Was Brutus A Tragic Hero - 772 Words

Do you believe that brutus was just a backstabbing friend, or really a tragic hero? Marcus Brutus from William Shakespeare’s, Julius Caesar, was a tragic hero in my opinion. I am going to try and convince you that he was and why he was a tragic hero in this essay. Brutus meets all of the criteria of a tragic hero. He is arguably the protagonist of the play; he has a fatal flaw that leads to his downfall, which he cannot recover from. He had good qualities like patriotism, and he was honorable. His tragic flaw was also one of his good qualities, he was honorable. He killed someone he loved for the good of his country. Brutus also killed himself for honor. In the following paragraphs I will be explaining all of this. My first point in this†¦show more content†¦Brutus was an honorable man. He died for his honor, and as I mentioned before, he killed Julius Caesar whom he loved for Rome. I believe that is very honorable. Brutus killed Julius Caesar. It was a selfless deed . He had no personal issues with Caesar. Brutus killed Caesar purely for the wellbeing of others. He even states that he doesn’t have a problem with caesar, â€Å"I would not, Cassius. Yet I love him well.†(Act 1. Scene 2), here he is responding to Cassius’s question, â€Å"Ay, do you fear it? Then must I think you would not have it so.†(Act 1. Scene 2). Cassius is asking if Brutus wants Caesar to be king, brutus does not think he is a good king but likes him as a person. Brutus killed himself for his honor. In the beginning he states, â€Å"For let the gods so speed me as I love The name of honor more than I fear death.† (Act 1. Scene 2). Brutus is saying that he would rather die than to have no honor. In the end of the play Brutus does kill himself. He does this so no one else can say that they killed him. He wants to keep his honor even in death. He asked a few of his friends to help but they wouldn’t. When he finally got someone to help him he said, â€Å"Farewell, good Strato. (runs on his sword) Caesar, now be still. I killed not thee with half so good a will. (dies)†(Act 5. Scene 5). He is saying that it is easier to kill himself than it was to kill Caesar. He knows he is going to get caught and killed anyway so he decides to kill himself. No one else can take credit forShow MoreRelatedDoes Brutus â€Å"Qualify† as a Tragic Hero?873 Words   |  4 PagesDoes Brutus â€Å"qualify† as a tragic hero? Marcus Brutus does qualify as the tragic hero in Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. A tragic hero is a good or even great man and thus wins our sympathy causing catharsis. A tragic hero displays hamartia— the hero makes a mistake causing the downfall of his fortune. A tragic hero usually brings suffering and death to other characters, even a whole country. Finally, a tragic hero goes into a situation in which there is no gettingRead MoreJulius Caesar: Who is the Better Tragic Hero, Caesar or Brutus?1446 Words   |  6 PagesThe Search for the Perfect Hero In the world today people consider a hero to be someone like Superman or Spider-Man. In the dictionary a hero is considered or defined as a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities. Though a hero is thought to be free of mistakes they all have tragic flaws like everyone else. A tragic flaw is explained by Aristotle’s definition, which says that: a tragic hero as a character of great reputation and prosperity whoseRead More Marcus Brutus as Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar Essays735 Words   |  3 PagesMarcus Brutus as Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar      Ã‚   In many stories there is a tragic hero. The hero finds out about himself and the people around him in the story. In Shakespeares play, Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus is the tragic hero. The play Julius Caesar is about politics and betrayal in ancient Rome. Brutus is part of the senate, which is below Caesar, who is soon to be crowned. The senate wants to overthrow Caesar to save Rome. To do this the senate has to get BrutusRead MoreEssay about Brutus: Tragic Hero in Julius Caesar815 Words   |  4 PagesB.C. Brutus, along with seven other conspirators, assassinate Caesar to prevent him from becoming king. The Romans then wage war with these conspirators, and all eight are either murdered, or commit suicide. At this point in the play, the audience realizes who the tragic hero is. A tragic hero is a character in a high social standing who causes his/her own downfall. The hero becomes enlightened of his/her mistakes, which causes the reader to feel sympathy for this person . Therefore, Brutus can beRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar919 Words   |  4 PagesWickingson HELA10, Hour 7 Mrs. Beren 8 December 2014 A hero has many attributes and characteristics that can both positively and negatively affect them. A hero can then be considered a tragic hero through the choices that eventually bring about their demise. At first glance, Caesar may appear to be the tragic hero, when the real tragedy actually lies in Brutus’s story in William Shakespeare s play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. One tray a tragic hero must posses is that they are relatable. The play mayRead MoreMarcus Brutus as a Tragic Hero Essay1002 Words   |  5 Pages A tragic hero in Shakespearean literature is understood as a noble and heroic character who makes a series of bad decisions based on his bad judgment that leads to his downfall and eventually death. In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, the tragic hero is Marcus Brutus, a powerful Roman senator who joins a conspiracy to assassinate the Roman ruler, Julius Caesar. Marcus Brutus is a tragic hero because of his noble reputation, his moral personality, the cathartic experience that the audienceRead MoreMarcus Brutus as the Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar1267 Words   |  6 PagesBrutus as the Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Julius Caesar Because of Shakespeares popularity among scholars and literary critics, his plays have been studied time after time. In the four hundred or so years since they were written, Shakespeares plays and other literary masterpieces have been categorized. Many of them, including Shakespeares portrayal of Julius Caesars murder and the resulting events for Rome and for Caesars conspirators, have been put into the tragedies category. AccordingRead MoreJulius Caesar and Other Shakespearian Tragedies810 Words   |  3 Pagesusually have a well-defined tragic hero. According to Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, a tragic hero is a character of high rank and nobility, exhibits a tragic flaw, and recognizes how his actions led to his eventual downfall. William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar incited a century old argument over who really deserves the title of â€Å"The Tragic Hero.† Many argue that Caesar is the tragic hero. However, I believe that Brutus should hold the title of tragic hero because he is a noble andRead MoreMarcus Brutus: The Tragic Hero Of Julius Ceasar972 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.†(Aristotle). It should be noted that the Heroes downfall is his own fault as a result of his own free will, At times his death is seen as a waste of human potential. His death usually is not a pure loss, because it results in greater knowledge and awareness. In Julius Ceasar, William Shakespeare develops Marcus Brutus as the Tragic Hero whose ambition and naivety in his blind confidence in the nobility of man sparked guidanceRead More Brutus is the Tragic Hero of Julius Caesar Essay858 Words   |  4 PagesBrutus is the Tragic Hero of Julius Caesar      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeares play Julius Caesar is a tragic play, where the renowned Julius Caesar is on the brink of achieving total control and power by becoming emperor of the Roman Empire. Ironically enough, when he thinks he is one step away from pulling it off, his friends (most from the senate) decide to overthrow him, with Caesars most trusted friend, Marcus Brutus, acting as leader of the conspirators. Though the fall of Caesar from the most

Accounting Standards in China and Australia Free Essays

Until recently, China has used a set of accounting standards that were quite unique in their records.   These standards were the legacy of a socialist period in Chinese history and rather than keeping records of loss and profit for a corporation operating in China, they mainly concerned themselves with keeping track of all of the assets available to the corporation. By not keeping close tabs on the debts that a corporation owes, the accounting standards in China have long been considered lax by the outside world and have hindered international companies who wish to have headquarters in China. We will write a custom essay sample on Accounting Standards in China and Australia or any similar topic only for you Order Now For instance, a corporation in China with holdings internationally, such as in the United States, must create end of the year accounting reports using the Chinese Accounting Standards, another set using the International Accounting Standards, and a third using the North American Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, creating an overload of work and an extreme cost to the corporation. Recently the Finance Department of Chinese Government has begun a process which will translate the current Chinese accounting methods from their archaic status to where they will more closely mirror the International Accounting Standards which incorporate the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Previous to this decision to reform the way that Chinese corporations report their accounts, the Chinese system involved simply classification of ownership, industry, and government, giving companies an extreme amount of leeway in the ways in which they conducted business.   Now the Chinese government has instituted that each corporation must keep track of all debits and credits, report manufacturing costs as well as capital maintenance, and provide yearly financial statements. The first true accounting standards in China were implemented in 1997 and changes continue to be made to bring the country’s financial practices up to date.   Currently this transformation is still in progress, so any foreign company with a subsidiary in China must still comply with not only their country’s accounting practices but also with the Chinese straight line accounting practices which allow for a much slower depreciation of capitalized assets. For those wishing to not use the straight line method, the only way to use an accelerated accounting method with regards to Chinese holdings is to receive explicit permission from the Ministry of Finance.   Another difference in Chinese accounting methods is the difference in tax deductibility. For instance, China charges significant tax charges on intercompany transactions and treats transfer pricing of the upmost importance in order to receive a large cut of international taxes.   Incorrect interpretation of Chinese tax laws can lead to severe fines for corporations. In Australia, the corporate accounting practices previously used have also come under fire in previous years for being widely different from internationally accepted accounting standards.   In response, Australia began to work the internationally accepted accounting principles into their current system, effective January 1, 2000, and have also developed the Financial Reporting Council which is responsible for overseeing the accounting practices of both   public and private corporations operating in Australia. The previously lax Australian reporting standards which did not require corporations to conform to one specific type of accounting practices nor give stringent guidelines in so far as what reports were required by the government are being phased out by the International accounting standards which allow Australia to develop along with the global economy. Australia has also instituted an Australian Accounting Standards Boards to periodically re-evaluate corporate accounting practices in Australia as well as enforce the new standards being phased in.   Australia is working to harmonize their standards with those of the International Accounting Standards Committee and is also a part of the G4+1 global group which monitors the setting of international accounting standards. Works Cited Australian Government. (2009, May 5). Australian Accounting Standards Board. Retrieved May 5, 2009, from Australian Accounting Standards Board: http://www.aasb.com.au/Home.aspx China Accounting Standards. (2007, February 15). Retrieved May 5, 2009, from China Orbit: http://www.chinaorbit.com/china-economy/chinese-accounting-standards.html Lehman Brown. (2009, February 12). Chinese Accounting FAQ. Retrieved 5 May, 2009, from Lehman Brown: http://www.lehmanbrown.com/FAQ-Acc.htm Queensland University of Technology. (2008, June 15). Accounting Standards. Retrieved May 5, 2009, from Queensland University of Technology Library: http://www.library.qut.edu.au/learn/type/accountingstandards.jsp    How to cite Accounting Standards in China and Australia, Papers

