About the Earths Geographic and Magnetic South Pole

The South Pole is the southernmost point on the Earths surface. It is at 90ËšS latitude and it is on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole. The South Pole is located in Antarctica and it is at the site of the United States Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, a research station that was established in 1956. Geography of the South Pole The Geographic South Pole is defined as the southern point on Earths surface that crosses the Earths axis of rotation. This is the South Pole that is located at the site of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. It moves about 33 feet (ten meters) because it is located on a moving ice sheet. The South Pole is on an ice plateau about 800 miles (1,300 km) from McMurdo Sound. The ice at this location is about 9,301 feet (2,835 m) thick. As a result ices movement, the location of the Geographic South Pole, also called the Geodetic South Pole, must be recalculated yearly on January 1. Usually, the coordinates of this location are just expressed in terms of latitude (90ËšS) because it essentially has no longitude as it is located where the meridians of longitude converge. Although, if longitude is given it is said to be 0ËšW. In addition, all points moving away from the South Pole face north and must have a latitude below 90Ëš as they move north toward the Earths equator. These points are still given in degrees south however because they are in the Southern Hemisphere. Because the South Pole has no longitude, it is difficult to tell time there. In addition, time cannot be estimated by using the suns position in the sky either because it rises and sets only once a year at the South Pole (due to its extreme southern location and the Earths axial tilt). Thus, for convenience, time is kept in New Zealand time at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Magnetic and Geomagnetic South Pole Like the North Pole, the South Pole also has magnetic and geomagnetic poles which differ from the 90ËšS Geographic South Pole. According to the Australian Antarctic Division, the Magnetic South pole is the location on the Earths surface where the direction of the Earths magnetic field is vertically upwards. This forms a magnetic dip that is 90Ëš at the Magnetic South Pole. This location moves about 3 miles (5 km) per year and in 2007 it was located at 64.497ËšS and 137.684ËšE. The Geomagnetic South Pole is defined by the Australian Antarctic Division as the point of intersection between the Earths surface and the axis of a magnetic dipole that approximates the Earths center and the beginning of the Earths magnetic field. The Geomagnetic South Pole is estimated to be located at 79.74ËšS and 108.22ËšE. This location is near the Vostok Station, a Russian research outpost. Exploration of the South Pole Although exploration of Antarctica began in the mid-1800s, attempted exploration of the South Pole did not occur until 1901. In that year, Robert Falcon Scott attempted the first expedition from Antarcticas coastline to the South Pole. His Discovery Expedition lasted from 1901 to 1904 and on December 31, 1902, he reached 82.26ËšS but he did not travel any farther south. Shortly thereafter, Ernest Shackleton, who had been on Scotts Discovery Expedition, launched another attempt to reach the South Pole. This expedition was called the Nimrod Expedition and on January 9, 1909, he came within 112 miles (180 km) from the South Pole before he had to turn back. Finally in 1911 however, Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the Geographic South Pole on December 14. Upon reaching the pole, Amundsen established a camp named Polhiem and named the plateau that the South Pole is on, King Haakon VII Vidde. 34 days later on January 17, 1912, Scott, who was attempting to race Amundsen, also reached the South Pole, but on his return home Scott and his entire expedition died due to cold and starvation. Following Amundsen and Scotts reaching the South Pole, people did not return there until October 1956. In that year, U.S. Navy Admiral George Dufek landed there and shortly thereafter, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was established from 1956-1957. People did not reach the South Pole by land though until 1958 when Edmund Hillary and Vivian Fuchs launched the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Since the 1950s, most of the people on or near the South Pole have been researchers and scientific expeditions. Since the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was established in 1956, researchers have continually staffed it and recently it has been upgraded and expanded to allow more people to work there throughout the year. To learn more about the South Pole and to view webcams, visit the ESRL Global Monitorings South Pole Observatory website. References Australian Antarctic Division. (21 August 2010). Poles and Directions: Australian Antarctic Division. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). ESRL Global Monitoring Division - South Pole Observatory. Wikipedia.org. (18 October 2010). South Pole - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.

