Monday, August 19, 2019
Douglas Egertonââ¬â¢s He Shall Go Out Free Essay -- Douglas Egerton He Sha
Douglas Egertonââ¬â¢s He Shall Go Out Free In a time when revolution swept both Old World and New, it should have been no surprise that eighteenth century Charleston would find revolution fermenting among its slave population. In his book "He Shall Go Out Free", Douglas Egerton describes the life of Denmark Vesey, a freed slave in Charleston, who held a deep and thinly-veiled hatred of slavery and the cityââ¬â¢s ruling elite, and was best known for leading a failed attempt at revolt which cost his life. However, Egerton argues one must look beyond the span of Veseyââ¬â¢s lifetime to best understand his impact upon the history of the city. ORIGINS Like most slaves, much about Vesey's early years, including his exact age, family, and nationality, is unknown. The first thing we know about his life was his purchase as a teenager in 1781 from St. Thomas Island, a Dutch colony in the Caribbean, by Joseph Vesey, a slave trader (3). After a short stint as Vesey's cabin boy, he was sold on the island of Saint Domingue, a French colony dominated by sugar plantations where slaves lived short and brutal lives (17). On Saint Domingue, he feigned epileptic seizures to force his return as "damaged goods". Joseph Vesey put him back to work as his cabin boy, as well as translating for slaves (22). When the British evacuated Charleston in December 1782, Joseph Vesey moved his family to the city, bringing Denmark along with him (26). Fluent in English and a quick learner, he was soon busy helping run his ownerââ¬â¢s import business, paying taxes and picking up merchandise upon arrival at the cityââ¬â¢s docks (33). Nearly twenty years after he arrived in Charleston, luck brought Vesey his freedom. A... ...ir names were a "terror to oppressors." Fiction writers with anti-slavery views included characters similar to Vesey in their stories (226). CONCLUSION In his life, Denmark Vesey was virtually powerless member of Charlestonââ¬â¢s small society of free blacks in the years between the American Revolution and Civil War. He spent years expressing his disgust of slavery, and his one effort to strike back was quickly rolled up and brutally eliminated. In light of this, there is great irony in how Charleston, a city which fearlessly defied kings and empires would live in fear not of invading armies and attacking fleets, but at the shadow of Veseyââ¬â¢s failed revolt. That one manââ¬â¢s memory could hold such power validates Egerton's argument that Vesey was both an obscure and nearly powerless person, as well a revolutionary figure whose legacy stood tall indeed.
The Alien And Sedition Acts :: essays research papers
The debate over the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 revealed bitter controversies on a number of issues that had been developing since the penning of the Constitution. The writers of the document knew that over time the needs of the nation and its people would change, and therefore provided for its amendment. But by not expressly delegating powers to specific organizations, whether the federal government, state governments, or the people themselves, they inadvertently created a major problem in the years to follow: Constitutional interpretation.Shortly after the Constitution's ratification, two distinct camps formed, each believing in opposite manners of interpretation. One group, the Federalists, led by the newly appointed Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, thought that the Constitution should be interpreted very loosely. He claimed that the Constitution contained powers other than those delegated or enumerated. These unspecified powers were implied powers. To explain these powers, Hamilton said it would be natural - or implied - that the federal government would gain control over any territory gained through conquest of purchase, although the Constitution made no mention of territorial control. In essence, Hamilton wished to use the implied powers to build a strong and authoritative central government.In 1789, the Minister to France Thomas Jefferson, to Francis Hopkinson of Pennsylvania, protesting that "I am not of the party of the federalists. But I am much farther from that of the anitfederalists." However, the situation was so sensitive that he could not help but chose a side. In 1795, Jefferson wrote to a congressman from Virginia, William Giles, that he "held "t honorable to take a firm and decided part." The group he sided with, the Democratic-Republicans, favored a strict interpretation. As their leader, Jefferson argued that all powers not enumerated by the Constitution belonged to the States. The basi s for his argument was the old English "compact" theory. This theory stated that various individuals, in this case the states, joined together in a formal agreement of government. Since the states had drawn up the contract and given power to the federal government, it should be up to them to decide who received the power, not the body they created.This debate over interpretation thus sparked one of the first and major issues that eventually led to the Alien and Sedition Acts: should a strong central government be formed (federalist desire), or should the individual states have control. And wild attacks of the ensuing debate also ignited the second issue, public defamation, which led to the Sedition Act.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Simpsons :: essays research papers
The Simpsons This cartoon for grown-ups takes place in a fictional town called Springfield in the 1990's. The main character in the show is Homer Simpsons, a father of three and a husband. Homer works at the Springfield nuclear power plant. He is portrayed as a slacker who is completely unqualified for his job. He's also shown as a lazy couch potato and a little bit of an alcoholic. He's also shown as a "pig" when it comes to food. His wife, Marge, is a good parent who has to keep an eye on Homer and the rest of the family most of the time. Bart, their oldest son, is a poor student who enjoys comic books and television and hates girls. Lisa, the middle child of the family, is an excellent student and a nice person. She is almost the complete opposite of Bart except they both enjoy the violent cartoons of "Itchy and Scratchy". Maggie, the baby of the family, is known for constantly smacking her pacifier. She is portrayed as being smarter than Homer. Almost every little thing in the show is intended tobe humorous. In general the show is very funny but has some bad language and other offensive material. The fact that the show is a cartoon may be what has kept some people from watching. The cartoon though is what helps achieve many of the humorous aspects. For example a spill of nuclear waste would not be very amusing in a show with real people. The show has the assumption that it is OK if your family argues all the time. It shows this by the little arguments that the family constantly gets into. It also shows that it's pointless to try to be good all the time.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Management Decision and Control Systems