Oil Industry Essay Example For Students

Oil Industry Essay The oil industry can not be discussed without mentioning the name John D. Rockefeller. Rockefeller changed the business of oil distribution. In the 19th century Rockefeller began his humble beginnings with a small investment, along with two other partners, in the oil refining business. Eventually Rockefeller upset at the direction of the company bought out his partners. He was now buying into refining and developing kerosene and other petroleum-based products. He later named this company The Standard Oil Company which by 1872 nearly owned all the oil refineries in Cleveland. In 1882, Rockefeller took all his holdings and merged them into the Standard Oil Trust. Through smart business practices and some deception, Rockefeller was able to control three-fourths of the petroleum industry by the 1900’s. After his retirement the company faced problems. (Rockefeller archive) The U.S. government believed that the Standard Oil Trust was a monopoly and ordered its breakup much like the process that is taking place today with Microsoft. With the government eventually breaking up the trust into thirty-eight companies, the world of petroleum products was about to change. Few companies could survive. They lacked focus and sustainability, basically they needed a strategic plan. When first broken up the companies needed to sever from their Standard ties while remaining a brand name that people recognized. With so much competition one company had to find an edge over the other. They needed to be the low-cost leader in the industry. Out of this struggle is where three of the biggest oil companies emerged. They are Exxon, Mobil and Chevron. With the breakup of the Standard Oil Trust also came a great opportunity for a foreign company to compete. Though Europe was battling some of the same problems that Standard Oil had, a few companies were able to break into the U.S market. Though it took many years to get in British Petroleum was able to start with a selective group of stations and build from there. BP, Chevron, and Exxon Mobile today make up three of the biggest in the oil industry. (Chevron Official Website)These three companies have all been created by many purchases and mergers over the last hundred years and must be described to have a better understanding. It was the demand for low oil prices, convenience, and superior quality that led to the companies tremendous growth in the last century. Out of the Standard Oil Trust breakup came two companies named Standard Oil of New Jersey and Standard Oil of New York otherwise known as Sonoco. Since they were not allowed to use the Standard name in territories given to the other breakup companies they had to change the name of their brand. They would market their gas under the name Esso and Mobilgas with the Standard label still displayed on their signs. With this increased competition Jersey Standard and Socony were forced to focus on quality and a low cost. To achieve this low cost they purchased interests in overseas oil mostly in the Middle East. Both these companies also were able to compete in overseas markets in Europe and Asia. With the take off of the car, the gasoline industry was booming. Both suffered from fierce competition. However Jersey and Socony had a greater ability to build up their resources. They used their interests in the Middle East to become a low cost producer as well as increase production with pipelin es and expansion. (ExxonMobil Official Website) Jersey Standard realized early on to stay in this industry it was going to have to be competitive in every market. They built the company up through mergers and large acquisitions. They bought over fifty percent interests in a competitor named Humble Oil, a Texas company. This increased their contacts with suppliers because Humble had a series of pipelines and was a huge transporter of oil. They also had many oil refineries in Texas. Socony was able to merge with an original Standard Oil Trust company named Vacuum. This helped their brand because it was able to not only merge with a competitor but lessen the number of companies using the Standard name. They marketed their Mobilgas in Vacuum properties and the brand symbol became the red wing horse. Both companies struggled in distribution. They both had plenty of interests in oil fields outside the U.S. but very few markets there. Jersey and Sucony decided on a fifty- fifty joint venture in about fifty countries. This marked the first time these companies worked together since the days of the Standard Oil Trust. By 1935 though expansion abroad was decreasing with the rise of WWII. The companies were forced to focus on supplying the Allied war effort. Jersey Standard focused on differentiating itself with their new technology of boosting fuel octane. With the ability to test such technologies in the military the Jersey Company was able to grow at a rapid rate. These technologies were introduced to the market at a tremendous success. This increased the revenues at Jersey, which also increased their reputation as being a quality brand. They were selling their gas at a lower cost then any other competitor with their new technologies. Jersey started advertising on TV for the first t ime. They developed a mascot that was to been seen at every Jersey/Esso station around the world. This mascot was a tiger. People were able to identify the Jersey/Esso name by the tiger for the first time. They achieved brand recognition. Socony achieved technological success too as well. They created new synthetic lubricants. These technologies help them increase their product line. They now had something other competitors didn’t have. Socony focused on their new products to achieve a cost advantage. They had achieved product differences from their competitor while discovering brand identity. Sucony started using their mascot on more advertisements. The red winged horse soon would identify them. After the war the companies focused on their foreign markets more. In addition, they started finding new ways to use oil and oil BI-products. Both companies developed chemicals with new technologies. Socony created a chemical company called Mobil Chemical Company in 1963. With this new company Sucony became the first to produce such products. This gave them low costs to establishing the brand since they were first. Jersey was not far behind with their chemical company in 1965, the Exxon Chemical Company. Both chemical companies dealt with such products as olefins, aromatics, polyethylene and process fluids. They both had manufacturing locations in several countries, which increased their buyer power, and they were able to be closer to some of their suppliers. In 1966 the Socony-Vaccum Company changed its name to Mobil Oil Co. and Mobil Oil become its wholly owned subsidiary. Jersey followed suit with the change of their name in 1972 to Exxon in the U.S. and foreign markets to Esso. W ith the change of their name both companies where able to tie all the mergers and acquisitions under one name. This in turn would help their brand identity. (ExxonMobil Official Website)In the 1970’s came the oil embargo of Iran. This rocked Exxon and Mobil with rocketed prices and disruption in the companies’ suppliers. Also the companies were not free to develop new products to maintain their competitive advantage. Mobil and Exxon were forced to look for other oil opportunities around the world. They found new oil developments in the Gulf of Mexico as well as Africa and Asia. At the end of the embargo and the decade oil was in surplus. Both companies competed with very low costs to the consumer. They both would continue to compete against each other with very low prices. Competitiveness was worldwide now and new costs were arising with expansion. Exxon and Mobil used their new profits to continue to market new products and extend into high growth areas. Today the oil industry has changed rapidly to only a few companies. To compete in the markets Exxon and Mobil decided to merge with each other and become the number one oil company in 1998. Both companies’ had massive supplies of oil interests around the world along with its hundreds of markets across the world. They became the number one low cost producers in the world today. ExxonMobil accomplished this by having the most suppliers, the ability to save cost by merging their similar departments together, faster delivery time, and the focus on providing the customer with quality, efficient, low price products. Overall ExxonMobil has shown to have powerful strategies and commands the lead in market share in the oil industry. With the new merger ExxonMobil revenue is over 35 billion dollars more then its closest competitor. ExxonMobil has a net income of almost 8 billion dollars in 1999. Though they have had a decrease from a year ago in income they have determined it has come from the rise in crude oil prices. This has little affect on the future, as more then likely crude oil will eventually fall. (ExxonMobil Official Website)The Chevron Co. also is a company broken off of the Standard Oil Company. Chevron started out as the Standard Oil Company of California or Socal. Socal was the first oil refining company to have a gas station. They made it so customers no longer had to service their car with buckets of gasoline from a dry goods store. Socal developed large tanks of gas with a garden hose to fill your tank. They were also the first to use a rain-blocking canopy, which was the first example of customer amenity. (Chevron Official Website) With increased business, profits took off. More stations where built across the U.S. Today there stands over 200,000 stations in the U.S. alone. In 1926 Socal merged with Pacific Oil Company to increase market growth. With the merger Socal increased its competitiveness with other companies. Socal used the new capital from the mer ger to establish Bahrain Petroleum Company where they struck oil in 1932. They also invested in oil discoveries in Saudi Arabia. By 1936 Socal was ready to invest in other parts of the world. But they needed help from a competitor. They ventured into a partnership with Texaco, which brought in new markets in Asia, Africa and Europe. Still looking to stay competitive in the oil industry they continued expansion in the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea after WWII. Through mergers Socal reached across the U.S. and established new markets competing against former Standard Oil Trust companies including Socony and Jersey. Socal marketed with the Standard name in its territories but used Chevron name in new acquisitions. (Chevron Official Website) Along the way Socal started to distinguish itself from the rest of the competition. They started adding gardens or fruit markets to attract more customers. They added vending machines to keep the customers occupied while filling up. It took over 8 minutes to fill a tank back then. They also provided customers content by washing their windows, checking their oil and maybe even cranking their engine. Eventually their competition caught on and started to duplicate the Socal ideasWith new technologies Socal increased its brand identity and lowered its costs in many markets. Socal later was concerned of not having many markets on northeast side of the U.S. coast. So in 1984 Socal bought Gulf Corp. and restructured. Out of the restructuring Socal decided to change all their markets to the Chevron name. Markets where Chevron and Gulf competed where sold to BP. Most of these markets are in the southeast. (Chevron Official Website) With the new name and increased market growth Chevron lowered their costs. They gained new suppliers through the acquisitions and have been able to have a competitive advantage with their focus in the northeast. Chevron over the years has moved into over twenty-five countries. Many of these countries are w here they have their suppliers. They have used these suppliers to supply them with low cost oil, which in turn has provided them the ability to offer their customers low prices. However, Chevron was late in getting into the international market place and does not have as many markets as leader ExxonMobil. Chevron has struggled over the years to compete with Exxon and Mobil and with their merger they faced trouble. Chevron knew in order to survive, they were going to have to find away to stay competitive. In 1999 they started talks with rival Texaco about plans for a merger. Today they have come to an agreement to merge and are on their way to a post merger company. This merger could be right in time. Chevron though not failing is clearly suffering in the last few years. It is unable to gain market share on ExxonMobil. They have been out sold the last two years buy over 60 billion each year. Their profits are still high but they have been unable to compete with the giant ExxonMobil. Until this merger is complete we have little fact that shows Chevron will ever be able to compete with ExxonMobil. They are by all means stuck in the middle. They lack the focus or the market share to compete in today’s oil industry. If they plan at making a run at ExxonMobil they will need this merger with Texaco to give it some life. British Petroleum or BP, based out of Britain, is one of the leading oil and petrochemical companies in the world. A guy named William Knox D’Arcy who had invested in oil interests in Iran at the turn of the century created BP. With little skilled workers and working in a country with out a strong government he was faced with many difficulties. It took D’Arcy over 8 years to eventually find oil in Iran. (BP Official Website) This was the beginning of oil exploration in the Middle East. By 1917 D’Arcy was retired and replaced by Charles Greenway as head of the company. Under Greenway BP avoided falling under the dominance of the Royal Dutch-Shell Co. But to stay competitive Greenway needed to find new capital and new markets to distribute its oil. Their first big customer was the Royal Navy. The government injected much needed capital into the company. The increase was huge, as the British government would enter WWI and later WWII. Between the two wars BP was able to grow with huge success. They