Graduation Speech Essay - 826 Words

The old poet Kahlil Gibran, a long time ago, once said, You work that you may keep pace with the soul of the earth. For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of lifes procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission toward the infinite. An interesting thought, that we work in order to keep pace with the earth. Now, Im sure youre asking yourself, how can my near minimum wage job, where the customers treat me like a doormat and I still have to be pleasant and chipper, keep me in sync with the soul of the earth. Well I imagine there are higher rewards to part-time high school jobs, but other than the always too small pay checks, I am hard pressed to fathom them. Yet, that is not the kind of work I†¦show more content†¦One of my favorite examples of outstanding volunteer work is the Universal Access Parks Project, in which a group of students along with several teachers planned, attained funding for, and ultimately built a handicap accessib le park behind the Lynnwood Pool. The park serves as a lasting testimony of our hard work and dedication for years to come. Now, not all of us can be a class, club or A.S.B. president and not all of us can volunteer weekly for a worthy cause or organization, we cannot do everything even though we may try. But all of us can, and most of us have served an instrumental role in an important project or activity. There are so many different aspects of service work and ways of being involved that to name a few is only grazing the surface. Whether your focus was being in a school club or student government, working with poor children, or people dying of AIDS, or if it was working for environmental justice or animal rights, if you have done it, it is important. There must be reasons we give up our time and energy, other than to have a fancy looking resume, or it would not be worth our precious time. So why do we do it? Often I ask myself, as you do Im sure, this question of why. It seems to surface more frequently when it is your fifth meeting of the week and its only Wednesday, or when you are at school so much you could easily set up a cot and never go home -- do we all remember homecoming week, orShow MoreRelatedGraduation Speech : My Graduation Essay1022 Words   |  5 Pages My Graduation A Graduation ceremony is one of the major steps in life, it marks the start of new changes in our lives. It ushers us into growing up and be responsible for our actions. It marks a new dawn of embracing life experiences, cultivation of good work ethics and eventually culminates in chasing our dreams. On my graduation day, I woke up to the sweet aroma of the breakfast my sister was making. I sat down to eat when the food was ready. It took me about 2 hours to finishRead MoreGraduation Speech1128 Words   |  5 PagesSasenarine Tomby Graduation Speech 2011 Good afternoon [name of members of the head table], teachers, parents, students, fellow graduates and distinguished guests. I must first and foremost thank God for this blessing and honor to stand before you today as Valedictorian of the Class of 2011. Yet, today is not only my day to shine. Every graduate present here is deserving of high praise and recognition and I would like to congratulate each of you on reaching this milestone in life. IRead MoreGraduation Speech650 Words   |  3 PagesCongratulations everyone, congratulations. If youre participating in this graduation ceremony, youve taken the next step toward your future goals and dreams. For those of you that just finished your transfer degrees, congratulations. To those of you that came back to school after a few years off to get a better education, congratulations. To those of you that came to get a certificate or learn IT or computer programming so you can get a better job, congratulations. Now that youre moving onRead More Graduation Speech Essay1010 Words   |  5 PagesLadies, gentlemen, parents, friends, family, staff, fellow students: Instead of taking up more time and reading my speech, it is available to you at http://www.olen’s_speech.com. Thank you. No, just kidding. But seriously folks... Today we are gathered here to celebrate our graduation from 12 long years of schooling. The education granted to us has been a privilege. One so graciously given to us by the citizens of our state, by our community, and by our parents. Today would not beRead More Graduation Speech Essay1009 Words   |  5 Pagesyou might ever sit through. Most of us, though, and I regret that I am in this group, will sit through many more ceremonies -- ceremonies longer and more tedious that this or anything else you can imagine. If you think this is bad, try a college graduation. Think, that is, attend a wedding. And, if just for a moment you think that that is bad, just be thankful you have never attended or will attend a Bar Mitzvah. The only ceremony I think anybody would truly enjoy attending is a funeral. But, onlyRead MoreEssay on Graduation Speech830 Words   |  4 Pagesthe senior class president. A few weeks ago, I was told that I would be speaking at graduation. I was asked to put together a speech for tonight -- Ive become experienced at speech writing over the past couple of weeks. The speech that you are hearing is the fourth one Ive written, the recycle bin needs to be emptied at home and I need a new highlighter. Thank you, Mr. Mier, you get an A+ for your help as my speech teacher but an F for saving trees. Tonight Id like to talk to three groupsRead MoreAn Example of a Graduation Speech653 Words   |  3 Pageswriting papers, doing homework, taking an occasional pop quiz, and of course taking countless exams, it is that time that we all anticipate†¦Graduation! Purpose Statement: Since the majority of us are seniors, and graduation is a little less than a month away, I am going to provide you with some historical background information and some fun facts about graduation in order to make the occasion even more meaningful than it already is. Road Map: Most of you could probably agree that high school wasRead More Graduation Speech Essay1516 Words   |  7 Pagesstudy abroad, and with the great help of the Turner family, Ms. Joy Fitzpatrick who is the international student program coordinator, and my parents, I entered America as an international student on March 11, 2001, only one week after my high school graduation in Japan. It seems as though yesterday when I saw my host mom crying at the airport to see me landed to America safely, as if she were welcoming back her own daughter. I still recall the very first class I took. I was so scared and nervous thatRead More Graduation Speech Essay1115 Words   |  5 Pagesthis graduation speech, several people suggested including a profound quote offering â€Å"encouraging advice to the young graduates†, and then there were others who said, â€Å"eh don’t worry about it, no one listens to those anyway.