the leaders of the Beltran Leyva cartel. As a result, neighboring groups have tried to move in into the territories left behind. Instances of confusion have led to the emergence of new cartels from realignments within existing trade groups and leaders, leading to cartels such as La Familia Michoacana. Rise in Cartel Power and Link to Homicides Today, the seven main cartels have fragmented into 9-20 with many reconfigurations continuing to unfold. The Mexican drug cartel landscape reveals two major groups, Sinaloa and Los Zetas, with the rest of the cartels and subsidiaries aligning between the two aforementioned cartels. The next in size and power after the two largest ones include Beltran Leyva, Knights Templar, and La Linea. The changes in configuration have acted alongside an increase in the stakes and government paramilitary efforts to disrupt the cartels in making the last decade witness a spike in homicides. In this case, the Mexican narcotics business boomed as Mexican drug cartels gained control of the global illicit drug trade industry, supplying up to 93% of all narcotics entering the USA (International Crisis Group 6). As the cartels started fighting for control in the 21st century, the money flowing into the industry enabled them to purchase weapons that are more powerful and pay specialist hit men. Within the same time, the Mexican government’s response to the drug problem has been through deployment of about 10,000 federal police officers and nearly 50,000 Mexican soldiers to fight the cartels (Dean et al. 10). The combination of these three factors has led to a spike in drug-related violence and homicides as captured in the following graphs. a b Figure 1: Estimates of drug-related violence for a) Baja California and b) Chihuahua states between 2000 and 2009, showing a spike in the violence in the latter part of the decade (Rios 8). The violence is either inter-cartel, entailing fights for control over territories and trafficking routes among various cartels, or intra-cartel, where violence erupts due to succession struggles (Gonzalez 72-73). There were an alarming 47,500 homicides between 2006 and 2011 related to Mexican drug cartels. In 2007 alone, there were 2,800 homicides, which more than doubled in 2008 and then increased by 40% in 2009. Between 2009 and 2010, drug cartel-related homicides increased by 60%, with 2011 recoding as much as 12,903 homicides by the third quarter of the year (Beittel 24-25). Figure 2: The drug cartel-related homicide trends between 2007 and 2011, showing an alarming spike arising from intra-cartel, inter-cartel, and government on cartel violence (Beittel 25). Few Large Cartels than Several Dozen Smaller Cartels According to Dean et al. (9), the government intervention on the Mexican drug cartel problem may follow two strategies that have different short-term and long-term implications. In the first approach, the government may target the largest drug alliances such as the Sinaloa and Gulf cartels. Disbanding the main drug cartels will result in their consumption by the smaller groups, none of which has the capacity to rise to the level of the destroyed cartels. This will lead to fragmentation of the large drug cartels, lessening the power of the groups taking part in drug trafficking. Alternatively, the government may target the smaller and weaker drug cartels, whose disbanding will free up territories for the largest drug cartels to occupy. The result will be two or three major drug cartels operational in Mexico. The two scenarios, few and powerful cartels, or many and weak cartels, have different implications on Mexico. As the evidence reviewed shows, the generation of numerous drug cartels has been accompanied by intensified violence and homicides. This is because destroying the large cartels creates situations for succession struggles, fallouts, and realignments. This observation explains the observed spike in violence after the fall of powerful cartels such as Beltran Leyva. Besides this immediate intensification in violence, the government will also have to face numerous and varied organizations that, albeit weak, will still pose a difficult challenge. On the other hand, targeting the smaller cartels does not create much room for intra-cartel and inter-cartel fighting. In this scenario, the short-term implications do not involve a spike in violence as would happen in the event of numerous small drug cartels. Further, the government is left with about two or three large cartels to fight. Although powerful, dealing with a few defined targets will prove easier than diffuse and diversified targets. As a result, a few large cartels are a better proposition for Mexico than several dozen smaller cartels, given the desirable decline in homicides and relative ease in addressing the problem when the government faces off with few, properly defined targets (Dean et al. 9). Governments in countries dealing with the problems of drugs and drug cartels continue facing great challenges in trying to eliminate the cartels. Some cartels are large and their presence is felt nationwide. In trying to eliminate the cartels, the authorities use different strategies. Some believe that eliminating the drug lord or king is an effective way since it is a sure way of scattering the cartel and disrupting its operations. While this may seem initially successful, it has often resulted to greater challenges for the authorities. Once the large cartel breaks up, the members form smaller groups within their regions of operation. These smaller groups are often worse compared to the larger ones. The smaller gangs are forced to carry out a higher number of violence and crimes, given that crime is their main form of income. The smaller cartels become more dangerous and violent, and ultimately end up committing more homicides. They fight amongst themselves and against other smaller cartels as they seek to control the trade. Some of them end up engaging in other criminal activities such as kidnappings and theft, in their quest to get more money. The smaller cartels end up producing higher homicide rates compared to the few large cartels. Historical Analysis of the Mexican Cartels The country’s administration has had an impact in determining the operation of the cartels. Some leaders have taken the initiative of fighting the drug cartels and of ending the drug menace in the country. There were fewer homicide rates experienced in the 1990s, under the leadership of President Ernesto Zedillo, between 1994 and 2000. The number of homicides reduced from 15,839 in 1994 to 10,737 in the year 2000. The next president Vicente Fox continued with this trend, and there was a general decline of homicide rates in his country between the year 2000 and 2006. The homicide rates in the year 2004 fell to 9,329. However, this decline was temporary as the homicide rates began increasing and they were 10,452 in 2006. The government took measures to reduce the drug cartels and to control the number of homicides at the time, and this reduced the number of homicides to 8,867 in the year 2007. Since then, the homicide rates have continued to increase and the number of homicides in the year 2011 was 27,213, a 24% annual increase (Molzahn Ferreira and Shirk 12-13). The high number of homicides in the country has surprised many people, especially as the government seems to have become more vocal in its declaration to fight the drug cartels in the country. The difference in the homicide rates experienced in the country can be attributed to the change in the cartel structure and composition, which came about because of the government’s efforts in fighting the cartels. When the government began its efforts of fighting the cartels in 1990s, it dealt with few cartels, albeit larger ones. The government’s efforts led to changes in structure and size of the cartels. There was internal conflict within the larger cartels, because the members could not agree on their leadership, and this led to the division of the larger cartels. The splinter groups did not have as much power or resources as the bigger cartels did. In addition, the smaller cartels continued disagreeing with each other as they sought control of different territories, and as t hey each sided with other cartel groups for protection purposes. These factors contributed to increased violence between the cartels. The smaller cartels used violence to get the resources they needed, and they fought with each other for territories. Therefore, instead of the government solving the problem of violence and increased homicide rates that were perpetrated by the larger cartels, it managed to increase the rates of violence in the country. The authorities have blamed drug trafficking and organized crime for the increased homicide rates in recent years. A high number of intentional homicides had characteristics such as the use of torture and dismemberment and the use of high-caliber automatic weapons, which are typical of organized crime groups. In addition, the crime groups used explicit messages (Molzahn Ferreira and Shirk 1). The number of kidnappings increased from 733 in 2006 to 1,344 in 2011, and many more kidnappings are usually not detected or reported (International Crisis Group 9). Oil theft has increased over the past few years. There has been an increase in theft of crude oil and refined oil. In 2012, petrol station owners reported that they were forced to buy oil from gangsters (International Crisis Group 9). Extortion is one of the common practices that have gradually evolved into the main form of crime for most cartels in Mexico. They demand for money from different kinds of businesses, and they have shot at many business people who have refused to pay what they ask for, killing many people and destroying property in the process (International Crisis Group 10). Another notable change experienced in recent homicide rates includes the shift in the distribution of the violence. Previously, many drug cartels concentrated their efforts in Mexico, and very few of them dared to venture beyond that. However, officials in the US have reported an increase in the number of Mexican drug cartels operating in the country. The cartels are no longer concentrated only in California and Texas as was previously the case, but they