The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - Essay Example There are many reasons as to why the notion that Bilbo’s decision to go on the adventure was not due to peer pressure but one which was associated with his inner most desires being put forward. It is easy to believe that people never change, however while some might believe that others put faith in the notion that if given an opportunity everyone changes. As far as J.R.R Tolkien’s character Bilbo Baggins is concerned, an alteration of this character that undergoes significant changes is evident to the reader. The truth of the matter is that the true nature of an individual is brought to the surface when he is put under several tests. These tests for Bilbo were the adventures he undertakes. So we might say that this transformation might have been insightful but these characteristics, brave, resourceful and adventurous were always who Bilbo Baggins was. These hidden characteristics were a big part of why Bilbo Baggins decided to undertake this journey in order to find himself. His boring monotonous yet comfortable life and his forthright denial were just based on the forced perception of the Hobbits as creatures who were not at all adventurous or brave or prone to taking risks. Where society believed he was a coward he managed to prove them wrong in the way we see Bilbo fight the great spider by using his little sword. We see how slaying the great monster made Bilbo realize that without anyone else’s help he had managed to overcome a great hurdle. This independence and bravery were his defining characteristics as he had gloriously prevailed as the victor despite the enormity of his opponent. He now managed to see himself as the person Gandalf was known he was when he had extended to him the invitation to embark on the adventure. There are other reasons which would explain why Bilbo was so against the idea of going on the adventure when Gandalf had initially asked him. It had little to do with the Hobbit really wanted but

Returning to College Essay Example for Free

Returning to College Essay At the beginning of 2013 I had a discussion with my co worker about returning back to school, and the I was indecisive on what I wanted to major in. So she suggested that I do online courses, and major in Organizational Management since I wanted to become a manager within the company I am currently employed. She referred me to Ashford University, and I must say that I am very happy that she referred me to this university because it works perfectly with my work schedule. In 2002 I was accepted into Lemoyne Owens University back in Memphis,  Tennessee to major in Child Development and Education because I wanted to be a elementary school teacher. I did not attend the university because the university wanted my parents to pay more in tuition than what they were offering me in Financial Aid. At the time student loans was not an option for me for I decided to attend a Junior College instead. My first year and a half at Laney Junior College I took cosmetology classes because Laney did not offer Child Development courses and the other junior colleges classes were full. I graduated with my Associates Degree in Cosmetology in 2004, and  returned to receive my Associates Degree in Business Administration. Although I started off taking business courses I ended up switching my major to receive my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, because it would have taken 3 years to receive my degree in business admin. Once I graduated in 2006 with my Liberal Arts degree I decided not to go back to school after that although I wanted to. I decided to put all of my effort into my 3 job, until 7 years down the line one of my co workers who is also a student at Ashford University convinced me to return to school to get my Bachelor’s Degree. Returning back to school was frequently on my mind but I did not know how to fit it in with my busy work schedule, and I felt that my writing skills were not up to the college level like they should be. Obtaining a higher degree is very important to me because it can possibly help me in the long run career wise. I would love to own my own business some day, particularly my own day care center. I also would like to be an accountant and possibly have my own accounting business. There are times that I feel that my job gets in the way of me completing my school work. So I try to set time aside each day to complete at least one discussion each day and try to complete my assignments and responses over the weekend. There are things that tend to get in the way of those plans so I just end up staying up late to complete my work. I try my hardest not to let any obstacles get in my way but I can’t predict my life and each step as much as I wish that I could. I plan on graduating next year with my Bachelor’s in Organizational Management and then try to obtain my degree in Accounting. Returning back to school has so far been one of my best life decisions thus.

Career Plan Essay -- Business Career Goals Plans

My Career Plan The future is uncertain for me, but it is important to develop a career plan that will provide financial support and personal fulfillment over the course of my professional life. To make this transition from school to a professional career, I am going to plan a plan that will help me stay focused and motivated in meeting my goals and objectives. In the next paragraphs, I will explain my ten-year plan for my professional career and incorporate some of Mr. Bolles ideas in how to do this process. At the end of my career, I want to be recognized as a positive team leader who can bring the best out of her subordinates and help increase profits for the company. I believe it can be achieved due to the impact on people’s lives around me in school and out. California State University Monterey Bay prepared me for these objectives by implementing teamwork, passion for your career and love for diversity. I do realize to accomplish all that I want to, I have to be motivated and keep a positive attitude as I continue to learn new skills. â€Å"If a thing turns you on, you’ll be good at it; If it doesn’t, you won’t†, said by David Maister, because you have to love what you do in order to enjoy life and produce great outcomes in your job selection.[1] Especially now with the turmoil in the economy, if you have a great job, you are blessed and hold on to it. Therefore, in the next paragraphs, I will show you my ca... ...bs. ----------------------- [1] Bolles, Richard. (2009). What Color is your Parachute? (pg 20) Retrieved on April 8,2009, from http://books.google.com/books?id=2P-0JiwZ2cIC&pg=PA129&dq=what+color+is+your+parachute+online+reading#PPP1,M1 [2] Bolles, Richard. (2009). What Color is your Parachute?(pg 4) Retrieved on April 8,2009, from http://books.google.com/books?id=2P-0JiwZ2cIC&pg=PA129&dq=what+color+is+your+parachute+online+reading#PPP1,M1 [3] Bolles, Richard. (2009). What Color is your Parachute? ( pg 8) Retrieved on April 8,2009, from http://books.google.com/books?id=2P-0JiwZ2cIC&pg=PA129&dq=what+color+is+your+parachute+online+reading#PPP1,M1 [4] Bolles, Richard. (2009). What Color is your Parachute? (pg 9)Retrieved on April 8,2009, from http://books.google.com/books?id=2P-0JiwZ2cIC&pg=PA129&dq=what+color+is+your+parachute+online+reading#PPP1,M1

Discrimination against Black and Whites :: Essays Papers

Discrimination against Black and Whites This story, Black Boy is a great book that describes how the author, Richard Wright, suffered in the South of the United States during the time when there was still a lot of discrimination throughout the country. Since the author explained many of his horrible experiences in the past, this book cannot be written in a thin book. This thick book is full of his great experiences that wanted to be read by many people in the world in order to let everybody know the disasters of racism. This racism affected Richard Write a lot and he had to adapt to the environment that he was in, although he didn’t know how he should act in front of white people in the beginning of the story. There are not many examples in the beginning of the story since Richard was a little boy, and he still didn’t know about racism. He did know that something was different between black and whites, but he wasn’t able to understand it since he was too young. He even talks to himself in Pg. 49 that â€Å"I had heard that colored people were killed and beaten, but so far it all had seemed remote. There was, of course, a vague uneasiness about it all, but I would be able to handle that when I came to it. It would be simple. If anybody tried to kill me, then I would kill them first.† After this, he realized the harshness of racism around his society when Uncle Hoskins got shot by a white man when he was at the saloon. And the reason is just because a black man was earning a lot of money and the white man became jealous. Also after this scene, there is an another example in Pg. 172 where he met his classmate, Ned Greenley who had lost his brother since the whites shot him for a specific reason. Ned said, â€Å"Th-they said he was fooling with a white prostitute there in the hotel.† Richard was shocked since he could be in those kinds of situations at any time. Richards starts to think of really going to North soon as possible now. In Chapter nine, there is a scene that is really harsh where Richard sees it, but could do nothing. This scene is at the clothing store for black people where Richard worked.

