Mahindra & Mahindra †Sm Essay

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – INDIAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY Starting its journey from the day when the first car rolled on the streets of Mumbai in 1898, the Indian automobile industry has demonstrated a phenomenal growth to this day. Today, the Indian automobile industry presents a galaxy of varieties and models meeting all possible expectations and globally established industry standards. Some of the leading names echoing in the Indian automobile industry include Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, Hyundai Motors, Hero Honda and Hindustan Motors in addition to a number of others. During the early stages of its development, Indian automobile industry heavily depended on foreign technologies. However, over the years, the manufacturers in India have started using their own technology evolved in the native soil. The thriving market place in the country has attracted a number of automobile manufacturers including some of the reputed global leaders to set their foot in the soil looking forward to enhance their profile and prospects to new heights. Following a temporary setback on account of the global economic recession, the Indian automobile market has once again picked up a remarkable momentum witnessing a buoyant  sale for the -first time in its history in the month of September 2009. At present, about 75 percent of India’s automobile industry is made up by small cars, with the figure ranking the nation on top of any other country on the globe. Over the next two or three years, the country is expecting the arrival of more than a dozen new brands making compact car models. Like many other nations India’s highly developed transportation system has played a very important role in the development of the country’s economy over the past to this day. One can say that the automobile industry in the country has occupied a solid space in the platform of Indian economy. Empowered by its present growth, today the automobile industry in the country can produce a diverse range of vehicles under three broad categories namely cars, two-wheelers and heavy vehicles. 1.1. Exports of Automobile Industry Today, India is among the world’s largest producers of small cars. The New York Times has rated India as a very strong engineering base with an incomparable expertise in the arena of manufacturing a number of low-cost, fuel-efficient cars has encouraged the expansion plans of the manufacturing facilities of a number of automobile leaders like Mahindra, Hyundai Motors, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen and Suzuki. While the automobile industry in India is the ninth largest in the world, the country emerged as the fourth largest automobiles exporter on the globe following Japan, South Korea and Thailand, in the year 2009. The automobile sector of India is the seventh largest in the world. In a year, the country manufactures about 2.6 million cars making up an identifiable chunk in the world’s annual production of about 73 million cars in a year. The country is the largest manufacturer of motorcycles and the fifth largest producer of commercial vehicles. Industry experts have visualized an unbelievably huge increase in these figures over the immediate future. The figures published by the Asia Economic Institute indicate that the Indian automobile sector is set to emerge as the global leader by 2012. In the year 2009, India rose to be the fourth largest exporter of automobiles following Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Experts state that in the year 2050, India will top the car volumes of all the nations of the world with about 611 million cars running on its roads. 1.2. Various Segments of the Indian Automobile Industry Motor cycles manufacture makes up the major share in the two-wheeler segment of the  Indian automobile industry. About 50% of the motorcycles are manufactured by Hero Honda. While Honda manufactures about 46% of the scooters, TVS produces 82% of the mopeds running on the Indian roads. About 40% of the three-wheelers manufactured in India are used for transporting goods with Piaggio manufacturing 40% of the vehicles sold in the Indian market. On the other hand, Bajaj has emerged as the leader in manufacturing three-wheelers used for passenger transport. The firm produces about 68% percent of the three wheelers used for passenger transport in India. The Indian passenger vehicle segment is dominated by cars which make up about 80% of it. Maruti Suzuki manufactures about 52% of passenger cars while the firm enjoys a complete monopoly in the manufacture of multi-purpose vehicles. In the utility vehicles segment Mahindra makes up a 42% share. Tata Motors is the leader in the Indian commercial vehicles market while it holds more than 60% share. Tata Motors also enjoys the credit of being the world’s fifth largest manufacturer of medium and heavy commercial vehicles. 1.3. Potential of Indian Automobile Industry There is a very stiff competition in the automobile industry segment in India. This has helped many to realize their dreams of driving the most luxurious cars. During the recent past, a number of overseas companies have started grabbing a big chunk of the market share in both domestic and export sales. Every new day dawns in India with some new launches by active players in the Indian automobile arena. By introducing some low cost cars, the industry had made it possible for common men to buy cars for their personal use. With some innovative strategies and by adopting some alternative remedial measures, the Indian automobile industry has successfully come unaffected out of the global financial crisis. During the current fiscal year, the Indian automobile industry rode high on the resurgence of consumer demand in the country as a result of the Government’s fiscal stimulus and attractively low interest rates. As a result the total turnover of the domestic automobile industry increased by about 27 per cent. Predictions made by Ernst and Young have estimated that the Indian passenger car market will have a growth rate of about 12 percent per annum over the next five years to reach the production of 3.75 million units by the year 2014. The analysts have further stated that the industry’s turnover will touch $155  billion by 2016. This achievement will succeed in consolidating India’s position as the seventh largest automobiles manufacturer on the globe, eventually surging forth to become the third largest by the year 2030 behind China and the US. The Automotive Mission Plan launched by the Indian government has envisaged that the country will emerge as the seventh largest car maker on the globe thereby contributing more than 10 percent to the nation’s $1.2-trillion economy. Further, industry experts believe that the nation will soon establish its stand as an automobile hub exporting about 2.75 million units and selling about a million units to be operated on the domestic roads 1. MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA – OVERVIEW Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is not just India’s largest utility vehicle manufacturer anymore. It is the third-largest player in the passenger vehicle segment and in a neck-and-neck race with Tata Motors. It has set its sight on challenging the domination of Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motors. Pawan Goenka, as president for automotive and farm equipment sectors, is the main architect of this feat Mahindra and an independent India began their rise together. In 1945, two enterprising brothers named J.C. Mahindra and K.C. Mahindra joined forces with Ghulam Mohammed and started Mahindra & Mohammed as a steel company in Mumbai. Two years later, India won its independence, Ghulam Mohammed left the company to become Pakistan’s first finance minister, and the Mahindra brothers ignited the company’s enduring growth with their decision to manufacture Willys jeeps in Mumbai. The Mahindra brothers believed that new modes of transportation could be a key to India’s prosperity, so one of their first goals was to build rugged, simple vehicles capable of tackling the Indian terrain. Early pioneers of globalization, the brothers collaborated with a wide range of international companies and before long, Mahindra’s reach extended to steel, tractors, telecom, and more. Now, after 65 years, Mahindra has grown from a humble local outfit to a US $15.4 billion corporation employing more than 144,000 people around the world. It’s been quite an adventure so far, and they’re proud of our global leadership in utility vehicles, tractors, and information technology, as  well as our significant presence in financial services, leisure and hospitality, engineering, trade, and logistics. As they accelerate into the 21st century, they’ll continue to pursue innovative ideas that enable people to rise. They’ve come a long way, but the journey has just begun. Over the past few years, M&M has expanded into new industries and geographies. They entered into the two-wheeler segment by taking over Kinetic Motors in India. M&M also has controlling stake in REVA Electric Car Company and acquired South Korea’s SsangYong Motor Company in 2011. Mahindra & Mahindra is a major automobile manufacturer of utility vehicles, passenger cars, pickups, commercial vehicles, and two wheelers. Its tractors are sold on six continents. It has acquired plants in China and the United Kingdom, and has three assembly plants in the USA. M&M has partnerships with international companies like Renault SA, France and International Truck and Engine Corporation, USA. M&M has a global presence and its products are exported to several countries. Its global subsidiaries include Mahindra Europe Srl. based in Italy, Mahindra USA Inc., Mahindra South Africa and Mahindra (China) Tractor Co. Ltd. M&M made its entry into the passenger car segment with the Logan in April 2007 under the Mahindra Renault joint venture. M&M will make its maiden entry into the heavy trucks segment with Mahindra Navistar, the joint venture with International Truck, USA. M&M’s automotive division makes a wide range of vehicles including MUVs, LCVs and three wheelers. It offers over 20 models including new generation multi-utility vehicles like the Scorpio and the Bolero. It formerly had a joint venture with Ford called Ford India Private Limited to build passenger cars. Mahindra & Mahindra has a controlling stake in Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles. In 2011, it also gained a controlling stake in South Korea’s SsangYong Motor Company. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), has launched its much awaited SUV, XUV 500, code named as W201 in September  2011. The last ‘500’ in the name is pronounced as ‘5 double-O’ (alphabet). The new SUV by Mahindra has been designed in-house and it is developed on the first global SUV platform that could be used for developing more SUVs. 2. MISSION AND OBJECTIVES Vision: * To create a fully collaborative environment in which suppliers can deliver exactly what the company needs, when it needs it, and at a competitive cost. * â€Å"We don’t have a group-wide mission statement. Our core purpose is what makes all of us want to get up and come to work in the morning† -Anand Mahindra Mission: * To create India’s largest automobile and automobile-related products distribution network by providing dealers and customers with the largest choice of unique world-class products and services. Since 1945, the Mahindra group has built the company around the core idea that people will succeed if they are just given the opportunity. Employees across the Group constantly challenge conventional thinking to create solutions that make a significant difference in the lives of their customers. That’s why everything they build—be it a tractor, financial service, solar-powered lamp, or software—is designed to empower you to reach your potential. Internally, they follow three basic tenets—accepting no limits, thinking alternatively, and driving positive change in everything they do. These brand pillars guide all their actions and business decisions from deciding whether or not to enter a new field or planning a portfolio of services. * We accept no limits, and ask the same of everyone else. In return, they work relentlessly to provide the tools, information, and inspiration to push past limitations and comfort zones. This challenger spirit galvanized us to meet the oil crisis in the 1970s by re-engineering our fuel efficient tractor engines for utility vehicles. It led us to take on the challenge of designing the Scorpio utility vehicle at a cost that many industry experts  thought was impossibly low. They’ve created completely new business models to enter areas others had written off or ignored, like our leading hospitality business and our rural financial services. And they just registered our highest ever profits despite the worst global recession since the Great Depression. This determination influences every aspect of our culture and our employees. As a result, each Mahindra business constantly pushes the envelope and raises the bar as they strive to deliver better value to our customers. * Alternative thinking means solving problems in ways no one has thought of before, by using fewer resources and entering markets thought to be unreachable. Take the Scorpio for example—they developed our best-in-class utility vehicle from the ground up using a process that put drivers’ needs first. Our Energy Solutions help businesses keep going when everyone else’s lights go out. They build two wheelers that provide affordable mobility solutions to more people. And our extensive arrays of innovative IT services are increasing productivity at some of the world’s leading companies. Thinking alternatively isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. * Driving Positive Change: Mahindra is a business with a conscience. Every product they make and each market they explore must make sound economic sense, but it just so happens that smart business decisions are often good for people and communities as well. They strive to spread positive impact through our products and services by greening our manufacturing process and by being a good employer. They want to be counted among the global companies that make incredible products and services, but they also wish to be recognized for creating a better world. From building green homes with the most eco-friendly materials to providing loans to rural entrepreneurs, from designing goods carriers that run on compressed natural gas (CNG) to offering educational programs and supporting Indian theatre, they strive to make a positive impact on all the lives they touch They created a tractor designed for small farming that is enabling farmers to mechanize for the first time. Our motivation to give our best every day comes from our core purpose: we will challenge conventional thinking and innovatively use all our resources to drive positive change in the lives of our stakeholders and communities across the world, to enable them to Rise. Our products and services support our customers’ ambitions to improve their living standards; our responsible business practices positively engage the communities they join through employment, education, and outreach; and our commitment to sustainable business is bringing green technology and awareness into the mainstream through our products, services, and light-footprint manufacturing processes. This commitment to sustainability—social, economic, and environmental—rests upon a set of core values. They are an amalgamation of what they have been, what they are, and what they want to be. These values are the compass that guides our actions, both personal and corporate. They are: * Good corporate citizenship: They will continue to seek long term success in alignment with the needs of the communities they serve. They will do this without compromising on ethical business standards. * Professionalism: They have always sought the best people for the job and given them the freedom and the opportunity to grow. They will continue to do so. They will support innovation and well reasoned risk taking, but will demand performance. * Customer first: They exist and prosper only because of the customer. They will respond to the changing needs and expectations of our customers speedily, courteously and effectively. * Quality focus: Quality is the key to delivering value for money to our customers. They will make quality a driving value in our work, in our products and in our interactions with others. They will do it ‘First Time Right.’ * Dignity of the individual: They will value individual dignity, uphold the right to express disagreement and respect the time and efforts of others. Through our actions, they will nurture fairness, trust, and transparency. 3. SWOT Analysis 4.1 Strengths * Mahindra has been one of the strongest brands in the Indian automobile mark. * Mahindra group give employment to over 110,000 employees. * Excellent branding and advertising, and low after sales service cost. * Sturdy SUV’s good for Indian roads and off-road terrain. * Over the years the company has emerged as one of the top players in the world in terms of number of tractors sold. This gives a clear indication that the company’s market shares one of its biggest strengths. * The company’s ability to introduce new products in the market and to generate sales from those new products is a major strength. * The reason being that this is very essential for any company, for its survival in the long run. The company has established its brand name in other countries of the world as well. * This is evident from the 40% market share that it holds in the 30-40 HP tractors market in the US. 4.2 Weakness * Mahindra’s partnership with Renault did not live up to international quality standards through their brand Logan. * The company is highly dependent on the rural sector, and the rural sector in turn is highly dependent on the monsoons. As a result, if there happen to be bad monsoons (less of rains) for two consecutive years it could have an adverse impact on the demand of tractors for the company. 4.3 Opportunity * Developing hybrid cars and fuel efficient cars for the future. * Tapping emerging markets across the world and building a global brand. * Fast growing automobile market. * Growing in the market through electric car Reva (controlling stake) and entry into two-wheeler segments. * The government has been trying to strengthen the exports of agricultural products. As a result, the quality of agricultural products necessarily has to be very high. For this, they need better rural and agricultural infrastructure. This might result in an  increase in demand for tractors. * In India, the penetration of tractors is 10 tractors per 1000 hectares of cropped area, which is much below the world average of 19 tractors for the same. Thus there is scope for the demand to increase. 4.4 Threats * Government policies for the automobile sector across the world. * Ever increasing fuel prices. * Intense competition from global automobile brands. * Substitute modes of public transport like buses, metro trains etc. * The company has a history of having invested in unrelated diversifications such as telecom, holiday and resort inns, financial services, etc. which it has hived off as subsidiaries from time to time when these turned unmanageable. * This is a cause for concern as such diversifications could divert the company’s attention from its core business. It is a dangerous tendency as it leads to destruction of shareholders value. * The entry of foreign players in the tractors segment could pose a threat to the company as these foreign players are technically more competitive than Mahindra & Mahindra. 4. ACQUISITIONS 5.1 Ssangyong Motor Company India’s Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. completes acquisition of a majority stake in SsangYong Motor Company On March 15, 2011, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), India’s leading manufacturer of utility vehicles, today announced that it has completed all formalities related to the acquisition of a majority stake in SsangYong Motor Company (SYMC) and that the company is no longer in Court Receivership. Mahindra had emerged as the preferred bidder for SsangYong in August 2010. This marks the beginning of a new journey for SYMC and will also pave the way for both Mahindra and SYMC to emerge as a strong force allied together in the global passenger vehicle industry, through their strategic partnership. Present on the occasion were Mr. Bharat Doshi, Executive Director & Group CFO, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and Dr. Pawan Goenka who is President of Mahindra’s Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors. Key officials from the Mahindra Group and SYMC were also present. For Mahindra, the biggest benefit from this partnership  will be the opportunity to harness synergies between the two companies, while protecting their respective brand identities and ensuring quality. Towards this end, a Synergy Council comprising of senior management from both companies will be established to ensure focus and delivery of synergies between the two companies. The Council will focus on various aspects such as global procurement, new car development and business strategy to penetrate international markets. Strategic plans such as the India project which involves launching the Rexton and Korando-C in India have already been kicked off. Also under discussion are opportunities for joint product and technology development and synergy in global operations and purchase. Mahindra has a strong IT system that is being reviewed for suitability for SsangYong. The company is also considering the possibility of Mahindra Finance setting up operations in Korea to enhance the sales of SsangYong vehicles. Mahindra has also proposed the following five point agenda for SsangYong: * Strengthening the product pipeline. * Harnessing synergies between the two companies. * Investing in the SYMC brand. * Building human resources. * Focusing on financial stability. SsangYong has also proposed the following investments: * In 2011, the business plan calls for a 70% investment increase in product development, as compared to last year, at over KRW 200 billion. * Over 40 billion KRW for brand building in Korea – a 60% increase over 2010 – and an increase in overseas brand investment by over four times, in 2011. Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., mentioned that Mahindra was extremely conscious of SYMC’s Korean heritage and would only want to enhance it. SsangYong will be an independently run Korean company – with largely Korean Management – and will remain a ‘Made in Korea’ Brand. He also announced that the new CEO of SYMC will be Mr. Yoo-il Lee, while Mr. Dilip Sundaram from Mahindra will be the new CFO. He also announced the names of the new Board of Directors of SsangYong Motor Company. â€Å"This is a landmark day for all of us at Mahindra  as it marks the beginning of what I am sure will be an enduring partnership with SsangYong Motor Company. I would like to thank all the employees of SsangYong as well as the company’s creditors for the help and cooperation extended to us during this long process. As one of the country’s premier automotive companies, SsangYong brings with it a rich legacy of R&D and innovation. This legacy, coupled with the synergies between the two companies in the areas of R&D, product development and platform sharing, will make the combined entity of Mahindra and SsangYong a force to reckon with in the global utility vehicle space. They are committed to nurturing the SsangYong brand in both the Korean and global markets and returning it to its days of glory,† said Dr. Pawan Goenka. â€Å"Mahindra brings with it a great deal of passion, domain expertise and knowledge of the global UV market, as India’s leading utility vehicle (UV) manufacturer. All of us at SsangYong look forward to working closely with the Mahindra team to help develop a new product portfolio and gain momentum in overseas markets,† said Mr. Yoo-il Lee, CEO, SsangYong Motor Company. 5.2 REVA Electric Car Co Ltd. Mahindra enters high growth electric car segment acquires majority stake in REVA REVA was established in Bangalore in 1994 as a joint venture between the Maini Group of Bangalore, India and AEV LLC of California, US. Its REVA electric vehicle was first commercially available in Bangalore in 2001 and in London in 2004, under the G-Wiz brand. REVA is a technology innovator with the largest deployed fleet of electric cars in the global market today, available in 24 countries across Europe, Asia and Central and South America with more than 3,500 of its vehicles on the road and the accumulated data from more than 100 million km of user experience. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. Today strengthened its position in the Electric Vehicles domain with the acquisition of a majority stake in REVA Electric Car Co Ltd., Bangalore. REVA Electric Car Co Ltd. will be renamed Mahindra REVA Electric Vehicle Co Ltd. Under the new agreement which was signed today by both the companies, M&M will own 55.2% equity in Mahindra REVA by a combination of equity purchase from the promoters and a fresh equity infusion of over Rs 45 crores (approx US $10 million) into the company. The buyout makes the Mahindra group a strong global player in the electric vehicle space. Post  the buyout, the Board of Mahindra REVA has been re-constituted under the chairmanship of Dr Pawan Goenka, President Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra. The new board includes five nominees from Mahindra & Mahindra, two from the Maini family, and one from AEV LLC, California (co-founders of REVA). An independent director will be added to the board subsequently. Mr. Chetan Maini will continue to play a leading role in Mahindra REVA as Chief of Technology & Strategy and will continue to be on the board. Under its core Sustainable Mobility initiative, Mahindra has been working for the last 10 years on developing green technologies and has demonstrated diesel hybrid technology on the Scorpio and hydrogen Alfa three wheelers. Mahindra has a pilot fleet operating with 100% bio-diesel and was the first to launch micro-hybrid technology in India with around 50,000 such micro-hybrids on the road today. In EVs, over and above the electric three-wheeler Bijlee developed in 1999, it is also currently working on an electric version of its mini-truck, Maxximo. Mahindra REVA’s EV technology will be adapted for these and other M&M vehicles. Access to strong EV technology will strengthen Mahindra’s other current sustainability initiatives. REVA is currently marketing its products in 24 countries across the world with an overall vehicle population of over 3500, arguably the largest EV fleet globally. REVA recently premiered its next generation electric car models, the NXR and NXG which received an enthusiastic response. Mahindra REVA will now have access to Mahindra’s vehicle development technology and distribution network, significantly enhancing its ability to launch a state-of-the-art electric vehicle for global markets. Speaking on the acquisition, Mr Anand Mahindra, VC&MD, Mahindra & Mahindra said, â€Å"With issues such as climate change and carbon footprint taki ng centre stage globally, eco-friendly transportation becomes the need of the hour. Mahindra already has an established sustainable mobility solutions programme and our association with REVA will only help us further expand our green footprint both in India and overseas†. Dr Pawan Goenka, President (Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors), Mahindra & Mahindra and the newly elected Chairman of Mahindra REVA said, â€Å"This is a key strategic acquisition for Mahindra in its march towards sustainable mobility. Mahindra and REVA bring together complementary strengths. With  Mahindra’s vehicle engineering expertise, global distribution network, sourcing clout and financing support, REVA’s vehicles have the potential to significantly gain in market penetration. Mahindra will also benefit from REVA’s EV technology for its own products.† Mr Chetan Maini, Chief of Technology & Strategy, of the newly formed Mahindra REVA mentioned, â€Å"The EV market is poised to grow significantly and they concluded that in order to seize the opportunity they needed the resources and experience of a major automotive manufacturer. In Mahindra they have found a company that not only shares our vision of principled and sustainable growth but one that also has a reputation for good corporate governance. As a result of Mahindra’s investment, Mahindra REVA will be able to scale, innovate and accelerate and so to deliver better products to more customers in more places†. 