Garmin Analysis - Following the Business Decisions Research Paper

Garmin Analysis - Following the Business Decisions - Research Paper Example Apart from this, Garmin’s return on capital employed, equity and shareholders’ funds have all declined due to lower profitability in 2011. There are no significant changes recorded in the balance sheet of the company apart from the increase in investment in marketable securities and the issuance of additional paid in capital (Garmin, 2011). Â   2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Current Ratio 2.98 3.73 3.50 4.14 2.91 Acid Test Ratio 2.51 3.16 3.05 3.25 2.28 Return on Capital Employed 0.27 0.39 0.49 0.77 0.89 Return on Equity 0.16 0.19 0.25 0.33 0.36 Return on Ordinary Shareholders' Funds (ROSF) 28.98 32.52 70.30 73.15 78.81 (Garmin, 2011; Garmin, 2010; Garmin, 2009; Garmin, 2008) Cash Flow Trends As far as the cash flows from operating activities are concerned, the company managed to improve the picture through efficient performance in 2011. Although the net income of the company declined slightly in comparison with the previous financial year, the management still managed to sh ow an increase in the operating cash flows. Â   2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Operating Cash Flows 822,334 770,637 1,094,456 862,164 682,088 Investing Cash Flows (488,198) (72,869) (547,869) (56,349) (175,695) Financing Cash Flows (307,413) (510,821) (161,243) (809,109) (136,117) (Garmin, 2011; Garmin, 2010; Garmin, 2009; Garmin, 2008) On the other hand, cash flows from investing activities remained negative as they have continued to be the same in the past years. However, in 2011 there has been a significant rise in the negative balance of cash outflows from investing activities. The reason behind this significant increase is the purchase of marketable securities by the company worth $ 1,172,555,000 in 2011. Similar to the trends shown in cash flows from investing activities, the cash flows from financing activities have also continued to show negative balance in 2011 as they have been in the previous four years. Major Capital Expenditures The major capital expenditures of the company in 2011, as mentioned earlier in the balance sheet analysis, included the purchase of $ 1,172,555,000. This purchase is in line with the investment policy of the company, in light of which, the company aims at investing in less risky securities. In 2011, the net investments of Garmin in fixed securities increased to $ 491 million as compared to the figure of $ 25.5 million in 2010. The result of these safe play investment decisions has earned Garmin returns of 1.7 percent in 2011 (Garmin, 2011). Although this investment policy may be justified on the grounds that there are still traces of the recent financial crisis which can influence risky play, but at the same time, it is expected that Garmin’s management shall be more prolific in determining the course of its business by exploring investment or capital expenditure options which are more effective and helpful in enabling the company to regain its lost momentum (Cavallaro, 2009). Apart from this, the company acquired severa l business entities, which is appreciable since it will allow the company to stretch its market presence further. The recently acquired business entities include NAVIGON AG, TriTronics Inc. and two other worldwide distributing companies. Although the company has faced fierce competition from other brands and has faced threatening anticipations of market share loss due to the popularity gained by smart

Young Goodman Brown Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Young Goodman Brown - Research Paper Example The story is set against the 17th century backdrop, and published in his collection Moses from an Old Manse. My focus would lie on the author’s examination of the good-evil binary in this brilliantly symbolic tale. In this context, I will attempt to form an understanding of Hawthorn’s personal ideologies involving the symbols and imagery explored in the story. Certain representations of good and evil, like Faith’s pink ribbons, the Devil’s staff, and Goodman Brown’s journey into the forest, respectively stand for purity and innocence, evil, and Young Goodman Brown’s self-reflection into the dark side of his soul. Hawthorne’s Symbolic Perception: an Overview of the Puritan Context The Salem Witch Trials of 1692, where more than a hundred were tried, tortured and burnt on grounds of practicing witchcraft and the black arts, left a deep impression on Hawthorne’s perceptive symbolism of good and evil. It took the form of a deep-seat ed â€Å"ugly blot† on his mind as well as the records of early history of New England (Colacurcio 286). The Puritanical context of his fictions reflects a thorough understanding of Hawthorne’s symbolism and imagery. ... The 1692 Salem incident was not, for him, a lonely outburst of religious passion and destructive conservatism, but as a whole, suggestive of the flawed metaphors of good and evil that was being publicized by Puritanism (Colacurcio 286). The character of Goodman Brown, it must be remembered, is a third generation puritan. By the virtue of being a product of the very ideals Hawthorne criticizes, his story bears a strong relevance to an understanding of Hawthorne’s peculiar handling of religious dichotomies (Colacurcio 286). The 1692 Salem case itself becomes a latent symbol in the story. The puritan understanding of evil encompassed a great many factors and conditions. Social conditioning drove the popular emphasis on a strict adherence to decorum, rules and religious dictates as delivered by the puritan fathers, the original establishers of the New England settlements. An unwavering observation of explicit religious and socio-cultural regulations ensured man’s â€Å"goo dness†, while deviations from the rulebook caused evil temptations and the eventual damnation of the eternal soul. The binaries were simple, specific and strict. While dealing with such puritan settings, as in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and his most celebrated novel â€Å"The Scarlet letter†, Hawthorne exhibits an uneasy sense of ambiguity and uncertainty. His resolutions are not the simplistic symbolic triumph of goodness over evil or salvation over sin. His symbolism simmers with an unresolved urgency that sits awkwardly in the conservative framework of the 19th century America. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†: Symbols, Binaries and Imagery Hawthorne devotes his primary attention to the raging contention between forces of good and evil in â€Å"Young

