Skype and its impact on Social and Culture Environment Term Paper

Skype and its impact on Social and Culture Environment - Term Paper Example Importance of Skype and its Impact on People’s Lives Skype has been significant in the lifestyles of the modern society. The most important aspect has been lowering the cost of telephone services. Subscribers of Skype are able to communicate effectively through unlimited phone calls, which is not possible through the common telephone service providers. Moreover, Skype services are accessible globally and therefore every person who has access to the internet can use them (Booth, 16). The current wave of globalization has necessitated effective communication among business people, workers and their families as well as among organizations with mobile workers. Greenhow observes that Skype services have enabled many people working away from home to accomplish work-life balance by means of video conferencing (11). The common mobile telephony only allows voice calls, but workers and their relations appreciate visual communication whereby they are able to see the person whom they are communicating with. Under such circumstances, expatriate workers overseas are able to see their families through video chats. This is significance in the enhancement of satisfaction in employment and avoidance of family breakdown as a result of distance work. Video conferencing has also enhanced business and inter-organizational partnerships by enhancing networking capabilities. The cost of travel and conference rooms has been eliminated by Skype. Moreover, it helps in saving time in the p reparations for conferences (Turban et al. 19). In making purchases online, a person is in a position to see the partner whom he/she is communicating with thereby avoiding chances of falling in to the trap of fraudsters. For example, the recent rise in fraudulent transactions involving the sale of used motor vehicles by fake dealers through their short-lived websites could have been avoided if buyers insisted on visual conversations through Skype. This would enable them to request an image of the company premises and the cars before concluding a deal. On the other hand, the fear of fraudster companies in the internet has led to a decline of consumers willing to buy products online (Booth, 13). Skype can be applied by marketers to express their genuineness to potential online customers. Its application offers the opportunity to present a positive image by showing customers their marketing team, management and physical location. In deed, as Kuriyan & Ray (95) assert, Skype is the way to go in future online shopping. In healthcare, Skype has contributed to numerous positive changes with regard to communication between doctors and patients. Doctors, just like other professionals have been using Skype to communicate with families and friends. However, new developments have changed the manner in which they relate with patients. With increased cost of hospitalized healthcare, doctors have established a new strategy of home based care through Skype. Routine medical checks for patients have been facilitated by Skype video calls to patients in the comfort of their homes. Moreover, patients can interact with doctors for clinical consultations and other health related issues without physical presence in the hospital (Turban et al. 19). This has enabled doctors

Effective Teaching and Learning in the Primary School Essay

Effective Teaching and Learning in the Primary School - Essay Example Promoting the learning and achievement of pupils is a main aim of school education (TLRP, 2006). Teacher’s commitment to education and the insight reflection regarding teaching and learning process enables him to see the complexity involved in the process and only then he is able to discover the hurdles which learners face during the process. Readiness for implementation of different strategies for individuals and persistent research to overcome these bottle necks in the learning environment; increases the capacity of children to contribute in the contemporary society. A school’s curriculum consists of content which facilitates its students to learn and experience at a quality level. National curriculum not only provides with the same objectives to be achieved throughout the country, keeping in mind the age level; but also provides a platform where schools can produce their own curriculum according to need basis. The concepts to be learned are planned in such a way that they are integrated with social and moral values. Children learn civility and manners in this way as this is considered as a part of hidden curriculum. The purpose is clear for all to develop learning skills and enrich our children in such a way that they become a useful and constructive member of the future. Every child has a different learning style an effective teacher learns through experience and research that one strategy of learning might not fit for all. The groups of individuals in a class have learning potential but all of them possess different styles of acquiring them. Thus holistic development of a child does not only depend on contents of his curriculum but on the effectively applied strategies of an effective teacher. All over the world teachers, teach children writing styles through several ways. Children need different characteristics and styles from teacher to learn the specific trait. Learning how to write is a difficult process for children, where educators are required to link several skills together which matches the child’s comprehension and learning style. The problem becomes quite clear describing the characteristics of an effective teacher, who is able to foresee the hurdles in the process and therefore is ready with a plan to overcome these challenges. Learning how to write can be a distressing problem in a child’s personal and educational life. If a child is unable to develop certain basic skills during his schooling, later on further stages he will be unable to compile his thoughts into writing and will be unable to express what he learnt. Different subjects require students to show their learning through writing and even in exams they are supposed to write what they learnt in the session. Children who face such problems feel difficult to cope up and thus are discouraged easily. The process of writing itself becomes a challenge providing minimum help. This problem is interlinked with several other areas of learning w hich in turns slows down the holistic development of a child. Children, who are inattentive and impulsive, face difficulty to start with writing tasks, are easily distracted, get bored or tired quickly, show lack of interest in writing, write in improper font, make careless spelling mistakes and are less interested in organizing writing tasks. Children, who face spatial order problem have poor sense of line on paper, uneven space between letters and