5. GROWTH STRATEGY Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) is the flagship brand of the $12.5 billion Mahindra Group, which operates with a portfolio comprising a wide spectrum of vehicles from two wheelers to heavy trucks, SUVs to school buses. M&M over the years has strengthened its position as one of the country’s premier utility vehicle (UV) and farm Equipment manufacturer with market share of over 50% in UV and 40% in tractors, respectively. It has recently entered 3-wheelers and CV segment. M&M is targeting sale of about 550,000 tractors in FY12E. 6.1 Investor’s Rationale During Q2FY12 net sales of M&M surged by 37.6% to `73,068 million from the `53,113 million in the year-ago quarter, driven by 35.9% and 35.5% growth in its automotive and farm equipment segment, respectively. Though operating margins for the current fiscal are likely to stay under pressure under tight liquidity and rising input cost scenario, they expect the revenues of M&M to reach `300-320 billion in the coming two year. At a time, when consecutive rate hikes, high inflationary data, strikes and  costlier fuel prices have crippled the Indian auto sales manufacturers, M&M has emerged as the only automotive player to have beaten the slowdown comprehensively with a growth of 21% in 2011. Considering M&M’s aggressive growth strategies to expand its global footprint with a range of new variants in the four-wheeler segment, they expect M&M to mark 11-14% rise in its FY12E sales realization. M&M complement the tag of no. 1 tractor manufacturer in the world in terms of volumes, occupying more than 40% of the domestic tractor market. With tractor demand fairly stable despite ongoing economical slowdown, the company is targeting sale of about 550,000 tractors next year. Beside, with the industry providing sufficient headroom for growth, they expect sales from the farm equipment segment of M&M to grow 17-18% by the end of FY12. M&M acquisition of SYMC Motors (SYMC) gives the UV product line of the company an extension into the premium SUV segment with an established foothold in the markets of South America, Russia etc. The management expects 50% volume growth at 113,000-114,000 units for SYMC in CY11 and aims to sell 160,000 units by 2013 and 300,000 units by 2015-16 from the unit. 6.2 High volume in tractor segment drives Q2FY12 revenue During Q2FY12, M&M net sales surged by 37.6% to `73,068 million from the `53,113 million in the year-ago quarter, driven by 35.9% and 35.5% growth in its automotive and farm equipment segment revenue, respectively. Besides, the operating expenditure of the company increased by 43% to `64,866 million mainly due to the increase in raw material cost and employee expenses by 33% and 20% respectively. The strong volume growth across the vehicle and tractors segment despite of a difficult market situation and a tight control on expenses has helped lift the EBITDA by 6.3% to `8,202 million from `7,719 million in the corresponding quarter last year. Further, owing to the sharp rise in the interest and depreciation charges, the net profit margin (NPM) dropped by 375bps to 9.7%. M&M’s standalone net profit at `7,374 million declined 2.8% from `7,585 million in the corresponding period preceding year, due to a foreign exchange loss. The company has suffered a foreign exchange net loss of `320 million, as the rupee fell 8.8% against the dollar  in the July-September quarter. Going further, they expect the revenues of M&M to reach 321 billion in the coming two year, making a contribution of 950-980 basis points to its present EBITDA margins. 6.3 Robust November sales volume, higher realizations to drive performance in FY12E M&M’s November total sales volume in the automotive segment reported a robust growth of 53% (y-o-y) at 40,722 units, with a significant contribution of 38,159 units from the domestic terrain. A high volume growth of 46% in the passenger Utility Vehicles (UVs) segment led the domestic four-wheeler sales while sales volume in the three wheeler segment grew 32% during the month. M&M’s UV and three wheeler export during the month also grew 71% at 2,563 units against 1,500 units a year ago. Meanwhile, M&M’s Farm Equipment Sector division reported a 3% fall in tractor sales to 17,527 units in November with domestic sales falling 5% to 16,175 units backed by issues related to the credit flow to the domestic farm sector. The company’s tractor export increased 33% to 1,352 units during the month against 1018 units sold to overseas market in the same period prior year. At a time, when consecutive rate hikes, high inflationary data, strikes and costlier fuel prices have badly hampered the Indian auto sales numbers; M&M has emerged as the only automotive company to have beaten the slowdown comprehensively with a growth of 21% in 2011. Backed by significant demand for M&M’s premium sports utility vehicle, XUV500, the company is aggressively working to double its production to clear its order backlog of 9,500 units by January 2012. Considering, M&M’s ability to outperform the industry numbers despite strong economic headwinds and its proposed variants in both two-wheeler and four wheeler segment, they expect M&M to mark 11-14% rise in its FY12E sales realization. 6.4 Increased focus in the tractor segment to drive M&M growth in FY13 M&M complement the tag of no. 1 tractor manufacturer in the world in terms of volumes supported by 1,300 dealers with over 2,200 service points, 7 tractor plants and 1 foundry. The tractor segment has been fairly stable during the ongoing economical slowdown and has registered a growth of 20% in the current fiscal. M&M with more than 40% share in the tractor industry of the country has gone a long way in keeping pace with the industry growth. The company is targeting sale of about 550,000 tractors next year. Market share movements have been slower with a 0.5% to 1% change in a year. However, it was successful in penetrating newer villages that accounted 10,000 units in such markets. Growing focus in the tractor division will also provide further assistance to M&M as slowdown in rural consumption has not been experienced yet. Besides, the strong replacement demand will be a key support in the near term as it accounts for 40% of sales. India’s tractor industry is well poised to register 10-12% growth in FY13 and with labor shortage driving the farm mechanization; the industry is likely to register a 20% growth in the coming three years. With the industry providing sufficient headroom for growth, they expect sales from the farm equipment segment of M&M to grow 17-18% by the end of FY12. 6.5 Macro factors- to drive the expected demand for farm equipment The quantum of tractors bought using cash payments has increased to 20-25% of sales in India, compared with 10% earlier, which reflects buoyancy in rural incomes. About 40% of the current tractor demand is from the replacement market. Though there is some concern about rural economy and consumption is slowing down, M&M has not seen any slowdown in rural consumption. Shortage in farm labour has also acted as a key catalyst for tractor demand. Tractors are no longer a luxury for the rich farmers, but a tool for better cost management. 6.6 New launches, foray into new segments to augment future growth In FY11, M&M registered domestic volumes growth of 24% led by new product launches and strong performance from existing product ranges. It launched  Gio, Xylo, Thar, Maximmo, Yuvraj, Genio and Arjun MAT, during the year which is likely to power the company’s growth in future. Besides, M&M has also lined-up new launches, which would help bring additional volumes. It is ready to enter the market with a new SUV, 4-seater electric car, re-launch of Stallio motorcycle, two new versions of Verito, one SUV with SsangYong in India, aerospace components and mine protected vehicle (MPV-I). M&M’s recently launched XUV500 SUV received remarkable response from the domestic consumers. Priced at `10.8 lakhs, the company has rightly positioned XUV500 in the market for people who desires something above `7 lakhs and below `15-20 lakhs. As a result, M&M’s the XUV500 has gone a long way to set a booking record of 8,000 units in just 10 days of being launched in 5 cities of the country. 6.7 SYMC to add value in premium UVs Acquisition of SYMC Motors (SYMC) gives the UV product line of the company an extension into the premium SUV segment. SYMC has a distribution network of over 130 dealers in Korea and 1,200 dealers in more than 90 countries. The acquisition gives M&M access to SYMC’s popular product portfolio with an established foothold in the markets of South America, Russia, Eastern and Western Europe, and Africa which bodes well for M&M‘s plans to launch a global SUV this year. The management has guided 50% volume growth at 113,000-114,000 units for SYMC in CY11, with the recent launch of Korando-C. Thus, the acquisition of Korean company SYMC augurs well for M&M in the long term, placing it on a new growth trajectory. As debt woes continue to plague one of its largest markets Europe SYMC is eyeing to enter emerging markets including India, China and Russia playing a bigger role in a bid to boost volumes in 2012 with a year-on-year volume growth of 40%. The company aims to sell 160,000 units by 2013 and 300,000 units by 2015-16. M&M-SYMC have finalised a combined future product portfolio strategy, which will see 3 new platforms and 4 new products coming in from both partners. The new sourcing strategy for M&M-SYMC is being put into  place, which will see both companies sourcing an enormous $20 billion of components over the next 5 years. This huge sourcing is expected to bring in economies of scale and reduce the cost for the duo. 6.8 Strategic growth plan for Mahindra Navistar to drive M&M future growth Mahindra Navistar Automotives Limited (MNAL), which is a 51:49 joint venture between M&M and Navistar Inc., is planning to launch at least two new models—a 49-tonne tractor trailer and a 25-tonne tipper for the mining sector in H2FY12E. Intending to establish a pan India presence, the company further intends to increase its current 48 dealership across various cities to around 100 by adding 50 new dealers by the end of FY13E. With a targeted growth of 9% in the second half of FY12E, the company is planning to see cash break-even in the next 12 months. Further, the company is planning to invest around `2.50 billion to add few more variants in the heavy-duty goods commercial vehicles segment, which in turn will help the company ramp up volumes and use its factory capacity fully in the next three years. 6.9 M&M eyes to enter larger South Asian market The largest utility vehicle maker of the country is planning to set up an assembly plant in Southeast Asia in the next few years as a part of its strategy to expand its global presence through its entry to markets in Thailand and Indonesia. Currently, M&M exports vehicles to Malaysia and is aiming to expand to other markets in ASEAN region. Over the next four to five years, M&M sees at least 15-20% of its total export volumes coming from this region. In FY11, M&M exported 17,000 units of utility vehicles and pick-ups and around 11,000 tractors. The company is aiming to double overseas revenues to more than $1 billion by 2013 and is aiming two-fold increase in volumes to 100,000 units. 6.10 M&M to launch its first compact Car in 2012 M&M is eyeing to launch its first compact car after it acquired Reva  Electric Car Company in 2001. The SUV-maker is aggressively working to launch its first compact car in the country Reva NXR by 2012. With a mileage of about 9.6 km for every `3 spent, the Reva NXR, ensures nine times the mileage generated by the country’s most fuel-efficient petrol-powered car. At a time, when petrol prices are breaking new highs M&M expects its Reva NXR to seek significant attention from the consumers who spend `7,000-8,000 every month on petrol. Beside, M&M is also establishing one of world’s biggest manufacturing bases for electric cars of 30,000 units per annum near Bangalore, which is likely to commence production in FY13. With increased demand for electric cars, M&M apart from its marketing strategy to sell its Reva NXR through an expanded network of 100 outlets in India, the company is also mulling over rolling its new electric car model in countries like Norway, which houses the highest consumer market for electric cars in the world. After M&M lead development in the electric car market of India, many other car makers are also developing concept vehicles to cater to the emerging demand for Electric vehicles in India in the years to come. Polaris India, a major multi terrain vehicle manufacturing company is planning to introduce electric cars to Indian market. Considering the rising fuel prices, the impact on power and utilities companies of the electric vehicle market is likely to attain consumer attention in medium to long term. 6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The part of Indian automotive industry in Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd comprises of a number of Indian-origin and multinational players with varying degree of presence in different segments. Today, nine of the top ten global automotive manufacturers have a presence in India which clearly points to its importance as a strategic market. Similarly, the domestic tractor market also has a mix of Indian-origin and international manufacturers and is segmented by horsepower. While the automotive segment is doing well and has already clocked an average volume growth of 28% in April and May 2012, it may face problems in the form of policy decisions. The proposal to impose a higher excise duty on diesel cars/SUVs, which is yet to be implemented, is like a Damocles sword hanging over the company. The differential in diesel pricing, which means charging less for transport trucks and more for diesel cars/SUVs, is another proposal that can make life difficult for Mahindra & Mahindra. Though the company cannot do anything about the monsoon, the management is taking several steps to revive growth in the farm segment and maintain a high growth rate in the automotive segment. With this in mind, Mahindra & Mahindra is set to launch six new products, which will cover both the segments, during 2012-13. Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, the only manufacturer of electric cars in India, plans to introduce at least five such vehicles in the next three years to take advantage of a government plan to spend Rs. 14,000 crore to boost the popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles in the country. Therefore Mahindra is considered at the top in the automobile sector as of date. The growth strategy adopted by the company will have a colourful future for the company.

