Analysis of Margaret Atwoods Happy Endings free essay sample

There has been times that people have lived the â€Å"american dream†, having money, being in love, no problems, having kids, life is just great. However there is also people that suffers financially, having argument multiple times causing stress. This is not the â€Å"american dream†. In Margaret Atwood, short story, Happy Endings, story ending B shows a couple who has trouble with trust and true love not just sex. The author explains how the man is not respectful of what the woman does for him, and the woman thinking there is another side to the man, that is much more loving and respectful. This conflict shows the true meaning of each character and connect with the title of the story. The author, Margaret Atwood titled the story Happy Ending, because in the end of every story the character dies. No matter how they lived their life, in the end they all die. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Margaret Atwoods Happy Endings or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Margaret Atwood supports this by showing the reader in the end of all the story endings the character dies, they also follow story ending A but in the end of story ending A, the character dies, portraying the true ending of life. According to Atwood, Happy Ending, story ending B, it states â€Å"She leaves a note for John. She hopes he’ll discover her and get her to the hospital in time and repent and then they can get married, but this fails to happen and she dies. John marries Madge and everything continues as in A.† In story ending A, the author portrays the story as the â€Å"american dream†. However, in story ending B, Mary who’s the woman dies but John and another girl named Madge happened to marry each other and continue their lifestyle like in story ending A, but they will die in the end. This is what the author means by Happy Endings, however you live your life, everyone will have the same ending which is death.

Psychology Extended Essay Samples - How They Can Help You

Psychology Extended Essay Samples - How They Can Help YouIf you are currently studying or even thinking about taking up a psychology degree, then it is advisable that you consider taking psychology extended essay samples with you to class. This way, you will be able to achieve a well-rounded understanding of the subject by having at least one experience of the things that the course covers.These types of lessons are usually made available in the course syllabus, but these samples are still made available for students to use. Most classes that have these kinds of resources are all-online courses, and this way, students can even study at their own pace. Some even have a system where you can log in at any time and receive the lesson, as long as you have an internet connection.However, online resources are usually for free and these resources will cover the basics of the course. After that, when you are ready to move on to the more advanced lessons, you would be required to pay for them. This is quite common for online courses because most of them offer a cost for course materials, which usually include textbooks, software, etc.Online resources such as these should not necessarily make you stop from going back to the classroom for more help. In fact, by looking at some examples in class, you will be able to grasp the basic concepts of the subject from the start. In addition, you will also get to see how things are explained to you.Online materials are also very easy to access, and most online courses have video lectures, which means that you would be able to watch your assignments and tests whenever you want. This way, you will have a lot of flexibility while going through the material.The practice that you can get with extended essay samples will help you hone your writing skills and increase your knowledge of the subject. It will also help you with your writing, because the writing in the essay is usually based on the lectures. Therefore, it will also serve as a practice to have something to show for your work during the lecture, in addition to making you write more concisely.The extended essay samples will also enable you to achieve a clear and well-rounded understanding of the subject matter. This way, you will be able to apply what you have learned to real life situations. This is a great way to maintain your focus and work on your focus.

A nation for the massacre of Jews in Europe

A nation for the massacre of Jews in Europe The period between 1939 to1941 remains a historical predisposition for the Jews and Nazi-Germans as it was the period of the Holocaust. It was a time that the rivalry between the Jews and Nazi emanated. In light of this, many Jews were murdered by people whom they had lived cohesively. The details of those events are detailed by two books written by Jan Gross and Jan Karski respectively. Published on diverse dates, these books chronicle the events that happened in a realistic approach.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on A Nation for the Massacre of Jews in Europe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The events that catapulted the mass murders of Polish Jews are chronicled in Jan T. Gross’s book, Neighbors: The destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland by fellow citizens in a village resided by the Nazi’s in Poland. In the book published in 2001, the author uses pieces of eye witnesses accoun ts to produce the book that received criticism across the geographical divide. Murderous acts were carried out by people on Jedwabnes existing Jews. It was in 1941 and the Jews knew the people who carried out the act well. They had lived cohesively but on this fateful day, their friends turned to foes. The murderous acts were executed in an inhuman way. For example, the Jewish population in Poland were confined in a barn then set on fire. On the other hand, the Story of a secret state, written by Jan Karski provides a personal experience of the Nazi-Jewish mass killings in Poland. Karski was a doctoral student in Poland. He gives an account of how the killings were executed in his book. Published in1944, the book delves information and the details of the massacre from a personal view. Karski narrates that while in a group of other Polish soldiers, they were held hostage by Russian soldiers under wooden barns. In light of this, Karski plotted an escape with the help of fellow hostage , Lieutenant Kurpios. He underwent numerous traps and landed himself as a Polish underground in various countries including France. He travelled to London to inform the Polish government in exile there on the pains of the Jewish people[1]. In his experiences