HW Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

HW - Assignment Example For example, from the scale it indicates that there is no specialization of tasks which eliminates competition among employees. There is no competition among the employees and merit is a group pride but not an individuals. I would recommend that the two organizations have similar ratings on any of the scales because both have different hierarchy. Despite the two organizations following different hierarchy, they can be evaluated on the same scale (Daft, 2012). This is because they follow different norms, their method of leadership is different and their level of specialization differs. For instance, Daft compares a tall, horizontal and government agency on the same scale. From the given scale, while evaluating the formality of the organizations, one has many rules while the other has almost no rules. Therefore, this makes it possible to rate them on same scale. Another reason is that they are not producing similar products. One is a product based organization while the other is a service based organization (Daft, 2012). From the given scale, GoPro technology is product based while Morning Star is service based organization. Similarly, Daft compares the three organizations that do not offer similar products on the same scale. One is a software development company, the other is a retailing company and the last one is a government service company. Therefore, both GoPro and Morning Star are comparable on the same

Plato Allegory of the Cave Essay Example for Free

Plato Allegory of the Cave Essay The Allegory of the Cave is one of Greek philosopher Plato’s most well known works. It is an extended allegory, where humans are depicted as being imprisoned by their bodies and what they perceive by sight only. In the allegory of the cave Plato wanted to show how true reality is not always what it seems. A group of prisoners were chained up in a cave since there childhood, each prisoner was chained to each other by their heads.The prisoners were forced to face a blank wall while they were in the cave. Behind the prisoners there was a fire however the prisoners could not see the fire but between the prisoners and the fire there would a be puppet show where people would walk, talk and carry objects to keep the prisoners amused. The prisoners perceive only shadows of the people and things passing on the walkway; the prisoners hear echoes of the talk coming from the shadows. They perceive the shadows and echoes as reality. Whilst in the cave one prisoner is set free. He stands up and turns around and is forced to look at the fire, after the pain in his eyes from the fire he struggles to see anything. The prisoner is dragged out of the cave and into the world above. At first, the prisoner is so dazzled by the light that he can only look at shadows, then at reflections, then finally at the real objects like trees, flowers and houses. He sees that these are even more real than the shadows were, and that those were only copies of reality. The prisoner has now reached the cognitive stage of thought. He has caught his first glimpse of the most real thing, which is the Forms. In the film The Matrix, the humans trapped in the Matrix are like the people in the cave. They see only what the machines want them to see, but they believe they see reality as it really is. They accept what their senses tell them all that exists. Neo suspects that this is all a lie, but he’s not sure how the Matrix works. Morpheus, who runs the resistance to the Matrix, brings Neo into the Resistance, believing that Neo is the person who has been foreseen by the Oracle to be able to defeat the Matrix In The Allegory of the Cave the people creating the shadows represent the powerful people in society. In The Matrix the puppet-handlers are the machines controlled by Artificial Intelligence. The puppet-handlers use fake surroundings as a way to manipulate the information that the prisoners receive. While the prisoners are being fooled and influenced by the fake reality, the puppet-handlers are too because they are also living inside the artificial world they have created as well. Neo lives in world which is controlled by the matrix agents just like Platos prisoner lives in a world (cave) controlled by the form holders. They both manage to escape from the world as they know it and come to know the world as it really is. Neo, with some help from Morpheus, comes to realize that the life he as been leading so far is nothing but the life of a slave, shaped under the control of the Matrix, protected by the agents. Platos prisoner comes to realize first that the shadows he is looking at are not the truth, they are just shadows cast on the wall by the form holders. He sees the fire and as he follows the path which leads him outside of the cave, he sees the sun and everything else illuminated by it. The characters, simultaneously experience shock and then a feeling of fear when they first perceive what is real. Neo is able to see how humans are grown, hooked on wires, an element which symbolizes control just like the chains which tie the prisoners in Platos cave. In the movie as Morpheus and the group decided to leave the matrix they get attacked by the agents, the agents in the movie are just like the government in the allegory. Morpheus decided to flight against the agents will the rest of the group including Neo decided to get out of the matrix but what they dont know is that they were set up by one of there own Cypher. Cypher hates knowing the truth he wants to go back to his normal comfortable life in the matrix he doesnt want to be part of the experience anymore, so he makes a deal with the agents to get his normal life back he tricks Morpheus. The agents and the government are the same they are like the puppets in the allegory fooling the society to make them believe what they want me to believe not allowing them to see what is the truth. Unlike Plato’s