Early Childhood Essay

In Jamaica not much is recorded about the early history of Early Childhood in Jamaica except for the contribution of the early theorist and Pioneers and what they contributed throughout its early development. In the early history of Early Childhood in Jamaica the majority of children’s education was not given priority not much thought was given to their developmental process and teachers who taught them were not properly trained. It was decided that every child had a right to proper education. The early childhood commission is an agency of the Ministry of Education. The Early Childhood Commission Act (2003) commissioned a special body, the Early Childhood Commissioned (ECC) to direct all early childhood activities and develop suitable plans and program for the entire childhood sector. Early childhood education in Jamaica has made significant progress since the Inspection and Regulatory System for Early Childhood Institutions (ECIs) was established in 2007 by the Early Childhood Commission, following legislation for the Early Childhood Act and Regulations. The ECC is responsible for the comprehensive development of all children from birth to eight years of age. The comprehensive approach to early childhood development was the driver behind the development of the cross-sectoral National Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Development, 2008-2013, which was formulated after broad consultation with stakeholders and research on the status of services for young children. In 2012 the commission carried out an inspection of Early Childhood Institutions and found out this:. A total of 2,834 institutions were identified of which 91 per cent applied for registration. Seventy-five per cent were community basic schools, 20 per cent day care/nursery/pre-school and kindergarten and five per cent infant schools. 2277 ECIs were inspected: 80 per cent of all ECIs and 89 per cent of all those that have applied for registration. Early Pioneers of Early Childhood in Jamaica Reverend Henry Ward (1879 – 1981) was one of the earlier pioneers in the history of early childhood in Jamaica. He was a trained teacher who graduated from the Mico Teachers College. Reverend Ward approach to early childhood development was that every aspect in a child’s development should be considered so he took into account the physical, mental and social aspect in developing a child. Reverend Ward believed that every child had a right to proper education, which he thought began with suitable day care facilities, he established the first play centre in Islington, St Mary in 1938. Being a member of the Board of Education Reverend Ward was instrumental in a resolution which saw the establishment of play centres throughout the island which catered for children 3-7 years. Dudley R. B. Grant (1915-1988) – was a graduate of the Mico Teachers College who held many post in the teaching profession. Mr. Grant was the Director of the Bernard Van Leer Foundation which played a pivotal part in the history of early childhood development by training of teacher in Jamaica. In 1968 he launched the first early childhood month in Jamaica; his view was to increase public awareness on the importance of early childhood education. Mr. Grant was also instrumental in the training, salary increase of basic school teachers and also curriculum development for basic school children. Projects established by Mr. Dudley Grant: †¢ Resource Centre training Unit for training resources centre officers †¢ Teenage Mothers Project †¢ Summer Bachelor of Education (B. ED) Early Childhood Programme †¢ North Coast Project Reverend Marjorie Prentice Saunders (1913 -2009) – was born in St Mary in 1913, she became a lawyer at the age of 23, Miss Saunders worked as a traveling organizer for the United Church in Jamaica whilst traveling across the island she noticed that untrained persons were responsible for and operating schools for children. After her observation she established the first six week basic training course in 1950. A selection was done of six individual from six parishes, they were trained and became the first trained school teachers in Jamaica. She also trained teachers at the Kelly Lawson training center. Reverend Saunders is the founding member of several well known basic, preparatory and high schools. She is accredited with the creation and organization of programs for youth and homeless children across the island. In 2005 Reverend Saunders was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The fall of the Disciples Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The fall of the Disciples - Research Paper Example It is said that he prayed the whole night for these men. When he called them, many of them seemed to be unlikely choices, but they all chose to follow him. As they continued their walk with Christ, he often prayed for them as stated in John 17. Even in instances when the disciples were less than steadfast in their walk, Jesus was still there to support and pray for them. In Luke 22:31, the Lord talks to his disciple Simon about prayers for him, he tells him that he will pray for him even if the devil tries to snatch him away. It is this commitment to his followers and his constant intercession for them that leads to their success in the future1. Jesus did not select persons of great educational merit. None of the disciples had studied law or done any scholarship work. Regardless of this, Jesus still chose them to be his followers. In doing so, he wanted to demonstrate to the world that any of them could become just like the disciples. Their commitment to the Lord was what caused them to become great men. He was also making a statement that the grand plan of salvation did not require majestic men. In several instances, these disciples proved that they were worthy of their calling. Peter, who happened to be Jesus’ favorite, exhibited a moment of great faith when he walked on water. Jesus had provided no safety cushion or anchor for him, and Peter only relied on his word for success. In fact, it was this great display of faith that earned him the right to witness Christ’s transfiguration. The extraordinary things carried out by this individual were such that they would convey great hope for the future of humanity. Jesus had initially declared that those who became his disciples would have to hate their families and everything else that mattered to them in order to fulfill the divine plan. Many of them sacrificed their personal lives for the sake of the Gospel. They remained loyal to him and experienced the rejection that he experienced. Essentially, they demonstrated an allegiance to the Lord that would eventually cause Christianity to manifest. This decision to stay with him was indicative of their conviction and strength2. Additionally, in Christ’s lifetime, the disciples performed supernatural acts through his name. In Luke 10:1 Jesus commanded the seventy to go and heal the sick. He also added that the kingdom of God would come near them in the same chapter. Luke 10:17 proves that they took his words seriously since they came back rejoicing to Christ. The seventy affirmed that it was possible to subdue demons through his name. These acts show that the disciples had faith in Jesus. At the time, it was sufficient enough to reach the supernatural realm. Feeble faith A number of disciples seemed to lack confidence in his ability to lead spiritually. Therefore, they displayed a great degree of ignorance that was unexpected from people who spent almost all their time with Jesus. A case in point was the case of the miracle of the five loaves and two fish. At the time, Christ instructed Andrew to find food within the crowd. When he came back, Andrew asserted that there were only five loaves and two fish to be found. He then asked what could come from such a small quantity if the crowd was so large. This statement implied that he had little faith in Jesus’ ability. One would expect more from a person who has seen Jesus perform miracles in the past3. The disciples also failed to

This casestudy is under the course of Market Analysis Case Study

This casestudy is under the course of Market Analysis - Case Study Example smaller brands have fewer customers who purchase less often, low market share, low penetration, and slightly lower loyalty: lower SCR, lower % of solely loyal. According to the table 2.1, it shows the second large of market share category is Little Barrel. High peak need to take over Little barrel. The first question that this analysis would seek to address is whether little Barrel as a brand of High Peak has normal loyalty. Considering that the Little Barrel has a lot of similarities with the products of the same category, it is expected that competition will be high. This notwithstanding, shoppers behavior will demand that they show loyalty to specific brands. (Chee, Ken, and Adam Wong, 24) Such shoppers’ behaviors have been demonstrated through Dirichlet model which indicates that brands that consumers tend to buy are those that they feel loyal to. (Chernev, Alexander, 26) This behavior disregards the fact that some consumers may buy other brands as well, but the rate at which they buy specific brands indicates the loyalty they have to the brand. (Chee, Ken, and Adam Wong, 24) To understand whether the Little Barrel has normal lo yalty brand, it is critical to understand ways upon which loyalty can be measured, this will give clear indications of the competitiveness of the brand in comparison with other brands in the category. The key way in which loyalty is measured is through the product penetration particularly on the basis of the sale volume and the market share. (Dalgic, Tevfik, 15) Based on all factors that point to that direction, it is clear that Little Barrel has a normal loyalty. Comparing the penetration level the brand has. The next consideration that needs to be examined is whether there are niche brands in the market. Niche branding may also be referred to as the narrow branding. (Dalgic, Tevfik, 16) This is the strategy through which a brand connects with individual customers which it targets. The strategy is in most cases seen to be