† Fortunately, I was actually able to take from both suggestions and found a happy balance. You see, I won’t tell you today to: â€Å"Dare to dream† or â€Å"Find your own vision† or even to â€Å"Strive for excellence,† or any trite clichà © that’s ever been said in a graduation speech. SoRead More Graduation Speech Essay560 Words   |  3 PagesWhen they were trying to find someone to give this speech they first asked the most intelligent, smart person they could find. But she turned them down. So then they asked the most beautiful, lovely, attractive person they could find. She also turned them down. Next they asked the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most sincere person they could find. Then I decided it would be rude to turn them down three times in a row, so here I am. How many people here like tomato soup? Come on, raise your hand if

Carnival Cruise Lines Case Free Essays

Carnival Cruise Lines case Questions 1. What global forces have contributed to the growth of the cruise industry? Two major factors that have contributed to the growth of the cruise industry are the change in the competitive environment brought about by the advent of transoceanic airline service and increasing discretionary incomes. As demand for liner travel declined in response to the development of less expensive and much faster air service, shipping lines were forced to respond to the new market conditions by developing sea travel for the middle class, i. We will write a custom essay sample on Carnival Cruise Lines Case or any similar topic only for you Order Now . , cruises. In addition, all-inclusive prices, a wide range of on-board and on-shore offerings, and the additional safety and security measures provided by the cruise industry have proven very attractive in light of recent political and socio-economic events. 2. What specific steps have Carnival Cruise Lines taken to benefit from global societal changes? Carnival has responded to global environmental changes in a variety of ways. Because a ship is highly vulnerable to terrorist acts, Carnival has instituted very strict security measures. It has also implemented strict health and safety measures. Carnival has dealt with economic recessions by offering shorter cruises that embark closer to home and with times of economic prosperity by offering longer cruises that incorporate more exotic destinations. It minimizes staffing costs by sourcing employees on a global basis. In addition, across its various lines, Carnival offers a wide variety of themes, classes of service, and destinations. 3. What are some of the differences by country that affect the operations of cruise lines? Political/legal, geographic, economic, and sociocultural differences all affect the operations of cruise lines, which are truly international in nature. For example, most shipping lines choose to flag their vessels in countries such as Liberia, Mongolia, or Panama because of the lower taxes and less stringent employment practices required by the laws of those countries. Relatively few countries (Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea, for example) have shipyards capable of building cruise ships. Consequently, governments (e. g. , Italy) may choose to subsidize the ship-building industry in order to secure contracts for their domestic firms. The favorable location of the Caribbean/Bahamas and the Hawaiian Islands makes them busy destinations year round, while Alaska is strictly a seasonal favorite. Because of their professional skills and fluency in English, Philippine workers comprise nearly a third of the seamen worldwide. Yet many other crew members also come from Eastern Europe, Vietnam, and China. Finally, in addition to the fact that many ships are designed to accommodate the economic realities of the mass market, others are specifically designed to appeal to the cultural preferences of their clientele (e. g. , Costa, based in Italy, offers a distinctive Italian flavor). 4. Although most cruise line passengers are from the United States, the average number of vacation days taken by U. S. residents is lower than in most other high-income countries. For instance, the number is 13 days per year in the United States as compared to 42 days in Italy, 37 in France, 35 in Germany, and 25 in Japan. How might the cruise lines increase sales to people outside the United States? Given that the majority of people in the targeted income segment ($20,000-$60,000 per year) have yet to take a cruise, the major task confronting the cruise line industry is one of marketing. In addition to promoting the many appealing features of its various cruises and lines throughout the developed world and selected developing countries, Carnival could partner with foreign airlines and travel agents in order to get foreign vacationers to its many ports of embarkation. . What threats exist for the future performance of the cruise line industry and specifically Carnival Cruise Lines? If you were in charge of Carnival Cruise Lines, how would you (a) try to prevent these threats from becoming a reality, and (b) deal with them if they do become a reality? While the potential market for Carnival seems very attractive, port capacity could well become an issue. The deep water and the massive facilities