marketed by new methods, which included roadside gas stations instead of cans of gas. They also entered into supplying gasoline for airplanes and massive ships. (BP Official Website) BP ended up exploring Canada, Africa and Europe looking for new oil and building new refineries. When Greenway retired in 1923 he released his main strategic goal. He wanted to establish BP as the worlds largest Oil Company but not only in gasoline and oil but also with presence in every phase of oil production. (BP Corp. Annual Report, 1999) From this, new products were developed and new chemicals were made. After the war the companies sales and profits had risen tremendously as well as employment and capital expenditure. They also had the largest oil refinery in the world and Iran was the leading oil producing Middle East country. Animal Cruelty leads to Human EssayToday when you go to the service station you can get your windows washed, pick up a drink or snack, or play the lottery. They have made it a one-stop shop. Exxon has expanded its TigerMarkets worldwide. They offer services no other company does. They have also marketed their stations at a better pace then their competitors. One other plus that Exxon has had in the past few years is negotiate with the Walt Disney Company to be the one and only gas station on Disney property. With the amount of people and cars that Disney parks see it is know wonder ExxonMobil has become the number one service station in the world. Technology has been the competitive advantage for ExxonMobil. They have come up with more technologies then any of their competitors. They offered their customers more choices at a regular basis then Chevron or BP. Exxon was the first into lubricants, and to test higher octane fuels. They also were the first to enter the market in petroch emicals. They have beaten their competitors at every turn. The reason that ExxonMobil is number one is because they never stopped competing. ExxonMobil has gone out to find the best suppliers. They have invented skyscraper-drilling platforms for the ocean looking for every competitive advantage. BP and Chevron took years before they were able to catch up in ocean drilling. Exxon was also tested and completed almost zero-emissions in lubricants and fuels. New technology is ExxonMobils competitive advantage. (ExxonMobil Official Website) ExxonMobil’s strategy is to be the leader in new technologies now and in the future. The U.S. has recently seen record growth in the last decade and has improved the oil industry tremendously. In the nineties oil prices reached lower prices then we have seen in a long time thanks to the drop in price in crude oil. People were able to travel more often because of the cheapness of the gas prices. Now it was the job of ExxonMobil, Chevron, and BP to get them to choose their gas. When you go to get gas you usually find gas stations on more then one corner. More then likely is the price is the same as the competitor. So to differentiate themselves from the other the companies they needed to try new things. Discussed earlier are the company’s strategic plans to draw customers. ExxonMobil established this plan the best. What also helped them was their market share. ExxonMobil market share is more then double their nearest competitor. They have more service stations per area then the rest. In 1999 ExxonMobil had net income of 8.1 billion dollars compared to Chevronâ⠂¬â„¢s 2 billion and BP’s 5 billion dollars. With Chevron’s acquisition of Texaco it clearly showing that it needed to find away to gain the market share that ExxonMobil has. The merger has not cleared yet but it should soon be and make Chevron move up from the fourth largest oil company in the world. Without this merger Chevron will never be able to compete with the giants ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell. (Chevron Official Website)ExxonMobil is clearly the giant when it comes to marketing their product. They have adopted a mascot to identify their company. The Tiger mascot first started appearing in the early 1900’s and it is known all around the world today. The ExxonMobil tiger ranks up there with Ronald McDonald, and Mickey Mouse. As the oil industry becomes more competitive with recent mergers the need for an effective marketing strategy increases. Exxon has increased there spending on marketing in the last few years to acknowledge the merger with Mobil. They mus t let the customers know that Exxon and Mobil are one now and they will deliver the same great quality. BP has a similar situation with the merge with Amoco. They have had trouble though marketing an American product. They do not have any catchy slogans or a mascot. In fact until very recently BP never had a definite symbol to represent its interests in the U.S. They have used the names NOCO, ARCO and Amoco until recently going to BPAmoco. Under one name they should be able to establish an identity. They must increase awareness to their customers by a full marketing campaign, which they have not done. Chevron is recognizable around the world for its bars underneath their name. They are the old Standard symbols. Chevron now has to work on a new marketing scheme to emphasis its merger with Texaco. They will be entering into new markets and must establish a name. They will have the advantage of the popularity of Texaco as a convenient service station. Texaco’s stations are some of the fastest stations to get out of. They have the newest state of the art technologies to pump the customer’s gas quicker and check them out faster. Chevron must hold on to Texaco’s loyal customers who hold Texaco spending cards. (Chevron Official Website)What all the oil companies have done has released smart cards to encourage customer loyalty. This card is kind of like a lot of the grocery stores new bonus cards. Each service station will offer you a card that can be used to pay your gas bill but also you may be allowed to purchase food and merchandise in the quickmart. They also offer the chance to receive rewards for using their cards. ExxonMobil has developed the best card and seems to be the most popular today. One reason for this is wherever you go around the country you will find an ExxonMobil. This helps the customer because they believe their card will be valid everywhere and it will. ExxonMobil also has come up with many promotions to get customers into their stations. They have given away basketballs and t-shirts along with other stuff. While most gas stations also do this they do not have the marketing exposure that ExxonMobil has. ExxonMobil clearly has the marketing advantage over its rivals. Chevron has a chance to gain share when the final merge with Texaco takes place. (Chevron annual report, 1999) As far as BP goes with only being in the U.S. market for 12 years they have a long way to go. If they ever want to compete in the U.S. and overtake ExxonMobil they must market better. In this highly competitive industry sustainability is a difficult task. Chevron saw that it was losing the battle so they orchestrated a merge. If they did not initiate this in all likely hood they would be bought out or dismantled. ExxonMobil has proved to be the low cost provider with its new technologies and new suppliers from around the world. ExxonMobil has seen its revenues go up some 25% in the last year. While Chevron has seen 52% and BP has seen 77%. It might seem that Exxon is falling behind but really the other companies are making a strong push to be competitive for the first time. BP has gone through major restructuring and has made productivity improvements. While Chevron has seen there products help boost them up and some decreased operating expenses. Every company was helped by the increasing price of crude oil. ExxonMobil has seen the rise in competition in the last years and has developed a strategy to continue success. They include:1.)Maximize profitability of existing oil and gas productions2.)Identify and pursue all attractive exploration opportunities3.)Invest in projects that deliver superior returns4.)Capitalize on growing natural gas markets.(ExxonMobil annual report, 1999)Chevron has been focusing on their recent merger with Texaco, which has still not been approved. Once the companies do merge they will establish a strategic plan. They continue to work through this business deal ready to challenge its competitors. BP has recently used a strong trading environment to gain a market advantage. They also have concentrated on their natural gas and chemical industries. To gain market share in the U.S though they are going to have to start investing more into the recently purchased Amoco. They have still not realized the full potential of the U.S market. BP clearly needs direction to over take ExxonMobil. There is little growth in the oil industry today. The oil industry has come down to four major companies competing against each other. Foreign markets determine today’s growths in the industry. Not only in finding new customers but also finding new suppliers. With oil production in the Middle East controlled by OPEC the oil industry is suffering from high oil prices, which is driving the economy down. The companies need to start to find a greater production out of none OPEC countries. (The Street.com)ExxonMobil has started using it strategic plan to go out and invest, secure, and explore new oil deposits. They have more interest today towards the natural gas solutions. They are going to start competing highly against BP. If BP is as easy as a push over in the gasoline industry ExxonMobil will have little trouble to become number one in natural gas. Chevron has made little effort to get into the natural gas market but they do have a competitive advantage in marine technology. T hey may in the future concentrate on that to gain advantages. These companies will all sustain in the markets of the future. There will always be competition in the oil industry. ExxonMobil has shown that they will continue to be number one through their strategic plan of technology. They plan to beat the other companies to next newest thing. With the merger of Chevron and Texaco, Chevron has pushed itself to the elite. Now they must put together a strategic plan to overtake the giant ExxonMobil. BP is slowly organizing itself for a major push to be number one. The future of the oil industry is clearly wide open. With all the new mergers all one company has to do is develop their strategic plan and use competitive advantages over their competitors. ExxonMobil has shown to have down that are showing the results with the largest profits ever recorded this year with 17.72 billion. (ExxonMobil annual report, 1999)Exxon has decided to look ahead into long-term benefits associated with improved capital efficiency. They will be the best business with the best opportunities around the globe. They believe they have the right explorations under way and the best portfolio in the industry. Exxon also has the most profitable petrochemical business in the world now with the merger. Chevron will now be looking for a new identity. They will have to make wise decisions in where they want to go. Do they want to compete head on with the giant ExxonMobil? Or are they content on being stuck in the middle. They have to develop a new strategic plan and differentiate themselves from other oil companies. BP has been able to gain solid ground on ExxonMobil in the last few years due to international markets. To stay competitive they must continue exploration around the world for new suppliers. However, their main concern should be identifying their U.S. strategy. They also better be on the look out for the new merger of Chevron-Texaco. If they are not careful they could be left on the side fighting for market share. Today the world is entering a period of economic adjustment and the oil industry is contributing to that. Oil prices are higher today then they have been in a long time. It has been said in the past that oil prices are tied to the economy. Does that mean that the three companies ExxonMobil, BP, and Chevron are in trouble? No they will all continue to survive. This adjustment occurs all the time and the oil industry will go on its business. In fact this will help the oil industry grow with their search around the world for new markets and new supplies. ExxonMobil has put itself in the best place to grow and prosper in the years to come. You must remember that this merger is only two years old and yet they are growing at an outstanding rate. The world has never seen the numbers that they have achieved. They have developed some of the most useful technologies and are clearly showing no sign of backing down. Today companies copy ExxonMobil’s strategic plan the time. ExxonMobil has the best market share, the biggest revenue and by far the most profits. They clearly are the standard of the oil industry. BP on the other hand has got to start developing a new strategic plan to stay competitive. They have not shown the know how to beat ExxonMobil. If they do not change they will become stuck in the middle. Chevron is opening up a whole New World right now. Nobody knows where Chevron could go. They are entering a phase that ExxonMobil was in a few years ago. They too could end up pulling off the same success as ExxonMobil. But if they come out of this new merger with out a strategy to become the best then they will surely be left at the bottom as they are now. In conclusion, of the three, ExxonMobil is the dominant company but must look out for, the growing company, Chevron. Bibliography:BIBLIOGRAPHYBP’s Corp., Official Home Page: www.bp.com. BP’s Corp. 1999 Annual Report, BP Corporation, 1999. Chevron’s Corp., Official Home Page: www.chevron.com. Chevron’s Corp. 1999 Annual Report, Chevron Corporation, 1999. ExxonMobil’s Corp., Official Home Page: www.exxon.mobil.com. ExxonMobil’s Corp. 1999 Annual Report, ExxonMobil Corporation, 1999. Haddadin, Haitham. â€Å" Stock Crash Reminds Pros of 1973-74 bear market† U.S. Market News, March 1, 2001. Park, Christopher. â€Å" S. Korea, Russia agree to strengthen oil, gas cooperation† U.S. Market News, Feb. 27,2001. Yahoo: www.rockefeller.edu/archive.ctr/jdrsrbro.html(3-1-01)Yahoo: www.leegallery.com/perjune.html (3-1-01)

