Female Reproductive System free essay sample

When a girl reaches the age of 13-15, she begins to ovulate or starts her period. This is the age of her sexual maturity, the age of sexual maturity in both male and female is called puberty. The female reproductive system is a complex and important system. The system serves three main functions: to store ova, to produce ova, and to keep a fertilized egg until it is ready to live on its own. What happens in this age? Puberty is marked by changes in the body for example, in the female the breasts start developing, pubic hairs also grow and you become way more moody. The first menstruation in the life of a girl is called menarche. In the female, the internal genitals are the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the uterus and the vagina. The ovary it is a paired organ. Each ovary of the adult female is an oval body and weight 2-8 grams. We will write a custom essay sample on Female Reproductive System or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The ovum drops into the body cavity. The process is called ovulation; the ovum which is released in to abdominal cavity is pushed towards the oval funnel. The ovum finally enters the funnel and starts coming down the duct. The ovum is very small the size of a pinhead. The ovary releases one ovum every 28 days. Next comes the uterus or womb, it is a hollow, pear-shaped muscular structure. Its upper broader portion is called the corpus uteri and the narrow portion is the cervix. The cavity of the womb is 7-8 centimeter long. The external genital parts of the female include the outer and the inner lips and the clitoris. The outer and inner lips close the openings of the vaginal tube, the vestibule. The clitoris is found in the pubic cleft. In menstruation eggs will never be implanted in the uterus in the unfertilized state. After about two weeks of ovulation the uterus begins to contract. This sign is of undoing the preparations it had made to receive to have a baby. Upon the contraction of uterus, the blood capillaries rupture, and the blood flows out through the vagina. The blood along with tissue debris is called menses. Menstruation lasts for 3-4 days. Menstruation takes place 14 days after the ovulation. Again 14 days after menstruation, there is fresh ovulation. Both these processes stop once pregnancy had set in. There are post-fertilization changes like, mplantation after fertilization the reproductive organs are directed towards a different set of activities. As the fertilized egg goes down the oviduct, it going through mitotic cell division, it is a nonstop process, but for our convenience we divide the post-fertilization events in to a number of stages. When the cell forms a mass of cells there is no space within the group, it’s called the morula stage. The cells of morula rearrange in a manner to leave some space. This stage is called blastula; therefore it is blastula which is embedded in the uterus. This process is called implantation. The wall of the uterus is thick and its wall has muscles, glands and blood capillaries. As the fertilized egg erodes into the uterine wall, there is some erosion of blood capillary. As a result the blood comes out and the blastula gets nutrition from that blood. This will develop in to fetus and finally a baby. When the blastula implanted in the uterus of the mother, it continues to grow by cell division. There important layers of cells develop. These are the germ layers. Membranes are developed and the outermost membrane of the embryo is formed and now called chorion. The second covering of the embryo is amnion, which immediately surrounds the fetus and protects it. Within this covering there is an amniotic fluid which protects the embryo from shocks as well as any major trauma. There is an intimate contact between the blood vessels of the uterus and that of the fetus through the placenta. Umbilical cord serves as a link between the fetus and maternal circulation. When the embryonic development is completed, the baby is born. The baby is pushed out by the contraction of the uterine muscles; this is called birth. Somewhere between 45-55 years the ovary stops releasing the egg. We can say that the ovary has become nonfunctional. Menopause is a normal part of a womans aging process. The ovaries stop releasing eggs, and menstrual periods stop. Most women experience menopause around age 50. Before to menopause, menstrual cycles often become off. The ovaries are less active to stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. To try to make up for the decreased response, the body produces MORE of these hormones. The level of these hormones will decrease. The hormones produced by the ovaries include the different forms of estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin. The ovaries continue to produce small amounts of testosterone and some estrogen. The hormones produced by the pituitary gland are also decreased. Because hormone levels fall, changes occur in the entire reproductive system. The vaginal walls become less elastic, thinner, and less rigid. The vagina becomes smaller and shorter. When menstruation stops in a woman, it is taken for granted that she will not be able to have a child any more. Ending of menstruation is called menopause.