CSC 546: MANAGEMENT DECISION & CONTROL SYSTEMS SPRING 2007 METTLER TOLEDO INTERNATIONAL INC. PAPER 1: COMPANY PROSPECTUS Due March 2, 2007 Submitted by: SUDEEPTHI MOGALLA DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERISTY Email: [emailà protected] edu INTRODUCTION Mettler-Toledo International Inc. , headquartered in Greifensee, Switzerland is the worldââ¬â¢s largest manufacturer of weighing solutions for laboratory, industrial and retail applications. With manufacturing facilities in USA, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, and China, and sales & service operations in over 35 countries, it is also a leading global provider of precision instruments and services. It is a market leader in balances and pipettes, and a top provider of automated chemistry systems. It also holds leading market positions in several analytical instruments and process analytics applications. Its industrial product line includes weighing sensors for production and quality, and inspection systems for packaged goods. It also provides weighing solutions for transportation, and food retail industries. It supports its products through a comprehensive global service network assisting customers from calibration to compliance with regulations. It also provides retail software for fresh food management. Mettler-Toledoââ¬â¢s North American headquarters is located in Columbus, Ohio. In 2006, the company generated net sales of $1,595 million, a 7% annual growth with an operating income of $234 million, a 13% increase from 2005. The company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker MTD. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 2 of 23 COMPANY HISTORY The company Mettler Instrumente AG was started in 1945 by Dr. Erhard Mettler, a Swiss engineer, in Kusnacht, Switzerland. He developed weighing balances that used single pans for laboratory applications. By 1973, the company entered the electronic precision industry by producing the award winning electronic precision balance, the PT1200. With innovations applying microprocessor technology, new products like automated titrators, and thermal analyzers were added to the laboratory product lines. In 1980, the company was bought by Ciba-Geigy AG, which entered the retail scale market and produced weighing solutions to manufacturing companies. The company increased its sales and service network to various global locations. Toledo Scale Corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio was the largest scale manufacturer in US for industrial and retail markets. In 1989, it was acquired by Mettler to form Mettler-Toledo International Inc. In 1997, the company went public and started trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Over the years, the company undertook some major acquisitions thus adding some major brands to the Mettler-Toledo group of companies. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 3 of 23 GROWTH BY ACQUISITIONS Mettler-Toledo started its Product Inspection Division by acquiring HI-SPEED Checkweigher Systems, a custom designer and manufacturer of checkweigher and product handling equipment in Ithaca, NY in 1981. In 1987, GARVENS based in Europe was purchased for its capabilities to produce checkweighing solutions for moving products. The Product Inspection Division was completed by the acquisition of SAFELINE, a leading metal detection manufacturer with facilities in UK and Tampa, Florida in 1997. The Process Analytics Division is started by the acquisition of INGOLD in 1986. INGOLD provides pH and conductivity solutions for process measurements in chemical processes and sterile applications. THORNTON, a provider of industrial water monitoring based in Bedford, Massachusetts was added to the group in 2000. Some of the markets leaders that operate under their own brands are BERGER Instruments that uses high performance technology to analyze and purify chemical compounds for drug discovery, CARGOSCAN that provides cargo space optimization solutions, LASENTEC that provides solutions for in-process particle size and population analysis and is part f the Automated Chemistry Division, and the California based manufacturer of pipetting solutions, RAININ Instruments. RAININ Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 4 of 23 holds a broad range of patents in the pipetting technologies and serves pharmaceutical, biotech, and research applications. Most recently, Mettler-Toledo acquired SOFTECHNICS INC. a provider of software solutions for food retailing applications in 2002. MANAGEMENT TEAM The management team at Mettler-Toledo is led by the President & CEO, Robert F. Spoerry who is also the Chairman of Board of Directors. Mr. Spoerry has served in the positions of Head of Industrial & Retail divisions for Mettler-Toledo in the past. He is supported by the CFO, William P. Donnelly who was the Head of Product Inspection, the CIO, Jean-Lucien Gloor, and the Head of Human Resources, Peter Burker. Table 1 lists the management team. Table 1: Mettler-Toledo Management Team Name Robert F. Spoerry Current Position President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of Board of Directors William P. Donnelly Jean-Lucien Gloor Peter Burker Olivier A. Filliol Chief Financial Officer Chief Information Officer Head of Human Resources Head of Global Sales, Service & Marketing, and Head of Process Analytics Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 5 of 23 Ken Peters Karl M. Lang Beat E. Luthi Urs Widmer Joakim Weidemanis Hans-Peter von Arb General Manager ââ¬â North America Marketing General Manager ââ¬â Asia/Pacific Marketing Head of Laboratory Division Head of Industrial Division Head of Product Inspection Division Head of Retail Division CORE COMPETENCIES Mettler-Toledo was able to maintain its market leadership in numerous product lines primarily due to its ability to constantly develop new products and embrace new technologies. It has gained a reputation as a global innovator by successfully launching new products in various product lines each year. Research & Development has been its core competency from the beginning, and the company has increased its investment in R&D each year over the last few years. In 2005, its R&D spending was over $80 million, which is 5. 