Company Analysis: Sunrise Senior Living Essay

Sunrise Senior Living Inc. is one of the top firms in the rapidly growing long-term care industry. They provided a number of services for senior citizens including assisted living, meals, transportation, housekeeping, and licensed and highly skilled nurses for certain residents who require 24 hour care. The company was started in 1981 in Fairfax, Virginia by married couple Paul and Terry Klaassen who had a vision of creating alternative senior living options that emphasize quality of life. They have started what is now the most recognized company in the industry boasting innovative products and services for senior citizens. Ultimately after thoroughly researching the company’s credentials, I decided that Sunrise Senior Living would be a favorable investment given that it is part of quickly expanding industry, it is the top firm in the industry, and expert analysts believe that it is a smart investment. Introduction and Statement of Purpose The purpose of this report is to provide a thorough analysis of Sunrise Senior Living in order to make a decision as to whether this company is worth investing in. This report will include an analysis of the company’s history and public relations, the company’s financial performance and trends, economic variables that affect the company, and an overview of the industry and competing firms. In order to conduct this analysis, all of the components previously mentioned have been researched in depth. All analysis and suggestions made will be supported with valid evidence from a variety of different sources. Financial analysis will include a glance at the company’s balance sheets and income statements of the past few years along ith their performance in the stock market of the past few years. The basic structure of this report consists of an executive summary, a brief introduction to the report with basic information of the Sunrise Senior Living Inc. , a more sufficient overview of the company outlining the research conducted in order to draw conclusions regarding the objective of the report, a comprehensive analysis of the company under the criteria previously mentioned, my personal recommendations as to whether an individual should invest in this company, and finally, an appendix with all necessary tables, graphs, etc. hat are necessary to support my recommendations and more clearly illustrate some of the company analysis. Sunrise Senior Living Inc. is a company based in Fairfax County, Virginia that provides a number of senior living services in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Sunrise Senior Living offers independent living services which include housing, meals, transportation, housekeeping, and licensed and highly skilled nurses for certain residents who require 24 hour care. Also, these assisted living communities boast nostalgic neighborhoods that provide uniquely designed accommodations, services, and care to support residents who are cognitively impaired or face issues with memory loss, including Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, it provides a medication management program, which includes the storage and distribution of medications as directed by the resident’s physician. As of December 31, 2009, Sunrise Senior Living operated 384 communities, including 335 communities in the United States, 15 communities in Canada, 27 communities in the United Kingdom, and 7 communities in Germany. The company was founded in 1981 by Paul and Terry Klaassen who had a vision of creating alternative senior living options that emphasize quality of life. (Yahoo Finance) Sunrise Senior Living Inc. is in the healthcare sector of the long term care facilities industry. The senior care industry is continually growing because of the increased life-span of the population. With the Baby Boomers entering the age of retirement, the senior citizen population is currently supplying a huge market for companies who provide these service-oriented products (Business Week). In fact, according to an article by Senior Care  Marketer, â€Å"The senior care industry is booming and it’s just getting started as the baby boom generation cares for their aging parents and require care themselves as they transition into their own senior years. People sixty-five years and older represent the fastest-growing age group in the United States, and it is projected that the 75+ population will increase 70% by 2025. By 2030, 70 million Americans will be over the age of 65 – that’s one out of every five Americans! †(Senior Care Marketer). With that said, there a number of competing firms that are seeking to reap the benefits of this growing industry. Sunrise Senior Living is currently the leading competitor in the senior care industry. However, there are number of other firms that are close behind including Brookdale Senior Living, Emeritus, Gentiva, Odyssey Healthcare, and ResCare. Overview Company History and Background As previously mentioned, Sunrise Senior Living Inc. was founded by Paul and Terry Klaassen more than 25 years ago. The idea for this now successful business originated in Holland where Paul Klaassen would visit his grandparents as a child. Paul’s grandparents lived in assisted living homes called verzorgingstehuizen. These assisted living homes are very similar to those offered by Sunrise today. The verzorgingstehuizen allowed its residents to be independent while simultaneously providing support or care for those who needed it. To start this company, a youthful and energetic Paul and Terry Klaassen sold their home and moved into a run-down nursing home in Northern Virginia. Paul and Terry went on to renovate this nursing home and open up their first location of Sunrise Senior Living. Paul and Terry cared for the residents themselves in their first years of business, but word quickly spread regarding their new successful business. As demand