Sample Common Application Essayâ€Topic of Your Choice

Sample Common Application Essay- Topic of Your Choice Alexis chose option #7 for her Common Application essay. This is the popular topic of your choice option on the 2018-19 application. The question asks, Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one youve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. The other six essay options on the Common Application give applicants so much flexibility that it is rare for a topic not fit elsewhere, but in some cases the topic of your choice is indeed the best choice. This is true for Alexiss essay below. Sample Essay on the "Topic of Your Choice" Option My Hero Harpo In middle school, I took part in an essay competition where we had to write about one of our strongest role models- who they were, what they did, and how they had influenced us. Other students wrote about Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, George Washington, etc. I, the youngest of five sisters and one of the quietest people in the school, chose Harpo Marx. I did not win the competition- to be honest, my essay wasn’t very good, and I knew that, even at the time. I had bigger, better things to worry about, though. I was taking swimming lessons, and was terrified of discovering a shark in the deep end. I was making little hats for my dog Alexa, which she did not appreciate. I was busy working on a clay chess set in art class, and learning how to garden with my grandmother. I’m getting off-topic, but my point is: I didn’t need to win a competition or write an essay to feel validated. I was learning who I was, and what was important in my life. Which brings me back to the Marx Brothers. My great-uncle was a big old-movie buff. We’d go over to his house most mornings during summer vacation, and watch Philadelphia Story, The Thin Man, or  His Girl Friday. My favorites, though, were the Marx Brothers’ films. Duck Soup. A Night at the Opera (my personal favorite). Animal Crackers. I can’t logically explain why I found these particular movies so hilarious and entertaining- there was something about them that not only made me laugh, but made me happy. Now, of course, watching those movies again, I’m reminded of those summer mornings, and of being surrounded by the people I loved, unconcerned with the world outside, that adds another layer of appreciation and joy. The brothers each brought their own unique humor to the pictures, but Harpo- he was perfect. The hair. The wide ties and crazy trench coats. The way he doesn’t have to say anything to be funny. His facial expressions. How he offers people his leg when they try to shake his hand. The way you can see the change in him when he sits down at the piano or the harp. The subtle shift from comedian to musician- not a complete shift, of course, but in that moment, you know just how talented and hard-working he must have been. I love that rather than being a full-time, professional musician, which he certainly could have done, Harpo (known as Adolph off-screen) instead devoted his time and energy to entertain, to make people laugh, to be a big goof with a bicycle horn and a killer whistle. I identified with him- and still do. Harpo was quiet, funny-looking, not the most outgoing or famous performers, silly, and still insanely dedicated and a serious artist. I don’t plan on going into show business. I mean, never say never and all that, but I don’t see myself as ever really getting bitten by that particular acting or performing bug. But the lessons I’ve learned from Harpo (and Groucho, Chico, Zeppo, etc.) are the kind that can transcend careers. It’s ok to fall down (a lot.) Learn to laugh at yourself. Learn to laugh at your family. Making faces is a perfectly good way to express yourself. Wear the weird clothes. Don’t be afraid to show off your talents when given the chance. Be kind to children. Have a cigar, if you want. Make up a silly song, or a goofy dance. Work hard at what you love. Work hard at what you don’t love, but what is still necessary. Don’t shy away from being the strangest, brightest, wildest, wackiest, passionate you you can be. And also carry a bicycle horn with you, just in case. A Critique of Alexis's "Topic of Your Choice" Essay With the topic of your choice essay option, one of the first issues to consider is whether or not the essay should have been presented under one of the more focused Common Application prompts. Its easy to be lazy and simply choose topic of your choice to avoid thinking too hard about the most appropriate fit for an essay. For Alexiss essay My Hero Harpo, the topic of your choice option does, in fact, work well. The essay could potentially fall under Common Application essay option #5 on a realization that sparked a period of personal growth. Alexiss experiences watching Marx Brother movies did lead to an understanding of personal identity and life balances. That said, an essay on comedic actors doesnt quite fit the general seriousness of the option #5 prompt. Now lets breakdown some of the important elements of Alexiss essay: The topic. Harpo Marx is a rather unusual focus for an admissions essay. This can be a good thing, for Alexiss essay wont be a clone of other essays the admissions office receives. At the same time, one could argue that Harpos slapstick comedy is a rather superficial focus for an application essay. This certainly could be true if the subject matter were handled poorly, but Alexis manages to turn an essay focused on Harpo Marx into an essay that is really about much more than Marx. Alexis identifies with Harpo, and she explains why she identifies with him. In the end, the essay is as much about Alexis as it is Harpo. It is an essay that reveals Alexiss self-awareness, analytical skills, and sense of humor.The tone. Many applicants wrongly assume that an application essay needs to shine a bright light on a writers accomplishments while hiding any warts. The reality, however, is that were all quirky, flawed, complex people. Revealing an awareness of this fact is a sign of maturity, and it will often play well in an admissions essay. Alexis succeeds admirably on this front. The overall tone here is conversational and slightly self-deprecating. Alexis identifies with Harpos goofiness and his decision to focus on bringing happiness to others rather than personal prestige. We finish Alexiss essay with a sense that she is reserved, silly, able to laugh at herself, yet quietly confident. The overall impression is certainly a positive one.   The writing. Alexiss language is clear and engaging, and she avoids common stylistic errors. The essay has a strong voice and personality. The essay does, in fact, have several sentence fragments, but these are clearly used deliberately for rhetorical punch, not because Alexis is a grammatically inept writer.  The impact. Its always important to step back from an application essay and consider the big picture: what will a reader take away from the essay? Alexiss essay doesnt present any remarkable accomplishment or impressive talent. It does, however, present a student who is thoughtful, self-aware, generous, talented, and quietly ambitious. Does Alexis come across as someone who the admissions folks would want to join their campus community? Yes. Make Your Essay as Strong as Possible If a college requires you to submit an essay with the Common Application, it is because the school has holistic admissions- the admissions folks want to get to know you as a whole person, not as a simple compilation of numerical data such as grades and standardized test scores. Along with extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and in some cases an interview, the essay can plan an important role in the admissions process. Make sure yours is as strong as possible. As you write your own essay, be sure to avoid the bad essay topics,  and follow these tips for a winning essay. Most of all, make sure that your essay makes a good impression. Does it present a dimension of your personality and interests that isnt obvious from other parts of your application? Does it present you as someone who will contribute to the campus community in a meaningful way? If yes, your essay is performing its purpose well.

Auditing and Accounting Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Auditing and Accounting Ethics - Essay Example The act suggests undertaking continuous rotation of audit partners. It also emphasises increased financial reporting and imposes limits on certain non-audit services. The Sarbanes-Oxley act suggests reducing the economic interdependence of auditor and client. The economic rent provided to the auditors can only be gained as a result of long lasting relation ship between the auditor and the client, this condition in turn acts as a hindrance in the way of auditor to act independently. The threat of lawsuits often act as a motivator for the auditors to act independently as inefficient or unfair performance can result in shape of judicial action against auditors. In most of the studies undertaken it has been observed that the higher degree of threat to the auditors independence leads to authentic opinion. Its also found that auditor does not tend to change their decision with the varying degree of independence but change the decision process. i) Difference in the social and cultural value s: Standard setting is a crucial process, which includes change. Some societies have open and flexible culture, which keeps on transforming with the time. But on the other hand closed societies have relatively rigid culture. The acceptance level of change in these societies is very low. In the case of the global harmonisation of standards a country adopting the International standards cannot complete the picture. In most of the studies undertaken it has been observed that the higher degree of threat to the auditors independence.

Letter - Support Statment Veteran Claim Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Letter - Support Statment Veteran Claim - Essay Example These risks include disease contamination, assassinations or even death. Therefore, in order to protect them against these risks, the US through the Department of Veterans has initiated programs through which the veterans are forced to subscribe to for temporary immortality. The claim is for service connection for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH/ NAFLD), initially characterized as fatty liver and claimed as liver failure/ liver disease, as caused by medication from in-service (US Army) incurrence and/or aggravation of disease or injury due to the prescribed medications taken on a daily basis for an extended period of time for service-connected disabilities. I, _____________ (â€Å"The Veteran†) served on active duty with due diligence from 2003 to 2004 and during this period, I was treated with high doses of Ibuprofen 800mg and other medications for pain relief and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. VA Doctors restricted me from taking medication or adjusting to new medication due to NASH (for example: Ibuprofen was discontinued by Doctor Olesen Miami Hospital, Cymbalta was discontinued by Doctor Racha Washington DC, etc.) and this has been considered as a threat to my general well being. Over the years, I have been unable to perform and live to my expectations due to the medications that I took during the in-service. The side-effects to these medications are visible and their damage is imminent. As indicated earlier on, I have lost weight, my diet has been restructured and my budget has been strained due to the adoption of a new life. My NASH / LIVER Disease was established and recognized by the VA Hospitals in Miami, FL and Washington, DC and my doctors have recommended that my condition is worsening. In regards to risk factors that have affected progressively my liver disease, I have three that include my BMI 31.23 ( > 28 kg/m2), presence of fibrosis in my liver biopsy in 2010, and my current elevated AST

