Explore Neptune’s Frigid Moon Triton

When the Voyager 2 spacecraft swept past the planet Neptune in 1989, no one was quite sure what to expect of its largest moon, Triton. Seen from Earth, its just a tiny point of light visible through a strong telescope. However, up-close, it showed off a water-ice surface split by geysers that shoot nitrogen gas up into the thin, frigid atmosphere. It not only was weird, the icy surface sported terrains never before seen. Thanks to Voyager 2 and its mission of exploration, Triton showed us just how strange a distant world can be. Triton: The Geologically Active Moon There arent too many active moons in the solar system. Enceladus at Saturn is one (and has been studied extensively by the Cassini mission), as is Jupiters tiny volcanic moon Io. Each of these has a form of volcanism; Enceladus has ice geysers and volcanoes while Io spouts out molten sulfur. Triton, not to be left out, is geologically active, too. Its activity is cryovolcanism — producing the kind of volcanoes that spew ice crystals instead of molten lava rock. Tritons cryovolcanoes spew material out from beneath the surface, which implies some heating from within this moon. Tritons geysers are located close to whats called the subsolar point, the region of the moon directly receiving the most sunlight. Given that its very cold out at Neptune, sunlight isnt nearly as strong as it is at Earth, so something in the ices is very sensitive to sunlight, and that weakens the surface. Pressure from material below pushes out cracks and vents in the thin shell of ice that covers Triton. That lets the nitrogen gas and plumes of dust blast out and into the atmosphere. These geysers can erupt for fairly long periods of time — up to a year in some cases. Their eruption plumes lay down streaks of dark material across the pale pinkish ice. Creating a Cantaloupe Terrain World The ice depots on Triton are mainly water, with patches of frozen nitrogen and methane. At least, thats what the southern half of this moon shows. Thats all Voyager 2 could image as it went by; the northern part was in shadow. Nonetheless, planetary scientists suspect that the northern pole looks similar to the southern region. Icy lava has been deposited across the landscape, forming pits, plains, and ridges. The surface also has some of the weirdest landforms ever seen in the form of cantaloupe terrain. Its called that because the fissures and ridges look like the skin of a cantaloupe. Its probably the oldest of Tritons icy surface units and is made up of dusty water ice. The region probably formed when material under the icy crust rose up and then sank back down again, which unsettled the surface. Its also possible that ice floods could have caused this weird crusty surface. Without followup images, its hard to get a good feel for possible causes of the cantaloupe terrain. How Did Astronomers Find Triton? Triton is not a recent  discovery in the annals of solar system exploration. It was actually found in 1846 by astronomer William Lassell. He was studying Neptune just after its discovery, looking for any possible moons in orbit around this distant planet. Because Neptune is named after the Roman god of the sea (who was the Greek Poseidon), it seemed appropriate to name its moon after another Greek sea god whose was fathered by Poseidon. It didnt take long for astronomers to figure out that Triton was weird in at least one way: its orbit. It circles Neptune in retrograde — that is, opposite to Neptunes rotation. For that reason, its very likely that Triton didnt form when Neptune did. In fact, it probably had nothing to do with Neptune but was captured by the planets strong gravity as it passed by. No one is quite sure where Triton originally formed, but its quite likely it was born as part of the Kuiper Belt of icy objects. It stretches outwards from the orbit of Neptune. The Kuiper Belt is also the home of frigid Pluto, as well as a selection of dwarf planets. Tritons fate is not to orbit Neptune forever. In a few billion years, it will wander too close to Neptune, within a region called the Roche limit. Thats the distance where a moon will start to break up due to gravitational influence. Exploration After Voyager 2 No other spacecraft has studied Neptune and Triton up close. However, after the Voyager 2 mission, planetary scientists have used Earth-based telescopes to measure Tritons atmosphere by watching as distant stars slipped behind it. Their light could then be studied for telltale signs of gases in Tritons thin blanket of air. Planetary scientists would like to explore Neptune and Triton further, but no missions have been selected to do so, yet. So, this pair of distant worlds will remain unexplored for the time being, until someone comes up with a lander that could settle down among the cantaloupe hills of Triton and send back more information.

