Retail Analytics Report Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Retail Analytics Report - Statistics Project Example The number of male and female respondents from Jones Plc is 37 and 33 respectively. On the other hand, the number of male and female respondents from Farmhouse is 23 and 35 respectively. The average weekly wage considering the three companies was 353.9990 with the highest paying company offering $678 weekly wage; while the lowest paid worker earned $123 per week. When asked if they enjoy their job; 4 of the respondents strongly disagreed, 21 disagreed, 69 neither disagreed nor agreed, 83 agreed while 23 of the respondents agreed to enjoy their job. It is clear that those who agreed to enjoying their jobs were many than those who were not enjoying their jobs in the three companies. In terms of how well the respondents work well with the other colleagues; there was quite a positive results with those who agreed and strongly agreed were 70 and 21 respectively. This was great compared to those who strongly agreed (1) and disagreed (24) while those undecided stood at 84. However, it was i nteresting to note that most of the respondents don’t gel on well with other colleagues. According to the results, 14 and 87 of the respondents strongly disagreed and disagreed respectively to getting on well with others. This number is significantly high as compared to 21 who agreed and 7 of the respondents who strongly agreed. It is worth noting that despite most of the respondents agreeing to enjoy their work; quite a number also agreed that their work is not that challenging. 23 of the respondents strongly disagreed that their work is challenging while 71 of the respondents disagreed that their work is challenging. This number is high as compared 23 who agreed and 9 who strongly disagreed. However, 74 of the respondents were neutral on the issue. This result is quite familiar when asked if their work is interested. In this category, 15.9% and 1.5% stated that they disagreed and strongly disagreed respectively that their work is interesting. On the

Acceptable Use Policy & Security Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Acceptable Use Policy & Security Audit - Essay Example By ensuring there password to their different user name are well guarded from access. Also obtaining other vital information is illegal and greatly obstructed. This may results in termination of the network or service being used. It serves as a way protect to privacy to personal information. This ensures information is only accessed by the original and not pirated users. The scope is to facilitate smooth, easy, and effective and joyful use of the networks and systems, the policies and rules cover the entire user using the facility. This include both hardware’s and software, connection and licensed using the network, also these rule, plans and regulations applies to various individuals and companies connected to the system The policy of the system should only be altered by the owner or management team assigned. He is the one responsible of creating new interfaces, colour, size and designing of the network. The policy majorly, helps in protecting and guiding users from violating company obligation and rules (Laver 78). Also users feel their privacy is greatly and well protected. Al the users should adhere to companies rules and regulation. Failure to which, their service will be terminated and removed from the network. Abusive and harassing others is prohibited and might lead to suits in law courts. They should also report abusive languages and any general views on how to improve service delivery (Laver

Fully Understanding The Arian Controversy Religion Essay

Fully Understanding The Arian Controversy Religion Essay The church has battled throughout its history with various Heresies and controversies, which in essence have partly defined the path that the church has taken. A perfect example is Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria and his bold stand against Arianism. Without which todays orthodox faith may have drifted into paganism and found itself more of a philosophy than a life saving religion The message of salvation was on the line. The Arians believed that Jesus was not God, but instead a created being, where Athanasius knew that for salvation to be realised, Jesus must be both fully God and fully human, of the same substance as God, and always being, not created. The importance of this stance could not be overstated as it would affect all aspects of Christian belief and society. Athanasius stand cost him dearly spending many years in exile on 5 different occasions, but his determination to stand for what he believed was absolute truth eventually triumphed. His stand maintained the church as an instrument of salvation, separate from the control of secular power. It is through the example of Athanasius life and costly fight for truth that we learn the importance of identifying todays critical issues and standing firm in this present difficult age. Introduction To fully understand the Arian Controversy and the depth of involvement for Athanasius, the Bishop of Alexandria  [1]  , one only has to follow his life story, as the history of the Arian Controversy is entwined throughout it.  [2]  The life of Athanasius is so dominated by the combat of this heresy, that the rise and fall of the Arian Controversy was a reflection of the life and security of this theological giant. In this essay the Author shall attempt to examine the relationship between Athanasius and his passionate fight against the Arian heresy. In so doing one must firstly understand the Controversy, secondly have knowledge of the Key players, and what they so passionately believed and fought for, and finally to consider how learnings from these past battles can be applied today. Section1: The Arian Controversy The Arian Controversy was birthed through a man named Arius (250  [3]  -336AD)  [4]  born in Libya.  [5]  A very popular and prestigious presbyter of the Baucalis Church,  [6]  in the city of Alexandria.  [7]  Arius intention was to protect the status of a unique God, the only being to have always been and neither has another ever existed with the same standing nor made of the same matter.  [8]  However the controversy finds an earlier conception through Origen,  [9]  probably the greatest Christian theologian of the early church.  [10]   Origens understanding of the Trinity was three distinct beings firmly united into one, God the Creator of all, the eternal Son Christ and the Holy Spirit. However it was his comments regarding the subordination of both Christ  [11]  and the Holy Spirit to the Father, which influenced some of those who followed him to accept subordinationism  [12]  and finally Arianism. This belief along with a number of other popular heresies and schisms built a foundation and lead into to what is now known as the Arian controversy. Around the year 318AD  [13]  Arius began to spread his views on the relationship between God and Christ,  [14]  one being the uncreated Father without a beginning, who bore a Son with a beginning.  [15]  The Word (Logos) became flesh as the man Jesus Christ (John 1:14), but Arius argued, He was not made of the same nature nor substance as God the Father, neither eternal nor omnipotent, and therefore was a lesser being.  [16]  In Arius appeal to the highly influential Eusebius, the bishop at Nicomedia  [17]  he wrote The Son has a beginning, but God is without beginning.  [18]  Arius postulated that Jesus Christ was a created Being, the first and the greatest ever created,  [19]  but still only a form of creation, not the Creator.  [20]  This is further seen in a common phrase that would eventually become the Arian motto, There was, when He was not At this time (early in the fourth century) in church history, the theorys and ideas surrounding the divinity of Christ were still up in the air so to speak, and the church had no set way to officialise doctrine or determine what was an acceptable belief.  [21]  So it was, when Alexander the bishop of Alexandria clashed over several issues with Arius, the most important being whether the Word of God, was co-eternal with God.  [22]   In 320AD Alexander took decisive action, clearly declaring his belief in the Sons, being consubstantial and coeternal with the Father,  [23]  following which he brought together a council of local bishops, condemning the views of Arius  [24]  and deposing him in 321AD.  [25]  Arius, appealed both to the local populace and some prominent bishops  [26]  from the eastern side of the empire,  [27]  who in turn supported him. Arius return to Alexandria,  [28]  resulted in demonstrations and riots in the streets,  [29]  further threatening a division of the entire eastern church,  [30]  causing Constantine; the first fully attested Christian Emperor,  [31]  to intervene. In 325AD  [32]  , Constantine called the first Ecumenical (Universal or worldwide) Council in Nicea  [33]  to settle the matter of the Arian Debate.  [34]  This historic meeting not only had the Emperor Constantine present but it is also claimed in ancient chronicles that 318 bishops  [35]  were also in attendance.  [36]  The Arian party was led by Eusebius of Nicomedia  [37]  and the opposition was headed by Alexander bishop of Alexandria notably supported by a young deacon named Athanasius  [38]  his eventual successor and champion of Nicene orthodoxy.  [39]   The Arian debate was distilled to the addition or subtraction of one iota. Was Christ Homousios (i.e. of the same essence as God) or the Arian stand Homoiousios (i.e. of similar essence with God)?  [40]  In what has been described as a decision of immeasurable importance in the history of the church,  [41]  Arianism was rejected,  [42]  in the clearest way possible,  [43]  and after debate, the condemnation of Arius pronounced by the bishop Alexandria was upheld,  [44]  resulting in Arius being anathematized and banished with two companions to Illyria.  [45]  Furthermore for clarity of belief, and complete rejection of Arianism, it was decided that a common creed needed to be developed and unanimously agreed upon.  [46]  Eusebius of Caesarea presented his own creed,  [47]  which was adopted with some changes strengthening the rejection of the Arianism heresies.  [48]  This creed known as the Creed of Nicaea  [49]  became the basis of the Nicene Creed still used in todays churches.  [50]   This should have ended the Arian controversy but it soon reappeared with the emperor ordering the church to reverse Arius condemnation, and readmit him. This introduced a new church issue, the interference of the state (emperor) in church affairs. Instead of persecution, the church had to deal with instruction from a secular authority. We also start to see the true grit of Athanasius, and his willingness to stand for truth despite the negative consequences to his own life. Section 2: Athanasius, The Black Dwarf Champion of Nicene Orthodoxy. Athanasius (296 373 AD),  [51]  seemed to be a man surrounded by controversy. In his time as archbishop of Alexandria,  [52]  he was exiled no less than five times. His controversial standing centred around his use of Episcopal authority,  [53]  as well as the famous alleged assassination of a fellow bishop of a rival group  [54]  which was dramatically found to be false.  [55]  It was Athanasius lot, that his fortunes would ride the waves of rejection and popularity of the cause (The Arian controversy) he so diligently fought against throughout his life. His stance against the heresy that plagued his defence of Christianity fashioned his life. He is credited in history  [56]  as one who stood alone for the truth, against the forces of heresy,  [57]  and is to have stated his famous defiance, Athanasius Against the World.  [58]   Athanasius who was noted as being so dark and short of stature, was known to his enemies as The Black Dwarf,  [59]  the man seen above all others as being opposed to Arianism and to be feared the most.  [60]  He was also known as the champion of Nicene orthodoxy, seen as one of the great fathers of the fourth century,  [61]  and is also credited as one of the most renown theologians of the early church,  [62]  amongst other greats such as Clement and Origen.  [63]   Three key issues of concern for Athanasius were within the religious, social, and political realms. His gravest concern was the Arian core argument regarding the full deity of Jesus Christ and the theology of the Trinity. Athanasius stance on the trinity, was deeply rooted upon his beliefs on creation and salvation, effectively focusing debate on a biblical and theological basis steering it away from philosophical speculation.  [64]  In the Arian debate, Athanasius could clearly see that Christianity was at the brink of becoming a form of paganism.  [65]  If Jesus was not declared Homousios, then Christianity would have worshiped two Gods, and Jesus would not have been a worthy sacrifice for our sins.  [66]  Athanasius saw Salvation was on the line,  [67]  Jesus needed to be both fully human to atone for the sin of man, and fully divine, as none other could have the power to save humanity. This duel nature of Christ was paramount, as without it the Salvation of humani ty would be impossible.  [68]   The second major issue was in the realm of politics. At this time Christianity had just emerged from a period of major persecution by the secular powers  [69]  to a time in which it was the dominant religion. However, Christianity had in reality moved from secular persecution to secular control by the Emperor  [70]  of the day.  [71]  The Arian controversy was a great example of a shift in foci with Athanasius now finding himself opposing the Emperor over religious issues. This resulted in five periods of exile and reinstatement,  [72]  based on either a change in emperor or the clichà © closet to the emperor at the time.  [73]  Subsequently the church found its role degraded away from its real role of pointing mankind to salvation in Christ, rather becoming a tool of the emperor used to achieve his own ends. Consequently, church issues and doctrines were not being decided by the religious elite debating each issue, instead key decisions (e.g. Arian controversy) were made by secular rulers under petition.  [74]  Furthermore, church decisions were subject to being over ruled by the state to suit the whims of the emperor.  [75]  Throughout this period Athanasius established and fought for the principle of church separation from the state, retaining the churchs focus and mission on the good news of Christ. The third issue faced by Athanasius was in the social sphere This arose through the emperor Constantines legitimate concerns with the volatility of the Arian dispute, its magnitude and potential to tear apart the entire eastern church.  [76]  Constantine recognised the importance and role of a united church holding together the fabric of a decaying Roman society. This was his hope and means of ensuring Romes survival, but a divided and embittered church would seal the fate of weary empire.  [77]  So it was that Constantine called together the first worldwide assembly of Christian bishops to deal with these issues amongst other things.  [78]  His stance regarding the social impact of a divided church was clear as he addressed the bishops before the council stating Division in the church was worse than war.  [79]   Athanasius refused to condone violence to achieve his goals. This was shown during a confrontation with rival bishop Gregory which escalated into violence. Athanasius response was to remove himself from the city in order to avoid further bloodshed.  [80]  Athanasius pastoral heart recognised the danger Arianism would bring to society, and that those who opposed Arianism would once again face persecution,  [81]  (only this time it would come from within). Athanasius also realised that Christianitys endpoint under Arianism was paganism leading to the demise of both social and moral standards as the Christian faith decayed to the depth of other pagan religions.  [82]   Section 3: Applying these lessons in todays society The issues which arose in Athanasius day are seen again today, challenging Christians across all nations to varying degrees. The three main areas of conflict faced by Athanasius and Christians today, are as follows. The first issue Christians face today is that of religious heresy. The many denominations now found under the Protestant banner demonstrates the splintering of the church into multiple denominations, further giving rise to cults barely related to the original Christian message.  [83]  Even the Arian controversy itself has re-surfaced in a modified form with the emergence of the Jehovah Witnesses.  [84]  One learns from Athanasius that even with insurmountable odds, someone must stand in the gap for truth, despite the cost it may have on your very being. Athanasius showed that one must persist until the end, to not only ensure truth is victorious, but that unity of the body of Christ is achieved. Looking at Athanasius stand, it is observed that he never gave up on the church body, despite overwhelming odds opposing him. Athanasius worked within the existing church structure, resisting the temptation to start his own religious theological group. This resulted in the survival of the ancient church, giving Christians of this present day a functional theological base to build upon. Todays second issue encompasses the relationship between church and state. This battle is being played out across the world. Christians in many western countries have formed specifically Christian political parties,  [85]  based upon the Christian stance and influencing government policy where possible.  [86]  Globally we see countries like Communist China and the old Russia where the government took an active role in trying to discredit and eliminate religion  [87]  through persecution and unjust laws. Unable to defeat the church of Christ some adopted a policy of offering religious freedom with harsh restrictions under the tight control of the government.  [88]  We learn through Athanasius trials, the dangers of mixing politics and religion, with the corruption and misuse of the church which can come from such a union. Today we face the seeds of secular intervention in Christian belief and activity with Australias recent discrimination and vilification laws having t he potential to silence the church. The final lesson deals with the society or community in which Christians live. Constantine saw that the unity of the Christians could hold the fabric of the Roman Empire together, and Christians may exert a similar influence today. The gradual decay of present society towards a collapse in its social moral character is evident with the increasing occurrence of problematic behaviours (in societal terms) such as abortion, child and spousal abuse, and euthanasia (in some western countries). From a Christian stance, moral indicators such as divorce, suicide and problem pregnancies are also increasing in frequency. Some indicators show a decreasing difference between secular society and the Christian community as Christian beliefs are influenced and eroded. The past reveals that to avert social disaster, Christians need to be unified, offering stable standards and clear beliefs tempered with peace, hope and love to the communities and nations in which they live: Offering Christ as the rea l alternative to modern paganism. Athanasius demonstrates that the church must get back to its roots and be a vessel of good news, offering Salvation to mankind. Conclusion The church would do well to look back on the life of Athanasius and learn from the lessons that this great man of God teaches. Although the works of Athanasius hold an important place in the history of Christianity, it is more the Life and stance of Athanasius which speaks volumes to Christians throughout the ages. It was Athanasius tireless and fearless stand against the Arianism which earned him the title Champion of Nicene orthodoxy. Against seemingly insurmountable odds, Athanasius opposed heretical change, battling both the hierarchy of church and state. The tenacity and vision of one man, refusing to recant his theological stance on Christs deity and the role of the church, established and impacted the churchs direction to this day. In most Western countries the protestant church is independent of the states influence  [89]  with a primary focus stayed true around the message of Christ bringing salvation through his deity and subsequent efficacy of his substitutionary sacrifice.