require d to dock a liner in any port are limited. In addition, there are passionate cries from environmentalists regarding the damage (pollution of the seas, disorientation of sea mammals caused by the noise of the propellers, etc. ) being caused by liners both in port and at sea. Should there be a major global economic disaster or a global health pandemic, the cruise line industry will surely suffer. To proactively deal with the possibility of a downturn, Carnival should invest heavily in research and development in order to continually minimize the environmental impact of its ships and their operation. It must also carefully develop its global cruise structure n a way that complements existing capacity—or else work with ports to provide additional capacity. If Carnival finds that it must react to a downturn, it should always think in terms of all of its stakeholders, not just its stockholders. Of course, it will want to minimize any damage to its operations and profits. However, given the immense size of the firm, it may al so be possible for Carnival to reach out to others (such as providing liners to be used as housing for workers, as in the case of Hurricane Katrina). Carnival will be better served by a long-term rather than a short-term orientation. 6. Discuss the ethics of cruise lines regarding the avoidance of almost all taxes while simultaneously buying ships built with governmental subsidies. This is definitely a complex issue. While cruise lines avoid most taxes by flying flags of convenience, they argue that they must do so for competitive (cost-savings) reasons—and that other governments could choose to offer the same benefits. Their supporters also argue that the lost taxes are at least to some extent indirectly offset by port fees and passenger spending, and that the taxes realized by less developed countries are important contributions to their economies. However, others argue that the less restrictive staffing, safety, and operating requirements associated with flags of convenience are intolerable. They argue that lesser standards pose both safety and environmental hazards and that in the long-run, the costs to society are high. They feel strongly that if shipping lines receive government subsidies on the one hand, it is immoral and should be illegal for them to avoid paying taxes on the other. How to cite Carnival Cruise Lines Case, Papers

Lord of the Flies free essay sample

A pack of boys crash-land on a desolate island and are left to survive on their own without the influence of society. After the boys struggle with their animal nature the protagonist, Ralph, gazes at the ocean and contemplates their deteriorating civilization. Golding expresses the idea that the boys will not be rescued from the island because of their savage nature through the use of personification, syntax, and juxtaposition. Through the combined use of personification and animal imagery Golding expresses the progression of the boy’s savagery, which prevents them from being rescued. For example, at one point Ralph observes, â€Å"†¦[the waves] gather with a roar, irresistibly swelling over point and outcrop, climbing the little cliff†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (125). The ocean is portrayed as a wild animal climbing the cliff towards the boys as if hunting them, similarly to the rise of the boy’s subconscious beast. This action is described as â€Å"irresistible†, indicating the boys cannot defy instinctual behavior. He lacks the understanding that the idea of a savage being normal. We eat Pig. Piggy! I got the conch! † Said Piggy indignantly. â€Å"Ralph they ought to shut up, oughtn’t they? You shut up, you Lithums! †) The character Ralph also is used by Golding’s creative genius. He falls victim to the savageness that is a part of him. Although he is a leader he cracks by natural instinct in an event of mere horseplay. Over time his actions become prehistoric and cavemen-like as he adapts to the new reality that lies on the island. (Lord of the Flies, 04 may2008. Pg. 129†I hit him†, said Ralph indignantly. â€Å"I hit him with my spear, I wounded him. †) (Lord of the Flies, 04 may2008. Pg. 26 Ralph launched himself like a cat; stabbed, snarling, with the spear, and the savage doubled up. ) Golding’s character Jack is one who is a perfect example to my point. As the eldest of all the boys his lust for power makes him closer to losing his civilized ways. His rank as head choirboy means nothing to the rest of the boys when Ralph is chosen as leader of the group. As he realizes his second in command position to Ralph he starts to lose his conscious. Now as Ralph’s nemesis, he becomes the savage he was meant to be. With his new found power he is able to control more boys than Ralph would have had. (Lord of the Flies, 04 may2008. Pg. 19 â€Å"I ought to be chief, Said Jack with simple arrogance, because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp! †) The Lord of the Flies shows the characters savage behavior is developed due to day to day lifestyle and culture. The environment, in which they live in, is harsh and unforgiving which can lead them into daily acts that some may seem as barbaric and uncivilized. As we now see after the analysis of the characters of The Lord of the Flies we now understand that these characters acted just as the African Tribes would have. So how do I define a savage? But the real question how would you define a savage? Is it one who is mentally incapable to act normally? Or is it someone who is of a lower class? So to answer the question, a savage is one whose actions are violent and different from their normal life because of an uncivilized situation. Now after researching this confusing topic to most, I realized that savagery in humans can be normal. I believe that no one can be classified as a savage. Why? Because many people have cultures and ways of life which many of us think are strange. Some of us don’t realize that there are other individuals around the world whose actions and way of life are completely different from ours, none the less normal.

