Is Policy Modeling an Art or a Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Is Policy Modeling an Art or a Science - Essay Example According to Clausewitz and Graham Scientific discoveries came from Art therefore, there is no Science without the mixture of Art (2008 pg. 82). Policy modeling can either be an art or science. Policy Modeling according to Estrada is an experimental research work supported by use of different qualitative models techniques and hypothesis to assess the cause of the past policy implications and the effect of the same to the society globally in the future (2010). The policy modeling can be further classified into several categories; communications, infrastructure and transportation policy modeling; energy; the domestic and international trade policy modeling; miscellaneous policy modeling; environmental and natural resources management policy modeling; fiscal and government spending policy modeling; labor, employment and population policy modeling; institutional, regulation and negotiation policy modeling; production and consumption policy modeling; monetary, banking and investment polic y modeling; welfare and social policy modeling; technological and R&D policy modeling; economic growth and development policy modeling. It is complex to understand the socio-economic of world’s environment, for example, the different behavior of subsystems, sectors, and regions within different time zones.

Commentaries on a company's performance over last 2 years Assignment - 1

Commentaries on a company's performance over last 2 years - Assignment Example This means that the company is in good position in respect to its debtors since lower receivable days indicates that the company takes less time to collect the receivable amounts. By faster receive of due, collection related problems get reduced, and also the company has improved its profitability and rate of return on investment by better management of funds receivable. Finally, payable days have been calculated which has increased in 2012-13 from the previous year. This means compared to previous year, Morrison has been delaying payment to creditors to conserve cash. This can happen because Morrison has good terms with vendors. Compared to the previous year, Morrison has been holding on to its cash for a longer period in 2012-13. In this section, horizontal analysis is done by measuring the amounts receivable and payable in the two concerned financial years. Amount receivable has reduced in 2012-13 which means that Morrison has shown a better performance in collecting debts this year. This means increased cash which can be used for operational purposes. On the other hand, amount payable has increased in 2012-13. As already explained Morrison may have been holding on to cash and delaying payments for operational purposes. In this section, profitability ratios have been calculated to determine the operating success of Morrison. There has been an increase in the gross profit margin from 1.76% in financial year 2011-2012 to 1.86% in 2012-13. This indicates that the company is enjoying an improvement in its market position, and is in a position to charge higher price for its products which in turn can result in enhanced revenues. However, there has been a 7 percent decline in EBIT (earnings before interest & tax) in 2012-13 from previous year. The major reason attributed is difficult conditions in the market. According to chief executive Dalton Philips â€Å"economic backdrop remains

Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Anthropology - Essay Example ma’s speech during the Democratic National Convention coupled with specific examples that relate to respective discursive Strategies as seen in the speech. Indeed, in his speech, Obama clearly applies at least two of this Discursive Strategies. In his speech, Obama uses the â€Å"narratives of belonging† strategy to construct â€Å"existential coherence.† Duranti presents this strategy as part of personal experiences that the political speaker possesses. Duranti establishes the fact that these experiences connect the speaker emotionally and morally to the present place and audience. This strategy shows that the political speaker is an ordinary citizen and will thus represent the audience ideally once elected. In his speech, Obama used the â€Å"narratives of belonging† strategy in various occasions. ... I have shared the pain of families who've lost their homes, and the frustration of workers who have lost their jobs.† (Fox News Web). As such, the use of this strategy clearly helps Obama to identify with the Americans, denotes his experience in handling national issues, and thereby convinces the audience that he will ideally represent them once reelected as the US President. Duranti consequently defines â€Å"the [use of] the present as a ‘natural extension’ of the past† strategy to construct â€Å"existential coherence† as a relation between present decision and experience. In various occasions during his speech, Obama demonstrated the use of this strategy. Indeed, he quotes that, â€Å"You know, in a world of new threats and new challenges, you can choose leadership that has been tested and proven. Four years ago, I promised to end the war in Iraq. We did.† He equally reminds the audience that, â€Å"I promised to refocus on the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11. And we have.† This experience gives him an edge over his political competitor. It clearly proves that he can deliver and out of his past successes, he is convinced to vie for the second time. He notes that he was able to kill Osama Bin Laden and thus presently focusses on defeating Al Qaeda and ending the Afghanistan war by 2014 once reelected (Fox News Web). As such, his experience drives his present decision to seek reelection with a goal of completing his mission. This generates a lot of conviction from the audience as it applauds Obama’s experience. In addition, he quotes that, â€Å"Now, I've cut taxes for those who need it, middle-class families, small businesses.† It