Cooper Case

Executive Summary In the Case study, Cooper Industries is trying to acquire Nicholson File Company. However, there are two other companies that are interested in Nicholson as well: VLN Corporation and H. K. Porter Company. In 1971, VLN together with Nicholson management constructed a deal that, however, didn’t get the support from the majority of common stockholders. After having done a discounted cash flow analysis, I determined that Nicholson stock is undervalued. Also, Nicholson seems to be a good strategic fit for Cooper. Therefore, Cooper could acquire Nicholson on friendly terms with a relatively large premium to attract the majority of the shares needed. The problem for Cooper is to determine how best to acquire Nicholson and the adequate price to pay. 1. ) and 2. ) In my opinion, Mr. Cizik should make an attempt to gain control of the Nicholson File Company. Cooper Industries has been pursuing a policy of expansion through the acquisition of other companies and this strategy appears to be working well for them. They have acquired a number of companies and have been successful in integrating them into Cooper Industries. They have established three criteria that potential companies for acquisition must meet and Nicholson meets all three criteria. Nicholson holds 50% of the market share in files and rasps, its main products, therefore implying that Cooper could be a â€Å"major factor† in this industry. Nicholson is also a leading company in their markets and it is a stable company in terms of not being dependent on a few major customers. Nicholson has a great deal of potential for greater sales growth as it is only growing sales at 2% compared with the industry average of 7%. Due to the strengths of its products and distribution system they should be capable of raising growth rates to the industry average. The company is further desirable to Cooper as the two companies sales forces could be combined leading to cost savings. Nicholson’s European distribution system could also be very helpful in expanding Cooper’s sales in Europe. As Cooper Industries sells more of their product to industry and Nicholson to the consumer market by combining the companies they may be able to increase sales of both product lines to the market segment they are weaker in. All in all, Mr. Cizik should try to gain control on Nicholson File company as it seems to be a good strategic fit. 3. Nicholson’s firm value derived by the means of DCF analysis amounts to $ 39. 86 mio. After subtracting net debt, the value of Nicholson’s equity amounts to $ 28. 86 mio. meaning an equity value per share of $ 49. 42 (undervalued). This should also be the maximum price that Cooper should afford to pay for Nicholson. 4. Cooper analyzed the benefits of the merger with Nicholson. Cooper estimated that the cost of goods sold after acquiring Nicholson could be reduced from 69% of sales to 65% meaning a dollar value of this synergy of $ 11. 7 Mio. Also, SG&A could be reduced from 22% of sales to 19% of sales resulting in a dollar value of this synergy of $ 8. 45 Mio. These numbers are based on the combined net sales for 1972 using a 7% growth rate in sales from previous net sales (growth of industry level). The opposite distribution of business activity in business and consume r market is likely to result in revenue growth. The numerical effect of this revenue pulling, however, is highly vague at this point in time. 5. The exchange value Cooper could afford to pay out without causing any dilution according to my calculation is $ 37. 2 per share meaning an Exchange Ratio of 1. 55. Thus, we could offer 1. 55 Cooper shares for every Nicholson share they need. This amounts to 133,013 of Coopers shares for 86,000 Nicholson shares. If they wanted to pay cash for the remaining stocks it would then be $37. 12 * 86000 = $ 3. 19 mio. for the remaining stocks needed to gain control via 50. 1% of all shares. Despite the threat of EPS dilution, Cooper might be willing to pay a price higher than $ 37. 12, if the negative short-term effect will be outweighed by positive ones in the ong-run. In general, it is crucial to consider the effect of acquisitions on EPS as a significant, or enduring dilution of EPS will harm the corporation’s performance significantly. 6. I do recommend a loan as capital preferred financing structure. This use of debt rather than equity financing for the acquisition of Nicholson causes a higher return on equity, as well as an increase in the efficiency of existing capital structure. Also, there are tax advantages to be realized through debt financing (tax shield). The ultimate goal would be to maximize shareholder value and this can be supported through a lower WACC resulting from a higher leverage (as effect outweighs increase of risk). The interest on debt is tax deductible resulting in a higher Net Income and, thus, EPS. Nicholson management had accepted an offer from VLN Corporation using convertible stock but rejected a cash offer from H. K Porter. Nicholson may not want cash for their company. If that was the case, Cooper would need to offer cumulative convertible stock. 7. With an exchange ratio of 2, about 78% of the new firm would be owned by Cooper. The relatively high exchange ratio would result in a severe reduction of control to Nicholson’s shareholder (22%). Under the given circumstances with an exchange ratio of 2, the acquisition premium for paid would be $ 14 per share. The minimum synergies required that this offer makes sense would be $ 8. 18 Mio. Given my synergy valuation from task 4, this would definitely be a realistic achievement. 8. Porter bought Nicholson’s shares with the intention to take over the company themselves. However, as they weren’t able to acquire enough shares required to buy the company, they are now looking to tender their shares. Obviously, they’d like to do this profitably and, thus, their primary concerns are the price- and liquidity-level. They try to get the most value out of their stocks, so price is of primary importance in a bargaining process with them. Nevertheless, they want to be able to quickly liquidate their stocks meaning a preference for cash payments. They expressed that convertible preferred stock was acceptable as they assume Cooper stock to be stable and easily tradable on the NYE. The speculators/ unaccounted for shareholders would also be primarily concerned with price. These shareholders may be tempted to buy or not to buy based on what Nicholson family and its management suggests they do. Thus, one possible way to reach these group of shareholders may be through management. Due to this influence, the family Nicholson and its management have a greater bargaining position as implied by their shares. They are interested in more than just the price. The management is not highly attracted to a takeover, but they know they no longer have a choice. So, at least, they wish to see Nicholson remain autonomous within any acquiring company. Nicholson’s management and family is most likely not willing to sell the majority of their shares for cash; They wish to maintain a stake in the company. As a result, Cooper would need to offer a stock exchange. VLN, as Coopers bidding competitor, is unlikely to be willing to sell their shares to Cooper for a reasonable price. Ex-Post: In 1972 Cooper industries acquired Nicolson File Company Two Cooper Industries Inc. Based on the given information in the case study regarding the acquisition of Nicholson File Company by Cooper Industries, there is no question that Cooper should try to gain control of Nicholson. This decision is based on an analysis of the bargaining positions of each group of Nicholson stockholders which have disparate goals and needs that need to be met. In addition, an appropriate payment method and specific dollar value based on a competitoraâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer and Cooper financial data was decided. The remainder of this paper will provide the analysis and rationale for this determination. Should Cooper Industries Acquire Nicholson File Company? Cooper Industries has been expanding through diversification since 1996. Cooperaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s requirements to acquire a company has three major components. The target company must be: 1. In an industry in which Cooper could become a major player 2. In an industry that is fairly stable, with a broad market for the products and a product line of aâ‚ ¬? small ticketaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ items; and 3. A leader in its market segment. When looking at the criteria that Cizikaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s company (Cooper Industries), set forth relative to acquisitions, the acquisition of Nicholson meets all three objectives plus has significant potential short and long-term potential. Cooper management feels that by eliminating redundancy and streamlining Nicholsonaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s operations this potential can be realized. Currently, Nicholsonaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s financial history boasts a 2% increase in profit annually but this percentage is way below the industry average of 6%. Cooper management proposed that if Nicholson stops selling to every market, increased efficiencies would result and cut cost of goods sold from 69% of sales to 65%. It was also suggested that the acquisition could lower selling, general, and administrative expenses from 22% of sales to 19%. Nicholsonaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s position in the file and rasp market where it holds a 50% market share of a $50 million dollar market meets all three of Cooperaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s objectives. Furthermore, Nicholsonaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s brand name within the hand saw and saw blade industry is strong and Nicholson holds a 9% market share in the $200 million dollar aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" their only major competitor was Sears and Diston who held a larger market share. Shareholder Standings At the time of the proposed merger between Nicholson File and VLN, there were a total of approximately 584,000 Nicholson shares outstanding. H. K. Porter had not purchased enough shares to hold majority control, and this situation provided Cooper with yet another opportunity to acquire Nicholson. Nicholson and Porter stockholders had their own concerns, as well as bargaining positions, and if Cooper was to acquire Nicholson they had to address all of their concerns and convince them that the merger was a mutually beneficial proposition. The table below, Exhibit 7 in the case study, shows the estimated disposition of shares in early 1972: Estimated Distribution of Nicholson File Company Stock_______________ Shares supporting Cooper H. K. Porter 177,000 Cooper Industries 29,000206,000 Shares supporting VLN Nicholson family and management117,000 Owned by VLN 14,000 131,000 Shares owned by speculators 50,000 aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 100,000 Shares unaccounted for 197,000 aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" 147,000 Total Nicholson shares outstanding 584,000 Shareholder Concerns There are three major groups of shareholders that Cooper must consider when putting together their offer to acquire Nicholson. These groups are Nicholson, H. K. Porter, and the group of Unaccounted for Shares and Spectator Shares. Nicholson File Company Loss of control – Nicholson managementaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s greatest fear was loss of operating control. The company had been in the Nicholson family for years, and if Cooper expected to gain support for the offer by Nicholson and gain at least 86,000 shares to tip them over the majority (206,000 + 86,000 = 292,000; 584,000/2 = 292,000) they would need to guarantee them that they would work with the current management to maintain the identity and image of Nicholson. Additionally, Wall Street investors would view the maintenance of Nicholson management as a stabilizing factor in the merger. Loss of product lines aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Whichever company acquired Nicholson, there was no doubt that aggressive cost cutting measures would be pursued; this would undoubtedly mean marginal product lines would cease to exist. Although Cooper could not emphatically guarantee that nothing would change, they could guarantee that they would work with Nicholson to determine if improvements could be made to product lines at risk and thereby maintain their existence, or at the least–include Nicholson management in the decision making alternatives. H. K. Porter Stock valuation – If the merger with VPN were successful, Porter would receive VLN preferred stock for their 177,000 Nicholson shares. VLN stock performance had been dreary, and did not show any signs of growth in the short-term. This would make it difficult for them to sell the shares of VLN on the American Stock Exchange which does not trade in large blocks. Additionally, from the years 1968 to 1971, VLN net sales had grown only 3% from $97 million to $100 million. Net income actually decreased by almost 7% for the same time period from $3. 