are now in the suburbs in different areas such as Chicago, and in other areas such as the rural areas of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. In Mexico, cities that had previously low homicide rates began realizing an increase in homicides. For instance, in 2009, Monterrey recorded 22 homicides but this number increased to 179 the following year, and it reported a dramatic increase in homicide numbers, in 2011, recording 700 homicides that year. The homicide rates in Nuevo Laredo increased from 123 in 2011 to 288 in 2012. The city of Torreon also recorded an increase in homicide rates, reporting 462 homicides in 2012 up from 316 homicides reported in 2010 (Molzahn Ferreira and Shirk 27). The increased penetration of the drug cartels is a worrying problem because it shows the increased ability and capacity of the cartels. The increase in the homicide rates in 2008 is significant. The then new government of President Felipe Calderon in 2007 had taken measures to end drug cartels by targeting the drug lords. This saw a decline homicide rates in 2007. The fight against the cartels led to the capture or killing of twenty-five drug cartel bosses that were part of the most wanted list by the government. However, the measures were only temporary, and they produced greater negative consequences that anyone had imagined then as they resulted to a greater increase in homicide rates. This reflects the ineffectiveness of the strategy employed by the government. Killing the drug lords is only a temporary measure, and it only produces results immediately the drug lord dies or is apprehended because the cartels are disorganized at the time. However, the once large cartel of the drug lord segments into different groups and they continue with the violence and the murders. The confusion and destabilized nature of the larger cartels contributed towards increased rivalry between different gangs as well as between cartels and law enforcement officers, and it has led to turf wars between the different cartels. The killing or capture of the drug lords means that their troops do not have any other means of getting funds. This makes them turn to other means of sourcing funds, hence the increase in extortion rates, oil theft, and kidnappings. They have increased the rate of violence and reports of beheadings, killing of innocent bystanders, assassination of politicians and journalists and other people affiliated to them, mass murders, and public hanging of corpses have become common (Biettel 1). The use of violence by the cartels is deliberate, and they use to discipline the employees in the cartels, enforce their drug transactions, as a barrier to competitors and to coerce people. They also use violence when their bribery efforts fail to persuade the law enfo rcers towards letting them continue running their operations (Biettel 6-7). Structure of Mexican Cartels The structure and organization of the different cartels differ considerably. The cartels differ in size, internal organization, geographical reach, and power. The cartels change as time progresses depending on the competition they face and violence in the country. They also change because of the efforts of the security forces in the country. The cartels react fast, and they are quick to retaliate against the government. They are highly mobile, and they move their activities to different strategies and regions (Weintraub and Wood 10). Each cartel has a territory where it operates. There is increased tension and conflict when the cartels overlap each other’s territory, and this leads to turf wars among the cartels. This is because the cartels have to compete for the limited resources. The larger the cartels are the more powerful they are, and the more they seek to expand their territories. The cartels formed from the drug trafficking organization of 1980s and Miguel Felix Gallardo was responsible for the formation of many of the cartels. Gallardo founded the Guadalajara cartel and was involved in drug trafficking. His main control was in the Mexico-US border. He gave families their own territories to manage, and these families managed to increase their drug production as well as consolidate their territories. Many of the current drug cartels in the country are led by the third generation of these families. There are eight major operating drug cartels in the country, and they include Los Zetas, Gulf cartel, B eltran Leyva, La Familia, Juarez cartel, Sinaloa, Tijuana, and Los Negros cartel (Ai Camp 11). Although many of them have the leadership of individual families, they are often reorganizing, forming alliances and breaking them and fighting each other as they seek more control of the drugs in different regions. The cartels form alliances with each other, as a way of gaining more power and protecting themselves from each other (Ai Camp 12). Some cartels concentrate on trafficking of illicit drugs, and others are involved in other activities. Cartels may spread their operations to different areas of the country, but they have a specific region where they are concentrated. La Familia is concentrated on the west coast of the country, and some its main practices are extortions and kidnappings. The La Familia Cartel recently entered an alliance with the Gulf cartel making the rivalry between this alliance and the Beltran Leyva and the Los Zetas take on new significance in Mexico. This alliance led to turf wars between the gulf cartel and the Los Zetas. The Zetas have grown at a high proportion and they consist of former soldiers, erstwhile police, and gang members. It supports a cellular system, which enables members of the unit to rise in the ranks more quickly and gain more prominence and contr ol. The zetas have conducted most of the violence in Mexico including the murder of 72 migrants and dumping hundreds of bodies in mass graves (International Crisis Group 12). The Gulf cartel is based along the Texas border in the northeast corner. This cartel controls a large part of the country’s natural resources, political figures and financial transactions. The Beltran Leyva cartel had initially formed an alliance with Los Zetas. The security forces killed some leaders in Beltran Leyva, and this led to the weakening of the cartel. The Sinaloa cartel is also referred to as the pacific drug trafficking organization. It is in constant turf wars with different cartels including the Juarez cartel for control of the central and northwestern territories. It is also in constant turf wars with the gulf cartel over territory control in different regions of the country. The Tijuana cartel controls some routes in the Pacific Northwest. The area of concentration has led to constant conflicts and turf wars with the Sinaloa Cartel, which also controls a big part of the pacific region. The cartels change and restructure often for different reasons. Some of the m such as the Los Negroes and the los zetas were part of the gulf cartel, but they ventured out on their own. Others restructure because of the government’s efforts to end the presence of the larger control by weakening them. This has led to the decline in power of cartels such as the Tijuana cartel that have lost their top leadership (Ai Camp 12). The cartels begin by controlling their local communities. Gangs exist as insurgencies in failed communities or in selected neighborhoods. They dominate the political, economic, and social life of these regions. They collect taxes from the businesses operating in the regions. The gangs use different strategies to consolidate their presence in the region, such as bribing the local officials and the law enforcers of the particular region, attacking the police, and other acts of intimidation. They create a perception of the protection for the community. The goal of the cartels at this stage is to get a foundation to venture into other areas and expand their territories. As they seek to expand beyond their neighborhoods, the cartels battle for the state. They battle with other cartels as they seek to replace each other in their areas of dominance (Sullivan 17). Most of the turf wars between the different cartels begin because of the need to have more territorial control, especially after the larger cartels breakup and restructure for different reasons. The shift in the geographical trend of the violence realized reflects the nature of the battles between the different cartel groups. The Tijuana cartel faced competition from an affiliate of the Sinaloa cartel in northwestern Mexico, and this led to battles between the two groups, and in the process increased the homicide rates. The gulf cartel and the zetas battled in northeastern Mexico increasing the homicide rates in that region. The creation of splinter groups in the Beltran Leyva cartels and La Familia led to an increase in violence in central Mexico and a consequent increase in the homicide rates there (Molzahn Ferreira and Shirk 27). The cartel battles involve the public, the police, and the military (Sullivan 17). Many of the smaller groups are splinter groups from the more established groups. The larger groups have fragmented to as many as twenty different organizations. This has increased the number of small cartels, and the number of cartels in the region now falls between sixty to eighty cartels (Molzahn Ferreira and Shirk 10). With such a high number, it becomes increasingly hard for the government to fight the groups. Effectively dealing with several cartels would require the deployment of nationwide resources that is virtually impossible, as the Mexican Government cannot afford to fund the initiative. Nevertheless, it is comparatively simple for the state to eliminate the large cartels, as they are confined to a small area and dense in definite regions. The division of these cartels also generates further friction as the smaller factions fight for limited resources. This raises the level of disagreements and hostility between the cartels. Structural and operational differences among Mexican Cartels Smaller cartels wield little or no power to fight back against the government and to negotiate in corrupt deals at the national level. Nevertheless, they are highly influential in their local districts where their control and power is optimum. They are able to coerce