Hazardous materials Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hazardous materials - Research Paper Example Hazardous material may take the form of gases, liquids or solids. Hazardous materials are known to be corrosive, toxic, reactive and inflammable. This paper will focus health care hazardous health care material. It will focus on the source, impact and prevention of hazardous material. Hazardous health care waste is produced as a result of diagnosis, treatment, research and immunization of human beings. They are classified as general and hazardous material generated in the health care facilities and institutions (Upton, 2003). It is produced during administrative procedures in the health care facilities. The hazardous materials include pathological, infectious material, sharps, genotoxic material, pharmaceutical waste, chemical waste and radioactive materials. The source of the material determines the composition of the waste. These wastes are also generated from the mortuary, drug manufacturers, laboratory and research centres as well as health care facilities and institutions. Infectious material contains pathogens, for example, bacteria, virus and fungi in sufficient concentration to cause a disease or harm in a susceptible host. Pathological materials consist of tissues, organs, body parts, blood and other body fluids which are considered to be infectious. Genotoxic wastes include cytostatic drugs, urine, feces and vomit from a patient who has been treated using radioactive, cytostatic drugs and chemicals (Upton, 2003). Pharmaceutical materials include expired, spilt or contaminated drugs and vaccines. Radioactive material includes liquids and gases containing radioactive material as well as the excretion products of a patient treated with radioactive substances. Health care hazardous waste exposure can lead to disease or injury. The hazardous attributes of the health waste may be due to several characteristics. These include genotoxic characteristics, radioactivity, containing infectious agents, containing

