Analyse performance management and performance appraisal in primark Essay

Analyse performance management and performance appraisal in primark london - Essay Example ns attributed to proper performance management but these broadly fall into direct financial gains, motivated workforce goals and improved management control (Daniels, 2006). When the sphere of organisational development (OD) is considered, performance can be seen as actual results achieved against the desired results wanted. In case that there are any differences between these, there is the possibility of performance improvement. Both performance management and improvement can be taken as a cycle where: The focus of this text will be to analyse the performance appraisal system and practices of an actual organisation. In order to deal with the issue better the performance appraisal system is outlined below against which the current review will take place. The typical performance appraisal is a developed method through which the job performance of an employee can be assessed for issues such as cost, quality, time, quantity etc. through an evaluation by the corresponding manager or supervisor (Patterson, 1987). This process is essential to guiding and managing the career development of employees whereby the employee’s worth to the organisation is obtained, analysed and recorded. Overall the performance appraisal process documents an employee’s personal strengths and weaknesses, their recent success and failures as well as their suitability for further promotion or training as applicable. The performance appraisal process also accounts for issues other than productivity alone in trying to assess an employee. The most common aims of a performance appraisal are: Engro derived itself from Exxon Mobil’s fertilizer venture that went online in 1966 in Daharki, Pakistan. After Exxon’s exit from the business in 1991 the company became the country’s first successful employee led buyout. Since then the company has kept on expanding from the fertiliser business into the food business, the industrial automation market, chemical storage jetties and the like. The

Mythology Greek Drama Agamemnon Sophocles' Oedipus Essay

Mythology Greek Drama Agamemnon Sophocles' Oedipus - Essay Example From then on, he has assumed the throne and has led the kingdom successfully until the plagues came. Since there was no way to decipher what causes the indignation of the gods, the Thebeans along with the king's consent sought the help of the prophet Tiresias. Though a little hesitant, the sage boldly revealed the truth that it was King Oedipus's crime that brought the curse on the land of Thebes. His ego is hurt when Tiresias told him that he is the cause of all the ill events in the kingdom by killing Laius and marrying Jocasta who happen to be his parents. This humiliation leads to anger, not only towards Tiresias but also to Creon, his uncle turned brother-in-law. He suspects that Tiresias was in connivance with Creon in putting an end to his reign as king of Thebes. Publicly he denies the crime and admits his innocence. His anger leads to his suspicion that the two men are in to overthrow his throne. However, his abilities and intelligence did not spare him from the destiny that the gods have fated on him. At birth, his parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta were told that their son would kill his father and marry his own mother. Even if he was sent away, the prophecy did not escape him. The reason why he left his foster parents is to escape his tragic destiny because it was revealed to him also. But it is something that only the gods can control. It is beyond human intervention and power. His hubris or excessive pride brings him to his own destruction for upon realizing that he has actually killed his own father at the crossing of the three roads and has married his own mother, he blinded his own eyes and decides to be banished from the kingdom of Thebes. ... sive pride brings him to his own destruction for upon realizing that he has actually killed his own father at the crossing of the three roads and has married his own mother, he blinded his own eyes and decides to be banished from the kingdom of Thebes. He stood by his own words that the culprit must be severely punished. However, throughout his life even when he was at Colonus, he firmly opines that all that happened to his life and his loved ones were not his own doing but that of the gods who controlled his destiny. He claims that he was not entirely responsible for all that happened to him and the kingdom of Thebes but that he was only a victim of fate. Prophetic, blind yet knowledgeable Tiresias The man who outlived the two kings is not a political leader but a sage and a seer. He is often consulted when the people and the king want to find explanation and solution to certain phenomena which are beyond human comprehension. Greek mythology tells us that Tiresias lost his eyesight when Hera struck him for he sided with Zeus. Since Zeus cannot undo what Hera did, he chose to bless Tiresias with the gift of knowledge of future events, thus he became a prophet. In this trilogy, he paradoxically is physically blind, but his vision goes beyond the material into the spiritual realms. In Oedipus the King, he humbly accepts Oedipus' insults and accusations but he remains true to his prophecy even if the truth hurt so much and even if it was the king he was addressing. He is not afraid of Oedipus when he reveals to him that Oedipus is the cause of the plagues in Thebes. In reality, he is often proven right in the end. His physical blindness may be symbolic of his impartial and objective revelation of the truth. He sees beyond what human eyes can perceive: the will and