the residents and business establishments operating in the districts under their jurisdiction. In most instances, the municipal authorities in the districts are members of the same cartel, and this provides the gangs with authority and leeway to coerce and terrorize the residents. Smaller cartels also have narrower networks and lesser financial ability when compared to large cartels. Consequently, they regularly engage in other criminal activities such as extortion and burglary but they are also known for kidnappings that provide them with income collected through ransom money. Larger cartels are more organized exhibiting a well-defined leadership structure. The bosses of these cartels possess a clear strategy concerning their narcotic and crime syndicates. Most of them have the dual objectives of increasing their areas of jurisdiction and maximizing their drug trade locally and internationally. For this reason, cartel leaders directly avoid any criminal activities other than drug trafficking, but constantly organize and fund efforts that seek to be in power and expansion of their areas of jurisdiction. A large number of violent acts take place when large cartels are interested in expanding into a different region or when one cartel marches into the territory of another cartel. Larger cartels possess the financial and military resources to enter in battle with the state law enforcers. However, most of them depend on bribing the corrupt government officials and they are able to continue with their activities without resulting to violence. On the other hand, recent reports show how smaller cartels constantly engage in battles with the authorities. They fight back every time the authorities take any measures to fight the cartels, such as killing of their leaders. Nowadays, the smaller cartels have become bolder, and they are now targeting politicians, the military, police officers, and other people in authority. Domestic conflicts happen mostly when cartels change their leadership because the former one was captured or killed by state law enforcers. Implications of US Interference in Mexican Cartels The Mexican government has cooperated with different stakeholders to assist in the fight against cartel activity and drug trade in Mexico. The state has focused most of its efforts in combating the drug cartels. Many people perceive drug cartels as the major cause of the troubles in Mexico. One of the governments’ efforts has been to seek assistance from the government of United States. The US has decided to help Mexico because the drug problem has become worse. Mexican drug cartels have found their way to the US and they have increased their trade there, The United States acknowledges its function in the Mexican drug trade and in the rise in the drug cartels for two reasons. First, the US is a ready market for most of the drugs that Mexico produces and secondly, most of the weapons used by the drug cartels in committing different acts of violence originate from the US. These two factors have contributed to the strengthening of the drug cartels in Mexico. . For a long time, the two countries have differed over whose responsibility it is to control the drug cartels. The US has constantly reiterated that Mexico is not doing enough to control the drug trade, and Mexico observes that the US is not able to control and prevent the trafficking of drugs across the US-Mexico border. However, both countries have realized the importance of cooperation when dealing with the problem, and they are no longer focused on who is to blame for the problem. The US faces a huge drug problem, and this continues to affect it economically and socially. It has to deal with many people who have become drug addicts and at the same time deal with many drug dealers in the country. This is because a large part of the drugs produced in Mexico reaches the United States. Drugs from Mexico have increased in the country, and this has necessitated the need for the US to cooperate with Mexico in fighting the drug cartels since this will eventually stop the trafficking of drugs in the country. The US has decided to help Mexico deal with the drug cartels because it has realized that it has helped in contributing to the increased violence and consequent homicides in Mexico. Many weapons that the drug cartels use are smuggled from the US to Mexico (Mercille 1639). The ease of availability of the weapons has strengthened the cartels, and it has made them more powerful, to the extent that they are able to fight with the government securities. The increase in the number of firearms in Mexico has increased their availability, and this has contributed to increased violence and homicide rates in the country. More than 80% of the firearms used by the drug cartels originate from the US (Mercille 1643). The NAFTA trade agreement permits free trade and passage of goods between the US and Mexico. Smugglers find it easy to transport the weapons across the border. The United States supports the agreement with the hope that it will promote Mexico’s economy and result in economic ref orms in Mexico. The US has, in the past, collaborated with the Mexican authorities to end the menace. For instance, it has provided troops, which have worked with the military in Mexico to fight the drug cartels. During the tenure of President George W. Bush, the US developed the Merida Initiative in 2007 to support the Mexican government’s efforts in fighting drug cartels. The US government pledged about $1.4billion in financial assistance to aid in eliminating the drug cartels. This Mexican government used the financial aid to instruct law enforcers and to acquire state-of-the-art military equipment such as fighter jets, surveillance equipment, and other combat materials (International Crisis Group 19) Analysts and scholars have had opposing views concerning United States’ support of the law enforcers and the government in battle against drug trade and cartels. This is because many corrupt officials work in the government and in law enforcement agencies. These fraudulent officials are accountable for committing human rights violations. Critics of United States’ efforts in Mexico argue that superior US authorities form part of the Mexican drug cartels as sponsors of the leaders who in turn perpetrate grave human rights violations. The US has deployed several security agencies in Mexico, including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), DEA, ATF, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Criminal Intelligence Agency (CIA). The US interferes with Mexico’s efforts of fighting the drug trade and fighting the drug cartels when it participates in corrupt practices. Evidence points towards corrupt immigration US officials who receive bribes and permit the drug trade to continue and flourish (Mercille 1643). Such negative involvement of the US government has sustained the drug and cartel problem within Mexico. Conclusion Mexico faces a pertinent economic, political, and social problem due to drugs, being the source country for some of the most powerful drug cartels that control the global illicit drugs trade. Although Mexican drug cartels do not fit into the concept of a business cartel perfectly, the consolidation of efforts to control territories and trafficking routes and fend off competition makes them criminal cartels. The landscape for Mexican drug cartels has changed over time in its composition, with the players realigning to form different numbers and sizes of cartels. Under the PRI one party rule, a few stable cartels remained powerful and controlled the trade. However, the 21st century has seen fragmentation into numerous cartels of different sizes and power, leading to intensified violence and spikes in homicide trends. Whereas smaller drug cartels have less power, they would exacerbate the homicide statistics and prove difficult to destroy. On the other hand, a few large cartels do not p ose as much risk of homicide spikes as their smaller counterparts, besides providing the government with defined targets. Ultimately, Mexico will fair better in the presence of two or three large cartels than several dozen smaller ones. Works Cited Ai Camp, Roderic. Mexico: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print Beittel, June S. â€Å"Mexico’s Drug Trafficking Organizations: Source and Scope of the Violence.† Congressional Research Service, 2013. Web. 21 May 2013. Brux, Jacqueline M. Economic Issues Policy. Mason: Thomson Higher Education, 2008. Print. Carpenter, G. Ted. Undermining Mexico’s Dangerous Drug Cartels. Cato Institute. 2011. Web. May 24, 2013. Castillo, C. Juan, Daniel Mejia and Pascual, Restrepo. Illegal Drug Markets and Violence in Mexico: The Causes beyond Calderon. February 2013. Web. May 24, 2013 Dean, William et al. â€Å"The War on Mexican Cartels Options for U.S. and Mexican Policy-Makers.† Institute of Politics. Harvard University, 2012. Web. 21 May 2013. Gonzalez, Francisco E. â€Å"Mexico’s Drug Wars Get Brutal.† Current History: A Journal of Contemporary World Affairs 108.715 (2009): 72-76. Print. International Crisis Group. Pena Nieto’s Challenge: Criminal Cartels and Rule of Law in Mexico. Latin America Report, 2013. Web. 21 May 2013. Leiken, S. Robert. Mexico’s Drug War. Center for the National Interest. 2012. Web. May 24, 2013. McGowan, Lee. The Antitrust Revolution in Europe: Exploring the European Commission’s Cartel Policy. Northamptom: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2010. Print. Mercille, Julien. â€Å"Violent Narco-Cartels or US Hegemony? The Political Economy of the ‘War on Drugs’ in Mexico.† Third World Quarterly 32.9 (2011): 1637-1653 Molzahn, Cory, Octavio R. Ferreira and David A. Shirk. Drug Violence in Mexico: Data Analysis through 2012. Trans-Border Institute. 2013. Web. May 24, 2013. Rios, Viridiana. Understanding Mexico’s Drug War. Harvard University, 2011. Web. 21 May 2013. Sullivan, P. John. From Drug Wars to Criminal Insurgency: Mexican Cartels, Criminal Enclaves and Criminal Insurgency in Mexico and Central America, and their implications for Global Security. 2012. Web. May 24, 2013 Weintraub, Sidney and Duncan Wood. Cooperative Mexican-U.S. Antinarcotics Efforts. Center for Strategic International Studies. August 2010. Web. May 24, 2013