Body Language Cultural or Universal Essay - 1714 Words

Body language and various other nonverbal cues have long been recognized as being of great importance to the facilitation of communication. There has been a long running debate as to whether body language signals and their meanings are culturally determined or whether such cues are innate and thus universal. The nature versus nurture dichotomy inherent in this debate is false; one does not preclude the other’s influence. Rather researchers should seek to address the question how much of nonverbal communication is innate and how much is culturally defined? Are there any true universal nonverbal cues or just universal tendencies modified to suit cultural ideals and constraints? It is my proposal that of all forms of nonverbal†¦show more content†¦The Japanese subjects were able to identify the emotions of the English and Italians better than those groups had been able to judge the Japanese. However the Japanese subjects had difficulty determining Japanese facial express ions. This would seem to indicate that the Japanese face does not express emotion in the same manner as those of other cultures. However, another experiment (3) demonstrated different results. American and Japanese subjects were observed while watching films designed to evoke fear and disgust. During part of this observation the subjects were videotaped while watching the film alone. It was presumed that during this time no social rules would restrict the subject’s display of emotion. When alone, no difference existed between the American and the Japanese subjects in the display of emotion. While watching the film with the researcher present the Japanese were more likely than the Americans to hide negative emotions with a smile. Observation of children who were born deaf and blind show that they make the same emotional expressions (3). There is no way that these children could have learned this behavior through sensory input. Similarly, a study involving sighted babies less than six months of age has shown that they react with fear to negative faces (7). These infants were too young to have learned which faces had negative connotations. This would have to be an innate response. Different cultures define when andShow MoreRelatedHow Does Our Language Shape The Way We Think?1027 Words   |  5 PagesDoes Our Language Shape the Way We Think?† states that people think differently when using different language and Wasserstrom’s â€Å"A Mickey Mouse Approach to Globalization† illustrates that things have different meaning in different culture, while Lahiri’s â€Å"the Namesake† includes both points. In sum, Boroditsky, Wasserstrom, and Lahiri talk about the effects that languages and cultural circumstances have on people’s way of thinking and acting. That is, in different languages and cultural circumstancesRead MorePiagets Theory Of Natural Selection1381 Words   |  6 Pagesthe progression of development is not clear. As some psychologist like Piaget view development as a universal process, while others like Vygotsky regard it as context specific. This essay will argue that Piaget’s theory oversimplified the progression of development by underestimating the implications of culture in human development. I will do this by analysing the physical, cognitive and socio-cultural developmental process that are different among societies. Physical development Physical developmentRead MoreNonverbal Communication : Non Verbal Communication890 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature Review According to some psychologists, non-verbal communication varies based on a person’s cultural background, more so in the individualism-collectivism dimension. Additionally, studies have indicated that intercultural diversities in how verbal communications are observed can be traced to differences in facial signs that individuals from West and East look for when detecting emotions (Serlin, Berger Bar-Sinai, 2007). Therefore, people from distinctive cultures are expected to beRead MoreNon Verbal Communication And Nonverbal Communication744 Words   |  3 Pagesthe listener. Through body language, we can deliver simple messages which can aid or replace speech, show attitude or emotion, and with 55% of what we say being delivered through body language, and 38% dedicated to tone, it can sometimes contradict our verbal communication. (www.psycologytoday.com) Main features discussed with regards to NVC, include topics such as facial expressions, some of which are recognised from birth (Meltzoff Moore 1977) and are known as universal, detailed in a study ofRead MoreEssay about Structuralism640 Words   |  3 Pagesstructures. Claude Levi-Strauss was the one to pioneer structuralism; he suggested that cultural phenomena such as myths, art, kinship systems and language display certain ordered patterns or structures. With these, he believed that the structure of the human mind could be revealed. He reasoned that behind the surface of individual cultures there must exist natural properties common to us all: innate structures universal to all man. Levi-Strauss focused his attention on the patterns or structures existingRead MoreUniversal Nonverbal Intelligence Test By Lauren Scanlan Essay1210 Words   |  5 PagesUniversal Nonverbal Intelligence Test Purpose: Designed to measure general intelligence and cognitive abilities. Population: Ages 5-0 to 17-11. Publication Date: 1998 Acronym: UNIT. Score: FSIQ. Administration: Individual. Price Data, (DATE): Time: (10 – 45) minutes. Authors: Bruce A. Bracken and R. Steve McCallum Publisher: Riverside Publishing Review of the Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test by LAUREN SCANLAN, School Psychology Graduate Student, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln, NE:Read MoreOur Partnership With The Society Of New Americans1280 Words   |  6 Pagespartnership with The Society of New Americans. This relationship will help us fortify our mission to broaden access to education by donating bicycles to students who need them. Fittingly, SNA’s mission to increase access to education within the different cultural communities it serves goes hand in hand with our own. All around us is evidence that globalization has resulted in people from different cultures and backgrounds interacting more closely with one another (Author last name, first initial. (PublicationRead MoreVerbal and Nonverbal Interpersonal Communication869 Words   |  4 PagesVerbal and non-verbal Interpersonal communication Interpersonal communication is the form of communication that exists between two people; it is a universal kind of