Human behaviour Essay Example for Free

Human behaviour Essay Arthur Millers The crucible is a play that shows the extremes of human behaviour both good and bad. In this essay I will be discussing these extremes and also hope the essay will help me conclude whether the best or the worst of human behaviour is presented more strongly. I will also aim to link these themes to events, which would have affected the author at the time the play written. I will give examples of each type of behaviour and conclude. I will start by explaining about the background of the crucible. Arthur Miller wrote it in 1950s America but it is set in Salem 1692. Salem was a puritan community that because of the time had very little scientific knowledge so blamed any unexplained happenings on witchcraft. If someone was accused of witchcraft and confessed they were saved from being hanged but if they denied the charges then they were almost definitely hanged. This is how the witch-hunt began, people would be accused and they would confess and blame others and in turn the others accused would accuse someone else. Millers reasons for writing this play were mainly because the events happening in the 1950s America. At this time in America a modern day witch hunt was taking place. But instead of witches they were hunting communists. Communism is a political theory that states that everyone in society is equally wealthy. Russia had already had a communist revolution and communism had spread to China also. This was the cause of much conflict in Vietnam in which America was heavily involved. The American government was afraid that communism would spread to America and the people would overthrow the government. Also communism clashes with the right wing policies of the American government. Senator Joseph McCarthy was a main figure in this and so this was called McCarthyism. They tackled the threat of communism by passing laws to restrict the actions of communist supporters. Arthur Miller himself was accused of being a communist and like many others would have been questioned about his friends, family and political beliefs and also asked to name others involved. In response to this Arthur Miller wrote the crucible to try and show how the hysteria in the 1950s was similar to the hysteria in Salem 1692. The worst of the behaviour in The crucible is shown mainly in the character Abigail Williams. Abigail is from the very beginning a central character in the play and uses most of her time in the play to seek revenge on one woman, Elizabeth Proctor. She manipulates the court and the other girls into helping her with her plan under the pretence of doing Gods work. It is clear from the very beginning of the play that Abigail bears a grudge against Elizabeth from the language used. Cold imagery is used when Abigail describes Elizabeth; Its a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman(act1). The reason for this is because John Proctor, Elizabeths husband had an affair with Abigail and Elizabeth subsequently sacked Abigail. Abigail is still in love with John and hopes that if Elizabeth is hanged then John will want her back. Miller helps us understand the passion of the love Abigail feels for John by the hot imagery used; I have a sense for heat, Johnand I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness(act 1). Abigail realising her power over the court goes about accusing anybody she can think of. There are a few people however who doubt her however Elizabeth, John and reverend Hale but none of them can stop her. She carries on accusing people up until the end of act three where John Proctor confesses to the court that he had an affair with Abigail and calls her many names whore and Harlot. Abigail then realises that John does not love her and she steals all of her uncles money and runs away with Mercy Lewis another of the girls. Abigail is a character who is selfish and manipulating and one who shows no compassion to those who she falsely accuses. I think this character was not one that the audience would ever feel sorry for because of the way she is portrayed by Miller. I myself felt angry at the character and I think this was because she shows no remorse and even while other characters see the error of their ways and try and put things right she never even attempts to clear her conscience. Another Character who displays one of the worst examples of behaviour is Reverend Parris who is Abigails uncle. Although he does not cause as much trouble as his niece he is a character that is portrayed by Miller as a self-absorbed and selfish. This is portrayed in many ways; one of them is in Act 1 when although he is upset about his daughter he still has time to question Abigail about their actions in the woods. This may have at first seemed like concern for his child (Betty) but then miller slowly brings the audience to realise that he is only worried that his reputation may be damaged a quote which shows this is But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely me enemies will, and they will ruin me with it(act 1). Another is that he is extremely vain and thinks that he deserves the deeds to the house set aside for the minister and although he now owns the house he still talks of more money he needs. John Proctor says something that really sums up Parris vanity Since we built the church there were pewter candlesticks upon the altar But Parris came, and for twenty week he preach nothin but golden candlesticks until he had them(act 2) which shows even though he preaches the puritan way of life he wants the luxuries no-one else is allowed. Even at the end of the play when most of the characters are trying to help John Proctor the only thing Parris is worried about is himself and that there will be a rebellion against the church if Proctor is hanged. Parris pathetic character is shown most prominently at the end mainly in the stage directions which show him sobbing because he has no money and is once again concerned for himself when he starts talking about how much danger he is in You cannot hang this sort. There is danger for me. I dare not step outside at night!

Alcohol Abuse and Native Americans Essay -- Substance Abuse

The impact of various kinds of substances to cultural groups has historically been precipitated by the significance of particular substances on different cultural groups (Moore, 2010).This is mainly because the long term usage of these substances leads to the integration of the consumption of the substance into the cultural patterns of the given group. One such group that has been affected by the extensive usage of a particular substance is the Native American community. According to the Associated Press (2014, August 28), as noted on the MSNBC website, out of ten deaths among the Native American population, one is Alcohol related. Additionally, the prevalence of Alcohol consumption among the Native American population relates to the fact that it’s associated with the various cultural events that define the way of life of Native Americans. Therefore, the focus of this paper shall be on the cultural aspects, effects and prevalence of Alcohol among Native Americans. Par ticularly, the paper shall outline a brief introduction of the Native American culture and the prevalence of Alcohol in this culture; compare the aspects of alcohol abuse between the Native Americans and the African Americans; analyze the particular effects of alcohol in the body; and demonstrate the cultural impact of Alcohol abuse among the Native Americans. The Native American Culture and Alcohol Prevalence Native Americans refer to a Nation of related tribes that form the indigenous peoples of the North American Continent. They form one percent of the United States population where 500 tribes are now recognized by the government (Substance Abuse Policy Research Program, n.d.) The history of the Native Americans stretches beyond the European settleme... ...vation of normal livelihoods. Works Cited Moore Gay (2010, July 25) Native American Alcoholism -- Myths, Reality & Solutions. American Diversity Report. Substance Abuse Policy Research Program (n.d.) Key Results: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Substance Abuse Treatment. Web 2 Feb 2015. http://saprp.org/knowledgeassets/knowledge_results.cfm?KAID=11 The Associated Press (2014, August 28) 1 In 10 Native American Deaths Alcohol Related. Web 2 Feb 2015. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26439767/ns/health-addictions/t/native-american-deaths-alcohol-related/ U.S. National Library of Medicine (2011, November 7) More Than A Third Of Teens Turning To Alcohol, Drugs: Study. Healthday: U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 2 Feb 2015. "http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_118411.html" http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_118411.html