for their services increased, they opened up two more locations in the mid 1980’s. Taking on a similar strategy as they did with the old nursing home, they opened up new locations by renovating older buildings and converting them into warm environments that were fit for caring for senior citizens. By 1987, Paul and Terry opened their first Victorian-style mansion which is now a nationally recognized icon for their company. (Sunrise Senior Living) As with any successful business or corporation, it all starts with a vision and mission statement which provides direction and purpose. When founding Sunrise Senior Living, Paul and Terry Klaassen wanted to â€Å"champion quality of life for seniors in a home-like, resident-centered environment, unlike existing, more institutional options. † Their operating philosophy originates from a deep seated certainty in the method in which they accomplish the most premium quality of care of every individual. These convictions that have served as the foundation for Sunrise Senior Living’s mission statement are now also the foundation for Sunrise’s Principles of Service and Core Values. These set of principles and values currently direct Sunrise’s team members and employees at all of their locations worldwide. Sunrise Senior Living’s Principles of Service include preserving dignity, nurturing the spirit, celebrating individuality, enabling freedom of choice, encouraging independence, and involving family and friends. Their core values include passion, joy in service, stewardship, respect, and trust. Each member of the Sunrise Senior Living team is encouraged to follow these principles and core values to ensure that each resident or client receives the most premium caliber service. Sunrise Senior Living) At first glance, one may question the importance of information such as mission and vision statements. However, by evaluating and analyzing a company’s mission and vision statements, it becomes possible to take a deeper look into the company’s culture and goals which can often be an indicator of their success and or failure in various fiel ds. Also, as an investor, it is important to possess a thorough understanding of the company’s purpose and values. Although the primary concern for most investors is the return they will receive on their investment, another factor that investors consider is the company’s reputation which is linked to their morals and code of ethics. For example, an investor may choose not to invest in a certain company even though it would provide large returns on his or her investment because he or she may not agree with the company’s mission and vision statements. Products and Services As previously mentioned Sunrise offers a number of different services and amenities for senior citizens. These services include assisted living, Alzheimer’s and memory care, independent living, skilled nursing, and short term stays. Not to mention that Sunrise also offers different financial options for those residents who have trouble with payments. Under each main service offered are a number of more specific programs as well. For example, one program in particular that Sunrise is known for is their reminiscence neighborhoods, which is part of their Alzheimer’s and memory care treatment. These specially designed neighborhoods were created in order to allow senior citizens to re-live their glory days. To do this, members at Sunrise Senior Living begin by gaining an understanding of the senior’s life stories without overlooking minute details. The reminiscence program encompasses a number of different activities that allows them to retain the spirit of their youth. It includes encouraging residents to participate in common daily practices such as gardening, sewing, office work, and household chores. Additionally, the reminiscence program offers â€Å"Snoezelen† environments which are essentially forms of stimulation for the senses and are used to maintain calmness and serenity among all of the seniors. These â€Å"Snoezelen† environments integrate music, aroma therapy, peaceful sounds, and visual displays for an experience that is incredibly soothing. (Sunrise Senior Living) Although Sunrise Senior Living offers a number of innovative and unique services, their customer and employee reviews are mixed to a certain degree. In order to best find out the opinions of customers and employees regarding Sunrise, I decided that it would be best to examine random personal accounts of both customers and employees. I have examined a number of different websites and blogs in which individuals share their experiences with Sunrise Senior Living. Customer and Employee Reviews Measured up is a website that offers a wide variety of customer reviews and complaints of a number of businesses worldwide. There was recently an instance that occurred on June 19, 2010 in which a Sunrise neglected to aid one of their resident’s who fell and broke her leg and eventually needed a hip replacement surgery. The review off the company was written by the daughter of the woman who fell. She, unfortunately for Sunrise Senior Living, had only the worst things to say about the company. After the incident, Sunrise, according to the daughter of the woman, did not offer fair compensation for the injury of her mother. She also stated that the members at Sunrise did not give any form of apology whatsoever and â€Å"treated the entire affair with as cold a heart as they could muster. † She even went on to say that the â€Å"Sunrise Difference† was cruelty, malice, and disdain. She also strongly advised any individual with elderly loved ones to stay away from Sunrise Senior Living because she thought they were cold and malicious. (Measured Up) As aforementioned, this incident occurred on June 19, 2010. It is especially relevant because of how recent this whole affair took place. As with any company or organization in general, it takes only one mishap to permanently tarnish a reputation. The incident with the woman falling is obviously going to be detrimental to Sunrise Senior Living’s reputation. This is important because it is a tribute of customer satisfaction, even though it was only one incident. This decrease in customer satisfaction, if great enough, will be reflected in the financial performance of the company because clients will no longer demand Sunrise’s services as much. Employee reviews of the company are arguably equally as important as customer reviews given that ultimately, it is the employees who are running these companies. According to Glassdoor, a blog that provides insight and internal reviews of jobs and companies, Sunrise Senior Living received an average employee rating of 2. 