Washington State University Online MBA Program Essay Example

Washington State University Online MBA Program Essay Example Washington State University Online MBA Program Essay Washington State University Online MBA Program Essay Washington State University online MBA program is one of those programs which can be found in the latest online MBA rankings 2013. As you already know, those who are making the rankings are using several methods for discovering the best online MBA programs in the world. Washington State University, with its AACSB accreditation and 2-year program, represents one of the most respected online courses in the world. It requires GMAT scores and you don’t have to visit the campus for getting your MBA degree. Washington State University has been created in 1890 and the first focus was engineering and agriculture. Over the years, this school has been evaluating along with the time and invented many new programs that will bring new ways into the global economy. This university has been classified among 100 US institutions which have the highest research activity. The first MBA program has been offered in 1957 and this school has more than 20 years of online degree experience. Washington State University online MBA program has a clear goal: providing professionals with all fundamental skills about business in order to provide actionable and immediate information that can return their investment. An average student who is eligible to enroll to this online MBA program has 4 years of experience in his business field. This university has been accredited by the official association for accrediting business schools AACSB. This is like a â€Å"gold medal† which is given to the top business schools in the whole world. Washington State University online MBA program is also regionally accredited by the Commission of Colleges of NASC. Washington State University online MBA program core is enrolled over three pillars which are important for this business school. These are: Positive Societal Impact Management Innovation Globally Competitive Leadership All students who will sign up for getting this program are encouraged to think as an individual, negotiate and confront with all business challenges into the real world, and explore that theoretical knowledge they have. Washington State University online MBA program give strict directions to the students in order to become agents who are bringing the positive changes into their future or current entrepreneurial role. While this program. Students will confront with a curriculum that has been split in: 3 strategic leadership courses 2 management innovation 4 functional business tools. As additional courses, online MBA students can chose 3 courses in whatever area they like in order to meet their interests. All students have 7-week courses balancing 20 hours workload per week. This allows them to finish other life or work commitments. Washington State University online MBA program assigns an academic advisor to every student, offers 24/7 support, registration assistance and consultation for financial aid. The library of the school has its own digital database which can be accessed   any time you want. This library is opened just to give you additional help and support for your academic work. The learning system of this school represents a variant of the highly popular Blackboard software.

Creating Effective Matching Questions for Assessments

Creating Effective Matching Questions for Assessments As teachers create their own tests and quizzes, they typically want to include a variety of objective questions. The four major types of objective questions include multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-the-blank, and matching. Matching questions are made up of two lists of related items that students must pair up by deciding which item in the first list corresponds to an item in the second list. They are appealing to many teachers because they provide a compact way to test a great deal of information in a short amount of time. However, creating effective matching questions requires some time and effort. Advantages of Using Matching Questions Matching questions have a number of advantages. As already stated, they are great at allowing teachers the ability to ask a number of questions in a short amount of time. In addition, these types of questions are quite useful for students with a low reading ability. According to Benson and Crocker (1979) in Educational and Psychological Measurement, students with low reading ability scored better and more consistently with matching questions than the other types of objective questions. They were found to be more reliable and valid. Thus, if a teacher has a number of students who have lower reading scores, they might want to consider including more matching questions on their assessments. Hints for Creating Effective Matching Questions The directions for a matching question need to be specific. Students should be told what they are matching, even if it seems obvious. They should also be told how they are to record their answer. Further, the directions need to clearly state whether an item will be used once or more than once. Here is an example of well-written matching directions:Directions: Write the letter of the American president on the line next to his description. Each president will be used only once.Matching questions are made up of premises (left column) and responses (right column). More responses should be included than premises. For example, if you have four premises, you might want to include six responses.The responses should be the shorter items. They should be organized in an objective and logical manner. For example, they might be organized alphabetically, numerically, or chronologically.Both the list of premises and the list of responses should be short and homogenous. In other words, do not put to o many items on each matching question. All responses should be logical distractors for the premises. In other words, if you are testing authors with their works, do not throw in a term with its definition.Premises should be approximately equal in length.Make sure that all of your premises and responses are on the same test printed page. Limitations of Matching Questions Even though there are a number of advantages to using matching questions, there are also a number of limitations that teachers must consider before including them in their assessments. Matching questions can only measure factual material. Teachers cannot use these to have students apply the knowledge they have learned or analyze information.They can only be used to assess homogenous knowledge. For example, a question based on matching elements with their atomic numbers would be acceptable. However, if a teacher wanted to include an atomic number question, a chemistry definition, a question about molecules, and one about states of matter, then a matching question would not work at all.They are most easily applied at an elementary level. Matching questions work quite well when the information being tested is basic. However, as a course increases in complexity, it is often difficult to create effective matching questions.

Ethnicity and Nationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ethnicity and Nationalism - Essay Example The definition of a nation is distinct from that of a country because it assumes that there is a cultural and historical bond between the people inhabiting a delineated territory. Not only must the citizens of a nation be bound together in terms of government and territory, but they must be united as one because of their cultural links. Nigeria can clearly be defined as a country, however the fragmentation of its culture, especially in recent history, calls its status as a nation into question. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is located in Western Africa, bordering Benin, Chad, Cameroon and Niger. Its capital city is called Abuja; although its historic capital is Benin City, once called Edo during the years of the Kingdom of Benin. The country is located on the Atlantic Ocean and has benefited from this placement in terms of international trade; currently Nigeria boasts the highest population in all of Africa at more than 140 million people, and it has been hailed by economists as being one of the fastest growing economies in the world (Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2007). In the near future it stands to reason that Nigeria will stand out from other African countries as one of the most successful in terms of trade and finance. Niger Nigeria is comprised of 36 individual states, plus the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which houses Abuja. See Figure 1 for a map and names of all Nigerian states. The FCT was created from former Niger, Nasarawa and Koji territories, and is located in the centre of the country (Falola 1999, pp.1-5). The environment is varied and encompasses savannah, rainforest and deserts; the country is home to what is believed to be the largest and most diverse selection of butterflies in the world, and the native Drill Monkey is only found wild in Nigeria and Cameroon. The Delta region of the country is used for oil drilling, an industry that is of particular importance to the Nigerian economy. The official language of Nigeria is English, however traditional languages like Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo are publicly recognised and regularly used by many citizens. History Nigeria is located in an ancient part of the world as far as human history is concerned, and archaeological evidence suggests that the area has been inhabited by people since at least 9000 BC. From its early cultural beginnings, the area that now encompasses Nigeria developed one of the most influential and powerful empires in Africa and the world: the Kingdom of Benin. From the 15th to the 19th century, the land which is now the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as surrounding countries was all incorporated into the Kingdom of Benin, a vast kingdom that held influence over a large part of the African continent and whose cultural traditions still echo in that part of the world today. It was under the rule of the Kingdom of Benin that the modern Nigerian state evolved into one of the most economically viable African countries during the 16th and 17th centuries; this was due largely to the European slave trade and the fact that the Kingdom of Benin was both forceful and powerful in its dealings with neighbouring nations. As European countries