Effects of the Media on the California Recall Election :: Essays Papers

Effects of the Media on the California Recall Election What the Recall Election Means for the Presidential Election From rags to riches, Conan to the Terminator, actor to governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has lived a very adventurous life recently turning into the political realm. Now, as the governor of California, Schwarzenegger has a tremendous task on his hands. California is currently experiencing a crisis in its budget and economy as well as an energy problem. These issues and others were the reason Republicans pushed for a vote to have an election to possibly recall the former governor Gray Davis. Many factors contributed to the way Californians voted. Some of these factors were the media, name recognition, the other candidates, the local situation, the national situation, and much more. In this paper I will attempt to answer why and how some of these factors had such a huge effect on the recall election. I will especially look into the mechanics of the media the way this influenced the election. I will then use this examination of the California recall election to try to come to some conclusions and offer further speculation about how Americans will vote in the 2004 presidential election. Reasons For Recall Some people will say that the special recall election was a populist uprising against a leader who was ineffective. They say that the recall is an example of democracy at its best, proof that government works for the people and that the ultimate power rests in the hands of the citizens. Other people do not believe the recall was anything so noble. They see it as a dirty tactic waged by a few political extremists, and that it actually dealt a blow to democracy in California. The true reason for the recall was in fact probably somewhere in between. The recall was pioneered by a handful of conservatives that decided to take a chance and try to use the large power given to the California electorate to their advantage. They believed that even though Gray Davis had been re-elected just a few months before, there was enough dissatisfaction with his job performance to potentially remove him from office. They started collecting signatures. By the early summer of 2003, it became clear that they were going to succeed in getting the necessary signatures to mandate a special election and give voters the opportunity to recall the sitting governor.

International Diversification

Introduction Diversification is a method of investing that been shown to increase portfolio return while reducing portfolio risk as measured by standard deviation. This method specifically increases the efficient frontier for investors. The challenge to an investing firm is an appetite by its customers for an ever increasing efficient frontier. One area to explore to obtain this increase is through further diversifying through international diversification. International portfolio diversification gives your investments a passport to added diversification benefits. The international boundaries to investing have collapsed. Fairly recently, foreign securities have become easier to trade due to improved communications and data technology. Worldwide investors have been realizing that there are substantial gains to be made by investing internationally. International portfolio diversification is portfolio investing in other nations whose economic cycles are not perfectly in phase, in an attempt to reduce risk, measured by portfolio standard deviation. The success of international portfolio diversification depends on low correlations of returns between countries. Investing in a country with an economic cycle that closely matches or exactly matches the economic cycle in the investor’s home country will offer little or no diversification benefits. What is meant by a diversification benefit is a reduction of portfolio risk when an asset is added to a portfolio. The same principles that go along with domestic portfolio diversification can be applied worldwide. Opening the gates of an investor’s portfolio to the world offers the investor several advantages. The benefits include: a world focus; broad diversification; and low correlations. These advantages will lead the investor to have greater success in achieving his financial goals. By investing internationally, an investor will realize that he now has a world focus. More than half of the world’s stock market capitalization is in non-US companies. By only having a domestic focus, an investor loses sight of the investment opportunities that can be realized overseas. International investment also brings a broader range of investments for diversification. By increasing the number of assets available to invest in, international diversification can lessen risks and produce more stable returns. New assets available to invest in could range from a foreign company’s stock to a foreign country’s currency. The potential for a diversification benefit exists in all foreign investments. This potential should not be ignored. {draw:frame} The potential is even greater due to the low correlations that can be found internationally. Returns from different national markets have relatively lower correlation than the domestic market. The lower these correlations are, the greater the diversification benefit will be. The reason that international diversification is beneficial is that individual markets have unsystematic risk. This unsystematic risk can be diversified away by adding international assets. This risk is due to risk that results from uncontrollable or random events that are country specific. According to Solnik, 1974, internationally diversified portfolios can have as little as 11. 7% of the risk of individual securities. The underlying reason for added risk reduction from international diversification is that world markets fluctuate differently than our own. Other nations’ economic cycles are not always in phase. This translates to low correlations which can reduce variability in portfolio returns. The different fluctuations can be caused by various factors. These factors include differences in: monetary policies; fiscal policies; industrialization; technology; laws; economic shocks; and other factors. {draw:frame} International diversification pushes out the efficient frontier. Risk is reduced for any given level of return, and return is enhanced for any given level of risk. An internationally diversified portfolio (represented by line 1,) has clear advantages compared to a domestically diversified portfolio (represented by line 2. ) Point B has the same return as Point A but has less risk. Point C has the same risk as Point A but more return. Also, a point between B and C would have less risk and more return than Point A. Investing in emerging markets offer tempting advantages to investors. The volatile economies of countries considered to be in this category have a potential for extraordinary returns. A caveat to investors considering opportunities in emerging markets are the presence of unstable governments, the chance of nationalization, poor property rights protection, and large swings in prices. Emerging markets are far from a sure thing. But, despite high individual risk, emerging markets can reduce portfolio risk. The volatile economies of these