communication. It includes the daily exchange that may be formal in nature or informal. Interpersonal communication is manifest in verbal or non-verbal form. The non-verbal can assume the form of expression, gestures and postures (MBA Knowledge base, 2011). Interpersonal communication, be it verbal or non-verbal, involves disseminationRead MoreWhat Is Culture And Cultural Competence?1328 Words   |  6 Pageswhere all parties involved are comfortable. This awareness, understanding and sensitivity is known as cultural competence. Introduction: Our partnership with The Society of New Americans (SNA) will help us fortify our mission to broaden access to education by donating bicycles to students who need them. Fittingly, SNA’s mission to increase access to education within the different cultural communities it serves goes hand in hand with our own. All around us is evidence that globalization hasRead MoreWhy Is Human Communication Complex? Essay1178 Words   |  5 Pagessuccessful transmission of a message communicated? Human communication can be complex because people can interpret language very differently. Everyone expresses their views, feelings opinions differently from other people. 2.Identify and explain three barriers to effective communication. (3 marks) The 3 barries to effective communication are verbal, language, and body language. Verbal are important in our life. We rely on them to talk and interact with peers and families but verbal communication

The Marketing Plan Of San Juan Islands - 2113 Words

2. INTRODUCTION San Juan Islands, an archipelago part of the US’ state of Washington, have been well-known since the early 20th century for its scenic nature and abundant wild life. Their landscapes have transformed a rural county into a popular tourist destination and have continuously been invented and commodified for tourism. In 2014, tourist expenditure reached almost US$200mn, generating jobs and services in the whole county. Previously to the establishment of the current DMO in 1999, San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau (SJIVB), there were a scarcity of resources devoted to tourism and a passive approach in promoting the Islands. Under the management of the DMO, the county has risen to become America’s favourite place for retirement. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the 2016 destination marketing and budget plan of San Juan Islands, drawing on Middleton et al. (2009)’s marketing planning process. This report will also give recommendations regarding the marketing resear ch and sustainable tourism management. 3. 2016 DESTINATION MARKETING AND BUDGET PLAN OF SAN JUAN ISLANDS This section will be dedicated to the evaluation of the 2016’s destination marketing plan of San Juan Islands that sets out goals and concrete strategies at operational level for a short-term period. The evaluation will draw on Middleton et al.’s (2009, p.207) eight logical steps of the marketing planning process and other relevant literature. 3.1 Diagnosis Middleton et. al (2009) argue that theShow MoreRelatedMarketing Research And Sustainable Management Practice2285 Words   |  10 Pagesas tourism, marketing research, an integral part of marketing planning process, plays a crucial role in shaping a framework that guides Destination Management Organisations’ (DMOs) decisions, be it public or private. At operational level, market intelligence would help DMOs gain market insights, bridge the gap between tourism products and visitors and potentially explore new markets. Without market data, goal and objectives would be unrealistic thus resulting in inefficient marketing programmes.Read MoreJetblue Airways Corporation ( Jetblue ) Essay789 Words   |  4 Pagesrevenue passenger miles. According to the JetBlue website (2014) in 1999, David Neeleman announced his plans to launch a new airline, â€Å"New Air.† By the end of 2000 JetBlue had reported $100 million in revenue and by 2001 it posted a profit (JetBlue.com, 2014). Headquartered in Long Island City, New York, JetBlue is one of the leading carriers in Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Juan (JetBlue.com, 2014). With over 30 million passengers and more than 300,000 flights reported in 2013Read MoreAirline Companies : The United States1064 Words   |  5 PagesFort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Juan, (JetBlue.com, 2014). With over 30 million passengers and more than 300,000 flights reported in just 2013, JetBlue is one of the only two airlines that have reported increasing numbers in flight and passenger volumes year after year, despite the adversities that exist in the airline industry, Bureau of Transportation (2014). According to the JetBlue website (2014), in 1999, David Neeleman announced his plans to launch a new airline, â€Å"New Air† at theRead MoreThe Modern Port Of Miami Essay1831 Words   |  8 Pagesa desperate entrepreneur and businessman, Ted Arison, to the young head of a family shipping company, Knut Kloster. It was November 1966, and Arison had just lost the two Israeli passenger car ferries, the mv Nili and the mv Bilu, that he was marketing on cruises from Miami to the Bahamas and Jamaica. Kloster’s Sunward was out of service undergoing guaranty work in Bergen before planned winter cruises from Southampton, England and Cherbourg, France to Portugal, Spain and Morocco. Five monthsRead MoreEvolution Of The Cruise Industry Essay2010 Words   |  9 Pagesa desperate entrepreneur and businessman, Ted Arison, to the young head of a family shipping company, Knut Kloster. It was November 1966, and Arison had just lost the two Israeli passenger car ferries, the mv Nili and the mv Bilu, that he was marketing on cruises from Miami to the Bahamas and Jamaica. Kloster’s Sunward was out of service undergoing guaranty work in Bergen before planned winter cruises from Southampton, England and Cherbourg, France to Portugal, Spain and Morocco. Five monthsRead MoreCalabarzon Case Study2739 Words   |  11 Pagesto attain these goals at national level, but may not be applicable to CALABAR, which is expected to develop more rapidly than the national average. (2) Government Development Objectives for Region IV The Medium - Term Southern Tagalog Development Plan, 1987 -92 was prepared by the National Economic and Development Agency (NEDA) region IV office, following the NEDA central offices guidelines. The latter clarify the socio - economic goals to be pursued by any region, generally in line with the nationalRead MorePepsi Cola Philippines Feasibility Study5554 Words   |  23 PagesTrucking Business Plan Project/Business Introduction Pepsi Cola Products