5% of its net sales. Mettler-Toledo holds more than 1700 patents and trademarks in USA, Switzerland, Germany, UK, France, Japan, and China. They developed strong knowledge base in automation, robotics, laser & optical applications, and industrial software development. Over the years, R&D at Mettler-Toledo has contributed through application of advanced technologies, feature-based enhancements on its products, increasing their products Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 6 of 23 reliability & accuracy, and developing new software capabilities for its products. With an R&D force of about 800 employees, the company was able to focus on multiple development efforts simultaneously. As more and more products from the company started including advancements in user-interface through touch screen and LCD technologies, a significant R&D effort went into developing its productsââ¬â¢ user-interfaces, the supporting software, and information systems for data management. The significance of software development as a key R&D effort can be understood from the fact that almost half of Mettler-Toledoââ¬â¢s R&D personnel are software engineers. Beyond R&D efforts, Mettler-Toledo has also made deep inroads in managing its cost structure. The company has developed a strong base of cost reduction functions through its Global Supply Chain Group, which includes the Global Procurement, Global Electronics, and Global Logistics teams. These teams work closely with all the manufacturing facilities and marketing teams on regional and global initiatives to reduce manufacturing costs, internal process costs, total cost of procurement, and logistics costs. They also work with the Information Technology groups to implement new automation tools that enhance internal process efficiencies, and provide effective data analysis solutions. Key initiatives like supplier category management, corporate procurement card, and field Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 7 of 23 employee automation have enabled Mettler-Toledo to reduce their operating costs significantly. Members from Marketing, Purchasing, and Logistics work closely with R&D and Engineering in product development & re-engineering to ensure that efforts are being made to reduce manufacturing costs. Another aspect of Mettler-Toledo that makes it unique and reduces its risk is its ability to operate profitably in diverse markets. They have developed innovative products in most of the markets they serve and have maintained a strong cross-segment knowledge-sharing that enabled them to use a technology in different segments. Key business functions like Finance, Supply Chain, Service, Human Resources, and Legal are centralized. They assist the decentralized business units to coordinate their R&D, marketing, and customer support functions in product development and customer service. PRODUCTS & SERVICES The products and services of Mettler-Toledo can be broadly categorized into Laboratory Instruments, Industrial Instruments and Retail Solutions. Process Analytics and Product Inspection are sub-categories within Lab and Industrial groups. The make up of its 2005 net sales between these business segments is shown in Figure 1. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 8 of 23 Figure 1: 2005 Sales ($ in millions) Retail Solutions, $193, 13% Laboratory Instruments, $667, 45% Industrial Instruments, $622, 42% Laboratory Instruments Laboratory balances are the primary product group in this business segment and are used in research & development, drug discovery, and process quality control. They are capable of weighing from one ten-millionth of a gram to 32 kilograms. Other products offered in this segment include pipettes, analytical instruments, and automated chemistry solutions. Titrators, thermal analysis systems, and pH meters form the analytical instrument group. The data capture, analysis and management are facilitated by their Lab Software known as LabX. Within this segment, Process Analytics forms a major subgroup of products that are used in pharmaceutical, biotech, beverage, microelectronics and chemical applications. They offer Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 9 of 23 sensor technology for pH, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, conductivity and turbidity. They also include calibration and cleaning systems. Industrial Instruments This segment primarily includes industrial scales and balances for varying weighing needs and ranges. They are used in measuring, counting, ingredient mixing, and mail sorting applications. Products in this segment also offer in-process and in-motion measurement, dimensioning and identification technologies. Weighing scales for trucks and railcars form the heavy equipment products. All these products are supported by proprietary software like FreeWeigh. Net for statistical quality control, and Formweigh. net for formulation & batching. Product Inspection is a key product group in this segment that the company has invested increasingly in the past few years. The products are used in food processing & packaging, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing industries. They are made up of metal detection systems, X-ray visioning equipment, and checkweigher systems. Retail Solutions Retail segment is the smallest of Mettler-Toledo businesses in terms of sales. These are scales used in supermarkets, and Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 10 of 23 food retail businesses for weighing and labelling applications. With Mettler-Toledo entering the various emerging markets like India, this business segment is expected to grow significantly. Mettler-Toledo also provides software solutions for its retail products through its Softechnics division. The software provides capabilities for retail inventory management for fresh foods, and integrated data management. The various products offered by Mettler-Toledo are listed in Table 2. Table 2: Products & Service