prisoner, who managed to find his way out of the cave without any help from others, Neo is helped out by Morpheus. Neo is then faced with a moment of choice would he take the blue pill and stay in the world of the matrix which is the world of the senses or take the red pill, and come to know reality as it objectively exists. He chooses the red pill therefore giving himself the opportunity to experience the world of the mind, the real world and finds it as mind-blowing as Plato’s prisoner finds the enlighten world outside of the cave. The Mirror right after Neo took the red pill and the distorted spoon illusion before Neo went to the Oracle are simply products of the mind. It is in Plato’s Allegory of the cave where this illusion is happening. It is the mind that makes the spoon and the mirror distorted. It is the mind that makes the spoon inexistent, which is considered to be the truth. This spoon is the copy of the spoon of perfection in the world of forms. The spoon does not move by itself but Neo makes it move. In the Allegory Plato says that the freed prisoner would be confused at what he saw. When Neo is finally confronted with the real world, he is in a state of uncertainty. The realization of the truth is so overwhelming that he throws up and passes out. In The Allegory of the Cave, the Freed prisoner might even feel that what he was seeing now was the illusion and the shadows on the wall were actually more real. The freed prisoners first reaction would be to turn around and return to the false reality because it is less painful and more familiar to him. According to Plato, the freed prisoner must have started to question what he saw in front of him and wondered about where the shadows came from. He must have sensed that something was wrong and he wanted to know the truth. This theme is also found in the movie, Neo is very much like the freed prisoner. As Morpheus tells Neo, Youre here because you know something. Morpheus realizes that Neo has a place in society and is there because of what he knows. For Neo to realise this Morpheus says ‘free your mind, let go of doubt’. In conclusion, Platos story of the cave brings up many philosophical points; and, most importantly, it addresses the issue of societys role in our lives. Trinity tells Neo ‘The Matrix can not tell you who you are.’ It seems that the differences between The Allegory of the Cave and The Matrix do not prevent them from telling a similar story about the unreliability of the senses. We find Neo, at the end of the film, doing more than simply bending the laws of physics with the Matrix. It seems like he has stepped almost entirely out of that very world. He does not, however, appear in two places at once, but his destruction of one of the agents, and his ability to fly, says that the laws of physics are bent.

Student investment properties

Student investment properties 2.0 Introduction Property assets such as land and buildings are key resources for all types of organizations. Since there are a lots of demand in the property market, it caused investors started investing in property assets. Residential property is one of the target sectors to invest from investors speculation. However, investing in student property market (student investment properties) has become a new type of investing trend in residential property. There is an increase in the demand of student properties vicinity to any campus. Student properties are popular because of its location and accessibility. Hence, there is high demand towards the properties nearby to the area. It caused many investors involved in investing in this sector nowadays. Furniture and facilities that provided in student properties is one of the factors that will took into consideration when students renting the unit. Thus, it can be one of the factors that investors will have to think of when investing in student property market. Furthermore, this chapter will discuss about the definition of investment, characteristic of real estate, parties involved in property investment, definition of rate of return / return on investment, capitalization rate, factors and reasons that should be considered when investing in student property market (student investment properties). 2.1 Definition of Investment Investing is defined in several ways, such as placing money for profitable purposes, or extending capital in return of perceived profits. Another definition for investing, favored by many economists, which is known as â€Å"Investing is defined as giving up present consumption in exchange for future benefit†. Business Dictionary defined that investment is money committed or property acquired for future income. In addition, it is also known as trading between risk and reward while aiming for incremental gain and preservation of the invested amount (principal). Two main classes of investment are: Fixed income investment such as bonds, fixed deposits, preference shares Variable income investment such as business ownership (equities) and property ownership. Investment means the purchase of any incoming yielding asset, such as securities (stocks and bonds), or real estate. The assets themselves are also referred to as investments due to financial theory. In economic theory, investment means expenditures for additions to capital. Capital is usually defined as man-made goods used in production, such as machines and other productive equipments (Anatol Murad, 1962). 2.2 Characteristics of Real Estate There are two types of characteristics which are known as physical and economic. (Real Estate Decision, 2002) 2.2.1 Physical Characteristic Physical characteristic of land are its immobility, indestructibility, and nonhomogenity. Once the size and shape of a parcel of land are established, the legal nature of the land is also established with respect to mineral and air rights. Knowledge of the legal concept of land is important for making an analysis of its physical characteristics. Land in its legal sense is immobile because it cannot be moved from one place to another. Moreover, The location of the mineral rights and the air rights cannot be moved even if the surface is moved. Land is indestructible in the sense that movement of the surface does not destroy the full package of rights. Even though there are many types of human act that may destroy the land but they are not capable to destroy land in its legal sense. Land cannot be destroyed because its location cannot be destroyed. Land is non-homogeneous because each parcel of land can be distinguished from all other parcels of land on the basis of several physical characteristics. The size and shape, geological features of elevation, slope, drainage capacity, mineral composition, soil fertility, and bedrock characteristics can be different from each of parcel of land. However, even if all of these characteristics are perfectly identical, each parcel of land is unique because of its location. No two parcels of land occupy the same space on the earths surface. 