Risk adjusted discount rate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Risk adjusted discount rate - Essay Example When considering a business investment of large sums of money within a long term project, it is an important objective to ensure that the money received over the life of the project is higher that the initial cost of investment. In deciding on the investment to undertake time is the most essential factor, followed by the amount of cash going in and out of the business. In some cases, an investment is made not to generate more cash but to make a saving on present cost. (Tony D. and Brian P. 2002, pg 458).The lay out of investments usually involve the injection of large sums of money and returns on the investment are received in a series of small amounts over an extended period of time. In addition, because large sums of money are usually involved it can be very expensive and catastrophic to pull out. Considering the loss of production and investment that can be lost from a failed investment, it is essential that investment proposals are properly screened and examined to ensure that the business uses the appropriate appraisal method. Businesses need finance or funds, both in the short-term and long-term to expand, operate their business or just survive. The business is involved in a continuous in and out flow of money by way of income and expenditure. Expenditure can either be capital expenditure, which is the payment made to acquire additional fixed assets and these fixed assets can in turn be loans made by the business or shares in another business bought by the company, as well as buildings and machinery which are usually long term. On the other hand, income can be revenue expenditures which relates to the purchase of goods and services are in use or have already been used in daily running of the business. In financing an investment a company can either use internal or external source of finance, related to the period repayment. Internal sources of finance as a long term approach are retaining profits from previous investment rather than issuing out new shares and re-investing the profit. The short term source of finance can be to increase level of creditors and reducing the stock and debtor levels. External sources of finance in the short-tem funding are short-term debts which are elements of overdrafts, loans, leases that are payable within one year and invoice discounting. Other sources of external finance are long-term which include ordinary shares or equity shares, preference shares, debentures and leases. INVESTMENT APPRAISAL ANALYSIS Capital investment appraisal methods are divided into two: firstly, those which do not take into account the time value of money and lastly, those which take into account the time value of money. METHODS WHICH DO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE TIME VALUE OF MONEY Accounting Rate of Return (ARR) ARR is concerned with either the profit before interest and ta

The Downfall of Macbeth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Downfall of Macbeth - Essay Example The belief in prophecy is particularly important in gaining a foothold on understanding the downfall of Macbeth and his Lady. When Macbeth first comes upon the Weird Sister and they roll out the prophecies for both Macbeth and Banquo, and by extension Duncan and his family, more is going on than just a foretelling of the future. The prophecies instill in Macbeth the realization of his dreams, of course, but they also portend that the darkest fears of Macbeth will be realized alongside his dreams (Van Doren, Lehman 216). Without Macbeth's unquestioned belief in the occult and acceptance that the Weird Sisters have the power of prophecy, there would be neither a rise nor a fall. If the rise of Macbeth to king can be said to be a combination of belief in the Sisters and the manipulation of his wife, his fall comes about as the result of a fatal mistake on his part: mistakenly believing that he has the power to deny the future as foretold. Macbeth fervently believes in the power of the occult, yet he does not accept his role as mere recipient of the power of fates beyond his control. Just as he is indecisive before the murder of Duncan, Macbeth also proves to be less than firm in his view of how the witches' prophesying works. Rather than merely being a blank canvas upon which is written a predestined series of events that effectively turn him into a puppet on a string to be manipulated by the Weird Sisters, Macbeth from the beginning takes a proactive stance. This activity starts with having his indecision overcome by his wife before he kills Duncan, but the downfall begins when he begins to believe that nothing he does can change the course of future events, but only bring them to fruition. Many famous quotations have come from Macbeth, but it is one of the lesser known lines of the play that presents the key to understanding the downfall of the Macbeths. "Strange things I have in head, that will to hand / Which must be acted, ere they may be scanned." (Shakespeare 160). Macbeth is aware of his fate as well as the fates of others, but as he says this he fully tosses off the shackles of his indecisiveness. In relieving himself at last of all moral quandaries that may exist on his path toward absolute and guaranteed power, Macbeth makes the ultimate mistake in his rise that will lead surely to his destruction. Macbeth has made decision that thinking too much is the cause of his problems. But it is important to realize that by this point Macbeth has strange things taking place inside his head without the input from his wife. It is also important to understand that the downfall of Lady Macbeth occurs only after she has done the opposite by making the decision to finally be gin questioning her amorality (Thompson, and Ancona). Lady Macbeth only begins to lose her mind once she capitulates to the kind of moral quandary from which she earlier plucked her husband. In the wife's case it is the decision to think too much that leads to insanity. The opposite is true for her husband. Macbeth's quick descent into madness is caused by his failure to think too much and act too rashly. What is most strange about this is that Macbeth has seen clearly that the Weird Sisters have been right about everything, yet he seems to be incapable of