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Macroeconomics - Essay Example The organization of petroleum exporting countries decides by them the cost per barrel of petroleum. The present price of petroleum in the world market has skyrocketed in the last few years because the OPEC members have agreed to limit the output per country. Since the agreed output has been reduced, the prices of petroleum per barrel have skyrocketed for the past few years. A study of the non – OPEC member nations, government and other academic researchers have shown that the non OPEC member nations may have equal sales with the OPEC member states in 2010. The worst case scenario is predicted by some scientists showing the world’s population will squander the limited petroleum oil supply. When the petroleum will dry up, then the world’s population will have a feeling that we are approaching the end of the world. Exxon has warned OPEC countries that the oil supply will not last forever. In some countries, solar energy research have been successful replacements for petroleum. Oil production can be subdividied between the OPEC member countries and the non OPEC. Countries have started looking for non-petroleum product replacements. An example is the electric power batteries. The solar powered homes and calculators are big successes. The introduction of the substitutes will help lower the the increasing barrel cost of petroleum (fossil) fuel. In fact, â€Å"Many large-scale projects, such as shale processing and synfuels (e.g., coal to liquids), were begun in the early 1980s, but these were abandoned when the price of oil fell drastically in 1986. However, research has continued at a steady pace since that time. Even producing oil from tar sands is now a alternative major industry in Canada. Plants to produce liquids from natural gas are operational, and much larger plants are under construction. Ethanol production from sugar cane and corn is now done on an industrial scale. Thus,

The Influence of the Roman Empire Essay Example for Free

The Influence of the Roman Empire Essay The culture of ancient Rome casts a long shadow over our lives in the twenty-first century. Even if we don’t remember the origins, the influence of the ancient Romans can be seen all around us. Many buildings of high importance in the western world show the traditions of Roman architecture. The founding fathers of the United States drew upon Roman examples to craft our laws and design our system of government. The Roman influence on language, politics and military science are immeasurable. The ancient Romans were the world’s first superpower. Their achievements, and the seeds of their destruction, are mirrored in our society today. Master Builders The Romans were master builders. Combining what they knew from Greek architecture with their own innovations they constructed spectacular monuments roads aqueducts, arenas and other structures. Many of today’s buildings show the direct influence of ancient Rome. The Romans revolutionized road building. Their systems of roads are the models for our modern day cities. Advances in concrete production made these roads and many other buildings possible. The Romans might have been remembered even if this was their only accomplishment. The source of their vast influence on modern construction stems from their abilities to combine technological advances with functionality and aesthetics. The Romans also perfected the science of arch building. That science is alive and well today in our bridges and buildings. The Romans realized that the arch was an extremely strong, as well as beautiful, architectural form. They used it to full effect in their forums, aqueducts, churches and monuments. Our modern sports stadiums still resemble the Roman prototypes. The Romans devised an ingenious design to move large numbers of people in and out efficiently. The Flavian amphitheatre could seat 50,000 spectators, a number rivaling many of today’s stadiums. The ancient Romans were early innovators of â€Å"big entertainment.† Fox writes that the Romans were â€Å"conspicuous in history for the scale of public entertainment. The huge arenas hosted music, plays, chariot races and gladiator games. Like today, these entertainments were a cultural touchstone for the ancient Romans. One way the early Roman republic communicated with the citizens was through its coinage. The government often added phrases to the coins when minted. These phrases might state the grandeur of the empire or communicate the expectations of the larger state to each individual citizen. The coinage tradition has continued to this day. Most U.S. currency bears a phrase such as â€Å"E Pluribus Unum† (out of many, one). Not coincidentally, these phrases are written in Latin, the language of the ancient Romans. This is just one indicator of the influence of the Latin language throughout the world. As an empire, the Romans carried the language and tradition of Latin through large portions of the world. â€Å"Latin remained for centuries the common language of Europe and for longer still the language of the Catholic Church†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Wells, 1984). The Republic The Roman republic was in place prior to 500 B.C. In 100 B.C. Julius Caesar was born, beginning the succession of Julio-Claudian leaders. By 79 A.D. the empire had disintegrated, but Roman concepts of law and government would carry a heavy influence for many centuries to come. In 18 B.C. the first substantial laws were enacted. These laws penalized adultery and childlessness and promoted childbirth. Like many of our laws today, these laws served a dual purpose. The Roman state needed more people, primarily to replace those who had been lost in a series of brutal wars. At the same time, the laws were a reflection of the prevailing morality of the day. Most countries no longer have comparable laws, but the motivations for the laws remain the same. Laws are part pragmatic, part moral. The early Roman republic was progressive and populist in nature. Offices were â€Å"†¦crafted to prevent any one person from seizing power† (Matyszak, 2006). The â€Å"checks and balances† our democratic nation features today are an outgrowth of that early Roman philosophy of government. We tend to think of democracy as a relatively new movement in the context of history. According to author Robin Fox, ancient Rome â€Å"†¦might deserve the label ‘democracy† (Fox, 2006). Representatives were elected by direct vote. A public vote also preceded the enacting of any new laws. Conclusion The ancient Roman society was remarkably modern in its nature and in its achievements. Their accomplishments are numerous and have a direct impact on our lives today. Robin Fox writes: The lasting memorials of the Roman Empire are roads and city-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   buildings, aqueducts and Roman law and the Latin which   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   underlies many European languages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Fox, 2006) The Roman focus on individualism was a strength of the republic. Unfortunately, it also led to its downfall. Individuals with no control over their self-interested pursuits engaged in power struggles. An alienated public led to a loss of support and paved the way for tyranny. A tyrannical state is destined to fall. It is deceptively easy for a democracy to move down that road. Democracies can in the short term be more fragile than dictatorships or other forms of government. Democracy relies on participation and a certain level of moral conduct to maintain itself in the long run. The ancient Romans were an incredibly productive culture. Their achievements have stood the test of time. As advanced as their republic was, however; it could not resist a slide into tyranny. This provides a lesson for us that goes beyond even their achievements in law, architecture and politics. Sources Fox, Robin Lane. The Classical World: an epic history from Homer to Hadrian. New York, Basic Books, 2006. Matyszak, Philip. The Sons of Caesar: Imperial Rome’s First Dynasty. London: Thames Hudson, 2006. Wells, Colin. The Roman Empire. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1984.

