Assess Task Essay Example

Assess Task Essay The end of semester is just days away. I should be cramming as usual, but my mind just won’t anchor. It drifts from scene to scene unsatisfied at every moment, a restless buoy in a swelling sea. I am a model student – what is the difference this time? The difference this time is that it is the last time. Once more through the examination mill and then out I pop – an educated graduate. I can’t help but think that I feel more like an Uncle Toby’s Raspberry Roll-Up coming out flat at the other end.The last few years have flown by in a spicy, rebellious fog of cigarette smoke and 5dollar cocktails. I’m not ready for the corporate smoke den. What have really accomplished? A degree. A degree of waste, unhappiness and boredom. I wanted to study what I loved; instead, I chose what would guarantee my employment. I chose numbers over words, and words over meaning. Now I sit alone with my mistake. Now I have to forge hope out of my beaten-down heart. I haven’t been feeding my soul. I’ve been poisoning it with convention. Four years of conscientiousness and responsibility.Four years of crowded classes, annoying assignments and exhausting exams. Four years of stellar marks which fail to elicit any feeling of joy. Four years listening to my voice getting smaller and smaller inside of me. This is not you this is not you this is not you this is not you †¦ Four years has felt a lot like treading water. It hasn’t taken me anywhere. Except maybe back to myself. Old passions and desires have been brewing just under the surface – boiling like vegetables in a pressure cooker. Getting so hot sometimes, I thought my skin would break.But every time I thought it would, someone released the valve just enough to stop me from exploding. I could give in – admit a waste of time – but was it? If I am able to learn in anew short years what others take a lifetime to discover – that you must follow yo ur desire – then perhaps there was no waste – only a shortcut. I could choose so many paths to follow now, but which is the right one? A major in Pure Maths, yet I can barely get a grip on the infinite series of possibilities extending out in front of me. A moment ago I was locked in a cell with my mistake and now I see that this prison is self imposed.I am the warden. I hold all the keys. It is an odd feeling, when you realise how many choices you have and that for the most part there will be no dire consequences to face, the extent of that freedom is dumbfounding. Even for my small life, which is so big to me, to think and wade in the luscious possibilities is intoxicating. At the moment, Iam experiencing life as an outsider. I feel like I am holding my breath, swimming underwater and looking around at the landscape. I see myself on the land above, moving through life with effort. I want to rejoin myself and move as effortlessly as I do down here.I know I will have t o surface soon. And when I come up for air, and back to the noise, decisions will have to be made. A direction followed. I am ready to stop treading water. I want to swim. BY CHENOA PATERSON SUMMARY The writer is a UNI student just about to finish completing her pure maths degree that she has been doing for four years now and she has had enough and is over it. She didn’t study what she loved but instead study what would get her a job the easiest. For the four years she has been studding all she has been hearing herself say it that it isn’t her, she doesn’t belong in this degree.The degree is a degree of wast unhappiness and boredom. But then she realises to herself that she could give in and asks herself if it was really a waste of time, or a lesson that she needed to learn the same lesson that take some people a life time to learn but only took her a few short years, to follow your desires. CONCEPT OF BELONGING In the text ‘treading water’ the writ er doesn’t belong, she is over school/uni and doesn’t like the subject that she has chosen â€Å"I wanted to study what I loved; instead, I chose what would guarantee my employment. And for the four years she has spent doing this degree she has been telling herself â€Å"This is not you this is not you this is not you this is not you †¦Ã¢â‚¬  The degree she is doing doesn’t have anything to do with her character and she is not enjoying it at all, and for four years she has been listening to her voice getting smaller and smaller inside of her expressing that this isn’t her, which displays that she isn’t belonging. Now she is left with a beaten down heart. â€Å"Now I sit alone with my mistake. † Now I have to forge hope out of my beaten-down heart. now she has finished the degree she is upset and she has to forge her hope it’s not just going to come from what she has done she has to start some things again. â€Å"A degree. A d egree of waste, unhappiness and boredom. † This quote emphasis the point of not caring about the degree she has just gotten and that it was just a degree of waste, unhappiness and boredom. She isn’t going to be able to use this degree joyfully. She also emphasises it through a triple repetition of a word or phrase or sentence style 3 times for effect, waste, unhappiness and boredom.ANALYSIS OF THE LANGUAGE FEATURES AND STRUCTURES SIMILE = â€Å"Once more through the examination mill and then out I pop – an educated graduate. I can’t help but think that I feel more like an Uncle Toby’s Raspberry Roll-Up coming out flat at the other end. † Creating an image of the choice of food used in this simile which is common food in a playground/school (recess food) so this image is linking to a school image too. The extended metaphor â€Å"Old passions and desires have been brewing just under the surface – boiling like vegetables in a pressure co oker.Getting so hot sometimes, I thought my skin would break. But every time I thought it would, someone released the valve just enough to stop me from exploding. † Emphasis how much she doesn’t belong, referencing to the point that her old passions have still been there while she is doing her degree. She uses a simile to create an image of there being so much pressure on her but she actually wants to just do what she wants to do. â€Å"Four years of conscientiousness and responsibility. Four years of crowded classes, annoying assignments and exhausting exams.Four years of stellar marks which fail to elicit any feeling of joy. Four years listening to my voice getting smaller and smaller inside of me. † This is an exaggeration of the four years she has spent in uni and how much she hates/hated it. She didn’t belong in this course of maths and spent all this time doing it but hating it at the same time because she didn’t want to be there. â€Å"Four years† is alliteration to strengthen and reinforce the image of how long she spent doing what she didn’t want to do. stellar† is a strong adjective used to convey that she really doesn’t dig the course she is doing and feels no joy in her from it. CONNECTIONS TO THE SET TEXT (PETER SKRZYNECKI) The comparison of how long they have been in school (St Patricks College) and UNI (Treading Water) The repetition of â€Å"four years† in treading water. â€Å"Four years of conscientiousness and responsibility. Four years of crowded classes, annoying assignments and exhausting exams. Four years of stellar marks which fail to elicit any feeling of joy.Four years listening to my voice getting smaller and smaller inside of me. † The repetition of â€Å"eight years† in St Patricks College. This repetition in both of the texts is emphasising how long they have been in school/UNI. In the poem ‘St Patricks College’ Skrzynecki explains that he has been doing the same thing for â€Å"eight years† and still nothing is different, he got nothing from being in school and he didn’t enjoy it. Also in the reflection ‘Treading Water’ she emphasises that she has spent â€Å"four years† in UNI and hasn’t got any joy, hope or happiness.She isn’t enjoying it and is so excited for the last day but didn’t actually achieve anything. The simile â€Å"like a foreign tourist† this simile describes that he feels like a tourist he doesn’t belong at St Patricks College. The cultural barrier stops him from belonging like all the other Australia’s he knows this place because this is where he has grown up but he still doesn’t belong. In ‘Treading Water’ she too does not belong as she doesn’t belong in the degree she is doing, she knows it but she â€Å"wanted to study what I loved† and because she didn’t study what she loved â⠂¬Å"I sit alone with my mistake†.She made a mistake by picking the wrong degree to do because now she doesn’t belong in it. TEXT 2 Esther chapter 3 verses 8- 15 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, â€Å"There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury. 10 So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 â€Å"Keep the money,† the king said to Haman, â€Å"and do with the people as you please. † 12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summo ned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring. 3 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered. Esther chapter 4 When Mordecai learned of all that had b een done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes. When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. 6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal t reasury for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people. 9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 â€Å"All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them nd spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king. † 12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: â€Å"Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 Fo r if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? † 15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 â€Å"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me.Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. † 17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions. SUMMARY While at a banquet, King Xerxes summons his wife at the time (Queen Vashti) to parade around and show her beauty to make the Kings advisers jealous and lustful of her. After she refuses King Xerxes banishes her and holds a beauty pageant for all virgins to replace her.He then makes Esther queen without knowing she is a Jew. Mordecai Que en Esther’s cousin, who raised her like a father, finds out that that Haman on behalf of King Xerxes is going to annihilate the Jews. The Jews had all torn their clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes as a way of mourning. CONCEPT OF BELONGING She doesn’t belong with King Xerxes as she is lying to him, telling him she is not a Jew when she is, and she continues to lie until she finds out that he is planning to annihilate all the Jews. â€Å"6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people. † Esther has now been asked by Mordecai to tell the king that she is a Jew and â€Å"to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people† â€Å"15 Then Esther sent this reply o Mordecai: 16 â€Å"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. †Ã¢â‚¬  She belongs with the Jewish group as she is following a normal Jewish ritual in asking them to fast and pray, until she goes before the king to beg for her people. ANALYSIS OF THE LANGUAGE FEATURES AND STRUCTURESThe repetition in these two verses, of destruction and annihilation is emphasising how much Haman â€Å"the enemy of the Jews. † Hates and wants the Jews dead and there is nothing they can do about it, and also emphasising how much they hate the Jews. †¢ â€Å"The destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation† †¢ â€Å"Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews† But the Jews know that the Queen Esther is a Jew and that she may be able to stop King Xerxes from having all the Jews killed. Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?. † The rhetorical question? Is expressing why she has come to this royal position at a time like this and that its God’s plan for her life, to stop them killing of the Jews,