2 million to $2. 98 million. Quick Sale aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Porter will most likely sell their shares immediately after the deal is closed. They will do this because they no longer will have an interest in acquiring Nicholson, and history has shown many times over that share prices will fall rather quickly as mergers do not create synergies through added value or earnings growth. Unaccounted For Shares and Spectator Shares Valuation and Sustainability aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" This voting bloc has the same concerns as Porter relative to share pricing, but is more concerned with sustainability unlike Porter who is concerned with making a quick dollar. They own a lot more shares, estimated between 150,000-200,000 shares, and are not certain that VLN Corporation projected figures are truthful. VLN Corporation has not paid consistent dividends for many quarters, and has not shown any real growth, yet is still offering to match Nicholsonaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s $1. 60 dividend rate as part of the merger deal. Shareholder Negotiations Both Nicholson and Porter had strong postures regarding the merger, and Cooper needed both companies to bless the merger to get it approved by a majority of the stockholders. Cooper only owned 29,000 shares and needed a total of 292,000 shares to gain a majority. Nicholson and Unaccounted Shares The Nicholson family and management owned 117,000 shares. However, the speculation was that 150,000-200,000 of the unaccounted for shares would vote with the Nicholson family. This amount of shares would give Nicholson immense bargaining power. Cooper knew that their offer would have to be as good, if not better than VLNaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer, as Nicholson management wholeheartedly supported the merger with VLN. H. K. Porter Porter owned 177,000 shares. This was a major voting bloc and gaining their support was essential. Luckily, Porter was eager to work with Cooper because they believed their VLN preferred stock would only be worth $23. 12 in the first year (essentially worthless). Therefore, their support would be mutually beneficial and easier to garner. Cooperaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Offer to Acquire Nicholson As has been detailed above, each group of shareholders has their own concerns and bargaining power. Cooper has to induce both Nicholson and Porter that their offer is more than fair, and as a result, all three companies and shareholders will profit. Since Nicholson has an offer pending from VLN, it is imperative that Cooperaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer is better than VLNaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s proffer. The VLN offer includes that (1) the exchange would be a tax-free transaction, (2) the $1. 60 preferred dividend equaled the current rate on the Nicholson stock, (3) a preferred share was worth a minimum of $53. 10. At the time of the proposed offer, the closing price of Cooper stock was $24 per share. In order to match the bid by VLN, Cooperaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer would have to be greater than two-for-one for each Nicholson share. The offer would need to be in the range of 2. 5/2. 50:1 to be greater than the $53. 10 offer pending. It is of extreme importance to Nicholson that they maintain control. In mergers, culture clashes are often the aâ‚ ¬? kiss-of-death. aâ‚ ¬? Cooper has a sincere offer to maintain the integrity of the company and Nicholson would be wise to consider Cooperaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer as their goals and interests for the long-term are mutual. Cooper has a history of successful mergers and acquisitions, which should be of some comfort to Nicholson as they will be acquired by some company or group of investors. H. K. Porter Requirements Since Porter was not able to gain a majority vote, they are willing to side with Cooper over VLN. Porter realizes that a merger between Cooper and Nicholson will give them the opportunity to convert shares of Nicholson into Cooper stock aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" a much more enticing proposition than that of VLN. Cooper needs to guarantee Porter that the exchange will be tax-free, and that the Nicholson stock he converts will be worth at least $50 each. Unaccounted for Shares and Spectator Shares The offer to this voting alliance will need to be greater than the $53. 10 per share offer by VLN. They will also want the exchange to be tax-free to avoid capital gains taxes. As has been mentioned above, this group will most likely side with the Nicholson family so if the Nicholson family is satisfied, then this group will be also. Payment Considerations There are several considerations that Cooper management must take into account prior to deciding the specifics of the offer they will give Nicholson File Company in terms of dollar value and the form of payment. The form of payment may include an offer of cash, stock, debt or some combination of the payment options. Furthermore, Cooper not only has to consider Nicholson shareholders when determining what to offer, but it also needs to take into account the other 80% of the shares publicly held, including a substantial percentage of shares held by competitor H. K. Porter. As previously described, one of the challenges Cooper is facing in this acquisition is to ensure a satisfactory offer that appeals to a sufficiently broad range of shareholders with different interests. This includes H. K. Porter which currently holds about 25% of the total outstanding shares and which recently failed in its attempted acquisition of Nicholson. Also, the Nicholson family that founded Nicholson File Company currently owns approximately 20% of its own shares. The Nicholson family had also rejected Cooperaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s acquisition overtures three years earlier so Cooper management is aware of how precise the offer has to be to get Nicholson ownership to sign off on the deal. Another 50% of Nicholson shares are held by speculators and by other unknown parties. Form of Payment & Dollar Value The form of payment and the parameters for the dollar value offer that may be accepted by Nicholson management is exhibited in the described failed and accepted acquisition offer in the case study of Cooper (see Chart #1 below). The acquisition offers by both H. K. Porter, $42 per share in cash and VLN Corporation, $53. 10 in convertible stock, help provide at least a range within which Cooper may tailor its offer. Based on these two offers, it appears that the appropriate form of payment should be Cooper cumulative convertible stock. The primary basis for this recommendation is that Nicholson management had already accepted an offer from VLN Corporation using convertible stock but rejected a cash offer from H. K Porter. This is consistent with Chang and Suk (1998) research which found that aâ‚ ¬? cash offers are more likely than stock offers to have termination initiated by the target firm. aâ‚ ¬? It is also believed that if Nicholson management signs off on any merger, speculators and the unknown portion of shareholders will go along with the merger. However, one negative aspect of using stock is that aâ‚ ¬? cquisitions of public targets result in insignificant bidder returns to the acquirer when stock is offeredaâ‚ ¬?. (Chang & Suk, 1998) is this a direct quote, if so we need the reference) Cooper management believes strongly that the Nicholson acquisition will not result in negative returns due to the potential improvements that can be made through simple reorganization of some Nicholson operating businesses. Also, it appears an exchange of stock is appropriate because Cooper currently only has $9 million in cash on hand and would need to incur significant debt in order to offer a decent cash offer. It already has $5 million in long-term debt due and $34 million in long-term debt outstanding, levels significant enough that may prevent Cooper management from considering a cash offer for Nicholson. Competitor Acquisition Offer Details Type of offerOffer price per shareDividendsTax FreeOffer Accepted/Rejected H. K. CooperCash$42NoNoNo VLN CorporationConvertible stock$53. 10YesYesYes VLN and Porter Offer Details Since Nicholson management has already accepted VLN Corporationaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer, it is clear that the terms Cooper needs to offer would have to exceed those already offered by VLN. VLNaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer included one share of VLN cumulative convertible stock for each individual share of Nicholson stock, preferred shares value at a minimum of $53. 10, $1. 60 preferred dividend equaling the current rate of Nicholson common stock, and convertible into five shares the first three years and four the fourth year. In addition, the offer was desirable since the exchange of stock would be tax-free as opposed to a cash offer. According to Dhaliwal et al (2005), to qualify as a aâ‚ ¬? tax-free acquisitionaâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦tax laws require that the acquirer use its own stock as payment. aâ‚ ¬? However, Cooper also has to consider the demands of H. K. Porter in order to get approval for the merger. H. K. Porter has indicated that it will not part with its shares (25% of total shares) and support the merger unless it receives aâ‚ ¬? Cooper common or convertible securities in a tax-free exchange worth at least $50 for each Nicholson share it holds. aâ‚ ¬? This demand is below the current book value of $51. 25 for Nicholson common stock, but above the $44 per share on the open market. The final consideration that assists with setting up the range for an appropriate offer that may be accepted by a simple majority of shareholders is the total value of Nicholson stock. With 584,000 shares of Nicholson File Company Stock and at $44 per share, this amounts to a total market value of $25,696,000. Therefore, in order to make the offer attractive, Cooper will have to make an offer that exceeds the market value of all of the stock but will have to ensure that the offer is not too high that it affects Cooperaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s long-term plans to continue to pursue acquisitions. A basic rule for Cooper acquisitions is that they bring significant long-term returns on the acquisitions as well as steady growth in earnings per share. Recommended Offer The number of convertible shares of Cooper stock at $24, the last closing price, for each Nicholson share would have to be just above 2:1 in order to match VLNaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s $53. 10 offer. So, Cooper should offer convertible stock fixed at 2-1/2:1 within the first five years after the offering. This amounts to an offer of $60 per Nicholson share. This would not only exceed VLNaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer per share but would also help make up the deficit in dividends, $1. 40 by Cooper and $1. 60 by VLN, and make the offer more attractive to Nicholson shareholders. Overall, this offer would not only exceed VLNaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s offer currently approved by Nicholson management, but would also likely gain the approval of the shares held by speculators and unknown investors. In addition, this offer meets the payment method required by H. K. Porter for its Nicholson shares, and actually exceeds the $50 minimum offer per share it had requested. As a result, it appears that Cooper should be successful persuading Nicholson shareholders and unaccounted for shareholders to accept the offer, and in return acquire at least 80% of the outstanding Nicholson shares of stock