Future professional of tourism

Future professional of tourism Introduction New tourism is an important subject for future professional of tourism. To work in this sector we have to be aware of new form, new tendency and new destinations. Travel sellers have to know supply and demand in this field. Our file is a glimpse of some new ways of travel and new destinations. We need to keep watching on this new form of tourism because it is very competitive sector. Thats why we have chosen to describe two new destinations and two new form of tourism. In one part we explain couchsurfing that is a new form of tourism based on people exchanges. It is almost a way of life with values and aspirations. Une phrase sur la partie de reb. In a second part, we show two new destinations. First Bulgaria, its number of visitors has increased by 4000000 in 8 years. This country with a coast on Black sea is more and more visited especially by Europeans. Phrase sur partie de Reb. Tourism evolves and new forms are created Couch surfing CouchSurfings definition Couchsurfing is a new way of travelling based on sharing. An organization based on Internet (www.couchsurfing.com) manages the connections between people. CouchSurfing is an international non-profit network that connects travelers with locals in over 230 countries and territories around the world. A couch or a bedroom is offered to a visitor by a local for his stay. Since 2004, members have been using this system to come together for cultural exchange, friendship, and learning experiences. Today, over a million people who might otherwise never meet are able to share hospitality and cultural understanding. Our mission as an organization is to create inspiring experiences: cross-cultural encounters that are fun, engaging, and illuminating. These experiences take many forms. CouchSurfings initial focus was on hosting and surfing (staying with a local as a guest in their home). Alongside these core experiences, we now also facilitate a growing array of activities and events.[1] CouchSurfing members share hospitality with one another. These exchanges are a uniquely rich form of cultural interaction. Hosts have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world without leaving home. Surfers, or travelers, are able to participate in the local life of the places they visit. The CouchSurfing community continues to expand its horizons. Members are always finding more ways to connect and learn about each other. Every day, people across the world share coffee, camping trips, meetings, language exchanges, discussions and all sorts of other experiences. Who and how runs CouchSurfing? Casey Fenton launched the site on Jan 1, 2003 with co-founders : Dan Hoffer, Sebastien LeTuan, and Leonardo Bassani de Silveira. Casey continues to help CouchSurfing as Executive Director of the organization. The CouchSurfing organization has no physical location. Instead, it exists in the collaborations of diverse people from around the world. The strategic direction of the Couchsurfing organization is composed by a Board of Director and a Strategy Team. Each member of these two groups brings different specialized skills. Members of strategy team: Casey Fenton, co-founder and Executive Director; Mattthew Brauer, General Manager; Jim Stone, Chief Operations Officer; Weston Hankins, Chief Technological Officer; Cameron Mills, Project Portfolio Manager. There also some full-time employees and contractors. They have a variety of roles from building and maintaining the website to organizing finances. Finally, some part time volunteers help them to manage the organization. They are Couchsurfing members and they greet new members, report website bugs and answer member questions. CouchSurfing is a non-profit organization, funded entirely by the donations of members. According to the web site, every month, thousands of CouchSurfers choose to support the community by getting verified, an identity check that includes a donation. Other members choose to make independent or additional donations. Contributions help to pay for the costs of running the website, like server hosting, storage, database maintenance, mapping software, and many other costs[2]. Each positive experience between members costs 24 ¢ USD in CouchSurfing operating costs. The goal of CouchSurfing has never been about money, and using the site is free to all members. CouchSurfings non-profit status legally means that all resources must be spent directly on achieving the mission rather than creating profit for private interests. Few statistics 1775916 Couchserfers are travelling sharing homes in the worlds. There are 236 countries represented and 70637 cities for 318 languages spoken. The 10 countries most visited are United States with 395657 visitors that represent 22,3 % of couchsurfers, Germany with 168807 visitors (9,5 %), France with 150939 visitors (8,5%), United Kingdom 85587 visitors (4,8%), Canada 85544 visitors (4,8%), Australia 50821 visitors (2,9 %), Italy 50652 visitors (2,9%), Spain 48858 visitors (2,8%), Brazil 48503 visitors (2,7%) and Netherland 35661 visitors (2 %). We note that almost all continent are represented in the top-ten, except Asia but China just come in 12th position. Regarding the most visited cities Paris is on first position, then London and Berlin comes