Everything You Need to Know About Writing Awesome Email Subject Lines

Everything You Need to Know About Writing Awesome Email Subject Lines First impressions matter. This is certainly true for email subject lines. Theyre the first thing recipients see in their inbox.  When written well, they inspire readers to open your email  newsletters and click through to read more. If theyre off target, however, they  let your reader know your email is a waste of time and space. No pressure, though. To make matters worse, we all get too many emails. Whether theyre from a store you dont remember visiting,  or your parents are wondering why you dont write more often (you should really drop them a line), the pursuit of inbox zero is a fabled achievement for knowledge workers (including marketers). So, how do you write subject lines that make your emails stand out? Thats exactly what well cover in this post. Youll learn: The emotional elements of subject lines that drive clicks. Best practices on how to write subject lines. The best way to run A/B tests so you can gather your own data about what works best for you. Make yourself comfortable.  Were going to  write sharp subject lines that demand the attention your email deserves. This Is How To Write Better Email Subject Lines To Get More OpensSnag Your Email Subject Line Template + Resource Bundle This post is packed full of advice. To make it easier to implement while youre on the job, weve rounded up these free templates: Email Subject Lines Template: 43 fill-in-the-blank templates to practice sharpening your subject line writing skills. 500+ Power Words Cheat Sheet: We made this with headlines in mind, but the same words work to infuse emotion into subject lines, too. Power + Emotion Words Cheat Sheet: Another reference sheet loaded with emotional words to drive more engagement. Email Subject Line A/B Test Spreadsheet: A simple Excel file for storing the outcomes of your email subject line A/B tests. ... And Try Our New Email Subject Line Tester You get one chance to write the perfect subject line for your email. Of course, there's no way to be sure how it'll perform until you hit "send." But, wouldn't be great if you could tilt the odds in your favor? That's where our Email Subject Line Tester comes in. Like our popular Headline Analyzer, it's a free and simple tool for testing email subject lines. Enter your subject line: And get your score: Plus, you'll get a detailed breakdown on how to improve your results: Give it a spin now and start optimizing every subject line you write (before sending it to your list). Why Are Subject Lines Important? Like we stated previously, your subject line is the first thing recipients see. In that crucial make-or-break moment when users find your email in their inbox, it's what determines whether they'll click through, or simply ignore your message. Worse, they might even put your newsletter in the trash without even opening it up. Let's start by asking exactly why paying attention to subject lines is important.  Here are some interesting  stats: Source: convinceandconvert.com/convince-convert/15-email-statistics-that-are-shaping-the-future/ When it comes to subject lines, these numbers tell us a few things: Subject lines shouldn't sound overly sales-driven. No one wants to start their day with a blunt sales pitch. Stay out of SPAM folders by sounding natural. Avoid spammy-sounding subject lines. People will learn to avoid your emails, even if you make it into their inbox. Subject lines have a considerable influence on click-through rates. Sure, 35% isn't an astronomical number. However, it's high enough to show subject lines carry weight. Ignore them at your own peril. Writing #email #subject #lines? Commit these three stats to memory.Can You Show Me Some Examples of Great Email Subject Lines? Now, you're probably wondering what good email subject lines look and sound like. There are a ton of great examples and resources out there, and we've rounded up some of the best below: 101 Best Email Subject Lines of 2017 (Digital Marketer) 164 Best Email Subject Lines to Boost Your Email Open Rates (OptinMonster) 13 Insanely Clickable Email Subject Line Examples (Sumo) 40 Great Email Subject Lines (ThriveHive) That should be plenty to point you in the right direction. Three Mechanics of Strong Subject Lines So, you've seen some examples of good subject lines. But, what actually makes them, well, good? Let's break down some mechanics. Write Short Subject Lines For Mobile Devices According to MailChimp, there is little correlation between subject line length and clicks. However, keeping them short may help their appearance on mobile devices. Communicate a Clear Benefit No one will open your marketing email if there is no benefit to the reader. So, make it clear that your recipient will gain something from opening it. In most cases, the benefit of your email will be clear.   Here are some examples: Move snow faster with this plow (benefit: clearing your driveway quicker). Cut grass like a champ (benefit: make lawn mowing easier). Improve your living room for 40% less (benefit: upgrade your furniture, saving money). These are basic examples, but they give you the picture. Use Words That Positively Impact Open Rates The best subject lines use terms shown to drive action. Here's a quick look at 100+ words you should consider: How Do Emotional Appeals Impact Email Open Rates? Subject lines are a lot like headlines. The more emotional, the better. People want to know how their life will be better, easier, or more enjoyable because they read your email. Those kinds of benefits aren't necessarily easy to convey. However, they're essential for optimal open rates. So, how can you pull those emotional levers to get more opens? Start by understanding which emotions you want to invoke, and learn the language necessary to drive that action. Recommended Reading: How to Write Emotional Headlines That Get More Shares Which Emotions Can Email Marketers Tap Into? So, we've established the need to give your emails some feeling. But, which emotions or sensations should marketers focus on eliciting? Let's focus on the following four: Urgency. Why should I act fast (and what will happen if I don't)? Curiosity. How can you  include enough detail to get readers interested, but leave enough mystery that they have to click through? Excitement. Can your subject line hype up your email content (and can your newsletter can back it up)? Joy. What can your subject line do to promote a positive emotional result for your reader? How to Write Subject Lines That Inspire Urgency Let's take a look at some easy subject line formulas and templates you can use to get readers moving. Give Your Reader a Deadline to Act Deadlines and "limited time" messaging can inspire immediate action. Example: Successful marketers will open this ... before time runs out. Tap into FOMO (The Fear of Missing Out) The "fear of missing out" is real, and no one wants to miss out on something good. Example: Limited spots available! Claim yours now. Imply Negative Outcomes Due to Lack of Action What happens if the recipient doesn't take advantage of what's in your email? Example: Don't let your lawn suffer under the summer sun. How to Write Subject Lines That Inspire Curiosity Everyone enjoys a little bit of mystery from time to time, right? Here's how to infuse some suspense into your emails to get more opens. Try the Cliffhanger Approach Leave out enough detail to stoke interest without telling the whole story. Example: Bob's  lawn got greener than ever using ... Start With the End Offer readers a conclusion that leaves them wondering how the story starts. Example: How did Bob's lawn get so green? Use an Open-Ended Question One that can only be answered by opening your email. Example:  What's new at Bob's Lawn Care Emporium? How to Write Subject Lines That Inspire Excitement Get readers excited to open their email (or, well, as excited as you can get while reading email). Here's how to infuse some hype into your subject lines. Incorporate Strong Action Verbs Use language that encourages people to get up and do something. Example: Blast your abs for less at Dave's Gym Give Your Reader a Sense of Exclusivity Email subscribers love feeling like they have the inside track on exclusive deals and information. Example:  Can you keep a secret? Here's some cool news coming soon ... Make an Offer People Can't Refuse Use an accurate but hard-to-believe statistic or incredible offer to generate excitement. Example: Did you know 73% of clients see improvement using this tactic?   How to Write Subject Lines That Inspire Joy You know the saying, "People won't remember what you say, but they'll remember how you made them feel?" That absolutely applies to marketing, your brand, and your email subject lines. Make people feel good and reap the rewards. Use Emojis Intelligently A well-placed emoji can be great for getting a chuckle. Example: Look your best and feel your best :) (this isn't the best example, but pretend that smiley face is a much cooler-looking emoji) Work In Humor (Carefully) Laughter is good for your health. Put people in a good mood, and they'll react more positively to your content. Example: So three marketers walk into a bar ... Give People an Opportunity to Do Good Because it feels good to do good. Example: Make a difference with us for our local animal shelter Apply Your Knowledge: Write Better Subject Lines in Six Steps It's time to take what you've learned  and put it into action. Follow these steps to start writing. Identify the Topic and Purpose of Your Email What is your email newsletter about? Here are some common possibilities: Promoting a sale. Sharing your most recent content. Announcing a new product launch. Offering helpful how-to tips. Getting event registrants. If your email is part of a broader campaign, make sure your messaging is consistent, too. Know Your Audience If you're doing marketing correctly, you should know who your audience is. But, your audience may be comprised of several different market segments. So, make sure you know exactly who you're targeting. Then, craft messaging that will appeal to them. Identify Your Benefit or Value Proposition Why would someone open this email? Think about what's in it for your reader, as much as what's in it for your brand. Some examples could include: Saving money. Completing a task more easily. Doing something charitable. Narrow it down to one core benefit. Pick Your Emotional Appeal Remember Urgency, Curiosity, Excitement, and Joy? Choose one to focus on. Or, consider writing several options targeting different emotional appeals. Whichever you choose, have clear intent behind your words. Match the Message in Your Email Copy Message-match means making sure your subject line aligns with your email's content. Typically, it's a term reserved for digital advertising, ensuring ad copy aligns with a landing page. But, we can apply the same principle here. For example, if you're promoting a sale, make sure your subject line and body copy are consistent with one another. If you're promoting a piece of content, make sure your subject line's message matches what they'll find on the destination page. Write Several Options With the Email Subject Line Tester It's a good idea to try tons of different options before settling on one subject line. If you're writing for a client, you might even give them five or six to choose from. As you write different options, the tester will keep track of your scores: Plus, the tool will help you learn what works (and what doesn't). It's an easy way to Ten Templates to Write Your Own Email Subject Lines As an exercise, try filling in these templates. Then, use the Email Subject Line Tester to see how your efforts perform. The best [AUDIENCE] are using this [TACTIC] to [BENEFIT] Do [ACTION] [PERCENT] better Save [PERCENT] on [PRODUCT] before [NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE] [NUMBER] Ways to [BENEFIT] Using [PRODUCT] Achieve [GOAL] [PERCENT] Faster With [PRODUCT] Help [ORGANIZATION] do [BENEFIT] before [DEADLINE] The smartest [AUDIENCE] will be at [EVENT] ... Register for [EVENT] by [DEADLINE] and save [PERCENT] Here's how [INFLUENCER] does [ACTION] with [PRODUCT] [NUMBER] secrets the best [AUDIENCE] use to [BENEFIT] These writing prompts are simple, but should help get your creative gears turning. Get More Opens By A/B Testing Email Subject Lines Nearly every email service provider lets you send A/B tests for your email subject lines. Whether you use MailChimp,  Campaign Monitor, or something similar, most provide A/B testing options when building email newsletters. This video is specific to MailChimp, but it covers a lot  of A/B testing basics that should apply to most platforms: However, what  makes a good A/B test? Let's dig into some tips. 5 Effective Tactics for Email  A/B Testing The key to a good A/B test is to choose variables that really are different from one another.  If you test two subject lines that sound too similar, you won't learn much. There needs to be a substantial difference between your two options. Consider these five different approaches when you run your next A/B test: 1. Test Two Different Value Propositions Let's say your email content is promoting a post that both: Shows readers how to save time. Shows them how to save money. These are two different value propositions. So, write two options, one focusing on each benefit. Then, see which performs best. The data will tell you which benefit your audience cares about most. That'll help you continue to write more effective subject lines in the future. The key to a good A/B test is to have options that are different from one another.2. Target  Two Different Emotions Your audience might respond better to curiosity than urgency. Or, maybe they're looking for something that will brighten their day. So, find out. Try  targeting different emotions and see what drives a better response. 3. Test Subject Line Length You might find different subject line lengths work best for you. Or, different lengths may work better for different types of messages. Consider experimenting with short  (one or two words)  versus long (seven or eight words). 4. Test Questions Versus Definitive Statements Questions can help get readers curious. However, definitive statements can express authority. Try both and see what happens. 5. Test Using Stats Statistics can drive email opens, especially when they're difficult to believe. If your email content includes an interesting stat, try incorporating one into subject line A. Then, write subject line B without a stat. Recommended Reading: What 10 Studies Say About the Best Time to Send Email Now, An Exercise In A/B Testing Now, let's try applying what you've learned to an actual A/B test. Write Your Email Content Start by writing your email copy. This will make it easier to write your subject lines. Identify Which Two Variables You'll Test Write two different subject line options. Try to emphasize something different in each one. For example, you could target two different emotions, in order to sell people on reading the same newsletter. Or, you could include an emoji or statistic in one, but not the other. Whichever you choose, the point is to know exactly what you're testing. See Which Does Best Once your email has sent, you'll see relatively quickly which outperformed the other. Use the Email A/B Subject Line Testing template we included in this post to track performance over time: Here are some specific things to monitor: Winning and Losing Subject Lines: Which options perform best? Do certain types appear to fail more frequently than others? Open Rates: How many people opened each email? CTR (Click-Through Rate): How many people click through on each subject line? You'll need to set up and measure A/B tests in your email marketing platform provider. Here's how, using several popular email marketing tools: MailChimp Campaign Monitor HubSpot Pardot Constant Contact Emma Measure Your Results Use the analytics tools built into your email platform to monitor open rates. Use the template included in this post, or create your own following the graphic below. Use it to  track your winner and loser from the test, the difference in the results, and scrutinize the reason why your winner performed the best. This may require some subjective judgment. When  assessing the reason one subject line outperformed the other, keep the following in mind: If you set up clear variables in your A/B test, the reason subject lines succeed or fail should be obvious. For example, if one option includes a statistic, while the other does not, then that's a good indicator that stats resonate with your audience. Look for  patterns. The more you test, the more consistent patterns should  emerge. The days and times you send email can impact results as well. Remember that the actual content of your email may influence open rates (and in turn, your email conversion rates, too. If people aren't interested in the topic of your email, then simply following best practices might not be enough to drive opens and clicks. Great content will get attention. Following proper mechanics and technique merely maximizes great content's ability to make an impact. When it comes to email marketing, your own data beats best practices. The recipients on your email list are  different from anyone else's. What works for another business, might not work for yours. This is why it's better to know how to gather your own data than to simply follow someone else's. Don't use other's data as your guide. Use it to inspire you to get your own data.Now, Go Write Better Subject Lines! It's easy to overlook subject lines when we're writing marketing emails. They're short, so they should be easy, right? Not exactly. It's often tougher to write short, punchy messages than long, rambling pieces. When you only have about 50 characters to work with, every word counts. We can't tell you exactly what messaging will work best in your email.  However, you're now equipped with the knowledge you need to start experimenting with your own subject lines. By following the tips and best practices in this post, you'll be able to dramatically increase your odds of success. Try different things. See what works. Ditch what doesn't. Repeat for success.