countries have such low correlations compared to the domestic market that they actually provide the greatest degree of diversification. Despite the strong argument for international diversification, there are some grounds to consider when investing. There are barriers to investing internationally. These include legal difficulties, lack of information, stringent tax regulations, and high transaction costs. These costs can reduce returns and must be considered when figuring returns. As mentioned before, these barriers are diminishing. When investing internationally there are risks beyond the risk of individual securities or portfolios. There is liquidity risk, because it is often not as easy to sell international securities. There is also exchange risk when transferring the funds from international assets back to the home currency. This risk can be hedged through the use of currency futures contracts, but hedging increases transaction costs. Some investors actually prefer exchange risk because of the possibility of increased returns. Some investors simply do not invest internationally because they have a degree of home bias. Investors in this category usually do not invest internationally because they are unfamiliar with international markets. They prefer domestic investing because they are familiar with the domestic market. Some investors in this category simply do not invest internationally because they do not want to support markets outside of the US. Despite the meager reasons for a home bias, there is a strong home bias among US investors. The organization, In the Money Investments (IMI), is a partnership formed by two financial professionals in the state of RI. The company packages financial products together for its clients and charges various fees for the service which includes execution and account maintenance. The company services clients of all ages and incomes but primarily serves clients age 35-65 with greater than $100,000 in annual earnings and $300,000 of net worth who are seeking various investment goals including retirement, college savings, and wealth maximization. The company competes directly with other local investment firms as well as with the national firms such as Fidelity, Charles Schwab and others. The company has offices in both Newport and Providence and employs 46 employees. The company has $500 million under management and annual net income of just over $1 million. The company’s primary strategic advantage is the level of trust that it has with its clients. This trust creates solid referrals, allows for a better working, long-term relationship. Its customers are not the type to â€Å"jump ship† after a single bad year. An increased investment product offering by IMI, specifically through adding internationally diversified investment products, is being investigated to see whether or not its loyal customers will adopt the products. This increased product offering could lead to more satisfied investors which will increase word of mouth and lead to increased new customers. This will also lead to an increased investment level by investors as they see greater return for their levels of risk in their investment. The partners have requested a study to investigate the likelihood of its existing customer base adopting the internationally diversified products. They are worried about the customers adopting something that may be foreign to them as well as an investor home bias. Research Questions The research questions posed for empirical investigation are: Does investor satisfaction affect their willingness to invest internationally? Does investor investment aptitude affect their willingness to invest internationally? Research Problem In the Money Investments needs to know whether or not their existing client base will purchase a new internationally diversified product. Specifically we are looking at investor’s satisfaction with In the Money and the level of the investor’s investment aptitude in determining whether or not the investor would purchase an internationally diversified product. The existing client base needs to be researched to see if they have these attributes that are being investigated and whether or not they will be likely to purchase the internationally diversified product. Hypotheses There are two hypotheses being examined in this study. They are as follows: H1: Advanced investors will be more likely to purchase an internationally diversified product. H2: Investors that have been satisfied in the past will be more likely to purchase an internationally diversified product. Variables Variables examined for this study are as follows: Independent Variable 1: Investor Ability Independent Variable 2: Investor Satisfaction Dependant Variable: Inclination to purchase an internationally diversified investment. Theoretical Framework: {draw:g} {draw:g} Operational Definition {draw:frame} {draw:frame} The likelihood of an investor to purchase a company’s internationally diversified product is important for an investment firm to know before making a product offering. In this case, In the Money Investments has to take some consideration of the dimensions of the investment world that can affect that likelihood. The dimensions of the investment world that very well may be affecting that likelihood are: 1. Investor Satisfaction; 2. Investor Status; 3. Investor Demographics; 4. Current Macroeconomic Factors Investor satisfaction can be determined by the image the investment firm portrays to the investor, the relationship the investor holds with the firm, the previous experiences in levels of returns and volatility the investor has in their portfolio. If an investor is satisfied with each of the listed elements, we can then measure the correlation between satisfied investors and their purchasing decisions for an internationally diversified product. Investor status is a dimension that varies based on experience, education, level of wealth, and risk tolerance. These elements create a background or resume for an investor. Each of these elements can be combined to form a numeric representation of an investor’s investment ability. Using this numeric value, a status of the investor can be measured against their willingness to accept an international investment into their portfolio. Investor demographics is a dimension which can show patterns of acceptance among demographic groups. Investors from certain countries or with certain birthplaces may be more or less likely to purchases internationally diversified products. Also, investors of different sex or age may be more or less likely to purchases Lastly, current macroeconomic factors ia a dimension which may affect an investor’s willingness to purchase an internationally diversified product. A poor market and recent terrorist attacks are example of this. Justification of the Problem In the Money Investments needs to know whether or not their efforts to include an internationally diversified product offering will be beneficial o their business. If the firm offers a product and it does not sell, the firm will lose money involved in presenting the product offering as well as in soft costs from time spent by members of the firm in investigating the offering. The firm is interested in offering the internationally diversified products because their customers desire more returns in their portfolios without