Policy Brief ( 2 pages (1.5 line spacing) and the third page for Essay

Policy Brief ( 2 pages (1.5 line spacing) and the third page for sources only ) please please please i want and need to get full mark. thank u very much - Essay Example benefits for Vermont State, and the state should continue educating and encouraging its residents to take advantage of the Medicaid program (Sara, 2013). The state of Vermont has always prioritized the health of its members. It extended Medicaid to parents who had a higher income than the standard eligible income limit, given that the standard limit was in many cases below half the poverty level. In addition, Vermont covered parents who did not have children, unlike other states. Additionally, the state enacted a single-payer health care legislation in 2011. It consequently established an insurance exchange to meet the requirements of the ACA act until it applies for a waiver on the implementation of the single payer system. Vermont records approximately 47,000 uninsured people. This comprises of a large number of the population, which needs to be covered, to improve their ability to access medical attention. Fortunately, for the state, following the adoption of the 2010 ACA act, this number shall reduce significantly, as the regulation encourages more people to enroll for Medicaid (Holahan, Buettgens, Caroll, & Dorn, 2012). Following the generous Medicaid program that the state of Vermont has always held, implementation of the ACA will benefit the state, as it shall spend less on Medicaid, compared to other states. The state shall adjust its current federal medical assistance percentage to match the enhanced FMAP (Manatt Health Solutions, Center for Health Care strategies, & State Health Data Assistance Center, 2012). Such adjustments shall also offset the probable increase in administrative costs, thus making the Medicaid beneficial for Vermont. Consequently, the state shall benefit greatly from the ACA act, thus boosting the economic position of the state. More to this, adopting the expansion serves the state better, given that even states that do not expand their Medicaid still contribute Medicaid funds to the federal government. Following the expansion of