Mars Reconnaissance Orbits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mars Reconnaissance Orbits - Essay Example Modeling of the MRO came after NASAs successful Mars Global Surveyor that was designed to conduct Mars surveillance from orbit. In its earlier specifications, the satellite design included a large camera for taking high resolution fascinating images of the Mars. This made Jim Garvin, a Mars exploration program scientist with NASA to predict that MRO would be like an orbit microscope. A visible-near-infrared spectrograph was also to be incorporated in the spacecraft. Five months later, after aero braking, the MRO entered began its major science phase after entering its final science orbit. In this way, it joined five other existing spacecrafts in the vicinity of Mars that were either on the planet surface or in orbit. These other active spacecrafts were: two Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey and Mars Express. MRO is equipped with a set of NASA’s most powerful scientific instruments used in the analysis of minerals, stratigraphy, ice of Mars and landforms. They include instruments such as radar, cameras and spectrometers. They are significantly used in monitoring of daily surface and atmospheric conditions of the Red Planet, and hosting of new MRO telecommunication systems for further future missions. It is probably remembered for discovery of ice and other startling discoveries on Mars such as dust devils going across the Mars surface and changing of sand dunes in real time as watched by its powerful cameras. The MRO has also helped to establish the cause for the damage of Phoenix spacecraft that went out of touch with the earth and it has generally helped in other spacecrafts to stay in touch with the Earth. The prime scientific mission of the MRO ended in December 2010, even though NASA still believes that the spacecraft can still do well until 2015. Many new things have been learned about the Red Planet courtesy of the spacecraft.

Language education Essay Example for Free

Language education Essay It is not a secret that teaching has a great role in our life. In our constantly changing world we have to get knowledge from everything: from people and things surrounding us, from different technologies, from our experience. But nothing of these can take the place of a teacher, who plays a great role in life of every person. During rather long period of time a teacher was an integral part of children’s life. He does not only impart the knowledge of the world, prepares children for everyday life but also influences their souls, teaches them to be honest, to be patient, to help each other, to  respect each other. But who is a teacher? We usually think that a teacher especially if we speak of a female is a nervous persistent creature. And if we speak of a male, we are sure he is odd, absent- minded and very often not strongly built and healthy. But in the broadest sense, a teacher can be defined as someone who not only teaches or imparts knowledge, but also someone responsible for shaping the minds and hearts of all those whom they teach. Foreign language teachers have a lot of common qualities with the teachers of other subjects. Moreover such â€Å"ideal† teacher would posses personal qualities, technical abilities and professional understanding. One must admit that the future of any student depends on the qualities and dedication of a teacher of foreign language or any other subject. That is why it is necessary to be a good teacher who will create an interest in students to achieve the aims they set for themselves. But what qualities, features do make a teacher a good teacher? Speaking about it first of all we should touch teacher’s personal and professional qualities. The most important feature for both foreign language teacher and teacher of other subjects is to enjoy his profession and love children. If a teacher loves his profession and his students he is ready to devote themselves to such a hard work as being a teacher. A teacher who is full of love for his work is motivated, energized, and creative; he comes to place of work in high spirits, he is open and can share his positive emotions with the students. The next most important concern is teacher’s eternal patience. A foreign language teacher must be patient. He must never be annoyed with students because they dont understand something. Not all children learn at the same pace and inevitably some will require special attention. However, giving up on these children is a mistake as they can usually succeed with encouragement and hard work. It is a well-known fact that a good teacher must possess leadership qualities. He must have great confidence and strong will power to obtain the best results from his students. A good sense of humour is another great tool that helps a teacher to simplify his task. I  think that a good sense of humor can create a pleasant atmosphere where everyone knows they can ask questions, make mistakes or try out new ideas. One more qualities of a good teacher which is necessary to mention is respect. It is very important to respect the students, their opinions, ideas, style of living, and attitude towards something. Having that respect for others gets you the respect back from others. Endurance, tolerance, optimism, enthusiasm, objectiveness, amiable disposition are also in the first ranks of qualities of a good teacher. I think that all these characteristics are some kind of challenge for a person because it is not so easy to combine all of them. But as the future teachers we must make every effort in order to develop them because we are the future examples for younger generation. Besides, a good foreign language teacher should possess certain professional knowledge. First of all he must know psychology of his children. It will help a teacher to have a certain way with the students, to involve them, to make the lessons more interesting and effective. Without any doubt a good foreign language teacher must be knowledgeable in his subject, because he is an example for the pupils. He must know all the peculiarities of the language, its grammar, lexical structure perfectly well. The pronunciation of a good foreign language teacher must also be on a high level. In other words he must be a professional, a master of his skills. Besides, a good teacher also must have the ability to analyze his work in order to see his mistakes, to find more effective and productive way of teaching. But on the other hand, their social position of officially respected but badly paid specialists doesn’t allow them to occupy the desirable step on the social ladder. Unfortunately very often teachers don’t have an easy access to necessary scientific literature to improve their professional skills. One more negative aspect of this profession is that they almost have no weekends, as their Monday is more likely to begin on Sunday, because some important preparations should be done. And young teachers are often not ready for the emotional impact and the amount of work  coming down on the teacher. To draw the conclusion, one can say that future teachers must remember that being a teacher is a great responsibility, because teachers are charged with children’s young souls. They must improve themselves in order to become good teachers, to acquire the qualities which will help to open children’s hearts, to become friends for them, to become examples for them to follow, to stay in their minds and hearts forever. One cannot deny that the experience the teachers get at school make a great influence on their attitudes to life and people.

Peace Negotiations Between Arafat and Clinton :: Foreign Relations Media Coverage Essays

Peace Negotiations Between Arafat and Clinton Many third world and communist countries are known for their censorship in the media, ranging from television, radio, and the newspapers. Even with these shortcomings they still are able to present a side of an issue. The capitalistic world can dominate the networks of the media as well and also provide certain amounts of censorship with only one side of a view. The way the capitalistic world is able to dominate the media is by advertisement. Commercials and advertisements drive and pay for the expenses of the news reporting agency or any other media. A company will not sponsor a television network or a newspaper if their stories and ideas do not reflect that of the sponsor. For example if a company is owned and operated mostly by Jews, that company may not appreciate a newspaper or a television station to report against them or point out that many mistakes, such as accidental bombings and killings of innocent by standers not only Philistines but Israelis as well, were caused by Jews. If that newspaper or television station reports against Jews or the supporters of Israel they will not be endorsed or sponsored by that Jewish company, and if that newspaper or television station does not receive any support they cannot publish anymore papers or broadcast their newscasts. In both cases important sides of an issue are either addressed or not. The western coverage of the peace negotiations between Arafat and President Clinton by the news media distorts and deletes facts only to ensure that Israel, the United States ally, will benefit. My latest readings of the Seattle Times and one of Tehran’s newspaper dealt with Mr. Arafat’s visit to the United States to speak with President Clinton in the White House about the Mid-East peace process. Both papers presented facts and expanded as well on some of those facts. When reading the Seattle Times, the article’s title read, â€Å"Peace deal with Arafat†, the title its self it’s letting us know that we have to deal with Mr. Arafat, that he must be a hard negotiator. The article discussed how Mr. Arafat did not accept or totally agree with President Clintons peace plan. The Times made it clear that President Clinton’s plan was detailed and accepted by both the United States and the Israelis.