Types and Characteristics of Muscles Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Types and Characteristics of Muscles - Lab Report Example The muscle tissue has the capability of relaxing and contracting hence; bringing about movement in various parts of the body. These movements include the heart beat and movements within the abdominal region. Muscle tissues also help the veins and lymph system to enable the circulation of blood in the body. This is normally achieved by the cardiac muscle tissue. The skeletal muscle tissue is involved in respiration (Marieb & Hoehn, 2008). These muscles also enhance the movement of tissues which allow an individual to make various facial expressions. In this category, there are three types of muscle tissue, which include the smooth muscle tissue, cardiac muscle tissue and the skeletal muscle tissue. There are several similarities and differences which are considered when comparing smooth and skeletal muscles. In both muscles, the reactions are mainly caused by impulses in the membrane and the augmenting of intracellular calcium ions. They also gain their energy from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) (Marieb & Hoehn, 2008). On the other hand, the smooth muscles relax and contract slowly as compared to the skeletal muscles. It is also observed that the smooth muscles have the ability to change their length without any change in tautness. However, this is not the case in the skeletal muscles. The contraction of a muscle usually takes place in a strategic manner. This is explained in the sliding filament theory. When an electrical impulse moves to the sarcolemma through the motor neurone, the neurotransmitters diffuse across the neuromuscular junction and bind the receptors in the muscle cell membrane. This facilitates depolarization hence; the calcium ions move out of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and bond with troponin on the actin filaments. This also facilitates the movement of tropomyosin and the myosin head binds to the actin filament. This facilitates contraction of the muscle. The neuromuscular junction is the region where the axons of motor nerves meet the muscle

Emmanuel gallery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Emmanuel gallery - Essay Example The featured artwork for this review has the title Raze the Roof #1, and is a wall-hung collage composed of latex rubber, wood, acrylic, human hair and white cotton cloth. The artwork is two-dimensional, and has thin strips of wood placed side-by-side and attached to a large piece of cotton fabric with the use of acrylic. The fabric is shaped in such a way that it seems to be hanging or dangling from somewhere. There is also the use of hair strands as well as making the wooden strips seem like these were peeled off and re-attached to the fabric. By adding creases and folds to the cloth, this makes the artwork seem natural. The artist is known to create artworks that evoke different senses that seem primal. By working on textures instead of just creating easy-to-understand images, Page’s artworks bring a sense of awe and stirring of emotions. The different components of the artworks are arranged in such a way that the forms are seen as harmonious. The artwork featured in this review is arranged in a different way, and that it gives off a vibe of being stripped out of all out shells, as well as showing a sense of freedom due to leaving off pretentiousness. Also, the feeling of nakedness and being vulnerable is evoked, especially upon seeing the parts with hair strands, almost like raw skin. For me, the artwork resonates with the artist’s aim to show that humans can be as basic as nature, using only the skin and bones as the point of contact. I like artworks such as this, which is able to convey emotions even without making an obvious visual image of a person.

Accounting Ethics Breach Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accounting Ethics Breach - Research Paper Example As the essay declares  the Enron scandal was revealed in October 2001, and it resulted in the bankruptcy of Enron Corporation, an energy company based in Huston, Texas, United States. Enron failure became the largest bankruptcy reorganization in the US history at that time, and it was the biggest audit failure. The merging of Huston Natural Gas and InterNorth led to the formation of Enron in 1985. Several years later the company hired Jeffrey Skilling as the president and COO of Enron, and he created special purpose entities through the use of accounting loopholes to hide huge amount of debts from failed projects. Skilling, with the help of Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow and other executives misled the firm’s board of directors and audit committee, and continued to follow high risk accounting practices.  This discussion stresses that the company shareholders filed a $40 billion lawsuit against Enron. Subsequently the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) decla red an investigation. Although Enron’s competitor Dynegy had offered to take over the company at a cheap price, the deal failed. As a result, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection under the Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.  Skilling often verbally attacked individuals who pointed out issues with Enron’s accounting practices. However, those industry analysis reports questioning the high stock prices of Enron made company shareholders doubtful about Enron’s profitability.

Court Terms Law Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Court Terms Law Assignment - Research Paper Example The party presenting the offer to the offeree can realize that the offeree did not have the intention of signing the contract, by verifying the consent of the offeree before allowing him or her to sign the form. At the same time, the offeror can test the offeree’s knowledge of the contents of the terms and conditions, by asking sample questions from the terms. The third way to test the offeree is by explaining the consequences of signing, and the implication of signing without consent. The seriousness of the terms will enable the offeree to be serious and eliminate all jokes when it comes to signing the consent. If the offeree insists on signing, the offeror provides enough time to the offeree to go through the clauses of the agreement before finally signing. The offeror can select the most critical clauses and expose them as matters of priority to the offeree before allowing him or her to sign. All actions must be before signing because after then, the signed terms are valid for critical transactions. In this case, the offeree will have no option other than to read the entire terms and conditions.Exercise 3: ConsiderationAgreement fails to get consideration if there is lack of consideration. At the same time, if there is an additional term that was not present from the onset, the rule of acceptance does not agree with the agreement in a case where A enforces a promise by making offers to B and B does not agree to the terms and conditions of the agreements.... All actions must be before signing because after then, the signed terms are valid for critical transactions. In this case, the offeree will have no option other than to read the entire terms and conditions. Exercise 3: Consideration Agreement fails to get consideration if there is lack of consideration. At the same time, if there is an additional term that was not present from the onset, the rule of acceptance does not agree with the agreement in a case where A enforces a promise by making offers to B and B does not agree to the terms and conditions of the agreements. In this case, A promises to present the terms and conditions for amendment, and B confirms that he or she has read the terms and understood them before signing the agreement. It lacks consideration because there is no consent of the offeree. Exercise 4: Agreement The agreement that A and B entered into could certainly not be enforced, since it lacked consideration. This is because it lacked acceptance due to unclear ter ms and conditions. Nevertheless, according to the theory of consent, offeror A would succeed in enforcing the agreement after B has read and signed the consent. This theory requires the offeree B to prove the following: That he or she has read every section of the terms and conditions of the agreement That he or she is serious and is in his or her right conscious That he or she has understood the terms and conditions of the agreement That he or she is interested in the contract and has willingly accepted the terms and conditions. Exercise 5: Reality of Consent and Fraud Perpetration Parties to a binding contract can perpetrate frauds and forgeries through impersonation or use of false unwarranted

Steategic management- ADOBE Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Steategic management- ADOBE - Research Paper Example The company has a well defined corporate strategic management base employing some of the best skills circling basic the realms of corporate resources. This paper purports to explore the basic concepts that Adobe utilizes through marketing, financial strategies, Research and Development, Human Resource Management, Information Technology and Operation and Logistics, evaluating which of them is most competent to the business and how they are relevant to the future of the business. It also looks into the viable internal factors that management can outsource to other companies, while looking at the future of the business and its ability to remain relevant in a diversifying and competing business environment (Morden, 398). As a research driven company, Adobe researchers strive to remain on their toes in order to remain relevant in the ever changing information technology world. Researchers ensure to create the best innovations for clients. To make this doable, the company employs passionate individuals, who remain committed leaders and trustworthy to the creativity process. The company ensures that the innovators get the support they need and gives them the freedom to roam around their ideas. Additionally, the company holds collaborative projects with other companies as well as universities. The universities’ Information Technology Faculties are important because in order to advance to the future, technological advancement is core especially in the Information Systems and Technology techniques, which is the main focus of Adobe Company. Adobe’s inter-faculty relationship strategies between IT and engineering in collaborating universities make the research and development practice sharp ed ged. Consequently, the company provides some of the best software in the market like Content-Aware Fill in Photoshop CS5. It also invests heavily in employing PhD researchers who provide radical innovations for the company’s