Philippines, Inc. Company Overview We are the BEVERAGE COMPANY OF CHOICE - preferred by customers, trade partners, investors amp; employees of the Philippines. As such, we continuously delight them by offering quality beverages at best value, for every drinking occasion. We are a happy team in our workplace as we build a sustainable and profitable business, providing healthy financial rewards to our shareholders, and opportunitiesRead MoreBlood Bananas10217 Words   |  41 Pagesand Mary Teagarden, with the assistance of Monika Stoeffl, for the purpose of classroom discussion only, and not to indicate either effective or ineffective management. This document is authorized for use only in Estrategia 2013-I Preg. Montes by Juan Carlos Montes at UNIVERSITY DE LOS ANDES COLUMBIA from January 2013 to May 2013. Chiquita’s lead defense attorney, Eric Holder Jr., snapped back, accusing Malis of shading the facts, of â€Å"being a little too cute and a little too crafty,† as well asRead MoreHard Rock Cafe Case Study5960 Words   |  24 Pagesin the heart of London has blossomed into a way of life. Hard Rock began its global expansion in 1982, when Tigrett and Morton agreed to develop their own Hard Rock Cafes in various parts of the globe. Morton opened Hard Rock Cafes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Houston. Tigrett opened in New York, Dallas, Boston, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Paris and Berlin, eventually selling his interest to Mecca Leisure. In 1990, The Rank Group, Plc. a London-based leisure company, acquired Mecca andRead MoreHard Rock Cafe Case Study5950 Words   |  24 Pagesin the heart of London has blossomed into a way of life. Hard Rock began its global expansion in 1982, when Tigrett and Morton agreed to develop their own Hard Rock Cafes in various parts of the globe. Morton opened Hard Rock Cafes in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Houston. Tigrett opened in New York, Dallas, Boston, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Paris and Berlin, eventually selling his interest to Mecca Leisure. In 1990, The Rank Group, Plc. a London-based leisure company, acquired Mecca and

Agglomeration Of New Caledonia - 718 Words

Political debates usually focus on mobilising the other side to commit to a preferred course of action, thereby not only ignoring an apparent opposition in ideological viewpoints, but also the fact that sharing a common official language and common institutions does not necessarily entail a consensus on the issue at hand. As a sui generis collectivity in the Pacific, New Caledonia is currently involved in a decisive debate on self-determination with one of the most powerful former colonising nations in Europe. The negotiation process between New Caledonia and France pertaining to the full or partial independence of the island agglomeration remains ongoing. A referendum will be organised to decide upon a final outcome in the second half†¦show more content†¦106). The present study aims to partially redress this imbalance. Instead of privileging literary texts or explicitly political discourse, uttered at the higher levels of society, grassroots level discourse will be given all the attention it deserves as the result of political interaction and the emphasis will be on language as it is used by all of the interactants in the context of the New Caledonian independence debate. The project aims to explore the relations between discourse, power and social interaction. Consequently, the audience of the political speeches, radio interviews or public letters, the recipients, equally deserve consideration, especially as a group that not only reacts to the discourse, but, at the same time, critically evaluates the argumentation and then responds to it. All of the groups involved make attempts at convincing the other groups of the validity of their propositions. Other analytical approaches to discourse that focus on the social aspects of dialoguing equally understand discourse to be a form of social interaction (van Dijk, 1985; Boden Zimmennan, 1991). Since it is mainly through the exchange of discursive acts that a final consensus is reached, the focus of the study is on the social practice of deliberation or argumentation, rather than the social actors themselves.

Anthropology 101 Research Paper Free Essays

Komron Sabbagh Prof. Rowe Anthropology 101 March 25, 2013 Elderly Human â€Å"Y† Chromosome The unearthing and examination of a tremendously infrequent African American â€Å"Y† chromosome goes back in time with regards to the most recent common ancestor for the â€Å"Y† chromosome ancestry to 338,000 years ago. This period exists even older than the age of the most eldest known structurally contemporary human fossils. We will write a custom essay sample on Anthropology 101 Research Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now University of Arizona geneticists have revealed the most ancient known hereditary subdivision of the human â€Å"Y† chromosome — the genetic factor which determines the male sex. The new differing pedigree, which was discovered in a male human being who presented his DNA to â€Å"Family Tree DNA†, a company which concentrates on DNA investigation to locate family roots, separated from the â€Å"Y† chromosome tree before the very first presence of physically current individuals in the record of fossils. These effects are printed in the American Journal of Human Genetics. Michael Hammer of the University of Arizona’s department of ecology and evolutionary biology stated that, â€Å"Our analysis indicates this lineage diverged from previously known Y chromosomes about 338,000 ago, a time when anatomically modern humans had not yet evolved. This pushes back the time the last common Y chromosome ancestor lived by almost 70 percent. † Dissimilar to the added human chromosomes, the common â€Å"Y† chromosome doesn’t barter heritable information with other chromosomes; this makes it a lot more straightforward and scientists can truly discover familial associations amid modern ancestries. If two â€Å"Y† chromosomes transmit an identical mutation, it is most likely since they divide a communal forefather at some particular period in the precedent. The further mutations which differ amongst two Y chromosomes, the farther back in history the mutual antecedent existed. Initially, a DNA sample acquired from an African American existing in South Carolina was succumbed to the National Geographic Genographic Project. When none of the hereditary indicators used to dispense ancestries to identified â€Å"Y† chromosome consortiums were found, the DNA sample was guided