2.2.2 Economic Characteristic The first economic characteristic of real estate is high price. Real estate is the only commodity that the typical consumer buys that is measured in multiples of that individuals or households income. Second characteristic of real estate is shared with many other commodities that the consumer buys. It is because purchasing a real estate is generally undertaken with borrowed funds. The third economic characteristic of real estate arises from its physical characteristics of immobility, nonhomogenity, and location. The search costs, or information gathering costs, associated with comparison shopping are greater for real estate than for any other product. Purchaser must expend money and time to examine the many different units that are being considered for possible purchase or rental. The fourth economic characteristic of real estate is scarcity. Because of total amount of land available is limited, real estate in both its components of land and improvements is not available in sufficient quantities to meet the desires that all individuals have for it. The fifth economic characteristic is the concept of situs, the economic location of a parcel of real estate. Each parcel is affected by changes in economic and demographic factors in the surrounding area because each parcel is immobile. Sixth economic characteristic is the influence that the quantity and the quality of surrounding structures and other off-site improvements to the land have on the property in question. For an example, the value of subject property increase when the quantity of desirable improvements increased, or when their physical quality improves. Finally, concept of fixity is the final economic characteristic. Real estate has a long physical and economic life because it cannot be moved or easily altered once the investment is fixed. 2.3 Investing in Real Estate According to Micheal C. Thomsett, ( 2009), there are several reasons of investing in real estate which are: It is one of the few finite investments. Land is limited resources in the world. Hence, prices will rise when it is used up. Type of development such as development of housing, office, commercial, industrial, recreational, government, and lodging purposes is also limited due to limited amount of space can be used. There is some land which is used for reserve purposes, some cannot developed due to zoning restriction and topographical problem. It shows that land which is suitable for developing has become less followed by time passing and it shall be one of the sectors to invest. Real estate is a safe investment compared with stock market. The historical record for real estate, like all markets, has had ups and down. But over time, real estate has kept pace with inflation and has usually exceed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth rate. The real estate cycle is highly predictable, following patterns based on normal supply and demand and varying regionally but in the same manner for each cycle. With a growing population caused by both natural increases and immigration, demand pressure on housing stock has continued. In addition, real estate is considered one of the basic needs to human. People need shelter and housing provides them with that. Hence, there are always demand in real estate. Real estate investors can have opportunities for tax shelter which given by the local government. Real estate investors in United States enjoy exceptional federal income tax benefits. The benefits are unlike those available for any other investment. The 1997 Taxpayer Relief Act dramatically improved the tax benefits of owning your own home by eliminating the tax on profits for the first $500,000 when primary residences are sold. Investors are allowed to deduct all of the necessary expenses connected with owning rental property, such as for repairs, cleaning, accounting, interest, property taxes and others. In addition, cost of improvements on the buildings over a period of years can be claim by real estate investors. Besides that, capital allowance, exemption of foreign investment tax and reduction of real property gain tax is an exceptional tax from Malaysia government to real estate investors. Fourth, real estate is a visible investment. There is something satisfying and reassuring about owning an intrinsic property. Property is an tangible object and it is a fixed. It is visible and touchable. In comparison, investing in stocks market directly or through mutual funds is an intangible investment because investors own the companys real assets indirectly. ( Micheal C. Thomsett, 2009) 2.4 Investors involve in Real Estate According to Jack Harvey , (1996), investing in real estate is usually involve private persons, private trusts and the institutions such as insurance companies, pension funds, charities, property companies, property bond funds and property unit trusts. Each of the parties involved in have different objectives and their preferences. 2.4.1 Private persons Private person can be anybody who purchases a property rather than renting it. The return received from rented the property should at least equal to what could be obtained from the return invested in elsewhere. For example, a person may rent rather than buy a shop either through lack of capital or because it is considered that the money can be more profitably employed in carrying stock, and so on. Owner-occupiers, for example, shop owners, farmers and households, are holding wealth in the form of real property. They enjoy a full equity interest income or satisfaction from the use of their property, and normally a hedge against inflation. Other private persons investing in this property sector usually have only limited funds. Thus their direct investment tends to be restricted to dwellings and secondary shops. Indirectly, however, they can invest in prime shops and offices by buying property bonds or shares in property companies. 