incr easing their current levels of portfolio risk. In order to increase market share and retain their current customers, they are looking to this avenue as a way to remain competitive. Significance of the study This study would show the firm whether or not they should provide the product offering. It will allow them to investigate their client base’s determinants of their purchasing decision of internationally diversified investment products. Successful measurement of the client base’s determinants of their purchasing decision will allow In the Money Investments to forecast their sales and then perform profitability analysis on the new product offering Summary In the Money Investments is seeking to maintain market share and satisfy their customers’ increasing appetites for returns without being exposed to any additional risk. Previous research has shown that international diversification is a way that this can be achieved. However, In the Money Investments needs to know whether or not a client would be willing to purchase a new product offering in this area. Internationally diversified investments are not for everybody and it needs to be known whether internationally diversified investment products are right for In the Money Investments client base. This study seeks to investigate that issue. Annotated Reference List Appendices Appendix A: Draft of proposal Appendix B: Empirical journal articles Appendix C: Survey questionnaire

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway Essay

The key to a good book is a great plot. The plot determines all the events in the story, from the first word, down to the last period. Ernest Hemingway is considered as a giant in the literary world. His book, A Farewell to Arms is a testament to his literary genius. A Farewell to Arms seems at first to be a love story. It is, but most importantly, the novel is a story about war, and the tragedy it brings. In his work, Freylag’s pyramid of narrative structure is clearly shown. Exposition The novel opens with a description of the place where the main character, Frederic Henry or simply called â€Å"Tenente† stayed. He is the narrator of the story. Hemingway illustrates late summer giving details like falling leaves turning into dust. Troops marching and flashes of fighting in the mountains create an atmosphere of doom to the reader. Hemingway prepares the setting by making a contrast of peace in nature and the disturbance brought about by the soldiers; a smaller picture of the bigger chaos that nations are facing in war. The characters are also established early in the novel. The narrator is an American volunteer ambulance driver. In the early part of the novel, he is introduced by a friend to Catherine Barkley, who is the focal point of Henry’s love in the story. Both are the main characters of the story. Others include, Rinaldi, the friend who introduced Henry and Catherine. A typical Italian male. The priest, Helen Ferguson, and other ambulance drivers also make up the characters that made World War I alive for the reader. Rising Action The novel is divided into five books. In the first book, Henry and Catherine are introduced and their relationship begins. The next few books follow the injury of Henry, and his growing relationship with Catherine while convalescing in a hospital in Milan, far from the action. Catherine becomes pregnant and Henry was forced to go back to the front, leaving her. Upon coming back, a retreat was ordered, were all officers were killed but Henry was able to escape. He was marked as a deserter and having found Catherine, travelled by boat to Switzerland. Here, Henry and Catherine lived a quiet life until she goes into labor. All these events, consist of the bulk of the novel. Hemingway had set many problems for Henry and Catherine. He wanted to show that Henry as a hero, was always stoic in adversities. Catherine’s burden started upon being pregnant but was not too much dwelled upon by Hemingway until the final book of the novel. Several conflicts were shown by Hemingway. The most apparent was Henry’s struggle with the tragedies of war. Henry’s friend was shot to death by Italians upon retreat; the killing spree of officers; Henry’s life as a deserter; the difficult escape to Switzerland by a rowboat . All these were the trials of Henry during the war, and what is ironic is that, he wasn’t in danger of the enemy, but of his comrades, of the soldiers that he had been fighting at the same side. These conflicts build up, highlighting the biggest conflict, the Climax. Climax Upon Henry and Catherine’s successful escape to Switzerland, Catherine goes into labor. The labor is long and painful for Catherine. After a Cesarean operation, the baby is stillborn; and Catherine haemorrages and dies. The Climax is the culmination of events which create the peak of the conflict. The above-mentioned scene is considered as the climax because, after all the efforts of Henry and Catherine went through to be together, all has been wasted in Catherine’s death. Falling Action After Catherine died, Henry was left alone with the doctor. He feels helpless and doesn’t want any gestures of comfort. The offers of the doctor to bring him to his hotel fell on deaf ears. After the peak of the climax, events that follow constitute the falling action. In his novel, Hemingway skillfully illustrates the unbearable grief and emptiness left upon the passing away of a loved one. The downward slide of Freylag’s pyramid accurately shows the feeling of the main character upon losing his love. Denoument The conclusion as its name suggests brings an end to the story. In A Farewell to Arms, after Henry went out and left the hospital, he walked back to the hotel in the rain. It is a sad ending that leaves a heavy heart to the reader. The novel is concluded by the image of Henry walking in rain. Rain usually represents gloom and sadness. In his conclusion, Hemingway shows the main character, the hero, no longer stoic but very much in pain. Works Cited Hemingway, Henry. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1957. Print. â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† by Ernest Hemingway Essay Hemingway and the Struggle of Masculinity in WarMen in A Farewell to Arms and For Whom The Bell TollsThe name of Ernest Hemingway has long been associated with the idea of a strong, stubborn man who is very socially inept. In both A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, we are introduced to an extremely cold, unfeeling character and we see how they evolve from one type of man into another. Frederic Henry and Robert Jordan are both Americans serving overseas in some conflict, Henry being in World War I and Jordan in the Spanish Civil War between the fascists and communists, and they originally see these conflicts as a way for them to prove their manhood. They soon realize that war is not meant for all people and that it should not be glorified. They either die for their new ideas or simply vanish from our world into a realm of nothingness. This transition needs to be analysed more closely in order for us to understand it better. In A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, we see how the main character is, in the beginning, a cold and sometimes insensitive person who loves the idea of war. In Arms, we see how Henry is a calm, calculating man