buy custom The Industrial Revolution in London essay

buy custom The Industrial Revolution in London essay The industrial revolution occurred in Britain during this period hence London which was the largest manufacturing center at that time experienced the same. This happened in two phases beginning with the first industrial revolution that begun in the 18th century and the second around 1850. During this period, there was a massive improvement in transport technology from the use of animals and sails to introduction of railways, canals and better roads. These affected the development of London during this period in a number of ways; It led to growth in trade as many people moved from rural areas to the city due to change in the economy from relying on agriculture as the main source of income to manufacturing; hence, increased population in London. The large population worked in industries and also provided a ready market for finished industrial products leading to trade expansion. It enhanced faster, cheaper and safer transport of bulk raw materials an finished goods within and outside London city hence faster exchange, which hastened economic growth. It also enhanced faster movement and exchange of new ideas, businessmen and mails into and out of the city which led to increased economic growth. During this period (18th century), there was a rapid growth of thetown thatestablished the Metropolitan Police to govern the city. As the city continued to grow, the Metropolitan Board of Works (MBW), which was the first metropolitan government body was established in 1855 to help provide the city with sufficient infrastructure to match its rapid growth. This body is remarked for improving sanitization of drinking water from River Thames by building a sewerage system hence helping reduce death counts caused by cholera, and other water borne diseases. This helped to enhance economic development since healthy people were more productive. The MBW was later replaced by the Londonn County Council, in 1988, which was more of an administrative body that helped in maintaining law and order in the city and to help reduce crime which was at a high rate, hence encouraging trading activities. In the early 17th century, the number of blacks increased in London due to the tri-continental slave trade that resulted in blacks from West Africa and South Asia being taken to London as slaves. These slaves provided cheap labor, which led to more industrial output at lower costs leading to trade expansion. The few free slaves ended up as beggars as they lacked jobs because of racial discrimination. Apart from blacks, there was also presence of Jews, Germans and Irish among others. Movements to eliminate racism and slavery were common at the time. Later, immigration restrictions were put in place which reduced the immigration rate in London. However, the London born blacks were able to fit in the society and even get jobs while others started businesses which led to economic development in London. Buy custom The Industrial Revolution in London essay