Recruitment and Selection Strategies for Law Enforcement free essay sample

Focus paper Chicago, Illinois October 16, 2012 Table of Contents Chapter l. Abstract Implementation Abstract Page 4 Ill. .. . 15 VI. 17 Introduction Research 12 V. Conclusion References This paper will examine the issues of recruitment and selection that plague many police departments around the country. It seems that when the initial entry exams are offered to the public, the problem arises in the quantity and quality of the applicants that arrive to take them.The reader will have an understanding of the seasons that may be responsible. This paper will examine what some police departments, as well as businesses in the private sector, have done to correct the problem of recruitment and selection. After an exploration of various methods, provided will be educated suggestions in improving the recruitment and selection practices of law enforcement agencies. This paper will thoroughly discuss specific approaches and their objectives. Techniques to inspire management and subordinates with recommendations will also be discussed. We will write a custom essay sample on Recruitment and Selection Strategies for Law Enforcement or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Understandably, these suggestions will come at a cost, however, this paper will describe how these cost may e counter balanced. The reader will be provided with the methods used in evaluating the strategies effectiveness. With any well-ran business or organization, recruitment and selection is pivotal in maintaining its success. However, staffing is no easy task, and this also holds true when it comes to law enforcement agencies. It is not merely sufficient to hire an adequate amount of individuals; it is necessary to hire the right ones that are capable of handling such a demanding Job.Police departments face many obstacles while recruiting and selecting their officers that are going to man their streets. While some struggle with these hurdles, other departments have taken to replenishing with ease. The public sector does not stand alone with hiring issues as private businesses have faced similar challenges. Many strategies may be utilized in the ever-lasting endeavor of recruiting and selecting. Selling these approaches can go a long way in seeing them implemented in ones agency as well as taking into consideration cost factors.Also, one must be prepared to provide a system of evaluation for any presented proposition. Research Filling openings became more difficult as they seem to have currently increased. The U. S Department of Justice [JUDOS] (2009) suggests that vacancies in police departments have risen and give the following explanation for its findings: In recent years, several factors have created an unusually high number of vacancies in police departments, according to anecdotal evidence from the field. Police officers called to active duty with military reserve units and the National Guard left their posts to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.Some veteran police officers, lured away by higher pay, separated from public service to pursue security work at big corporations or to take Alice trainer positions with contractors overseas. Officers from state and local agencies accepted positions with federal agencies that were ramping up to fight terrorism. Baby boomer officers who Joined the police force in the sass and sass began retiring in high numbers. The general view among police leaders is that recruitment has not kept pace with the changes. (p. ) Therefore, recruiters for several law enforcement agencies already find themselves in an up-hill battle. Not only do they have to deal with the increased amount of vacancies; more importantly, hey must meticulously fill these positions with the right individuals for the Job. Applicants should have an accurate understanding of what they are signing up for. When applying for occupations in the private sector, most people have an idea of what the Job entails. However, the actual details of what a profession in the law enforcement field encompasses may be deceiving. Many of the major cities police departments utilize on their Job hiring website an approach that either emphasizes or exclusively promotes the basic needs of money and benefits, and the appeal of the excitement of a police career Monsoons, 2006, Para. 2). However, compared to many jobs in the private sector, a career in law enforcement simply does not stack up very well against them in terms of salary. As for the excitement aspect, according to Johnson (2006), many who take on the profession of law enforcement officer become deceived by the lackluster nature of police work and discouraged by unwarranted civilian complaints.Not only do most recruiters fail to portray an accurate account of police work, they fail to hire a staff that reflects its community. Police leaders are ally committing an injustice to their departments by not focusing on diversity when it comes to recruiting. White and Cobra (2008) found that there has been supported research that lack of diversity in a departmen t is likely to cause negative community relations and an increase in police misconduct. However, these are not the only areas where not committing to the diversification of an agency can be detrimental.An essential recruitment tool may go neutralized as the underestimations of minority police officers in some departments creates a shortage of role models (JUDOS, 2009, p. 5). Not only should the pool of applicants be multiracial, but vast as well; because there are other organizations selecting from it. The private security industry seems to be growing in strength and numbers. As this takes place, private security firms also have an advantage in recruiting over law enforcement agencies because they usually hire officers as young as 18 years old.They are allowed to do so since these officers do not possess the authority to arrest or carry a firearm (JUDOS, 2009). Just as the private security industries, the armed forces select out of the same labor pool as police departments. The competition that law enforcement agencies receive from the military in recruiting efforts is fierce. Like private security firms, the military can hire officers as young as 18 years old. In the past, the population that was discharged from the military often pursued a career in law enforcement due to similarities in the nature of both professions.However, it is not certain how an all-volunteer military affects police recruitment (JUDOS, 2009). What is certain, the long and burdensome employment process that one must endure in getting hired is working against police recruitment. Usually, after the initial interview for most Jobs in the private sector, the applicant knows shortly after whether employment was obtained or not. This greatly differs from the hiring process for law enforcement agencies as they tend to be drawn out and contain many steps.According to JUDOS (2009), many departments lack the flexibility to expedite the testing process as applicants often have repeat visits to participate in the selection stages. A highly desirable applicant may be lost to another employer that is able to test and assess the candidate and make a firm Job offer in less time (JUDOS, 2009, p. 6). Many obstacles stand in the way of police departments who are determined to implement a successful recruitment and selection program. Therefore, strategies must be utilized with the utmost thoughtfulness.Engaging the exact community in which the department serves can go a long way in a successful recruiting effort. Logically, this will assist in making a department a reflection of its neighborhood. The JUDOS (2009) presented the following examples of two different police departments effectively engaging its community in obtaining members to select from: The city of Hartford, Connecticut, experimented with community management as a means to improve police recruitment of minority officers.Citizen focus groups helped police identify a primary barrier to recruitment, namely, the lengthy period between an applicants expression of initial interest and the offer of a job. In the mid-sass, Lexington, Kentucky, lost some community support in the wake of an officer-involved shooting, two lethal-force incidents, and a charge of biased traffic enforcement. The chief of police supported a move to overhaul the police recruitment, selection, and training program and enlisted the help of a citizen minority recruitment committee. (p. ) The two departments showed that there is an advantage in involving the comm unity in its recruitment and selection process. The need of community support in lowering the obstacles of diversification was displayed in both efforts. In terms of police recruiting, there is also a need to paint an accurate picture of what the Job actually offers. Not too many professions can truly offer the opportunity for one to directly make a difference in ones neighborhood. Law enforcement officers have the potential to create a positive impact on their respective communities.Johnson (2006) recognizes that law enforcement is an honorable profession and that the idea of making a difference should be front and center as a recruitment tool. There can be an exhilarating sense of self-fulfillment in helping others in the community. What a department is offering candidates is an opportunity to make a difference by doing good, easing pain and suffering, saving lives, bringing a calm presence to stressful situations, and helping and serving those in need Monsoons, 2006, Para. 7). An effective method in conveying such an opportunity to aspiring individuals is via the internet.With many people utilizing the internet in search of employment, it makes sense for police departments to have a presence on the web. According to Bins (2010), every law enforcement agency should be prevalent on the internet; an agencys website was described as the most effective strategy for recruitment. Departments can use their websites to market their agency to potential candidates. In turn, candidates may gather information concerning a departments mission, hiring standards, community presence, and possible career tracks.Posting departmental information along with applications on the internet makes it easier to circuit officers from other regions of the country (Bins, 2010, Para. 3). There are several other outlets recruiters can use to share information through. People have their own source of preference in receiving their news. Therefore, it is essential that police recruiters utilize every outlet available in their recruiting effort. JUDOS (2009) suggest involving the news media to increase awareness of recruitment issues and how they affect the department and community.Also suggested was the use of public-access television channels which provide an opportunity to sound off before a community about issues that require community action. Finally, using talk radio may be effective in conveying an agencys message to the entire community or drill down to a specific segment or niche of the population (JUDOS, 2009, p. 12). Furthermore, of those in the community, the youth might be the most important to reach out to. It is no surprise that many children aspire to be firefighters and police officers when they grow up. However, as they get older, some may still want to fight fires as many lose interest in policing.This phenomenon is especially prevalent in high-crime areas where police presence is high and interactions are not always positive. Many young people lose their faith in the