Offerings Product Categories Laboratory Weighing Products & Solutions Micro and ultra-micro balances, analytical balances, precision & high-capacity precision balances, mass comparators, weighing modules, halogen moisture analyzer, pipette calibration workstation, and support software. Analytical Instruments Thermal values, thermal analysis, titrators, pH-/cond-/ISE-meters, density meters, refractometers, and electrodes for laboratory and field. Pipettes & Tips Single channel pipettes (manual & electronic), multi channel pipettes, tips for Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 11 of 23 LTS & traditional pipettes ââ¬â bio clean, positive displacement pipettes & tips, and repetitive pipettes. Automated Chemistry Solutions Lab automation, chemical synthesis, chromatography, particle system characterization, reaction calorimeters, automated lab reactors, and informatics & workflow management. Process Analytics Transmitters & Meters, pH & Redox sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, total organic carbon instruments, conductivity/resistivity sensors, dissolved ozone sensors, dissolved carbon dioxide sensors, flow sensors, and cleaning & calibration systems. Industrial Weighing Automotive refinish scales, material transfer controllers, bench, compact and counting scales, overhead/monorail scales, postal solutions, weigh modules & load cells, software, statistical process control, , and weighing terminals. Product Inspection Transportation & Logistics Checkweighing, metal detection, and X-ray. Air cargo scales, dimensioners, forklift scales, post/mail solutions, rail scales, and Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 12 of 23 weighbridges & truck scales. Food Retail Scales (basic, retail counter, self service, retail hanging, checking & receiving), wrapping machines, auto labelling & security tags, and retail software. CUSTOMERS The customer base of Mettler-Toledo is spread across numerous industries like chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food & beverage, raw materials, pulp & paper, jewellery, transportation & logistics, OEM, machinery & automotive, and retail. Most customers are serviced through their three business segment groups, Lab, Industrial and Retail. Certain key accounts with which the company has developed strategic relationships over the years are serviced and supported by their Strategic Accounts group. The customer base of Mettler-Toledo is also highly diversified with sales from each of their top customers accounting for less than 3% of total net sales. MANUFACTURING Mettler-Toledoââ¬â¢s manufacturing facilities known as Producing Organizations (POs) are located primarily in USA, UK, Switzerland, Germany, and China. Each PO dedicates its product Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 13 of 23 development and manufacturing efforts to a certain group of product lines and serves the global needs of those products. This enables Mettler-Toledo to reduce R&D costs, maintain a customer focus, and to develop product leadership by a PO in its line of business. The POs work with each other in their product development, manufacturing, and procurement efforts, and with the marketing groups in understanding customer needs. Safeline, Garvens, and Hi-Speed, which serve the Product Inspection markets, work very closely in coordinating their efforts. Depending on the manufacturing capability and capacity constraints, certain POs act as internal suppliers to other POs who may use their manufacturing resources. MARKETING, SALES & SERVICE Unlike the Producing Organizations, the Marketing Organizations (MOs) at Mettler-Toledo are segmented based on their geographic focus. The MOs are located all over the world, with the largest groups in USA and Europe. This enables them to understand the specific local needs of the customers, and develop close relationships with their entire customer base. The sales and service efforts parallel that of the marketing thus maintaining a close loop for the customer relationship. MettlerToledo maintains a large employee base of 5000 employees that is Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 14 of 23 spread over 35 countries in the form of marketing, service technicians and customer service professionals. Mettler-Toledo also offers numerous services in the form of repair & service maintenance, and value-added services for regulatory compliance. These are offered across the globe based on local regulations. Their global service network has expanded over the years as they explore numerous emerging markets. In 2005, revenues from service agreements, repair, and spare parts constituted 23% of the companyââ¬â¢s net sales. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & MIS The companyââ¬â¢s IT operations are lead by their corporate team in Switzerland, which maintains the globally used operating systems, providing regular updates and support. Their global contracts with key hardware and software vendors ensure product standardization and concurrent upgrades. They have however decentralized most of the locally operated systems, like their MRP and ERP solutions at the manufacturing facilities and marketing organizations. Being a highly decentralized organization, except for some global software systems, most IT infrastructure is maintained regionally. The regional IT groups also handle the telecommunications, mobile phone, and data networks for their region. The company has continuously made significant investments to standardize the IT operations where Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 15 of 23 necessary, and provided the flexibility to local units when higher efficiencies could be gained through local optimization. The company uses ERP packages from well known providers like Baan and Oracle, and also from smaller companies like Fourth Shift, and MAPICS. The company uses numerous enterprise software for various sales and service operations, as well as hosted solutions for e-procurement and e-commerce applications. EMPLOYEES & CULTURE Mettler-Toledo follows a highly decentralized organization structure providing high levels of autonomy to the business units, encouraging entrepreneurial responsibility and accountability for growth and success. The product development and manufacturing activities are performed by the producing organizations, where the marketing, sales and support functions are the responsibility of the marketing organizations. All POs and MOs are supported by corporate global functions. Mettler-Toledo employs more than 9000 fulltime employees across the globe with more than 4000 in Europe, over 3000 in the Americas, and about 1000 in Asia. About 50% of the workforce is part of their global sales and support network. R&D with over 800 employees is also a key function in the company. The company provides various employee benefits including a pension & post-retirement savings plan that cost them $1. 