A Comparative Financial Analysis Of The Mobile Phone Industry Marketing Essay

A Comparative Financial Analysis Of The Mobile Phone Industry Marketing Essay A comparative financial analysis of the mobile phone industry and three of the leading mobile phone manufacturers, so as to determine the investment prospects in this particular industry. Contents Title Page No. Executive Summary 3 Industry Profile 4 Effects of Recession on the Mobile Phone Industry 4 PEST Analysis of the Mobile Phone Industry 4 HTC Corporation 7 Introduction 7 SWOT Analysis Motorola Inc. 10 Introduction 10 SWOT Analysis 10 Nokia Corporation 12 Introduction 12 SWOT Analysis 12 Financial Performance Analysis 15 HTC Corporation 15 Review of Key Financial Analysis 15 Ratio Analysis 16 Stock Review 20 Motorola Inc. 21 Review of Key Financial Analysis 21 Ratio Analysis 22 Stock Review 25 Nokia Corporation 27 Review of Key Financial Analysis 27 Ratio Analysis 28 Stock Review 32 Review by Expert Market Analysts 33 HTC Corporation 33 Motorola Inc. 33 Nokia Corporation 33 Other types of Investments 34 Savings Account 34 Fixed Rate Bonds 34 Personal Assessment 35 Recommendations 37 References 38 Appendices 45 Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 1. Executive Summary The mobile phone industry is perhaps one of the fastest growing industries in the world today. A mobile phone is generally accepted as a necessity for every human. It has developed so much in the recent years that its hard to recognize its early incarnation. The original mobile phone was the size of a brick and affordable by a select group of people. Today, mobile phones are available in all sizes to suit every individuals needs. But, like all other industries, this industry too has been affected by the financial crisis of 2008-2009. In our financial analysis, we will be looking at the mobile phone industry and three of the leading mobile phone manufacturers. We will analyse the financial aspects of Nokia Corporation (NYSE: NOK), Motorola Inc., (NYSE: MOT) and HTC Corporation (TAI: 2498) We will look at the different financial reports published in the companies Annual Report, and calculate the different financial ratios to understand the investment opportunities in these companies shares. 2. Industry Profile The Mobile Phone Industry The mobile phone industry has grown dramatically in recent years. According to a report published by TomiAhonen Consulting, in January 2009, there were approximately 4 billion mobile phone subscribers around the world. Out of these, around 3.1 billion were unique. Also, new handsets have been selling at the rate of 1.15 billion per year. This figure keeps increasing year over year and so does the economy around it. 2.1 Effects of Recession on the Mobile Phone Industry The recent financial crisis of 2008-2009 has had severe effects on most companies of the world. As such, the companies from this industry too have felt its effect. In Q3 2008, Nokia lowered its market share outlook due to the weakening global economy (Silicon.com 2008). Nokias global device market share was 30% in the Q3 2010, down from an estimated 34% in the Q2 2009 (Nokia Corporation 2010). Nokia announced in July 2010 that their profits had dropped by 40% (Inside Ireland 2010) Even, HTC and Motorola have experienced slow growth as well as lower sales compared to earlier years, especially Motorola which incurred huge financial losses (HTC Annual Report-Motorola Annual Report 2008-2009). 2.2 PEST Analysis of the Mobile Phone Industry Political / Legal Mobile phone companies are largely multinational. As such they have to comply with the different legislations and regulatory bodies of different countries which have their own set of particular standards. An example of a regulatory authority would be the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) operating in the US and Office of Communications (Ofcom) in the UK. The mobile phone usage is spread geographically. As such, the companies from the mobile phone industry have a high exposure to different political climates. This increases the companies risk exposures. However, huge costs are incurred in complying with the different legal and reporting procedures in different countries. Also, sometimes, companies face stiff resistance from the national governments of some countries. A recent example of such a stand-off would be the one between RIM Blackberry and the Government of India (Daily News Analysis, 2010) and the Government of United Arab Emirates (Yahoo News, 2010). Economic Being global brands, mobile phone companies have to comply with the different taxation laws and trade laws applicable in the different countries of the world. Also, they have to take into account the foreign exchange rates while importing/exporting and pricing the devices. This generally has an effect on the device prices and subsequently on the operating income of the companies. Social Mobile phones have become an essential part of everyones lives. 9 in 10 adults in the US use at least one mobile device. 31% of mobile phone users check personal emails on their phones and 21% check their work emails. Internet browsing has become an important aspect of the mobile ecosystem. Approximately 1 billion users browse basic internet on their mobile devices, while around 450 million users use real internet on their devices. (Tomi Ahonen 2009) Access to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter is increasingly becoming an important feature of mobile phones. Health concerns have been raised by research institutes over the effects of radiation caused by mobile phones on the human body (NBC News 2008). Although the evidence is controversial, it has raised caution among the mobile phone users, and the companies are forced to develop new antenna systems for mobile phones to help reduce radiation. Technological The mobile phone industry is highly technology-driven. Mobile phone companies have to continually adapt themselves to the rapidly changing technology and introduce new products to keep up with the technological advancements and to meet the ever-changing demands from consumers. They need to keep investing substantially in the Research Development of new products and technologies. 2.3 HTC Corporation (TWSE: 2498)HTC Wordmark.png 2.3.1 Introduction: HTC Corporation (HTC) is a mobile manufacturer based in Taoyuan City, Taiwan. Its principal aspects are the research, development and manufacture of smart handheld devices including smartphones and PDAs (HTC 2010). The company is generally considered to be a pioneer in the smartphone and PDA segments of the mobile phone industry. The company initially was involved in developing smartphones based on the Windows Mobile platform, having made the worlds first PDA based on the platform (HTC 2010). However, since 2009, HTC is increasingly developing more devices based on Google Inc.s Android Operating System. But, as a means to strengthen its relation with Microsoft, HTC has recently launched a number of devices based on Windows Phone 7 (Mann, J. 2009). HTC is a member of the Open Handset Alliance, a group of handset manufacturers and mobile network operators dedicated to the advancement of the Android Operating System (Reardon, M. 2007). The HTC Dream was the first mobile smartphone in the world to use the Android OS. It was marketed by T-Mobile, in some markets, as the T-Mobile G1 (Wired 2008 HTC Press Release 2008). As of 2009, HTC obtained nearly 43.8%, 30.4% and 20.8% of its total revenue from North America, Europe and Asia, respectively (HTC Annual Report 2009). HTC Corporation was formerly known as Hi-Tech Computer Corporation. 2.3.2 SWOT Analysis: Strength HTC is a leading manufacturer of smartphones. It is a pioneer in many technologies. It had developed the worlds first PDA, and also the first smartphone using Windows Mobile. Now, it is a leading manufacturer of quality Android smartphones. As such, it has a good reputation as an innovative brand. Financial stability gives HTC the opportunity to invest heavily in Research Development of new technologies. Despite the financial crisis, HTC is doing significantly well in 2010 (HTC Report, Q3 2010). Also, good product quality has helped HTC establish itself as a reliable brand. HTC has been a pioneer in many of the technologies now common in modern mobiles phones. It has a plethora of patents designed and applied to modern communication devices (Google Patents, 2010). Also its product portfolio consists of a wide variety of smartphones based on a number of smart-platforms including the Android OS, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7 and HTCs own BREW OS. (HTC 2010) HTC has also developed a new cloud-based service called the HTC Sense to compliment its range of smartphones (HTCSense.com, 2010). Due to a number of quality products, HTC is steadily increasing its consumer base. Also, HTC is involved in exclusive tie-ups with respectable cellular companies such as T-Mobile (T-Mobile G1, G2), Orange (San Francisco) and Google (Nexus One). This helps better the image of the company in consumers eyes. Weaknesses HTC does not have a big brand image compared to its rivals Nokia, RIM Blackberry and Sony Ericsson. Also, its market share is significantly lower than that of its rivals. Also, HTC is involved in a number of law-suits with rival company Apple Inc. This is highly damaging to its reputation in the global corporate environment. (Reuters, 2010) HTC does not have an effective marketing strategy compared to its rivals, as a result of which its new product information fails to reach the consumers. Opportunities There is a huge demand for smartphones in recent times. HTC has the capability to satisfy these demands. HTC can continue to develop new touchscreen technologies and better smart features. Through effective marketing communication and public relations system, HTC can increase its brand value and target consumer base. Furthermore, HTC can enter new markets and establish its brand there. It can continue to develop and apply more of its innovative patents. Threats The threat of new technological developments and competition is high in the mobile phone industry. Also, one of the biggest threats to modern mobile phones is the huge mindshare commanded by Apples iPhone and its iOS Operating System. Every new mobile phone is consistently compared to Apples offering and its success or failure depends, to some extent, on how favourably it compares to the iPhone. This threat is present for HTC too, despite its large portfolio of Android devices. 