police, and it will greatly benefit the police and the community to change that around. Changing the youths perspective of the police will assist in making the future generation understand the significance of the police and fortify a future wave of officers (JUDOS, 2009). Connecting with the youth and others in the community would be made easier if it was an entire group effort.A total- organizational approach to correcting an issue is likely to be very productive. According to Bins (2010), the culture of a department must consist of everyone avian a sense of responsibility when it comes to recruitment. This includes patrol men up to the top of the chain-of-command; since they all possess the opportunity to recruit new candidates. Each member should be aware of the departments recruitment and selection process and be given information on the agency benefits, starting salary, and any testing requirements (Bins, 2010, Para. 11).Once applicants are found, streamlining the recruitment and selection process may prove to be beneficial. It may be discouraging for applicants who are in a state of uncertainty for a long period of time regarding their offer of employment. JUDOS (2009) states that the most effective recruitment and selection processes are those that are completed quickly and allow a candidate to move swiftly from application to employment decision points (p. 9). Agencies that have adopted this philosophy have condensed their recruitment and selection process to a few days from first assessment to conditional offer of employment.The important selection standards should be greatly monitored to ensure applicants meet them. Departments must reconsider the relevance of disqualifying factors, such as credit scores, to assess their necessity in selecting officers (JUDOS, 2009). As different strategies of recruiting and selecting are proposed for the law enforcement agencies, the public sector has developed some of its own. Filling vacancies with quality people is also an objective shared with private businesses throughout the country.Therefore, individuals have devised plans to accomplish this goal with the aspiration of seeing businesses prosper. Male (2010) suggests using a method of self-selection in weeding out applicants who halfheartedly applied for open positions. This involves adding another step, such as an open group event, to the hiring process in between resume- submission and the initial interview. Self-selection will demonstrate which applicants are serious about the position by their mere presence at the event (Male, 2010). Furthermore, the group interaction reveals much more about potential candidates.While in a group, people often display distinct characteristics about themselves. As applicants interact amongst themselves in a group setting, it presents an excellent way to see their character, level of interest, working knowledge, and communication skills (Male, 2010, Para. 8). With this opportunity, recruiters would logically be at an advantage by being more prepared for the one-on-one interview. Searching for a persons attributes without focusing on industry experience is also beneficial. Certain features about people cannot be taught such as being hard-working and passionate.Therefore, recruiters should go out and interact with workers from unrelated industries and offer interviews to those who really stood out (Male, 2010, Para. 17). By doing so, recruiters can select those who meet the characteristic criteria wanted and teach them industry knowledge at a future time (Male, 2010). Current employees can also assist in finding potential candidates, and relieve some of the workload from cruisers. A monetary incentive usually works flawlessly in getting individuals to accomplish certain tasks.For this reason, Male (2010) suggests referrals as an excellent source for great applicants and offering rewards to employees for successful recommendations. A byproduct of an incentive program is referrers possibly mentoring their referrals throughout the hiring process (Male, 2010). Utilizing the various strategies that have been proposed, as a guide, one can develop a specific plan in improving recruitment and selection in a law enforcement agency. It is widely accepted, the notion of having a department being a reflection of its community. That is why it is vital to use patrolmen as part-time recruiters since they spend most of their time in the community. Departments must take time to educate their officers about basic information such as qualifying requirements, starting pay, and benefit packages. Providing squad cars with brochures containing the same information would allow officers to hand them out to citizens during down time. Also, placing a slogan like Join us on squad cars gives community members a welcoming feeling to apply. Another act of embracement would be to actively seek people via the internet.Presence on the internet has already been established as a priority in improving recruitment. In addition to the departments website, agencies must take advantage of the recent craze of social networking. Backbone and Twitter allow agencies to search specific demographics and create a two-way avenue for departments and curious individuals. Agencies can post announcements via these networks and accept and answer questions that people might have. This would establish an early relationship with the department and potential candidates.Constituting and maintaining relationships with young people can go a long way in recruiting as well. As mentioned before, embracing the next generation of police officers would increase the selection pool in the future with desirable people. It is imperative that agencies proactively seek out children within its community and get them on the right track in becoming future officers. Departments must send liaison officers into community elementary and high schools. When at these schools, they must target only the students that are succeeding academically and behaviorally.This will avoid distractions from students that are not yet ready to receive information about career paths and wouldnt present them with an opportunity to ridicule the students that are. Principals and teachers may offer field trips to police stations as an incentive to those students on the honor roll. Minimizing discouragement of the youth would strengthen their rapport with law enforcement. Eradicating the discouragement cause by the lengthy hiring process is also essential. It is no secret that many companies employ applicants much faster than most law enforcement agencies do.Therefore, in order to compete with the private sector, police departments must take a page out of their book. Hiring weekends must be announced using different outlets such as television, radio, and internet. Condensing the process to a few days would keep applicants interested in the position and disallow competitors from hiring them. The first day would begin with background checks which will quickly remove those from contention who do not meet the standard. This can be followed by a drug test and physical agility tests.For those who successfully pass these steps, the next day would include medical and psychological jesting. At this time, both the department and the applicant would have a good idea of whether or not employment is on the horizon. To spread the message of these hiring weekends, departments can utilize its own troops. Two different experts agreed; current employees make great recruiters. As previously stated, agencies must tap in to this resource and supply officers with the information necessary to equip them while in the community.In addition, they must also offer incentives to their officers for recommending an individual who eventually gets employed. One incentive may be a generous bonus that includes extra money. Another incentive may be a considerable amount of time-off hours in which the officer can use when needed. With these rewards available, most officers would make a valiant effort in finding applicants that they believe have the potential to be great officers. Implementing new strategies to better recruiting and selecting can establish the foundation of a successful department. However, their effectiveness might be hindered if department members do not buy into the strategies. Marketing innovative programs to members of the agency, from top to bottom, can really increase the chance of the programs being successful. All members must be made aware of the importance of bettering recruitment and selection. Improvement means better morale amongst colleagues, since hiring the right people who Joined for the right reasons, creates a sense of cohesiveness. Everyone would work together with the same mission. This message can be conveyed to officers via streaming videos played during roll call.The supervisor staff needs to understand that these strategies can rectify the relationship between the department and the community, making their Jobs easier. Although, one concern they might have is the monetary cost of implementing new programs. Putting management at ease concerning the financial aspect is extremely important. It is obvious that putting these recruitment strategies into motion will cost a considerable amount of money; especially for advertisement and manpower. However, agencies must realize that the cost would be eventually recuperated.The most prominent way is through a decrease in civil litigations from citizens. A more qualified and diverse department translates to a more established rapport with the community as well as reducing the likelihood of police misconduct. Also, agencies would not waste money in having to hire placement officers due to poor retention, because the new strategies would ensure the employment of officers who are more suitable for the Job. Displaying how the new strategies would be evaluated after implementation instills confidence in the probability of their successfulness.Evaluating how well recruitment and selection strategies have worked would take a few strategies in itself. A good barometer would be to observe the number of complaints on officers that were classified as sustained since the implementation of the new strategies. A decrease in the amount would indicate that the newly hired officers are more prepared in dealing with the community. In addition, an increase in the retention rate since the employment of the strategies illustrates their prosperity. Recruitment leaders may also want to conduct survey questionnaires of both officers and citizens.Questions concerning their opinion of the departments morale level since the beginning of the new recruitment strategies can provide an accurate portrayal by officers. Citizens may be asked to rate experiences with officers during noncommercial interactions such as traffic accidents and missing person reports. Surely, a good recruitment and selection strategy would withstand any of these evaluation methods. Conclusion Positive changes in a department would not be a product of remaining stagnant in the way an agency looks for and hires its officers.The initiative must be taken in developing strategies in spite of all the obstacles that hinder current recruitment and selection processes. Many plans have been cultivated by other law enforcement agencies as well as individuals from the private sector. Using these plans, one can develop a specific process geared towards improving ones respective department; hill taking into consideration marketing plans, cost measures, and evaluation procedures. Bins, J. (2010, December 16). Recruiting the 21st century police officer.