he encountered the difficulties that the Jewish community was undergoing in their foreign land. Critique Gross’s book has arguably led to a foray of criticism from various quarters. These quarters have been ethnologists and historians. Gross relied heavily on third party knowledge with minimal consultations in other study tools such as historical facts in archives. Historians argue that Grosss work is more like a journal article and not as a work of history.Advertising Looking for term paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, he uses the setting of burning barn of Jedwabne to construct Polish-Jewish relations. He arguably focuses on p articulars to make generalizations, simply known as inductive reasoning. For instance, he makes generalizations on limited data. Moreover, the book is so shallow in giving the details of the massacre. It largely details the attacks with minimal literature on the reasons for the attacks. A casual reader with prior knowledge of the atrocities committed might find it hard to understand the book. For example, the book only chronicles the events of the massacre, making it partial. This implies that it looks at the massacre from a one-sided perspective without giving the reader the other side of the coin [2] Another major flaw in Grosss work was his alienation of facts that the pre-war Jewish- Polish relations had considerable effects on the Jedwabne massacre. He largely depended on the accounts of a single Jew to analyze the effects and chronology of the war. Gross singled out that the wars experienced in the town were more detrimental to the relations of the Jewish and Polish individual s unlike others in the regions. In his analytical book, he only focused on those wars and did not discuss into details their etiology. In light of this, he provided a one-sided approach into the massacre. For example, he could have arguably detailed the reasons that led into the massacre and not only victimizing one side [3] Story of a secret state The plot analysis in the book is over riddled by the monotonous description of his encounters although it was a personal experience narration by Jan Karski. Moreover, personal narrations are overly dotted with fictitious parts. He hugely, just like Gross relied on his personal experiences eluding other important historical literature that could have helped to shape the story [4] Even though the story was aimed at propagating a historical ideology, it takes the avenue of literature story telling genres such as narratives. By including personal experiences heavily on the story he washes out the historical salt in the massacre. For example, he takes considerable space in the book to discuss his intricacies in the war as opposed to telling the reader about the happenings. In light of this, Karski only shapes the discussion from his experiences without involving any other secondary source to spice up his story. Historical Context The book has analytically given a green light on the events that shaped today’s German-Jews rivalry. Although it analyzed the Holocaust from a particular to a generalized standpoint, it arguably shaped the research platform on the rivalry between the Nazi-Germans and Jews. In light of this, the book articulates the birth rivalry due to the murderous acts committed against Jews. In this regard, the enmity tries to articulate as they happened in real times.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on A Nation for the Massacre of Jews in Europe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Historians argue that for an author to claim to write h istory, acknowledging the works of other writers in the same subject is not only important but also shapes the overall work. It gives the work a background to rely on. For example, it takes account of a sole soldier to tell the story without putting emphasis into secondary literature. Such actions water down the premises and subsequent conclusions that emanate from the historical-driven works. Usage of the same would have created a critical ingredient to achievement recognition in the story. However, Gross alluded to these vital precautions thus deeming his work rather a literature oriented story than a historical one[5]. Story of a secret state Similarly to Grosss work Karski left out a critical avenue for historical representations. He focused on narration as opposed to prose in telling out the story of the massacre. In light of this, he skipped numerous historical instances experienced in the course of his encounters in Poland to bring out a rather weak historical hypothesis. For example, he only uses his personal experience to tell the story. Although it brings the reader close to the events that happened in the Jedwabne massacre, it lacked historical taste. However, it would be unrealistic to abandon the reality that the book has arguably helped in shaping the historical background of the Holocaust. Historians articulate the books as the avenues that enabled the realization of the Holocaust. For instance, after the production of the books, the Holocaust events became realities to many leaders notably in the political and religious spheres. This is because the books were published after the Holocaust since Karski worked as an undercover agent. Conclusion In conclusion, the two books have provided a credible analysis. By using the personal accounts of individuals, the books have shed light on the intricacies of the Holocaust and also providing critical historical literature for future generations. By reading the books, an individual relates with the events like they happened yesterday due to the clear usage of the language. Moreover, the books have used good language to be understood by all individuals regardless of the academic disciplines. For example, the books can provide a critical grounding for not only history scholars but also religious and theological studies. Religious and theological scholars can effectively apply the knowledge gained from the book to analyze the religious distribution in the world. Crowell, Samuel. The debate about Neighbors. n.d. Web.Advertising Looking for term paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gross, J., T. Neighbors: the destruction of the Jewish community in Jedwabne, Poland, Boston: Penguin Books, 2002. Holocaust. Literature of the Holocaust. n.d. Web. Janet, J. Story of a secret state. 2009. Web. Telegraph. Story of a secret State. 2011. Web. Footnotes Janet, J. Story of a secret state. Telegraph. Story of a secret State. Holocaust. Literature of the Holocaust. Crowell, Samuel. The debate about Neighbors. Gross, J, T. Neighbors: the destruction of the Jewish community in Jedwabne, Poland, Boston: Penguin Books.