HM Analysis: Ansoff Matrix, Five Forces and PEST

HM Analysis: Ansoff Matrix, Five Forces and PEST H and M is a Swedish worldwide company which operates in the fashion sector. Its main competitors are INDITEX, GAR and Arcadian Group. The firm offer fashion cheap quality products on more than 2000 stores placed in 37 countries including Europe, Asia, North America and Middle East. It tries to adapt their products and their business model to the new market to facilitate the entry in a different cultural market country. The company has a strong corporate social responsibility concept and is involved in community and environmental projects; however it has been criticized due to several scandals. Despite of the economic crisis which causes a huge drop in the consumption and therefore in the fashion spending; HM thanks to its policy of low prices is still a quite strong company and has a good financial reputation as its results and ratios show us. The profitability of this company is due to the coast leader strategy that it has followed, focused on the outsourcing of the manufacturing process to countries with low labour costs, which allows HM to sell cheap products and obtain high profits. Also the blame for this business successful is the differentiation strategy that they have developed with the help of celebrities and famous designers lines. Introduction to the company HM (Hennes Mauritz) is an internationally famous company which operates in the fashion industry and besides it also markets cosmetics and accessories. It was founded in Sweden in 1947 by Erling Pearson. In order to know its market share, we must say that in 2009, sales including VAT reached SEK 118,697 millions; furthermore, the number of employees is around 76,000  [1]  . Geographical markets The company has around 2000 stores in 37 countries worldwide, specifically in the European, Asiatic, North American and Middle East market. Germany represents the biggest market with the 25% of HMs total shares, followed by United Kingdom and Sweden. As curiosity we can say that Glasgow has 7 HMs stores. Related to the importance that online selling has nowadays, this service is now available in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, Austria and UK.  [2]   Brands and products HM Group includes the brands COS, Monki, Weekday, Cheap Monday and HM home. The firm designs cheap yet chic clothing, offering this to the different segment markets (ladies, men and kids). Mission, values and goals HM describes its mission as Fashion and quality at the best price. In connection to the values, this company is driven by simplicity, continuous, improvement, team spirit, cost-consciousness and entrepreneurship. A sentence that can summarize HM values is the slogan We believe in people. Finally, HM goals are to intensify the sales in the existing stores, as well as, to increase the number of new stores by a net 10% to 15% per year. Expansion and maintaining of financial stability are HMs strategic goals. The growth, which is fully self-financed, will proceed with an emphasis on quality and continued high profitability.  [3]   Corporate Social Responsibility The company guarantees that its products are manufactured under good conditions. According to Karl-Johan Persson (CEO at HM) Being responsible is not only the right thing to do, it makes perfect business sense. (HM 2010) According to the HM 2009 Annual Report, HM acts in many markets as both a buyer and a seller. This requires HM to act responsibly and in a sustainable way with respect to the environment and social responsibility.  [4]   HM is very concerned with the supply chain working conditions, so because of that its very careful choosing the countries for the production and it also imposes a strict Code of Conduct  [5]  to its suppliers. Around sixty auditors works checking that this Code is being respected The company has environmental requirements on suppliers, as a clean production chain, green transport and sustainability policy and vision by sustainable use of resources and healthy products like the organic cotton. According to projects and cooperation, HM has developed community activities, like education and employment of woman and youth, water and innovation of sustainable textile materials. Also the company has collaborated such as UNICEF and WaterAid  [6]  . Furthermore, HM reports activities and progress on its sustainability programmes annually.  [7]   However, HM has starred in several scandals, for instance because they discarded bags of unwanted clothes outside HMS store in New York. These clothes could have been used by needy families in case not to have been intentionally damaged to avoid re-use. Besides, in March 2010, the company was criticized by pro-Palestinian groups for opening its first stores in Israel at the time when the UN Goldstone report highlighted Israels alleged violations of international law. C:Userspelegrià ±Pictureshm protesta palestina.jpg Furthermore, the German edition of the Financial Times newspaper has uncovered an alleged organic cotton fraud by European brands HM, CA, and Tchibo (Treehugger 2010) 2. External Environment To seek the main factors impacting on the industry attractiveness and on the environmental stability for HM Im going to use the study of competitors and the PEST analysis. 2.1 Competitors HMs main competitors in the most important markets are (Hoovers 2010): COMPANY COUNTRY BRANDS INDITEX Spain Zara, Oysho, Massimo Dutti, Pull Bear, Stradivarius, Zara Home and Uterqà ¼e GAP United States GAP, Banana Republic, Budgeteer Old Navy ARCADIA GROUP United Kingdom BHS, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, Wallis, Topshop, Evans, Burton and Topman 2.2 Pest Analysis POLITICAL: HM is a Swedish brand so it has to follow the Swedish legislation, but also the laws of each country where it has establishments, for instance, in UK: The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 which implement the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive in the UK. The Enterprise Act 2002 which has wide-ranging implications for businesses and consumers. The Electronic Commerce Regulations 2002 includes the information that the company must share with online customers and regulates advertising. Distance Selling Regulations 2000: these laws are aimed at businesses that sell goods or services to consumers by the internet, mail order, phone or fax. The Competition Act 1998 which forbid certain types of anti-competitive behaviour. Its also remarkable that in 2009 the Swedish corporate tax rate was reduced to 26.3 from its previous level of 28%. Trading agreements: most of the HM business is located in EU countries -such as Germany and the UK- without custom duties. ECONOMIC: Although the GDP dropped because of the crisis, it has increased by the 1.2% in the second quarter 2010.  [8]   Since March the 5th 2009, the official bank rate is placed in 0.5%  [9]  , because of that the investment cost is low. Consumer spending on clothing rose by just 10%  [10]  between 2004 and 2008, well below the 19.2% increase in overall consumer expenditure during this period. Even though 2009 has been characterized by deflation, the inflation rate is again positive (1.14 in September 2010)  [11]  . That is to say the demand is starting to rise. SOCIAL Due to the social and environmental conscience, HM has to adapt its policy and products to the new customer awareness. Fashion is more and more interesting for young people and that is the reason why this consumer group spends a high part of its incomes on clothes. Customers seem to prefer customized garments. These kinds of products are supplied generally by online sellers but can represent a competence. Fast changing fashion styles make the designers to be ready for a reply. HM is operating in Middle East and in Asia, therefore it should take into account the social and cultural differences (religion, language or roles of men and women in the society) TECHNOLOGICAL: Technology to make clothing: more updated machines are necessary to accomplish certain colours and patterns. The development of media technology and the internet will make HM popularity to rise. Online selling, available now in seven markets 3. HM financial performance To know HMs financial situation I am going to make an analysis of the most important financial variables and also to compare them with Zara and Primarks ones. Sales per year UK is HMs fourth largest market, contributing 6.4% of its turnover (Mintel 2010). 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 SALES ( £) 400472 448583 527534 524531 565889 CHANGES IN SALES (%) 8,0986533 12,013574 17,600087 -0,569252 7,884758  [12]   In 2008, due to the financial crisis, UK suffered a huge drop in the GDP and in the consumption, for example the household clothing expenditure was 21,60  £ per week and in 2003 it was 27  £.  [13]  At the end of May 2010, sales rose by 15% due to the fact that 10 new stores opened. and at the end of May 2010, sales rose by 15% due to the fact that 10 new stores opened and at the end of May 2010, sales rose by 15% due to the fact that 10 new stores opened 14 In the previous graphic, we can see Primark has a bigger market share and besides it could profit of its low prices in the crisis, gaining ground to its competitors. Zaras turnover is lower than HM. Operating profit It has not followed any trend for the last five years, it has fluctuated depending on the year. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 PROFIT ( £) 44260 62013 53041 8767 10576 CHANGES IN PROFIT (%) -2,906658 40,1107094 -14,46793 -83,47128 20,634196  [15]   In the previous table, the most notable thing is the sharp decline that the operating profit had in 2008. The causes are the increase in selling and administrative costs. According to the 2008 Annual Report this is mainly due to an increased cost level relating to reinforcement of the organization in preparation for the long-term investment in store expansion, Internet and catalogue sales and new initiatives. 16 As we can see in this comparative chart, the three companies operating profit has followed a similar tendency with an important drop in 2008. We can also notice that Zaras operating profit in UK moves in negative numbers. Liquidity Analyzing the following table, we can conclude that HM has a healthy financial position, because in general to have a current ratio higher than 1,5 is a good sign, even more if its a fashion retail company. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 CURRENT RATIO 1.76 1.77 1.4 2.4 1.83  [17]   The liquidity or acid test ratio shows how liquid the company is relative to short-term liabilities. Stock is excluded as it can take months to turn into cash. As its higher than 1, we can say that the liquid assets exceed the current liabilities. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 LIQUIDITY RATIO 0.97 0.96 0.88 1.77 1.22  [18]   It can be said that HM has sufficient money available to meet its short-term commitments. Thanks to the next graphic we can conclude that in liquidity terms Primark can have problems because its current ratio is always under 0,5. 19 Solvency 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 GEARING RATIO 34.61 81.82 110.09 52.24 51.12  [20]   The gearing ratio measures the proportion of the companys total capital that is borrowed. The higher the gearing ratio is, the bigger the proportion of the companies money that is borrowed and therefore the bigger the risk. In 2007 the ratio obtained was worrying because the loan capital was higher than the capital employed. This was due to the heavy investment that HM was doing in its international expansion and in new initiatives. 