on third position. The average age of surfers is 28 and 85 % of surfers have between 18 and 35. Our opinion Couchsurfing is a meaningful new way of travelling. It creates connections between cultures and can enrich lives of everybody. It is more than a way of travelling it is a way of living with many values like exchange without profit. We think that couchsurfing is a door to experience new point of view and new culture by travelling or welcoming. It is also a tool to travel more especially for young people. Indeed, even if it could be less comfortable than hotel room, it is free. Travels help to built mind and this way of travelling permit to travel more, further and better. Partie de Reb New destination appears Bulgaria Bulgaria is a small country in south-eastern Europe. It have frontiers with Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey. This country owns coasts on Black sea. The climate and the relief permit to develop a large number of touristic products. In 2000 the number of visitors were 2100000, it increase and there were 6000000 tourists in 2008. Bulgarias assets The natural landscape is one of the most important assets. First, mountains and high peak are attractive for ski tourism. Most of the 44 ski resorts are located in western country around Sofia, the capital city. The most famous are: Aleko ski center on Vitosha mountain at 22 km of Sofias city center with 29km of ski runs, Borovets ski resort on Rila mountains that is a high class resort with luxury hotels, Bansko in Pirin mountain, thats one of the new ski resort in Bulgaria with 56 km of ski runs and a great off piste skiing, Pamporovo ski resort in the heart of Rodopa Mountain is the southernmost resort in Europe. Then, we can find the Black Sea Coast famous for its fine sanded beaches, and perfect temperatures of water and air. The northern and the southern coast are different. On the north tourists can find clean and calm sea surrounded beaches with fine grain golden sands. The most famous and the most frequented sea side resort are Golden Sand, Albena, Roussalka, Riviera, Slanchev Den (Sunny Day), St.Konstantin and Elena. On the south, picturesque bays and steep rocks coexist with spacious beaches and sand dune. The coast provides wonderful nature and modern constructions on holiday villages like Elenite, Sunny beach, Nessebur, Sopozol Rural tourism is another form present in Bulgaria but less significant. An unconventional form of tourism Health tourism is a great part of tourism in Bulgaria. With over 600 mineral springs with temperature between 10 °C and 120 °C, Bulgaria is a thermal destination. Pavel Banya, Hisar, Velingrad, Narechen, Vurshets, Kyustendil and Momin Prohod, near Kostenets are the most famous of the health resort. They treat different diseases like bronchial asthma, disturbances of locomotors system, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders Another Health or medical tourism exists in many forms. People travel in Bulgaria for medical, dental or surgery care, especially from United States and developed country where medical treatment are more and more expensive. Health Tourism is a combination of wellness and healthcare coupled with leisure and relaxation. Diet Center: Some tourists travel to lose weight and the most famous clinic is located in the sea side resort of St-Konstantin and Elena. A stay in the clinic last between 10 and 20 days and cost between 500 and 2000 Euros including catering in hotel, a medical consultation, medical exams and a diet program for each patient. Plastic surgery: It attracts tourists because of the low price and the quality of services. In the middle of 90s a lot of clinics have opened and a high competition appear. The clinics directors had to invest in high technology and high qualified staff. As example a breast augmentation cost on average 6000 Euros in France, England or Germany and only 2500 Euros in Bulgaria. Tooth care: The prices are cheaper than in Western Europe because they are align on Bulgarian standard of living. We can find a lot of good clinics in big cities like Sofia, Burgas, Varna and Plovdiv. Some tour operator offer medical trip to their customers, they organize the whole stay. Global medical travel in USA and BGmedical travel in Bulgaria are specialized on medical travel. Our opinion According to us, it could be interesting to travel abroad for surgery or medical care. Indeed, in many occidental countries a lot of people are underinsured or uninsured. It means that many people have to pay for their medical care. According to a Harvard study, in USA half of personal bankruptcies are related to medical expenses. We think that its sometimes the only solution to cure decay. People have to be careful. First of all, they must check the procedure and compare with their expectations, inquire about follow-up care needed, time required for recovery, physical therapy etc Then, they have to select the hospital by considering its accreditation, awards and recognitions, facility and equipments and statistics like success rates. Finally, its essential to heck the certifications, training and repute of the surgeon. www.couchsurfing.com Attached document n °1: Couchsurfing International,Inc. Income and Expense statement 2008 These statistics are generated on March, 31th 2010 at 5:37 am.