to â€Å"Family Tree DNA† for organizing. Fernando Mendez, who is a postdoctoral scholar in Hammer’s laboratory, controlled the attempt to investigate the DNA sequence, which comprised of over 240,000 base pairs of the Y chromosome. Hammer claimed that â€Å"the most striking feature of this research is that a consumer genetic testing company identified a lineage that didn’t fit anywhere on the existing Y chromosome tree, even though the tree had been constructed based on perhaps a half-million individuals or more. Nobody expected to find anything like this. At around 300,000 years ago; this was the period of time in which the Neanderthals are thought to have fragmented from the familial human descent. It was not until more than 100,000 years in the future that functionally recent humans seem to be in the fossil record. They vary from the more antiquated forms by a more frivolously constructed skeleton; this includes a lesser face pushed underneath a tall forehead, the lack of a cranial ridge and slighter chin s. Hammer stated that the recently exposed â€Å"Y† chromosome dissimilarity is tremendously occasional. Through the use of great databank explorations, his group ultimately was capable of discovering a comparable chromosome in the Mbo, which is a populace living in a petite region of western Cameroon in the sub-Saharan part of Africa. â€Å"This was surprising because previously the most diverged branches of the Y chromosome were found in traditional hunter-gatherer populations such as Pygmies and the click-speaking KhoeSan, who are considered to be the most diverged human populations living today. Instead, the sample matched the Y chromosome DNA of 11 men, who all came from a very small region of western Cameroon,† Hammer explains. â€Å"And the sequences of those individuals are variable, so it’s not like they all descended from the same grandfather. † Hammer restraints against prevalent notions of â€Å"mitochondrial Eve† or â€Å"Y chromosome Adam† which propose that all of humanity was derived from precisely one couple of individuals that lived at a particular point in human biological evolution. There has been too much emphasis on this in the past,† Hammer says. â€Å"It is a misconception that the genealogy of a single genetic region reflects population divergence. Instead, our results suggest that there are pockets of genetically isolated communities that together preserve a great deal of human diversity. † Nevertheless, Hammer explains that, â€Å"It is likely that other divergent lineages will be found, whether in Africa or among African-Americans in the U. S. and that some of these may further increase the age of the Y chromosome ree. † He further clarifies: â€Å"There has been a lot of hype with people trying to trace their Y chromosome to different tribes, but this individual from South Carolina can say he did it. † The investigation originated by the mutual labors of a private business, the â€Å"Family Tree DNA,† the struggles of a resident scientist, Bonnie Schrack, and the research proficiencies at the UA. â€Å"Human Y Chromosome Much Older Than Previously Thought. † ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 04 Mar. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. How to cite Anthropology 101 Research Paper, Essays

Strategic Audit Financial Position or Performance

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Audit for Financial Position or Performance . Answer: Introduction This assignment of strategic audit aims to analyze the strategic audit system at Microsoft Corporation. During this particular assignment, the analysis has been done in order to identify the Brexit effect on the financial performance of Microsoft Corporation. The assignment has mainly two parts. In the first part, the analysis and evaluation have been made on the measurement and the control system at Microsoft and the second part analyzes and evaluates the change initiatives taken by the same organization. At the end of the assignment, there is a conclusion that states the gist of the overall findings in the study. Organizations measurement and control system Microsoft Corporation is one of the largest companies in the global electronic industry. Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded this giant company in the year of 1975 (Microsoft Official Home Page. 2016). Currently the company is operating its business at an international level. However, the recent incident of British exit from European Union, which is known as Brexit has affected financial performance of Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft Warns U.K. About Potential Risks for Brexit. 2016). The effect of Brexit on Microsofts financial performance can be clearly identified by analyzing the financial measurement and control system of the organization. This analysis has been stated below: Current financial position of Microsoft: In order to identify the Brexit effect on the measurement and control system of Microsoft Corporation, it is very important to analyze the current financial position of the organization. As per the 2015s annual report of Microsoft Corporation, the total revenue of the company has been increased by 7.77% from 2014. The net margin of the company was 13.03%, which has been decreased from 2014. In 2014, the net margin of the company was 25.42%. The income statement of company in 2015 has also stated that the Earnings per Share or EPS of the company was $1.49 per share, which was $2.66 per share in 2014 (FY16 Q2 - Metrics - Investor Relations - Microsoft. 2016). As per the 10-K form in the annual report of Microsoft Corporation, the annualized run rate of the company at the end of 2015 was $8 billion. At the same time, the 10-K form also disclosed that the company has increased the revenue percentage in server services and server products by 9% and the company has continued to add 50000 medium and small size business organizations in each year (FY16 Q2 - Metrics - Investor Relations - Microsoft. 