Business Ethics Codes And Standards Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Business Ethics Codes And Standards. Answer: Introduction In the daily life of each and every individual, they come across different ethical issues, where there is a need to make a decision regarding two alternative choices in which there is a need to make the right decision, particularly when making the wrong decision seems to be an easier and a profitable decision. Through ethics, which present the codes and standards, the decisions and behaviour of people is governed, based on the morality and values followed by such person. On the basis of trust, integrity and complex issues like diversity, governance and compliance, the ethical decisions are undertaken. When it comes to the businesses, they are faced with ethical decision making process quite often, and this have to be solved on the backdrop of ethical integrity. Through this discussion, the business ethics in context of the given case study have been analysed. Ethical Issues The case study highlighted a key ethical issue and this was related to the lack of a proper method being used for attaining the data of a competitor, in addition to the objectives of getting this information. The intelligence spying of competitors is deemed as an unethical manner of getting the confidential data of another company, for the benefit of the company in which the person works (Garfunkel, 2014). The competitive intelligence spying is deemed as unethical as the information of the competitor, which is attained by the company, is private and material information, which has the power of dismantling or gravely harming the competing company and by using this confidential information of the company, the other company can reap benefits. The competitive intelligence spying is also deemed as corporate espionage and is deemed as an unethical behaviour, the roots of which are in the information being gathered in such a way which is deemed as illegal. Where the loopholes of thelaw are taken advantage of, in order to consider it as a legal task, it still remains unethical due to the focus over the word of law, in place of the spirit oflaw (Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell, 2016). The case study which has been given shows that the competitive information was obtained by the boss of Michael, as he hacked into the private intranet of the competitor, which is deemed as an illegal thing. Later on, the boss made a statement where the unethical conduct was again highlighted particularly for the manner in which the information had been attained by the boss. The reason for obtaining the information was to get the personal benefit for the company. As a result of this, the competitive intelligence spying, the ethical issue was raised in the given case (Daft and Samson, 2014). Requisite Steps to be undertaken by Michael The given case study shows that Michael was required to undertaken certain measures governed by the two ethical theories, i.e., utilitarianism and virtue ethics. As per the ethical theory of utilitarianism, such an act has to be undertaken through which the benefit of the majority is attained and the utility of the action is maximized (Bykvist, 2010). By following this theory, the actions are deemed right when the happiness is promoted and is spread between a high numbers of people. Through this theory, pleasure and happiness is deemed as the key values, which a true utilitarian upholds in their actions, through which the happiness of individuals is deemed as the main goal, instead of being focused on the happiness of a single or group of persons (Santa Carla University, 2014). The given case study shows that Michael has to adopt a true utilitarian approach and has to give supremacy to the happiness of the world, instead of the happiness of company where he works under the boss. And so, Michael is under the obligation to stop his boss from making a misuse of the other companys confidential information as the same does not result in happiness of the world, but just for the company. Based on the virtue ethics, the persons virtues in terms of character and mind of a person have to dictate the decisions which are made by the person. Based on this theory, the definition of virtue and nature of it is given supremacy. As a result of this, a virtuous person needs to show the qualities of honesty, courage, temperance, and justice to highlight good character (Winter, 2011). The given case shows that Michael had to act on the basis of this theory as a result of which, he was required to be honest, just, courageous and fair in the work done by him. This would have meant that instead of going forward with the orders of his boss, he would have taken strict steps and blown the whistle to curb the wrongdoing of the boss for upholding a sense of justice. Unethical Boss of Michael From the actions which have been undertaken by the boss of Michael, it can be clearly stated that he had undertaken unethical conduct. The reason for stating this is that he used the confidential information of its competitor and handed over the same to the subordinate for the benefit of his company. Apart from indulging in corporate espionage, he was very proud of his actions and even wanted the