buy custom The Topic Sex Education essay

buy custom The Topic Sex Education essay Sex education is a topic that one never misses to hear from time to time. It is a very integral topic especially within the quotas of the young adults. While others hold that the dissemination of sex education should be increased, others hold the contrary. Looking at both the conflicting opinions, there are evidently solid premises to support the conclusions drawn. This paper however, seeks to expose the importance of sex education both in school and home. It is from this foundation that the argument that sex education should be increased both at home and in schools, steams. Besides, it also points out the contrary opinion to the above argument and seeks to demystify it. Introduction Sex education is the process through which an individual acquires information and forms attitudes and beliefs about a wide range of issues relating to sex. It is also referred to as sex and relationships education or sexuality education. Sex education include aspects such as human sexuality that include among others human sexual anatomy, reproductive health, sexual intercourse, sexual reproduction, contraception, abstinence, and other issues relating to human sexual behavior (Kristen 67). When sex education should start If sex education is to be successful among the preteens and the teens then it should start early in their lives. It should start as young as they have established patterns of behavior and have not reached puberty. The exact age at which this ought to start depends on the emotional, physical and intellectual development of the young people as well as their level of understanding. There is also need that the education is sustained through out as the child grows (Kristen 71). The provision of sexual education for children at an earlier age gives the basis upon which more complex knowledge can be built upon over time. When a child is informed on how people grow and change over time for instance, they get a foundation upon which they easily understand more detailed information about puberty, which is taught in the pre-teenage years. If we talk to them about how germs and viruses attack the body then it would be very easy for them to understand how infections are caught through sexual contact. There is curiosity however, that providing sex education at an earlier stage increases sexual activity. In fact the idea is that it leads to sexual experimentation. It is on this premises that the opposers of the above argument derive their conclusions. Unfortunately, it does not hold. A review done in the US showed that sex education in fact reduces sexual activity. The provision of sex education Sex education takes place in so many settings which include among others schools and homes. Parents or the care givers for example, have an opportunity to provide sex education to these teens at home. They get the chance to have a one to-one discussion with the children on specific questions, issues or concerns. This would go on for a long time until the child is an adult and would go and live on their own. There could be cases where the children are hesitant to open up, but this should not be perceived as there is nothing to talk about. There is hard proof that positive parent-child communication regarding sexual matters do lead to greater behavior change among the children (Kristen 74). Teachers on the other hand, also have an imperative role to play. Teachers do a lot in terms of teaching sexual education. Many at times if their delivery is effective and the curriculum is suitable then a greater impact is achieved. It would be important to mention at this point that the most efficient sex education takes into consideration the different contributions each setting can make. It brings in a combination of the settings to deliver the necessary message on sex education. The young people could also be involved in these programs to ensure relevance. This is important as through them the message would easily reach their pears. Consultation with them at the stage when the programs are designed is also helpful as it ensures not only relevance but also promotes delivery (Aggleton 42). The contrary opinion This section brings into focus the contradicting opinion that this paper seeks to discredit. There are others who hold that more sex education delivers no impact on the sexual behavior of our children. They argue that an increased sex education leads to sexual experimentation among the teens. They add that the target age is a bit curious and teaching them sex education would push them to act on that which they have not been told. This opinion is defeatist and has no substantial proof at all. Besides, they also hold a perspective that sex education can not stop teens from having sex. This is true as sex education just makes the children to be better equipped to handle the decisions that they make. According to them sex education in schools is a waste of time. The students in these schools are never enthusiastic to listen or find whatever the teacher. The way this school of thought regards this topic is irrational. It is sheer ignorance as they justify the teens have a right to sex because they are supposedly in love. There is utter need for an increased provision of sex education both in school and at homes. The importance of sex education It is prudent to discuss the reasons in a summary why sex education is importantbefore looking at why its provision should be increased in schools and at homes. Sex education provides the teen with information about matters that affect them. This is their right .It also helps the teens build solid foundations and so they mature into sexually healthy adults. This education gives them with the opportunity to develop and comprehend their attitudes, beliefs and values, about sexuality (Wight 103). Sex education reduces the risks of the negative outcomes that came with sexual behavior. These include unplanned or unwanted or pregnancies and infection with sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. Sex education makes the young people able to make informed decisions over their lifetime and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. It also helps them develop life skills that are useful and can be applied to sexual relationships (Guyatt 56). An effective sex education would develop the skills of negotiation, decision-making, assertion and listening in these teens. In addition to the above, there are also other important skills that they stand to gain. These include being able to deal with and challenging prejudice, recognize pressures from other people and to resist them, and being able to seek help from adults including parents, careers and professionals. The help from professionals can be sought through the community and their families (Mellan 90). Sex education as a course assists the teens to enhance their interpersonal skills and also relationships. It makes them to be in a position to exercise responsibility regarding sexual relationships. This includes dealing with pressures especially from their peers to engage in