An Introduction to Queuing Theory

An Introduction to Queuing Theory Queuing theory is the mathematical study of queuing, or waiting in lines. Queues contain customers (or â€Å"items†) such as people, objects, or information. Queues  form when there are limited resources for providing a service. For example, if there are 5 cash registers in a grocery store, queues will form if more than 5 customers wish to pay for their items at the same time. A basic queuing system consists of an arrival process (how customers arrive at the queue, how many customers are present in total), the queue itself, the service process for attending to those customers, and departures from the system. Mathematical queuing models are often used in software and business to determine the best way of using limited resources. Queueing models can answer questions such as: What is the probability that a customer will wait 10 minutes in line? What is the average waiting time per customer?   The following situations are examples of how queueing theory can be applied: Waiting in line at a bank or a storeWaiting for a customer service representative to answer a call after the call has been placed on holdWaiting for a train to comeWaiting for a computer to perform a task or respondWaiting for an automated car wash to clean a line of cars Characterizing a Queuing System Queuing models  analyze how customers (including people, objects, and information) receive a service. A queuing system contains: Arrival process. The arrival process is simply how customers arrive. They may come into a queue alone or in groups, and they may arrive at certain intervals or randomly.Behavior. How  do customers behave when they are in line? Some might be willing to wait for their place in the queue; others may become impatient and leave. Yet others might decide to rejoin the queue later, such as when they are put on hold with customer service and decide to call back in hopes of receiving faster service.  How customers are serviced. This includes the length of time a customer is serviced, the number of servers available to help the customers, whether customers are served one by one or in batches, and the order in which customers are serviced, also called service discipline.Service discipline refers to the rule by which the next customer is selected. Although many retail scenarios  employ the â€Å"first come, first served† rule, other situations may call for other types of service. For example, customers may be served in order of priority, or based on the number of items they need serviced (such as in an express lane in a grocery store). Sometimes, the  last customer to arrive will be served first (such s in the case in a stack of dirty dishes, where the one on top will be the first to be washed). Waiting room. The number of customers allowed to wait in the queue may be limited based on the space available. Mathematics of Queuing Theory Kendall’s notation is a shorthand notation that specifies the parameters of a basic queuing model. Kendall’s notation is written in the form A/S/c/B/N/D, where each of the letters stand for different parameters. The A term describes when customers arrive at the queue – in particular, the time between arrivals, or interarrival times. Mathematically, this parameter specifies the probability distribution that the interarrival times follow. One common probability distribution used for the A term is the Poisson distribution.The S term describes how long it takes for a customer to be serviced after it leaves the queue. Mathematically, this parameter specifies the probability distribution that these service times follow. The Poisson distribution is also commonly used for the S term.The c term specifies the number of servers in the queuing system. The model assumes that all servers in the system are identical, so they can all be described by the S term above.The B term specifies the total number of items that can be in the system, and includes items that are still in the queue and those that are being serviced. Though many systems in the real world have a limited capacity, the model is easier to analyze if this capacity is considered infinite. Consequently, if the capacity of a system is large enough, the system is commonly assumed to be infinite. The N term specifies the total number of potential customers – i.e., the number of customers that could ever enter the queueing system – which may be considered finite or infinite.The D term specifies the service discipline of the queuing system, such as first-come-first-served or last-in-first-out. Little’s law, which was first proven by mathematician John Little, states that the average number of items in a queue can be calculated by multiplying the average rate at which the items arrive in the system by the average amount of time they spend in it. In mathematical notation, the Littles law is: L ÃŽ »WL is the average number of items, ÃŽ » is the average arrival rate of the items in the queuing system, and W is the average amount of time the items spend in the queuing system.Little’s law assumes that the system is in a â€Å"steady state† – the mathematical variables characterizing the system do not change over time. Although Little’s law only needs three inputs, it is quite general and can be applied to many queuing systems, regardless of the types of items in the queue or the way items are processed in the queue. Little’s law can be useful in analyzing how a queue has performed over some time, or to quickly gauge how a queue is currently performing. For example: a shoebox company wants to figure out the average number of shoeboxes that are stored in a warehouse. The company knows that the average arrival rate of the boxes into the warehouse is 1,000 shoeboxes/year, and that the average time they spend in the warehouse is about 3 months, or  ¼ of a year. Thus, the average number of shoeboxes in the warehouse is given by (1000 shoeboxes/year) x ( ¼ year), or 250 shoeboxes. Key Takeaways Queuing theory is the mathematical study of queuing, or waiting in lines.Queues contain â€Å"customers† such as people, objects, or information. Queues form when there are limited resources for providing a service.Queuing theory can be applied to situations ranging from  waiting in line at the grocery store to waiting for a computer to perform a task. It is often used in software and business applications to determine the best way of using limited resources.Kendall’s notation can be used to specify the parameters of a queuing system.Little’s law is a simple but general expression that can provide a quick estimate of the average number of items in a queue. Sources Beasley, J. E. â€Å"Queuing theory.†Boxma, O. J. â€Å"Stochastic performance modelling.† 2008.Lilja, D. Measuring Computer Performance: A Practitioner’s Guide, 2005.Little, J., and Graves, S. â€Å"Chapter 5: Little’s law.† In Building Intuition: Insights from Basic Operations Management Models and Principles. Springer ScienceBusiness Media, 2008.Mulholland, B. â€Å"Little’s law: How to analyze your processes (with stealth bombers).† Process.st, 2017.

Email Newsletters How to Make One That Your Customers Love

Email Newsletters How to Make One That Your Customers Love Did you know email marketing drives a reported 4,400% ROI? Believe it. Email is low-cost and direct. If people are on your email list, it’s because they want to hear from you. So, give them what they want with an irresistible email newsletter. With strategic planning, a consistent schedule, and sharp curatorial and copywriting skills, any marketer can create one that drives results. Follow along with this step-by-step process to get started. in oneplace. Save 20 hrs this week alone and every weekafter. If youve ever kicked the tires on , nows the time to see what its reallylike. Schedule Your Demo Success! Your download should start shortly. Clean up the chaos with your editorial calendar! With , youll Save time with blogging, social, and email think HOURS every week Schedule your social posts in batches and increase your posting frequency super easily Get your sht together and hold yourself accountable to publishing like the boss you are! Now’s the perfect time to start your 14-day free trial to see for yourself! Start Your Free Trial

Coca cola in china market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Coca cola in china market - Essay Example This proved futile as the local media always gave first preference to the local firms’ products during its advertisement in peak hours. This disadvantaged coke as a whole leading to decrease in sales in the markets. To overcome this, company should have launched its own website (Staff, 2012). This would have helped the company to acquire and control a broader market place. Many customers would have followed the launched online hub to get information about the company’s product. This would have increased the sales as consumers would be at ease to get information on new company products and offers thus creating their commitment to the products. Secondly the company incorporated the initial American culture it had early adopted in the US market in other foreign markets. This led to its failure in many external markets like in Germany. People disliked the idea of coca cola using American culture in advertising and developing its products. The foreign customers were angered by this act of coke using American culture to advertise products in their countries. This they viewed as an infusion of foreign culture that competed with their own culture (Chan, 2012). Many consumers boycotted the coca cola company products and instead shifted to locally produced products. ... This led to few people getting to know of the existence and advantages of the coca cola products. This method adopted by coke proved to be too expensive but very ineffective as it failed to achieve its goal of popularizing coke products in China. Instead coca cola could have invested the money it used to finance the road shows in sponsoring the Olympics. Many Chinese involve themselves in Olympics either as participants or viewers. By getting involved in sponsorship of the Olympic games coca cola would have attracted many Chinese who create their time to watch the Olympics thus creating a large pool of customers across China (Chen, 2012). In china coca cola could have used traditional ways of packaging mostly used to integrate Chinese culture in a product. Coca cola would have succeeded more in China if it adopted a new packaging method with unique features like red stars that mostly appeal to Chinese youths this would have enabled the company to segment a market of the young custome rs (Li, 2012). In its advertisement coca cola used American Santa Claus. In it operation in China it could have used a similar photo but with the Chinese costume. This would have attracted a large pool of customers especially children thus helping the company to segment the market. In it worldwide Olympic campaign that went by the name â€Å"move to the beat† coca cola advertising department decided to use the London national anthem beats in their campaign song. This didn’t go well with the Chinise. Many young Chinese didn’t associate London with music. This costed coca cola a lot as many young potential customers opted to consume other products manufactured by their own local companies. Instead of this error of using Britain national anthem beat in to advertise its