2.4.2 Insurance companies Insurance companies try to match assets to future liabilities, and this largely determines the spread of their portfolios as between short term and long term fixed-interest investments and equity holdings. Due to short term and long term fixed interest investments, insurance companies find the advantageous to own properties directly rather than through shares in property companies because: Direct investment in property gives the company more control than an investment in property company shares A substantial holding of the shares of a property company (necessary to exercise some control) may be more difficult to dispose of than a first-class building. The prices of buildings have tended to be less volatile than the prices of property company shares. The high gearing of a property company is of little advantage to an insurance company, which always holds part of its assets in fixed money terms. Holding shares in a property company represents an inefficient way invest in property, since corporation tax is deducted from profits attributable to dividend, whereas the insurance company pays a lower tax rate on life income. Insurance companies still hold a part of their assets in mortgages as an alternative to fixed interest bearing stock. 2.4.3 Pension funds Pension funds compete strongly with insurance companies and property companies in investing in real estate. it helps to retain the real value of the accumulated pension funds. The smaller pension funds invest in property indirectly through pension fund property unit trusts, whose trust deeds limit membership to pension funds and charities enjoying tax exemption. Such trusts afford the advantages of property investment without management problems. They prefer to purchase and manage their own properties. 2.4.4 Charities and trusts Charities and trusts are concerned not only with income (from which periodic distributions are made) but also with retaining the real value of thrust funds. Consequently, although they pay no income tax, they cannot invest entirely in high yielding securities. Charities receive some investment each year. They are therefore constantly reviewing their existing portfolios. The function is to observe that possible adjustments could best serve their beneficiaries in present and future condition. 2.4.5 Property companies Property investment and development companies have grown considerably since 1945, largely reflecting the boom in urban redevelopment. Most tend to be highly geared, their capital consisting of a high proportion of loans to ordinary shares. Properties owned provide the security against borrowing, while interest charges are covered by regular rents. High gearing is beneficial to the few ordinary shareholders when profits are good, and it makes it easier to retain control. The larger companies tend to specialize in office blocks or prime shop properties, and a few (such as Slough Estates) in industrial property. Residential property investment is confined mainly to smaller companies, many of which engage in ‘break-up operations, selling houses and flats to fitting tenants or, when vacant possession is obtained, to owner-occupiers. 2.4.6 Foreign investors Overseas investment in UK property has increased considerably since the fall in property prices through the recession and the 1992 devaluation of sterling. Foreign banks have also been active in funding such purchasers. 2.4.7 Property bond funds The person wishing to invest in property is faced with the snag of having insufficient funds to buy prime property, the kind which has shown the greatest capital growth. The property bond fund, a comparatively recent innovation, partly succeeds in overcoming this difficulty. Subscribers buy a number of units in a fund which invests the money in first class property. These funds take an active interest in the management of their properties, revaluing them at fixed intervals. 2.4.8 Property unit trusts A similar principle operates with those unit trusts which specialize in property, nut in order to avoid management commitments, such unit trusts use their funds to buy shares in property companies such as hotels which are concerned with property. 2.5 Rate of Return / Return On Investment (ROI) From Wikipedia, Rate of Return (ROR), also known as Return on Investment (ROI), rate of profit or sometimes just return, is the ratio of money gained or lost (whether realized or unrealized) on an investment relative to the amount of money invested. The amount of money gained or lost may be referred to as interest, profit/loss, gain/loss, or net income/loss. The money invested may be referred to as the asset, capital, principal, or the cost basis of the investment. ROI is usually expressed as a percentage rather than a fraction. Return on Investment is the actual earnings from the investment. This is apart from any returns that represent repayment of the principal invested (called amortization). In real estate, it is sometimes difficult to determine how much of income is Return on Investment and how much is a Return of Investment. It depends on what types of properties are invested. For example, renting a property that depreciates in value, some of the rental income must go toward significant repairs or even, eventually, replacing the building when it become useless from age or obsolescence. It is vital because it makes a difference in evaluating the performance of the investment. The Return on Investment determines how well the money is invested. Return of Investment affects risk of capital. The sooner the investment is recovered, the less risk there is of losing it. Measures of Return on Investment include the equity dividend rate, based on a one year analysis, and the internal rate of return, based on a multi-year projection by using discounted cash flow techniques. There are few elements need to be included when considering rate of return. The elements are: A safe rate: the rate that could get if putting the money into a perfectly safe and liquid investment. A liquidity premium: compensates for the difficulty of and time required in selling the property. Stocks and bonds may be sold at market value within a moments notice, whereas selling real estate may take months or years. A management premium: for the burden of monitoring and making decision about the investment. A risk premium: accounts for the chance that may not get back