Why People Share The Psychology of Social Sharing - CoSchedule Blog

Why People Share The Psychology of Social Sharing Blog How do you get more people to share your content? It’s a simple question that lacks a simple answer. But, perhaps it’s not as complicated as you think. In a fascinating study conducted by The New York Times Customer Insight Group, it was discovered that there are five key reasons people decide to share something with others. This study on the psychology of sharing and word-of-mouth movements uncovers an important opportunity for marketers who want to do a better job growing their audience. By understanding why people share, you can better assess your own content, and its ability to result in sustainable growth and traffic to your blog. These important insights may be all that you are missing in growing a high-traffic blog. How do you get more people to share your #contentmarketing?  The Psychology of Social SharingSpoiler Alert: It’s All About Relationships I’ve probably said it a gazillion times – people buy (and share content) from those that they know, like, and trust. Most sharing, as it turns out, is primarily dependent on the personal relationships of your readers. The data shows that the likelihood of your content being shared has more to do with your readers relationship to others than their relationship to you. The most common reasons people share something with others are pretty  surprising. Let’s look at the data. To bring valuable and entertaining content to others.   49%  say sharing allows them to inform others of products they care about and potentially change opinions or encourage action To define ourselves to others.  68%  share to give people a better sense of who they are and what they care about To grow and nourish our relationships.  78%  share information online because it lets them stay connected  to people they may  not otherwise stay in touch with Self-fulfillment.  69%  share information because it allows them to feel more involved in the world To get the word out about causes or brands.  84%  share because  it is a way to support causes or issues they care about It was also found that some users share as a act of â€Å"information management.†Ã‚  73% of  respondents said that they process information more deeply, thoroughly and thoughtfully when they share it. Shareable content has more to do with your readers relationship to others than their relationship...So, what do we do with all of this? How do we actually apply it to our content? There are five big ways. 1. Bring Value To Your Readers – Every Time If your readers are sharing content that they know, like, and trust, then one of the most important aspects of our content has to be the sheer value that it offers your readers. Ask yourself, â€Å"what are my readers really getting in exchange for their time spent consuming my content? It is worth their time? Recommended Reading from Neil Patel: The 6 Types Of Social Media Content That Will Give You The Greatest Value On this blog, we frequently post content that goes well beyond the 500-600 word average that is accepted by most blogs. Sure, this is above and beyond the call of duty, but we don’t mind. Why? Because we consistently pack more information as practical advice into our posts that our competitors do. It is part of our blue ocean strategy. It is part of how we make our content more valuable to our readers. Always remember that the value you provide and the entertainment you offer can instantly make your content more sharable. You can do this too. Other options you might consider: How can you make your content more practical and actionable for your readers. Readers love putting advice into action. How you continually  supply your readers with new and unique content that has never been â€Å"done† before. How your content can provide more value than the next best post on the subject. (See the skyscraper technique) How you can compete with everything else that your readers are doing when consuming your content. As if that wasn’t enough, you also need to realize that good content comes with a high entertainment factor. Rather than a generic stock image, consider custom graphics or charts that present your content to readers in a brand new way. This content is easy to share and easy to love because it brings delight and surprise to your readers. If you haven’t before, consider a video or infographic as a way to add more value, and more entertainment, to your content. Above all, always remember that the value you provide and the entertainment you offer can instantly make your content more sharable. 2. Help Your Readers Define Themselves I love digital books, but I frequently miss the presence of a physical book sitting on my shelf. There is something about the books that I keep and their ability to define who I am. They are important indicators of how I define myself, and in the same way, so does the content I choose to share. This is an important reality to consider. I mean really, when is the last time you asked yourself how your content would help your readers â€Å"identify themselves.† Probably never, but yet it is one of the most common reasons people share content with their friends. For example, this post by Optimizely  is a great example of how users can identify themselves with your content. In the post, the author offers an opportunity for the reader to discover if they are, in-fact, a data-driven marketer. This identity dilemma gives readers a direct opportunity to define themselves to others by reading the post, and then sharing it with their own audience. By sharing it, they very well could be defining themselves as a data-drive marketer, and if that’s the case it is good motivation for them to tell others. Of course, to do this well you need to make sure that each piece of content you create has a single specific takeaway or point that your readers can focus on. Without focus, it will be difficult for your audience to identify with your content in a direct way.

Personal Experience with Ageism and Adultism Essay

Personal Experience with Ageism and Adultism - Essay Example The essay "Personal Experience with Ageism and Adultism" talks about the age as a factor that distinguishes individuals in the society. To begin with, when I was young, during my third-grade year, my elder brother, who was in twelfth grade at the time, and his friends once discussed an issue which all of them seemed quite unaware of. Their discussion was mainly marred by speculation and imagination of what a new education policy was about and the implication it would have on the education system. Even though I was not part of the discussion, I was sitting with them in the living room, and had an upper hand over them, having watched the broadcast about the policy and its implication on national television. They kept arguing speculatively with one of them particularly explaining a completely distorted version of the policy to the rest. At some point, I joined in the discussion, giving the true version of the policy and its implication just as I had watched on television. They took it t o another side of the argument, giving it little attention, maybe because it did not come from one of their peers, and more so, it had come from a younger person whom they did not seem to believe had the command on such matters. Even after I had told them that I had watched it on national television, they still ignored my version and continued with the argument using their own speculated versions. As the debate continued and after I had given up on convincing them, my father arrived in the house and found the debate raging on.

Application of theory paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Application of theory paper - Assignment Example For this reason, a wide gap between practice and hypothesis continues to persist in the field of nursing. However, this is not always the case, in certain cases the difference in expected and observed result is due to human error or negligence on the part of professionals. No matter who postulates the theory, or to what background he or she belongs to, there are four basic concepts that are considered essential for every theory of nursing; they include the person, the environment, health, and nursing. Most of the theories attempt to explain the relationships that prevail between these notions and in doing so bring forth ideas that are novel and contributory towards the practice of nursing. Despite the importance of each of the four concepts with regards to nursing theory, the focal point of the nursing theories remains to be â€Å"the person". Further, nursing theory can be divided on the basis of generalizability principles. The categories of nursing theories on generalizability are Metatheory, Grand theory, Middle range theory, and Practice Theory. Metatheory can be considered as theory of theory or theories. It focuses on a specific phenomenon of abstract nature. Grand theory provides a conceptual framework, through which principles and concepts o f a discipline can be identified. Meanwhile, in Middle range theory, the area of focus is limited or too specific with respect to situation, and variables associated with it. Practice theory is usually applied to determine the goals that are to be achieved in result of a particular practice, and also the mode of attaining these goals. The standards of healthcare continue to transform every now and then as new technology evolves to replace the previous one. Similarly with the emergence of new health related challenges, the need to modify the process of nursing care continues to arise. This is not only important to ensure

Assignment 2 Time Constrained Test-x Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

2 Time Constrained Test-x - Assignment Example This should be geared towards addressing most of the challenges and needs that the society may be n need of. Therefore, through incorporating the triple bottom line theory, this paper will explore on how brands should create shared value (Junge 2011). Triple bottom line principles Social structure of the society One of the main characteristics of triple bottom line is the social structure that a brand is exposed too. For any social structure, the individuals expect that, a business that is being carried out should be beneficial to all the individuals involved and contributing to its success. This involves the laborers in the fields, the region and community in which a business is being conducted by a corporation. Therefore, for a good social structure, a corporate must consider the stakeholder and the labor interest to be interdependent (Cunningham&Cunningham 2004). Part of the social structure consideration is that a corporation should make profits that are based on the raw product and labor considerations. The raw material producer should not be given what they deserve. Some companies ensure that the raw material producer always has very little to benefit from. For example, the cement processing companies should consider the raw material value and give enough returns for the extraction of the raw material. The final product matters but if it was not for the raw material then, there would be no cement being produced. It is thus important that all the social aspects are put into consideration (Cunningham&Cunningham 2004). The labor department should also ensure that, there is no child labor in the company. The use of child labor is a form of exploitation and child abuse. More so, there should be fair wages given to the laborers of a company. The wages should match the type of work they do. Some companies undermine fair wages to their employees. This includes extra working hours under extremely tough conditions with very minimal wages provided to the employees. Some laborers even go the whole day without any allowance for food and water (Rauch 2012). It is thus vital that, considering the social structure, a company considers fair wages and also fair working hours. Providing facilities for health care of the community which is part of a business is vital and offering of education in relation to the products and their impacts is also important. For example, if the use of a certain brand of soap has side effects to the animals, then, there should be precautions on how to handle this type of soap and keep it away from pets kept at home. If all these practices are put into place, it is likely that a business will flourish with the customers and employees put into consideration hence, positive outcomes (Rauch 2012). Environmentally friendly Creation of value also entails considering practices that are sustainable in relation to the environment. The products that are produced by a company should ensure that there are minimal negative environment al impacts. Environmentally friendly and sustainable practices involve incorporating of minimal consumptions of energy resources. This should be carried out with the intention of conserving environmental resources. Better options of energy use like the use of renewable forms of energy should be encouraged (Ganesan 2012). Through this, a company involved in a business should be able to incorporate the reduction of waste

The Impact of Social Media on the Rare of Growth of Small and Medium Essay

The Impact of Social Media on the Rare of Growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises - Essay Example The paper tells that there is a major weakness with the questionnaire in terms ethical consideration. As an academic research, it is expected that the researcher makes a lot of provision for ensuring ethical protection for respondents. Some of these ethical protections should include the assurance of anonymity of respondents. The researcher must also keep responses highly confidential. Such assurances make respondents highly confident too in the answers they provide. The questionnaire should have therefore had a preamble that gives respondents these ethical assurances. What is more, there is a repetition of questions throughout the questionnaire. There are questions that have been reframed in different ways but seek to collect the same piece of data. There should have therefore been a better mopping up exercise to rid the questionnaire of repeated questions. Again, the questionnaire lacks clear-cut categorization of questions with headings. In the absence of such categorization, resp ondents are often confused on what a particular question is seeking to find. In this event, they may misunderstand the questions and answer them in different contexts. In future research, there would be conscious effort to present the questions in a more presentable way by clearly stating question numbers and categorizing the questions according to a minimum of four major themes. The questionnaires were distributed among two hundred respondents. These respondents were selected from different industrial backgrounds including hospitality, education, health, entertainment, transport, financial service, manufacturing, politics and so on. This was to ensure a large representation base. Among the two hundred respondents, the chart below represents those who use social media and those who do not. After the data on the use of social media were collected, the researcher grouped the responses according to the field of industry. This was done in order to find the time of industries that practi ced the use of social media most. In this regard, it was found that business to customer enterprises used social media more often than business to business enterprises After identifying which of the respondents used social media and which did not, the researcher went ahead to find out the specific social media that was used by these enterprises. The reason for collecting this particular data was because the literature review had proofed that some of the social media networks were more popular than others. The researcher, therefore, wanted to find out how the popularity of a particular social media network influenced and impacted the reasons for which the respondents were using them. The chart below represents the allocation of respondents and the kind of social media network they used. The researcher sought to find from respondents, the reasons why they used social media. This was an important data because the literature review has revealed that using social media serves diverse pur poses.