5 Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 16 of 23 million in 2005. Their health care benefits cost over $10 million each year. Employee Purchase Programs through corporate agreements are provided for products like personal computers, office supplies, consumer technology, mobile services, and home mortgage. Mettler-Toledo is an equal opportunity company and hires employees from diverse cultural backgrounds and geographic locations. Due to their line of business, they mostly hire engineering graduates from well known institutions in Switzerland, USA, and China. Most of their senior management has a strong analytical background with engineering, mathematics, or finance focus and many middle management and senior management employees hold advanced degrees in engineering or business. In USA, they recruit new graduates into their Initial Career Experience program (ICE) which is a rotational program for undergraduate degree holders. They also provide internship opportunities in IT, marketing, and supply chain management, and offer fulltime opportunities upon their graduation. Mettler-Toledo maintains a core set of cultural values it expects its employees to follow in their day to day operations. It includes maintaining a strong focus on quality in both its products & services, and its internal processes. It stresses the importance of being aggressive in exploring new markets, and embracing new technologies. There is also a strong need to be Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 17 of 23 cost-conscious so that it can maintain its competitiveness against larger players and unsuitable market forces. It expects employees to show initiative and leadership qualities. Employees should also be innovative and be ready to face the hurdles in executing their ideas. With a global market in place, the company should be agile allowing it to quickly react to changes. A semi-formal work environment is maintained to develop closer employee relationships. The company restricts itself in the use of titles to its management and in fact doesnââ¬â¢t use ââ¬Å"Vice Presidentâ⬠as a title. Except for division heads, who are either known as a Head of division or General Manager, all the others are known as Managers, Engineers, or Analysts. A business casual dress code is maintained at all of its locations. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE The markets Mettler-Toledo operates in are highly competitive, and fragmented by location and application. In most markets, they face stiff competition from companies that are focussed and specialized in their offerings. In many cases, the focussed competitors are smaller divisions of very large multinational companies with extensive resources. These factors further signify the necessity for Mettler-Toledo to develop efficient R&D and manufacturing processes to maintain its cost structure. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 18 of 23 The major competitors of Mettler-Toledo are Beckman Coulter Inc. with $2. 5 billion in annual revenues, Siemens AG with $117 billion in annual revenues, and finally Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. with $3. 8 billion in annual revenues. Among these Siemens AG operate in many other markets and businesses that MettlerToledo does not involve in. Due to its cost structure advantage, Mettler-Toledo was able to maintain operating margins of over 13%, when their competitors have recorded them at below 10%. RISK FACTORS Mettler-Toledo notes that since it operates in numerous countries, its operating income can be affected by currency fluctuations. Its international operations also face risks in the form of trade barriers, employee retention in growing markets, lack of protection for its intellectual property, nationalization, and economic and political stability in some countries. Some of the markets are highly competitive and hence may be difficult to continuously maintain market leadership in multiple product lines. As Mettler-Toledo grows via acquisitions, it has the risk of assimilation challenges, lack of focus on key initiatives, and loss of key employees. As Mettler-Toledo operate in many markets subject to regulations, they have the risk of not meeting some of the regulations in time. Exposure to additional income taxes and unanticipated tax Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 19 of 23 laws are also some of the perceived risks faced by MettlerToledo. FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE Mettler-Toledo International Inc. has been delivering strong financial results over the years. It generated net sales of $1,596 million in 2006, a 7. 6% increase from its 2005 sales revenue of $1,482 million. Figure 2 shows 2006 sales by geographic region. Figure 2: 2006 Sales ($ in millions) by region Asia & Rest of the World, $287, 18% Europe, $670, 42% North & South Americas, $638, 40% The chart in Figure 3 shows Mettler-Toledoââ¬â¢s financial performance since 2001. It shows that net sales have increased at an average of 7% year over year. The operating cash flow increased to $192 million in 2006, an 8. 5% increase from $177 Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 20 of 23 million in 2005. The adjusted operating income (gross profit less R&D and SG&A expenses) increased by 13% to $234 million in 2006 from $207 million in 2005. Figure 3: Financial Data (2001-2006) Net Sales $1,800 Operating Cash Flow Adjusted Operating Income $1,595 $1,600 $1,482 $1,404 $1,304 $1,214 $1,148 $1,400 $ in millions $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $165 $179 $167 $102 $115 $165 $200 $0 2001 2002 2003 Years $117 2004 $166 2005 $177 2006 The company reported Earnings per Share (EPS) of $3. 86 for 2006, which is a 29% growth from $2. 