Merits and Demerits of Police Identification

?Discuss any four types of police identification parade emphasizing on their respective merits and short comings. Police identification parade can be referred to as a situation whereby suspects believed to have committed a crime are presented or lined-up for witnesses to identify if indeed the one or group of persons who committed the crime is amongst the line-up. This method is used inorder to help the police confirm if indeed suspect did commit the crime. There are several ways in which police identification parades can be conducted.Depending on the type of situation and resources available for use; be it human or technological will most preferably assist the police on what methods to put in (type of identification parade). When police forces are carrying out their functions, they also have a duty to have regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and to take steps to foster good relations. The main focus of my study is to address only fou r of these identification parades and analyze into detail their main objectives and discuss their merits and where they fall short.Some of the identification parades we know of may weigh in different levels with regards to effectiveness. Others are judged to be more effective whiles some others are least effective. In this code, identification by an eye-witness arises when a witness who has seen the offender committing the crime and is given an opportunity to identify a person suspected of involvement in the offence in a video identification or similar procedure. From a legal point of view the question that an identification parade attempts to answer is whether the suspect is in fact the culprit.First of all, I would like to discuss about the ‘video identification’. With this method, suspects are kept in a confined area or room under a surveillance camera. A ‘video identification’ is when the witness is shown moving images of a known suspect, together with similar images of others who resemble the suspect. Sometimes in absence of the videos photographs of assumed suspects are shown to the witness to help identify the culprit. Even though it is sometimes useful, it is not the best since it shows still-life images which shows only one sided angle on the view of things and thereby makes it difficult for identification.The video is more advantageous in suspect identification because since there are moving images and gives different angles on the view of things. Examples are; the different kinds of expressions and mood swings exhibited by, the witness can easily identify the suspect if indeed he o she is part. These eye-witness identification procedures are designed to test an eye witness’ ability to identify suspects and to provide safeguards against mistaken identity. Secondly, the identification parade that will be considered here is the ‘line-up’.With this procedure, suspects are arranged or lined up for witnesses t o view and see which of them are or is the culprit. Here, the police officer in charge instructs the suspects to turn to whichever direction the witness asks. The witness is therefore asked to point out to the real culprit(s) who indeed committed the crime. Since this is an open parade, things could get complicated and physical in the sense that, if the witness pin points the suspect, and tempers are not calm, the suspect might step forward and harass the witness physically.In some cases, witnesses might be forced to give false data when they stare directly into faces of the suspects. Some suspects make facial expressions which are very threatening to witnesses and therefore conclude that the witness is not part of the parade for fear for their life. In other cases too, the witness might point to the wrong person who also has an appearance like that of a criminal (shabbily dressed, muscular, bony face, black lips) . Also depending on the type of question the witness is asked, he or she might give false information.Example: if the police asks; â€Å"which of them attacked you or committed the offence? † the witness is implied to just chose a suspect even if, the real culprit is not among the parade. Such questions are imperatives which do not really ask a direct question but instead expects you to comply or conform. Apart from this method shortcoming, there is no doubt that it’s sometimes reliable. Thirdly, identifications can be carried out by using a one-way mirror which is a better procedure as compared to that of the open line-ups.With this method, suspects are lined up in a room which is much secured with glass windows from which the witness can have a clear view of all the suspects present. The windows here are made of glass which are tinted, so suspects do not see whatever that goes on outside but the witness who is outside the room sees all that goes on inside. Identification of culprit(s) becomes difficult for the witness if suspects are dressed in almost the same way and there is the chance that, there exist some similarities between any of the suspects, especially when the culprit is involved.Also not all eye witness’ have very good memeory when it comes to facial recognition. Furthermore, there is the sort of identification which has to do with verbal recognition. Here, different set of audio recordings of different suspects are selected and then played for the witness to identify the culprit. This method is only used in critical situations where the witness did not see the suspect but heard the person speak. This could be difficult for the witness to identify especially when the tapes been played are similar.Sometimes too, the suspect is kept in a confined room with a recording device and is asked by the police to mention specific words suggested by the witness. These words are sometimes the ones the witness heard the suspect say at the time of the incident. In conclusion to the above procedures, the poli ce force can put in severe measures that could enhance or yield positive and effective results to make their work much easier and simpler. There are also instances whereby two or more procedures of identification are incorporated into one to help solve cases which are very delicate and special.

Justice in Silas Marner

Justice in Silas Marner ‘At the end of Silas Marner, there is a feeling that justice has been done: that the bad have been punished and the good rewarded. ’ To what extent is this statement true? For centuries, the definition of justice has been disputed over by wise men of all countries. Through the works of Plato, the views of Socrates are recorded for all to read and reflect upon. He believed that justice was good, and the good could only be attained through self-knowledge.In the Republic, Socrates defines justice as ‘working at that which he is naturally best suited,’ and ‘to do one’s own business and not to be a busybody’. George Eliot induces her personal opinions in and further elucidates her nineteenth century readers on the very real and prevalent issue of justice by intertwining several cases between characters in her novel Silas Marner, cleverly using terms that can be interpreted in various ways and presenting as clearly progr essing throughout.Justice is shown to have prevailed at the end of Silas Marner by contrasting it with injustice in the beginning, as the reader becomes familiarized with Silas’s situation and standing with justice. After leaving the vestry, Silas murmurs, ‘. . . there is no just God that governs the earth righteously, but a God of lies, that bears witness against the innocent. ’ This critical attitude towards his environment and world devoid of God not only sets the stage for the story but also provides contrast and room for development with the theme of justice so that the rectification in the end of the novel is represented as profound and significant.Silas has been hurt severely by the shortcomings of his friend, his fiancee and the religious systems and practices in which he had been indoctrinated with for many years like the drawing of lots and prayer independent of any actions (like defending himself verbally and not just leaving it to God to clear him). T his injustice upon Silas Marner is exacerbated by the figurative justice done to one who was undeserving – a manipulative Dunstan Cass.Although not to be taken literally, by Dunstan Cass’s utterance ‘you do me justice, I see’, in response to Godfrey’s accurate description of him, it serves as a taunting echo to highlight the unfairness in the beginning of the novel. This was soon to be stopped by the protagonist himself – Silas Marner. George Eliot portrays Silas Marner as seeking to restore fairness after experiencing another injustice as if it was the last straw when he says, ‘I’ve been robbed!I want the constable—and the Justice—and Squire Cass—and Mr. Crackenthorp. ’ Although ‘Justice’ is in reference to Justice Malam, it is clear that Eliot wanted her readers to construe it as also justice in the non-titular sense; the proper name ‘Malam’ was only introduced later in the chapter. In this sense of the word, Silas ‘want[ed] . . . the Justice’ as if it was a definite and universal object with the use of the definite article and the capitalization of ‘justice’.This shows the progression from injustice to justice. While external justice was developing, Silas needed to take an introspective approach and check if he was disadvantaging himself by brooding over offenses against him; like prayer, justice didn’t come solely from external forces but needed action on the part of the aspirer. The reader is made to reflect upon this when the narrator remarks that ‘such things had been known as a man’s doing himself a mischief, and then setting the justice to look for the doer. Thence on, Silas interacted with Dolly Winthrop more often and with a faint sense of gregariousness. Silas fully remedied this self-impediment and self-injustice when Eppie came. The readers’ attention is once again diverted to the develop ment of external justice in a similar manner as to that with Dunstan Cass, but with a different outcome. The other undeserving Cass brother, Godfrey hopes for justification but, justly, doesn’t receive it. He fled to his usual refuge, that of hoping for some unforeseen turn of fortune, some favorable chance which would save him from unpleasant consequences—perhaps even justify his insincerity by manifesting its prudence. ’ After prevaricating proper responses to his father’s interrogation, he sought to justify his insincerity. As we know, Godfrey is later found out when Dunstan’s body is recovered from the Stone-pits, nullifying his efforts and hopes in successfully avoiding the truth.The Socratic dialogues, again, have some insight to this matter. In Gorgias, Socrates suggests that on the scale of evil – which goes hand in hand with the scale of misery, second is the man who does wrong, but first is the man who does wrong and gets away with it. Godfrey is this ‘first’ who is more miserable, which shows that he has been justly served; for several years, he had to endure being this ‘first’ man, hiding his guilt before having the courage to be the ‘second’, less miserable man.Godfrey again pushes for his perceived justice (personal interest) when he tries to coax Silas into giving him Eppie ‘You may look at it in that way, Marner, but I never can; and I hope you’ll let me act according to my own feeling of what’s just. ’ Again, justice prevails and Godfrey is unsuccessful. Justification and religion are somewhat reconciled when the narrator reflects upon Nancy’s character and Sunday thoughts by recognizing that ‘the spirit of rectitude’ came with the ‘sacred documents of the past’.This opens the way for the justice to come upon her, first with ‘Godfrey . . . [doing] Nancy no injustice as to the motives of her obstinac y’ and the deserved revelation that Godfrey was Eppie’s biological father. A series of events drives justice to triumph by the end of Silas Marner. Effectively, George Eliot starts the narrative from the complete opposite – injustice – so that there is room for justice to develop. She recognizes the complexity of achieving justice when she writes about Molly’s struggle. Just and self-reproving thoughts do not come to us too thickly, even in the purest air, and with the best lessons of heaven and earth’. This adds to the gravity of the accomplishment of justice in the end of the novel. Furthermore, George Eliot does not restrain this achievement and discourages us, as readers, in doing so. She provides this wise insight: ‘When we are treated well, we naturally begin to think that we are not altogether unmeritorious, and that it is only just we should treat ourselves well, and not mar our own fortune. ’ By Chino Jose San Diego Gar cia