The Power Of The Mind English Literature Essay

The Power Of The Mind English Literature Essay Life is divided into three terms that which was, which is, and which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit by the present and from the present to live better in the future (William Wordsworth Quotes). The Romantic Age of Literature has impacted thousands of people around the world through the periods authors, literary works, and social movements. In particular, the Romantic Period was inspired by three themes that include imagination, nature, and individualism (Romanticism). These ideas have been captured in the authors work and brought to life through the mind of the reader. One main idea that seems to impact the life of every human is individualism. All people strive for that feeling of self-independence from other people, beings, objects, or ideas of their imagination. Two literary works of the Romantic Period entitled The Lime-Tree Bower My Prison and Resolution and Independence both exemplify the theme of individualism. The authors who wrote the poems both overcame indi vidual mental barriers and in the end, truly showed the power of the human imagination. The poem, The Lime-Tree Bower My Prison, was written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge during the year 1797. The poem starts out with Coleridge being visited by his friends William Wordsworth, Dorothy Wordsworth, and Charles Lamb. Before his friends arrived, Mrs. Coleridge accidently spilled a skillet of sweltering milk on Samuels foot. When Dorothy, William, and Charles arrived, they decided to embark upon a day long hike through nature. Because of his foot injury, Coleridge was left behind to sit under a lonely lime tree, watching as his friends enjoyed the sights and scenery of the countryside (Coleridge 428). At the beginning of the poem, Coleridge feels trapped by the lime-tree. He views the tree not as a physical barrier but as a mental barrier, keeping his mind and imagination from roaming and connecting with his friends. Readers can see how Samuel first felt by reading the first few verses of The Lime-Tree Bower My Prison: Well, they are gone, and here must I remain, This lime-tree bower my prison! I have lost Beauties and feelings, such as would have been Most sweet to my remembrance even when age Had dimmed mine eyes to blindness! They, meanwhile, Friends, whom I never more may meet again, (428) At this point in the poem, Samuel Coleridge is overcome with the fact that he is unable to join his friends on their hike through the countryside. He let the lime-tree become a mental barrier to his imagination. Readers can see in only the first few verses that Coleridge feels alone and left behind. The title is used as a metaphor in the second line to represent lime trees as bars or walls of a prison that have him trapped physically and emotionally. In line six, Coleridge says, Friends, whom I never more may meet again, using that line as a hyperbole to exaggerate his lonesomeness and the distance from his friends (Shmoop Editorial Team). Although Coleridge is sad and depressed in the beginning of the poem, his emotions soon change. In the second stanza, he writes that he sees the images of his friends emerge from the hillside. At this point in the poem, his attitude begins to change. Through the second stanza, Coleridge connects to nature using adjectives that captivate the minds o f readers and help them see exactly what Coleridge was viewing. By the end of the second stanza, his spirits are once again high and he feels as if he experienced time with his friends through nature. At the beginning of the third stanza, Coleridge gave his readers a taste of his new emotions: A delight Comes sudden on my heart, and I am glad As I myself were there! Nor in this bower, This little lime-tree bower, have I not marked Much that has soothed me. Pale beneath the place Hung the transparent foliage; and I watched Some broad and sunny leaf, and loved to see The shadow of the leaf and stem above (429) Readers can see at the beginning of the third stanza that Coleridge overcame his dull feelings of loneliness and depression. Through the power of nature and his imagination, he regained his individual spirit as a writer. He overcame the physical and mental barriers of the lime-tree and showed readers the true power of the human mind. Having a similar theme to Lime Tree Bower My Prison, the poem Resolution and Independence was written by William Wordsworth in 1802 (Cambridge 281). The poem begins in the morning with Wordsworth walking through the country side. He reflects on the previous nights violent storm then admires the new morning which brings about fresh life. At first, Wordsworth is exuberant on his walk, but his emotions soon change. Thoughts of distress and solitude about his future as a poet soon fill his mind. In the fifth stanza of his poem, readers realize what emotions Wordsworth is experiencing: I heard the sky-lark warbling in the sky; And I bethought me of the playful hare: Even such a happy Child of earth am I; Even as these blissful creatures do I fare; Far from the world I walk, and from all care; But there may come another day to me- Solitude, pain of heart, distress, and poverty (281) Thoughts about the death of a young man named Thomas Chatterton filled his mind. Many people believed this to be a suicide death because of Chattertons hard life as a young poet. Wordsworth became more and more worried as he thought about the death of Chatterton. His head was filled with thoughts about his own life and if he too would die in poverty. While continuing his walk, Wordsworth spotted a man staring into a pond in the distance (Drabble 118,119). William walked up to the man and introduced himself. He asked the older man, What occupation do you there pursue?(Cambridge 282). The man replied that he was a leech gather (282). During these times, leeches were used to draw patients blood for curative purposes (Wordsworth 304). Wordsworth saw the leech gatherer as the last person who would inspire him. After discovering the occupation of this man and how he lived a poor life, Wordsworth asked the leech gatherer, How is it that you live, and what is it you do (Cambridge 282)? Even though the life of a leech gatherer may be grim, the old man never lets his thoughts lower his self-esteem. With a smile on his face, the timeworn man enthused William Wordsworth with his words of encouragement. In the last stanza of Resolution and Independence, readers are able to see that Wordsworth began to honor the words of the Leech Gatherer: And soon with this he other matter blended, Cheerfully uttered, with demeanor kind, Bur stately in the main; and when he ended, I could have laughed myself to scorn to find In that decrepit Man so firm a mind. God, said I, be my help and stay secure; Ill think of the Leech-gatherer on the lonely moor! (282) The words of the leech gatherer inspired and motivated the imagination of Wordsworth. At the same time, this man brought back Wordsworths sense of individuality and made him believe he had a future in poetry. Wordsworth was emotionally empowered by how the old man lived his life and never let his job as a leech gatherer lower his emotional spirit. This influential experience left a lasting impact on Wordsworth that enabled him to continue his career as a poet. William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge are two extraordinary poets who exemplified the individualistic and imaginative themes of the romantic period. In the poem The Lime-Tree Bower My Prison, Coleridge overpowered his thoughts through nature and enabled his mind to enjoy the outdoors. In Resolution and Independence, Wordsworth overcame his conscious thoughts through the inspiring words of the leech gatherer and decided to continue his livelihood as a poet. In the end, both poets displayed how an individual can conquer conscious thoughts and demonstrated the power of the human imagination. As I live and am a man, this an unexaggerated tale my dreams become the substances of my life (Samuel Taylor Coleridge Quotes).