Myth and Romance in Star Wars :: Star Wars Film Movie Movies Essays

Myth and Romance in Star Wars Pure science fiction is rarely written. Science fiction is often blended with elements of other genres from horror to fairy tales. The movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is one example of this. It contains a combination of science fiction with mythical and romantic elements. Contributing to this combination are the main characters Luke, Leia, Han, and Obi-wan, the movie’s setting in a galaxy far, far away, and Luke’s great quest. Luke Skywalker is a mythical character. Luke is orphaned as a child and is taken in by his aunt and uncle. He is hidden away from his father and his father’s cohorts to protect him from the dark side. Luke is only one of many mythical heroes that are reared by someone other than his own parents. Oedipus, a Greek mythological hero, was hidden in another kingdom and raised by the king and queen there to protect him from his parents. Luke is portrayed as a savior that will bring balance to the Force and will help the Rebellion beat the evil Galactic Empire. He is completely pure and sinless because he is so naà ¯ve about the ways of the galaxy. Luke strives to save the souls of those around him.[1] For example, his friend Han Solo is a greedy man that looks out only for himself. Only by offering a reward does Luke convince Han to do the right thing and help him save Princess Leia. At the end of the movie, however, Luke causes Han to experience a change of heart. Han willingly puts his life on the line to protect Luke and destroy the Death Star, without looking for some reward. This is similar to the stories told in Scripture about Jesus. He attempted to teach the others around him to lead a good life in service to others. Myths generally involve some religious aspect. Myths always tell the story of some god or goddess that walks among the mortals to teach them a lesson, as Jesus and Luke do. Resembling other mythical heroes, Luke is gifted with divine powers. Luke is able to use these powers, called the Force, to influence the actions and thoughts of others and to manipulate his surroundings. This makes him better than the average man because he can use these powers to his advantage against any enemy. These powers make him impossible to beat unless one also has the same powers.