the money invested or the return will be lower than expected. Formula for ROI = NOI Capital of the Investment 2.6 Capitalization rate Formula for Cap Rate = NOI Estimated Market Value = NOI Market Value Cap Rate From Real Estate Investment Analysis Software, it defines that Capitalization Rate (â€Å"Cap Rate†) is a ratio used to compare properties with different valuations, and to also place a value on a property based on the income it generates. The Cap Rate is computed by taking the rental net operating income (NOI) and dividing it by the propertys fair market value (FMV). The higher the Capitalization Rate is the better. Capitalization Rate or Cap Rate is also known as a ratio used to estimate the value of income producing properties. Put simply, the cap rate is the net operating income divided by the sales price or value of a property expressed as a percentage. Investors, lenders and appraisers use the cap rate to estimate the purchase price for different types of income producing properties. A market cap rate is determined by evaluating the financial data of similar properties which have recently sold in a specific market. It provides a more reliable estimate of value than a market Gross Rent Multiplier since the cap rate calculation utilizes more of a propertys financial detail. The GRM calculation only considers a propertys selling price and gross rents. The Cap Rate calculation incorporates a propertys selling price, gross rents, non rental income, vacancy amount and operating expenses thus providing a more reliable estimate of value. The Cap rate may vary in different areas of a city for many reasons such as desirability of location, level of crime and general condition of an area. In a real estate market where net operating incomes are increasing and cap rates are declining over time for a given type of investment property such as office buildings, values will be generally increasing. If net operating incomes are decreasing and capitalization rates are increasing over time in a given market place, property values will be declining. From Investopedia, capitalization rate is a method used to convert an estimate of a single years income expectancy into an indication of value in one direct step, by dividing the income estimate by an appropriate rate. 2.7 Reason that student property market is attractive to investors, Real Estate Research in United Kingdom, 2007 The student property market is attractive to investors for a number of reasons. Firstly, demographic trends support increasing demand, in terms of both the magnitude of population growth and matriculation rates. University-owned supply has failed to keep pace with demand growth, leaving a large and growing supply gap, as the private sector has been slow to fill the void. Moreover, much of the existing student housing stock is old and obsolete, and does not meet evolving industry standards or satisfy student preferences in terms of unit design and project amenities. Thus, the effective gap between the units preferred and those actually supplied is magnified. Per-unit rents for student housing generally exceed those for normal apartments, as units have more tenants paying rent. Recent rent growth also has been greater. Rents and occupancy tend to be less sensitive to economic cycles than normal apartments. It does not affect much by economic factor especially during economic recession period. Besides that, credit-loss at student complexes typically is below that of conventional apartments because they got parents as their guarantee. Parents are the person who responsible to the rental paying of the students. Thus, it makes the investors in this sector more secure. 2.8 Risk factor when investing in student property, Real Estate Research in United Kingdom, 2007 Student property presents a number of challenges and risks unique to this sector, which if not managed property, can affect the performance of the investment. They are: Short leasing cycle: Most student property is leased during a narrow window of time during the spring semester, and few students move during the academic year, so prospects for filling vacancies once this window has passed are limited. If management has misjudged rents or amenities, it could have long-term implications for the project. High reliance on a single source of demand: Demand for student property primarily comes from one nearby university (though student housing projects in urban markets sometimes can draw from more than school). Developers and investors must know the local student population and admission trends and gear their product toward their student base. High turnover: Unit turnover during the academic year is small, but only about one-third of students typically renew, creating high annual turnover that all occurs in a concentrated time. Reputation: Word of mouth is the key to marketing efforts for off-campus property. If a property is not well managed or maintain, students will quickly spread the word, which could affect future demand. Wear and tear: Maintenance costs can be higher for student property due to more intensive use by the students, and the short time to turn-around units ( though the perceived extent of student abuse is sometimes exaggerated relative to the reality). Economic cycles: The demand for student housing overall is less cyclical than that for other real estate categories. Student enrollments do not vacillate as dramatically as do, say, employment and consumer spending. Even so, students will seek for less expensive units during recessions. Weak market conditions for regular apartments can attract students seeking bargain rents. 2.9 Summary of Chapter This chapter on literature review has discussed the definition of investment, rate of return, capitalization rate, characteristic of real estate, investors investing in real estate, reason investing in real estate, reason investing in student property market (student investment property) and risk investing in student property market (student investment property). Rate of Return / Return on Investment is considered same as Capitalization Rate in this study. Capital of the investment is similar with market value of the property that would be investing in. In addition, research methodology used in gathering the information will be discussed in the following chapter. The process of data collection, analysis and determination on study area also will be explained in the following chapter.