21 The chart shows us that Primark has solvency problems so it could have problems if interest rates are going up. On the other hand, Zara is solvent. Investment In this paragraph I have used the ROCE (Return on capital employed) which measures whether or not a company is generating adequate profits in relation to the funds invested in it and is a key indicator of investment performance. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 ROCE 63.1 82.06 69.44 7.43 6.16  [22]   In retail lower figures would be experienced, ranging between 5% and 15% and in the last two years, is where HM is placed. We can see that this ratio had a sharp drop in 2008 but before this year this company was extremely profitable. 23 Primark is the best performance in this area and Zara has seriously problems above all caused by the negative numbers in its profits. 4. Competitive strategy 4.1 Porters five forces analysis In this paragraph, Im going to use Porters five forces analysis to determine the intensity of competition and profitability that can be expected in the fashion retail sector. C:Userspelegrià ±Picturesporters-five-forces-model.jpg  [24]   Threat of new entrants UK market is not saturated There are not barriers to entry in distribution due to the low capital required to open a new store. However, in manufacturing there are important barriers to entry due to the scales economies and to the high investment capital required. Fashion products have a high margin. Threat of substitute products For the fashion sector we must talk about replacing brands, not products. There are a lot of fashion retailers in the market which HM is present. Besides, the demand is very variable in this market because of the continuous changes in customers needs and requirements. Relation between quality and price is improving because of the outsourcing of manufacturing in countries with lower labour costs. Bargaining power of buyers One negative aspect is the almost nonexistent loyalty in the cheap fashion segment. Also the switching costs are low. Price is a very important variable for customers. Among the positive aspects its important to say that the volume of purchase is small, that is to say a single buyer is irrelevant for the company. Apart from customers association, they are not very well organized to defend their interests. Bargaining power of suppliers It is not very high because there are a lot of suppliers in countries with low labour costs. That is to say, retailers can impose the demanding conditions because they have more power than suppliers. Rivalry among existing firms in the fashion industry There are a lot of existing local, national and international competitors. The opportunities to growth are not very high because of the maturity of the sector. The price variable is very influential in consumers when considering alternatives. The quick changes in customers requirements do not permit to develop strong scale economies. In this market is very important the good image of the brand worldwide.  [25]   7.2 HM competitive strategies Cost leadership It is a strategy based on scale economies and in the outsourcing of the manufacturing process to countries with low labour costs. In this way the company can offer low prices  [26]  without losing quality and besides being profitable. Thanks to it, the company can self-finance to increase the number of stores and the sales. HM mission is offering quality at the best price. Differentiation strategy This strategy was implementing few years ago. Celebrities and famous designers have created exclusive collections for HM  [27]  . Thanks to these collaborations, the company achieves to differentiate in the fashion retail market. This phenomenon is called masstige  [28]  , and can be defined as an alliance between a prestigious brand and a mass consumer brand. Thanks to it, consumer can buy a branded product at an affordable price. Masstige is formed by two words mass market and prestige Customers perceive that HMs have an added value in comparison with other competitors and they are willing to pay a premium price for them. It the short run the company improves its turnover and in the long term it builds a stronger brand awareness and prestige that it could use to penetrate in difficult markets. 5. Strategic directions of development I am going to use Ansoffs matrix to analyze the main strategic directions followed by the company through the product and market: C:Userspelegrià ±PicturesAnsoff-Matrix.gif  [29]   Market penetration: This strategy is used to increase existing products sales in the current market. This can be achieved gaining competitors customers and encouraging them to acquire more companys products. HMs key for market penetration is offering fashionable clothing with cheaper prices than other competitors like Zara  [30]  . Doyle (2002) argues that the foundation of a successful brand is quality. The company is very concerned about that, therefore it has comprehensive quality control methods which guarantee customer satisfaction. Thanks to the strong advertising campaigns the company has increased its popularity worldwide helped by the globalization of fashion trends and lifestyles. Market development: Lynch (2003) says it involves targeting new segments of a market, identifying new uses for the companys products or entering new international markets. HM internationalization strategy is based on entering one market at a time. Although the standardization of HMs products, the company introduces slight variations to be adapted to the new market culture. According to the new market segments, the company has launched COS (Collection of Style) with more expensive and smarter clothes than the HMs common one. Product development It can be defined that offering really new and innovative products to the current customers. HM develop this strategy, for example, through strategic alliances with famous designers and fashion icons like Karl Lagerfeld, Madonna or Roberto Cavalli which improve HMs prestige worldwide. Furthermore, the company concerns about research and development, for instance, it introduced environmental friendly materials like organic cotton in its 2008 Spring Collection and then along its entire range of products. Also it is important to underline here that HM has created perfumes, cosmetics and beauty products. Besides as I have said in the introduction HM has a home line available on the internt. C:Userspelegrià ±Pictureskarl.bmp . Diversification: This strategy is the riskiest because it means to develop new products and entering new markets. HM has been focusing in fashion items like clothes, jeweler, shoes, bags or accessories so it has not developed very much this strategy. Only they have performed a diversification strategy, specifically household items through HM Home.  [31]   The company has also developed curious products such as the stuff pack for the computer game The Sims 2 called Fashion Stuff Pack in June 2007 in collaboration with Maxis game developers. 2 6. Methods of development In this section, I am going to analyse the methods of development used by HM in the recent years, and besides the benefits and challenges that each one involve. Lynch (2003) said that HM has followed a forward vertical integration strategy as method of growth. This means that the company develops activities oriented to customers, the final product and the distribution network (retailing) more than related with suppliers (backward integration). Thanks to this strategy, the company can collect information about sales and customers needs to reply quickly to changes in the fashion market. HM and Zara are known as fast-fashion retailers. This has permitted them to expand successfully in Europe, Asia and America. However, they have a different internationalization strategy, because HM tends to adapt its products and strategy o the new market while Zara reproduces the original successful business model in all the markets. Zara prices vary depending on the country while HM has the same price in all the markets in which it is present HM is a strong financially company which seeks to maintain a good profitability in its growth strategy. We can say that the growth is substantive but also controlled. The growth goals are to increase the number of stores by 10-15% per year, as well as increasing sales in existing stores. In the last five years, the company has had a great growth in number of stores, turnovers and earnings per share. Focusing on HMs geographical expansion, its first store abroad was opened in Norway in 1964. Then it continued with the expansion in UK, Denmark, Switzerland and Germany. In the 1990s, it opened stores in Finland, France, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands. The first store in US was opened in New York in March 2000. The first store in Asia was in Dubai in 2006, and thanks to a franchising strategy. After this, it entered to East Asia by opening stores in Hong Kong and Shangai  [32]  in 2007. Japan in 2008, Russia in 2009 and Corea in 2010 were the following countries to enter. The two first Israeli stores opened in 2010 and as I said in the introduction there were pro-Palestine group protests. It is planned to open new stores in Croatia and Singapore for 2011. HM main method of entry is an organic growth by opening is own stores in the new market. But we can see also that since 2006 the company has followed a franchising strategy in Middle East to open 3 stores in Dubai in agreement with M.H. Alshaya, a company from Kuwait specialized in holding franchises with international retail brands. In this paragraph I am going to use the SPACE matrix (Strategic Position Action Evaluation matrix) which is a management tool used to analyze a company and to determine what type of strategy it should undertake. Rowe et al. (1989) developed this model based on four important variables: The stability/ turbulence of the environment Industry attractiveness The competitive advantage The companys financial strength Throughout this report I have analyzed these variables, therefore it can be argued that HM is a strong financially company, as the sales, profits and financial ratios show. To determine the industry attractiveness it is useful the Porters five forces seen in the section 4. Following with the environmental stability we can use the PEST analysis done in the section 2 and for the competitive advantage it has to be taken into account the strategic directions and the methods of development. After having analyzed all these points and drawing the SPACE matrix, it can be concluded that HM should follow an aggressive strategy. HM has a strong competitive position in the market (a known brand worldwide) and a quite good financial position to support this strategy. It needs to use its internal strengths to develop a market penetration and a market development strategy. In fact it is the strategy that HM has been followed in the last years, as the expansion to Asia and Middle East show (market development strategy) and opening more and more stores in the existing markets such as Europe (market penetration). As recommendations, it can be suggested that the company entered South American market by performing a market development strategy. HM has not arrived yet to this market and it would be very interesting due to there are a lot of customers in this market interesting in buying fashion cheap clothes and the company could adapt quickly to the South American market culture, gaining ground to its competitors within a market full of opportunities to growth. On the other hand as a market penetration strategy it can be suggested to follow with the opening of new stores in the current market, increase the size of the existing stores and try to manage present products and services more effectively.