2.4 Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) NYSE MOT.gifMotorola Wordmark.png 2.4.1 Introduction: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola) is a multinational telecommunications company based in Illinois, USA. It manufactures mobile phones and also designs and sells network infrastructure to worlds leading cellular companies. In 1986, Motorola devised the Six Sigma quality system which has become a global standard for quality improvement. In 1991, Motorola demonstrated the worlds first working-prototype digital cellular system and phones using GSM standard in Hanover, Germany. The worlds first two-way paging system was introduced by Motorola in 1995. Motorolas mobile department, as of 2009, has been solely focused on Google Inc.s Android Operating System. Motorola is an advanced innovator of mobile phone technologies. Motorola has just announced that its business will split into two separate publicly traded entities on January 4, 2011. The two new entities will be known as Motorola Solutions Inc. and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. and will continue to trade on NYSE with the new ticker symbols of MSI and MMI respectively (Reuters 2010). 2.4.2 SWOT Analysis: Strengths Motorola is a leading manufacturer of smartphones. It is a pioneer in many technologies. It had developed the worlds first GSM mobile phone. Now, it is one of the leading manufacturers of quality Android smartphones. As such, it has a good reputation as an innovative brand. Financial stability gives Motorola the opportunity to invest heavily in Research Development of new technologies. Being the worlds oldest mobile phone brand, it has considerable brand image. Also, Motorolas devices have a good build quality which establishes it as a reliable mobile phone manufacturer. Motorola has developed a new interface for its mobile phones called the MotoBlur which integrates the different aspects of ones social life. This has been quite popular with the consumers (Motorola Report, 2009). Weaknesses Motorola is consistently losing its market share to its rival companies. One of the reasons is the lack of an effective marketing communication strategy and also a weak PR system. Also, Motorola fails to introduce new products as frequently as its rival companies. Motorola is also slow in providing software upgrades for its current devices, which generally has a negative impact on consumers who want to keep their devices updated to the latest software version. Also, Motorola is involved in a number of law-suits with Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corporation over intellectual copyright infringement. This is highly damaging to its reputation in the global corporate environment. (Reuters, 2010) Opportunities There is a huge demand for smartphones in recent times. Motorola has the capability and technology to satisfy these demands. Motorola can also improve its market position by means of effective marketing strategies and a better PR system. Also, Motorola can improve its after-sales service for its devices. Threats Apples iPhone and it iOS Operating System are considered a huge threat to virtually every mobile phone brand. Despite its growing portfolio of Android devices, Motorola still has to overcome Apples threat. 2.5 Nokia Corporation (NYSE: NOK) Nokia wordmark.png 2.5.1 Introduction Nokia Corporation (NOKIA) is a Finnish multinational communications corporation based in Keilaniemi, Espoo, Finland. Nokia is engaged in the manufacturing of mobile devices and in converging Internet and communications industries. It has over 123,000 employees working in 120 countries. Its products are available in more than 150 countries. Nokia has global annual revenue of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬41 billion and operating profit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.2 billion as of 2009 (Nokia Corporation 2009). It is the worlds largest manufacturer of mobile phones which currently accounts for about 36.6% of the market share for mobile phone technology (IDC 2010). Nokia is a public limited liability company listed on the Helsinki, Frankfurt, and New York stock exchanges (Nokia Corporation 2010). Nokia plays a very large role in the economy of Finland. It is the largest company of Finland. The brand value of Nokia is valued at $29.5 billion. It is listed as the eight most valuable global brand in the Interbrand Best Global Brands list of 2010 (Interbrand 2010) and also on Bloomberg Businessweek Best Global Brands list of 2009. It is the first non-US company to be included in the list. (Bloomberg Businessweek 2010) 2.5.2 SWOT Analysis: Strengths Nokia is highly respected as a global mobile brand and it has a high brand value. It is the most preferred brand for mobile phones in Europe, as of 2009 (Eurobrand 2009) Nokia has a worldwide distribution network which makes it easier for Nokia to make its products available to wider target consumers. Nokia has a healthy financial background, which enables Nokia to invest consistently in Research Development. Also, the phones made by Nokia have a fairly user-friendly interface which enables it to be accepted by a wide variety of consumers. Nokia has a large product portfolio with something to offer to every type of consumer. It offers a wide variety of phones from the basic lower-end phones to the more expensive high-end smartphones. Weaknesses There are reports that indicate Nokia consistently losing its market share, as it fails to address the competition it faces from rival smartphone manufacturers like Apple Inc., RIM Blackberry and Google Inc. (Reuters 2010) Also, Nokia is involved in several controversial law-suits with rival company Apple Inc. This is highly damaging to its reputation in the global corporate environment. (Reuters, 2010) Nokia also lacks diversity in its managerial aspects. It has only two directors out of ten who are not Finnish. This reduces its capability to understand the different demands and trends across different parts of the world. (Nokia, 2010) Opportunities Nokia can increase its market presence by launching its products in new markets. It can also increase its market share in current markets by launching innovative products at competitive prices. MeeGo is Nokias upcoming operating system, which if marketed and implemented properly will turn around the fortunes of Nokia. As the mobile industry grows rapidly, Nokia can increase its market share by extensive advertisements and through effective marketing communication. Nokia can better its reputation and increase its brand loyalty by having a healthy Public Relations System. Threats The threat of competition is omnipresent in the mobile industry. The big threats to Nokias dominance are the smartphones developed by Apple Inc. and RIM Blackberry, which offer better products and services than Nokia. Also, the Android Mobile Operating System developed by Google Inc. is supported by a number of other big mobile companies and is consistently increasing its market share through a variety of smartphones from the cheap to the more expensive. The phenomenal growth of Android OS is a big threat to Nokias devices until it can provide an Operating System that can best Googles offering (Reuters 2010). Financial Performance Analysis 3.1 HTC Corporation 3.1.1 Review of Key Financial Data The statement of comprehensive income, balance sheet and statement of cash flows for HTC for the years 2006 to 2009 are represented in the tables 1, 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b respectively. 2007 We can see from the figures shown in the tables below that 2007 was an average year for HTC. The net sales have improved by 11.61% and the profit has increased by 12.76%. While the operating profit has increased 14.31%, the operating expenses have increased by a substantially more 49.97%. The main operating expenses incurred in 2007 were for selling and marketing purposes (62.30%). 2008 The net sales in 2008 increased by 22.27% and the net profit decreased marginally by 1.06%. Once again the operating expenses by 52.85% which resulted in a decrease of 0.92% in the operating profit. The main operating expenses for this year were for RD and selling and marketing purposes which increased by 59.80% and 46.31% respectively. On the whole this year was not so bad for HTC. 2009 In this year, HTC experienced the effects of recession. The net profit decreased by 26.65% while the net sales decreased by 5.3%. Although the operating expenses have increased by just 5.93%, the operating profit hugely decreased by 25.16%. The RD saw its expenses cut by 11.83% and the selling and marketing expenses again increased by 18.85%. Q3 2010 When compared to Q3 2009, the net sales has increased by 39.71% and the net profit also increased by 30.97%. The operating expenses continue to increase substantially by 38.37%. However, the operating profit has increased by 31.31%. The RD expenses increased by 16.22% and the selling and marketing expenses have shot up by 49%. On the whole, HTC recovered greatly during the first nine months of 2010. 