Merloni Case Essays

Merloni Case Essays Merloni Case Essay Merloni Case Essay Elettrodomestici SpA is an Italian company based in Fabriano and is one of Europe’s biggest makers of home appliances. In February 2005, Merloni Elettrodomestici was renamed Indesit Company, Indesit being the best known of the Group’s brands outside Italy. The Company was also operating under its historic brand, Ariston, and the regional brands Hotpoint, Scholtes and Stinol. During the perio from 1984 to 1986, Merloni undertook a number of initiatives to improve efficiency in inventory control and logistics.One such initiative was the transit point experiment where in the Milano region, regional distribution centre was eliminated in favour of tranit points which held zero inventory. The following is an analysis of the Transit Point Experiment conducted by Merloni: Cost saving in terms of infrastructure cost of regional warehouses and their maintenance. The company would require lesser amounts of overall inventory to be maintained. As regional warehouses would be closed there would be lesser labor requirements. Transit Point methodology works similar to JIT where-in the required amount of goods are shipped at the required time.Since it works more on the Pull from the customer and due to elimination of regional warehouses, the effect of bullwhip should be lower. Because the regional warehouses will be eliminated, the capacity storage of the central warehouses should be expanded to meet the requirements of the extra Cycle inventory. This would come as an additional cost to the company. Intensive planning of daily shipment should be done. It is not only required to calculate the exact amount of goods to be shipped but also the arrangement of the goods (to eliminate time in loading/unloading activities).Because of this intensive planning more skilled administration staff would be required. If the customer does not order wihin 3pm, the delivery of the product would happen only after the second day. This can lower customer satisfaction. Since no inventory is maintained in near-by locations (as all goods come from central warehouse) if there is any excess demand or out of stock condition (for retailers), the goods will have to be fetched from central warehouse which would take a lot of time. This can lead to loss of goodwill with retailers especially those serving the rural markets.Demand variability is not easily supported by employing Transit Point methodology. If there is an urgent demand for goods in excess of truckload capacity then it can lead to huge additional cost. Another important point which is not mentioned in the case is the importance of the transportation medium. If any of the vehicles breaks-down it could lead to huge delays and pile up of demand. Merloni needs to keep some extra vehicle for a backup. It also needs to maintain the vehicles in good condition. The cost of this has not been accounted for.Since the experiment was carried out only in Milano a relatively smaller numbers of trucks (1 Trailer truck and 3 Small trucks) were required. If the Transit Point methodology is applied through-out Italy, Merloni will need to build up infrastructure and teams to coordinate the the movement of trucks and their transactions. In Merloni, it is the responsibility of the warehouse manager to manage and develop the customer relationship. If the warehouses are eliminated Merloni would still need additional office space for the warehouse managers who also act as Customer Relationship Managers.Another important question is where would Merloni keep the spare parts required for its service personnel. If these too are kept at the central warehouse it could lead to delay thus have a negative impact on the quality of service. The Merloni experiment was conducted when the weather was good. If the weather is bad near the central warehouse but alright in other areas where there is demand, then it can lead to delays. The cost of such delays would be large as Merloni would have to use extra vehicles to ensure the earliest delivery of all the goods once the weather becomes good. Quantitative Analysis:Now we shall look at a quantitative analysis of cost incurred by the company before and after using Transit Point methodology. The case is for region of Roma (information as per exhibit 10). (Ax) would represent cost incurred by using Pre-Transit Point methodology and (Bx) would denote cost incurred by using Transit Point methodology. Calculate the Average Volume/Month at the Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) in Roma. Assuming 20 working days in a month. Average daily demand served from regional warehouse = 154. 8 pieces Average Volume/Month = Average daily demand x No of working days = 154. 8 x 20 = 3096 pieces.Operating Cost at RDC From exhibit 10 of the case it can be seen that the operating cost at Roma is 3605 Lire/Piece/Month Average inventory levels at RDC = 1200 pieces (from Exhibit 8a) Total Operating Cost/Month at Roma RDC = Operating Cost/Piece/Month x Avg Inventory = 3605 x 1200 = 4326000 Lire Therefore, Operating Cost per piece sold = Total operating cost / No of pieces sold = 4326000 / 3096 = 1397. 28 Lire (A1) As per the case, by using Transit Point methodology the Operating Cost has reduced to 20%. Therefore, New Operating Cost per piece sold = 20 % of original Total Operating Cost = 0. 20 x 1397. 28 = 279. 5 Lire -(B1) Inventory Cost at RDC From exhibit 10 of the case it can be seen that the inventory cost at Roma is 1035 Lire/Piece/Month. Total Inventory Cost / Month = Invetory Cost/Piece/Month x Avg Inventory = 1035 x 1200 = 1242000 Lire Inventory cost per piece sold = Total inventory cost / No of pieces sold = 1242000 / 3096 = 401. 16 Lire. (A2) Using the Transit Point methodology, zero inventory is maintained. Therefore, Inventory cost per piece sold = 0 Lire (B2) Short Haul Transportation Cost The short haul transportation cost is the cost of transporting goods from regional warehouse or transit point to retailers.This cost would be common for both pre and during Transit Point methodoly usage period Short Haul Transportation cost = 4300 Lire/Piece (A3),(B3) Long Haul Transportation Cost is the cost of transporting goods from the central warehouse to the regional wareho use or transit point. During the pre Transit Point period goods were transported from the central warehouse to the regional warehouses using trailer trucks. Total number of pieces to be shipped per month = 3096 pieces Capacity of one trailer truck = 120 pieces Therefore, Number of trailer trucks required = Total quantity / Capacity of trailer truck = 3096 / 120 25. 8 trucks Distance between Roma and Fabriano = 165 Km approx. (source: distance-calculator. co. uk/distance-from-fabriano-to-rome. htm) From Exhibit 11, Cost of using a trailer truck for transport upto 165 Km = 0. 36 Million Lire Therefore, Total transporation cost = Cost/Truck x No of trailer trucks = 360000 x 25. 8 = 9288000 Lire Transportation cost per piece sold = Total transportation cost / No of pieces sold = 9288000 / 3096 = 3000 Lire (A4) In Transit Point methodology both trailer truck and smaller trucks can be used depending upon the lot size. Since the average daily demand is 154. pieces, a minimum of one trail er truck will have to be used every day. i. e. Total volume of goods carried by trailer trucks/month = No of trailer truck in a month x Volume carried by 1 trailer truck = 20 x 120 = 2400 pieces The remaining amount would be carried by smaller trucks. Volume to be carried by smaller trucks = 3096 -2400 = 696 pieces. Therefore, No of smaller trucks required per month = Volume carried by smaller trucks / Capacity of smaller truck = 696 / 45 = 16 trucks This means that in addition to trailer truck a smaller truck also needs to be done for 4 days in every week.From Exhibit 11, Cost of using a smaller truck for transport upto 165 Km = 0. 2 Million Lire Total transportation cost = (Cost / Trailer truck x No of trailer trucks) + (Cost / Small truck x No of smaller trucks) = (360000 x 20) + (200000 x 16) = 10400000 Lire Transportation cost per piece sold = Total transportation cost / No of pieces sold = 10400000 / 3096 = 3359. 