2016). However, currently, the higher management of Microsoft Corporation has expressed their concern regarding the Brexit effect on the financial position of the company. Microsoft has the plan to employee more 5000 employees in Britain in order to provide the data access facility to the remote areas in European Union region. This decision of Britain to exit European Union has put Microsoft Corporation in a risky situation. The company believes that if it does further investment in this project, then that may be unsuccessful. Due to this, the investors of Microsoft Corporation have stopped to invest on the new project of the company to expand its business at the remote areas in European Union region. This has ultimately negatively affected the future plans and budget of the company and at the same time it has increased the risk of the company. Therefore, on overall basis it can be said that in 2015 the financial performance of the company has decreased though it was much stable. However, d ue to the current Brexit, the financial position is at risk to some extent. Comparison between the financial performance of Microsoft with competitors and standards: The financial performance of the company that is Microsoft Corporation can be better analyzed if the performance is measured with the financial performance of the competitors and with the financial standards. At current scenario, Yahoo is one of the major competitors for Microsoft Corporation. However, if the financial performance of these two organizations is compared then it can be identified that the current market capitalization of Microsoft is 402.22 billion dollar, whereas the current market capitalization of Yahoo is 36.36 billion dollar. On the other side, the EPS of Microsoft is $1.49 per share and EPS of Yahoo is -$4.75 (FY16 Q2 - Metrics - Investor Relations - Microsoft. 2016). These data indicate that in comparison between the financial performance of Microsoft and Yahoo, the performance of Microsoft is better than Yahoo. However, there is another major competitor of Microsoft Corporation and that is Apple. As per the current data, the market capitalization of the company is 523.64 billion dollar and the EPS is $8.98 per share. This means, the current performance of Apple is better than Microsoft. However, if the beta of these two companies is compared then it can be identified that the risk at Apple is more than Microsoft Corporation (FY16 Q2 - Metrics - Investor Relations - Microsoft. 2016). On the other side, as per the auditors report in 2015s annual report, Microsoft has presented the financial statements fairly. At the same time, the auditors report has also mentioned that all the financial statements of the company has been prepared as per the accounting principles and standards stated by US GAAP and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). However, the company is yet to follow the new standards stated by Financial Accounting Standards Board or FASB, International Financial Reporting Standards or IFRS and US GAAP regarding revenue recognition. The company will make these standards effective from 1st July 2017. Analyzing the financial position by using the financial analysis tools The financial position of Microsoft Corporation can be analyzed in a better manner by using the ratios as the tool of analysis. The financial ratios of the company for last two years are shown below: Financial Ratios 2014 2015 Net margin 25.42121 13.02949 Current ratio 2.504022 2.501344 Quick ratio 2.445721 2.443139 Debt to Equity ratio 0.919986 1.200504 Return on equity 0.245857 0.152255 Table 1: Financial Ratios of Microsoft Corporation on 2014 and 2015 (Source: FY16 Q2 - Metrics - Investor Relations Microsoft, 2016) The above-stated financial ratios of Microsoft Corporation are clearly disclosing that the liquidity position of the company has not been changed that much in 2015 than that of 2014. However, the debt-to-equity ratios are stating that the amount of debt capital has been increased in 2015. The main concern of the company can be noticed in the returns. The net margin as well as return on equity of the Microsoft has decreased in 2015 than that of 2014. Therefore, from the ratio analysis, it can be said that the control system of Microsoft Corporation must be improved in order to improve the financial performance. Moreover, after the Brexit, the risk of the company has already increased as the new plan of Microsoft has been hampered. Hence, new and improved strategies are required to change the financial performance to the positive trend. (Refers to appendix) Key Performance Indicators KPIs of Microsoft Corporation The KPIs of Microsoft Corporation are Return of cash to the shareholders, Revenue, Operating income or loss, Diluted earnings per share and Revenue Vs. Operating income. If the KPIs of the company for 2015 and first two quarters of 2016 are analyzed, then it can be identified three elements are there under the return of cash to the shareholders and those are Dividend per share, total dividend and share buyback. Among these three, the first one has increased from last quarter of 2015 to the first quarter of 2016 and it was static in first and second quarters, 2016. However, the amount of total dividend has decreased. This indicates that though the per share cash to shareholders increased, the total earnings of the shareholders has decreased in 2016 (Microsoft Official Home Page. 2016). On the other hand, the revenue earning capacity of the company was bit fluctuating since second quarter of 2015. However, in the 2nd quarter 2016, the revenue of the company increased $3 billion from 1st quarter of 2016. In case of the operating income, the performance of the company was very poor in the 4th quarter of 2015, which has been recovered in the first two quarters of 2016. The same thing happened in case of the diluted earnings per share. However, the revenue vs. operating income ratio Therefore, the analysis of the KPIs of Microsoft Corporation is clearly indicating that before the Brexit incident, the company started to recover its low financial performance in the first two quarter of 2016. However, the sudden fall in the revenue vs. operating income ratio indicates that the risk aroused due to Brexit has affected the income of the company. This means the financial control system of the company needs to be improved in order to reduce the negative Brexit effect on the fin ancial performance of Brexit. Analysis of organizations improvement or change initiatives Previous and current success of improvement initiatives At current business world, Microsoft Corporation is a giant company that has business coverage in most of the parts of this glob. However, in last five years time span, the performance of Microsoft Corporation was bit fluctuating. Due to this, the higher management of the company has taken some initiatives in order to improve the present situation of the company. The management of the company focuses on the technological improvements in the business operations. The company is currently trying to bring some environment friendly technologies, which are also very effective for the effective use of resources (Learn to Develop with Microsoft Developer Network | MSDN. 2016). The company is trying to bring the technological change or improvements by applying the Lean manufacturing and Total Quality Management or TQM techniques. The company has already declared that they are carefully addressing the carbon footprint, so that no environmental damage takes place from their side. Lean manufacturing techniques helped the company to control their energy usage. At the same time, the company is also focusing more on using wind, hydropower and solar in order to generate the electricity. As per the Chief Legal Officer of Microsoft, the company is currently using 44% renewable energy, which has improved from 35% in the beginning of 2015 and it has an aim to make it 50% in 2018 (Microsoft Environmental Sustainability | Protect Natural Resources. 