Business , Government and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business , Government and Society - Essay Example The article mainly discussed how US regulatory bodies have put in place the most business friendly policies. The business environment views government policies in terms of the regulatory burden and property rights protection that affects them on their day-to-day activities. The article discusses how the US government still currently ranks among the top countries with regards business-friendly policies, despite the issuance of new regulations as counteractive measures to financial crisis. There had also been numerous deregulatory policies of previous governments, and thus the current government has undertaken to put in place business friendly measures. However, there have been complaints among congressmen, business people, and trade representatives that a significant percentage of unemployment has resulted from overregulation of the business environment by the government. The article shows that the World Bank ranking has also not included a number of critical factors such as skills of the workforce, the size of the market and macroeconomic conditions. Nevertheless, African countries have been reported to have the most unfriendly business environment characterized by numerous regulations.   Major Stake Holders and Their Interests Major stakeholders of macroeconomic policies include the governments’ political class, the society, and investors in the business environment. ... Concerning changes in governance, the political class alters these guidelines and rules thus affecting the day-to-day operations of businesses. The government plays key role in to the economy of a country as a whole and thus needs to put in place economic policies that would bring economic developments. The governments’ political class being a major stakeholder to macroeconomics, it has continuously interfered with operations of the economy through the construction of public corporations. However, public corporations have been privatized by many governments in a bid to stimulate economic developments through the sale of underpriced shares to private members of the society. Privatization program has been used by nations as an economic reform programs. Stimulation of economic developments has been possible in many economies by coming up with business environments that are more competitive through privatization of public corporations (Rajan & Asher 95). Macroeconomics Theory and Concepts Macroeconomic theory is not the only aspect used by the government to ensure the business environment is favorable for entrepreneurs and for economic growth. Sustained economic growth in most cases depend on structural performance such as government regulations, public sector privatization, favorable policies, liberalization of trade and efficiency of the banking sector. Economic growth that focuses on distributional and progressive improvement has a positive impact of both the interest of the society and the businesspersons. Macroeconomic theories can be complemented by government policies that seek to improve income distribution in the society. Such policies may include reforms with regards to land tenure, access to financial services at affordable rates

Unemployment Essay Example for Free

Unemployment Essay In every society there will always be a number of people who are unemployed. Unemployment is when there are people in our society who desire work but are unable to obtain it because of the fact that there are not enough jobs for everyone. There are many factors that can cause unemployment but one of the biggest factors is lack of private investment. This is caused by private companies not expanding their activities fast or not expanding them fast enough. Another main factor of unemployment is the increase of labour costs. Labour costs are the wages and salaries businesses have to pay their employees. This is a bad thing because if there wages and salaries increase to fast or are already high then businesses won’t be able to afford to pay the employees so they have to fire them. One final cause of unemployment is when there is a depression in the world economy. This is when countries of the world are going bad in there economy and cannot afford to buy as many exports as they would be able to previously. There are no positive aspects of unemployment and is really bad for the production of the economy. This means that we are wasting our resources because instead of producing goods and services with them we aren’t doing anything with them. But this isn’t the only effect of unemployment, people’s income will also change and it will cause more poverty. Unemployment also reduces the amount of tax paid to the government which means that the government will be losing money because since less people are working the government is getting less income tax but with whatever money they get they have to pay all the unemployed people and this is how the government gets into a lot of debt. Long-term unemployment is when people have been unemployed for 12 months or more. This is a very serious matter because when you have been unemployed for so long you have a high risk of poverty. Long term unemployment also places a strain on the government because they have to support without getting much tax revenue. Unemployment, particularly long term unemployment, is the most savage cause of poverty and disadvantage in our community. It is the cause of enormous personal and financial hardship for hundreds of thousands of people and their families. Unemployment is the greatest determiner of poverty and exclusion–and that is why the fight against unemployment is so critically important. However it is said that this battle can only result in victory by concentrating on providing jobs and opportunities rather than penalties or slogans. The importance of employment can only be explained, in that undertaking paid work fulfils many functions in our society. Employment is the main way of receiving money and thus survival, but we also often gain our sense of identity, self-worth and social connections through the paid work we do. Unemployment is the condition of one who is capable of working, actively seeking work but is unable to secure a paid job. However, it is essential to note that to be considered unemployed, a person must be an active member of the labour force and in search of remunerative work. In March 2002, the ABS estimated that 622,300 people were unemployed in Australia at a rate of 6. 3 per cent. This is disturbing, in itself, but the figures would be even higher if the definition of unemployment was not so narrow. While the unemployment rate is useful, it also has some very real limitations. It does not represent what jobs are disappearing or being created, whether they are part-time or full-time, permanent or casual. It also does not reflect upon whether people are working too many hours or not enough hours, or the amount of time they remain without work. Unemployment is not a problem solely for those without paid work; it is a problem for all of us. If people have no money to spend, local businesses do not sell their products and this spiraling effect can impact on entire economies. People face a number of barriers to employment. The primary barrier is that there are not enough jobs for those who wish to undertake paid employment. In February 2002 there were still seven job-seekers for every job vacancy. There are also not enough supports available for people seeking paid work, such as access to affordable child care and rehabilitation or support mechanisms for people with disabilities. Also, paradoxically, people are often considered too young or too old by prospective employers, so age can also be a barrier to employment. Other barriers relate to where people are living. There are differences between rural and urban levels of unemployment, and also stark differences between suburbs in all major Australian cities. The unemployment rate is a figure produced monthly by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). An unemployed person is defined by the ABS as someone not in paid employment who is actively looking for work. Anyone who is doing paid work for at least one hour a week is not considered to be unemployed. Many people are marginally attached to the labour orce–they want to work but are not actively seeking employment. Sometimes people stop looking for work because they are under the misleading impression that they won’t be successful. These discouraged job seekers may believe they are too old, or too young, or do not possess the skills an employer would want. This is hidden unemployment. The other large group of people not represented in the statistics are those who are working but would prefer to work more hours, the underemployed. In February 2002, over 27 per cent of part-time workers wanted to work more hours . Three sources of data are used to calculate the figures representing the labour force in regard to unemployment. These involve the monthly labour force survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, statistics from the Job Network and statistics from Centrelink. Also, the Australian Bureau of Statistics take sit further in that they attempt to categorize the final statistics into sections involving age, region, sex, occupation and education. Currently, as previously mentioned, the Australian Bureau of Statistics states that the unemployment rate in Australia is approximately 6. % and nevertheless, this figure does not encapsulate hidden employment. Unfortunately, anyone can become unemployed readily. Statistically, however, indigenous Australians, recently arrived migrants, people with disabilities, young people and older workers who have been retrenched are most likely to be unemployed. People living in remote and rural communities also have higher rates of unemployment. The graph above shows the percentages of people in different age groups who were unemployed and looking for work in March 2002. Youth unemployment is very high across Australia. There are, however, fewer young people looking for work than in the past, as more undertake education and training before entering into the job market. Within the last two budgets, the Howard Government have attempted several tactics involving policies and the like to lower the unemployment rate in Australia. The centrepiece of the 2002 budget involved the Welfare Reform Package, which entailed many new policies to hopefully effectively reduce unemployment in Australia. This was designed to provide higher levels of service and support to those having difficulty with acquiring employment. This new system features policies where sole parents who wish to retain benefits they receive as an unemployed citizen and support a child between 12 and 15 years of age is required to attend an annual meeting at Centrelink, or a program which involves the undertaking of community service and/. or part time work. Those over the age of 50 are now required to claim identical benefits tot hose under, as opposed to the previous Mature Age Allowance or Partner Allowance. Training credits will be offered, but conversely mutual obligation requirements were introduced. Finally, all unemployed people face new requirements as soon as they have bee without employment for over 3 months, and are requested to attend interviews and job help programs to assist them in their search. Although Australians who are unemployed receive government assistance if they meet certain requirements, unemployment benefits leave many to survive below the poverty line. Governments play a pivotal role investing in research and development and social infrastructure (health, education and community services). Job creation is vital if the unemployment rate is to be reduced. If governments make such investments, this will not only maintain the fabric of society, but will create many meaningful employment opportunities. An important aspect of unemployment is the length of time people are without work. Long-term unemployment is a major problem in Australia. In March 2002, 24. 7 per cent of unemployed people had been without work for a year or more; of this group, 57. 2 per cent had been unemployed for over two years. It is estimated that one in five poor Australians are in paid work but are still almost unable to support themselves, and are known as–the ‘working poor’. Many people in Australia also get trapped in the cycle of insecure low-paid casual jobs, followed by periods spent living on income support. This growing number of people highlights the importance of creating quality jobs. Personally, I believe that whilst many effective strategies are in place to reduce unemployment in Australia, and in fact the rate of unemployment is lower than it has been in many years, more can be done to assist those unfortunate people. It has been said that the first step is to acknowledge that unemployment is a structural problem, not one of lazy individuals. This indicates that governments have a role to play in developing appropriate policy: as unemployment may be exacerbated by government policy it can similarly be alleviated by political intervention. A policy to reduce unemployment very substantially has a much greater chance of success if it is based on increased government expenditure. Some regions have been particularly hard hit, with industries that have previously provided the bulk of employment closing down or moving elsewhere. In some of these areas people from business, governments and the community have started working together to generate employment and strengthen local economies. In order to gain employment people need appropriate skills, so access to training is vital. Labour market programs that offer real and relevant training are needed not schemes which appear to blame unemployed people for their difficulties, with little focus on job placement and support. Whilst many occupations have placed several people out of work due to lack of demand, in opposition many professions require increased numbers of people to fill the demand in Australia. Programs should be established for the encouragement and training of those who require work in these fields, as this would doubly regard both the country and the people of it. In termination, unemployment is an involuntary condition, which not only affects those engulfed by it, but those who surround such people. In Australia, in my opinion we are blessed to live in such a democratic society, yet where the government takes an active interest in the plight of the people and thus encourages independence. The unemployment issues in Australia are countless, yet they are not without solution. In years to come, it is likely that our unemployment rate shall continue to decrease, due to the unfailing efforts of our government and citizens.