The Various Roles of the US President

The US President is the head of state of the United States, the chief executive of the federal government, as well as the commander in chief of the US armed forces. As such he is probably the most powerful person in the world who wields considerable powers derived from the US constitution, the super-power status of the US, and the influence and prestige of his office. The office of the US Presidency has evolved over the years and is no more the same as envisaged by the country's founding fathers; the powers of the President now depend as much on the constitutional provisions as on historical precedents, the nature of the times, and the qualities of the president himself. This essay briefly describes the various roles of the US President with specific reference to the presidency of George W. Bush. 1.Expanded Role of the Presidency: From the time of the first US President (George Washington) to the end of the 19th century, the presidency had a limited role restricted mainly to the execution of policies made by the Congress. As the US became a world and industrial power in the 20th century, a stronger presidency was required for managing the country's foreign policy and its growing domestic economy. The Great Depression of the 1930s and the Second World War saw a further expansion of the President's role-a role that persists to date. Apart from the force of circumstances-industrialization, war, depression, terrorist attacks etc., certain strong presidents, e.g., Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Roosevelt helped to expand the powers of the office by the force of their personalities and decisive actions at appropriate times. (Greenberg and Page, 355-359) 2.Ceremonial Role: The President of the United States is the head of the government as well as the head of state, unlike in most other democracies in which the two duties are usually shared by a monarch and a prime minister or a president and a prime minister. Hence the US president also fulfills a ceremonial role such as attending funerals, celebrating anniversaries etc. otherwise reserved for the head of state. (Ibid. 360) 3.Executive Role As chief executive of the federal government, the US President is invested with broad executive powers to run the day-to-day affairs and working of the government. He does so mainly by issuing executive orders that carry the force of law, to the heads of federal agencies for directing their operations. Other types of executive orders may be national or homeland security directives issued by the President. Under the executive powers, the President nominates, and the Senate confirms, the heads of all executive departments and agencies, together with hundreds of other high-ranking federal officials. For example, one of the first executive orders of President G.W. Bush was the nomination of John Ashcroft as the Attorney General in December 2000.1 Other types of executive orders issued by the US President include implementation of important policy matters, especially in times of national emergencies. For example, Franklin Roosevelt ordered the internment of japanese-Americans during WW2 through an executive order; Presidents Johnson and Nixon used executive orders to lauch the affirmative action programs, and President Bush established the Office of Homeland Security in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. (Ibid., 371) 4.Legislative Role: Although the US Constitution gives the powers of legislation exclusively to the Congress, the President has come to play an important role in this sphere too. Much of the legislation is drafted by the Congress at the initiative of the President who gives his proposals through his annual State of the Union Address, or through special messages to the Congress. The President's powers of persuasion, plus his ability to influence public opinion are critical in getting his proposed legislation passed by the Congress. In addition, his veto powers-he can veto any act of the Congress that stands unless the two-thirds majority of both houses over-ride the veto- is also gives a substantial say in the making of laws. (â€Å"Powers of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) If the same Party as the President's controls the Congress, as at present, the requirement of veto seldom arises as the Congress endorses most of his proposed legislations.2 For example, President Bush has been able to get the PATRIOTS Act passed comfortably despite its controversial curtailment of the American citizens' civil liberties. 5.Foreign Policy Leader and Commander-in-Chief: Article II of the US Constitution grants a lead role to the President in the foreign policy domain and his position as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces further consolidates that role. US Presidents have complete powers to formulate the country's foreign policy and do not require endorsement of the Congress in the area. For example, Roosevelt and Nixon did not need any permission, for recognizing the governments of communist Soviet Union and China respectively, even though their acts were reversal of long-standing US policies (Greenberg & Page, 364). Similarly, President Bush has introduced a policy of ‘pre-emption' as opposed to the long-standing US foreign policy of containment without the need of endorsement from any other agency. 6.Economy One of the key responsibilities of the President in the domestic area is the management of the country's economy. Such a role has become obligatory for the President since the Great Depression of the 1930s, when the government started to play a greater role in the regulation of the economy. President Bush's policy of major tax cuts and increased defense expenditure has resulted in record budget deficits but inflation still remains low. 7.Judicial Role The US President has the constitutionsl powers of nominating federal judges including those of the Supreme Court, subject to confirmation by the Senate. He can also grant pardon to anyone breaking a federal law. Most Presidents have used these powers to appoint judges of like political thinking, e.g., conservative/ Republican Presidents appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court while liberal/ Democrat Presidents do the opposite. For example, President George W. Bush has nominated John Roberts Jr. as Chief Justice to the Supreme Court and Samuel Alito as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. (â€Å"George W. Bush† Wikipedia)