Viruses: Complex Molecules Or Simple Life Forms? :: essays research papers

Viruses: Complex Molecules or Simple Life Forms? Viruses have been defined as "entities whose genomes are elements of nucleic acid that replicate inside living cells using the cellular synthetic machinery, and cause the synthesis of specialised elements that can transfer the genome to other cells." They are stationaryand are unable to grow. Because of all these factors, it is debatable whether viruses are the most complex of molecules or the simplest life forms. While the definition of living organisms must be adapted, the majority of evidence leads to the classification of viruses as living organisms. Viruses are composed of a nucleic acid core, a protein capsid, and occasionally a membraneous envelope. The nucleic acid core is composed of either DNA or in the case of retroviruses, RNA, but never both. In retroviruses, the RNA gets transcribed to DNA bye the enzyme reverse transcriptase. The protein capsid is a protein layer that wraps around the virus. There are four basic shapes of viruses. The tobacco mosiac, adenovirus, influenza virus, and t-even bacteriophage are each examples of a different virus structure. Each individual protein subunit composing the capsid is a capsomere. The tobacco mosiac virus has a helical capsoid and is rod shaped. The adenovirus is polyhedral and has a protein spike at each vertex. The influenza virus is made of a flexible, helecal capsid. It has an outer membranous enevelope that is covered with glycoprotein spikes. The T-even bacteriophage consists of a polyhedral head and a tail. The tail is used to inject DNA into a bacterium while the head stores the DNA. Basic life is defined as the simplest form capable of displaying the most essential attributes of a living thing. This makes the only real criterion for life the ability to replicate. Only systems containing nucleic acids are capable of this phenomenon. With this reasoning, a better definition is the unit element of a continuous lineage with an individual evolutionary history. Because of viruses inability to survive when not in a host, they must have evolved from other forms of life. The origin of viruses is an easy thing to theorize about so many hypothesese have been made. One such hypothesis is that viruses were once complete living parasites. Over time they have lost all other cellular components. This is backed up by the idea that all cells degenerate over time. Some people think along very similar lines that viruses are representatives of an early "nearly living" stage of life. This goes along with the first hypothesis in that it accounts for a loss of components. All creatures that become parasitic can be seen losing their obsolete functions and