5- HTP- Myth or Miracle? :: Chemistry Chemical Papers

5- HTP- Myth or Miracle? The neurotransmitter, 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5-HTP)is a compound created in the body which is used to regulate serotonin levels in brain and central nervous system. (www.medquestpharmacy.com). According to the web sites used, a supplement of 5-HTP is said to regulate moods, help treat anxiety and aid in weight loss (www.biosynergy.com/5htp.htm). They also stated that 5-HTP helps with insomnia and lower the risk of heart disease. The risk of heart disease is supposed to be lowered as a result of less anxiety and a more peaceful state of mind (www.biosynergy.com/5htp.htm). However, according to medical journals and reviews it is only proven that 5- HTP helps improve moods of depressed patients and may aid in weight loss, improve sleep patterns and help panic attacks. In the medical articles which were read, it was indicated that more research should be conducted on 5-HTP before any claims were made regarding the effects on sleep patterns or weight loss. Within these articles there was little to no mention of the effects of 5-HTP on heart disease. However, in a clinical trial Schwarcz, Young, and Brown (1989) performed, there was evidence to show that 5-HTP combined with a diet high in carbohydrates does lower blood pressure. How 5-HTP Works: Serotonin is a "neurotransmitter which is responsible for mood, hunger sleep" (www.herbsnow.com/sotm.htm). The website, medquest pharmacy claims that 5-HTP works by increasing the amount of serotonin produced in the brain. And in fact, according to Gastpar and Wakelin (1998), 5-HTP is a known precursor to serotonin which has been proven in many studies. Serotonin levels are supposed to have a direct effect on a persons mood (www.medquwestpharmacy.com/5-htp.htm). In fact antidepressant drugs approved by the FDA, such as Prozac, are said to work by increasing the amount of serotonin available to the brain(www.biosyenrgy.com/5htp.htm). Effectiveness of Treatment: It is said on medquest pharmacy’s web site that when 100mg of 5-HTP is taken three times a day for an extended period of time showed a 50 % improvement in depressed patients. In addition the patients are said to have had no side effects(www.

Eth125 R8 Wk2 Stereotypes Prejudice Essay

Please complete the following exercises, remembering that you are in an academic setting and should remain unbiased, considerate, and professional when completing this worksheet. Part I Select three of the identity categories below and name or describe at least 3 related stereotypes for each: ?Race ?Ethnicity ?Religion ?Gender ?Sexual orientation ?Age ?Disability Category Stereotype 1 Stereotype 2 Stereotype 3 Race All African Americans are good at basketball. All Middle Easterners hate America. White people are all racist. White people don’t have rhythm. All Asians are geniuses. Hispanics don’t speak English very well. Gender Women are unstable and irrational. Men are the financial provider. Men are smarter than women. Sexual Orientation All Gay men are promiscuous. Lesbians are â€Å"butch† and gay men are â€Å"fem†. Gays and lesbians hit on everyone. Bisexual people are greedy and just want everyone. Part II Answer each question in 50 to 100 words related to those stereotypes. Provide citations for all the sources you use. ?What are the positive aspects of stereotypes, if any? It is hard to imagine that there could be any advantage to stereotypes since they are essentially believing things about people that are not necessarily true. However, stereotypes could benefit a person to react quickly based on similar past experiences. The use of stereotypes reduces the amount of thinking we have to do when we meet a person for the first time because we already have a basic preconceived notion of them. McLeod, S. A. (2008). Stereotypes. Retrieved from http://www. simplypsychology. org/katz-braly. html Copyright  © 2012 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Stereotypes and Prejudice Worksheet ETH/125 Version 8 2 ?What are the negative aspects of stereotypes? Stereotypes tend to make us forget to consider a person’s individuality and can cause us to judge a person prematurely. The things that we think based on stereotypes could very well be completely untrue. I also believe that because of the nature of stereotypes they can easily lead to prejudice toward an entire group of people. McLeod, S. A. (2008). Stereotypes. Retrieved from http://www. simplypsychology. org/katz-braly. html Part III Answer each question in 50 to 150 words related to those stereotypes. Provide citations for all the sources you use. ?Define stereotypes and prejudice. What is the difference between stereotyping and prejudice? Use examples to illustrate the differences. Stereotypes are unreliable generalizations about all members of a certain group or class that do not take into consideration a person’s individuality. Prejudice is having a negative attitude toward a person based solely on the fact that they belong to a certain class or race. An example of a stereotype might be that all African Americans are good at basketball. A prejudice would be that a person does not like a certain individual because they are African American. Schaefer, R. T. (2012). Racial and Ethnic Groups (13th ed. ) ?What is the relationship between stereotyping and prejudice? I believe that stereotyping can lead to prejudice. If a person has a stereotype that people of Middle Eastern descent hate America, that might then lead them to have a negative attitude toward all people of Middle Eastern descent. Another example could be that if someone has the stereotype that all white people are racist, that might then lead them to be prejudice against all white people. ?What can be done to prevent prejudice from occurring? I think that in order to prevent prejudice from occurring each group must have complete equality in rights, opportunity, and power. I think that kids from a young age need to be taught to interact will all different races and classes of people so that they learn that everyone is equal and they can work together to reach golas instead of working against each other. Copyright  © 2012 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Stereotypes and Prejudice Worksheet ETH/125 Version 8 3 Copyright  © 2012 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Free Essays on Symphony With A Splash