Social Standing in To Kill A Mockingbird †English Essay

Social Standing in To Kill A Mockingbird – English Essay Free Online Research Papers Social Standing in To Kill A Mockingbird English Essay Social hierarchy is a very important part of any community, fictional or no. In Maycomb County, who the characters are, what they own, the color of their skin, and how they act on the public streets all contribute to their standing in Maycomb, among other things. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the people of Maycomb’s ability to see people as more than just their social standing is tainted due to patronizing attitudes towards people who are inferior to them on the social ladder, and thusly interfering with their ability to judge other people fairly and unbiasedly. In Maycomb, there is a definite separation between those who are higher and those who are lower on the social ladder. The populations of the poor and the blacks are normally lower on the ladder than the rich and the whites. As you go from the center of the town to the country, the neighborhoods slowly shift from a rich and white population to a poor and white population, finally stopping at the communities of the black population of Maycomb in the very country. First Purchase African M.E. Church was in the Quarters outside the southern town limits, across the old sawmill tracks. (99) Along with this physical separation, the townspeople’s attitudes towards the people living on the outer section of town are less than positive. The white rich folks look down upon those such as the Robinson family because they are black or the Ewell family because they are poor. These prejudices are a perfect example of why Mayella Ewell is â€Å"the loneliest person in the world†¦lonelier than Boo Radley, who hadn’t been out of the house in twenty-five years† (162). She is lonely because she is white and she is poor. When Atticus asked had she any friends, she seemed not to know what he meant, then she thought he was making fun of her. She was as sad, I thought, as what Jem called a mixed child: white people wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she was white†¦Maycomb gave [the Ewells] Christmas baskets, welfare money, and the back of its hand. (162) By that same token, not all of the lower-class families have a positive attitude towards the rich, as is demonstrated by Lulu’s actions at the church, asking Calpurnia why she was â€Å"bringin’ white chillun to [a] nigger church† then stating that Calpurnia â€Å"ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here† (100). With this sort of behavior going both ways in Maycomb, it is hard to break the stereotypes the social classes have for each other and, essentially, the barriers between classes. These stereotypes come to surface when Tom Robinson, a black man, is brought to court on charges of raping Mayella Ewell, a white girl. During the trial, Mayella Ewell gives evidence of the way other people treat her due to her social standing in the town by telling Atticus that she â€Å"won’t answer a word [he says] long as [he] keep[s] mocking me† (153). Although Atticus is not mocking her, but trying to be polite, Mayella is not used to being talked to politely unless the politeness in question is sarcastic. Mayella looked from under lowered eyelids at Atticus, but she said to the judge: â€Å"Long’s he keeps callin’ me ma’am and sayin’ Miss Mayella. I don’t hafta take his sass, I ain’t called upon to take it.† (153) Because Mayella is unused to polite treatment from others, she believes that the only reason Atticus is treating her nicely is because he’s making fun of her. This isn’t true, but it’s a stereotype that Mayella has towards all of the people who are in higher social classes than she is, even though not all of the people are like that. Also during the trial, substantial evidence is presented in favor of Tom Robinson’s innocence. However, while the deliberation is taking place, Reverend Sykes warns Jem not to â€Å"be so confident†¦I ain’t never seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man† (177). Sure enough, when the jury comes out of deliberation after three hours, they pronounce Tom Robinson guilty. By their logic, he is a black man, and black men can’t be trusted. Why? Because the stereotypes that the jurors have against Tom Robinson’s social class cloud their judgment. Black men are liars, they are crude, and they can’t be trusted; wouldn’t it be best to lock one up in case he actually does something? With these stereotypes in the way, characters and their attitudes are obviously biased in lieu of these opinions. â€Å"Well, coming out of that courthouse that night Miss Gates was†¦talking with Miss Stephanie Crawford. I heard her say that it’s time somebody taught ’em a lesson, they were gettin’ way above themselves†¦Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home[?]† (210) The people living in the town of Maycomb aren’t naà ¯ve or stupid; they’re simply prejudiced. Prejudice in Maycomb is what one does in order to â€Å"fit it†; it isn’t so different than wearing the right brand of clothing or playing the right sport to gain leverage with the â€Å"in-crowd† in high school. If someone isn’t prejudiced, it’s considered â€Å"weird† or â€Å"not right†, unless you have a very high standing in the town. Then it’s â€Å"just their way† (162) of life. Nearly everyone in this book wants to â€Å"fit in†, and they’ll do whatever they need to do in order to reach that high status, even if it means giving an innocent black man a death sentence. Because of a primal urge to be one of the crowd, it is hard to judge someone without bias about who they are, what they own, the way they act on the public streets, and, maybe most importantly, the color of their skin. Research Papers on Social Standing in To Kill A Mockingbird - English EssayWhere Wild and West Meet19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Hockey GameCapital PunishmentQuebec and CanadaThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresStandardized Testing

Multiculturalism in Canada

Multiculturalism in Canada Introduction Canada as a nation has incorporated people from various backgrounds and ethnic diversities. In addition, the Canadian government has played its role in motivating and fortifying the coexistence of the different cultures present in Canada.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Multiculturalism in Canada specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Multiculturalism is suggested to have started in England and French nations; however, in Canada, the multiculturalism policy has incorporated the various diversities of Canadians by upholding social integration in terms of active participation in social, cultural, political, and economic activities. In the modern time, these activities are facilitated by the modern technology through the internet (Sugimoto University of Toronto 1). In Canada, multiculturalism concept pervades in the day-to-day life despite its meaning varying significantly in relation to its context. In the 1987 report which was referred to as Multiculturalism: Building the Canadian Mosaic, multiculturalism was defined as â€Å"recognition of diverse cultures of a plural society based on three principles: we all have an ethnic origin (equality); all our cultures deserve respect (dignity) and cultural pluralism needs support (community)†. In 1989, a government pamphlet published to educate the public on Multiculturalism act defined multiculturalism in a simpler manner by describing it as the daily working and living undertaken by Canadians in their day-to-day life (Sugimoto University of Toronto 5). History of multiculturalism Multiculturalism in Canada was not an official policy until in 1971, it has however been identified as a historical and social fact since the Canadian West settlement. The Canadian government had vigorously started promoting large-scale immigration during the nineteenth century second half. The sole aim of the immigration was to undertake development of the unsettled land and in particular in the Canadian West. As the Ontarian and French-Canadian migrants moved towards the west, some European groups also followed suit among which the Icelanders were part of. The groups were convinced to stay in Canada with the promise of attaining large tracts of land for their settlement as well as the promise of their culture and language been preserved (Neijmann 357). It took the First World War to initiate Canada into an era of strongly increased nationalism and self-awareness. High expectations surrounded the emerging Canadian nation that would include the best of Europe’s past. Publications in 1938 were used to enlighten the Canadian population on their cultures and customs (Neijmann 358).Advertising Looking for research paper on canada? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The revolutionary ethnic revival of the 1960s slowly took roots following a widespread of equality calls by the social movements. In Canada wave of Quebecois nationalism had begun sweeping the country and was led by Charles de Gaulle. This wave promoted an increase of awareness of Canadians of different backgrounds. These Canadians felt that it was their right to have their cultural preservations to be officially recognized. It was this time that Canada’s unity was considered to be invested in its diversity and its cultural reality was in fact a mosaic. The report that was published in 1969 on The Cultural Contributions of the Other Ethnic Groups by the royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism was used by the Canadian government to announce a policy of multiculturalism in 1971. From that year on, numerous boards have been established as well as provision of funds by the government in order to promote multiculturalism. In spite of generating a debate, it is now desirable and possible to have pride in one’s heritage of culture, immigrant background and above all take pride in voicing this pride in the public domain (Neijmann 358). The identification of forms and social cohesion of immigrants and minority communities that are racialized is normally a response that is complex in nature attributed to numerous factors. This therefore indicates that the state mediates them as well as its cultural practices. The mediation is undertaken by reality of exclusion and discrimination. The two mediations are indicated in the first and second faces of multiculturalism in Canada. The policy on multiculturalism has helped the state to undertake substantial steps in determining the nature of state and minority coexistence in a liberalized tradition that enhances equality and promotes communities’ social cohesion (Nelson Nelson 416). Multiculturalism in modern Canada In the modern Canada, social networks and connections are at the core of the integration system of Canadian community. The urban areas are comprised of mixed ethnic groups; this mak es it increasing difficult to create stocks of social capital as compared to rural areas that are less diverse. According to Dickerson et al, diverse community individuals in one way or the other reveal less trust in others as well as possess less willingness to integrate with their society. This therefore means that urban residents have a high possibility of isolating themselves from the rest of the community especially in societies whose diversity is high. The issue of integration of diverse cultures and immigrants is not a simple subject to address.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Multiculturalism in Canada specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Canada, multiculturalism policies have assisted cultural groups in overcoming the difficulties that prevent them from integrating fully into the community. Assistance has been established is ensuring one of the two official languages is learnt thereby making it the corner stone of the policy. Canada has one of the highest levels of per capital immigration in the world. The 2006 census indicated that for every five Canadians that are born one is normally a foreign born. The fact that 95 percent of the immigrants normally settle in urban areas means that national unity and integration are the dominant issues in the political domain (Dickerson et al 55 56). According to Good, StatsCan predicted that by 2017 with the ongoing trend of immigration, the percentage of visible minority Canadians will have grown to 19 to 23 percent up from the 16.2 percent recorded during the 2006 census. The statsCan report also noted that immigration was the critical factor that will reflect the rise in population of Canada’s visible minority. From a policy dimension, the impact of multiculturalism will strongly depend on its ability to undertake ethno cultural diversity that is brought about by immigrant cultural practices. Although extensive research is stil l needed to comprehend the existing relationship between immigrant integration and public policies, the research on multiculturalism that has already been undertaken clearly indicates that success has been achieved so far in immigrant and ethnic integration (Good 9). According to Wilson and Dissanayake, the practice and discourse of multiculturalism has been an integral operation of administrative normalization. This is because various types of traditions are indicated as necessarily contradictory which means that there is need for regulation. The state extends its power by identifying these traditions as norms that need to be embraced and managed. In the last two decades update forms of production and deregulation have resulted to countless movement of people, commodities and as well as capital across different nation’s borders (Wilson Dissanayake 219).Advertising Looking for research paper on canada? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion In Canada, the Pierre Trudeau’s Liberal government undertook the multiculturalism policy in 1971. This was attributed by the report of Royal commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, which was portrayed by a cross section of the people as putting much of its efforts on English-French issues that had little significance to other elements that have an impact in the Canadian population. In 1982, multiculturalism was also given recognition in section 27 of â€Å"Canada’s Charter of rights and freedom†; the Charter was to be interpreted as in a way that will be â€Å"consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians† (Dewing and Leman Para. 17). The conservative government of Brian Mulroney passed the multiculturalism act in the year 1988 and later on established a department of multiculturalism. The functions of this multiculturalism department were later transferred to Department of Canadian heritage. In the modern time, multiculturalism is a different entity of program in the department of Canadian Heritage. One of its major functions is to extend grants to ethnic societies associations for their numerous types of public discussions, cultural performances, French and English training and above all integration into the Canadian community. The main objective declared by Multiculturalism in line with their Canadian Heritage is to prevent nourishment of different identities but rather to assist immigrants develop their lives in Canada by ensuring their own cultural heritage is part and parcel of the mainstream of the social Canadian Community. The various usage of multiculturalism, has led to uncertainty among the Canadian citizens on what the concept really means. Dewing, Michael and Leman, Marc. â€Å"Canadian Multiculturalism.† Parliamentary information and Research Service. 16 March 2006. 03 April 2011. https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ Dickerson O. M et al. An Introduction to Government and Politics: A Conceptual Approach. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. 2010. Good, Kristin. Municipalities and multiculturalism: the politics of immigration in Toronto and Vancouver. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 2009. Neijmann, Daisy. The Icelandic voice in Canadian letters: the contribution of Icelandic-Canadian Writers to Canadian Literature. Carleton: Carleton University Press. 1997. Nelson, Charmaine and Nelson, Antoinette C. Racism, Eh? a critical inter-disciplinary anthology of race and racism in Canada. Ontario: Captus Press Inc. 2004. Sugimoto, Sayaka and University of Toronto. Multiculturalism: A discourse analysis of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Canadian Heritage websites. Ottawa, Heritage Branch.2008. Wilson, Rob and Dissanayake, Wimal. Global/local: cultural production and the transnational imaginary. NY: Duke University Press. 1996.