Reducing Gases Emitted from Car Engines Essay Example for Free

Reducing Gases Emitted from Car Engines Essay The automobile industry has become one of the leading pollutants in most urban centers today. The emission of various gases from million of vehicles in roads has contributed to major global problem. Personal cars have emerged as the most notorious ones for this problem especially when they are moving at slow speeds or idling in traffic jams. This is the time when this man made gadgets produces the maximum emissions to the atmosphere with every body around that traffic absorbing the poison. Gasoline and diesel fuels combustion produces a mixture of hydrocarbons mainly carbon atoms, hydrogen as well as oxygen. The hydrocarbons are emitted as fragments of molecules of fuels which are burned partially. They do reactions with nitrogen oxides and in sunlight’s presence to create ground level ozone which becomes a main part of smog. This Ozone is harmful to human health as well as being toxic and sometimes causes cancer. Nitrogen Oxides (NOX) is produced in conditions of high pressure and temperature in the engine. Some nitrogen and oxygen atoms form nitrogen oxides after the reaction. NOX also contribute to creation of ozone as well as acidic rains which are harmful to the environment. NO2 which is much more potential than carbon dioxide as a green house gas is produced in the engine by catalytic conversion of heavy nitrogen gases in car exhausts systems. It contributes up about 7. 2 percent of gases responsible for global warming. Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless and poisonous gas is emitted from car engines after incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon-based fuels. It comprises of one atom of carbon and one oxygen atom interlinked together. Jeff Cohen asserts that, these results from having too low air-to fuel ratios in the car engine during the starting process of the car or when the car is not tuned on in the proper way. 1 This also takes place in higher altitudes in which case the amount of oxygen available for burning the fuel is greatly lowered. Transportation sources especially personal cars contributes to about two thirds of carbon monoxide. Carbon dioxide has been perceived as complete combustion product but of late it has been seen as a pollutant since it is a green house gas which traps the heat from the earth resulting to global warming. Of late, Bio-diesel has come up as one of the main renewable fuels and a provider of good opportunity for getting fossil fuel alternatives that assist in reducing emission of these green gases. It is capable of creating good blends in different ratios with diesel either fresh or the used up oil. This implies that Bio-diesel when used either completely or partially with diesel fuel in deferent vehicle engines brings about some economical, environmental as well as social merits. On the other hand, while Bio-diesel contributes to these changes, it also has some challenges on the uncontrolled substances which comprises of carbonyl compounds that are released in the process of emitting the combusted bio-diesels or bio-diesel and diesel blends. Since the fuels are quite different from the normal diesel fuels, they can change the injection as well as ignition processes. Due to this, the emission of green house gases such as CO, CO2, and NOX are greatly affected. This research aims at evaluating the effects of bio-diesel on combustion of diesel fuels as well as their emissions and control in order to obtain a picture of the opportunities and challenges provided by the bio-diesel fuels. 1. Jeff, C. Does Idling Your Car Hurt Gas mileage? Solve Your Problem. com, 2007, retrieved 28 May 2009, http://www. solveyourproblem. com/save-money-on-gas/idling-car-gas-mileage. shtml. Problem statement Most the current car engines are designed to use diesel fuel which is notorious for emitting green house gases. Other engines which employ diesel and bio-diesel mixture have not indicated the most appropriate ratio of mixing the fuels and the optimum speed and rack to emit the least amount of these gases to the atmosphere. The research therefore seeks to obtain the best ration of mixing diesel with bio-diesel or waste oil and the best rack to emit the least amount of gases to the atmosphere. Theses Statement Obtaining the most appropriate ratio of mixing fuels for car engines would assist in reducing the amount of green house emitted from these cars. This would help to aviate the global challenges imposed by the foresaid problem. Objectives Main Objective The main aim of the research is to reduce the amount of green house gases emitted from car diesel engines. Specific objectives These include obtaining the best ratio of mixing several fuels; either diesel with bio-diesel, diesel with waste oil or bio-diesel with waste oil or the best engine speed and rack for this. Scope of the research The research would investigate the most appropriate ratio of mixing different fuels but it has some limitations of financial resources and time. Literature Review There is much concern all over the globe to reduce the emission of green house gases by 10% in the near future. Much emphasis has been on emissions of these gases from transportation fuels. In 2005, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) New Delhi came up with a passenger car engine that operated on bio-diesel fuel. This was developed from modifications of the traditional Indica diesel engine that was made some few years ago. The engine used 10 per cent of bio-diesel fuel mixed with diesel to operate the engine. This development, however experiences some significant challenges in that it would take a lot of duration for any manufacture to come up with fully developed bio-diesel engine cars. In March 2009, United Environment and Energy LLC chemists came up with fixed-bed reactor design that was considered energy-efficient and high through in put continuous flow. It was perceived as cost-effective for production of algae oil bio-diesel. This was termed as the first economical approach in production of bio-diesel from algae oil. Although, the design has been able to reduce cost by 40% it did not reduce the emission of green house gases to an effective percentage. Tsinghua University researchers in China in May 2009 tried to use sugarcane juice as a good feedstock indented for production of bio-diesel if utilized to give support to alga Chlorella protothecoides through the process of heterotrophic fermentation. This produced oil content of about 53. 0% by weight of dry cell. In May 2009, Iowa State University Researchers presented a proposal on dissolution of waste polystyrene (PS) in bio-diesel. This aimed at making the bio-diesel for consumption in motor vehicles more so in diesel engines as an approach to recover energy from the waste plastic. The researchers pointed out that the use of polystyrene-bio-diesel blends would lead to increase in engine power thus reduced emissions of green house gases. This still intents increase polystyrene concentrations with 5% as per the study. To help reduce the emissions of green house gases, Tom Harkin and some US senators, in June 2009 proposed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to halt inclusion of in direct land use change effects as contributor to life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions in rule making indented for carrying out updated Renewable Fuels Standard that demands all bio-fuels to meet some defined life-cycle green house gas emission reduction targets prior to qualification. This research intents to come up with a more convenient approach of reducing the gases emitted from motor car diesel engines by obtaining the most optimum ratio of mixing bio-diesel, waste oil and diesel in car engine at the optimum engine speed. Research Methodology The research is conducted by experimenting the amount of green gases released from a diesel engine when diesel, bio-diesel, and waste oil are used at different to obtain different engine torques while the engine is increases from initial speed of 1500 rpm to 3200 rpm. The three fuels are used either purely or mixed with each other at different ratios while the rack is either maintained at 50% or at 100%. The amount of gases emitted for each condition is recorded in a table. The calves for the different gases emitted obtained at different speeds and racks are then plotted in several graphs. This is used to obtain the best fuel mixture and optimum speed and rack which release the least amount of gases to the atmosphere.

The issue of global food security in the future

The issue of global food security in the future Introduction Food is a necessity for life, yet millions of people every day go without it, due to a lack of global food security. Food has been used for millenniums to bring people together, yet there are people in poverty every day that don’t know where their next meal is coming from. With the population steadily growing, now is a more important time than ever to eradicate hunger around the world. Description of the issue With the population set to have increased by more than 35% (Foley, 2014) in 2050, we will be faced with the reality of having to feed nine billion people. For this to be achievable, crop production would need to double, as it would have to significantly outpace population growth. With millions currently starving around the world, global food security doesn’t seem achievable. However, if we work together and are guided by the principles of human flourishing, the agriculture industry should be able to grow alongside our population, eventually resulting in food security for all. Reasons why this issue is one associated with social justice The United Nations (un.org, n.d.) defines social justice as â€Å"an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability†. Food stability is an issue associated with social justice due to the millions of people starving around the world every day because of a lack of access to food, or an inability to purchase it. Food is a necessity to live, and therefore should be available to all, regardless of geographic location, economic status, or any other disability. Stakeholders involved in this issue and analysis of their perspectives Scientific research and development bodies play a vital role in the issue of food security going forward. Global partnerships such as CGIAR work towards research for agricultural production in the developing world. Their aim is to â€Å"identify significant global development problems that science can help solve; collect and organize knowledge related to these development problems; develop research programs to fill the knowledge gaps to solve these development problems; catalyze and lead putting research into practice, and policies and institutions into place, to solve these development problems; lead monitoring and evaluation, share the lessons we learn and best practices we discover; conserve, evaluate and share genetic diversity; and strengthen skills and knowledge in agricultural research for development around the world† (CGIAR, n.d.). Through their aims, they hope to achieve four main goals: reduce rural poverty, improve food security, improve nutrition and health, and have sustainably managed natural resources. CGIAR believe that science can make radical changes to the current issue of food security, and it has been cited that â€Å"one dollar invested in CGIAR research results in about nine dollars in increased productivity in developing nations† (CGIAR, n.d.). Partnerships and bodies such as CGIAR want the current situation in regards to food security to change, as they realized that the present condition is neither sustainable, nor fair, and while it may not be easily fixed, scientific breakthroughs make the issue of food security appear to be one that can be solved. Farmers make up for 60% of the worlds population (apcentral.collegeboard.com, n.d.), yet they are constantly under threat from large corporations buying up their land. Many countries also face the issue of how to ensure increased efficiency in farming the land we already have, as Foley (2014) states â€Å"most of the land cleared for agriculture in the tropics does not contribute much to the world’s food security but is instead used to produce cattle, soybeans for livestock, timber, and palm oil. Avoiding further deforestation must be a top priority.† There are currently â€Å"yield gaps† between existing production levels and those possible in areas such as Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. â€Å"Using high-tech, precision farming systems, as well as approaches borrowed from organic farming, we could boost yields in these places several times over† (Foley, 2014), which is important in providing more food to the world, while not increasing the size of the agricultural footprint. If farmers were able to invest in these technologies, such as subsurface drip irrigation, cover crops, and mulches, there may be a high upfront cost, but they would be producing more, which would lead to them increasing their profit once the produce is sold. With a higher profit, these small farmers may be able to better stand their ground against large corporations. These methods of organic farming are also more environmentally friendly, which is important as issues such as climate change have a large impact on agriculture. While it is often believed that small farmers are better, putting more heart and soul into what they do, there is still a role for multinational agribusinesses in the road towards food security. Many of these businesses, such as Monsanto, have been working to develop products, and methods to help farmers grow more on the land they have. Agribusinesses work closely with the scientific research and development bodies, as they are often the largest investors. Companies, like Monsanto, have spent millions on developing agricultural innovations in key areas, such as breeding, where they select the more desirable traits from existing plants; biotechnology, where they add these beneficial traits into the DNA of another plant; integrated farming systems (IFS), which helps farmers utilise the resources they have for maximum yield, while reducing the amount of wasted resources; and chemistry, where studies are done to minimise environmental impact of herbicides, while still protecting crops from pests (Monsanto.com, n.d.). Companies like Monsanto recognise that they need to invest further in agriculture, as the lack of food security means that they are being badly perceived, and largely blamed, due to their for-profit nature, and their use of terminator genes in their seeds, leaving a heavy financial burden on farmers, as they are unable to use the seeds again for next year. Many foods are already genetically modified, but Monsanto’s lack of ethical boundaries in doing so (such as the terminator gene to boost their profits, and crops that will only work in conjunction with their other products to gain and to capture a captive market), has resulted in public outcry against the corporation worldwide. Protest against the company has come from all corners of the globe, not just the United States, and Australia, as it is the farmers in the developing world that are most effected. These sort of issues need to be addressed if we are to produce enough food for the growing population, as all farmland ne eds to be utilised efficiently, not just those farmers who can afford it. Analysis of the issue in relation to the common good and the principles of human flourishing The common good can be defined as benefiting everybody in the world. Human flourishing comes from the Greek word eudemonia, which is a core idea to Aristotelian philosophy. It promotes the idea that by working together, and finding meaning in our lives, we will flourish as a whole. The principles of human flourishing guide us in ways we can work together and find the meaning we need to achieve this. Global food security is an issue affecting the word, where the current injustice of the many people left malnourished needs to be responded to at a global level. The common good urges us to work together in collaboration to take responsibility for those around us, and pursue conditions in which we can achieve a life that is good for all, not just a majority. In order to achieve this, we must fight against injustices, such as Monsanto’s mistreatment of small farmers, at both local and global levels. Charity organizations can only do so much to help, and promoting the common good often challenges many current social values, and social structures that allow these injustices to take place without government interference. The main principles of human flourishing relating to the issue of food security is: the dignity of the human person, preferential option for the poor, stewardship of creation, and solidarity. The dignity of the human person is an important principle in food security, as it promotes the rights of those who may not be able to bring attention to their needs themselves. Avocation is important, as it is often those who need the most help that are unable to ask for it. Many small farmers in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe are struggling to produce enough food, not just for global consumption, but also for themselves. Due to their nature as small farmers and not multination businesses, their voice isn’t often heard when speaking out against the problems in the agriculture industry worldwide, such as Monsanto’s use of terminator genes in their seeds, which further disadvantages the poor. The poor cannot afford to keep buying new seeds every season, often relying on the seeds gathered from last season to replant. This keeps costs low for small farmers, and allows them to increase their profit margin. Monsanto’s use of the terminator gene means that the seeds can only be used once, and often only used when combined with other Monsanto products. Monsanto has been suffering public backlash over these issues for years as a result. A preferential option for the poor would see governments and not-for-profit organizations providing resources, such as non-genetically modified seed, or fertilizer, to these smaller farmers, allowing them to kick start their production. This would utilize the land already cleared for farming, and reduce environmental impact as well. Stewardship of creation is the principle of looking after the planet. Agriculture has already lead to â€Å"an area roughly the size of South America† (Foley, 2014) being cleared for crops, and even more land â€Å"roughly the size of Africa† (Foley, 2014) has been cleared as pastureland for livestock. This has resulted in the loss of whole ecosystems, and is not sustainable. Particularly with the rise of global warming, deforestation is not an option. In order for us to maintain the planet for future generations, we must use the land we have available more efficiently so we can still produce enough to provide food security. It is our responsibility to care for the planet, so it can care for us in return. Solidarity is the principle that it is our responsibility to care for each other across racial, economic, cultural, national, and ideological differences, while promoting rights for every person. In order to accommodate their needs, we must first recognize that everybody is different; while there are people starving in developing nations around the world, there are also many homeless and hungry people right here in Sydney that require our help. Their needs may differ greatly, despite their common problem of a shortage of food. Solidarity is recognizing those abroad, as well as those at home, and working towards global food security together. A proposed resolution for realising the common good In order to reach global food security by 2050, we must take steps now to be able to achieve the common good. With scientific developments, we are able to better develop the land we already have available, allowing us to produce more without further damaging the environment. By utilising high-tech farming systems, we can work towards reducing the yield gaps we currently have, boosting the output from these areas, as well as providing a much more reliable source of income to these small farmers. With the scientific research and developments that have taken, and are currently taking place, small farmers are able to better understand the best ways to work their land, not only to create a higher yield, but also to save and use resources more efficiently. This helps the environment, as up to 70% of water is used in agriculture, and also saves the small farmers money. A big part of realising the common good is understanding our part in it on an individual scale as well. We may not be scientists or farmers, but by participating in actively changing our diet, we, too, can help global food security be achievable by 2050. As Foley (2014) states, â€Å"for every 100 calories of grain we feed animals, we get only about 40 new calories of milk, 22 calories of eggs, 12 of chicken, 10 of pork, or 3 of beef. Finding more efficient ways to grow meat and shifting to less meat-intensive diets—even just switching from grain-fed beef to meats like chicken, pork, or pasture-raised beef—could free up substantial amounts of food across the world†. Conclusion Global food security is an issue that affects us all. Agriculture is one of the oldest and largest industries in the world, but it still has a long way to go before it is able to cater for the growing population. However, the issue has been recognised, and together, we are working towards eliminating hunger, and providing food security by 2050.