information to be used for the benefit of his company. The ethical theories of utilitarianism and virtue ethics again clarify that his actions were concentrated on his own benefits instead of that of the world; and in doing so, he was neither honest nor fair, thus lacking the virtuous character. And so, it can be stated with a definite clarity that Michaels boss was indulged in unethical conduct as he procured the material information of another company in unlawful manner and used it for the benefit of his company. Whistleblower: Michael The best manner of describing a whistleblower is such a person who expresses unlawful or unethical conduct, being indulged in by the company, for bringing forth the unethical conduct which is going on in the company, before the world. There are a number of statutory instruments through which the whistleblowers are protected and this is done in order to protect the person blowing the whistle, from discrimination or harassment. Hence, due to these legislations, a whistleblower cannot be removed or dismissed from the job and in some other company, they cannot be denied a job opportunity, just because they had been a whistleblower in past (Brown, 2008). There are number reasons which act as the motivating factor for the whistleblowers and this is more than mere monetary rationales (Waytz, 2016). The reward programs are brought forward by the government officials in order to bring forward to the notice of the government regarding the illegal activities. However, as per the conducted studies, the motivation of the whistleblowers lies in the physical wellbeing of the general public, instead of mere monetary gain (Alejandro, 2016). The whistleblowers are such people who give supremacy to the ethical theories and concentrate on these ethics in place of the financial benefits which are derived from being rewarded by the government. These individuals blow the whistle when they come across illegal or corrupt activities which the organizations undertake and of which, such individuals are a part (Alfred, 2016). One can justify whistle blowing by undertaking some particular conditions. It is important for the whistle blower to ensure before blowing the whistle, regarding the validity of the claims. This has to be coupled with the motives which are pure and genuine. Hence, where a whistle is blown as a result of an employee holding a grudge against the employee, the motive of the whistle blowing would not be justified or genuine for that matter. Whistle blowing has to be undertaken with the goal of bringing an end to the harm being caused to others and not harming the employer as a result of a grudge of an employee (Shaw, 2013). Whistle blowing is deemed as a very serious matter and is not to be taken lightly, as a result of the major repercussions attached with it. This is the reason why the whistleblowers are required to exhaust all the available alternatives, before they blow the whistle against the organization. This requires the whistleblower to attempt to settle the issue at hand in the company itself at the initial stages, where they discuss the matter with their superiors and with the relevant departments of the company. If a proper result is not obtained by undertaking or utilization of these resources, the whistleblower then should go ahead with whistle blowing process. As stated earlier, the whistleblowers are given different safeguards; though, they fail to prove useful and the whistleblowers have to bear the consequences of blowing the whistle. So, the whistle should only be blown in such cases where the person is okay with making some personal sacrifices and is ready to face certain hardships ( Vaughn, 2012). Relevance of Ethics in Business The ethics are deemed as significant when it comes to businesses and also with regards to their relevance to the conduct of business. An ethical company indulges in ethical practices, which allows the businesses to attract a higher customer base, in addition to employees and investors being attracted towards the company. The ethical companies are able to present a positive image before the customers which attracts the customers towards the products of such companies, in turn increasing the revenues of the company. The employees also want to be associated with such companies which conduct their operations in an ethical manner, as it helps in reducing the turnover of labour, and this again helps the company in raising their productivity. This also allows the companies to retain and attract staff, helping in increasing its talent pool, which brings down the costs of recruitment (ACCA, 2014). The ethical company also attract the faith of a higher number of investors, which results in more capital being available with the company and increases the share prices of the company, which overall results in the value of the company being raised. An ethical company also is able to attract the confidence of the regulatory bodies, as the government is often focused on unethical companies, in comparison to scrutinizing of the activities of an ethical company. Unethical behaviour spoils the reputation of the company, which results in the business having to suffer. And by being ethical, the company can continue on a path of growth (Minus, 2013). Conclusion