An Introduction to Literary Nonfiction

An Introduction to Literary Nonfiction Literary nonfiction is a type of prose that employs the literary techniques usually associated with fiction or poetry to report on persons, places, and events in the real world without altering facts. The genre of literary nonfiction, also known as creative nonfiction, is broad enough to include travel writing, nature writing, science writing, sports writing, biography, autobiography, memoir,interviews, and familiar and personal essays. Literary nonfiction is alive and well, but it is not without its critics. Examples Here are several examples of literary nonfiction from noted authors: The Cries of London, by Joseph AddisonDeath of a Soldier, by Louisa May AlcottA Glorious Resurrection, by Frederick DouglassThe San Francisco Earthquake, by Jack LondonThe Watercress Girl, by Henry Mayhew Observations The word literary masks all kinds of ideological concerns, all kinds of values, and is finally more a way of looking at a text, a way of reading...than an inherent property of a text.(Chris Anderson, Introduction: Literary Nonfiction and Composition in Literary Nonfiction: Theory, Criticism, Pedagogy)Fictional Devices in Literary NonfictionOne of the profound changes to have affected serious writing in recent years has been the spread of fiction and poetry techniques into literary nonfiction: the show, don’t tell requirement, the emphasis on concrete sensory detail and avoidance of abstraction, the use of recurrent imagery as symbolic motif, the taste for the present tense, even the employment of unreliable narrators. There has always been some crossover between the genres. I am no genre purist, and welcome the cross-pollination, and have dialogue scenes in my own personal essays (as did Addison and Steele). But it is one thing to accept using dialogue scenes or lyrical imager y in a personal narrative, and quite another to insist that every part of that narrative be rendered in scenes or concrete sensory descriptions. A previous workshop teacher had told one of my students, Creative non-fiction is the application of fictional devices to memory. With such narrow formulae, indifferent to nonfictions full range of options, is it any wonder that students have started to shy away from making analytical distinctions or writing reflective commentary?(Phillip Lopate, To Show and to Tell: The Craft of Literary Nonfiction) Practical Nonfiction vs. Literary NonfictionPractical nonfiction is designed to communicate information in circumstances where the quality of the writing is not considered as important as the content. Practical nonfiction appears mainly in popular magazines, newspaper Sunday supplements, feature articles, and in self-help and how-to books...Literary nonfiction puts emphasis on the precise and skilled use of words and tone, and the assumption that the reader is as intelligent as the writer. While information is included, insight about that information, presented with some originality, may predominate. Sometimes the subject of literary nonfiction may not at the onset be of great interest to the reader, but the character of the writing may lure the reader into that subject.Literary nonfiction appears in books, in some general magazines such as The New Yorker, Harpers, the Atlantic, Commentary, the New York Review of Books, in many so-called little or small-circulation magazines, in a fe w newspapers regularly and in some other newspapers from time to time, occasionally in a Sunday supplement, and in book review media.(Sol Stein, Stein on Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies) Literary Nonfiction in the English DepartmentIt might be the case that composition studies...needs the category of literary nonfiction to assert its place in the hierarchy of discourse comprising the modern English department. As English departments became increasingly centered on the interpretation of texts, it became increasingly important for compositionists to identify texts of their own.(Douglas Hesse, The Recent Rise of Literary Nonfiction: A Cautionary Assay in Composition Theory for the Postmodern Classroom)Whether critics are arguing about contemporary American nonfiction for historical or theoretical purposes, one of the primary (overt and usually stated) aims is to persuade other critics to take literary nonfiction seriously- to grant it the status of poetry, drama, and fiction.(Mark Christopher Allister, Refiguring the Map of Sorrow: Nature Writing and Autobiography)

Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article Example The approved measured was very controversial because it went against the principles of free trade. The U.S historically has prided itself in being a country in favor of free trade. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the tire tariff on Chinese imports and to determine the impact of this policy. The U.S. government and President Obama promised the American people that they would protect the country against the threat the Chinese economy poses. I agree with the President’s decision to impose a tariff on Chinese tire imports. The reason that I believe this was the right decision is because the tire industry in the U.S. had reached a point in which it needed governmental intervention to salvage a dying industry. Between 2005 and 2009 the U.S tire industry lost 5,000 jobs. The tire industry is a byproduct of the automobile industry. The U.S. has always prided itself in the accomplishments of the Big 3 automakers. The policy to protect the U.S tire industry by imposing a tariff seems like a logical move because Chinese imports were cannibalizing the U.S. market. During the last five years Chinese imports of tires had tripled in volume. The new tariff on Chinese tire imports benefits the U.S tire manufactures that have operations in the United States territory. ... This new policy should help ignite job creation in the U.S. tire industry. Another stakeholder group that benefits from the policy is low price tire manufactures outside of China. The group that is hurt the most by this policy is Chinese tire manufactures. Another stakeholder group that is potentially hurt by this policy is the consumers of tires because they will not able to purchase Chinese imported tires at rock bottom prices anymore. The decision to impose a tariff on Chinese tires was a difficult one because the U.S. typically does not believe in the use of protectionism. Protectionism can be defined as the government’s placing of tariffs or quotas on imports to protect domestic industries from global competition2. If the government were to impose tariffs of all goods imported into the United States then the U.S. would be in complete violation of the WTO and it would not be promoting free trade. Another negative consequence of imposing tariffs on all goods imported is tha t it would raise the prices of all consumer goods which would lead to inflation and higher cost of living for the American people. If tariffs were imposed on all items coming into Broward County my life would be very different because I probably would have to get a second job just to pay for my living expenses. The prices of consumer goods would skyrocket at Broward County. Governments often have to make tough decisions that may have political and economical backlash. President Obama made the right choice to impose a tariff on Chinese tire imports because China was cannibalizing the market by flooding it with millions of cheap tires. The excess amount of cheap tires in the marketplace was hurting this industry as American companies could not make a profit due to the

Violence in Modern Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Violence in Modern Drama - Essay Example Both works deal with different forms of racism, hatred and violence. Both the works try to show the futility of violence and hatred. In both the works, the mental turmoil faced by teenage boys due to frustration and confusion is highlighted .In "Master Harold and the Boys"' the cause of the violence is the policy of Apartheid followed by the government of South Africa , which fanned the anger and hatred between the blacks and the whites. In "American History X" written by David McKenna and directed by Tony Kaye, the death of their father who was shot while he was doing his duty as a fireman, turns the sons violent and full of hate for the other races. Athol Fugard has written a semi- autobiographical play in "Master Harold". The entire play takes place in a restaurant, St.George's Tea Room, in Port Elizabeth in South Africa . The year is 1950, when South Africa still followed a policy of apartheid. The play begins when the seventeen year old boy Hally (Harold), who is the son of the owner of the restaurant, comes back from school. Hally treats Sam and Willie, the two black employees as his friends. Sam is his special friend because Sam allows himself to be taught by the boy. Hally's father is an alcoholic and Hally does not like him. In fact, he hopes his father will stay some more days in the hospital where he is admitted. The friendship between Hally who is white and Sam and Willie who are black is quite sincere. Sam had taught the boy how to make a kite and fly it. Making and flying a kite had increased Hally’s self confidence. Hally teaches Sam what he learnt in school, and Sam teaches Hally real life skills, like a father. Sam is an admirable character, who attempts to transcend the hate. He thinks life is like a dance where nobody knows the steps. In the racist environment of South Africa, Hally's role model is Sam, since his own father is not an admirable character. Hally who lacked self confidence, is taught by Sam to make and fly the kite .By the act of flying a kite, Hally gains self confidence. He says, ".I still can't believe my eyes.It was flying.I was so proud of us." (Fugard 1092) In the mid twentieth century, South Africa followed a policy of apartheid which humiliated the blacks. Sam says, referring to a "WHITES ONLY" bench on which Hally was sitting, "I couldn't sit down there and stay with you". (Fugard 1091) Growing up in such an environment, Hally is a confused person. Hally's father who is a cripple and a racist besides being an alcoholic, makes him do horrible tasks like cleaning pot full of phlegm Finally , when Hally hears that his father is returning from the hospital that day, his confusion turns into rage, and he ends by spitting in Sam's face. He forgets all the teachings of Sam to consider life like a dance, and turns violent. The policy of apartheid and his father's blatant racism are too much and they push him towards violence. The film "American History X" also deals with violence caused among young people by hate and intolerance. Written by David McKenna and directed by Tony Kaye, "American HistoryX" is a powerful