6 out of 40 reviews, meaning that employees feel that working at Sunrise is â€Å"Ok. † Also, Mark S. Ordan, CEO and Director of Sunrise since March of 2008, received a 44% approval rate by employees. Although these statistics are from a relatively small sample, considering that Sunrise consists of close to 5000 employees, it is still a testament to the entire company’s satisfaction in their workplace. (Glass Door Reviews) Recent News Recently, Sunrise Senior Living has done some restructuring with regards to their upper level management as well as the relationships they hold with some of their joint ventures. Namely, they have appointed Marc Richards as Chief Financial Officer, Greg Neeb as Chief Investment and Administrative Officer, and David Haddock as the General Counsel. In terms of their joint ventures, Sunrise Senior Living is currently working with Ventas, HCP, and CNL Lifestyle Properties. In order to understand the restructuring of these relationships it is necessary to possess a basic understanding of the function of each of these companies. (Sunrise Senior Living – Investor Relations) Ventas is one of the country’s primary healthcare real estate investment trusts. Their increasing portfolio contains 602 healthcare-related facilities that contain roughly 50,000 licensed beds and senior housing units which are located advantageously in 44 states in the US and two provinces in Canada. Ventas) HCP, a real estate investment trust, was established in 1985 and is a publicly traded company of the S&P 500. Their portfolio contains 673 properties in 42 states and Mexico, and mezzanine loans and other debt instruments. All of which are spread across the healthcare industry including senior housing, life science, post-acute/skilled nursing a nd hospital. (HCP) CNL Lifestyle Properties, also a real estate investment trust, is a company that invests in properties projected to produce income that focus primarily in lifestyle related industries. CNL Lifestyle Properties purchases properties and leases them on a long-term basis with the potential of long-term revenue. CNL Lifestyle Properties owns 10 ski resorts, two former Six-Flags owned and branded parks, two former non branded Six-Flags Parks, and three former Six-Flags owned water parks just to name a few. (CNL Lifestyle Properties) Sunrise Senior Living has restructured with Ventas through sale of joint venture interests which brought forth funds improving their balance sheet as well as reaching a new agreement that allows Sunrise to continue to manage senior living facilities owned by Ventas. With HCP, Sunrise has ended management contracts with 27 communities which has allowed them to reduce their debt. Finally, Sunrise has gained 40% ownership interest, from 10% in the previous year of a wholly owned subsidiary of CNL Lifestyle Properties, offering the opportunity to purchase their new partner’s interest in the venture. All of these adjustments are consistent with their strategy of pursuing sole ownership of the assets they manage.

Overseas Employment Essay

Overseas employment refers to employment of a worker outside a country. Overseas employment has been part of Filipino households’ lives. It provides opportunities for developing responsibility, flexibility, and self-resilience. It can also prepare individuals for an international career change that can lead to a satisfying life working overseas. Approximately eight million Filipinos overseas are permanent residents, temporary workers, or irregular migrants. Majority are temporary workers known as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Although, there are some who leave the country for tourism and other purposes but they eventually overstay, seek employment, and become irregular workers overseas. There are different reasons for individuals to work abroad. To earn money, to meet new companions, to be more skilled, etc. The reasons for working overseas are unlimited – from a desire to travel, learn new ways of living, learn a new language, to developing a stronger career with international experience in your field. Overseas jobs can give you the chance to take on more responsibility and develop some new skills, particularly in the area of cross-cultural communications. The challenges you’ll meet will call on your creativity and resourcefulness. For us students, it helps to solidify our life purpose, or launches us in an exciting new direction with our career aspirations. Hence, this paper aims to answer the following questions: 1. What is Overseas Employment? 