The Ambiguity of Plato Essay -- Philosophy Essays

The Ambiguity of Plato For hundreds of years, Plato has been admired as a writer, a master rhetorician, an artist, and above all, a philosopher; however, Plato's backlashes against sophistry and art have led to much confusion concerning his ideas and beliefs. John Poulakos says of Plato, "[F]or most rhetoricians Plato has always played the same role he assigned to the sophists--the enemy" (Nienkamp 1). Plato will always appear to be the skilled rhetorician or artist who speaks out against rhetoric and art. In Apology and Phaedrus we see the character of Socrates rail against writing because it can quickly get out of control of the author and just as easily be misinterpreted, yet Plato is known for his skillful dialogical writing. In reference to the Divided Line, Plato informs us that art is one of the lowest forms because it is no more than an illusion, yet Plato uses his artistic ability in "Simile of a Cave" to help us understand the journey to knowledge. This ambiguity within the texts leads to, what a ppears to be, Plato contradicting himself; however, to fully understand these contradictions we must ask ourselves, "Who is the real Plato?" Plato's contradictory nature and overall ambiguity make the lines of distinction between the writer, the rhetorician, the artist, and the philosopher become blurred, so it is difficult for anyone to understand or explain the real Plato. Jean Nienkamp says of Plato, "[He is] the writer who writes that nothing of importance can be conveyed through writing; the word-smith who argues that words are but imitations of imitations at the same time that he insists on precise definitions, divisions... " (1). In Phaedrus, Plato presents some of his more powerful arguments against writing. Most... ...1: 23-44. Plato. Euthyphro. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hacket Publishing Company Inc., 1981: 5-22. Plato. Meno. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hacket Publishing Company Inc., 1981: 57-88. Plato. Phaedo. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hacket Publishing Company Inc., 1981: 89-155. Plato. Phaedrus. Trans. A. Nehamas and P. Woodruff. Amherst: Hermagoras Press, 1999: 165-213. Plato. "Simile of a Cave." The Republic. Trans. Desmond Lee. Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2002: 1-9. Tejera, Victorino. "The Apology and the Phaedo: Plato's Tragic Humor." Plato's Dialogues One by One: A Dialogical Interpretation. Lanham: University Press of America, Inc., 1999. Thesleff, Holger. "In Search of Dialogue." Plato's Dialogues: New Studies and Interpretations. Ed. Gerald A. Press. Lanham: Rowan and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1993: 259-266.

Writing Curriculums: An International Perspective :: Essays Papers

Writing Curriculums: An International Perspective Introduction: According to Dr Samuel Johnson, rhetoric is essential to modern-day communication. Yet, the importance of writing is being overlooked. In part this can be explained for the reason that writing is not a new invention, thus universally writing is being taken for granted (â€Å"Writing System Alternativs†). Further, due to the familiarity of rhetoric research and improvement to the system is also almost completely being ignored (â€Å"Writing System Alternativs†). In the United States there are no national standard writing curriculums required at university levels, however more capita per year is spent on writing programs in school systems here than other countries throughout the world. Unfortunately, these generous contributions to society continue to result in poor writing, unoriginal composition, and a consistently high illiteracy rates (â€Å"Writing System Alternativs†). Here, at Syracuse University, writing 105 and 205 are required for almost all majors. However, not all schools throughout the university, and other universities abide by the same requirements. Subsequently, this requirement is to some extent peculiar because it does not exist everywhere. Thus, in attempting to explain the writing curriculum requirements at Syracuse University it may be beneficial to consider writing requirements at university levels throughout other countries around the world International (Writing) Curriculum Summaries: In an article written by Alistair Ross, a Professor of Education at the University of North London, Ross notes that it was not until 1988 that a national curriculum was taken upon by the United Kingdom. Prior to 1988 branches of learning, including writing classes, were strongly suggested but not mandatory (Ross). Today, English writing programs in the UK are required from ages 5 to 16, but thereafter are no longer mandatory (Ross). However, it is important to recognize that this national curriculum does not include writing course requirements for students attending universities in the United Kingdom. Similar to the UK, Japan also has a national writing curriculum that extends until college. In an article about Japanese educational systems, taken from the Department of Education, education in Japan is described as â€Å"very rapid† (Mackey). National curriculums from elementary to high school cover an array of material that ranges from Japanese writing to Humanities (Mackey). After the completion of high school many students attend universities throughout the country, however at this point curriculum https://sv1.123helpme.com/servlet/p1.PaperAdminControllerrequirements (including writing) are no longer applied (Mackey).

Internet Censorship Essays -- Argumentative Web Cyberspace Essays

Internet Censorship The freedom of speech that was possible on the Internet could now be subjected to governmental approvals. For example, China is attempting to restrict political expression, in the name of security and social stability. It requires users of the Internet and electronic mail (e-mail) to register, so that it may monitor their activities. In the United Kingdom, state secrets and personal attacks are off limits on the Internet. Laws are strict and the government is extremely interested in regulating the Intern et with respect to these issues.10 Laws intended for other types of communication will not necessarily apply in this medium. Through all the components of the Internet it becomes easy to transfer material that particular governments might find objectionable. However, all of these means of communicating on the Internet make up a large and vast system. For inspectors to monitor every e-mail, every article in every Newsgroup, every Webpage, every IRC channel, every Gopher site and every FTP site would be near impossible. Besides taking an extraordinary amount of money and time, attempts to censor the Internet violate freedom of speech rights that are included in democratic constitutions and international laws.11 It would be a breach of the First Amendment. The Constitution of the United States of America declares that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redr ess of grievances 12 Therefore it would b e unconstitutional for any sort of censorship to occur on the Internet and affiliated services. Despite the illegality, restrictions on Internet access and content are increasing worldwide under all forms of government. In France, a co untry where the press generally has a large amount of freedom, the Internet has recently been in the spotlight. A banned book on the health history of former French president Francois Mitterrand was republished electronically on the World Wide Web (WWW). Apparently, the electronic reproduction of Le Grand Secret by a third party wasn't banned by a court that ruled that the printed version of the book unlawfully violated Mitterrand's privacy. To enforce censorship of the Internet, free societi... ... distributed, as well it shows the difficulty in preventing material deemed inappropriate from appearing where it shouldn't. The Internet is much too complex a network for censorship to effectively occur. It is a totally new and unique environment in which communications transpire. Existing laws are not applicable to this medium. The lack of tangible boundaries causes confusion as to where violations of law take place. The Internet is made up of nameless interaction and anonymous communication. The intricacy of the Internet makes it near impossible to delete data that has been publicized. No one country should be allowed to, or could, regulate or censor the Internet. Bibliography Bradford, Bryan and Mark Krumholz. Telecommunications and Decency: Big Brother goes Digital. Business Today Spring 1996 : 12-16. Gates, Bill. Searching for middle ground in online censorship. Microsoft Corporation. http://www.microsoft.com/corpinfo/bill-g/column/1996essay/censorship.htm (27 Mar. 1996). Irwin, Heather. Geeks Take to the Streets. Hotwired.com. http://www.hotwired.com/special/indecent/rally.html Jefferson, Thomas. Bill Of Rights. The Constitution of the United States.

Rainbow’s End, Dolly + Errol

Dolly and errol’s relationship boundaries An individuals lifestyle may prevent them from developing a sense of belonging. This idea is supported when Errol comes to see Dolly and she is too embarrassed to invite him inside Attempt to belong Dolly’s fears rejection, therefore doesn’t invite him inside. A person’s culture may result in them struggling to find acceptance. The quote, â€Å"you’re white, i’m aboriginal’ is symbolic of the division among different cultures in Dolly and Errol’s society and implies Dolly is aware of their differences.Microcosmic world Juxtaposition of division of cultures in society The Quote. â€Å"Except their segregated† explores the challenges associated with barriers that precent love an acceptance, and here, Dolly’s rejection against Errol’s efforts are evident. Again, Errol comments on the weather in the quote â€Å" it’s a beautiful day† which reveals his atte mpt to connect with Dolly. Her response, â€Å"it’s stinking hot† reveals her sense of rejection and negativity towards his positivity.She’s a realist, pessimistic and he’s positive – optimistic The quote â€Å" you people? † is significant in establishing Dolly’s place in the world and implies she finds it hard to belong because of her culture An individual may contribute to another person’s sense of belonging. This idea is supported when Gladys forces Dolly and Errol’s relationship as she wants to provide opportunities for her daughter The quote â€Å" Are you saying you’d rather live in a humpy by the river when i’m promising you the world? suggests Errol believes Dolly’s lifestyle prevents her from belonging. Like Gladys, he too wants Dolly to succeed in life Dolly rejects Errol as she knows that they should not have any communication with each other not to mention falling in love with each othe r, she knows that if she takes a step further with the relationship that she currently has with Errol it could lead to the deterioration of their social status in the society especially for Errol.