Poetic Analysis of Crossing the Swamp by Mary Oliver Essay

In Crossing the Swamp, poet Mary Oliver illustrates her effective work of poetry. A vibrant relationship with a swamp changes from argumentative to victorious. By creating a scene that every reader can relate to, Oliver develops a connection between a deep swamp and life. Through diction, imagery and metaphor, Oliver forms a spectacular idea of life and the difficulties of making it through the swamp. The darker literal diction at the start of the poem reveals the struggle between the speaker and the swamp. In lines 9-12, Oliver uses the words â€Å"closure† and â€Å"pathless† to focus on the struggle the speaker is going through. Oliver’s diction in this case, shows a shift in tone in the poem when she uses the words â€Å"painted† , â€Å"glittered† (Oliver .24) and â€Å"rich†(Oliver .26). This changes the tone of the poem to a more lighthearted, positive feel. She goes on to progress the speaker’s struggling connection with the sw amp with the phrase â€Å"sprout, branch out, bud† (Oliver .34), showing hope, potential and a delighted air of progress made after the hardship. Oliver’s dark literal style of diction inspires huge samples of imagery. Oliver’s use of imagery enhances the sense of struggle and developing accomplishment between the speaker and the swamp. The bits and pieces of the description serve as the parts of life, as if alongside crossing your own swamp. At the same time, it speaks closely of hardships and worries in journeying across the swamp. It also represents life and the world. Oliver uses the swamp as a symbol for a hardship in a time of life. Every detail, every description of the swamp, and every â€Å"earth†(Oliver. 28) adjective is used to demonstrate this symbol through imagery. Struggling further through the swamp, hope begins to shine with pleasant pictures of â€Å"fat grassy mires† (Oliver .25-26) and thoughts that life is â€Å"not wet so much† (Oliver .23) having plus sides in the end. The imagery behind her words throughout the poem portrays a sense of sorrow which later converts to a feeling of hopefulness. Oliver compares life to a â€Å"stick† that emerg es from this swamp with the potential of new life. This new life is a metaphor: -a poor   dry stick given   one more chance by the whims   of swamp water (Oliver .28-31) and â€Å"make[s] of its life a breathing / palace of leaves.†(Oliver .35-36). Having â€Å"one more chance by the whims† (Oliver .30) displays faith in fate, by reaching out for an extra chance to succeed. A â€Å"stick† is literally unable to reproduce or grow into a tree. It is a part of a tree that broke off and is left to decompose. Henceforth, the rebirth of the stick, as shown in this poem, is metaphorical for the emotional rebirth of an individual that goes from being in a state of depression or stress to blooming with life and joy. Through her work of diction, imagery, and metaphors, Oliver reveals the relationship between the speaker and the swamp is one of struggle. They both are fighting with each other to depreciate the other and consume victory, but finally they give in to each other’s needs. The dark diction filled with imagery expresses that being in the depths of the swamp, hope can still shine. The swamp is represented as endless and diff icult to cross, having the same idea transmit into the life of a person. This person needs to give everything he or she has to make the â€Å"endless†(Oliver .1) path finally reachable.