The Issue of Remorse on The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Research Paper

The Issue of Remorse on The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Research Paper Example Various studies were conducted about the novel and they discuss the symbols, imageries, issues and parallelisms prevailing in The Scarlet Letter. The critical analysis of the novel would start with a brief biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne and also the significant issues faced by the United States of America in its early years would be analyzed in connection to the story. The main focus is on the issue of remorse faced by the main characters of the novel. Nathaniel Hawthorne came from a famous family living in Salem, Massachusetts. His relatives took care of him when his father died in a voyage. He studied at Bowdoin College together with some famous personalities in literature and politics like Horatio Bridge who became a writer, Jonathan Ciley who became a senator, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who became a poet, and Franklin Pierce who became a president of the United States. The personalities mentioned helped Hawthorne to get a public sector job. Afterwards he started as a writer when his works imitate the style of Sir Walter Scott and was considered to be his early writing training. The Transcendentalist Movement of Ralph Waldo Emerson influenced Hawthorne by investing in the Utopian community. The Trancendentalist belief rejects formalism as they promote individualism because humans according to them are more than just sensory realm. Individualism and symbolism became prominent in Hawthorne’s later works especially in The S carlet Letter wherein the Transcendentalist ideals clashed against the ideals of the Puritans. The Custom House was written by Hawthorne as a prologue to The Scarlet Letter and also as an autobiographical essay. His published work became possible through the help of his friends. The Scarlet Letter became famous across time since morality, spirituality and identity of the Americans were affected by the Puritans. During the time of Hawthorne, adultery was considered as a taboo because of prevailing rigidity and formality of culture. The novel became popular to people from all ages across time (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee). The Scarlet Letter made its author a famous writer. After seeing the relevance of the novel to the life and time of Hawthorne, going deeper into the summary would link the history to the story. Spirituality, morality and Puritan influence on the early America were reflected in The Scarlet Letter. The novel went against the norms and showed how the dreaded beha vior and beliefs would be turned from weakness into strength. The story started from a prologue that could be considered as a standalone essay. The essay revealed how the novel was written as the narrator mirrored Hawthorne himself. The narrator worked as a surveyor in the customhouse and he found certain documents bundled and contained a piece of cloth shaped into an A. Since the narrator was careless and lost some important documents, he made a story out of the two-hundred-year-old manuscript made by a past surveyor. His creative thinking produced The Scarlet Letter  and the story opened in a Puritan settlement at Boston during the early years of USA. The scarlet letter â€Å"A† labeled on the chest of the protagonist named Hester Prynne symbolized her crime as viewed by the townspeople. She walked out of a prison cell together with her baby named Pearl. She arrived at Boston when her old and scholarly husband sent her there. Her husband was lost in the voyage and was ass umed to be dead. Because of loneliness, Hester engaged in an affair that led to the birth of Pearl. Afterwards the town elders put Hester Prynne to a public confession to reveal the father of Pearl. She did not reveal the name of

Patriotism Essay Example for Free

Patriotism Essay Bader main thesis is that patriotism is neither good nor evil, depending on how its ‘name’ is called upon. Bader asserts that patriotism has numerous forms, and yet the author expresses that all these forms share common psychological underpinnings – that of meeting the needs of safety and connectedness. The author begins by saying that he metaphors of patriotism have been likened to family, that accords individuals with security and attachment. He further expounds on the idea of patriotism is a psychological means to address connectedness and safety needs. On one end, patriotism provides protection and strength which are virtues associated with paternity; on the other, patriotism is also symbolic of caring which are traits linked with motherhood. A second idea would be acknowledging that while patriotism is influenced by a host of factors apart from the unconscious, its potency stems from its being psychological – embedded in the recesses of our unconscious. In this sense, it is a way of addressing the psychological needs of attachment and recognition, and the failure to sufficiently meet such needs lead to psychosis or mental dysfunction. In discussing these psychological needs, he has used the example of an infant who has virtually full dependence on its caregivers – the latter being the embodiment of power and authority. The manner of protection received by children determines their sense of insecurity and developing trust in others. The quest for security is also constant, even as we feel a perennial lack of safety and protection. In his third idea, he says that given these metaphors of family, it is now easier to comprehend the psychological dynamics behind patriotism. One’s affiliation with the United States brings a strong sense of safety and connectedness to its citizens. It is also able to â€Å"bind† and bring together people who share the same sense of safety and connectedness because of a common affiliation of citizenship. A fourth point is that the manner in which patriotism satisfies these psychological needs take on more potency since these are very difficult to find in our daily social lives. Society is depicted as highly individualistic. This social experience further reinforce the insecurity and lack of safety that parents have developed in people as children. These pent up thoughts and feelings are then stored in the unconscious as frustrations. A fifth point of the author is that patriotism seems to address these unconscious frustrations in being an ideal representation of national pride, historical purpose, and collectivism – which are all constructs related to safety and connectedness. Political parties leverage on these frustrations, trying their best to project the image of protector in appealing to people. They take advantage of the ‘parent’ paradigm, presenting themselves as caring, nurturing, and protective. This exploitation of psychic needs are used to advocate both liberal and conservative ends. In his sixth point, he proposes that the Left seem to be more effective at furthering its agenda. A perfect example would be the way in which police and surveillance powers were justified in the name of protecting the nation. Moreover, the author expresses tht conservatives have been more skilled at using prejudice and the concept of an ‘enemy’ in furthering its ends. Educational institutions’ influence may exert impact in addressing these psychological needs, teaching empathy, recognition, and other values that may intend to gratify these needs. Finally, he says that the psychological dynamics that underlie patriotism are global in nature, driven by the needs of safety and connectedness. These needs may be addressed in both healthy and unhealthy means and may be done so towards immoral ends. In itself, it is neither good nor evil, and these value judgments are made depending on the use or purpose for which the name of patriotism is used. Bader’s main strength in this article is the fact that he gave the much needed logic and connection to the ideas he presented – man’s needs, the collective feeling of people, and the rationale behind the use of patriotism as a tool for political motivation. He has also found basis for the conclusion that patriotism is neither good or bad. This moral judgment on the goodness or evilness of patriotism lies in the purpose for which it is used; for example, political parties use them to take control of people’s political choice. However, a weakness that can be seen is that the author also stressed to many points against conservatives. He may be pointing out his opinions but have put the conservatives into a bad light. In trying to be more objective in his assessment of the issue, he may have looked into the liberal side as well, presenting cases similar to what he did for conservatives. This way, he will not be perceived as biased. Another weakness that may be seen is that the resolution just took on a very short note. It just went on a short notice that it hardly qualified as a resolution. Although the author has a point on the matter, he failed to expound on it and define the steps to be taken, why they should be taken and to whom should the action be devoted to. There was also very little pragmatic value based from the recommendations of the author. The only direct action step he has proposed is for schools to leverage on their influence the satisfaction of these psychological needs. The article is very detailed that it is hard at first not to agree with the writer. I agreed with the point that man indeed has the necessity of wanting to feel secured and safe at all times, even wanting to find their necessities amidst the insecurities that they have experienced. I also do agree that the value of patriotism is used in politically motivated ways to achieve the means needed by the parties to gain trust among the people and be recognized as a truth bearing entity. I also agree that although patriotism should be upheld during the times of the 9/11 and the Hurricane Katrina, it should not be a venue for people moving with political agendas and using the â€Å"sacred† value as a means of it. And lastly, I do believe that the educational institutions should have a hand in directing the people, especially the youth towards the ways of non-discriminating, unbiased people. They should also teach people about how they would filter information being fed to them on the grounds of racism, bias and discrimination. The educational system is one of the institutions that a person attends to. It is hard to imagine that one would try to go to school and learn, only to come out and be tainted and blinded by other people’s political agendas – when in fact, they should be helping us in the assimilation stage of our studies, not changing what we learned to what political people would want us to think. That would be driving us away from what patriotism is really about. The kind of patriotism that each citizen has practiced and witnessed during in times of grief and misery, like the times of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Patriotism, at its very core, is about satisfying the psychological needs of people. It becomes a very strong and influential factor specially since its roots are deeply embedded in our psyche – our collective psyche at that. However, care must be taken about how the concept may be taken advantaged of by those who have personal agendas – such as politicians – for meeting their own selfish ends. This prudence and tact may be influenced strongly by schools. They can concretely draft activities that are meant to develop a strong sense of safety and connectedness. In sufficiently addressing these psychological needs, the probability of being exploited – through an appeal to emotion and psyche – is effectively reduced. People can be more critical and discriminating about what to believe. They then do not fall victim into these opportunistic ways of evoking patriotism’s name.