Contrary to the atmosphere of most symphony concerts, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s â€Å"Symphony with a Splash† created a fun and easygoing setting. Both the conductor, Daniel Meyer, and host, Greg Sandow, encouraged clapping throughout the entire show including during the music. This crowd participation made for easy listening and enjoyment. The concert opened with a familiar song by Ennio Morricone, â€Å"Childhood/Manhood,† from the film â€Å"Cinema Paradiso.† This song can be recognized from a television ad for UPMC. Some people may agree with conductor Daniel Meyer when he said that â€Å"Childhood/Manhood† put them on the charts. Also preformed in the first half of the show was Gioachino Rossini’s â€Å"La Gazza Ladra [The Thieving Magpie].† This song, like most form this show, was not written for a formal concert setting. The percussion parts in this song were amazing. They were loud and captivating, forcing the audience to listen and hang on every note. With a similar feeling to the rest of this night’s performances was the Scherzo from the Tenth Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich. This song is similar because it was also not written for what people today believe is a formal concert. The Scherzo was written as a portrait of Joseph Stalin. The entire audience was able to feel the hatred toward Stalin through the tone of the music as well as the red lights that shined on the performers. Other music performed at this concert includes music from Handel’s â€Å"Music for the Royal Fireworks,† Mozart’s â€Å"Paris Symphony,† Mahler’s â€Å"Symphony Number 5", and Ravel’s â€Å"Bolà ©ro.† Of all the music performed, my favorite was the Scherzo from Shostakovich’s Symphony Number 10. I liked this piece the most because you could feel the song’s force and power. Walking into this concert I was expecting to hear a lot of soft music. However, this was not the case. The concert was filled with lively and e... Free Essays on Symphony With A Splash Free Essays on Symphony With A Splash Contrary to the atmosphere of most symphony concerts, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s â€Å"Symphony with a Splash† created a fun and easygoing setting. Both the conductor, Daniel Meyer, and host, Greg Sandow, encouraged clapping throughout the entire show including during the music. This crowd participation made for easy listening and enjoyment. The concert opened with a familiar song by Ennio Morricone, â€Å"Childhood/Manhood,† from the film â€Å"Cinema Paradiso.† This song can be recognized from a television ad for UPMC. Some people may agree with conductor Daniel Meyer when he said that â€Å"Childhood/Manhood† put them on the charts. Also preformed in the first half of the show was Gioachino Rossini’s â€Å"La Gazza Ladra [The Thieving Magpie].† This song, like most form this show, was not written for a formal concert setting. The percussion parts in this song were amazing. They were loud and captivating, forcing the audience to listen and hang on every note. With a similar feeling to the rest of this night’s performances was the Scherzo from the Tenth Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich. This song is similar because it was also not written for what people today believe is a formal concert. The Scherzo was written as a portrait of Joseph Stalin. The entire audience was able to feel the hatred toward Stalin through the tone of the music as well as the red lights that shined on the performers. Other music performed at this concert includes music from Handel’s â€Å"Music for the Royal Fireworks,† Mozart’s â€Å"Paris Symphony,† Mahler’s â€Å"Symphony Number 5", and Ravel’s â€Å"Bolà ©ro.† Of all the music performed, my favorite was the Scherzo from Shostakovich’s Symphony Number 10. I liked this piece the most because you could feel the song’s force and power. Walking into this concert I was expecting to hear a lot of soft music. However, this was not the case. The concert was filled with lively and e...

Essay on Language Variation

Essay on Language Variation Essay on Language Variation Introduction The following conversation is between Andy an American businessman doing business in London and Carter a British native based in London. The two men are based in the insurance industry. The conversation will be used to differentiate between the American and British language. The readers of the conversation will be in a position to understand various language components. The idea behind the conversation is to understand the importance of linguistic variations. Andy: what is the main factor affecting insurance business in the United Kingdom? Carter: The market viability determines the level of insurance penetration. This is manifested by the manner in which the market operates in the long run. A good example is a smaller and larger market size. A smaller market segment implies that the insurance business will not thrive to the maximum. Insurance is all about numbers and understanding how to make adjustments within the course of operations. It should be noted that other factors determine the penetration mechanism. This is an indication that a bigger market size would be better suited to encourage the growth of insurance. Andy: There is a lot of stuff going on within the insurance sector in the United Kingdom. From my point of view, I think the insurance industry in the United Kingdom is undergoing a different phase as compared to the American market. It is clear that the UK market is undergoing a series of changes aimed at making the industry viable. This is evidenced by the manner in which the industry is undergoing challenges. Unlike the American market, the British market is still on the phase of adapting to the changing environment. This means that the level of insurance penetration is minimal as compared to the situation in the United States. Carter: A rough analysis of the American market indicates that the American market is ahead of the British market. As mentioned in the previous section, the American market is stable and more developed as compared to the British market. The American market has undergone numerous developmental phases before the British market. This implies that the American market has integrated the ideals of a stable industry. The American market has consolidated important market components. This has consequently led to a situation where the market dimension of the American market is stable and comprehensive as compared to the British market. Andy: As an operator in the insurance industry, I must admit that the insurance industry in the United States operates on a different platform as compared to the situation in Britain. The American insurance industry is composed of regulatory frameworks and other market components which consolidate the sector. Time and again, the American market has been involved in turbulent times. This implies that the sector has developed after years of repair. The above explanation is an indication that the American market is miles ahead of the British market. The British market has to develop numerous tools required for operation before reaching the level attained by the American market. Carter: I support the assertion that the American market is consolidated as compared to the British market. The British market is less developed as compared to the American market. The American market has been developed after years of making changes. The changes made in the American insurance sector have been instrumental in terms of leveraging the market. This was a step in the right direction. Linguistic variables The linguistic variables used in the conversation have been instrumental in terms of differentiating between the British and American language. From the conversation, it is clear that variables are vital in terms of determining various components of a given language. The approach used in presenting the linguistic variables has gone a long way in terms of giving each language the required consolidation. The linguistic approach used in both approaches is manifested by the manner in which words have been interchanged. It should be noted that the American and British language differ in meaning and pronunciation. The pronunciation used in the British language is different as compared to pronunciation in the American accent. The extent of pronunciation is explained from the perspective of vowels used. For example, a word with the same meaning could be used in the American and British accent. In the paper, the pronunciation could be similar, but the difference is noted when it comes to pronunciation. The mode of pronunciation is evident between the conversation of Andy and Carter. Carter is fond of using British accent in words and explanation. The mode of using the English language is based on the environment in which the person lives. The conversation between Andy and Carter is an indication that the environment determines the language selection of a person. The environmental aspect has affected the linguistic tone used by Andy and Carter. From the conversation, it is crystal clear that vowels determine the language aptitude adopted by an individual. The vowel variation has played an important role in determining the language selection used by both speakers. It should be noted that vowels have played a major role in terms of differentiating between the American and English language. From an expertise point of view, vowel variation speaks volumes about the language tone used. In addition, the language tone is dependent on the manner in which vowels are arranged. Lexicons The lexical arrangement used in the British and American accent is another component that can be used for analysis. The lexicon approach used in the British accent is advanced as compared to the American accent. The American accent is composed of simple lexical arrangements as compared to the British accent. The British accent has more lexical arrangements. They are intertwined with vowels. The mixture of lexicons and vowels is the main distinguishing aspect between the American and English accent. Lexicons like vowels determine the extent of tone variation. The tone variation attained from lexicons is an important component of language selection. Vowels The vowel arrangement has a way with determining the language variation used. A good example is the American and British language. The vowel arrangement used in English is different as compared to vowel arrangement in the American accent. The American accent has a different vowel arrangement as compared to the British accent. For example, the British accent has a mixture of vowels within a sentence. The British accent has a mixture of vowels. The vowel mixture within the British language has been phenomenal. As mentioned in the previous section, the vowel variation in a sentence determines the overall meaning. This is to mean that vowel variation creates a difference in language selection. The language selection is determined by vowels. If you need a professional paper writing service to order custom essays online from, visit our company .