True Portrayal of Children in Lord of the Flies :: Lord of the Flies Essays

True Portrayal of Children in Lord of the Flies In the novel The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, one can see how children react to certain situations. Children, when given the opportunity, would choose to play and have fun rather than to do boring, hard work. Also, when children have no other adults to look up to they turn to other children for leadership. Finally, children stray towards savagery when they are without adult authority. Therefore, Golding succeeds in effectively portraying the interests and attitudes of young children in this novel. When children are given the opportunity, they would rather envelop themselves in pleasure and play than in the stresses of work. The boys show enmity towards building the shelters, even though this work is important, to engage in trivial activities. Af ter one of the shelters collapses while only Simon and Ralph are building it, Ralph clamours, "All day I've been working with Simon. No one else. They're off bathing or eating, or playing." (55). Ralph and Simon, though only children, are more mature a nd adult like and stray to work on the shelters, while the other children aimlessly run off and play. The other boys avidly choose to play, eat, etc. than to continue to work with Ralph which is very boring and uninteresting. The boys act typically of m ost children their age by being more interested in having fun than working. Secondly, all the boys leave Ralph's hard-working group to join Jack's group who just want to have fun. The day after the death of Simon when Piggy ! and Ralph are bathing, Piggy points beyond the platform and says, "That's where they're gone. Jack's party. Just for some meat. And for hunting and for pretending to be a tribe and putting on war-paint."(163). Piggy realizes exactly why the boys have gone to Jack's, which would be for fun and excitement. The need to play and have fun in Jack's group, even though the boys risk the tribe's brutality and the chance of not being rescued, outweighs doing work with Ralph's group which increase their chance s of being rescued. Young children need to satisfy their amusement by playing games instead of doing work. In conclusion, children are more interested

Le Coq Sportif

Governance of le coq In 2005, a Swiss Holding buys the brand Le Coq Sportif. Indeed the results of the brands were well below the desired expectations. With the partnership of Sir Robert Louis Dreyfus, a great Swiss businessman who was leader of the group including Adidas, Le Coq sportif sees the opportunity for a fresh start with this strategic alliance for the future. Airesis immediately set up a plan to revive the brand that demonstrates the strong interest of the group to give new life to this legendary French brand.Here is a chart explaining the governance of the brand Le Coq Sportif since it creation (1882) until the takeover by the Swiss holding Airesis. Few words about Airesis: Historic part: HPI Holding AG is a name that marked the industrial history of western Switzerland since 1920, date of creation of the company. Hermes Precisa International (formerly Plants Paillard) has built its success on the production of typewriters Hermes known internationally. Since 1981, the hol ding company HPI has been used as an investment vehicle for investments in new technologies that have suffered damage in the industry with full force in early 2000.Currently, there are eight entries all together in the sub-holding A2I SA. In 2004, reducing the part value of its shares cleaned up the company. A capital increase of the arrival of four participants (the Boards & More group, the group Fidexpert, group and society Ouat Hazard Properties SA). These arrivals have been extraordinary for the group which has restored and a new life HPI Holding AG, which has since become Airesis. The majority shareholders (Sirs: Robert Louis-Dreyfus, Yves Marchand and Marc-Henri Beausire) then set up the new company strategy: active management of its investments in private equity and residential property.Today the group owns brands such as: * Le Coq Sportif * Fanatic * Ion * North Kite boarding * North Sails Windsurf Here we are going to explain few words about each brand, because most of them are unknown. Fanatic: In 1999, leaving his first kite a board, Fanatic has to believe in this new trend. With its history in windsurfing, the company was able Fanatic showcase its expertise to make its entry into the sport in the making. Ion: In spring 2005, Boards & More brand launches Ion.The technical skills of the mark are highlighted in the wet suits, neoprene accessories, harnesses, a range of clothes and carrying bags, all items used in sports on the water. North Kite boarding: Kite boarding world leader. North Kite boarding has entered the market in 2001 and became leader. This brand has a very good technical level recognized. North Sails Windsurf: The company specializes North Sails sailboat U. S. and world number 1 in this sector. Boards & More has acquired the exclusive license for the sail of surfboards since 1981.Its strategic axis is oriented technique and style. Since late 2005, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, former owner of Addidas and Yves Marchand, who was the boss of the three stripes for France, have gained a foothold in the business and have made some good seeds to make: 10 million euros through the Swiss investment fund Airesis. And some big marketers have been poached in market heavyweights such as Reebok, Nike, Puma and Quicksilver†¦ For example, the arrival of Antoine Sathicq, former CEO of Adidas, which was transferred to the head as general manager of Le Coq Sportif.After joining Adidas in 1997 as director of sales, this former Procter & Gamble, aged 44, joined a new team of Le Coq Sportif establishment since its acquisition by Airesis. A team already marked by the culture of this Adidas Swiss investment funds: Airesis is held by Robert Louis-Dreyfus, former CEO of Adidas France, Marc-Henri Beausire and Yves Marchand, former CEO of three stripes. The latter assumed the presidency of Le Coq Sportif, replacing Olivier Jacques, former majority shareholder. Antoine Sathicq therefore had the task of launching again the Coq Sportif.Porterâ⠂¬â„¢s Five Forces: Sportswear Industry Internal Rivalry – Fierce Competition Adidas,Reebok, Nike – Mature Industry – Mostly Non-Price competition – Differentiation strategy Threat of New entrants – Capital Intensive – Strong Brand Following Economies of scale – High R & D Costs – Industry in consolidation phase Supplier Power – Raw Materials are abundantly available – Cheap resources commodity items – Cheap labor on the East World. Buyer Power – Everything depends on Customer Preferences – Price sensitivity issues – Growing power of retail chainsSubstitutes * Other types of products from other brands * New brands that make the sport more ready to wear high-end (15 Serge Blanco, Eden Park †¦ ) * Entertainment brand to