52 in 2005. Through these results the company has demonstrated a strong balance sheet and a substantial cash flow generation. POSITIONING FOR 2007 AND BEYOND The company exceeded expectations in 2006 with strong financial results, and is expected to perform well in 2007 and beyond. With rising cost pressures due to price increases for oil, steel, paper & pulp, and other raw materials, the company Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 21 of 23 $192 $400 $207 $234 needs to continue to improve its cost structure through efficient and effective processes. Some of the key customercentric marketing initiatives undertaken by the company like ââ¬Å"Spinnakerâ⬠have been successful in generating new customer leads and improving existing customer relationships. Its new product launches have been successful in 2006, and the company continues to develop new products in many of its business segments. In 2006, the company was very successful in increasing its market share in emerging markets like Russia and India. With the acquisition of distribution channels in these countries, its market share is expected to grow at significant rates in 2007 and beyond. The analysts estimate that revenues for Mettler-Toledo would grow to $1. 69 billion in 2007 and to $1. 78 billion for 2008. It represents an annual increase of 6. 3% for 2007 and 5. 3% for 2008. In the short term, the company aims to consolidate all its existing market positions in the various product lines it now holds the top positions, especially industrial and laboratory instruments. It aims to increase its market share in retail weighing market by focusing on emerging markets, which offer the greatest potential for untapped markets. In the long-term, the company will look to be the industry leader in all product segments ranging from laboratory Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 22 of 23 instruments, industrial instruments, process analytics, product inspection, and chemistry solutions. It also plans to consolidate its retail market share through partnerships with global retailers. The strong values developed by its employees, its continued investment in developing innovative products, diversified customer base, and global service network should ensure that Mettler-Toledo is in a strong position to fulfil both its short-term and long-term objectives. REFERENCES 1. Mettler-Toledo website (http://us. mt. com) 2. Yahoo Finance (http://finance. yahoo. com) 3. Hoovers (www. hoovers. com) 4. The Wall Street Journal Online (http://online. wsj. com) Mettler-Toledo International Inc. Page 23 of 23
Friday, August 16, 2019
ââ¬ÅThe Evacuation of Children in World War Two Was a Great Successââ¬Â
How far do the sources you have used support this interpretation of evacuation in World War Two? (25 marks) Before the War in September 1939, the government understood the risk of air raids and the danger they bring upon major cities in England. Plans for evacuation started as early as 15 years before in 1924; the Air Raid Precaution Committee (ARPC) identified London as the main target, with children as the biggest concern.The government identified, after the ARPC produced a report on the potential disasters of air raid attacks in 1925, that maintaining civilian morale was a priority, and that the fear of bombing would bring it down. So, to prevent low morale (and also to ensure safety for what would be the future generation and social regeneration of Britain), the technique of evacuation was introduced. ââ¬ËSuccessââ¬â¢, in this case, is somewhat difficult to measure as it is a broad term when it comes to asking if it can be seen as a success in terms of numbers: ââ¬Ëdid the government send out as many people as they hoped to? or as a question of the success in the ââ¬Ëwell being of the evacueesââ¬â¢, and questioned as the overall safety of the evacuees: if death and casualty had been avoided/prevented. These sources help to show whether or not evacuation in World War Two was a ââ¬Ësuccessââ¬â¢. Evacuation can be seen as a success if the evacuees, specifically children were ââ¬Ëhappyââ¬â¢. This is important as being considered ââ¬Ësuccessfulââ¬â¢ as whether or not they were treated well and were happy would influence the public morale of the citizens remaining in the city.For example, source one shows a group of children with their accompanying teacher in a Berkshire village, 1939. They appear to be ââ¬Ëhappyââ¬â¢ and well looked after; they seem well dressed and smiling in a peaceful, unthreatening looking setting, safely away from the danger of bombs/air raids. Also, as a teacher is shown to be with them, success id further proven in that the government managed to continue educational services throughout the operation (this point is additionally shown in sources three and four).This suggests evacuation was a success. Though, as the photo shows evacuation in a positive light, it could suggest a propaganda element. However, though possible, it seems unlikely that the photo is staged making it reliable to determine evacuation as a success through child ââ¬Ëwell-beingââ¬â¢ and happiness. Furthermore, a view of it being successful in this way is source three, a newspaper extract from Kent, September 1939. The overall impression given is that evacuation was very much a successful operation.According to the source for the majority, it was a ââ¬Ëhappy adventure and homesickness quickly fledââ¬â¢. Again, this suggests success in the well being of the evacuees, though the source goes on to show this further saying that children were ââ¬Ëeating high teas beyond their dreams and went up to bedrooms larger than thought possibleââ¬â¢. From this we can infer that evacuation was a success in the way that children were living better out in the countryside not only for safety, but for lifestyle as well.However, this source is much less reliable that source one as it appears to be in fact very biased as a newspaper trying to imply the best out of evacuation to keep morale high, so it is harder to derive a conclusion of success from the source. Another way in which success is shown through the sources is that evacuation did the job that it was set out to do: to protect the children, and those who are at most risk, from the danger of war, specifically bombing in the city. Source five is a picture showing a bombed school playground in London.From this, we can infer that this is an example of what the government was trying to move children/evacuees away from. It also shows how, being a school playground, children were indeed at risk, thus, by sending the children away, they were, as far as we know, doing a good job of keeping them safe. Overall, this source shows that