From the discussion carried on the previous segments, it can be concluded that Michael was faced with an ethical dilemma due to the conduct of his boss being unethical. The boss had stolen the information of a competitor in an unlawful manner and wanted it to be used for the benefit of the company. However, the ethical theories required Michael to not follow the instructions of his boss and instead, blow the whistle. This would have resulted in the utility being maximized and ethics being upheld, as ethics are crucial for the growth of any company. References ACCA. (2014) Why is ethics important to business?. [Online] ACCA. Available from: https://blogs.accaglobal.com/2014/11/25/why-is-ethics-important-to-business/ [Accessed on: 21/10/17] Alejandro, H. (2016) What Motivates a Whistleblower?. [Online] Lexology. Available from: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=3708e644-10d0-488a-b00a-f8a21f5b2414 [Accessed on: 21/10/17] Alfred, C.F. (2016) Whistleblowers: Broken Lives and Organizational Power. New York: Cornell University. Brown, A.J. (2008) Whistleblowing in the Australian Public Sector: Enhancing the Theory and Practice of Internal Witness Management in Public Sector Organisations. Canberra: The Australian National University. Bykvist, K. (2010) Utilitarianism: A Guide for the Perplexed. London: Bloomsbury Academic. Daft, R.L. and Samson, D. (2014) Fundamentals of Management: Asia Pacific Edition PDF. 5th ed. South Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J., and Ferrell, L. (2016) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making Cases. 11th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Garfunkel, T. (2014) Is Competitive Intelligence Ethical?. [Online] Digitalist. Available from: https://www.digitalistmag.com/technologies/analytics/2014/11/20/competitive-intelligence-ethical-01792890 [Accessed on: 21/10/17] Minus, P.M. (2013) The Ethics of Business in a Global Economy. New York: Springer. Santa Carla University. (2014) Calculating Consequences: The Utilitarian Approach to Ethics. [Online] Santa Carla University. Available from: https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/calculating-consequences-the-utilitarian-approach/ [Accessed on: 21/10/17] Shaw, W.H. (2013) Business Ethics: A Textbook with Cases. 8th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Vaughn, R.G. (2012) The Successes and Failures of Whistleblower Laws. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar. Waytz, A. (2016) Whistleblowers are Motivated by Moral Reasons Above Monetary Ones. [Online] Pro Market. Available from: https://promarket.org/whistleblowers-motivated-moral-reasons-monetary-ones/ [Accessed on: 21/10/17] Winter, M. (2011) Rethinking Virtue Ethics. New York: Springer.

Interest Rates Essays - Mathematical Finance, Financial Markets

Interest rate essay Causes of interest rates can be explained as -deferred consumption. When money is loaned the lender delays spending the money on consumption goods. Since according to time preference theory people prefer goods now to goods later, in a free market there will be a positive interest rate. Inflationary expectations. Most economies generally exhibit inflation, meaning a given amount of money buys fewer goods in the future than it will now. The borrower needs to compensate the lender for this. Alternative investments. The lender has a choice between using his money in different investments. If he chooses one, he forgoes the returns from all the others. Different investments effectively compete for funds. Risks of investment. There is always a risk that the borrower will default on the loan. This means that a lender generally charges a risk premium to ensure that, across his investments, he is compensated for those that fail. Liquidity preference. People prefer to have their resources ava ilable in a form that can immediately be exchanged, rather than a form that takes time or money to realize. Taxes. Because some of the gains from interest may be subject to taxes, the lender may insist on a higher rate to make up for this loss. The nominal interest rate is the amount, in money terms, of interest payable. The real interest rate, which measures the purchasing power of interest receipts, is calculated by adjusting the nominal rate charged to take inflation into account. There is a market for investments which ultimately includes the money market, bond market, and stock market and currency market as well as retail financial institutions. The CAPM returns the asset-appropriate required return or discount rate - i.e. the rate at which future cash flows produced by the asset should be discounted given that asset's relative riskiness. Betas exceeding one signify more than average "riskiness"; betas below one indicate lower than average. Thus a more risky stock will have a higher beta and will be discounted at a higher rate; less sensitive stocks will have lower betas and be discounted at a lower rate. The CAPM is consistent with intuition - investors (should) require a higher return for holding a more risky asset. Since beta reflects asset-specific sensitivity to non-diversifiable, i.e. market risk, the market as a whole, by definition, has a beta of one. Stock market indices are frequently used as local