premature sexual intercourse, contraception use, abstinence, and other sexual health measures. Sex education at home and why it should be increased Parents and care givers ought to be the main teachers of sex education to their children. They should swing in and offer the necessary counsel in case of any opportunity. As the saying goes, charity begins at home and so should sex education begin at home. It has been stated in many research papers that the reason why many girls are having sex at such a young age girls is because they are in constant search for love that is not provided to them at home. The children do not feel loved and would want to be loved by someone. Thus, if it is not provided at home they go places looking for it. This would be one the reasons why there should be increased sex education at home. Parents are in constant pursuit of means to fend their children yet neglect the most essential duties to their children. There even cases where parents do not get to know about the pregnancies until the day their daughters are just about to give birth. We do not get solutions by running away from the problem. Neither, does it come by rejecting the need for an increased sex education at home. It is in these homes that the children get to know how to show love, respond to affection, and learn how to react in different types of relationships. This makes them have solid relationships without being swayed to any side. It is also at home that the children learn about sexuality for the first time. This happens when their parents speaks to them, change their clothes, play with them or when they teach them about their body parts (West 116). The argument that the more the parents teach their children on sex education the more the children are pushed to act on what they have not been told is void and null. It is by speaking about it that we instill in the children preventive measures. We help protect them from the hazards that come with unprotected sex (West 120). It is parents to initiate this process. They should not wait for others to do it for them. This is because their children spend most times with them. These children are also most likely to believe them most than any other person. The society is going down the drain in terms of morality today because the parents do not take any responsibility at all. They have rested their ears on the shoulders of those that opposes of this topic. If the parents do a good job on teaching their children what is acceptable and right, we would be having reinforced morals and ideals in the society. This alone suggests fewer numbers of teenage pregnancies (Wight 43). There comes a time when a child has grown into an adult and would receive formal sex education through schools and community-settings. At this time, parents wont get the chance to offer any advice concerning sex. The time to increase sex education at home is now. Parents should fold their sleeves for there is still a lot to be done. Sex education in schools and why it should be increased Sex education in schools not only complements but also supplements the sexuality education that the children receive from their parents and even religious and community groups. It is very important that sex education is provided space in the various curriculums for high schools. That is, both senior and junior high school. Sex education need to be taught in these schools for the reasons that are expounded below. Sex education is the solution to every sexual challenge that students face in schools today. In order to make progress in these lines, then we have to provide more of this education. This is because education opens up a new horizon in the mind and this makes the children be much careful and intentional with their lives. It is also in these schools that the children are under influence from their fellow pears. Thus, making schools the most appropriate place to disseminate sexual education. It is only in school that you find the teens and their friends together (Mellan 134). Sex education should be taught in school just to breach the gap created by the parents who are so engrossed in the pursuit of making a living and do not get time to teach their children on this important topic. This goes in a long way to build a strong foundation that the parents do not provide. There are several problems that could be prevented if the children have a sexual orientation in their schools, since in their families do not want to talk about it. Sex education also helps sensitize the teens on the repercussions of sex. Thus, it needs to be implemented in the high school coursework to make them aware of the consequences of unprotected sex. One of these consequences is teenage pregnancy. It hurts to hear that a child got pregnant at the age of eleven just because no proper sex education has been provided to them or the message was not properly delivered. Ignorance is a great disease especially among teens. Most of them especially the girls do not know first that they are fertile and that if they ever had sex, they would get pregnant (Coyle 19). A close look at todays society reveals that teenage pregnancy is very rampant. It has led to many school drop outs than ever. Others have to postpone their education and as a result end up being mothers at early ages. The causes of these pregnancies would be, in my opinion, incorrect education about sex from neighbors and friends. In other cases there is no sex education at all. If proper sex education was provided to these students right from their time of entrance into the high school program the result would be much different. Though, this is important sexual education may not stop teenage pregnancies. It may indeed just reduce them (NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination 14). The other consequence is STD (Sexual Transmitted Diseases).We can achieve a more healthy society if STD is taught in sex education. Many have died because of these diseases. The cause of death may be having unprotected casual sex with other individuals. Other people kick the bucket because they did not know the disease they are suffering from is STD even when the symptoms were too evident. In my opinion, religion has masked so many people. Religion has made them to live behind wall yet they suffer a lot. Others feel embarrassed to go to the doctors (Kalichman 78). Abortion is also the other problem that we can prevent if education on sex is increased in schools. Girls do no want to have babies and this makes them abort. When challenged with such a problem, the teenagers forget that the baby is a human being and deserves to live. There are different ways to prevent abortion. These include having protected sex, adoption and abstinence. These however, can never come not unless sex education is increased in schools (Bultman 44). Sex education is also appropriate in school since the age of the students is. According to development psychology, it is at this time that the children do not care or listen to anyone. In addition to this, relationship is a norm especially among the teens. The moment sex education is scrapped