Chemical Properties of Silicon and its Uses

Chemical Properties of Silicon and its Uses Silicon and its Chemical Properties: Role in Architecture and Construction Introduction Silicon ranks seventh as the most abundant element in the universe and second most abundant element in earth with 27.7% composition of crust by mass (Exley, 1998). Silicon is a metalloid of atomic number 14 and chemical symbol Si discovered by Swedish chemist, Jà ¶ns Berzelius in 1823. Natural silicon contains three isotopes: 92.2% of Si-28, 4.7% of Si-29 and 3.1% of Si-30. Pure silicon exists in either shiny, crystalline dark grey or amorphous powder forms. In the period table, silicon is situated under germanium in group IV. It is usually tetravalent, though sometimes exhibits bivalent properties in compounds (Exley, 1998). Silicon exists in many dioxide forms and in natural silicates. It is present in rocks (as silicates), cement, sand, glass, silicone and ceramics (Exley, 1998). It is also a semiconductor commonly used in electronics like computers where they are formed as wafers in computer chips. Silicone is category of polymers with silicon in structure, alternating with oxygen atoms (Moretto, Schulze, Wagner, 2005). Chemical Properties of Silicon The electronic configuration of silicon is given as 1s22s22px22py22pz23s23px13py1 usually represented by [Ne] 3s23px13py1. First, second and third ionization energies are 786.3 kJ/mol, 1576.5 kJ/mol and 4354.4 kJ/mol, respectively. Ionization energy refers to quantity of energy that an isolated, gaseous atom in the ground electronic state has to absorb in order to discharge an electron, resulting in a cation. Based on its electronic configuration, silicon forms tetra-positive ions of Si+4 by loss of 3s23px13py1 electrons (Exley, 1998). Silicon bonds with hydrogen to form hydrides represented as Sià ¡Ã‚ µÃ… ¸+ Hà ¡Ã‚ µÃ… ¸- in organo-silicon chemistry. It also reacts with strong alkalis to form silicate and hydrogen gas. Si(s) + 2KOH(s) + H2O(l) -> K2SiO3 (s) + 2H2(g) Si(s) + 2NaOH(s) + H2O(l) -> Na2SiO3 (s) + 2H2(g) At 4500C silicon react with oxygen to form silicon-dioxide (silica) (Iler, 1979). Si(s) + O2(g) -> SiO2 (l) It reacts with halogens to form tetra-halides. Si(s) + 2H2(g) -> SiH4 (s) Silicon reacts with metals to form siliodes. 2Mg(s) + Si(s) -> Mg2Si(s) Silicon reacts with hydrochloric acid on heating to form hydrogen gas. Si(s) + 3HCl (aq) -> SiHCl3(s) + H2(g) Molecular silicon has the ability to stabilize positive and negative charges and the ability to affect bond strength and lengths in molecules. In organosilicon compounds, due to the relative inertness of the Si-C bond, the Si-X bond is usually much more readily cleaved. Organo-chlorosilanes, RnSiCl4-n, rapidly hydrolyse to RnSi(OH)4-n which are condensating, e.g.: 2Me3SiCl + H2O > 2Me3SiOH + HCl Me3SiOH + HCl > Me3Si-O-SiMe3 + H2O Silylation reaction is given by Me3Si-X + RO-H > RO-SiMe3 H-X, where X is Cl, Br or I. Stabilization of ÃŽ ±-silyl carbanions in organic silicon compounds occurs due to (p-ÏÆ'*)Ï€ overlap of p orbitals of carbon which is highly polarized bond of ÃŽ ± metalloid species with ÏÆ'* antibonding species near carbon-silicon bond. This is observed in 2,2-diphenyl-1-(trimethylsilyl)cyclopropane (Mark, Allcock, and West, 2005). Figure 1 Stabilization of ÃŽ ±- silylcarbanion The ÃŽ ²-effect of silicon is its ability to stabilize a ÃŽ ²-positive charge. Electronegativity of silicon puts high charge density on carbon-silicon bond that facilitates conjugative stabilization of the p orbital polarized carbon-silicon bond. In anchimeric assistance in the process of solvolysis of (bromoethyl)trimethylsilane, maximum stabilization of ÃŽ ²-positive charge occurs when there is co-planar orientation of the empty p orbital and the carbon-silicon bond (Sekiguchi, Kinjo, Ichinohe, 2004). Role of Silicon in Architecture and Construction Silicon compounds play a major role in architecture and construction. Silicon is the principal constituent of natural stone, glass, concrete, sand and cement (Ca3SiO5) used in building. Sand (SiO2) is the main component in glass (Uhlmann, Kreidl, 1991). Asbestos used in roofing is a set of silicon compounds. It is important thermal insulation. The strength of asbestos makes it useful as addition to concrete, asphalt, vinyl materials in roof shingles, pipes, siding, wall board, floor tiles, joint compounds and adhesives. It should be used with care because of its health hazards (Brodeur, 1985; Kozumbo, Kroll, Rubin, 1982; Selikoff, 1978; Wayne Crump, 2003). Common minerals present in asbestos are serpentine chrysotile ((Mg,Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4); and amphiboles tremolite (Ca2(Mg5.0-4.5Fe2+0.0-0.5)Si8O22(OH)2); actinolite (Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe2+0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2); cummingtonite ((Mg,Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2); grunerite (Fe2+,Mg)5Si8O22(OH)2); richeckite (Na2(Mg,Fe2+)3Fe3+2Si8O22(OH)2) and anthophyllite ((Mg, Fe)7Si8O22(OH)2). Silicon organic compounds like polymers (silicones) act as bonding intermediates between glass and organic compounds, form polymers with useful properties such as impermeable to water, flexible and resistance to chemical attack. Silicones are used in waterproofing treatments, moulding compounds and mould-release agents, mechanical seals, high temperature greases and waxes. Silicone sealants are used in high performance buildings due to their good performance and long lasting capabilities. It has low temperature flexibility and high temperature stability. Silicone enable amazing feats of architecture and the preservation of our most treasured landmarks – as well as making our homes more comfortable and energy efficient (Moretto, Schulze, Wagner, 2005). They can solve structural glazing and weatherproofing; energy efficiency in buildings; improve in-shop productivity and reduce material waste; extend building life and reduce life cycle costs; help realize sustainable development and achieve design freedom. Silicone sealants outperform and outlast organic weatherproofing materials. They enable innovative applications that would otherwise be impossible. For example, only structural silicone sealants have the long-term adhesion, compatibility, and strength required for structural glazing and protective glazing applications, making sheet glass skyscrapers a reality. Silicones are also inherently waterproof, and provide greater UV stability, temperature and weather resistance then organic materials. And, because they last longer, they can be replaced less often – reducing lifetime costs and contributing to sustainability. Conclusion It is concluded that silicon and its compounds have many uses in architecture and construction. More building materials with silicon as part of their structure are being developed for structural and other construction applications. Research in architecture and construction should focus on silicon and its compounds as an important frontier in developing the industry. Reference Sekiguchi, A., Kinjo, R and Ichinohe, M (2004). A stable compound containing a silicon-silicon triple bond. Science Vol. 305, No. 5691, p. 1755–7. Moretto, H-H, Schulze, M., and Wagner Gebhard (2005) Silicones in Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. Kozumbo, W. J., Kroll, R. and Rubin, R. J. (1982). Assessment of the mutagenicity of phthalate esters. Environmental Health Perspectives, No. 45, p. 103–109. Mark, J. E., Allcock, H. R. and West, R. (2005). Inorganic Polymers. Oxford University. p.155. Wayne, B. D. and Crump, K. S. (2003). Final draft: technical support document for a protocol to assess asbestos-related risk. Washington DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. p.474. Selikoff, Irving J. (1978). Asbestos and Disease. Elsevier. pp.20–32. Brodeur, Paul (1985). Outrageous Misconduct: The Asbestos Industry on Trial (1st ed.). Pantheon Books. Iler, R. K. (1979). The Chemistry of Silica. Plenum Press. Uhlmann, D. R. and Kreidl, N. J. ed. (1991). Optical properties of glass. Westerville, OH: American Ceramic Society. Exley, C (1998). Silicon in life: A bioinorganic solution to bioorganic essentiality. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry Vol. 69, No. 3, p. 139.