who tries to live up to the Western impression of how a man should act. In American history, men have tried to reassociate themselves with a deeper meaning of manhood as a way to prove to themselves that they are acting like a man should: â€Å"A broad spectrum of American men soon came to view war as the only way to cure a hopelessly flagging national masculinity†(Donnell para 35). In the beginning, Henry the confidence of a man who is able to survive anything by himself and not show any emotion about it. War itself is a glorious game to him that is a test of manhood, a way for him to prove himself to the world and still be able to walk away from it: â€Å"Well, I knew I would not be killed. Not in this war. It did not have anything to do with me. It seemed no more dangerous to me than war in the movies† (Arms Detzler 237). Henry is a man who thinks that he is unable to be harmed and tries to live a life that is morally correct while struggling through a chaotic world. The Austrian mountains around Henry are full of temptation(ie bawdy houses) and yet he never visits them. Also, he is surrounded by constant barrages of shellfire and wounded, since he is an ambulance driver, and never shows any emotion towards these men. To him, they are simply chess pieces and he is the ambulance that comes to take away the wounded from this  great game. In Tolls, the main character is an American teacher, Robert Jordan, who is fighting in the Spanish Civil War. He is only in the mountains because he sees war as a glorified game for men only. When he is confronted with a task, such as blowing up a bridge to slow down enemy troop movements, he does not think about it and only focusses on what he needs to do: â€Å"He would not think about that. That was not his business. That was Golz’s business. He had only one thing to do and that was what he should think about and he must think clearly and take everything as it came along, and not worry. To worry was as bad as to be afraid. It simply made things more difficult†(Tolls 8). He distances himself from the men he may have to kill and dehumanises his actions, allowing him to succeed at his job without showing any emotion or weakness. Jordan sees war as a man’s job and that women have no place in it. When he first meets Maria, he tries to hide his feelings for her. He says that she should not be in the mountains with the guerillas and tries to hide how he feels an attraction to her when he looks at her. Jordan sees his emotions as a weakness and buries them deep down inside of himself, only to have them rise up later on in the novel. In conclusion, both Henry and Jordan begin as calm, cool, calculating men struggling to prove to the world who they are. These men live by a strict code of honour, chivalry, honesty, and courage, allowing their soul to survive many tough times. They originally see a war as a way to prove themselves but this soon changes. Detzler 3Towards the middle of both Arms and Tolls, we see how both Jordan and Henry become confused and disoriented by the events around them. They are faced with tough choices and are forced to reevaluate their beliefs. In Arms, Henry is wounded during the Italian retreat and is sent back to a hospital for recovery. There, he sees his helplessness as a sign of his weakness and feels that he should not have been hurt. After recovery, he returns to the front but becomes trapped with few other men from his battle group. After the men refused to help him in their struggle to make it back, Henry shoots them at point blank range in an effort to encourage the men to work harder. After this, Henry himself is almost executed after being  mistaken for an Austrian. His near-death experience during his escape caused him to reassess his beliefs because he is beginning to see that men are not meant to try and slaughter each other. He flees the army and gives in to his desires to see Catherine, a sign that he is going back on his belief that a man should never show any emotion. Henry travels to Switzerland with Catherine and tries to live out a normal life there, but now he is a confused man struggling with internal demons about his actions: â€Å"The war seemed as far away as the football games of some one else’s college. But I knew from the papers that they were still fighting in the mountains. . . .† (Arms 277). Henry still remembers the men that he left behind at the lines and still wishes to be with them, fighting against a common enemy and united through courage, bravery, and the desire to stay alive. In Tolls, Jordan struggles with his ideas of courage and bravery as he is faced with various situations leading up to the destruction of the bridge. At different times, he is tested by other men, such as when he is forced to kill an enemy soldier who is actually just a boy. This action causes Jordan to rethink how war should be fought: should it be a cruel, merciless battle between soldiers and civilians, or should the young and innocent be spared, even if it is a sign of weakness. Also, when El Sordo and his men are trapped by the Fascist Army, they are left alone Detzler 4to fend for themselves, as to not expose the revolutionaries true numbers. Jordan wishes to go and help them because they are his comrades, but if he is to that, then he would be killed because of what some would call courage and what others would call stupidity. He is faced with either death or living a life of shame. El Sordo himself thinks the same as Jordan, wanting to die a glorious death since he knows that he should want to run away from the Fascists: â€Å"Dying was nothing and he had no picture of it nor fear of it in his mind. . . . Living was a hawk in the sky. Livng was an earthen jar of water in the dust of the threshing with the grain flailed out and the chaff blowing.† (Tolls 313). El Sordo does not fear death because he accepts that it is an inevitable part of life. Both Henry and Jordan begin to have second thoughts of their long held beliefs that men should be cold, merciless soldiers and start to wonder if their new ideas about wanting to be afraid are the ones they should listen to guide their lives. At the end of the novels, both Henry and Jordan face death, either directly or indirectly caused by war, and try to cope with it. In Arms, Henry is faced with the death of his wife and child in Switzerland. During child birth, Catherine develops complications and needs to be heavily medicated to numb the pain. Their child is still-born and Catherine soon after dies from massive blood loss. The loss of Henry’s wife forces him to think about how he has lived his life. He begins to wonder if it was worth it shooting those men for refusing to help him. He questions if he should have even joined the army in the first place. Henry even begins to think that perhaps the war is not some game and that even the innocent can be affected by it. He simply retreats back into his own thoughts because he cannot face the world anymore. Henry displays such self control that it cannot be healthy. He is trying to not show any weakness, an idea that he has always held to be true, even though he does not want to glorify war anymore: â€Å"Such illustrious-control is a visible expression of the self-discipline, knowledge, skill, and poise a man must Detzler 5achieve-as well as the honesty, courage, persistence, and stoic endurance he must