from the learning educations. Then the children would not know better how to go about relationships. They will be left exposed to the media that gives not only conflicting but also confusing ideologies about the whole topic. The media for instance, would promote the idea that being sexually active makes a person more attractive and mature. Such ideologies many at times are not geared towards instilling morality in this teens, especially in this capitalistic world (Schinke 87). Sex education instills a sense of responsibility in the students. It is in school that this can be well propagated since the essence of education is to make the student a much better individual than before. A responsible student will be sensitive about the consequences of sex (Guyatt 93). Sex education in schools would also encourage heterosexuality among the teenagers. The teenagers interact with homosexuals almost on a daily basis, if not in their homes, neighborhoods, churches then in schools. They would easily be victims of the homosexuals who are lurking in the shadows of the society, if light is not shed to them on both heterosexuality and homosexuality. Sex education would teach students about sexual preference. It would bring them to an understanding that homosexuality is not hereditary (Holland 12). It is probably how this education is delivered that determines its. The reason so many people are against sex education both at home and school is the claim that it did not have any impact in their lives while they were in school. The education got in through one ear and got out through the other. There also seems to be a greater urge among the teachers to bog the students mind with information about sexuality yet there is not even an impact analysis being done. Conclusion Sex education is an integral subject. Though, there are several attitudes and beliefs about it, it is necessary that it is increased in schools. An opinion like not having sex until one gets married does not imply withholding important information about safer sex and contraception. Avoiding the issue of sex education in our schools and homes is not the solution. We should seek to continue providing effective sex education that enables young people to choose whether or not to have a sexual relationship taking into consideration the potential risks of any sexual activity. Buy custom The Topic Sex Education essay

Locally Produced Goods Versus Imported Goods Essay

Locally Produced Goods Versus Imported Goods - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that modern days have seen the transportation and use of goods irrespective of their geographical locations. This trend is most of the time attributed to the freedom of mobility as a result of globalization and technological advancements. Thus, sometimes, goods which are imported become cheaper and of better quality than the locally produced ones. Along with this trend, there arises the controversy whether it is right to give priority to imported goods over the locally produced ones on the basis of price and quality. Though the trend seems harmless at the first sight, history proves that this practice will have a number of negative effects. Studies show that locally produced goods are better than imported goods due to many reasons. Firstly, the imported goods do not offer cheap rates over long time. So, if there is more reliance on imported products, the local production will disappear. This will allow foreign companies and nations to have to tal monopoly over the product. They may utilize this situation to exploit the consumers through increased price or reduced quality. This will have a serious impact on the security of any nation. Secondly, when there is higher reliance on imported goods, the local producers will have to stop production. This will affect the local economy at both macro and micro level. Thus, profit on one side is loss on the other. Also, it becomes evident that the plants and animals of a particular place are best suited to the local environment. So, for the inhabitants of that place, consuming the locally available things is the best way for survival in that area. Moreover, it becomes evident that this practice has a devastating effect on culture. A culture is called a culture for various reasons ranging from food habits, specific rites and ritual, a specific dress code, art, and language. So, deviating from any of these for financial gains will lead to a dilution in the culture as has seen around th e world. In addition, there are humanitarian issues too. As noticed, most of the mass produced cheap products are the result of considerable levels of exploitation. In nations like China, which are known for cheap production, workers are deprived of even basic salaries and proper sleep. Furthermore, there are both health issues and environmental issues to be explored. Mass production like industrial farming requires heavy use of pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers. In addition, the mass-produced products require preservation and transportation. The workers who work in such farms will have to face serious health problems. Also, preservation and transportation involve use of preservatives, and waste of energy. Also, when there is mass production, there is large-scale pollution, exploitation of natural resources, and contaminate of natural resources. When this happens, many locally available varieties are ignored. Thus, over time, there will be the loss of many important varietie s due to this craze for profit. This will, in turn affect the ecology as a whole. Modern days have seen an increasing exchange of goods irrespective of geographic proximity as a result of improvements in communication and transportation. Thus, people use local and import products in their everyday lives even without being aware about the same. This change came along with a controversy regarding the effects of this change. As multinational retailer giants launched their units in countries like China, people witnessed a rising conflict between regional sentiments and globalization. Thus, presently, there is the question whether one should go for locally produced goods or imported goods.

Exploring Design and Experience in the Urban Environment-Derek Jeter Research Paper