3.1.2 Ratio Analysis According to the data collected from the income statements, the balance sheets and the cash flow statements, the ratio analysis has been divided in five parts, Profitability, Efficiency, Liquidity, Financial and Investment. However to judge a business, getting the information about the planned ratios is also important. Getting this kind of information is hard for people outside the business. In that case, this report may be biased. The ratios are listed in table 4. Profitability Ratios It can be seen from the chart below that the ROCE is decreasing steadily by about 15% each year. However, ROCE of 42.77% is favourable for the company. The operating profit margin and the gross profit margin are also decreasing, but as the chart depicts these figures are improving. Efficiency Ratios The average inventories period of HTC decreased from 27.8 days in 2007 to 22.4 days in 2009. This represents the decreased demand for mobile phones. The trade receivables to trade payables ratio has remained fairly constant throughout these three years. This means that the creditor and the debtor for HTC did not change much. The sales revenue to capital employed ratio has improved from 2.3 times in 2007 to 2.56 times in 2009. Liquidity Ratio For the business to have good liquidity, the current ratio and the acid test ratio should generally be greater than 2. The current ratio has decreased from 2.42 times in 2007 to 1.89 times in 2009. The acid test ratio has also decreased from 2.24 times in 2007 to 1.8 times in 2009. However, HTC still has a high liquidity as its ratios are quite near to 2. Financial Ratios The gearing ratio for HTC is 0% for all the three years. This means that HTC has no long-term liabilities. Also the interest cover ratio is much higher. According to these ratios, the profit for the year 2009 can cover 188,926 times the interest payable in 2009. Investment Ratios These ratios help investors to evaluate their investment options about HC Corporation. A dividend yield ratio of 6.65% means that investors can get a good cash return on their investment in HTC. But the earnings per share has decreased from NT$1.56 in 2007 to NT$0.90 in 2009. Also, the P/E ratios show that the confidence among buyers of HTC shares is low. 3.1.3 Stock Review According to The Financial Times, HTC Corp. (TWSE: 2498) has consistently outperformed the Taiwan SE Weighted Index over the last five years. On Jan 1, 2007 the common stock of HTC was priced at NT$ 645 and as of Dec 10, 2010 the price has soared to NT$ 897. This means an investment in the HTC stock gave a return of 39.07% during this period. Wright Investors Service has given HTC Corporation a quality rating of AAA1 (Appendix 1) U:ManXPMy DocumentsMy Pictureshtc stock.png Stock Performance over 5 years. Source: FT.com 2010 3.2 Motorola Inc. 3.2.1 Review of Key Financial Data The statement of comprehensive income, balance sheet and statement of cash flows for Motorola for the years 2006 to 2009 are represented in the tables 5, 6a, 6b and 7 respectively. 2007 We can see from the information represented in the tables below that the net sales have declined by 15% and a loss has been incurred by 101%. The operating expenses have increased by 21.65% and the operating profit decreased by 114%. The main operating expenses are incurred for selling, general and administrative purposes. The dividend for 2007 was $0.20 per share. In general, we can say that 2007 was not a financial good year for Motorola. 2008 In 2008, the net sales of Motorola decreased further by 18%. Also, the net loss increased by 8561%. The operating loss increased by 332% while operating expenses increased by only 2.67%. The dividend remained constant at $0.20 per share. Overall, we can say that Motorola incurred huge losses in 2008, partly due to the recession. 2009 Financial condition of Motorola improved over the course of 2009. Although there was still a net loss incurred, it was substantially less than 2008 which decreased by 99%. The net sales decreased even further by 27%. The operating loss decreased by 94% and the operating expenses decreased by 33%. The dividend for 2009 decreased to $0.05 per share. So, we can say that, although still in loss, Motorolas financial condition has recovered and this shows that Motorola has the ability to successfully implement solutions to its problems. Q3 2010 From the recent financial documents of Motorola, it is clear that it is slowly recovering its business. However, the financial condition of the company is still not very good. 3.2.2 Ratio Analysis Profitability Ratios As per the Ratio Table (Table 8) the ROCE and the operating profit margin for Motorola have remained negative for all the three years. This means the company has incurred losses throughout these years. But, the condition is generally improving since 2007. The gross profit margin is high for all the three years. This is not due to the product, but because of the low operating expenses. Efficiency Ratios The average inventories turnover period for Motorola is constantly increasing from 41 days in 2007 to 48 days in 2009. This means that there is a decreased demand for Motorola products over the years. It also means that recession has affected Motorola too. The sales revenue to capital employed is also quite low at 0.47 times in 2007 to 0.41 times in 2009. If trade receivables to trade payables ratio remains greater than 1, it means that the company has a good supply chain and has the ability to manage the trade receivables and trade payables. The TR/TP of Motorola is generally steady throughout these three years from 1.39 in 2007 to 1.24 in 2009. Liquidity Ratios The current ratio and acid test ratio of Motorola decreased from 1.78 times and 1.55 times respectively in 2007 to 1.63 times and 1.38 times respectively in 2008. However, in 2009, they increased to 1.92 times and 1.82 times respectively in 2009. This shows that the Motorola has good liquidity, although sometimes inventories can be seen as a risk to the company. Financial Ratios The percentage of long-term liabilities of Motorola is high, from 59.1% in 2007 to 63.5% in 2009. This is also a big risk for the company. The interest cover ratio is very low which means that Motorola does not make enough profit to pay its interests. Investment Ratios The dividend payout ratio shows a speculative situation of Motorola which is extremely low. Also the dividend yield ratio is low at 0.64% in 2009. The earnings per share is low. Motorola is not earning anything on its ordinary shares in issue. Even the P/E ratio is staggeringly low which means that the investors have no confidence in Motorolas business. 3.2.3 Stock Review According to The Financial Times, Motorola Inc. (NYSE:MOT) has outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the last week. However, the overall performance has been mixed. On Jan 3, 2007 the common stock of Motorola was priced at $20.57 and as of Dec 10, 2010 the price has dropped to $8.64. This means an investment in the Motorola stock would have resulted in a 57.99% loss during this period. Wright Investors Service has given Motorola Inc. a quality rating of ABNN. (Appendix 1) U:ManXPMy DocumentsMy Picturesmot stock.png Stock Performance over 5 years. Source: FT.com 2010 3.3 Nokia Corporation 3.3.1 Review of Key Financial Data The statement of comprehensive income, balance sheet and statement of cash flows for Nokia for the years 2006 to 2009 are represented in the tables 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a and 11b respectively. These are compiled from the annual financial reports of Nokia for the said years. 2007 From the figures shown in the tables below, we can see that 2007 was a particularly good year for Nokia. The net sales have increased by 24.2%; and the profit has also increased by 67.3%. Although the operating expenses have a 17.8% increase, Nokia has gained more operating profit which increased by 45.5%. The main operating expenses incurred are for Research and Development (RD). The increase of sales and marketing expenses (32%) refers to the new products of Nokia (ibid). As can be seen from the table 2, the profit for the year is the highest compared with other years. The dividend for 2007 was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬0.53 per share (ibid). Overall, 2007 was a successful year for Nokia. 2008 Nokias sales have decreased in 2008. The net sales also decreased by 0.7% compared to 2007; and the operating expenses have a significant increase of 33.5%. The Annual Report highlights the recession may have had a negative effect on the companys performance. The decrease in demand from consumers led to the profits reduction (NOKIA, 2008). In addition, the transfer of Finnish pension liabilities is a main reason for the increase of expenses (ibid). Both in 2007 and 2008, Nokia has recruited more employees because of which the wage expenses have also increased. The dividend for the year was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬0.40 per share (ibid). To sum up, this year was not so good for Nokia. 2009 In this year, Nokias performance declined even further. The income statement shows a significant decrease in the net profit, which is less by 93.3%. The sales and the gross profit reduced by 19.2% and 23.7% respectively. The effect of recession was still evident on Nokias financial performance. As a result, the investment on RD remained same as that in 2008. Due to the reduced demand, the marketing and sales expenses have also reduced from à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬4830 million to $3933 million (NOKIA, 2009). The dividend for 2009 remained same at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬0.40 per share. Overall, it is clear that Nokia started reducing the expenses to face lower demand in the mobile phone market. Q3 2010 Tables 5, 6 and 7 show the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement of Nokia in Q3 2010. It is clear that Nokia has slowly recovered its business in these 9 months. To be more specific, the net sales have a 4.7% increase compare to Q3 2009. Although the gross profit is lower than Q3 2009, the operating expenses have decreased substantially. In that case, the profit before tax has risen from -à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬426m to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬403m, which is good for the company. 3.3.2 Ratio Analysis Profitability Ratios From the chart below it can be seen that the ROCE is steadily decreasing from 2007. To be more speci