Statistics homeless people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statistics homeless people - Essay Example Number of Homeless Households Figure 1 below shows the evolution of the number of homeless households from 2002 to 2010. While the number of homeless households increased from 2002 to 2004, it reduced continuously from 2004 to 2009, and in 2010 again, there was a slight increase in the number of homeless households. Figure 1 Number of Homeless Households in Wales The maximum number of homeless households was 9855 households in 2004. From 2004 to 2009, homelessness decreased at an average of nearly 11% per year and in 2010, the increase in homeless households was just over 12%. The average number of homeless households from 2002 to 2010 was 7182 households. Clearly, this shows that the efforts of the Welsh Government have been successful in their commitment for controlling homelessness and supporting homeless people. Reasons for Homelessness In order to succeed in their aim to reduce and eventually eradicate homelessness, the Welsh Government also studies the reasons why people/househ olds become homeless. Figure 2 below shows the break-up of these reasons. Figure 2 Reasons for Homelessness in Wales in 2010 Figure 2 shows that the biggest reason, which accounts for 20% of homelessness in Wales in 2010, is the loss of tied accommodation which may be due to disasters like fire or for other social/financial reasons. If we combine this with the factor of loss of rented or tied institution or care centre which accounts for 16% of the homelessness, we see that just over 1/3rd, that is 36% of homelessness is caused by loss of rented/tied accommodation or institutions. The next biggest reason is the inability or unwillingness of parents to accommodate which accounts for 19% of homelessness. However, if we combine this statistic with homelessness due to inability or unwillingness of other relatives or friends which accounts for 8% of homelessness, we see that 27% of all homelessness is caused by social exclusion of homeless people by their parents/relatives/friends. Broad ly speaking, the categories of reasons for homelessness may be divided into two parts: financial reasons and social reasons. Financial reasons include loss of rented/tied accommodation, mortgage arrears, and rent arrears. The financial reasons together are responsible for 42% of all homelessness. The social reasons include inability or unwillingness of parents/relatives/friends, break-up with partner and violence or harassment. The social reasons are responsible for 47% of all homelessness. In fact, a lot of social reasons also arise out of financial difficulties like the inability of parents to support. Economy and Homelessness As we have seen that 42% of homelessness is caused by purely financial reasons and some of the social reasons are also due to financial troubles, we now take a look at how homelessness varies with the economic output. For the economic output, we consider the data for Gross Value Added (GVA) for Wales. According to the statistics bureau of the Welsh Governmen t, the GVA can be considered as a close substitute for Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the measure of economic output. Figure 3 below shows the relationship between actual GVA and the number of homeless households for different years. The data points shown in figure 3 are the values of GVA and number of homeless households in Wales from 2002 to 2009. The line has been drawn to show the approximate trend in the data points. Figure 3 GVA and homelessness in Wales for

Cooperation Between HR And CSR In Qatar Shell Essay

Cooperation Between HR And CSR In Qatar Shell - Essay Example The paper "Cooperation Between HR And CSR In Qatar Shell" examines the actual relationship that exists between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and human resource management of Qatar Shell. Shell is a global energy company that is amongst the top five petrochemical companies around the world. Shell has over 100,000 employees who are located in over 90 countries around the world. Shell prides itself on her ability to meet the world's growing energy demands in environmentally and socially responsible ways. Shell is currently undertaking a joint project with Qatargas and Qatar Petroleum. This has led to the largest project ever launched in the petroleum sector in Qatar, which is one of the world's largest oil producing countries. However, Shell has a lot of issues with its reputation in different parts of the world. Shell has reputational issues in nations like Nigeria where it has been fingered for being irresponsible environmentally and condoning with corrupt Nigerian governments. This spate of scandals has linked Shell with the various environmental hazards that have hit the petroleum-rich areas of Nigeria. Also, with the fact that Shell has been implicated for supporting some of Nigeria's military governments who were indicted for various human rights abuses places the company's reputation in perpetual doubts. Shell is presenting itself as a socially and environmentally responsible organization. However, some incidents in its past seem to have dented the public image of the company.