Exploring Design and Experience in the Urban Environment-Derek Jeter Gym - Research Paper Example In order to eliminate health hazards and to maintaining better health, various gymnasiums or fitness centers are operating within the country. The revolutionary ‘Derek Jeter 24 hour fitness club’ is located in New York. Derek Jeter was the most prestigious shortstop in the Major League Baseball (MLB), for the entire career, he played for New York Yankees. The characteristic of Derek Jeter contains a dominant and prominent player. Furthermore, his achievements throughout his career are as follows (Signature clubs): â€Å"Sixth overall player selected in the 1992 baseball draft 1996 AL Rookie of the Year Four Gold Gloves (2004, 2005, 2006, 2009) Five World Series championships Eleven All-Star appearances 2009 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Lifetime batting average of .314 (through Sept 2010)† The collaboration of Derek Jeter with the 24 hour fitness club added new value. In fact, the club enjoys the company of 3.5 million club members along with 20,000 tea m members globally with a 27 years history. It is the largest privately owned club in the country. The most notable aspect of this club involves 24 hours availability. This means that members can join anytime they want, round the clock. In general, people with tight schedules and work time have the freedom to customize their workout schedules whenever they are available. The Derek Jeter 24 hour fitness club welcomes all age type males and females members. More than a thousand male and female members visit the 24 hour fitness club during the weekdays. Members of almost all ages are encouraged and wear a comfortable outfit for easy expansion of body parts and perform cardio, yoga and strength gaining classes. The trainers at the club are smart, supportive and encourage members a lot. Moreover, they are all well dressed having fresh faces and communicate effectively with members. Furthermore, a member operates on cardio exercises, yoga, and strength training etc. on cardio equipment  consisting of treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical trainers and stair steppers. The club is the first to provide Nike + iPod experience where members can track and monitor workouts. History The ’24 hour fitness club’ was founded in 1983 and operated as a single club operation located in San Laendro, Calif. Moreover, in the past 27 years, ’24 hour fitness club’ has unwrapped the most clubs in the United States that any other exclusive operator and is at present, the largest private fitness club chain. Accordingly, the introduction of innovative variety including the 24 hours fitness club and online memberships, the company is broadly recognized with the modifying industry landscape. In addition, the 24 hours fitness club has introduced a new concept of creating fitness opportunities easily accessible, affordable and flexible. In 2003, the ‘24 hour business club’ turn out to be the first official fitness center sponsor of the United States Olympic team and has rehabilitated support via London 2012 Olympic Games. The sponsorship was a granted memberships to U.S Olympic optimistic and consist of equipping the three U.S Olympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs, Colo., Lake Placid, N.Y. and Chula Vista, Calif. Furthermore, in 2010, the ‘24 hour fitness center’ sponsored five Olympians, Hopefuls and a Paralympian. The team of ‘24 hour fitness center’ consists of Athletes including Rockne Brubaker, Gretchen Bleiler, J.R. Celski, Tucker Fredericks, Chris

The Financing Structure Of Unilever Plc Finance Essay

The Financing Structure Of Unilever Plc Finance Essay Unilever Plc (Unilever) operates as a single business entity. It was formerly known as Lever Brothers Limited. Unilever NV and Unilever Plc are the two parent companies of the Unilever Group having separate legal identities and separate stock exchange listings for their shares. Unilever Plc (Unilever) is a leading food and personal care product offering company in the world. The company is engaged in the manufacturing and distributing foods, home care and personal care products. The company along with a strong and well differentiated portfolio of 400 global and regional brands operating across 14 categories operates in 150 countries with around 174,000 employees. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION Unilever operates in four business segments namely, Personal Care; Home Care; Savoury, Dressings Spreads; and Ice Cream Beverages. The company also offers solutions for professional chefs and caterers. It has around 270 manufacturing facilities worldwide. The Personal Care segment includes business in the mass skin care, daily hair care and deodorants product areas. These products are sold under Dove, Lux, Rexona, Sunsilk, Axe and Ponds, Suave, Clear, Lifebuoy, Vaseline, Signal and Close Up. Its Home Care segment includes laundry products such as tablets, powders and liquids for washing of clothes by hand or machine. It also offers soap bars. In this segment, the principal brands are Omo, Surf, Comfort, Radiant, Skip and Snuggle. The household care products include surface cleaners and bleach that are marketed under the Cif, Domestos and Sun/Sunlight brands. The companys new products include Dove pro-age range of products, Dove Summer Glow self-tanning and body lotions, Clear antidandruff shampoo and Small Mighty concentrated liquid laundry detergents. The Savoury, Dressings and Spreads segment includes sauces, soups, salad dressings, bouillons, snacks, mayonnaise, spreads, olive oil, margarines and cooking products like liquid margarines, and frozen foods. These products are sold worldwide under Calve, Knorr, Hellmanns, Becel, Flora, Wish- Bone, Rama, Blue Band, Amora, Ragu and Bertolli brands. The Ice cream and Beverages division includes ice cream, tea-based beverages, weight management products, and nutritionally enhanced products. These products are marketed worldwide under various brand names such as Magnum, Cornetto, Carte dOr and Solero, Walls, Kibon, Ola and Algida, Ben Jerrys, Breyers, Klondike and Popsicle. The tea-based beverages are sold under Lipton, Brooke Bond and PG Tips brands. The weight management products are sold under Slim-Fast, and nutritionally enhanced products are marketed under Annapurna and AdeS/Adez brands. In the the Home Care division, it holds the global number two position in laundry, with a number one position in man developing and emerging markets. The company holds global number one position in mass skin care and deodorants, and the number two position in hair care where as in oral care and household care the companys strategy is focused on strong regional and local leadership positions in selected markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America. In the Foods division, it holds number one position in savory and dressings, spreads, tea-based beverages and ice cream. Unilever is the category leader in margarine and spreads in most European countries and North America. The companys UKs foods division is the number one producer of savory and dressings business. Products and Brands Unilever owns more than 400 brands as a result of acquisitions, however, the company focuses on what are called the billion-dollar brands, 13 brands, each of which achieve annual sales in excess of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 billion. Unilevers top 25 brands account for more than 70% of sales. The brands fall almost entirely into two categories: Food and Beverages, and Home and Personal Care. Unilevers billion$ brands are Axe/Lynx Lipton Blue Band[14] Lux (soap) Dove Omo/Surf (detergent) Flora/Becel Rexona/Sure Heartbrand Sunsilk Hellmans TIGI (haircare) Knorr Products of the company are distributed through distribution centers, group-operated facilities, satellite warehouses, and public storage depots, wholesalers, independent grocery stores, co-operatives, and