Essay --

Todd Robins couldn’t remember the last time he had checked the mail. Surely his mailbox would be overflowing with letters and bills and brochures for colleges. When he got to the end of his driveway, he saw that it wasn’t full at all! In fact, it seemed as though the mailbox were empty. He decided to peek inside anyway. When he looked inside, he saw only one thing. A small slip of paper. Todd reached in and took out the mysterious slip. It was folded so that he could see only his name, Todd Robins, at the top. He walked inside and opened up the slip. It informed him that he had won a one day and one night stay in an exclusive mountain cabin up in the Rocky Mountains. ‘That’s strange. I don’t remember entering any sweepstakes or anything.’ Todd thought puzzledly. He decided to just go along with it. A little vacation couldn’t hurt, right? He was close, too, so getting there wouldn’t be a problem. The slip had the address on the bottom along with a time to get to the cabin. He had to be there in 24 hours in order to get his prize, or the second runner up would get it. When Todd w...

Big Pharma’s Marketing Tactics Essay

The Big Pharma controversy is about the wide-scale marketing malpractices used by big pharmaceutical companies in America which resulted in a series of negative implications on consumers. It revolves around pharmaceutical companies, government regulators, health professionals (or â€Å"unprofessional†), market consumers and the medical watchdogs. The dispute was formed between the supporters of the marketing tactics used by pharmaceutical representatives and the detractors to it. Specifically it is the context that matters: Is it right, or rather ethical for the medical professionals to profit at the expense of the patients? Are there more underlying factors that led to this controversy? It is important to achieve a balance between the benefits and drawbacks of the marketing tactics used by the pharmaceutical industry; however it is more essential to consider the ethical issues pertaining to these tactics. Certainly, both the consumer welfare and health are of primary concern; but our ethical obligations are not discharged solely by a guarantee of some degree of protection from harm. Still, I strongly believe that the health considerations of consumers should be put before profit maximization, because, unmistakably, the pharmaceutical industry has the responsibility to treat people’s health, instead of harming them. This essay will seek to examine the ethical implications of drug promotion efforts by pharmaceutical giants, the social impacts of drug promotion on consumers as well as the approaches to contain this dispute. Key Issues To Be Discussed  The key ethical issues of argument related to Big Pharma are the questionable marketing practices exercised by the pharmaceutical industry, product safety, science for sale and lobbying efforts. These critical issues have been emotive and multi-dimensional. As a result, it attracted a wide range of views about the topic. Questionable Marketing Practices The marketing efforts of Big Pharma have always been under the media spotlight and the scrutinization of the public and medical watchdogs. The pharmaceutical marketers have made use of different medium to reach to the potential consumers and professionals. The extensiveness of the promotion efforts of the drugs had proliferated into every corners people’s lives. However, many believe that the pharmaceutical industry’s hunger for profits triumphs over their genuine desire to help the public, and that this blinded concern for profits continues to shape the future of this industry. The core of this debate is whether the high cost of drugs is justifiable by the cost of research and development done by the pharmaceutical companies. Has the money been used elsewhere? In fact, the world’s major drug companies have been accused of spending large sums of money on promoting their drugs, rather than researching on them. Big Pharma has developed a plethora of ways to reach out to the public to advertise on their latest and greatest drugs; from television and radio spots to newspaper and internet ads. The advertising budget for the drug companies have sky-rocketed to a significant sum. In 2007, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)’s biggest advertising price tag was attached to Advair, the firm’s blockbuster asthma medication, which rung up US$127 million in advertising spending. The total amount of money spent on marketing by pharmaceuticals was U. S. $57. 5 billion for 2004. The total spent on domestic industrial pharmaceutical R&D was U. S. $31. 5 billion. Clearly, the promotional workings of the drug companies have shown that the U. S. pharmaceutical industry is still mainly marketing-driven. Corrupted practices among doctors and health professionals are not uncommon in the pharmaceutical industry either. Doctors or even undergraduate medical students were bombarded with logo-infested freebies by the companies, in order to persuade them to prescribe their drugs to patients. Many physicians were subjected to financial lures by companies to convince them to favour their drugs and prescribe them. Back in 2009, a study out of Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital found that 84 percent of doctors have ties to drug companies, a ten percent drop from five years earlier. But roughly two thirds of doctors still accept drug samples, while 70 percent accept food and beverage incentives from drug companies. And fourteen percent continue to accept cash payments for services. While some of these unethical practices were tapered off, not all were uprooted. Some octors did not disclose the amount of gifts and cash which they have accepted from the drug companies. They believe that their decisions on the prescription of drugs would not be influenced by the gifts which they have accepted. In my opinion, the supporters, primarily the health professionals and representatives of the pharmaceutical giants, have disregarded the genuine health implications and the high drug costs incurred to the general public in concern. They might try fending off such moral challenges by claiming that substantial amount of advertising is necessary to boost the sales of their products. Securing more profits would also mean more money can be invested on research for better drugs. However, it is evident that the excessive promotional efforts of drugs have blinded the pharmaceutical industry, in the pursuit of more profits and sales. Their main concern of profit maximization still remains ahead of the interests of the community. Corruption practices among health professionals should also be stemmed out so that unfair and biased decisions made by doctors would not affect the drugs prescribed to consumers. A significant sum of money should still be used for the development of better drugs to improve the quality of the lives of people. In conclusion, the principle of utilitarianism actually provides the latitude in deciding the extent of marketing efforts by pharmaceutical giants. Health professionals should not benefit at the expense of the patients. Instead, doctors should always act in the best interest of the patients. It is thus important to achieve a balance between the marketing efforts and the genuine interest for the health of the public. Product Safety The safety of the drugs produced has been a compelling issue in this argument. Drug companies have been reportedly illegally promoting drugs for uses for which they were not approved by the authorities. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alleged that Astra Zeneca, an Anglo-Swedish giant, illegally promoted Seroquel, an anti-psychotic drug, for off-label purposes, specifically to physicians who do not normally treat patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Instead, they marketed it in long-term care facilities and prisons for the treatment of unapproved uses, including Alzheimer’s disease, anger management, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression. Subsequently, it led to the recall of the drugs and AstraZeneca paid $520 million to resolve allegations for illegally marketing Seroquel for unapproved uses. Some of these unapproved drugs were marketed through different means. Very often, these off-label drugs were made from low quality materials, or were contaminated in the production process. Due to the competitive drug market, manufacturers are tempted to cut corners by outsourcing production to potentially unreliable third parties and skimp on testing the product before releasing it into the market. As a result, some of these products could pose significant health risks to consumers. The trust consumers have on Big Pharma still remains as a big question. Should consumers continue to trust that the drugs manufactured by the pharmaceutical companies are legal and safe for consumption? There is no definite answer to it. Pharmaceuticals are responsible for saving and improving the lives of many people. However, it seemed to turn out otherwise. Again, profit maximization remains as the top priority of pharmaceutical companies. I believe it would still take some time before the drug industry come to a conclusion between profit-making and the health considerations of the public. In my opinion, it is reasonable for drug companies to source for cheaper alternative and achieve low costs in drug production; however, it should adjust or halt the development if serious problems emerge. Thereby, it is important for drug manufacturers to be mindful of the negative consequences that their products have on consumers. Science for sale Science has always been considered an objective endeavour that removes any form of bias in researches and is inherently true and reliable. The results should be generated independently, without bias and with the sole desire to find the best treatments. However, medical researches today, have become corrupted by money and special interests, and often misrepresent the truth to suit personal needs or corporate economic interests. The underlying motive still boils down to profit-making. Consider the example of the large and widely quoted Jupiter trial â€Å"proving† that Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering drug, could prevent heart attacks in people with normal or low cholesterol. In this trial researchers twisted the data to suit the commercial sponsor of the study. An independent review of the Jupiter trial published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that it was deeply flawed and the actual data did not show any benefit for the prevention of heart disease. Most medical researches are undoubtedly funded by pharmaceutical giants. Hence, in order to introduce the product into the market, findings are often tailored to be parallel with the economic interests of the company. I believe it is unethical for Big Pharma to pay researchers to twist the truth about bad outcomes and to sneak distorted information and marketing messages into medical journal articles. The consumers’ healths are at stake as they place much trust in the manufacturer when purchasing the products off shelves. If the research, development and distribution of drugs continue the same as it used to be, not only healthcare is at risk, but so are the research enterprise and the reputations of government bodies. The integrity of scientific research is too important to be left to the invisible hand of the marketplace. Healthcare authorities are needed to regulate and ensure that medical results are not manipulated by selfish pharmaceutical companies which are only concern with individual gains. Lobbying efforts Pharmaceutical giants have spent heavily to lobby government bodies. Part of the high costs of drugs is explainable by the high expenditure devoted to lobbying. New disclosure reports in Congress showed that familiar players at the top of the health-care influence heap, includes $6. 2 million in lobbying by the dominant Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and $4 million by the American Medical Association. Detractors of pharmaceutical lobby argue that the drug’s industry influence allows it to promote legislation friendly to drug manufacturers at the expense of patients. The perfect example of this is the dishonourable legacy of Nevada Senator and U. S. Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid. Reid was exposed for accepting large sums of money from Big Pharma in order to craft and guide the health care bill in Big Pharma’s favour. The health care bill drastically expanded Big Pharma’s monopolistic control over America’s health care. Corruption practices by healthcare regulators and government bodies are unavoidable. Acceptance of extravagant gifts and money from powerful lobbyists like Big Pharma would easily allow them to control the government and shape the public health care policies. Financially influenced politicians have their campaigns heavily funded by the pharmaceutical industry. In return, these politicians would help Big Pharma in warding off most government regulations so as to promote their drugs into the drug market. The practice of lobbying is both unethical and deceptive. Such a notion demonstrates the unscrupulous manner in which the pharmaceutical industry runs their operations. It also illustrates that they have no qualms about manipulating the Congress and deceiving the public to achieve their ultimate goals. In my opinion, the government should keep check on these corrupted practices in the Congress and should ban any form of corrupted behaviours that have a large cost to the public. Bridging the gap between the proponents and the detractors Pharmaceutical companies should consider the impact of their actions on the society, who are also direct stakeholders to the issue. The importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be further put into actions. Big Pharma should always take actions that protect and improve the welfare of society as a whole along with their own interests. Besides safeguarding economic and legal obligations, certain responsibilities to society should be extended beyond these obligations. I believe that pharmaceutical companies which simply conduct more researches to prove the safety of their products are not going to win over the public totally. Instead, the businesses need to develop more counter-images or cases to boost good representation. It could be better illustrated by taking the case of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)’s initiative of selling the company’s malaria vaccine in Africa for no more than a 5 percent profit. GSK is one of the few pharmaceutical companies that succeeded in developing drugs that are beneficial in the developing world. It is thus evident that the pharmaceutical giant is not all about profit maximizing, but also have the intention to help the less fortunate people. I strongly feel that more stringent regulation and compliance standard from the government would be one way to instill trust in the detractors after all the spotty scandals of Big Pharma. An example would be to issue stronger warnings on the bribes accepted by politicians and researchers from pharmaceutical companies. Given the complexity of the issue, it would help to eradicate any forms of bias in the short run, regardless whether it is for medical researches or bills passed on by the legislation. All in all, it is still dependent on the integrity of researchers and politicians to weigh the risk against potential benefits derived with their own judgement. Higher transparency from the government and corporate would be crucial in determining the trust from the public and the criticism from the detractors. As such, with higher transparency, and more giving back to the society, it might help to regain the public trust and reduce detractor’s scepticism. According to the CSR Pyramid, it is undoubtedly that the biggest responsibility of the Big Pharma should still remain as profit maximization. However, legal obligations should not be neglected as well. Corrupted actions should be eliminated from the industry and healthy marketing practices should be encouraged instead. Accurate medical researches should be bias-free and not swayed by any forms of financial lures. Health professionals should always act in the best interest of patients. The pharmaceutical scene would still require further fine-tuning before we could promote a healthy relationship between the government, the manufacturers and the consumers.