evacuation was successful as we can infer that children would clearly be safer out of the city, thus justifying evacuation itself. To further justify evacuation and therefore show its success in keeping evacuees safe, source six shows casualties in Liverpool.It shows that the death rate was generally over 100 and even in May 1941, at 1453. Again, this justifies the need to evacuate and the safety achieved through evacuation. Finally, sources three shows the success in evacuation as the sources show effectiveness and good organisation as a success of evacuation. This encompasses overall efficiency and pre-evacuation planning. To be able to transport the huge amount of 1million (intended 4million) to the countryside required this efficiency and overall, sources three and source two mention the efficiency and order of the transport (trains) and organisation in the countryside.In source three, a newspaper article from Kent, says that the departures were efficient, reflecting that it was seen to that ââ¬Ëeach child got milk and foodââ¬â¢, and followed up with ââ¬Ëno confusionââ¬â¢. Even source two, though showing evacuation in a negative way, also comments that the trains ââ¬Ëran to timeââ¬â¢ and that evacuation came ââ¬Ëcomplete with teachersââ¬â¢. Having teachers is shown in sources one, three and four as well. In source one, it is shown as a teacher with a group of children, in three there are mentioned ââ¬Ëteachers in chargeââ¬â¢ and in four, the graph shows about 103,000 teachers were evacuated.The fact that they were able to organise having teachers for the children, as well as having sufficient transport for a million people, shows great planning and effectiveness of the evacuation programme as a success in World War Two. On the other hand, evacuation can be seen as unsuccessful through the sources. One point is that of numbers; according to source four, ââ¬Ë4 million had been planned for but only 1. 5million wentââ¬â¢.Source four is most probably reliable as it is a textbook extract, with the main aim of ââ¬Ëto informââ¬â¢, and thus the historian writing this has no reason to twist the truth. Even though this shows efficiency, it shows how evacuation was not successful, as it didnââ¬â¢t go according to governmentââ¬â¢s plans. It also could suggest that the public didnââ¬â¢t see quite the same urgency to evacuate as the government. This interpretation is further shown as one of the sources is a propaganda poster discouraging mothers to bring their children back to the city.This shows this unsuccessful side to evacuation as it shows that mothers needed this encouragement though posters. This shows how evacuation was unsuccessful in encouraging the public. Source seven suggests that social barriers were broken with the ââ¬Ëeffect of showing one side of the nation to the otherââ¬â¢, however two sources suggest different: source 2, a source showing a mainly negative view on evacuation, implies that the social responsibility was not evenly spread and that ââ¬Ëthe poor housed the poor and the wealthy evaded their responsibilitiesââ¬â¢. This is an alternate view that people werenââ¬â¢t treating the evacuees correctly that goes against mainly source one and three. Source one and three are both from the start of the war (1939 specifically) and therefore could be seen as too specific to generalise a positive experience for the duration on the war and that perhaps source two, a negative view, is a better outlook, despite being a secondary source, on the success of the war as it shows a view over time. Considering all the elements that determine whether ââ¬ËThe evacuation of children in World War Two was a great successââ¬â¢, I believe that evacuation was in fact a success in most ways of measuring ââ¬Ësuccessââ¬â¢: the overall operation fulfilled itââ¬â¢s aims of protecting children from bombs to safer quieter areas of the country (like source one depicts) and that the government did so in an orderly, effective fashion. However, I would not call the evacuation programme a ââ¬Ëcompletelyââ¬â¢ a success nor a ââ¬Ëgreat successââ¬â¢ thorough considering that fewer went than planned and that it is difficult to derive a positive experience from the evacuees themselves. A ââ¬Ëgreat successââ¬â¢ suggests complete fulfilment of original plans and a large majority happy and well treated in the operation. Not all sources agree with this, thus, overall, I conclude my agreement that evacuation in World War Two was successful, though not a ââ¬Ëgreatââ¬â¢ success.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Nvq Unit 303 Supporting Children Through Transitions
Unit 303 Supporting children through transitions Transitions occur when a child moves from one care situation to another. Children of all ages experience transitions. 0-3 years Children attend a setting for the first time ââ¬â a nursery, pre-school, creche, and childminderââ¬â¢s home. Move within a setting ââ¬â from the baby room to the toddler room, or change childminders. To help and support the children through the transition you could: â⬠¢Ensure all registration information has been received before the child attends, so that practitioners are prepared to meet the childââ¬â¢s needs. Have a key worker allocated to the child â⬠¢Combine visits with parents, shorter stays before longer ones. â⬠¢Tell children and adults that a new child is coming and encourages them to make the child welcome. â⬠¢Give the child a warm welcome. â⬠¢Encourage children and parents to say goodbye to one another. â⬠¢Show the child around and explain the routine, where to hang up coats etc. â⬠¢Remain supportive. â⬠¢Provide ways to involve families in the childââ¬â¢s experience, to assist the transition from the setting to home. 3-7 yearsTransitions are periods of change which generally involve a loss of familiar people in a childââ¬â¢s life. Different children respond differently to transitions, children attending pre-school or juniors, a child moving within a setting. Children have new living arrangement or maybe even a stay in hospital. To help and prepare for change you could: â⬠¢Communicate with the children about the transition. Talking about what will happen as well as listening to the childââ¬â¢s concerns. â⬠¢Arrange a visit to a new setting prior to the transition with parental supervision. Ensure all documentation about the child is organised in advance. â⬠¢Communicate with the children continuously to see and monitor their progress. 