Financial derivatives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial derivatives - Essay Example While common types of derivatives include assortment of financial contracts which are; Future contracts, options, deposits, forward contracts and swaps. However, derivatives are categorized into three main parts including financial instruments, equities (stocks and shares) and debt (mortgages and bonds). Foreign exchange risk is the risk embodied to earnings or capital arising from change of foreign exchange rates. Foreign exchange risk is related to cross- border investing and operating activities. Position-taking and Market-making in foreign currencies should be placed under price risk. Foreign exchange risk is also branded as translation risk. The risk ascends from holding accrual accounts with foreign denomination currency, including bonds, debts and deposits. This also embodies foreign currency denominated derivatives such as structured deposits, synthetic investments, structured notes, and off-balance-sheet derivatives used to mitigate accrual exposures (Shim & Siegel, 2008). Accounting conventions need periodic revaluation of these accounts at current exchange rates. Periodic revaluation decodes the foreign- denominated accounts into U.S. dollar currency. Banks should record these accrual-based products under appropriate systems that detect, calibrate, monitor, and regulate foreign exchange exposure. This may be useful to banks in managing Foreign exchange risk (Shim & Siegel, 2008). Financial derivatives are used either for management of risk i.e. hedging risk by provision of compensation in case of unwanted situation arbitrage between markets. Derivatives can be used for speculation purposes i.e. making financial bet. This difference is vital because risk management is a discreet aspect of financial management and operations for a lot of companies across different industries while speculation purpose offers managers and investors a risky chance to increase profit, which may not be revealed appropriately to

Duke Ellington Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Duke Ellington - Essay Example â€Å"gotta hurry home†.  These records did not  hit  as they expected, and it was until 1926 when Irving mills became their  manager  that they had their massive hit.  They  later  recorded â€Å"black and tan fantasy† a song that associated with Ellington throughout his career. Later he  was  put  at the  top  by his  acceptance  to be a  house  band for cotton club. This made him well known in America and contributed to financial security that his  band  needed. It left cotton club in 1931 to  tour  the world; they managed to change with time. In 1930s swing music  hit, New York and Ellington managed to change from  hot  jazz of 1920s to this genre. The  record  Ã¢â‚¬Å"doesn't mean a thing if it  ain't  got that swing† created that  era. In 1940s, the  band  strength  increased even more, and  new  soloist joined them (Pinkney & Pinkney). They recorded various records including â€Å"per didoà ¢â‚¬ , and â€Å"jump for joy†. In 1943, Ellington gave his first  hall  concert debuting â€Å"black, brown and  beige†. In late 1940s, his music continued to be of high quality, and his  band’s turnover increased. Many influential bands broke up during this time due to the rise of bebop. In spite of, Ellington’s  band  never broke up. In 1950s, he had his worst moment of his career, but it was not a problem with his art. The band struggled for a while, but in 1955, they realized "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" which brought him back to  fame. Duke brought various innovations to the music industry back then; making it acceptable for a black person to succeed in music. He was among the earliest jazz singers to make a  record  that took more than three minutes. His songs were more untraditional and had  different  modulations from what people  were used  to back then. The melodies of... The biggest contribution of Duke was his effect on the black community; he was able to show the world that blacks too had talent. His discipline was also notable; this is has been explained his ability to keep the band together until his death. His contribution, however, went beyond music; he contributed a lot to his culture as a black person. He fought for racial equality and even became part of civil rights movements. Duke contributed an immense deal in making blacks feel worthy, and he was quoted saying that his race was his inspiration. He was able to influence many musicians including Thelonious Monk whose piano style was influenced by Ellington. Monk is a modern jazz musician, as well as a pianist. His unique arranging concepts influenced a number of modern day composers. Even if, Duke's main forte was jazz, he also composed for ballets, films, operas and church services. He was kind hearted and would regularly display his musicians; enabling them to make a strong impact on the ir own jazz styles. Ellington received various Grammy awards all the way through his career and many other awards. He continued to perform until his demise after suffering from cancer. His band continued with his legacy headed by his son Mercer. Ellington's legacy was to remain the greatest jazz musician of all time, and he has done that considering his name is, as vital, as it was then. His influence to musicians has remained strong and relevant. Until today musicians revisit his work for inspiration and as a bedrock to their own careers.

GLOBALIZATION QUESTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GLOBALIZATION QUESTION - Essay Example Religious practices derive meaning and force from integration with cultural beliefs and practices. Across different denominations, religion derives its truth value from its dependence and connection with the cultural fabric. Religious truth is based on the ability of the underlying tradition to provide its followers with a predefined worldview over a long period of time. Moreover, the world view should have meaning, Lead to physical and spiritual integration, moral guidance, hope and faith in both the present and the future. Religions like Christianity, zoroasticism, Buddhism, Judaism and Islam claim absolute validity but it is expressed through different structures (Mary, 17). From history, most religions were recognized nationally and thus force followers to recognize its teachings for example, Islam in Arab countries. Religious truth is contradicted by the relative interpretations adopted to define situations and preferably make them fit into the speaker’s worldview. For in stance, in the early Greek philosophy, Socrates used truth as claptrap for the public orators through the use of conventional notions (Kluckhohn 6). The opposition between nature and convection hinders man from speaking out his mind but rather to conform to what the society believes in. The confusion leads to lack of a clear cut definition of what is considered as conventional and natural truth. According to Conze (153), naturally, all shameful things are evil like injustice is shunned by men and only slaves are meant to suffer injustice. In Buddhism teachings, common sense and spiritual truth are considered to be the two distinct categories of truth that exist. According to the doctrine, both truths coexist and are the basis of the Budhi religion (Bodhi 20) . Through several assertions, Christianity professes the existence of doctrinal truth. For instance, Jesus Christ is considered to be the truth in the doctrine through his words â€Å"I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the father but through me’ (Stephen 45). In Hinduism, truth is part of the ten religious attributes of Dharma. Believers are required to be truthful and to speak only of what they have seen and understood. For example, in India, â€Å"Rishi†, truth, entails existence, truth of ones being, and truth of being God (Kluckhohn 367). In Judaism, in the old testament, truth is the word of God and followers believe that spiritual leaders are truthful and have power to deliver divine intervention. Despite the difference in religious symbols from one culture to another, they serve the same purpose of helping the society deal with issues that are beyond human control. However, the system is based on simple truths as defined by different societies. For example, Christianity and Buddhism shun laziness and encourage independence, courage, endurance, and desire to live for the good of everyone. In Christianity, a man’s divinity in his feelings is more important t han concepts because the desire to live up to the concepts causes contradiction in his or her character (Goody 97). Religion creates consciousness in individuals in how he should relate with others and use the lessons to sail through life’s tribulations positively. Religions are part of culture in different societie

Duke Ellington Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Duke Ellington - Essay Example â€Å"gotta hurry home†.  These records did not  hit  as they expected, and it was until 1926 when Irving mills became their  manager  that they had their massive hit.  They  later  recorded â€Å"black and tan fantasy† a song that associated with Ellington throughout his career. Later he  was  put  at the  top  by his  acceptance  to be a  house  band for cotton club. This made him well known in America and contributed to financial security that his  band  needed. It left cotton club in 1931 to  tour  the world; they managed to change with time. In 1930s swing music  hit, New York and Ellington managed to change from  hot  jazz of 1920s to this genre. The  record  Ã¢â‚¬Å"doesn't mean a thing if it  ain't  got that swing† created that  era. In 1940s, the  band  strength  increased even more, and  new  soloist joined them (Pinkney & Pinkney). They recorded various records including â€Å"per didoà ¢â‚¬ , and â€Å"jump for joy†. In 1943, Ellington gave his first  hall  concert debuting â€Å"black, brown and  beige†. In late 1940s, his music continued to be of high quality, and his  band’s turnover increased. Many influential bands broke up during this time due to the rise of bebop. In spite of, Ellington’s  band  never broke up. In 1950s, he had his worst moment of his career, but it was not a problem with his art. The band struggled for a while, but in 1955, they realized "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" which brought him back to  fame. Duke brought various innovations to the music industry back then; making it acceptable for a black person to succeed in music. He was among the earliest jazz singers to make a  record  that took more than three minutes. His songs were more untraditional and had  different  modulations from what people  were used  to back then. The melodies of... The biggest contribution of Duke was his effect on the black community; he was able to show the world that blacks too had talent. His discipline was also notable; this is has been explained his ability to keep the band together until his death. His contribution, however, went beyond music; he contributed a lot to his culture as a black person. He fought for racial equality and even became part of civil rights movements. Duke contributed an immense deal in making blacks feel worthy, and he was quoted saying that his race was his inspiration. He was able to influence many musicians including Thelonious Monk whose piano style was influenced by Ellington. Monk is a modern jazz musician, as well as a pianist. His unique arranging concepts influenced a number of modern day composers. Even if, Duke's main forte was jazz, he also composed for ballets, films, operas and church services. He was kind hearted and would regularly display his musicians; enabling them to make a strong impact on the ir own jazz styles. Ellington received various Grammy awards all the way through his career and many other awards. He continued to perform until his demise after suffering from cancer. His band continued with his legacy headed by his son Mercer. Ellington's legacy was to remain the greatest jazz musician of all time, and he has done that considering his name is, as vital, as it was then. His influence to musicians has remained strong and relevant. Until today musicians revisit his work for inspiration and as a bedrock to their own careers.