proxies for the market - and in that case (by definition) have a beta of one. An investor in a large, diversified portfolio (such as a mutual fund) therefore expects performance in line with the market. The risk of a portfolio is comprised of systematic risk and specific risk. Systematic risk refers to the risk common to all securities - i.e. market risk. Specific risk is the risk associated with individual assets. Specific risk can be diversified away (specific risks "average out"); systematic risk (within one market) cannot. Depending on the market, a portfolio of approximately 15 (or more) well selected shares might be sufficiently diversified to leave the portfolio exposed to systematic risk only. A rational investor should not take on any diversifiable risk, as only non-diversifiable risks are rewarded. Therefore, the required return on an asset, that is, the return that compensates for risk taken, must be linked to its riskiness in a portfolio context - i.e. its contribution to overall portfolio riskiness - as opposed to its "stand alone riskiness." In the CAPM context, portfolio risk is represented by higher variance i.e. less predictability. Exactly how these markets function is a complex question. However, economists generally agree that the interest rates yielded by any investment take into account: ?The risk-free cost of capital ?Inflationary expectations ?The level of risk in the investment ?The costs of the transaction The risk-free cost of capital is the real interest on a risk-free loan. While no loan is ever entirely risk-free, bills issued by major nations like the United States are generally regarded as risk-free benchmarks. This rate incorporates the deferred consumption and alternative investments elements of interest. The CAPM says that the expected return of a security or a portfolio equals the rate on a risk-free security plus a risk premium. If this expected

Successful Selling at Christmas Craft Fairs

Successful Selling at Christmas Craft Fairs Three years ago, I accepted an invitation to sell my novels at a local gym’s mini Christmas craft fair. I wound up selling 21 copies. The experience was so positive that the following Christmas I expanded to high school fairs and sold 51 copies. This year, I sold over 80 books at more venues, all within five miles of home. Needless to say, Christmas craft fairs can be a lucrative way to sell books. To do so successfully, it’s a good idea to first visit local craft fairs at high schools, community centers, and churches. Talk to vendors and show organizers a copy of your book. Ask about registration requirements and ask to be put on a mailing list. Begin with smaller venues that charge a minimal fee. Large community center events draw larger crowds, but their fees can be $350 or more. Most craft fairs have an adjudication process and prefer only handmade goods. For this reason, even self-published books can be a gray area for judges and organizers. Although I not only wrote, but typeset my first mystery series, the professionally designed cover disqualified me at some fairs, but not at others. A third of this year’s fairs accepted my traditionally published series as well. If you’re upfront with organizers, some of them will make an exception, especially if you’ve tried both publishing options with a single series. Competition for table space at established venues can be fierce, so apply long before the deadline. If you’re accepted at several fairs, be mindful of the dates. Most fairs occur on weekends in November and early December, (fees and application forms might be required months earlier). You won’t want to double-book an event, as organizers require you to be there in person. A few days before the fair, you’ll receive rules and helpful information. High schools are especially great venues as students are on hand to help carry your stock and will watch over your table if you need a break. Once you’ve set up your table (make it festive) employ the same strategies you’d use at a book signing: stand as much as possible, smile and engage people, offer to sign copies, and bring water. You’ll also need a float, receipt book, food, (events are five to seven hours long) and bags for customers. The great thing about Christmas craft fairs is that attendees are looking for something to buy and they bring cash. Visa/debit machines are a good idea for large venues, but not worth the bank’s fee at smaller fairs. If you have more than one book in a series, sign and wrap the books in clear cellophane, add a bow and ribbon, and sell them as signed gift sets. Generally, tables are large enough to show promotional materials and an info sheet featuring review excerpts and availability elsewhere. Business cards are a must! I handed out cards to several book club members and teachers looking for guest speakers. Customers also wanted to know if my books were available on Kindle, and preferred a card to a bookmark. Christmas craft fairs are often unpredictable. Books will sell well at some venues but not at others. The following year, the reverse will be true. Keep records to analyze which fairs work best for you. If your books are set locally or have some other local slant, emphasize this, as people love to read about their own area. Above all, have fun.