Speech :: essays research papers

Hello ladies and gentlemen my name is BLANK and I am here because I am a risk taker. Have you ever heard the expression â€Å"if they jumped off a bridge would you too?† My answer was a nervous â€Å"yes† to a free-fall jump off a bridge. This decision was a life changing one. It was a hot and humid day and my friends and I were out cycling for a few hours to fill in time. After a while we reached a foot bridge that was suspended over water. We all stopped before it. Suddenly my best friend turned around and said â€Å"I dare you to jump off the bridge.† Not to say anything, but I have a huge fear of heights. I have had it since when I went for a short, noisy and scary flight in a light aircraft when I was five. I have problems just going up in an elevator let alone jumping off a bridge. I could see other people jumping off and screaming while they fell towards the water. The noise from the screams was making it worse for me as it was causing my stomach to tighten and making me feel sick. So I decided to take the easy way out of this situation without embarrassing myself in front of my friends. â€Å"Yes, ok† I said nervously. â€Å"But, only if you jump first.† I added. He said â€Å"fine† then got off his bike and put it down and said to look after it. He then made his way to the side of the bridge and stood up on the rail. He waved to us and then he just jumped. No fear or hesitation. He just jumped! I was amazed and then I hear a splash. Oh no! So much for the easy way out of this situation. I had assumed that he would decline and it would be left at that. We watched him swim back to the shore and then he went out of sight. I knew it was my turn next. A few minutes later he reappeared triumphantly and announced that it was my turn to jump now that he had completed his end of the dare. With the spotlight on me and the pressure building as my friends cheered me on I decided that there was no way out and that it was time to face my fears and conquer them.

Rene Magrittes Ceci nest Pas Une Pipe and Les Deux Mysteres :: Art Painting Artist Essays

Rene Magritte's Ceci n'est Pas Une Pipe and Les Deux Mysteres The aesthetic value of Rene Magritte’s paintings is driven by a relationship manufactured by the artist. By specifically targeting an audience who can recognize that a set of established artistic interpretations are being challenged in his paintings, Magritte generates a dialectic argument that attempts to deconstruct Plato’s mimetic interpretation of art. As a result, the painting of a negated representation contained within a painted representation of that same object necessarily appeals to a subjective and not objective desire to comprehend Magritte’s intent. In other words, because we (the audience) know that you (the artist) know that your breaking the â€Å"rules,† a specific interest rather than a disinterested idea of beauty influences the aesthetic judgment of Magritte’s work. The we know that you know concept in Magritte’s paintings Ceci n’est Pas Une Pipe and Les Deux Mysteres effectively illustrates the nebulous connotations of beauty and the difficulty of determining an objects aesthetic value. Because of the complexity of ideas created by the different perspectives inherent in all creative endeavors, critics and philosophers, such as Joseph Addison and Immanuel Kant, have attempted to define the parameters of aesthetic judgment. Consequently, Addison and Kant each developed an argument that identified the parameters of aesthetic judgment and highlighted the sense of taste necessary for the recognition of beauty. As a result, in the interpretation of Magritte’s paintings, both Addison and Kant would conclude-- from different reasons drawn from their respective arguments--that Magritte’s work fails to attain a level of achievement consistent with the beautiful. At the top of Addison’s triarchy of aesthetic judgment or taste is the idea that â€Å"true wit† (an Addison synonym for beauty) is grounded in the â€Å"resemblance of ideas†¦ that gives delight and surprise† to an individual (Addison, 264). Working primarily as a source of literary criticism, Addison’s argument about the judgment of taste appears in his Spectator essays that are nonetheless dedicated to the defense of all â€Å"higher† forms of artistic endeavors and to the supremacy of â€Å"polite society† as the guardians of true wit (Lecture). For Addison, the ability to recognize true wit represented a necessary prerequisite for an individual’s acceptance into polite society. Further more, Addison’s argument implied that the judgment of beauty, although based on an ideal of objectivity, is in part an empirical knowledge gained from the â€Å"rules and arts of criticism† that provided the â€Å"accuracy and co rrectness† for contemporary true wit to exist (Addison, 261).

Political disruption, the flight from poverty, and the promise of better prospects Essay

There are traditions that are unique, and at the same time, these characterize the history that the Mexican Americans who live in the US as opposed to those of the other ethno linguistic groups or purely ethnic groups. In essence, this is a people that have been conquered. It must be known that this conquering took place in the classical era, after that the US prevailed in the Mexican- American war that took place from 1846 to 1848. Following this, the US then took to carving out the American Southwest. This made the US be in a position to inherit close to 80,000 Mexicans. More trouble set in for the Mexicans, courtesy of the fact that the US continually contravened the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty that existed between the Mexicans and the Americans. Although the Treaty had assured the Mexicans of all their rights being upheld as citizens, yet, the Mexicans failed to benefit from the treaty, given the fact that Mexicans to a great extent forfeited their rights. For instance, the Mexicans ceded away their land together with their political rights at the hands of Americans. Ways in which Mexican immigrants and Dust Bowl refugees forged a place for themselves in Early twentieth-century California  The Mexicans and the Dust Bowl refugees made a palace for themselves in the primordial times of the twentieth century. The measures that these groups took so as to make a niche for themselves have been discussed forthwith. Their backgrounds The phrase Dust Bowl refers to the US prairie states that underwent ecological and economic devastations during the 1930s. It is also known well that the problems were also experienced by the same group during the 1950s. It is held by historians such as Monroy (2000 P 99) who point out that the problems could be traced back to the First World War. This is a time that saw wheat prices soar. This led to the needs of the Allied Troops also being adjusted upwards. This type of affairs compelled the farmers to step up their efforts in growing more wheat in the prairie states by plowing and seeding these same areas. Some of these states were Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. These states in the times past were purely grazing grounds. Impediments they faced It is true that when the dust bowl struck the US, it sparked a mass exodus from the states that were affected to California, with these states being Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, among others. This led to the scramble over the little resources that were there in California. The situation became so tense to an extent that those who had escaped to California were not welcome there. The backlash from the Californians against the new immigrants eventually culminated into bad blood between the two parties. Conflicts between the two also materialized. There are a lot of impediments that the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl faced while attempting to establish a place for themselves in the earliest 20th century. In most cases, the problem was that they were not technologically endowed the way their invaders the Americans were. In the first place, the Americans had superior weapons such as guns and gunpowder. This state of affairs made the Mexicans very susceptible, as guns had the potency to extirpate the lives of the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl by tens of thousands. All these factors that were pegged on military might of the Americans forced the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl into capitulation. At the same time, the Americans carried out the incursion into the land that was being occupied by the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl by employing the use of large animals such as horses. It is held by Gregory (2002 p 122) that the Mexicans and the aborigines who had been living in the US had never seen these huge animals. It is held that these large animals placed the invaders at the vintage point at the expense of the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl, as this allowed the Americans to move with swiftness. On the other hand, there are historians who point out categorically that the socio- cultural practices and beliefs also contributed as setback to the Mexicans as well in the bid to establish a place for themselves in California in the 20th century. These historians point out at the streams of myths and legends that the Mexicans had at the time of the invasion. An example of these is the Legends of the Quetzal Qoatel that talked of an imminent coming of a deity. This left a gap for the invaders to manipulate the legend by usurping the place of this god. This definitely made the Mexicans and the neighbouring communities to submit easily, thinking that the invaders were the agents of the deities and the deity itself. The mythical beliefs that the Mexicans held about the cosmological elements did also make things a little bit easier for the Mexicans and the Dust Bowl. It is also true that the Dust Bowls also underwent a lot of setbacks due to the environmental challenges at the time. For instance, since the areas that were being used for grazing wilted, there were spates of plummeted output in agricultural produce. Livestock in large numbers shriveled in size and lost their lives. The fact that the soil remained unprotected only made the situation worse as most of these states succumbed to soil erosion and drought. This challenge of soil erosion was epitomized in 1934 when strong winds blew away into clouds, the fertile soil into huge clouds. The situation recurred in the next succeeding years during the months of December and May. The actions they took to overcome these impediments There are many measures that the Mexicans took so as to overcome the setbacks that stood on their way, in the bid to establish their settlements in the California in the early times of the 20th century. For instance, the Mexicans tried as dexterously hard as they could, to consolidate their political and economic might. This was done by carrying out and maintaining the Southwest trading between the Americans and the Mexicans. This was done at a time when the interests of the East were still held in high esteem prior to the takeover. At the time, the Britons and the Europeans had coexisted with and also intermarried with these Mexicans. Kenneth (2002 p 145) says that based on the fact that there was a transition in the US rule, and the inception of the gold rush, there arose the military strength to bring into subdue and expunge the Indian tribes and the increase in the population. The increase on the population at the same time bolstered the chances for the merchants, farmers, livestock raisers, and transportation companies. This protracted heavy economic activities engaged the British the Mexican and the European entrepreneurs. As mentioned before, there are those who tried to solve these problems by shifting to areas that are very conducive in supporting human life, courtesy of the being free from the actions and the devastations of the Dust Bowl. At the same time, there are those who employed the use of positive measures to tackle the problem that was at hand. For instance, there are those who took to documenting the plight of the refugees. To this effect, in 1935, there was a photographer, Dorothy Lange by the name, who apart from carrying opt the documentary, also faithfully stuck to the cause of the California State Emergency Relief Administration, Rural Division (SERA), a unit that existed as a section of the performed under the aegis of the Administration of the Federal Relief. In almost the same wavelength, this group also conducted research activities on pertinent matters such as soil erosion and conservation, the most ideal farming methodologies that were to be carried out. There were cases whereby there was also the ratification of the seemingly offensive measures in the attempt to reverse the situation and to thwart the looming cases of overpopulation in California. For instance, the police chief in Los Angeles in a similar effort, dispatched a contingency of 125 policemen who were to carry out the roles of a bouncers along the Californian borders with an overall intention of turning away the migrants or the bum brigade who were also known as the â€Å"undesirables†. The move was only nipped in the bud when the general public began to question the way in which funds were being dispensed in this project. The success and limits of their adaptation There are constraints and successes that were experienced by the Mexicans and other immigrants who were trying to get to California. In the first case, after getting to California, the situation did not get better automatically. The crops that were being grown in California were very different from the ones that were being grown in other regions. This means that the first issue that they were to grapple with is learning painfully that some crops did not fair well in some regions, getting new seeds and new farming and tilling techniques, the need and cost to learn new techniques, and competition that was stemming from the skilled Californian aborigines. There are historians who also point out that on arriving California, the immigrants found that the farmland was being monopolized at the hands of large corporate farms. This situation prevented the immigrants from acquiring land for cultivation. The above situation led to a profound economic chasm between the immigrants and the land owners as the former appeared to have and access more land. Conclusion It can therefore be seen clearly that the American history is full of inconsistencies just like any other country’s history. Perhaps the most memorable legacy that the US history has bequeathed the world is the fact that it later came to assimilate all the ethnic groups that it met in the Americas. This was epitomized when both the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments placed all men and women on the pedestal, irrespective of religion, race, color or sex. It is on this backdrop that the US is not only a mosaic of many states, but a conglomeration of different races. Thus, US unity totally exemplifies the strength and unity in diversity maxim than any other nation on planet earth.