2016). The Lean manufacturing techniques has helped the company in reducing the cost level of the company. The company has already implemented the lean pull with the help of Kanban requirements. The lean manufacturing techniques can be noticed in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. It has helped the company in remodeling the logistic process so that a consistent production flow can be maintained (Presentation Software | Online Presentation Tools | Prezi. 2016). Alignment of improvement initiatives and integration into the strategic management Microsoft Corporation has aligned the improvement initiative with the strategic management by introducing the modification in Human Resource department. The introduction of lean manufacturing technology and use of renewable energy have been done by the company through the training process implemented by Microsoft for its employees. At the same time, introduction of new technologies also required knowledgeable and skilled human resource, which again required the performance management. The company has taken such performance management strategies those can be linked with the corporate strategy (Learn to Develop with Microsoft Developer Network | MSDN. 2016). On the other side, the implementation of TQM has been done by taking the progressive leadership approach that is focused on strategic planning and modernization of the companys portfolio. Along with these, the cloud-first and the mobile-first corporate strategies have helped the company to meet the ever-changing needs of the customers. As changing the organizational culture is the most difficult change at Microsoft, the company has made that by taking improved strategy for performance management. Due to these types of change, the company has gained high productivity with low cost, skilled human resource team, gained competitive advantage and gained employee as well as customer satisfaction. Comparison of improvement initiatives of Microsoft with the other organizations In the comparison between the improvement initiatives of Microsoft Corporation and the other competitors or organizations, it can be said there is not that much differences. The major competitors of Microsoft Corporation are Yahoo, Apple and Google. If the improvement initiatives of Yahoo and Apple are noticed, then it can be easily identified that both the company emphasized on the environment matter like Microsoft. Apple has already started the TQM in its production system. The improved technology of Apple has helped the company to reduce its resource usage. On the other side, Yahoo has brought the improvement by changing the organizational culture. Before 2012, the company was facing some problems in its internet services due to which it was loosing its market position. However, in order to improve the performance, the company improved its human resource by taking strategic human resource management initiatives. Microsoft does not take these types of initiative. At the same time, Google has focused on the improvements of its services (Presentation Software | Online Presentation Tools | Prezi. 2016). Therefore, in the comparison, it can be identified that the improvement initiatives taken by Microsoft Corporation and the other competitors or organizations have a little difference. These differences are there because of the different problem areas within the organization. However, in overall basis, it can be understood that the improvements have been made within these organizations in order to improve the financial performances. Conclusion This above discussion in the assignment has identified that currently, the financial position or performance of Microsoft Corporation is at risk due to the Brexit effect. In the last year, the financial performance of the company was bit down than that of 2014. However, the liquidity position of the company was static. However, the Key Performance Indicators or KPIs of the company have disclosed that the company that is Microsoft Corporation has improved its financial performance a little bit in the first two quarters of 2016. The dividend per share of the company has increased in these two quarters. However, at the same time, the total dividend paid by the company to the shareholders has decreased. This indicates that the number of share of the company has been decreased in the first and second quarter in 2016. The financial performance of the company has also been analyzed with the help of financial ratios. The financial ratios of Microsoft Corporation have indicated that the return or the income that the company has generated in the financial year 2015 was lower than that of 2014. However, on the overall basis, the analysis has identified that the current financial position of the company needs more control and advanced strategies. On the other side, the improvements that the company has made in past were mainly focused on the technological improvements. However, currently, the company is also focusing on the environmental issues. Due to this, the company is using the renewable energy like, solar or wind energy. At the same time, the company is also concerned about controlling the carbon footprint. The improvement initiatives are bit different from the initiatives taken by the other organizations. Reference List FY16 Q2 - Metrics - Investor Relations - Microsoft. (2016). Microsoft.com. Retrieved 1 July 2016, from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Investor/earnings/FY-2016-Q2/kpi Learn to Develop with Microsoft Developer Network | MSDN. (2016). Msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 1 July 2016, from https://msdn.microsoft.com Microsoft Official Home Page. (2016). Microsoft.com. Retrieved 1 July 2016, from https://www.microsoft.com Microsoft Environmental Sustainability | Protect Natural Resources. (2016). Microsoft.com. Retrieved 1 July 