17 Lire -(B4) Inventory cost at central warehouse Because the re gional warehouses are going to be removed, some amounts of inventory will be moved to the central warehouse.Total inventory level at all 17 regional warehouses = 14330 pieces Assuming 50% of this is Cycle Stock and the remaining Safety Stock, the Cycle Stock (= 7165) will be moved to the central warehouse. Average Safety stock = 7165 / 17 = 421 pieces. Safety stock required at central warehouse as per Risk Pooling = 421 x v17 = 1735 pieces. Therefore, additional stock required at central warehouse = Safety stock + Cycle stock = 1735 + 7165 = 8900 pieces. Assuming inventory cost as those prevailing in Roma, the extra inventory cost at central warehouse = 8900 x 1035 = 9211500 LireAdditional inventory cost/month/piece sold = 9211500/(20*3096) = 148. 76 Lire -(B5) Therefore, Total Cost incurred by the company before deploying Transit Point methodology = (A1) + (A2) + (A3) + (A4) = 1397. 28 + 401. 16 + 4300 + 3000 = 9098. 44 Lire Total Cost incurred by the company by deploying Transit P oint methodology = (B1) + (B2) + (B3) + (B4) + (B5) = 279. 45 + 0 + 4300 + 3359. 17 + 148. 76 = 8087. 38 Lire Therefore by using Transit Point methodology, Merloni has saved 1011. 06 Lire. Now taking this Transit point experiment to India, we can make the following observations Geography – The geography of India is different from Italy.India is equally wide in North- South and East – West directions. The approximate width is ~3500Kms. This is very high compared to Italy. The towns and cities are farther apart compared to Italy. For a product like home appliances (refrigerator , washing machine , dish washer etc) the market is still in towns and cities in India. The road conditions are also not that good. This means the transportation time between cities will be more compared to Italy. Another point to consider is the demand in a town; this may not be enough to meet a truck load of products.Company will have to find a way to store the excess products which is not being supplied. See exhibit1 for details. Infrastructure Another option we can consider is to have a transit point method for big cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore etc. We can have a transit point set up in outskirts of city and we can have small trucks to distribute units to retailers. This will help to free up or reduce the storage space in ware house in each city. But this again will depend on where you have the center ware house located and will be applicable only if ware house is in a day’s drive from the city.Also we can try this in states like Kerala where the towns are closer by. But even though this frees up inventory storage space, company may still have to have a small space to store items which don’t get distributed or collected the same day. As given in Merloni case we will not be able to leave products in alley or plan to keep in sales office as space is a big constraint. As in Merloni case we may not be able to reuse the storage space for an exhibi tion house in the case of India, as the storage location is located in outskirts of city in most places.The market segment for home appliances is the people who stay in the city limits and will be reluctant to travel so much for buying a home appliance. Transportation – The fuel price costs and spare parts costs will contribute to the transportation cost and will drive it higher. This in turn will result in a higher transportation cost per unit and will eat into the margins. This will be significant in case of a transit point experiment since the delivery is made per day. Another concern is the quality of service – timely delivery and state of goods delivered.The time of delivery is very critical in the case of a transit point plan. The delivery to the hub should reach on time to ensure the timely delivery of goods to retailers. With the poor condition of roads and lack of service/repair support along the way, there is a significant risk associated with timely delivery . If a truck breaks down, it is definitely going to add half a day delay to the delivery. Inventory – As explained in Infrastructure section, the transit point plan will help to reduce inventory held in big cities and move the same to central ware house location. This again may help ompany to close down its own Storage location in cities and use private/public warehouse option for the storage of minimal inventory in cities. Customer Service With the transit point plan, the timely delivery of goods in big cities will improve. This will make the retailers in this area happy. But if we try to implement this pan India, it will result in poor delivery times and dissatisfaction. The reasons for this are given above. Labor amp; Cost – There may not be any significant reduction in labor expenses, as company may have to get new systems in place to support the transit point plan for big cities.This will kind of compensate for the reduction in storage space cost we are getting i n cities. Again we will also need people to take care of the transit point plan execution in big cities. Recommendation Based on the above analysis, below given are the recommendations to implement a transit point plan in India. Implement this plan only in big cities like Bangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai ,Kolkata, Kerala etc. We can try out this experiment first in a big city like Mumbai and get learning’s from there to improve the system and then fan it out to other cities.Another option to make this work is to have multiple large ware houses spread across the country so that every major city is located at a distance of 300-400Kms from the ware house. From this point we can try to run trucks to cities and do a delivery of products to retailers in the city and nearby areas in a 12Hr time frame. For e. g. We can collect distribution data from Tier II big cities like Ahmadabad , Bhopal , Allahabad ,etc. over a period of time and see if it any of the cities have enough dema nd to meet a truck load. We can also include the close by towns for this calculation.Based on this we can run a transit point distribution around those cities. See exhibit 2. The transit point plan will work well for a manufacturing line where the demand is more fixed than a home appliance store. This will work well as the factory have a well defined schedule on what products will be running in which Assy lines and for how long. In the case of a home appliance store the demand is driven high by a number of local factors like local holidays, local festivals, bonus pay out etc. For a diverse country like India these factors vary widely.A local festival is more limited to a local city or a town and may not be even applicable for the entire state. This makes it more difficult to forecast and plan. On a big picture the transit point plan in this format cannot be implemented pan India as it will result in delayed deliveries and low satisfaction levels. The poor infrastructure, widely spre ad cities, diverse culture and quality of transportation service – all act as variables and makes forecast difficult and can cause a failure in the plan. Exhibit 1 Let us consider a case where the central ware house is located in Bhopal.The approximate distance to close by cities like is as given below. 1. Bhopal – Ahmadabad – 500Kms 2. Bhopal – Allehabad – 500kms 3. Bhopal – New Delhi 700kms 4. Bhopal Patna – 700kms In Indian road conditions we cannot expect a truck to cover more than 400Kms during night and to add to it there will be delays in check posts , for having dinner , traffic blocks etc. More issues will be there in rainy season amp; winter. Hence it is clear that with a central ware house in Bhopal we will not be able to make a delivery to these cities on time. Exhibit 2We can have ware house in Ahmadabad and use it to meet the demands of close by cities like Vadodara, Surat, and Gandhi Nagar etc. 1. Ahmadabad to Vadodar a – 100Kms 2. Ahmadabad to Surat – 300kms 3. Ahmadabad to Gandhi Nagar 70kms 4. Ahmadabad to Udaipur – 250kms. But before implementing this we need to do an ROI calculation to see whether this is viable or not. Need an essay? You can buy essay help from us today! Read more: ukessays. com/essays/economics/case-analysis-on-merloni-elettrodomestici-spa-economics-essay. php#ixzz2b1VHlgpp