The History and Future of Social Networking Research Paper

The History and Future of Social Networking - Research Paper Example Apart from this, they may make use of the additional services offered online, such as joining of groups or communities. Social networks are mostly established over the World Wide Web and give the users an opportunity to interact with each other, via messaging, email and sharing of pictures or videos. Often in scenarios, online community service may also fall under the aforementioned banner, as they tend to be group-centered. Social networking sites may give birth to new innovations and ideas amongst people. Body There are numerous types of social networking sites or services; however the most common types are those which allow the users to connect with friends maintain categories and introduce recommendations. Most of the social networking sites are based in America and include the likes of Facebook, Google Plus. Linked In and Twitter are used globally by billions of people, across the globe (Meyerson, 2010, p.141). It must be noted that the authorities have carried out several effor ts at homogenizing the social networking service. These steps were taken in order to reduce duplication on the social networking sites. In the year 2011, the results of a survey showed that more than forty seven percent of the Americans were avid users of social networking sites and services. ... The conception of social networking services was done through the Bulletin Board System. The Bulletin Board System was a software that permitted the users to connect to the system, making use of the respective program, making communication effective. However, the Bulletin Board System proved rather ineffective in the longer run, as connections could not be established through longer distances and it was expensive in cost. Before the Internet could come into limelight as the sole medium for social networking services, there were other avenues that opened along the way too. CompuServe was one of such initiatives, introduced in the 1970s and later made public during the 1980s decade. This service permitted its members to have access to news and events across the world. They also enjoyed the liberty of sharing files and pictures with each other, sending instant messages via email and joining the discussion forums of CompuServe. â€Å"But if there is a true precursor to today’s so cial networking sites, it was likely spawned under the AOL umbrella. In many ways, and for many people, AOL was the Internet before the Internet, and its member-created communities, complete with searchable â€Å"Member Profiles,† in which users would list pertinent details about themselves, were arguably the service’s most fascinating, forward-thinking feature† (Goble, 2012). The year 1995, gave birth to the revolution in the Internet industry with the evolution of websites, such as Yahoo, Amazon and MSN, which were to set the foundations of the current social networking strata in the world. The social networking services have observed an emerging trend in the recent past. These social bookmarking websites are increasing in numbers day after day, every day a new website is launched

American Ethnic Literature Essay Example for Free

American Ethnic Literature Essay American Literature has been an important part of American people for centuries. What makes this type of literature great is that the authors vision is objective and not one sided. Several of the American authors are still considered to be great writers. The books that were written by these authors are still read by people of all ages around the United States. These books are now considered classic literature. American literature is considered American because it was written by American people. Overall, â€Å"editors appear to use an inconsistent combination of citizenship, geographical location, language, and subject matter (that is, the subject of America and the United States) (Hames- Garcia, p. 1, 2003). Most of the American literature was written by white men. In order to be considered American literature it has to be about the United States. There have been many great authors that write about science fiction, but because it is unreal their literature is not considered American literature. Politics also played an important role in literature. It was of great importance to portray the American character as an â€Å"exceptional entity† (Hames-Garcia, p. 1, 2003). In the early twentieth century, writers who were not American white men were not allowed to publish their works. Women writers as well as Black, Latino, American Indian, and immigrant writers were left out altogether. This happened because other ethnic groups were considered to be inferior. It was until the 1970s that feminist began to speak out and rebel against the oppression they were faced with. It is thanks to this reform that the American literature holds diversity. It allows for men and women to have the same opportunity to express their feelings without having to worry about their race or sex. Another type of literature is ethnic literature. This type of literature is often read as an autobiography, even when making no such claims. This is written on a first person point of view. The author’s point of view is specific to their personal beliefs and life stories. It is difficult for this type of author to provide an objectionable story. They are blinded by anger because of what they had to live. The topics these authors write about covers racism and suppression. The definitions and topics will vary depending on the life experiences that each author or their families experienced. The storyline will also vary because each author lived different time periods, and of course things change over time. Ethnic Literature is great because it now holds different point of views. Every person has a different perspective on what happens around them. What allows for this to be great is that each person is entitled not only to have their own belief, but they are able to express their feelings with freedom. No person is afraid of what repercussion might come because they decided to write from their heart. The truth allows readers to realize that life has been harder for some people more than others. It is easy to forget what our ancestors had to experience in order for each individual to encounter freedom. It is now easy for men and women of all races to walk freely around their city. This however came at a price, and this type of literature allows human beings to read and experience in some small way what it was like to live in a world were the color of your skin as well as your sex had a lot to do with the quality of life you lived. American Literature will continue to play an important role in American people. The only way to enjoy this type of literature is to introduce our younger generations to it. This is the perfect material needed to give to young readers so that they can value the lifestyle they are allowed to live today. It is up to us to keep this tradition alive so that our future generation can enjoy it as well. Reference Michael Hames-Garcia. (2003). Which America is ours? Martis Truth and the foundations of American literature. Modern Fiction Studies, 49(1), 19-53. Retrieved October 25, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 328665241). Yonjae Jung. (2004). The New Americanist Intervention into the Canon. American Studies International, 42(2/3), 213-225. Retrieved October 26, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 676208971).