Character Of Davies In Caretaker By Harold Pinter

Davies, an old tramp, is the protagonist in The Caretaker. His portrayal, says Ruby Cohen, is â€Å"a bitter commentary on the human condition†. In their attitudes towards the old man, the human derelict, the two brothers present only surfaces contrasts. Mick begins by knocking him down, whereas Aston, instead of allowing him to die in despair, rescues him, shares his room with him and opens up home to him. Bother the brothers name the old man as caretaker, offer him a kind of scrutiny, which they both subsequently withdraw.Mick turns his back on the old man for failing to fulfil a role to which he never aspired, but Aston rejects him for what he is cantankerous, self-deluded and desperate. Of all Pinter's plays, The Caretaker makes the most bitter commentary on the human condition; instead of allowing an old man to die beaten in a pub brawl, â€Å"the System† wisest on tantalising him with faint hope, thereby immeasurably increasing his final desperate anguish. There i s perhaps a pun contained in the title: The Caretaker is twisted into taker on of care, for care is the human destiny. Davies-Aston RelationshipThe Davies-Aston relationship begins with Aston apparently in command of the situation as both hos and rescuer of the itinerant Davies. His calm, quiet acceptance of the uneasy guest seems a natural posture of superiority, and Davies at first accepts it as such. As both guest and rescued, Davies, in contrast to Aston, is noisy, repetitive and insecure. The evident aim of his early initiatives is to locate a potential common ground and probably one that will be seen his degree of dependency in the relationship. Ironically, his insecurity is increased by the very means that he adopts to diminish it.The fact that it is he, and not Aston, who feels compelled to talk undermines his position at the same time that his verbal manoeuvres seek to strengthen it. Davies: Sit down' Huh†¦ I haven't had a good sit down†¦. I haven ‘I had a p roper sit down†¦ well, I could tell you†¦ Aston: (placing the chair): Here you are. Davies: Ten minutes off for a tea-break in the middle of the night in that place and I couldn't find a seal, not one. All them Greeks had it, Poles, Greeks, Blacks, the lot of them, all them aliens had it. And they had me working there†¦All them Blacks had it, Blacks, Greeks, Poles, the lot of them, that's what doing me out of a seat, treating me like dirt. When he come at me tonight. I told him. (Pause. ) Aston: Take a seat. That Davies should invoke in rapid succession a sense of injury, a major prejudice, and a defiant self-reliance gives us a quick resume of the potential roles he might adopt relative to Aston. That Aston ignores all there†¦ providing sympathy for the first, reinforcement for the second, nor admiration for the third gives us an immediate indication of the likelihood of their success. Incoherent SpeechAston's seeming refusal to encourage any of Davies's tentati ve roles provides Davies with major problems. In the face of Aston's taciturnity he is forced to thresh arourd desperately for some means of altering the situation. It soon becomes apparent that his large supply of words is not matched by a similar supply of verbal strategies. As the conversation progresses he simply resorts to repeated use of the tactics implicit in his first speech. Appeals to Aston's sympathy and to his prejudices recur repeatedly, though Davies is smart enough to defend himself against becoming a victim of the kinds of prejudice to which he feels vulnerable.All them toe-rags, mate, got the manners of pigs, I might have been on the food a few years but you can take it from me I'm clean. I keep myself up. That's why I left my wife. Fortnight after I married her, no, not so much as that, no more than a week. I took the lid off a saucepan, you know what was in pan. A pile of her underclothing, unwashed. The pan for vegetables, it was. The vegetable pan. That's when I left her and I haven't seen her since. As he finishes speaking he finds himself to face to face with a â€Å"statue of Buddha standing on the gas stove†.The mutual incompatibility of the stone face and that of the tramp comments directly on the success of these efforts to manipulate Aston's attitudes and concerns. The silent inscrutable Buddha, incongruously perched on the gas stove, is as much beyond Davies's comprehension as the taciturn Aston surrounded by the diverse objects collected in his room. Efforts at Self-Reliance Davies's other category of approaches involves attempts to assert a degree of independence from Aston. But his efforts to create an image of self-reliance are even less successful than his previous moves and not entirely compatible with them.His appeals for sympathy for his age and health mingle uneasily with assertions that he intends revenge for his misuse at the cafe: â€Å"I'll get him. One night I'll get him. When I find myself around that direct ion. † The strength of this commitment is clearly undermined by Davies's vague reference to when it will occur and by his admission that this would not be his primary reason for going there. In spite of these repeated failures, Davies's stock of variations on his manoeuvres is not yet exhausted. Indeed he has yet to play his trump card.Unsuccessful as the heroic survivor of the cafe incident, unsung as the virtuous rejecter of an unhygienic wife, and un-sympathised with as a downtrodden, exploited old man, he invokes a new image of one on the verge of self-sufficiency and success. The tack is circuitous, involving shoes, the weather, a false name, and papers that will â€Å"prove everything†. But, in essence, the theme is that of a journey to Sidcup which will solve all problems and structure his life anew. Once the journey is made all difficies will disappear, and Davies will once more be a man to be reckoned with. Davies: If only I could get down to Sidcup!I've been w aiting for the weather to break. He's got my papers, this man I left them with, it's got it all down there. I could prove everything. Aston: How long's he had them? Davies: What? Aston: How long's he had them? Davies: Oh, must be†¦ it was in the war†¦ must be†¦ about near on fifteen years ago. But this manoeuvre, too, is thwarted by Aston's reactions to it. Clearly, Davies does not match his emphasis on the importance of the journey with a similar commitment to getting there. The time lag he admits to makes nonsense of the value he places on the journey, as Aston's puzzlement is evident.Once again the haphazard dialogue is matched revealingly with an item of junk that is eminently visible but obliquely connected to its surroundings. Abuses Aston's Kindness and Generosity At this point, Aston's contribution to the ‘conversation' seems rather unfriendly, to say the least. Whatever Davies does to try to improve the connection between himself and Aston is neutralise d by his inability to elicit from Aston the responses he needs. To Davies it seems that Aston's posture of quiet superiority is a consistent strategic imperviousness to his needs and wiles.But Aston's behaviour seems peculiarly inconsistent. His apparent unconcern for Davies's psychological needs is sharply contrasted with an evident concern for his physical needs. Aston's initial generosity toward Davies in the cafe is extended by offers of cigarettes, shoes and money, and by a willingness to go and retrieve Davies's belongings for him. This inconsistency, this apparent lack of connection between two aspects of Aston's behaviour, is another manifestation of juxtaposed but unclearly linked data in the play.But its effect on the relationship is by no means unclear; this inconsistency disorients Davies and maintains his subservience as effectively as Mick's later inconsistent conversation. As this section progresses, however, it gradually becomes apparent that Aston's efforts (unlike Mick's) are not deliberately aimed at this goal. Indeed, it is very difficult at this point to perceive a deliberate aim in any of Aston's behavior. It does seem clear, however, that he does not share Davies's urgent need for a verbally explicit rapport. The problem the audience has in understanding Aston is obviously shared by Davies.Sensing the failure of his efforts to impose on Aston any of the relationship roles he has in mind, Davies eventually switches to trying to draw out of Aston information that might guide him to more successful manoeuvres. Feeding him topics dealing with The Room and its contents, Davies once more finds himself making little headway: Davies: You got any more rooms then, have you? Aston: Where? Davies: I mean, along the landing here†¦ up the landing there†¦ Aston: They're out of commission. Davies: Get away. Aston: They need a lot of doing to. (Slight Pause. ) Davies: What about downstairs?Aston: That's closed up. Needs seeing to†¦ The flo ors†¦ (Pause. ) Aston's Reticence Aston's unwillingness to discuss any of these more neutral topics suggests that his reluctance to converse with Davies is motivated by something more than mere resistance to Davies's wiles; the reluctance seems to proceed from a general antipathy toward any kind of conversation. But, paradoxically, he is not entirely unwilling to talk. While evasive about the house and his legal relationship to it, he does venture the information that he â€Å"might build† a shed in the back garden.This willingness to talk is further indicated by a sudden longer statement on the drinking of Guinness—a topic that he discusses with a seriousness that does little to calm the puzzled, uneasy Davies. I went into the pub the other day. Ordered a Guinness. They gave it to me in a thick mug. I sat down but I couldn't drink it. I can't drink Guinness from a thick mug. I only like it out of a thin glass. I had a few sips but I couldn't finish it. This relat es to nothing previously discussed, and whatever significance it has for Aston is not shared by Davies, who resorts to a quick change of subject.The short speech is undoubtedly odd, but the kind of oddity it represents provides the first clear indication of the basic difficulty confronting the pair. If Davies fails to respond to or follow up on this topic because he is unable to locate its significance, perhaps this is also the reason for Aston's similar reactions to Davies's conversation topics. The speech itself, while specifying nothing precisely undermines Davies's operating assumption that Aston's taciturnity is simply a manifestation of superiority and disinterest.Such an assumption has already been brought into question by Aston's non-verbal generosity to Davies, and this speech suggests that Aston, in spite of his general silence, also has a need to talk. The section ends with Aston, as he has done extensively during this opening scene, devoting his attention to a faulty plu g on an old electric toaster. His persistent concern for this faulty connection characterises the activity of the opening section: potential links between the characters remain uncertain because the means of establishing appropriate connections has gone awry.Davies: I used to know a bootmaker in Action. He was a good mate to me. (Pause) You know what that bastard monk said to me? (Pause) How many more Blacks you got around here then? Plays One Brother Against the Other That is when Davies turns to Mick, who plays a cat-and-mouse game with him. Davies tries to play one brother against the other in order to keep a roof over his head. He has been out on the road most of his life and he would like to cling to the crumbs he is offered. But his efforts are futile.Mick calls him â€Å"a fibber† who stinks the place out and Aston, in spite of all his earlier generosity, turns his back upon him. Davies's final image that we have, despite his desperate, pitiable condition is that of an old tramp who is ungrateful, self-deluded and cantankerous as he finally pleads with Aston: But†¦ lost†¦ look†¦ listen†¦ listen here †¦ I mean†¦. what am I going to do?†¦ What shall I do?†¦ Where am I going to go?†¦ Listen†¦ If I got down†¦ If I was to†¦ get my papers†¦ would you†¦ would you let†¦ would you†¦ if I got down†¦ got my†¦.