Economics for Global Decision Makers

GB540:01 Economics for Global Decision Makers Week 3-Unit 3 Dr. Barbara-Leigh Tonelli May 15 2012 I. Introduction II. Competition for talent A. Recruiting III. Utilizing talent A. Cost B. Fit or fire IV. Ability to find talent A. Steps B. Actions V. Ability to attract talent A. Benefits B. Reputation VI. Ability to retain talent A. Communication B. Opportunities VII. Ability to develop talent A. Training B. Promotion VIII. Conclusion Introduction Effective hiring and personnel retention are keys to successful business. It can be easily argued that business success depends on human assets not material assets.Materialistic business components can be bought and replaced with an order, but the talent people can bring to an organization is not attained with the touch of a button. Hiring the right people is only a part of the successful business formula. Retaining quality people is also important to business success. What do firms need to do to attract and retain the most talented people a s well as utilization of their skills for company success? Competition for talent The advancements in travel and internet have made recruitment a global competition. It is not a secret that a successful business often has the most talented employees.Companies scramble to find the next and brightest in the workforce. Business managers know good hiring practices can be a strong foundation for any business. Bad hires can lead to business failure. They have to be creative in the ways they attract the most talented workers. Some companies have turned to recruiters and headhunters to attract the best candidates. Firms such as FESA Global Recruiters and CTPartners are often hired by companies to help attract the type of employee they feel meets its company needs. These companies will often seek out individuals they feel meet the criteria set by the hiring company.These companies specialize in placing the best candidates with the best companies. A company can avoid direct competition by out sourcing its recruiting needs. Recruiting companies have a network of people and resources it uses to match companies and people. (McCool (2008)) Utilizing talent If a company does not have the right people in the right job then it will find it harder to achieve and maintain long term business success. Bradford Smith conducted a survey and from his findings he discovered that miss-hires cost a company as much as twenty-four times the individuals base compensation. It takes more than talent to ensure success.A Manager has to hire the correct skills for the job. An employee may be the best wood cutter in the world but it does little good for a company that cuts diamonds. A company must hire people with the talents and skills it needs for its success. If a person does not have the skills needed then the company must be prepared to separate and hire someone with the needed skills to meet company needs. (Harvard Business Review Press (2002)) Ability to find talent How does a company find the talent it needs to ensure business success? There are a few steps the hiring manager can do to ensure the correct person is found. Some steps include: 1.Defining job requirements 2. Recruit for needs 3. Interview 4. Evaluate 5. Hire correct candidate When defining the job requirements the hiring manager needs to ensure the job responsibilities and requirements are outline so all potential applicants fully understand what the job entails. A hiring manager should only recruit for needs. If the applicant does not meet the company’s needs then the applicant does not need to be hired regardless of talent level on non-needed skills. The candidates must be interviewed and evaluated to ensure they have the skills and talents the company needs to fill. Finally they need to hire the correct candidate.The candidate can be the best at baking but if the company sells finance the skills do not match a need. (Harvard Business Review Press (2002)) Most companies do not rely on recruiter and headhunters to meet its hiring needs. Companies have turned to non-traditional methods to attract potential hires. These include 1. Job Fairs 2. Company Websites 3. Internet job sites such as Monster. com, CareerSite. com or CareerBuilders. com Companies use these sources as a way to fill its business needs. People also post resumes on some of the job sites listing their skills and abilities with the hope of landing a job or advancing their careers.Ability to attract talent Business managers know good hiring practices can be a strong foundation for any business. Bad hires can lead to business failure. The business has to be able to get the best talent to apply for its positions. There are several reasons why people change jobs. They can include 1. Salary 2. Benefits 3. Location Company reputation and prestige is also another factor that potential employees consider when looking at one company over another. A company with a successful business record is more likely to attract a more skilled workforce than a company that has a bad reputation. (Harvard Business Review Press (2002))Ability to retain talent Hiring decisions are among the most important decisions made by a manager but what can a company do to retain the talent once hired? According to Bradford Smith’s survey job satisfaction and promotional opportunities are two reasons people leave their jobs. Communication with its employees is an often overlooked aspect within a company’s structure. Employees can feel alienated by management when decisions are being made without employee impute. An easy way to eliminate this is to keep communications open with all employees. Meetings and suggestion boxes are a great way to keep communication lines open.Open communication is a great way to find out if employees are finding the satisfaction they desire within the job they are working. Employees also want the opportunity for career advancement. Businesses that tend to bottle neck its management po sitions have no choice but to lose good employees as they look elsewhere for the chance to further their careers. This can be frustrating to business and is very hard to prevent in today’s job market. (Harvard Business Review Press (2002)) Ability to develop talent A company cannot always hire for its needs. Sometimes employees have to be developed from within the company itself.Specialized training is one way a company develops its own talent. Once a Company figures out what it needs it can develop a training program to ensure it always has enough trained employees to ensure its long term success. This is especially true in manufacturing companies. A successful company will also include promotional opportunities in its development chain. As employees grow they will feel the need to promote. Promotion will help employees develop a sense of ownership and pride. A company that is able to develop its own workforce will be rewarded with a strong business. Cappelli (2009)) Conclus ion Businesses acknowledge that finding, retaining, and developing talent is one its toughest business challenges. To help ease the challenges Companies have developed different approaches for success. They include identifying what makes sense for the business, what type of employees it needs to attract and retain and what the employees wants to stay and be productive. People may argue that the job market favors employers because of the unemployment rate but if a person has the talent they will always be attractive to a company. Cappelli (2009)) Reference Cappelli, P (2009) Talent on Demand: Managing Talent in an Age of Uncertainty; Harvard Business School Press Boston, MA Harvard Business Review Press (2002) Hiring and Keeping the Best People; Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation; Boston, MA McCool, J. (2008) The World's Most Influential Headhunters as reviewed on May 12, 2012 at http://www. businessweek. com/managing/content/jan2008/ca20080131_400734. htm? chan=careers_s pecial+report++worlds+most+influential+headhunters_world%27s+most+influential+headhunters