possess in order to confront the vicissitudes of his life and the inevitability of . . . death on his own terms and with honour† (Miles para 9). Henry develops a strong resolution towards death and does not feel anymore that war, a vast death machine, should be promoted since it can hurt even the most innocent people in the world, such as unborn children. He then proceed to vanish from this world and become like a walking zombie, unable to move on with his life but unafraid of anything anymore that might threaten him since he has already lost what is most precious to him. In Arms, Jordan is faced with death at the end of the novel in many different ways. His friend Anselmo is killed during the bridge demolition while trying to protect Jordan. Anselmo himself did not like death but was willing to face God if it meant the completion of Jordan’s task. Jordan himself is gravely injured while trying to flee from the Fascists and resolves to take out as many as he can before he dies. Jordan does not show any weakness towards his friends, even though he is terrified and wants to run. Jordan changes from seeing death as something far away as something that affects  everyone. It is a chance for Jordan to redeem his past life and try to come to grips with how he sees death and war. He realizes that he has lived his life wrong and that the war that he is fighting in is not the one he thought he would be fighting for. Jordan originally thought that he was fighting to save the Spanish people from the Fascists but he eventually realized he was not fighting to save the people but rather to replace one corrupt leader for another. He then comes to accept that he will die soon and waits for his time on Earth to end, hoping to take an enemy with him when he goes:Dying is only bad when it takes a long time and hurts so much that it humilates you. . . . [T]here is something you can do yet. As long as you know what it is you have to do it. As long as you remember what it is you have to wait for that. Come on. Let them come. Let them come. Detzler 6Let them come! . . . And if if you wait and hold them up even a little while or just get the officer that may make all the difference† (Tolls 468-470). To Jordan, death is an inevitable part of life and now he is dedicated to taking someone down with him. His part in war is over forever but he does not want to just fade away. He understands that war is glorious but if the next man is an enemy, that man is marked for death. Therefore, both Henry and Jordan come to understand death better and to know that war is not a glorious event. War is simply a big political game with the small people taking most of the fall. In conclusion, we see how both Henry and Jordan have changes brought about to their perceptions of war. They originally join their cause simply because it is something that all men were doing at that point in life. War was someplace that boys could go and become men. War was some far off land where men would run towards each other twice, shake hands and become friends again. Henry and Jordan soon see that war is nothing like this, with innocent people being killed simply because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Both men evolve from their original selves and change their ideas about life and death. Henry and Jordan lose a part of themselves during their battles, becoming better men in the end. They may be alone in the world but they are better men than they originally were: â€Å"[T]he individual is on his own, like a Pilgrim walking into the unknown with  neither shelter or guidance, thrown upon his own resources, his strength, and his judgement. Hemingway’s style is the style of understatement since his hero is a hero of action, which is the human conditon† (Hallengren para 17) These men, even though sometimes shallow, exhibit many qualities that both genders should live up to: honesty, courage bravery, morality, intelligence, affection, pride and sometimes sentimentality. These are the qualities that allow the two main characters to see through the â€Å"fog of war† and come to the basic conclusion: war is not meant for all people to be involved in and it should not Detzler 7be put up on a pedestal but rather looked upon with a logical mind. Even though peace is a lofty goal, it is very unlikely for humanity to succeed in achieving world peace. Until that day, war will be an everyday aspect to our lives and we need to step back and take another look at it. We need to stop viewing war as a big game and see it as a big political game, one that is not meant to help the little people, just like Henry and Jor dan learned. Works Cited Donnel, Sean M.. Hemingway’s Short Fiction and the Crisis of Middle Class Masculinity. [Online] Available http://www.elcamino.edu/Faculty/sdonnell/hemingway’s_ masculinity.htm , May 12, 2006. Hallengren, Anders. A Case of Identity: Ernest Hemingway. [Online] Available http://nobelprize.org/literature/articles/hallengren/index.html , April 21, 2006. Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons Publishing Company, 1957. – – – – . For Whom the Bell Tolls. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons Publishing Company, 1968. Miles, Melvin C.. An Introductory Overview to Hemingway. [Online] Available http://www.elcamino.edu/Faculty/sdonnell/hemingway.htm , May 10, 2006.

Communism and the Chinese Civil War essays

Communism and the Chinese Civil War essays China was at hardship during the period of 1911-1949. In 1911 there was the start of the Communist Revolution, and then the Chinese with the Americans help had to fight off Japan which continued into World War II. Finally, after the Japanese had surrendered the Civil War began in China. The Civil War was one of the most violent acts in Chinese history; it lasted for four long, brutal years between 1945-1949. The outcome and impacts of the Civil War would change China forever. My main focus is on the impacts the Civil War had on foreign countries, who was involved, why it happened, and what was the outcome of the Civil War. After World War II and the surrender of Japan, another long and brutal war-ravaged over China. The Civil War, which took place from 1945-1949, was a devastating war between the Nationalists, who were led by Chiang Kai-Shek and the Communists who had many great leaders. For example, Mao Zedong who helped establish the Communist capital of Shih-Chia -Chuang which was a huge railroad center and ChenYi and Liu Bocheng who helped cut the Nationalists by destroying the protected outposts along the Lung-Hai and the Ping-Han lines which led to many other isolated cities. The roots of the conflict between the Communists and the Nationalists go back all the way to the 1920's. Their basic differences were over the formal agreement to cooperate in the war against Japan. In the end, the Communists were victorious by gaining the people's enthusiastic support. Chang resigned and fled to Taiwan which was the only territory the Red Army did not occupy. The Civil War involved the Nationalists and the Communists in a dispute over land and who would rule China. The Civil War also involved the United States of America and its many acts to intervene with peace talks. The first of many peace talks was in 1945 when the United States sent George C. Marshall to China to mediate the hostilities between the Nationalist ...