Library management system Essay

Introduction Library management system is an aspect or branch of information management system that keeps the records of both the library users, books in the library and the activities that is going on in the library, activities like borrowing books and returning books. Information management in general is the collection and management of information from one or more source and distribution of the information to one or more audience. This sometimes involves those who a stake in or right to that information. Management means the organization of and control over the structure, processing, and delivery of information. In short information management entails organizing retrieving acquiring and maintaining information. It is closely related to and overlapping with the practice of data management. A good library manager must be able to take of the following activities in the library; Keep records of books in the library, keep records of the library user, keep track of books borrowed by any library user, keep record of time a library user borrowed and return books and also after each day for decision making purpose, the library manager must be able to make analysis of books borrowed per day, analysis of the type of book people requested for per day and analysis of the author people read his/her book most per day. The emergence of the Internet, however, has led to the adoption of electronic catalog databases (often referred to as â€Å"web cats† or as online public access catalogs, OPACs), which allow users to search the library’s holdings from any location with internet access. This style of catalog maintenance is compatible with new types of libraries, such as digital libraries and distributed libraries, as well as older libraries that have been retrofitted. This proposed system is an offline access of library system or it doesn’t need to have an internet or web connection to run the program. It focuses on library transaction including borrowing of books, producing a library report in much accurate and easier way. In this system, the librarian doesn’t have to use a card catalog; all she has to do is search the specific name of the book, title of book, and/or author in the system. The reasons why the researcher chose to study the electronic library system are, to find out the effectiveness of the electronic library system in the place where it is implemented, to answer the problems encountered in the existing library systems and to show additional features that can be integrated for faster retrieval of data. Theoretical / Conceptual Framework An Integrated Library System (ILS), also known as library management system (LMS), is a resource planning system for a library, used to track and manage books in the library (Adebayo 2007). An ILS is usually comprised of a relational database, software to act on that database, and two graphical user interfaces (one for patrons, one for staff). Most ILS separate software functions into discrete programs called modules, which are then integrated into a unified interface. Examples of modules include: acquisitions (ordering, receiving, and invoicing materials), cataloging (classifying and indexing materials), circulation (lending materials to patron’s and receiving them back), serials (tracking magazine and newspaper and newspaper holdings), and the OPAC (Public Interface for Users). Each patron and item has a unique ID in the database that allows the ILS to track its activity. Larger libraries use an ILS to order and acquire, receive and invoice, catalog, circulate, track and shelve materials. Most sizable First World libraries use an ILS. Smaller libraries, such as private homes or non-profit organizations (e. g. churches and synagogues), often forego the expense and maintenance required to run an ILS, and instead use a library computer system. ILS was often known as library automation systems or automated system in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Before the advent of computers, libraries usually used a card catalog to index its holdings. Computers were used to automate the card catalog, thus resorting the card catalog, keeping it up-to-date with respect to the collection, etc. Other tasks automated include checking out and checking in books, generating statistics and reports, acquisitions and subscriptions, indexing journal articles and linking to them, as well as tracking interlibrary loans. Since the late 1980’s windows and multitasking have allowed business functions to be integrated. Instead of having to open up separate applications, library staff could now use a single application with multiple function modules. As the internet grew, ILS vendors offered more functionality related to the internet. Major ILS systems now offer web-based portals where library users can log in to view their account, renew their books, and be authenticated to use online databases. Shibanda (2002) cited that integrated process of a computerized library system can keeps the track of all the books and periodicals and keeping the status updated. Apparently, there are â€Å"user IDs† and associated passwords to make an access in the system. This will keep all the information regarding the materials updated and monitored. The use of the computerized library system is a kind of technology that is popular in the developed countries. Perhaps, this is the right time for the developing countries to show any sign of development and progress even in the technological approach. A computerized library system among the universities is just a simple approach to change the approach of the schools in their one of most busy areas. Through the use of the necessary infrastructure and implementation of the process, the computerized library system can be effective. Stephen Abram (2009) said that traditionally, the library management system or integrated library system (ILS) was responsible for running libraries efficiently and effectively. Over the last few years, the role of the ILS has been expanding from meeting library needs to delivering user experience. Pandita (2004) in her paper â€Å"Collection Development in the Digital Era† examined the impact of electronic format on the collection development. She pointed out that the policy of content development needs to be worked out and re-designed. Mandal and Panda (2005) in their research paper titled â€Å"Collection Development in the Internet Age and the Need for a Consortium in the Engineering College Libraries in West Bengal: A Study† discussed the different dimensions of collection development. The existing state of library collection and infrastructural facilities of 17 engineering college libraries in West Bengal were examined. Author suggested the staff training, provision of adequate staff and funds, appropriate infrastructure in IT and a need based collection. This study requires data for books and borrowers which will be used for registration, checking records on the database, view and print book status. Output of the electronic system will be the releasing of the books, Issuance of receipt and prints other information. INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT Figure 1: Schema of the Study Statement of the Problem This study aims to find out the effectiveness of E – Library in the Municipal Library of Liloy, Zamboanga Del Norte during the calendar year 2012 – 2013. Specifically it intends to answer the following questions: 1. What is the status of the library system? 2. What are the problems encountered by the current library system? 3. What proposed system to be implemented? 4. What is level of functionality in terms of accuracy and speed? Significance of the Study. The study was focused only to improve the library system that helps the librarian, readers, and other concerned people in terms of borrowing books, transaction, managing data, saving records, produce reports and the time and effort statements of assumption. The electronic system manages and maintains records in a library of a certain borrower used to borrow books from a library. Transaction of books can be faster, and with the used of this system, there’s no need of manual recording by the librarian or any person who is in-charge to this system, which made the user of this system’s work lighter and convenience. The study is not intended to change all the principle details and methods of borrowing books from the library but rather to improve it in much accurate and reliable form. Scope and Delimitation: The scope of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of the computerized library system in order to support the continuous learning in various pedagogical settings. To achieve this primary goal, the study should consider the three objectives. First is to compare the existing library system from the traditional system. Second is to compare and contrast the  various schools or universities that successfully managed the computerized approach as new library. Third is to identify the weaknesses and potential threats to make a recommendation on how to strengthen the computerized library system. The study was limited on wide area networking which needs greater requirements on both system hardware and software and exclusively implemented in the Municipal of Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte. Definition of Terms In order to have clearer idea about the study, the researcher defines the following terms: Code. This pertain to the process of writing the necessary code required to develop the prototype Library Management System. LMS. Library Managements System, Software helps the users to manage a library. Database. This term mains a large, comprehensive, and significant collection of data carefully organized and recorded so that information may be derived from it. Librarian. The primary user of the system. In charge of user’s creation, book item creation, check –The one who borrow books from the library. Borrower. The one who borrow books from the library. Computerized. To enter, process, or store (data) in a computer or system of computers. Manually. Is done with the hands by human labor, not automatic. Library. A considerable collection of books kept for use, and not as merchandise. System. Is a group of elements that are integrate with the common purpose of achieving an object. Data. Is information in a form suitable for use with a computer. Report. Is a piece of information describing, or an account of certain events given or presented to sosmenone. Program Testing. Stage in program development process which the programmer is task to run and test to determine the program errors. Debugging. A process of fixing the errors in a computer program. Internet. Group of network computer connected around the globe. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND RELATED STUDIES In this chapter, literature and studies are presented. These are related to library management system. These are taken from various references and all of which have bearing with this study. Literature By exploitation of the computers in access and management of information, universities can now administer the library’s operational efficiencies and organizational effectiveness. The more informative system in libraries can efficiently aid the processing of knowledge by supplying the useful information. The computerized library system in universities is expected to lessen the burden on both librarian and students in searching for the appropriate books and information. Therefore, the new library system centers in the advantages in terms of accessing, retrieving, and sharing information most especially in a technologically oriented University environment (Shibanda, 2002). The integrated process of a computerized library system can keeps the track of all the books and periodicals and keeping the status updated. Apparently, there are â€Å"user IDs† and associated passwords to make an access in the system. This will keep all the information regarding the materials updated and monitored. The use of the computerized library system is a kind of technology that is popular in the developed countries. Perhaps, this is the right time for the developing countries to show any sign of development and progress even in the technological approach. A computerized library system among the universities is just a simple approach to change the approach of the schools in their one of most busy areas. Through the use of the necessary infrastructure and implementation of the process, the computerized library system can be effective. However, the country or the universities should answer the various challenges including the interactive connections (telephone and modem), the electricity problems, and the process of accessibility and privacy issues. In building the strengths among the universities, it is foremost important to address the issues that might affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. The idea of the computerized library system is supported with the interactive environment of the country. This will serve as an advantage of the country to implement and negotiate the movement towards the computerized library systems (David, 1996). In the Philippines, there are many universities that openly participated in the computerized library systems which add to their value of promoting the learning. However, it is obvious that most of the universities that managed this new system are private or semi-private institutions. The centralized reason that might contribute in this system is the large investments that the universities bound to provide. If all of the universities in the country successfully provide the library computerization, there is a possibility to place the learning in a most accessible and easiest way. Stephen Abram (2009) said that traditionally, the library management system or integrated library system (ILS) was responsible for running libraries efficiently and effectively. Over the last few years, the role of the ILS has been expanding from meeting library needs to delivering user experience. Change has been focused on innovation in user experience. That is a challenge because libraries vary and their online users and physical users are different. For example, in a public library the physical users tend to be transaction-focused or those with less IT access or experience. In contrast, the online users of public libraries tend to be more highly educated and computer literate. In academic libraries, the online access comes from places such as student housing while those who come into the physical library tend to have more complex problems and need help with filtering rather than finding information. Elisabeth Robson (2009) pointed out that, the catalogue has become a way to pull together disparate resources, including commercial resources and web links. Library management systems also allow circulation, including check in/check-out and enable libraries to purchase materials and track where they are. One of the biggest user requirements is usability. It has to be straightforward and has to do some of the searching for the user. It’s amazing how important the look and feel of the interface is. Users want simple interfaces with simple search boxes that do a lot behind the scenes – much like they are used to with Google. Librarians also say that users want to replicate the functionality that they see elsewhere. For example, when they search the catalogue they want to be able to see reviews of the items they are interested in before they borrow them. Oren Beit-Arie (2009) discussed that, many libraries are at a crossroads, reevaluating their businesses, missions and operations. The digital world will dominate more and more in the future, because of both mass digitization and born-digital content. Global economics also have an impact. Libraries want to do more with less where it matters. At the same time, the LMS is not just about the future and digital content but also about other types of content including physical. The move to digital doesn’t mean that libraries won’t have any physical resources to manage. They need to work with tools that support a hybrid environment. Good linking is very important. Our Primo tool was the first link resolver for the research community. Link resolvers enable users to click on a link and get to the article. It doesn’t sound complicated but it is, because of the range of access methods available over the