various food service providers. Unilever invests around EUR 1 billion in research and development activities through five laboratories to develop new products and technologies. Geographic Presence Unilever has geographically diversified operations. It is engaged in manufacturing and distributing foods, home care and personal care products. Its products are sold in more than 150 countries which include Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. During the fiscal year 2008, the company generated 32% revenue from Western Europe, 32% from the Americas and 36% from the Asia, Africa and Central Eastern Europe. It is the category leader in margarine and spreads in most European countries and North America. The companys UKs foods division is the number one producer of savory and dressings business. Thus, wide geographic presence decreases the business risk of the company. This also acts as an easy way for the expansion plans of the company, as wider reach in terms of geography would mean reaping more benefits eventually improving the profit margins, attaining economies of scale and recognition on a worldwide basis. following are the name of some of the countries with Unilevers presences. Ireland Sudan Italy Sweden Japan Switzerland Pakistan Thailand Singapore Tunisia Spain United States Sri lanka United Kingdom Industry Comparison Revenue Growth Rate The companys compounded annual growth rate for revenue was 1.39% during 2005-2009. This was below the SP 500 companies average* of 9.67%. A lower than sector average* revenue CAGR may indicate that the company has underperformed the average sector growth and lost market share over the last years. The companys underperformance could be attributed to a weak competitive position or inferior products and services offering or lack of innovative products and services. Return on Equity The companys return on equity (ROE) was 30.62% for fiscal year 2009. This was above the SP 500 companies average* of 18.69%. A higher than sector average ROE indicate that the company is efficiently using the shareholders money and that it is generating high returns for its shareholders compared to other companies in the sector. Operating Profit Margin The companys operating margin was 12.91% for the fiscal year 2009. This was below the SP 500 companies average* of 18.74%. A lower than sector average* operating margin may indicate inefficient cost management or a weak pricing strategy by the company. Financial Analysis Instead of 2 year analysis of the financial position of the company analysis is performed on a five year data as this will provided with better coverage of the companies performance. Current ratio Current ratio of the company has been on the rising trend since 2005. Current ratio of the company has increased from 0.75 time in 2005 to 0.93 times in 2009. This trend shows that the company is moving toward a stable liquidity position. Whereas, in comparison to the averages of the industry trend and S P 500 companies Unilever is not able to maintain sound current ratio. Currently industry averages at around 1.53 times whereas; SP 500 companies averages around 1.91 times. This is almost as double to where Unilever currently stands. Quick ratio Quick ratio of the company has shown similar rising trend as that of current ratio. Quick ratio of the company has moved to 0.5 times in 2009, which is a rise of approximately 35% during the five year period (2005: 0.37 times). This ratio of the company is quite close to the industry averages (i.e., 0.78 times), whereas, SP 500 companies quick ratio averages to around 1.36 times. Considering the rising trend of the company, it appears that its liquidity position will improve in the near future to meet the industry averages. Gross Profit margin Gross Profit margin of the company has shown a mix trend over the years. During the period from 2005-2009 gross profit margin of the company stood at 48.32%, fall of just 2%. This shows that the company is in a stable position as it is able to stay consistent in maintaining its Gross Profit Margin. On the other hand, Industry average stands at 44.72%. Being on the higher side of the industry shows that the company is able to effectively manage its cost and pricing policies. Net Profit Margin Similar to the Gross profit margin, net profit margin of the company has shown a mix trend. On average the net profit margin of the company has increased by 4% during the 5 year period to 8.46% in 2009. This is higher then what the industry average is (Industry average: 7.25%). On the other hand SP 500 companies average net profit margin to approximately 12.59%, showing that the company is not meeting the SP 500 companies standards. Return on Assets Return on assets of the company has shown an increasing trend during the 5 year period. During the said period, ROA increased to approximately 10% in 2009 from 8.74% in 2005, this is a rise of 14%. In comparison, the industry averages the return on assets at around 7.71% and SP 500 averages assets at around 7.91%. This shows that the company is able to used the employed assets efficiently and effectively then what the normal industry trend depicts. FINANCING STRUCTURE Unilever PLC is a highly un-geared company. Its total debt to total equity ratio stood at only 0.82 in 2009, which is a decline of around 46% during the 5 year period (2005: 1.51). Similar fall in the total debt to total capital ratio was observed, which fell by approximately 25% to 0.45 in 2009. On the other hand a slight increase of just 9% was observed in the Long term debt to total capital of the company during the same five year period. In contrast to the leverage ratios, a significant fall in the payout ratio was observed. Payout ratio of the company fell from 61.37% in 2005 to just 38.54% in 2009. This shows that currently the company is in the phase of financing its activities from its retained earnings instead of taking long or short term financing. In comparison to a competitor Reckitt Benckiser Group, the leverage of this company is similar to the leverage of Unilever PLC. During the year 2009, Total Debt to Total Equity ratio Reckitt Benckiser Group is only 0.82. Payout ratio of the Reckitt Benckiser is 50.28% in 2009, which is higher than that of Unilever PLC, representing the fact that Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc is utilizing higher portion of its retained earnings as compared to Unilever Plc In comparison with the industry trends, average total debt to equity is approximately 1.16 times whereas, as per SP 500 it is around 0.73. In view of these average industry and sector trends, company is performing quite well. On the other hand, companys payout ratio is on the higher side when compared to the industry and SP 500 averages. Average industrys payout is almost is 42% whereas, average payout as per SP 500 is 28.82%. This shows that company is not availing its short term financing options. Taking up these short term financing will release some pressure from the retained earning and can be paid out to the shareholders of the company because as the low payout trend of the industry indicates that the shareholders are prone to short term gains in comparison to long term capital gains. 