A Raisin in the Sun: Poem of Insecurities Essay

The dreams of the characters in the Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry illustrated the theme of Langston Hughes poem. Lena, Walter, Ruth, and Beneatha all lived under the same roof, but their aspirations were all different. Being the head of the house, Lena just wanted her children to live the lives they imagined for themselves. Walter’s dream was to invest his mother’s money in a liquor store and to create a better life for his son Travis. Beneatha in the other hand wants to use her mother’s money to become a doctor when she got out of college and Ruth wants to be wealthy. A Raisin in the Sun was a book about â€Å"dreams deferred† and in this book Loraine Hansberry fluently described the dreams of the Younger Family and how their dreams became a destructive weapon on their family. Lena Younger, Walter and Beneatha’s mother was a widow who devoted her life to her children after her husband died. When she retired she was waiting for her husband’s insurance money to arrive. With the ten thousand dollars in her hand, Lena decided to buy a 3500 dollar house at Clybourne Park and she was also going to put some money in the bank for Beneatha so she could go to medical school. Those were her dreams, they were so simple and ordinary and also beautiful. She expected everyone to be delighted and surprised of the things she had done with the check and indeed they were, except for Walter. While Lena got her pie in the sky, Walter was upset his mother had spent the insurance money on the house and thought it wasn’t fair that Beneatha got some of it for her medical school while he got nothing for his liquor store business. Walter always discussed his dream thoroughly to his family and talked about how it would make their lives different, but Lena, who always wanted her son to be happy, trustingly gave the rest of the insurance money to Walter. Holding the money in his hands, Walter thanked his mother and appreciated the trust she had in him. Walter then gave the money to his buddies so that they could get him the liquor license without realizing that they betrayed him. This is how a dream can become destructive for others. As his dream crumbled into pieces, he began to regret that he didn’t listen to his mother, wife, and sister. He not only destroyed Beneatha and his dream but Ruth’s as well. Ruth was pregnant during his moment in despair and forgave and encouraged him to start everything over. Ruth, whose dream was to be wealthy and to have a fine family, calmly accepted the fact that her dream was only a dream. To her, it was a consolation that her husband had come back to reality after his unsuccessful dream. It is not essential to keep a dream alive, reason why is because if you don’t accomplish your reverie you’ll spend your whole life complaining about it. Ruth was not about to do that, she sucked it up and forgave Walter. Beneatha was upset to hear that Walter didn’t put anything in the bank for her medical school. Sad and depressed that the reality turned out differently from her dream, Beneatha gave up hope of becoming a doctor. Fortunately, her friend Asagai kept her dream alive and convinced her that there was still hope and ream in the world and that she should forget about the money because if her father did not die then she would have never gotten the chance. So Beneatha went with Asagai to his homeland, Nigeria, to practice her medical career. Conclusively, the family forgot their despair and moved to the new house for a new life. Although they knew it was tough to start everything over, but for them, it was as if their lives had just begun. Lorraine Hansberry had successfully illustrated the four main characters in the story as human beings with desires, dreams, aspirations, conflict, foibles, and strength. And it was â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† that expressed those dreams and desires and how they ended up as â€Å"dreams deferred.†