2016, from https://www.microsoft.com/about/csr/environmental-sustainability/ Microsoft Warns U.K. About Potential Risks for Brexit. (2016). Fortune. Retrieved 1 July 2016, from https://fortune.com/2016/05/17/microsoft-brexit/ Presentation Software | Online Presentation Tools | Prezi. (2016). prezi.com. Retrieved 1 July 2016, from https://prezi.com Bibliography Blodgett, M. S., Hoitash, R., Markelevich, A. (2014). Sustaining the financial value of global CSR: Reconciling corporate and stakeholder interests in a less regulated environment.Business and Society Review,119(1), 95-124. Capon, N., Farley, J. U., Hoenig, S. (2012).Toward an integrative explanation of corporate financial performance. Springer Science Business Media. Chen, C. M., Delmas, M. A., Lieberman, M. B. (2015). Production frontier methodologies and efficiency as a performance measure in strategic management research.Strategic Management Journal,36(1), 19-36. Elgazzar, S. H., Tipi, N. S., Hubbard, N. J., Leach, D. Z. (2012). Linking supply chain processes performance to a companys financial strategic objectives.European Journal of Operational Research,223(1), 276-289. Hausman, A., Johnston, W. J. (2014). Timeline of a financial crisis: Introduction to the special issue.Journal of Business Research,67(1), 2667-2670. Johansson, J. K., Dimofte, C. V., Mazvancheryl, S. K. (2012). The performance of global brands in the 2008 financial crisis: A test of two brand value measures.International Journal of Research in Marketing,29(3), 235-245. Kramer, L. (2014). Microsoft finance the journey to digital transformation: as part of a multi-year transformation effort, Microsoft is streamlining and expanding the finance functions role to have greater impact on the company, its customers and its partners.Financial Executive,30(4), 18-24. Libai, B., Muller, E., Peres, R. (2013). Decomposing the value of word-of-mouth seeding programs: Acceleration versus expansion.Journal of marketing research,50(2), 161-176. Lu, W., Chau, K. W., Wang, H., Pan, W. (2014). A decade's debate on the nexus between corporate social and corporate financial performance: a critical review of empirical studies 20022011.Journal of Cleaner Production,79, 195-206. Sisodiya, S. R., Johnson, J. L., Grgoire, Y. (2013). Inbound open innovation for enhanced performance: Enablers and opportunities.Industrial Marketing Management,42(5), 836-849. Soudani, S. N. (2012). The usefulness of an accounting information system for effective organizational performance.International Journal of Economics and Finance,4(5), 136. Titman, S., Keown, A. J., Martin, J. D. (2015).Financial management: Principles and applications. Pearson.

An inquiry into ophelias madne Essay Example For Students

An inquiry into ophelias madne Essay The character Ophelia in William Shakespeares play Hamlet plays a very interesting and important role in the elaboration of the plot. In the beginning, she starts off in a healthy state of mind, in love with her boyfriend Hamlet, yet controlled by her father in regard to their relationship. During the play she encounters several troubling experiences involving Hamlet which cause her to become distressed. Near the end, the death of her father leaves Ophelia mentally unstable and in a state of madness that eventually leads her to death. So, due to all of the unfortunate events that took place with the people she loved the most in her life, Ophelia gradually becomes mad, and in the end passes away. Ophelias and Hamlets love for each other in the beginning was very real. Following the death of his father Hamlet falls in love with her, and is much attracted by her beauty. It is not uncertain, however, that Ophelia is very much controlled by her father. She is the daughter of Polonius, the chief advisor to the new King Claudius, and a highly respected man. Her father demands that she tell Hamlet at once that she can no longer be with him and tells her I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Look tot, I charge you. Come your ways. (I.iii.132-35). It is clear that here Polonius is making decisions for his daughter, regardless if she really loves Hamlet or not. She feels very unimportant and helpless now, and because of this develops a lack of emotional confidence and strength. All she can reply is I do not, my lord, what I should think. (I.iii.104). She is used to relying on her fathers direction and has been brought up to be very obedient. As well, her brother Laertes agrees with what their father is saying. He also tells Ophelia that Hamlet is no good for her Perhaps he loves you not (I.iii.16). He thinks that Hamlet only loves her because he wants to seduce her, and demands his sister to never see him again. Ophelia can only accept her father and brothers beliefs and writes Hamlet a letter which informs him that she can no longer see him. As a result, she begins to feel alone with very little independence. At this point in the play Ophelias emotions are what help contribute to her madness. There are a few other incidents in the play which help in the course of Ophelias madness. When Hamlet receives the letter from Ophelia he is affected terribly by her words. The next time she sees Hamlet she is surprised and even a bit frightened by his behavior. He did not look like he usually does, and he acted very strange towards her. He held her by the wrists and stared deeply into her face, long and hard, then storms out, leaving her intensely troubled and saddened. After that she tells her father, and he believes that Ophelias love is what made him mad. That hath made him mad (II. i.110). Polonius then goes to tell the King and Queen of Hamlets strange behavior and plans to spy on Hamlet to prove hes gone mad. Ophelia now is left feeling guilty. When she sees Hamlet later on she tries to speak with him, but is rejected coldly. He does not listen to her and screams harsh words leaving her feeling worthless and embarrassed. I loved you not. (III.i.119). Mustard Gas Is A Group Of Chemical Compounds Used In Chemical Warfare, Essay Get thee to a nunnery. (III.i.121) you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and nickname Gods creatures, and make you wantonnes your ignorance. Go to, Ill no more ont; (III.i. 146-48) This incident causes Ophelia to become slightly disturbed. She sits weeping while her father and the King practically step on her weak body to find out more reason for Hamlets actions. In this depressed state all she can say is O! woe is me, to have seen what I have seen, what I see! (III.i.163-64) So, because of Hamlets rudeness and rejection through this part of the play, Ophelia is driven even .