Difficulties Arabic Students Face In English Language Learning

Difficulties Arabic Students Face In English Language Learning In educational settings the language is both the medium and content of instruction. Academic success is dependent on proficiency of spoken and written forms of the language used for instruction (Shatz and Wilkinson 2010: 55). Introduction Next to the United States, the United Kingdom receives the biggest number of international students in the world. In 2009, 13 percent of the total undergraduate population enrolled in the UK were international students (UK Council for International Student Affairs 2009). More specifically, college entrants from Saudi Arabia increased rapidly by 42.2 percent from 3,535 in 2008 to 5,205 in 2009 (Times Higher Education 2010). This dramatic rise of the Arabic international student cohort in the UK requires immediate attention especially in relation to the academic adjustments these students make in the school environment. One of the most significant adjustments for Arabic international students is learning the English language, a phenomenon driven by the demands of globalisation and the now widespread use of English as a second language in the educational curriculum even in Arab countries (Tahaineh 2010). While the process of English language learning among Arab students within their hom e countries has gained much academic attention (Khatib, 2000; Tahaineh, 2010; Ghaith and Diab 2008), not enough research focus has been made on the experiences of Arabic international students in the UK. What is known today is too scant to be applied practically in policymaking or in educational practice. This dissertation explores two main points, firstly, it highlights how little we know about the difficulties that Arabic international students face in learning the English language and secondly, it calls for the need to undertake more robust empirical work on the growing Arabic international student cohort in the UK. This mixed methods research will be a valuable contribution to UK educators in helping Arabic students learn effectively at the same time achieving institutional goals as well as meeting the educational expectations and needs of Arabic students in the UK. Research question This dissertation aims to answer the central question, What difficulties do Arabic students in the UK face when learning the English language? There are two sub-questions proposed which will guide the outcomes of this research. What issues do Arabic students face in English language learning? The literature review suggests that the difficulties Arabic international students may face when learning the English language are multi-faceted. It may involve basic structural differences between Arabic and English (Shabbir Bughio 2003), cultural issues (Elyas and Picard 2010), motivation and self-esteem (Al-Tamimi Shuib 2009), and social issues (Shammas 2009). What strategies do they use to overcome the barriers identified? After discovering the issues that Arabic international students face in English language learning, it is important to uncover the strategies that they employ in order to cope with the difficulties faced. Rationale and context The context of this proposed dissertation is of a general and personal nature. ESL literacy has always been an ongoing academic interest of the researcher. While in the past, learning the English language was viewed as a betrayal of the mother tongue for most Arabic students, the demands of free market globalisation has prompted a renewed vigour among Arab universities and Arabic students to become proficient in the English language. On a personal level, I have always been concerned with the skills of Arabic international students in reading and writing. Studying the English literacy experiences of these students will contribute to an increase in our understanding as to what strategies could help Arabic students obtain English proficiency and attain their educational goals. At the same time, it will also address the gap in literature which can inform the policymaking and institutional practice of UK universities in meeting the needs and expectations of Arabic international English learners. By describing the experiences of Saudi students in L2 literacy experience, we can begin to draft useful conclusions, implications, and recommendations to contribute to second language acquisition and proficiency in general and ESL literacy in particular. Literature review A preliminary literature review reveals significant themes related to the difficulties that Saudi international students experience in learning the English language. 1. Basic structural differences of Arabic and English The most common difficulty experienced in English language learning and proficiency among Arab students lies in the basic structural differences between the mother tongue and the second language. For instance, Arabic writing does not use capitalisation and uses different rules in punctuation from English (Shabbir Bughio 2003). Spelling is also a problem since in Arabic, there is only one letter per sound so the spelling part is much more challenging in English. A study revealed that students struggle with spelling silent alphabets located in the middle of English words such as half or knowledge. Pronunciation of English words is also problematic since Arab speakers often use Arabic phonetics to pronounce words (Salebi 2004). As a result, words like stupid are pronounced istobbid while pregnant is pronounced brignent (Shabbir Bughio 2003). The use of commas and conjunctions is also another difficulty for Arabic students because the usage is different in Arabic and English contexts ( Rababah 2002). The same is true on the use of English prepositions; due to the varied nature and usage of prepositions in English, many Arabic students opt to translate each Arabic preposition in English (Shabbir Buhgio 2003). Kambal (1980) documented major syntactic errors in the compositions of Arab students in the Sudanese University particular in verb formation, subject-verb agreement, and use of tenses. 2. Motivation in learning EFL Motivation has been an established predictor of success EFL outcomes (Al-Tamimi Shuib 2006). Consequently, a learners attitude towards the second language affects his or her outcomes in English language learning. Gardner and Lambert (1972:3) explained that a learners motivation to learn is reflected in the latters attitudes towards English speakers as well as towards the English language itself. In fact, empirical research has pointed to a learners general attitude towards knowledge as an influential variable in second language acquisition and proficiency (Arkoudis 2003). Moreover, self-esteem has been shown to be a significant predictor in writing achievement among Arabic secondary students (Al-Hattab 2006). Beliefs on the English language are mediated by culture and social characteristics (Ely 1986). This means that not all people hold uniform epistemological beliefs about L2 language acquisition and that our appreciation of the knowledge process is dependent upon our different co ntexts. Some argue however that while motivation and attitudes towards the L2 language is important, it is not a sufficient condition in language proficiency (Ely 1986). In a survey of Arabic students in Australia, general attitudes towards the English language were positive; most believed that English symbolised technological advancement and modernity (Suleiman 1983). In another study, it was found that positive attitudes toward English language learning were related to EFL outcomes (Ghaith and Diab 2008). 3. Cultural issues Culture plays an important role in the English language learning process, especially in relation to language instruction (Elyas and Picard 2010). In Saudi Arabia, classroom instruction is delivered in a different manner from Western schools. The classroom is a place where the teacher is an established head and the students role is defined in terms of quietness of loving to listen (Jamjoom 2009, as cited Elyas and Picard 2010). Teacher-student relationships in the Saudi context are feudal; teachers and instructors occupy a high tier in the classroom and so-called student-centred pedagogy is not a common practice (Gallagher 1989). The implication of this is that most Saudi students are not accustomed to interactive teaching processes, one that cultivates proficiency in the English language. Arabic students only learn English from formal instruction and the classroom itself does not provide a venue wherein they could practice their English communication skills (Rababah 2002). This class room acculturation creates potential problems in the context of English language learning in a UK university where classroom interaction is a popular teaching model. Most Arabic students become unsociable in class, do not recite as often as needed, and speak English only when directed formally (Ghaith and Diab 2008). Moreover, teacher attitudes and behaviours towards Saudi students may also count against EFL. Cross-cultural differences have been shown to affect classroom sociability of Arabic students (Rababah 2002). 4. Social issues Alienation in the university setting has been found to influence the academic outcomes of Arabic international students in the USA (Shammas 2009) particularly after the 9/11 terror attacks. The same alienation was reported by Arabic students when the school climate became hostile in some universities within the UK (Rich and Troudi 2006). The level of integration that Arabic international students experience in their universities is helpful in enhancing motivation to learn the English language (Shammas 2009). Feelings of isolation due to the loss of social capital increases sociability among Arabic international students and may result to loss of self-esteem and motivation. Those who are able to renew their social capital by connecting with new friends Arabic or not have a greater chance of being successful in being proficient in the English language. Research approach Empirical work examining the processes of second language acquisition and the effectiveness of strategies focused on learning English as a second language has utilised both quantitative and qualitative research approaches (Ghaith and Diab 2008; Al-Hattab 2006; Rabab-ah 2002). This study proposes a mixed methods approach integrating both qualitative and quantitative elements to more adequately explore the English language learning process among Arabic international students in the UK. Considered a bridge between the quantitative and qualitative realms of research, mixed methods research draws upon the strengths of both paradigms to generate a more complete and thorough investigation of a topic or phenomenon (Johnson and Onwuegbuzie 2004). To this end, mixed methods research supposes that the two research paradigms can be reconciled, maximising the strengths of both while minimising their weaknesses at the same time (Tashakkori and Teddlie 2003). In deciding what research approach best suits the purposes of this study, I considered two ontological positions constructivist and positivist on the topic. Firstly, I consider that Arabic students are differently situated and construct their realities from their own experiences and values. In this regard, there is no one version of reality that could be gleaned (Denzin and Lincoln 1994) on how Arabic international students experience English language learning. Secondly, however, I believe that it is possible to establish what a causal relationship (Creswell 2003) or the particular factors predict English language proficiency among Arabic students in general. In other words, we can determine what specific difficulties can influence English language proficiency among Arabic students. From a pragmatic point of view, both ontological positions are useful in this investigation, hence, a mixed methods paradigm. Why use a stand-alone paradigm when you can use two paradigms and in the pro cess, capture the phenomenon being studied more fully? Mixed methods research is a methodologyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ philosophical framework, method, and techniques of data collection and analysis which combines both quantitative and qualitative processes throughout the entire research cycle (Creswell and Plano Clark 2007:5). The benefits of conducting mixed methods research are three-fold: 1) it allows a holistic investigation of a phenomenon; 2) it enables a macro- and micro- investigation of the phenomenon; and 3) it has validating capacity of quantitative with qualitative methods and vice versa (Onwuegbuzie and Leech 2004). This study proposes a research approach consisting of two phases. The first phase is the quantitative phase; the goal is to determine what specific issues Arabic students face in learning the English language and how these variables are related to each other. The second phase builds on the results of the quantitative phase and explains the outcomes more fully. The quantitative phase will utilise a web-based survey questi onnaire to be followed by face-to-face interviews for the qualitative phase. The idea of this research technique is that by integrating both numerical data (survey questionnaire) and textual data (interviews), the difficulties Arabic international students phase in English language learning can be captured more completely and comprehensively. Research Design There are several variations in design to a mixed methods study. Three issues are considered in the selection of the specific mixed methods design for this particular research: priority, implementation, and integration (Creswell and Plano Clark 2007). Priority specifies which method is emphasised; implementation identifies whether data collection and analysis is done sequentially (different stages) or concurrently (parallel stages); and integration defines the connectedness between the results of the two phases. This study uses the sequential explanatory design to investigate the experiences of Arabic international students in English language learning. Sequential explanatory design A sequential explanatory design is chosen. The data collection and analysis will consist of two phases (Creswell, 2003; Onwuegbuzie and Teddlie 2003). The first phase will use a web-based survey questionnaire to be answered by a manageable random sample of Arabic international students enrolled in one UK university. Data collected will be analyzed through descriptive statistics and chi-square. The second phase of the study will proceed after the completion of the first phase. It will build on the findings of the first phase and use individual semi-structured interviews of five Arabic international students. The goal of the second phase is provide a more in-depth explanation of the difficulties experienced by Arabic students and the strategies they use to overcome these difficulties. Through the integration of data from both the quantitative and qualitative phase, the results will be refined and the phenomenon explored in a more holistic manner. More specifically, this explanatory mix ed methods research uses the follow-up explanations variant in an attempt to understand more fully the process in which Arabic students learn English in foreign universities. The follow-up explanations model is selected because the qualitative phase means to explain and expand on quantitative results (Creswell 2003: 43). The priority phase of this study is the qualitative phase because of its capability to provide a more complete picture of the phenomenon being considered. Using a pragmatic ontological position which values positivist and interpretivist assumptions, the study uses two general instruments and triangulation methods to establish validity and reliability of research findings. Phase 1: Quantitative (Survey questionnaires) A self-constructed online survey questionnaire will be used to gather data on the difficulties experienced by Arabic students in English language learning. Items in the questionnaire will be drawn from the literature review and will measure difficulties in five aspects: 1) structural adjustments from Arabic to English (spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.), 2) motivation, 3) cultural issues, and 4) social issues. After the selection of participants, a URL will be sent via email to participants advising them to read the consent form and to indicate their compliance. The survey will also be available on Facebook and other social networking sites. After gathering data, results will be analyzed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics. Phase 2: Qualitative (Face-to-face interviews) After the first phase of data collection and data analysis, in-depth interviews will be scheduled with six Arabic international students in order to gather information that will further explain the results of the survey questionnaire. A semi-structured interview guide will be developed in order to allow the participants to discuss their answers in a more flexible manner. The semi-structured nature of the interview guide will also allow the researcher to clarify or ask follow-up questions that can further refine the data. Interviews will be audiotaped with the participants consent and transcribed immediately afterwards. Qualitative analysis will be used to gather recurring themes from the interview data. Validity and Reliability To establish the validity and reliability of the outcomes of this study, content validity and triangulation through multiple sources will be used. To establish content validity, the survey instrument will be evaluated by a panel of specialists. Multiple sources such as documents and academic papers will also be requested from interviewees. Member checking will be done to verify the accuracy of the transcribed interviews. Ethical Issues The following ethical considerations are identified. Institutional requirements will be met before data collection. Permission to conduct the study will be obtained by securing approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the University. The researcher will complete the ethics form and wait for approval before beginning the collection of data. Consent will be secured. An informed consent will be drafted to explain to participants the purposes and objectives of the study as well as the rights of participants regarding confidentiality and voluntarism. The same form will be attached to the online survey as proof of compliance with ethical requirement for research. Anonymity and confidentiality of information will be guaranteed. Procedures will be done to protect the rights of human subjects. Every completed questionnaire will be coded in order to hide the identity of participants. For the personal interviews conducted, each participant will be informed that the interview will be audiotaped for documentation. Transcript of the interviews will use pseudonyms instead of real names. Data storage requirements will also be complied with. Transcripts and hard drives will be secured in a locked cabinet to be destroyed after the study is published. Bias will be bracketed to minimise prejudicial interpretation of data. Ethics requires the researcher to fully disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Bias is acknowledged to arise from data collection until the final phases of the study. Risk of bias will be minimised through bracketing and a written reflection log to trace subjectivities. Research schedule 2011 Activities May Completion of dissertation proposal June IRB form completed and passed July Additional literature review Survey questionnaire developed August Methodology chapter finalised Survey questionnaire piloted and evaluated Revisions to questionnaire finalised September Selection of participants October First phase of data gathering Analysis of results quantitative phase November Write up of results and advising December Refining of literature review Drafting of interview guide and approval 2012 January Selection of interviewees Conduct of interviews Transcription and qualitative analysis February Integration of findings from Phase 1 and Phase 2 Meet with supervisor Pass first draft of findings and conclusions March Check references. Finalise draft. April Final proofreading and revisions. Send to binders. May Submit bound copies by May 2012. Reflective commentary Writing this dissertation proposal has not only been a significant educational experience for me; it was also a reflexive opportunity. I was given an avenue with which to consider my own perspectives about obtaining higher education in a foreign university and the experiences which have so far brought me to the level I am now situated. Preparing the literature review was the most rewarding part of all because it enabled me to acknowledge the multifaceted and complex nature of the English language learning process. Simply put, acquiring a second language is not a simple feat. It is influenced by multiple factors and influences. While I was able to gather the most significant themes associated with English language learning among Arabic international students, I look forward to constructing the more detailed literature review in the future.