7-12 years Children and babies are naturally motivated to lean until the age of seven or eight. At this age school work may become taxing and the eagerness to discover may fade. To promote development of self- motivation in children you could: â⬠¢Encourage children to be optimistic â⬠¢Encourage children to value persistent effort and to expect success when they try â⬠¢Teach children the value of overcoming failure Encourage children to celebrate and enjoy achievement â⬠¢Give children opportunities to master their world â⬠¢Make learning relevant to the individual childââ¬â¢s interest â⬠¢Teach children in ways that appeal to their styles and learning. 12-16 years Some children experience multiple transitions. This may be due to frequent family breakdowns or perhaps the nature of the parents work. You should allow relationships to form gradually with friends and peers with such children, taking care not to overwhelm them.Social services recognise the problems of multiple transitions. As a child develops they still need support and encour agement with change. Children either changing school or class my still need guidance. Sometimes children enjoy solving their own problems and should be allowed to do this. The move to secondary school can be a quite big change for children. Children often have common anxieties about transitions, such as will I make friends, will I like my teacher, and will I get much homework, what happens at lunch time. Parents and carers should be aware of the childââ¬â¢s new surroundings â⬠¢Get involved in the move by talking and communicating both with the child and teachers. â⬠¢Encourage time to chat with the child to keep a good understanding of what is going on and how the child feels about the change. â⬠¢Allow for emotional change as the child develops. â⬠¢Support the child as they make physical and emotional changes. â⬠¢Support and give good guidance to the rules and disciplines of both the home life and school.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Article Critique on Sikolohiyang Filipino Essay
As normative concept, psychology study differs across because of different cultural backgrounds and basis. As Sikolohiyang Filipino evolved and continues its study, it makes a mark on the world psychology as it become a breakthrough to it. Despite of its greatest oponent The American Psychology. This will extensively support the study of Virgilio G. Enriquez about Pagkataong Pilipino- The Value System of Philippine Psychology. Because I always wonder what value or values we should practice inorder to have a non-violence living? If ever, we could identify this values, how could we imply this equally? Without any doubts after implementing it? BODY As stated earlier Sikolohiyang Filipino has become a breakthrough to world psychology. Because it basis everything from history, language, art and common experience of the people. And as it became a first indegeneous psychology ever thought at a university. We psychology students who have been studying some of this values and how thus this affect fillipino culture. On our study we encounter lots of write-ups about Sikolohiyang Filipino. That the basis of sikolohiyang filipino has been influenced by lots of cultures from other countries some from Western the others from Eastern and ither Asian countries. Because of the colonialization brought to our country by other countries long time ago. That it become an breakthrough for world psychology. Culture. For me it plays a lot in the study of sikolohiyang filipino, because it refers to the practices and traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation. But then Change is the only permanent thing in this world. And what it trying to prove is that culture changes. It was not very difficult to prove on the generation right now. Lets start from the clothes they wear from the baroââ¬â¢t saya before influenced by the spanished colonial. Right now we had this skinny jeans, mini skirt, spaghetti strapped dress and lots more influenced by the american. And since we all know that we are know on the age of global technology where typewiters has been changed by computers and laptops, where snail mail evolved to electronic mails and cellular phones. That before it was just a WANT and now it became a NEED. Filipino culture is no exception. Filipino culture have indeed have changed through time. The Philippines is now the text capital of the world because we are the country that sends the most number of text messages per day. Like how our culture did. That the before basis: Three Core Concept of the values of the Phillipine Personality Theory: the Kapwa, Pakiramdam and Kagandahang loob that has been interpreted as share identity, shared inner perception and shared humanity must be change. And its greatest winning oponent Kalayaan. That this basis was just now only a part of the history of Sikolohiyang Filipino. That it may be remembered again. Because like technology and lifestyle, sikolohiyang filipino must evolved too and join the new generation. We may erase or preserve and just add another basis. But before this happen we need a lot of studies to conduct of what are the factors of having this kind of culture or behaviorism. But now is for us to prove that Sikolohiyang Filipino still present and existing, that maybe some ways of filipino living may change but then we can preseve some of its importance. Value the contributions of this. And implement it again slowly and one by one. Maybe it needs a hard work angd a long time before having it back again but then we need to do it. To prove that we have our own. Originally our OWN !!! REFERECE Indegeneous Filipino Values: A Foundation for a Culture of Non-Violence by Paper prepared for the forum: Towards A Culture of Non Violence,by Katrin de Guia, Ph. D. , author of ââ¬Å"Kapwa: The Self in the Otherâ⬠, 2005 , Anvil Publishing Inc. , pasig, M. M. Virgilio G. Enriquez ââ¬Å"Pagkataong Filipino-TheValue System of Philippine Psychologyâ⬠(From Colonial LiberationPsychologyâ⬠(U. P. Pree, C. C. , 1992) Nemzky ââ¬Å"Rethinking of Filipino Valuesâ⬠(August 2012)from study mode. com IreMae1, ââ¬Å"Filipino Psychologyâ⬠(U. P. , November 2012)from study mode. com Kai0990, ââ¬Å"Understanding Filipino Psychology: A Thought Paperâ⬠from study mode. com Cracken, ââ¬Å"Filipino Psychologyâ⬠(July 2012) from study mode. com Andrea M. Bautista, ââ¬Å"Filipino Psychologyâ⬠(March 5, 2012) from study mode. com.
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