web. The article can be available in several places. Which is best for the users depends on what subscriptions have been negotiated by their institution. It is a complicated web of many-to-many connections. Marshall Breeding (2011) pointed out that, in this time of tight budgets where libraries face difficult decisions regarding how to invest their technology resources, it’s helpful to have data regarding how libraries perceive the quality of their automation systems and the companies that support them. This report, based on survey responses from over two thousands libraries, aims to give some measure of how libraries perceive their current environment and probes at their inclinations for the future. Some libraries may refer to the results of this survey as they formulate technology strategies or even consider specific products. I urge libraries not to base any decision solely on this report. While it reflects the responses of a large number of libraries using these products, I hope this survey serves more as an instrument to guide what questions that a library might bring up in their considerations and not to make premature conclusions based on subjective responses. Especially for libraries with more complex needs, it’s unrealistic to expect satisfaction scores at the very top of the rankings. Large and complex libraries exercise all aspects of an automation system and at any given time may have outstanding issues that would naturally result in survey responses short of the highest marks. The survey results also aim to provide useful information to the companies involved in the library automation industry. While each company likely performs its own measures of client satisfaction, this survey may show perceptions in different ways. I hope that the rankings in each category and the published comments provide useful information to help each of the companies hone in on problem areas and make any needed adjustments to their support procedures or product directions. This year marks the fourth time that I’ve carried out this survey. Each year I have received around 2,000 responses, and a few more libraries responded this year than in any of the previous iterations. In very broad terms, the survey results are similar this year, but with some interesting new trends. Al-Ansari and Al-Enezi (2001) conducted a study to assess the current status of health sciences libraries in Kuwait. Study was titled 16 â€Å"Health Sciences Libraries in Kuwait: A Survey of Their Resources, Facilities, and Services†. Library facilities, use of IT, information services and co-operation were the various facets explored. Survey revealed that majority of the library staff was non-professional. Libraries were offering only basic information services and a significant number of libraries were not automated. Joshi (2001) â€Å"Veterinary College Libraries in Maharashtra. † Information was gathered about libraries through questionnaire. Book collection was found inadequate to meet information needs of the users and its growth was very slow. Journal subscription was not satisfactory, libraries were understaffed. Author recommended that Indian Council for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Universities should regularly organize orientation programmes for librarians. Similarly, Veer (2004) carried out a study titled â€Å"College of Education Libraries in Maharashtra: A Survey. † It is an unpublished Ph. D. thesis. Gautam and Srivastava (2006) examined the prevailing position of documentation and information services of libraries of 30 agricultural universities in India under title â€Å"State-of-the-Art of Documentation and Information Services in SAU Libraries in India†. It had been found that all libraries were providing CAS and bibliographical services. Adebayo (2007) conducted a study to examine the implementation of library service standards in the colleges of education in Nigeria under name â€Å"Library Services Standards Implemented in Colleges of Education in Nigeria†. Data was collected through structured questionnaire. Results of the study revealed that libraries were rendering basic services as recommended by National Commissions for Colleges of Education. These were not providing indexing and abstracting services. Partap (2007) conducted a survey of the libraries of 18 colleges of education in 3 districts of Punjab. He found that collection size of the libraries varied considerably and comparatively older colleges had large collections. Majority of the libraries were being kept open for 6 to 7 hours a day. He suggested for the introduction of user education programme and stressed on the need to increase the range and depth of collection and services. Sujatha and Mudhol (2009) in the paper titled â€Å"Evaluation of Electronic Information Services in the Fisheries College Libraries in South India: A Study† described the electronic information services in four fisheries college libraries. Authors also discussed the challenges the libraries and information centers were facing. Thornton (2000) â€Å"Impact of Electronic Resources on Collection Development, the Roles of Librarians, and Library Consortia†. Study was conducted to find the impact of electronic resources and the 21 Internet on collection development and discuss the changing role of librarians, library co-operation and collection development. It had been concluded that consortia will become more important sources in electronic information world. Pandita (2004) in her paper â€Å"Collection Development in the Digital Era† examined the impact of electronic format on the collection development. She pointed out that the policy of content development needs to be worked out and re-designed. Mandal and Panda (2005) in their research paper titled â€Å"Collection Development in the Internet Age and the Need for a Consortium in the Engineering College Libraries in West Bengal: A Study† discussed the different dimensions of collection development. The existing state of library collection and infrastructural facilities of 17 engineering college libraries in West Bengal were examined. Author suggested the staff training, provision of adequate staff and funds, appropriate infrastructure in IT and a need based collection. Mulla and Chandrashekara (2006) â€Å"E-Resources and Services in Engineering College Libraries – A Case Study†. Study was conducted to examine the efforts made by the engineering college libraries in Karnataka to build electronic resources. Results of the study revealed that collection and service infrastructure of the libraries in sampled regions were not up to the mark and libraries were struggling to build digital collection and in disseminating digital information due to lack of ICT infrastructure, IT trained manpower and paucity of finances, etc. 22 Adekanmbi and Boadi (2008) in study titled, â€Å"Problems of Developing Library Collections: A Study of Colleges of Education Libraries in Botswana† ascertained the availability and use of collection development policies in the college of education  libraries, in Botswana. In addition to using questionnaires, interviews were conducted to gather information from senior librarians, deputy principals of colleges and board of the affiliated institutions of the University of Botswana. Study brought to notice that majority of the libraries did not have collection development policies. Lack of constant training for librarians, inadequate staff, lack of support from administration and unavailability of collection development policies were some of the major problems found. It was further found that majority of the libraries did not involve their users in formulation of policies and did not implement these for collection development. Study revealed the need to train librarians on collection development. Mary and Sankar (2008) â€Å"Collection Evaluation of PSN College of Engineering and Technology Library and PET Engineering College Library in Tirunelveli District†. Authors described the various techniques of evaluating the document collection in academic libraries and evaluated the collection development practices of two engineering colleges. Sharma et al. (2008) evaluated the collection development in libraries of 38 engineering colleges of Orissa under title â€Å"Collection Management of Engineering College Libraries of Orissa: An Evaluative Study†. Information was collected from libraries using questionnaires. 23 Study concluded that growing dissatisfaction of the users arising from non-availability of needed documents and lack of provision of services could be boiled down to some extent, by rendering at least CAS or current contents or information about latest addition to users. Mallaiah and Gowda (2009) in paper â€Å"Collection Development inMangalore University Library: A User Study† discussed the usefulnessof collection development in a university library and attempted to findwhether the UGC-INFONET E-journals were meeting the users information needs. Chapter 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter presents and describes the research design, research environment, research instrument and the research procedure. Research Design The study utilized a description method reviewing a library database as basis to come up with the design on prototype Library Management System. The researcher decided to use Microsoft Visual Basic 6. 0 as the programming language in the entire system and Microsoft Access as the database wherein it will store the records of the borrower’s, books etc. Research Environment This research is focused at Municipal library of Liloy, Zamboanga Del Norte. Liloy is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. It embraces 37 barangays with a total land area of 12,843 hectares with a total estimated population of 36,948 in 1995. It is mainly as agricultural community whose existing economy relies mostly on crop production such us corn, rice, coconuts, peanuts, and root crops. Liloy is a fishing ground of the northwestern towns of the province of Zamboanga. It is also known as â€Å"The Peanut Capital of ZaNorte†. Liloy is one of the most promising of the twelve towns of the 3rd Congressional District of Zamboanga del Norte. It was once a barrio of Municipality of Sindangan. It was created and become a duly constituted municipal corporation by virtue of Executive Order No. 469 issued by President Elpidio Quirino on August 22, 1951 but was unorganized and inaugurated on December 16, of the same year. [1] A huge portion of the territorial jurisdiction of Liloy had been taken away as a result of the creation and separation of Salug in 1959 and later in Tampilisan in 1978. Now the total land area is only 12,843 hectares, seventy-eight percent of the land area is agricultural planted to coconuts, corn, rice, and root crop. Residential area is sixty-five (65) hectares. Commercial area at present is nine (9) hectares; Industrial area is found in Barangay Timan and Sta. Cruz with a total land area of (10); institutional land is fifty (50) hectares and the rest comprise the open space and road right of – way. What may be considered urban land according to the records in the assessor’s office are eight hundred sixty hectares and this increasing very fast with the approaching full operation of Liloy’s wharf. Map of Liloy, Zamboanga Del Norte Research Instrument There where two sets of sources of data which will be used in this study: The borrower’s data which include the borrower’s ID, Borrowers name, Place and contact. And the book data which include the books no. ISBN, book title, author, category and the year it has been published. Research Procedure The procedure of the study was, the researcher secured permission from the Municipal library, Interviewed library staff and gathered important data’s to be use in the study, then the next logical steps followed, The researcher also analyzed and designed the solution for the system, coded the solution into a programming language, tested the running system and prepared detailed specification of the study for the benefit of the primary user of the system. BIBLIOGRAPHY Achonna, A. U.  (2008), â€Å"Awareness, Access and Usage of EJournal Resources of the Library, by the Students of Yaba College of Technology, Yaba –Lagos Nigeria†, Samaru Journal of Information Studies, Vol. 8, No. 1, PP. 26-34. Available from http://www. ajol. info/viewarticle. php? jid=335&id= 44510&layout=abstract (06-03-10). Adebayo, E. L. (2007), â€Å"Library Services Standards Implemented in Colleges of Education in Nigeria†, Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 4, No. 2, PP. 279-281. Available from http://medwelljournals. com/fulltext/pjss/2007/279-281. pdf (18-01-10). Adekanmbi, Arinola Rebecca; and Boadi, Benzies Y.(2008), â€Å"Problems of Developing Library Collections: A Study of Colleges of Education Libraries in Botswana†, Information Development, Vol. 24, No. 4, PP. 275-288. Available from http://cat. inist. fr/ ? aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=20877276 (14-05-09). Adikata, Adnan Ali; and Anwar, Mumtaz A. (2006), â€Å"Student Library Use: A Study of Faculty Perceptions in a Malaysian University†, Library Review, Vol. 55, No. 2, PP. 106-119. Available from http://www. emeraldinsight. com/10. 1108/ 00242530610649602 (20-02-09). Agaba, D. ; Kigogo-Bukenya, I. M. N. ; and Nyumba, J. B. (2004), â€Å"Utilization of Electronic Information Resources by Academic Staff at Makerere University†, University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal, Vol. 6, No. 1, PP. 18-28. Available from http://www. ajol. info/viewarticle. php? jid=164&id=16357&layout =abstract (02-03-10). Ahmad, Moin; and Haridasan, Sudharma (2006), â€Å"Use of Periodicals by the Scholars at National Library of Veterinary Sciences: A User’s Survey†, IASLIC Bulletin, Vol. 51, No. 2, PP. 05-17. Al-Ansari, Husain A. ; and Al-Enezi, Sana (2001), â€Å"Health Sciences Libraries in Kuwait: A Survey of Their Resources, Facilities, and Services†, Bull Med Libr Assoc., Vol. 89, No. 3, PP. 287-293. Available from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/ articles/PMC34562/ (24-02-10). Anasi, S. (2006), â€Å"Internet Use Pattern of Undergraduate Students at the University of Lagos, Nigeria†, University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1&2, PP. 1-15. Available from http://www. ajol. info/viewarticle. php? jid=164&id=37030& layout=abstract (17-01-10). Atakan, Cemal; Atilgan, Dogan; Bayram, Ozlem; and Arslantekin, Sacit (2008), â€Å"An Evaluation of the Second Survey on Electronic Databases Usage at Ankara University Digital Library†, The Electronic Library, Vol. 26, No. 2, PP. 249-259. Available from http://eprints. rclis. org/14501/ (22-03-09). Atilgan, Dogan; and Bayran, Ozlem (2006), â€Å"An Evaluation of Faculty Use of Digital Library at Ankara University, Turkey†, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 32, No. 1, PP. 86-93. Bansode, Sadanand Y. ; and Pujar, Shamprasad M. (2008), â€Å"Use of Internet by Research Scholars at Shivaji University, Kohlapur†, Annals of Library and Information Studies, Vol. 55, No. 2, PP. 123-126. Biradar, B. S. ; Kumar, P. Dharani; and Mahesh, Y. (2009). â€Å"Use of Information Sources and Services in Library of Agriculture Science College, Shimoga: A Case Study†, Annals of Library and Information Studies, Vol. 56, No. 2, PP. 63-68. Carr, Reg (2006), â€Å"What Users Want: An Academic ‘Hybrid’ Library Perspective†, Ariadne, No. 46. Available from http://www. ariadne. ac. uk/issue46/carr/intro. html (23-03-09). and Lochhart, Brian (2005), â€Å"Library User Survey: Resources, Facilities and Circulation Service†, Report on survey results. Available from http://www. paradisevalley. edu/library/assessment/LibraryUserSurvey Results. pdf (01-02-09). Choukhande Vaishali G.; and Kumar, P. S. G. (2004), â€Å"Analytical Study of Information Needs and Use Pattern of Faculty Members and Research Scholars of Amravati University†, ILA Bulletin, Vol. 40, No. 3, PP. 23-31. Chowdappa, N. ; Chandrashekara, M. ; and Ramasesh, C. P. (2009) â€Å"Impact of Electronic Information Sources on the Academic Users in Mysore: An Analytical Study†, SRELS Journal of Information Management, Vol. 46, No. 2, PP. 155-162. 77 Fatima, Nishat; and Ahmad, Naved (2008), â€Å"Information Seeking Behaviour of the Students at Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College, Aligarh Muslim University: A Survey†, Annals of Library and Information Studies.