The Randomness of Love and Baseball :: A Kind of Love Sports Athletics Essays

The Randomness of Love and Baseball Generally the terms love, baseball, immigration, and poetry are not mentioned within the same text. However, according to Andrei Codrescu, author of the essay â€Å"A Kind of Love†, all these subjects are related. The only problem is that Codrescu fails to make these connections obvious to his audience. He also fails in making the purpose of his essay known and therefore is unsuccessful in whatever goal he intended. Codrescu’s essay fails because of its misuse of pathos, its overbearing connotative language and, simply, its random nature. â€Å"A Kind of Love† starts off as the title suggests it might. Codrescu talks about how there are many different kinds of love and how his love for baseball fits into one of these categories. He then goes on a sporadic journey discussing several issues that have no logical connection to each other. He talks about his struggle as an immigrant to get his citizenship. Then he jumps to how baseball is extremely literary and can be compared to poetry. Then, to even more random issues such as the history of baseball, the language of the game, and he even goes as far as proclaiming a sense of sexuality in baseball. There is absolutely no flow to Codrescu’s writing and his loose ends do nothing but ensure that there will be no tying together of his random thoughts. Codrescu uses an over bearing amount of connotative language in his essay, which makes knowing exactly what he means hard to understand. He uses several examples of famous writers, philosophers, and even places. Dawson, Malamud, Edgar Allan Poe, and Freud, were just some of these famous people who were mentioned. Codrescu assumes that everyone in his audience is aware and knowledgeable on every subject he mentions, which in most cases is an unrealistic assumption on his behalf. He uses words that relate to a deeper, symbolic meaning from personal emotional associations so much that the reader becomes lost in translation. There is no doubt that Codrescu uses the strategy of pathos to appeal to his audience. He starts this off very well by giving very real and vivid descriptions of what it was like for him to witness his first baseball game. He recalls where the game was played, when it was played and who was playing. He also remembers sitting there, in the stands, knowing nothing about the game and not even being able to tell who was scoring and when.

AD scholarship essay

I had this mindset that I would never be able to survive off of my medicine, and I came to see them as a necessity to function properly in this world. I succeeded in community college by getting into the Honors Program, and was able to graduate as an Honors Scholar. It wasn't until I got into a university that my academic abilities and character as a pre-allied health major was tested. I made the ingenious decision to handle my ADD without any pharmaceutical help, whatsoever.Exercise and dietary choices are my main method f treatment, along with sheer willpower and self-discipline. Not only was I able to lose about twenty-five pounds of fat, I got physically, and mentally stronger as well. I developed a better mindset, which lead to a stronger body. I started to learn a lot about myself, and how the brain actually works on its own. I learned that Is It Indeed possible to channel my â€Å"hyper-focusing† abilities when I need to, and It Is especially easy to hyper-focus when I want to! As a Sinology major, my classes are science- heavy.I learned that when I'm In a class that I am passionate about, the ability to focus seems to get easier. I started reading a lot of books about ADD living, and I started to make my life more ADD friendly, which meant simplifying my life. Working with my ADD, rather than against It, seems to work out better In my favor. I started studying in ways that would make my ADD symptoms seem to go away. I utilized color, mnemonics, and videos to understand concepts that most students would understand through a lecture.Honestly, I wish It were easier living with ADD, and I sis I didn't have the difficulties that come with It, specifically the Inability to naturally filter out extrasensory Information. However, the gifts that come from a hyper-creative brain often outweigh the more annoying aspects of living with the disorder. People with ADD aren't stupid; we Just process things differently. In many careers, that can be a massive asse t! Eventually, I want to go to graduate school to pursue a career as a Physical Therapist. I figure that this would be a good career that utilizes the creative and hyperactive ADD brain.I decided I would never succeed In a monotonous desk Job, and as a physical therapist, my workplace would be a gym– which Is something that I would absolutely love! ADD scholarship essay By Shelby-Piper about myself, and how the brain actually works on its own. I learned that is it indeed possible to channel my â€Å"hyper-focusing† abilities when I need to, and it is especially heavy. I learned that when I'm in a class that I am passionate about, the ability to with my ADD, rather than against it, seems to work out better in my favor.I started understand through a lecture. Honestly, I wish it were easier living with ADD, and I wish I didn't have the difficulties that come with it, specifically the inability to naturally filter out extrasensory information. However, the gifts that come from a pursue a career as a Physical Therapist. I figure that this would be a good career that utilizes the creative and hyperactive ADD brain. I decided I would never succeed in a monotonous desk Job, and as a physical therapist, my workplace would be a gym— which is something that I would absolutely love!

“Death Penalty” Pros and Cons

â€Å"Death Penalty† Pros and Cons Francisco X. Lendor Introduction to Criminal Justice (1102 CCJS100 4021) Due on: Tuesday, March 26, 2011 â€Å"Death Penalty† – Pros and Cons History over the years has taught us of many different ways on how to control or punish people who don’t follow the rules and laws imposed by society and courts. These are adopted by society to establish behavior standards. Whether some of them are effective or not, these must be respected in order to not fall into a severe punishment like the death penalty. Aâ€Å"The enormity of killing one’s fellow man with premeditation is the principal reason for the existence of the death penalty. † Throughout history, death penalty has been debated in many different ways. Groups protesting bring up their point of views with their pros and cons to defend their position in favor or against this punishment. A perfect example of why some groups oppose to this penalty is discussed in articles 1â€Å"Anti-death penalty groups raising money for exonoree Anthony Graves†, by Diane Jennings, and in 2â€Å"Testimony to begin today in death penalty trial of man accused of killing wife, stepdaughter and showing stepsons their bodies†, by Jennifer Emily. In the first article, a group from the Texas Moratorium Network was raising money to help, in this case, Anthony Graves. Graves spent 18 years in jail for murders he never committed, and was finally released from the â€Å"death row† from Texas after prosecutors declared him innocent. On the other hand, on the second article, Gary Green was facing a final decision to be convicted of capital murder in Texas. After stabbing his wife, he killed her 6-year-old daughter and proceeded to show their bodies to his stepsons. Jurors in this case were to decide Bâ€Å"whether to impose a death sentence or send him to prison for life without parole. † Death penalty brings positive and negative contributions to society. Even though, there have been a lot of proven mistakes when imposing it, and it still shows to be unsuccessful on removing evil from society. One of the pros death penalty contributes to society is that it deters some population from committing murder. It also gives peace of mind to the victim and their families and puts an end to the crime. Also, the fear of the highest form of punishment will keep potential victims alive. Sometimes families of the victims begin their healing process once the murderer is put to death. Politically seen, it also gives pride to politicians and some others may even secure their â€Å"positions† by taking a well known murder case to a closing point. Proponents of the death penalty say Câ€Å"it is an important tool for preserving law and order, deters crime, and costs less than life imprisonment. † They also argue that Dâ€Å"retribution helps console grieving families, and ensures that the perpetrators of heinous crimes never have an opportunity to cause future tragedy. † But it comes to the fact that these arguments just help them justify their support to punishment, while it is still not supported by a majority. Society still has a lot of issues against the death penalty. One of the most commonly questions people ask themselves is; what would it accomplish to put someone on death row? If the victim is already dead, you cannot bring him back. It is not true that the opponents feel â€Å"fear of death† will prevent one of committing murder. Statistics show that most of the murders are done on the heat of passion when a person is unable to think rationally. Therefore, how can one think of fear in the â€Å"heat of passion? † Opponents also argue the fact that there have been a lot of cases where the person being convicted was mistakenly accused. Worse than that, many have often been mistakenly killed due to the capital punishment process, and it is often inconsistently and arbitrarily applied. For Christians, a perfect example of a person driven to the death row being â€Å"mistakenly accused† was Jesus. Legitimate murderers, in the bible, were granted freedom and forgiveness, but Jesus was convicted, accused, and finally killed. This argument is mostly used by religious activists and protesters against the death penalty. People with deep-rooted belief to religious viewpoint often defend the right to life above any punishment that will threaten or jeopardize it. Based on the information published in both articles resumed above, and over the internet, I conclude that death penalty is not a deterrent, as violent crime rates show to be consistently higher in death penalty jurisdictions. Whether you are a hardened criminal or a government representing the people, killing another human being is wrong. It is wrong from the eyes of the â€Å"justice†, and so it is wrong viewed from the eyes of God or the â€Å"Supreme Being† in which we believe. Keeping killers off the streets for good through the Life Without Parole (LWOP) also prevents re-offending without having to harm murderers’ life. As Voltaire once wrote; Eâ€Å"let the punishments of criminals be useful. A hanged man is good for nothing; a man condemned to public works still serves the country, and is a good living lesson. † BIBLIOGRAPHY . UMUC Library: Guide to Criminal Justice  Resources—UMUC Article: Anti-death penalty groups raising money for exonoree Anthony Graves, by Diane Jennings – Reporter of Dallas Morning News UMUC Library: Guide to Criminal Justice  Resources—UMUC Article: â€Å"Testimony to begin today in death penalty trial of man accused of killing wife, stepdaughter and showing stepsons their bodies†, by Jennifer Emily – Reporter of Dallas Morning News REFERENCES â€Å"CITED† TIME in Partnership with CNN (online): http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,905684,00. html 2nd paragraph of: UMUC Library: Guide to Criminal Justice  Resources—UMUC Article: â€Å"Testimony to begin today in death penalty trial of man accused of killing wife, stepdaughter and showing stepsons their bodies†, by Jennifer Emily – Reporter of Dallas Morning News 2nd paragraph of: http://deathpenalty. procon. org/ 2nd paragraph of: http://deathpenalty. procon. org/ http://www. deathpenaltyinfo. org/