Ernest J. Gaines: a Lesson Before Dying Essay

After reading the† lesson before dying â€Å"by Ernest J. Gaines the two characters that Really peeked my interest was Grant Wiggins and Tane Lou. These two are in relation by blood. this is very surprising being they are the total opposites when it comes to their characters. So I will be comparing these 2 characters. Tante Lou is the aunt of Grant and tante Lou are the total opposites of each other. Grant is so serious all the time and there’s something on his mind constantly. But he chooses to just stay silent about whatever he is thinking or going through. Whereas Tante Lou is the opposite she’s really free spirited. She takes him and really cares for him even through his flaws. Even through all his obstacles she’s able to change him for the better. He becomes a hero in this story he’s the protagonist in this story. He comes off as being so arrogant and wants freedom, respect but doesn’t do anything about it. But however great aunt tante i s anything but shy she will step up. She’s a role model in his life and the black community. Her actions throughout the story show that she has a big heart that loves but also is bossy. She accepts grant for who he is but says hey don’t put your people down. Stand up and use that education your smart let people see that side of you make an impact. Tante Lou is a unique and beautiful person she finds the good things in life through anything. She has a strong belief in god and his good works. Grant goes to church and is religious as well but he seems lost. He’s there but not really and needs direction. So these two characters kind of balance each other out. Grant carries himself as being protagonists throughout the story because he is the narrator in the story. He comes off as being arrogant because he feels that there is no hope for his community. Unlike the others he actually got away and went to college and earned a degree. He wants equality treatment and we see this without this he feels enslaved. Based on his personality he is quiet on the inside but has something to say. There is a part that of him that hasn’t really been exposed His demeanor is that he has used his formal education as a way of distinguishing himself from the others. The fact that he feels this way he doesn’t feel the need to try and make a change or impact at all for his people. Grant feels like nothing will ever change and that he’s an African american stuck in a white racist world. Grant was the only one to leave for a temporarily short period when he went to get a college education and that was rare for the newly freed slaves. Even after the emancipation and getting and education without the barriers they had before. He sticks around but has no reason to stay which is strange he feels enslaved even when he isn’t His overall demeanor is that he seems conflicted with himself and he’s looking for a fight to win. His moods vary depending on how he feels in the story he is very mysterious. He changes from being afraid when first helping Jefferson to being proud. Then when he is with Vivian and his aunt tante he’s kind and caring. When it’s just him he’s is very standoffish and he is very reserved. His character dresses just as his personality is he wears bow ties, white collared shirt and trousers and dress shoes. This is what he wears pretty when it comes to clothes. He wants to make a statement by dressing like this and who he is. Tante is the Aunt of Grant and all we have to go on is her remarks throughout the story. She has what grant lacks which is hope and resilience in this story. The facts that grant has a cynical branded of atheism makes her disapprove it. She is a very spiritual person and is highly motivated by god. Tante constantly is trying to see the good in people and change them for the better. She dresses respectably in society and insists on being chauffeured in the back seat to the pichots. This goes to show you that even though they were regarded as the lower and poor class she didn’t let that affect her. She regarded the way she dressed as the way of saying just because we don’t have money and education doesn’t make us different. She isn’t going to give in to the concept that blacks in the south are the bottom rung. Tante not only is a leader in the community but also in grants life. People look at her to step up and take action and she does by telling grant to be compassionate and helpful. She forces his hand to help Jefferson who was convicted of a crime which he never did. Her faith in god and good works makes her whats good especially for grant in every way. Although physically free, Grant lives in a mental prison of his own making created by his hatred of whites, his arrogance, and his detachment from the black community. As an educated man, he sees himself as superior to people like Jefferson and Rev. Instead of preparing him to contribute to his community, his formal education has taught him to despise his own people. Consequently, he uses his role as a teacher not to inspire and uplift his students but to humiliate and ridicule them, much as his own teacher. Matthew Antoine humiliated and ridiculed him. Thus, instead of using his skills and talents to change the cycle of poverty and violence, Grant perpetuates the cycle by failing to challenge the system.

Investment and Cost Savings Essay

Introduction The purpose of this report is to address the key strategic issues facing Coast4Life with the expected downturn ahead. Included is a financial analysis, identification of major issues, analysis of alternatives and a recommendation. Financial Analysis for the Year Ended 2012 (Appendix 1) * Current ratio of 1.6 indicates that the company can meet its short term obligations. There is a 46% improvement versus last year’s current ratio of 1.1. Quick ratio of 1.8 shows a 50% improvement. * Total debt- to-equity of 1.5 shows a 12% improvement over prior year’s ratio of 1.7 indicating that the firm is relying less on debt. Times interest earned ratio of 6.4 improved by 30%. * Profitability ratios indicate overall earnings growth. Net margin of 15.2% grew by 18% compared to 12.9% in 2011 while Return-on-Equity (ROE) of 27.4% grew by 16%. Return on Investments (ROI) of 11.2% shows a significant 28% growth from 8.7% and posted a 14% favourable variance compared to target. * Revenue and net income grew by 13.4% and 33.3%, respectively. Major Strategic Issues With the expected estimated 30%-35% decline in the overall booking, the expected impact is a decline in income by $7M (Appendix 2). The proposed alternatives to generate additional revenues and or/ cost savings are evaluated using a required after tax rate of return of 16%. Alternative 1 – Change Customer Mix Objectives: Maximize Repeat Customers from 20% to 40% Maximize Age Group 40-60 years old from 30% to 38% Pros: * Incremental Income of $721K in 2013; $2.1M for the 3 years ahead combined (Appendix 3) * Opportunity to expand extra-services * Maximizes capacity/resources Cons: * Marketing constraints to target customer mix * May require additional costs to achieve target This option addresses the incremental income requirement. It maximizes profitability and provides opportunities to expand business ( in line with the company’s mission). Alternative 2 – Implement a web-based booking system Pros: * Incremental savings of $24K in 2013; $226K for the 3-yrs ahead combined (Appendix 4) * Opportunity for additional costs reduction (i.e. advertising, promotion) * Provides information about passengers * Opportunity to target more customers * Meets demand for Internet-booking * Accounting module improves financial reporting Cons: * Loss of customer service * Technology must be up to date and well maintained * Security (i.e. financial data, customers) This option meets the cost savings requirement. It also addresses the immediate need of the company for market/customer information and addresses constraints in alternative 1 (customer mix). This is in line with the company’s mission to provide unique services. Alternative 3 – Hire Crew and Hospitality Workers from Underdeveloped Countries Pros: * Incremental cost savings of $883K; $2.1M for the 3 years ahead combined (Appendix 5) * Cheaper wages Cons: * May damage reputation (poor service quality) * May dampen employees’ morale This alternative meets the requirement for cost savings. To ensure quality service, the company must invest in training. The company should also keep key employees (pros: assists in training, promotion could keep morale high). Long-term cost savings is attractive. Alternative 4 – Divest the Fraser dry dock Pros: * Incremental Income of $3.1M in 2013; $2.5M for the 3-years ahead combined (Appendix 6) * Focus on core business Cons: * Incremental costs of $438K per year (maintenance and lost income from the dry dock operations (Appendix 6) * Decline in company-wide morale * Damage to reputation and local ties * Quality of third-party maintenance This alternative meets the incremental income required. This allows the company to focus on its core business. However, long-term, the negative impact on income, reputation and ties with the community are not desirable. It is recommended to change customer mix and implement a web-based booking system. Both alternatives achieve the income requirement (total $745K in 2013; $2.4M for the 3 years ahead). Both alternative have low risk and provide more opportunities to maximize the use of its resources and capacity and expand business. Hiring crew and staff from underdeveloped countries is recommended if the high risk is mitigated i.e. by retaining key employees. Divesting the drydock is not recommended due to the incremental expenses associated in future years. Conclusion The recommended alternatives meet the requirement to generate revenue and/or cost savings to counter the expected downturn in 2013.