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Unilever PLC Total Debt/Equity 0.82 1.1 0.77 0.78 1.51 Long Term Debt/Total Capital 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.22 0.32 Total Debt/Total Capital 0.45 0.52 0.44 0.44 0.6 Payout Ratio 38.54% 43.04% 56.62% 83.71% 61.37% Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc Total Debt/Equity 0.03 0.48 0.21 0.53 0.09 Long Term Debt/Total Capital (?) 0 0 0 0 0.04 Total Debt/Total Capital (?) 0.03 0.32 0.17 0.35 0.08 Payout Ratio (?) 50.28% 50.76% 41.93% 48.65% 42.39% WEIGHTED AVERAGE COST OF CAPITAL As discussed in the above section, Unilever PLC has a very low (nominal) gearing of 0.35%. Virtually the company is debt free; hence cost of equity of the company will be its weighted average cost of capital. In order to calculate Cost of Equity of Unilever PLC Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) has been used. Beta for the company has been taken from the Dow Jones Report, which is 0.76 whereas; many technical issues were presents when indentifying risk free rate (Rf) and risk premium (Rm-Rf). Hence, the risk free rate and the market rate (Rm) are assumed to be 8% and 12% respectively for the purpose of this calculation. Cost of Equity = Rf + (Rm-Rf)b Cost of Equity = 8% + (12% 8%) 0.76 Cost of Equity = 11.04% Here, Cost of Equity = = WACC Hence, WACC = 11.04% NEW PROJECT Project Description Company has recently conducted a market survey for deodorant target only toward a young generation. Evaluation of the investment proposal to manufacture product XARI was performed. The product has performed well in test marketing trials conducted recently by the research and marketing department of the company. Key Elements of Project Initial investment cost Evidences for the initial investment cost can be found from various sources, research reports related to the particular industry, information from the companies which have recently invested in the respective sectors can prove quite useful, internal budget preparation etc. Annual revenues / operating costs Evidences of independent annual revenues and operating cost can be also be found from various sources, demand and supply of the particular products and projected by various research houses such as Business Monitor, by analyzing past trends of the company and peer analysis of the companies already operating in the industry/segments Rates of inflation Information related to the past and future rates related to inflation can be found in abundance. In addition to the government bodies, numerous independent research houses provided forecasted/projected inflation rates of different countries. These rates are calculated after critically analyzing and assessing various factors that affect the inflation rates. Report from Economic Intelligence Unit is one of the research houses which provides rates of inflation, both past trends as well as forecasted for different countries. Rates of taxation, and tax reliefs and allowances Best sources for finding information related rates of taxation and tax reliefs and allowance is to go through government regulated bodies. Legal regulations related to tax and updates in the upcoming changes can be found on government operated website and accurate and up to date information related to any legal issue is available there. Risk and Uncertainty After a through research I came to the conclusion that identification of risks is best done by a sequential manner. Firstly brainstorming exercise was done with some colleague of mine in order to evaluate what factors ,both beneficial and adverse, can be faced by the new project that the company was going to undertake. This exercise was purely for the identification of the risk that the project might face during the tenor of its operations. After my initial task of risk identification I assessed the likelihood of the occurrence of that risk and categorized them on the scale of high, medium and low. Then I assessed the consequences of each of risk if they occurred and whether, there occurrence will have a major impact on the operation of the company or its future prospect or not. Risks with low chances of occurrence and low negative impact were ignored and emphasis was placed on the risks that have high chances of occurrence or which could have measurable impact on the companys performance. This risk was than further classified into quantifiable and non-quantifiable risk (uncertainty). The impact of the quantifiable risk, such as rate of inflation, increase in the cost of raw material, fall in demand of the product etc, were incorporated when calculating the Net Present Value of the Project. Uncertainties such as war, political instability, change in government regulation etc, were a bit hard to incorporate. In order to overcome these problems sensitivity analysis was used. Via Sensitivity Analysis result of the project are categorized into three possible outcomes Best Case Scenario, Moderate Case Scenario and Worst Case Scenario. These 3 cases will show the performance of the company in the two most extremes situations that the company might operate. Result should then be interpreted keeping in mind of all the expected scenarios. Net Present Value After the successful test, following information has been prepared by me in order to assess the viability of the project. The research team has prepared the following forecasted demand of the product along with that various other variables such as selling prices and inflation rate are also estimated. These forecasts reflect, along with others, the expected life of the products, change in the economic conditions in the long run etc. Weighted average cost of capital has been calculated as above at 11.04%. The product has no terminal value at the end of four year. NPV of the project with respect to the following data is almost about 348,578 pounds Forecasted Information for Product XARI Initial Investment 2 million Pounds Selling Price (Current Price) 20 pound/unit Expected Inflation in Selling Price 3% per year Variable operating cost 8 pound/unit Fixed Operating Cost 170,000 per yar Tax Rate 30% Year 1 2 3 4 Demand (units) 60,000 70,000 120,000 45,000 Quarterly Report It appears that the company has performed reasonable well when compared to the forecast that the management prepared. Minor variances were witnessed by the company in most aspect of the project. Initial investment of the company exceed by just 100,000 pound. Company just sold 100 less units in first quarter as compared to the forecasted data. The reason for this relate to the factor that market awareness was not created by the company as it incurred less operating cost as anticipated. Company managed to sell units at a selling price 15% more the forecasted price. On the other 13% more cost was incurred on each unit than was projected. The reason for such a change could relate to the fact that the company underestimated the price of it project, and once market started to accept the product its selling price increased