substitute to sport activities (Reading, video games†¦) Internal Rivalry – Fierce Competition Adidas,Reebok, Nike – Mature Industry – Mostly Non-Price competition – Differentiation strategy Threat of New entrants – Capital Intensive – Strong Brand Following Economies of scale – High R & D Costs – Industry in consolidation phase Supplier Power – Raw Materials are abundantly available Cheap resources commodity items – Cheap labor on the East World. Buyer Power – Everything depends on Customer Preferences – Price sensitivity issues – Growing power of retail chains Substitutes * Other types of products from other brands * New brands that make the sport more ready to wear high-end (15 Serge Blanco, Eden Park †¦ ) * Entertainment brand to substitute to sport activities (Reading, video games†¦) Explanation: 1. Internal Rivalry * Fierce competition: In effect in the sportswear industry, there are many competitors.Two leaders have the most important share value on the market (Nike and Adidas). The competitors are smaller than the two big groups, whic h have much money to invest in marketing investment, and can develop easily than the smaller. * Mature industry: In this market, it’s difficult to innovate much more than today. The innovation exists for sure but it comes from details. It’s really hard to find for the company the perfect innovation. However companies works hard and try to find the best innovation possible to increase their share value. Mostly non-price competition: In this market, the price war doesn’t exist. In effect the competition between companies comes from the marketing, brand image and innovation (sometimes) but not on the price. All the brand are close and cannot compete on the price. * Differentiation strategy: A differentiation strategy will pursue a unique position among your competitors. The aim of the strategy is for the business to become unique in the minds of its customers. For this reason, a small business needs to create a product offering that is somehow unique.Uniqueness can be achieved through different factors like design or brand image, technology, customer service or other attractive features. 2. Threat of new entrants * Capital intensive and strong brand: It is as very capital-intensive industry. Even though it would not be difficult for a new company to obtain the raw materials and the labor needed to produce shoes, there is almost no chance for them to gain popularity in such a mature industry with some of the strongest brand names in the world. Brand loyalty is extremely strong and it would be very hard for a new entrant to â€Å"steal† loyal customers from the already existent players. Economies of scales: Economies of scale play a huge role as well and the bigger players have an advantage of producing the products at a lower price than compared with newer entrants. As the output is bigger and the fixed costs of factories, machinery, marketing and R&D will be decreased per unit. Both marketing and R&D constitute high costs and since new entrants will not be able to take advantage of the economies of scale they will be less competitive. * High R&D costs: It means that it’s necessary to invest in R&D if they want to compete against others brands.It’s a survival question in this market. * Industry in consolidation phase: The industry itself is in a consolidation phase and only the big ones will survive. The large companies are strategically and constantly acquiring smaller companies. Some of the most popular acquisitions include Reebok by Adidas, Converse by Nike. Small companies are bought before they become a threat to the bigger ones and before they have a chance to gain market share. In other words, it is impossible to grow in this industry because someone will take over your company. . Substitutes * Other types of product from other brands: Each company has the same product (shoes, tee-shirts, socks†¦). If the customer is not satisfied with one product, it’s easy for him to go in anothe r brand and acquire something close to the first purchase. That’s why each company has to be aware of what it sells and what is the customer’s reaction. * New brand with different strategies: As said in the PORTER’s analysis, today there is some sport brand which are producing apparels but higher than the best known.For example the brand Quinze of Serge Blanco, famous in the rugby world is producing clothes which are expensive than Nike for example but not with the same quality. This kind of brand products with another savoir-faire and the price are not the same but the customer can be attracting to try it. * Entertainment brand: To have fun today and doing something else than working, the customer has plenty of substitution products. The customer can read and there are many brands, which allow reading. Video games are product to entertain people (Sony, Nintendo†¦) . Supplier power * Raw materials and cheap resources: Typically apparels and shoes are manufa ctured using major raw materials cotton, rubber, and foam. All of these materials are commodity goods. In other words, the suppliers do not have the power to bargain the price of their product, since there are numerous suppliers. Hence the supplier power is low. However, there has been some standardization of production in the industry due to growing concerns of labor practices of the suppliers and manufacturers.These practices have been damaging the image of some companies including Nike. Therefore, the big companies prefer to work only with approved manufacturers and suppliers that are known to follow these labor standards. Both Adidas and Nike have created a system to ensure that all the high quality of the product, the working conditions, and the distribution are at high standards. Therefore, suppliers are trying to establish themselves as reliable because once they gain Nike as a customer they know that they will request enormous volumes. However, to reach this level, the suppl ier needs to make investments in their facilities to improve working conditions and many suppliers cannot afford to do so. * Cheap labor: Many people works for â€Å"nothing† in the eastern countries, in Asia to be precise. Competition against the labor cost is impossible and many company delocalize the production abroad to reduce costs. 5. Buyer power: * Everything depends on customer’s preferences: The customer has the choice to buy product in retailing store with general brand or he could go to the special store, branding store as Nike store or Adidas store to get a product.It’s a question of desire and where the customer lives too. * Price sensitivity issue: In the general retailer store, prices are lower than official store. That’s why some customer prefers to go in retailer store and purchase product for lower price and maybe get more compare to the official store. * Growing retailer store: More and more retailer store open and sell apparels and sho es from all sportswear brand. The customer has a lot of choice today and can choose whatever he wants and with his own criteria.