6 Smart Tips to See Your House the Way It Used to Look

6 Smart Tips to See Your House the Way It Used to Look Before old house restoration even begins, save time and money with a little investigation. Ever wonder what your home used to look like before modern improvements? Was there always a wall there? How could your Victorian home have such a modern kitchen? What is that exterior siding covering where the windows used to be?   Over the years, your home may have seen many remodelings. The larger and older your home is, the more opportunities the previous owners had for making substantial changes. Most homeowners like to leave their mark on property in the name of comfort and upgrades - everyone wants improvements. For whatever reasons, every next owner usually has different priorities. Like home ownership itself, remodeling is part of the American Dream for many people  and the opportunities for re-muddling increase as the age and square footage of the house increase. Many people want to restore a home to its original beauty, but how do you do that? Learning about the earliest design of your home can take many months. If you have no blueprints, youll need time to do some serious detective work. These handy tips will help you discover the origins of your old house, inside and outside. Tips to Discover Your Real Home 1. Begin with age. Homeowners think they are buying their own homes as personal property, but any property owner is really buying into a neighborhood of history. How old is your house? How old is the neighborhood? With a deed, the answer may be straightforward. Beginning with this information gives context to your house. 2. Your house is probably not unique. All architecture, including the common home, tells the story of time and place. Building and design are lessons in the history of populations. Put your house in context with how your country was populated. Where do people live in the United States? Consider this basic question: Why was your house built at all? What was the need for shelter at this time and at this place? What architectural style dominated the region at the time? If your home is in a line of houses, stand back across the street and look up - does your house look a little bit like the house next door? Builders very often built two or three houses in a row, efficiently using the same handed-down plans. 3. Learn about the history of your community. Ask your local historian or  ask a reference librarian where to look in your local public library. Does your town or city have a historic district with a historic commission? Anyone interested in houses, including real estate agents, often know a great deal about local builders and housing styles. Visit your neighbors and different neighborhoods. Their homes may mirror yours. Make maps of where houses were built in relation to local businesses, including farms. Was your house part of a farm whose land was split up? What major industries were nearby that may have affected rapid population growth? 4. Find floor plans for your old house. Remember that your old house may never have had blueprints. In the early 1900s and before, builders rarely drew up detailed specifications. The entire process of building was handed down from generation to generation. In the U.S., architecture didnt become a profession until the 19th century and building codes and regulations were rare until the 20th century. Still, research before restoration could ultimately save a lot of time. 5. Look under the rug. Remember the concept of hiding something under the rug or sweeping secrets under the carpet? Its good to remember that much of your homes history is right there in front of you with very little effort - if you know where to look. Unless remodeling was done by a master craftsman, evidence is left behind. Pull up some baseboard or molding to see the finished (or unfinished) flooring edges or wall heights. Measure the thickness of the walls and try to determine if they were built upon each other. Go into the basement and look at the under-flooring to see if its been patched when a new central heating system was installed. Where is the plumbing - is it all in one area, in an addition when a bathroom and kitchen were added? Many complex older homes started off as simple structures and were added to over the years. The architecture of a house can evolve over time. 6. Define your project. What are your project goals? Knowing what you want in the end will help you find a path to get there. Note that many of the words we use to describe the actions we take on a structure begin with the prefix re- which means again.  So, here we go again. Which Method Is Right for You? Remodeling: This often-used word describes a process of making changes to a house with little regard to the history of the home and its environs. The model chosen is at the whim of the current homeowner. Before you remodel your home, establish a checklist for your remodeling dreams. Renovation: Novus means new, so when we renovate we want to make our home like new. This term is generally used to fix a home in disrepair. Rehabilitation: Often abbreviated as rehab, rehabilitation is to restore or fix-up a property while keeping its architectural value. According to U.S. Secretary of the Interior standards and guidelines, you can do this through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values. Restoration: Coming from the Latin word  restauratio, restoration brings the architecture back to a certain time period. The Secretary of the Interiors working definition includes words like accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time. Methods include the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. Does this mean you rip out the kitchen sink and build a new outhouse? No. Even the federal government says its okay to keep code-required work. Source Preservation Terminology, Secretary of the Interiors Standards and Guidelines As Amended and Annotated, https://www.nps.gov/history/local-law/arch_stnds_10.htm

Second-Grade Goals for Students After the New Year

Second-Grade Goals for Students After the New Year In order to hit developmental benchmarks, it helps to have parents on your side. These are a few second-grade goals for students to complete after the new year. Share them with parents during conferences so they will have a rough idea of the expectations you have for their child. All children learn differently and are not alike, but it helps to have a few general goals listing which skills students will need to know by the end of the school year. Goals to share with parents should include a focus on reading, math, writing, and what to work on at home. Reading Goals Second-grade students should be able to recognize words as chunks, not just individual letters. For example when looking at the word cheat, the second-grade student should be able to recognize the word eat. Other reading goals include: Increase reading fluency and expression.Use punctuation appropriately.Identify an increasing number of words by sight.Be able to identify the speaker in a story.Retell a story by providing details. Students should also be able to use graphic organizers- visual and graphic displays that organize ideas and demonstrate relationships between different information and concepts- to show an understanding of story elements such as the main character, plot, main idea, supporting details, setting, solution, and theme. Additionally, second-grade students need to strengthen their comprehension skills when reading independently.  They should  be able to identify the main idea in the story as well as locate supporting details, infer, and be able to answer text-specific questions. (This is now a part of the  common core.) Math Goals Second-grade students must able to simplify word problems and directions when needed. They need to have the ability to take their time and work through a problem until it is completed properly. Other math goals include: Recite 25 math facts in one minute.Understand math vocabulary and recognize it. For example, they must be able to recognize what the question is asking, such as: What is place value?Use appropriate tools to strategically to solve a problem.Mentally calculate sums and differences for numbers with only tens or hundreds.Develop a foundation for understanding area and volume.Be able to represent and interpret data. Additionally, second-grade students should extend their understanding of the base-10  system. Writing Goals By the end of second grade, students must be able to capitalize and punctuate correctly and use punctuation to add effect to their writing. Second-graders should also be able to: Provide a strong beginning that will grab the readers attention.Create an ending that will show that their writing piece is finished.Use strategies to plan writing, such as brainstorming and using graphic organizers.Show their personality through their writing.Use a dictionary to self-correct during the drafting phase.Add details to support the main idea. Additionally, students should begin to use transition words in their writing to construct logical order, such as first, second, and third, or next and finally. At Home Goals Learning does not end in the classroom. While at home, students should: Practice math facts- three to five facts at a time- each night or at least five times a week.Study spelling patterns and practice spelling words in a variety of ways besides memorization.Read independently for at least 10 to 15 minutes each night.Have plenty of age-appropriate books available to help them develop vocabulary skills.Work with their parents to develop study skills that will last a lifetime. Even at home, children should use punctuation correctly and write in complete sentences in letters, shopping lists, and other writing.

A study of the characters Odysseus and Poseidon as depicted in Homers Odyssey

A study of the characters Odysseus and Poseidon as depicted in Homer's Odyssey After the events of the Trojan War, Odysseus and his men headed back home to Ithaca. En route, they unknowingly stopped at the island of the Cyclopes to gather supplies for their long journey home. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of the island were not very friendly – particularly one Cyclops named Polyphemus. In an attempt to hide from the other giants, Odysseus and his men hid in Polyphemus’s cave. Polyphemus then trapped the men inside with a massive boulder blocking the only way in and out. One by one, Polyphemus ate Odysseus’s crew. Odysseus, keeping a level head, came up with a plan to escape. Odysseus had some undiluted wine on his person, and cleverly offered it to Polyphemus without telling him how strong the wine was. Polyphemus eagerly took the wine, became drunk, and promptly fell asleep. Odysseus and his remaining men heated a wooden stake in a fire, and proceeded to blind Polyphemus’s one eye. After howling in pain, the men hid under the giant’s sheep, where they could not be felt and eaten. The next morning, when Polyphemus let his sheep out to graze, Odysseus and his men snuck out underneath the sheep’s wooly bellies, and escaped to their ship. Polyphemus realized that the men had escaped after Odysseus was already at sea. Polyphemus threw a (poorly-aimed) boulder at the ship, and called out to his father Poseidon for vengeance. Poseidon, in his rage, destroyed Odysseus’s ship, as well as his entire crew, over a ten-year journey back to Ithaca. Odysseus only survived becaus e he had Athena’s favor and protection. Odysseus’s Argument: Odysseus was acting out of self-defense. As captain and king, he had a duty to protect himself and his men at all costs. He used his wits to escape a life-threatening situation. He also did not know that Polyphemus was son of Poseidon. Regardless of who Polyphemus was, Odysseus did not kill him, despite the threat against Odysseus and his crew; it would have been just as easy to kill him while drunk or asleep. Poseidon, being a god, acts out of extreme emotion, and decides that the injury of his son warrants mass-murder. Odysseus thought rationally and spared the man-eating Polyphemus; Poseidon acted irrationally, and eradicated Odysseus’s crew. Poseidon could have been more merciful and wiped out Odysseus and his crew quickly. Instead Poseidon extended Odysseus’s punishment and caused him to suffer as he watched his entire crew die over the course of ten years. Furthermore, this extended journey caused turmoil in Odysseus’s Kingdom of Ithaca. When Odysseus left for Troy, his son, Telemachus, was too young to take the throne. This left Penelope running the entire country. While Odysseus was gone, suitors came to court Penelope, raiding his palace while they were there. Since there was no proof that Odysseus survived the Trojan War, the suitors constantly pressured Penelope to remarry. She did not want to, instead stalling the suitors until Odysseus returned because she believed that he was still alive. Poseidon’s Argument: Before Poseidon did anything to Odysseus, he had to get his idea approved by Zeus, king of the gods. Furthermore, Odysseus was in Poseidon’s domain, the ocean, for most of his journey, which puts Odysseus in a precarious position already. Poseidon’s intended target was Odysseus; the rest of the crew was collateral damage, but also emotionally hurt Odysseus. Odysseus knew he was in the domain of a deity that could wreck him on every level; he had plenty of opportunities to brace himself in case things went wrong. Poseidon, as a deity, demands more respect than a typical human. In Poseidon’s mind, this special treatment extends to his son. Injuring his son Polyphemus was considered a personal insult. Unknown to Odysseus, he had divine protection from Athena – a rival deity to Poseidon. Therefore, Poseidon already did not like Odysseus; stabbing Polyphemus in the eye just added to Poseidon’s hatred. Poseidon did not harm Odysseus, but made him suffer, just like his son, by killing his men slowly. Let the punishment fit the crime. Moreover, there are times when Odysseus was not only selfish, but genuinely irreverent. While Penelope was upholding her marriage vows, Odysseus had an affair with Circe, a sorceress who had turned his men into pigs while he had his fling. He also deliberately went past the island of the Sirens, just because he wanted to hear their song for himself. Finally, he allowed his men to eat sacred cattle of the god Helios for a week. This one act condemned his entire fleet, ship and men, to destruction. Zeus struck the ship with lightning, forcing Odysseus to swim to an island and live with a Calypso, a sea nymph, for seven years. The rest of his men drowned. This shows that Odysseus did not always respect the gods, and acted selfishly whenever it suited him.