2. What are the purposes and effects of Overseas Employment? What is Overseas Employment? Overseas came from Middle English â€Å"overse† while employment came from Middle French â€Å"empleier†, from Latin â€Å"implicare† which means â€Å"to enfold, involve, be connected with†, itself from in- â€Å"in† + plicare â€Å"to fold†) + -ment. Overseas means pertaining to countries, associations, activities, etc., beyond the sea or abroad and employment means an occupation by which a person earns a living; work; business. Overseas employment is referred as the employment of a worker outside a country, including employment on board vessels plying international waters, covered by a valid employment contract. The nature of overseas employment is that for decades, the toil of solitary migrants has helped lift entire families and communities out of poverty. They have woven together the world by transmitting ideas and knowledge from country to country. The migrant workers have provided the dynamic human link between cultures, societies and economies. Will I need a work permit or visa? Yes. You can apply for it at the Philippine Embassy and don’t forget all of the documents that you need. How will I search for an appropriate job? Search for an appropriate job which fits and suits your personality. In that way, you will be comfortable and you can easily adapt your current situation when you are working abroad. How will I contact prospective employers? Contact the â€Å"legal recruiters†. Ask the government’s agencies if your employer has its permit to recruit and employ applicants like you. What are the purposes and effects of Overseas Employment? First, what agency is concern about the migration of the overseas workers here in the Philippines? P.O.E.A is the agency that handles the country’s overseas employment. It was created to promote and develop the overseas employment program and protect the rights of migrant workers. It goes hand in hand with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA). DID YOU KNOW? Philippine is one of the most labor-sending country. Because of this, migration management has always been grounded on the goal to make labor migration work for the benefit of the migrant workers themselves, their families and society as a whole. Reasons of working abroad To earn money on the road. Work equals money. Money is needed in traveling. Getting a job abroad is a great way to raise funds and keep your bank account happy; To learn new skills. Working abroad gives you the chance to do all sorts of crazy jobs you’d probably never even think of trying at home; To prove your independence. Generally speaking, jobs you land while on a working holiday won’t be the most challenging, career advancing in the world but many employers still look at time spent working abroad positively. Heading overseas, landing a job, sorting out a place to live and starting a new life takes some guts and clued up employers will take note; To meet the Locals. As you travel, you’ll meet locals. But chances are they will be in the tourist industry and will have a vested interest in being nice to you. If you really want to meet the locals and know their culture, you should fly abroad; To make lasting friendships. You will meet plenty of travelers, and mostly you’ll get along with people same as your nationality. Stopping to work will allow you the time to develop lasting, meaningful relationships with other travelers and co-workers; To get a feel for destination. As you hop from one country to another, it is normal to feel that you wanted to stay for that particular place for good, for everyday life; To experience real freedom. While you’re working abroad, you won’t exactly be free, but it is having or starting your new life. The whole world opens up to you. Having the confidence to head off anywhere in the world to make a living really gives a great sense of freedom. Once you feel as though you can go anywhere and still manage to support yourself, the world truly is your oyster; For Lots of energy. Majority of works and opportunities abroad requires people who if physically fit and have skills in physical activities that can work harder; Due to many options. Lots of companies hire young people that tend to work hard, don’t want to be concerned with the needing a job for the rest of their lives, and are willing to take part time work so that they can have a little bit fun; For activities galore. Different jobs in different place. You will discover that every place has its own culture and local attractions and way of life. You can spend free time in exploring; And for schedules to suit your taste. As you are working part-time, you will be able to spend extra time traveling, meeting new people and find out more about the world. Effects of working abroad Positive effects of working abroad are: The migrant workers earn more money, meet new people (foreigners and locals), and they get a chance to travel and explore. While the negative effects of working abroad are as follows: The migrant workers’ health were affected and the families’, discrimination, and no time for the family—with this, everyt hing follows. For overseas workers, yes you can have lots of money. It may be the quantity of money you could never imagine. Your salaries here in the Philippines may be doubled or tripled depending on the job you are fitted to and offered for. The salary that would help you and your family to build a house you’ve dreamed of, for your children to finish their studies, and for your own personal needs. Filipinos have the mentality of â€Å"Magtrabaho ka sa abroad. Mag-nurse ka. Malaki sweldo doon sa abroad† and so on an so forth. That’s why Philippines is one of the most labor-sending country. Being able to work abroad is passed on from generation to generation. The parent who is working abroad has the tendency to get his/her family to live in a particular country for good. Meet new people. Yes! You may have friends in your work or within the vicinity of the place you’re living at. Foreigners, particularly Americans, are friendly that they are defined as very approachable and helpful (based on researches and facts). You may also have friends same as your nationality. Like in Milan, OFWs in that place stated that they tend to have parties together to know who the Filipinos are living in the country same as them— to mingle and build friendship. One example of a positive effect of this is when a Filipino is heading off and flying back to the Philippines, other OFWs are asking him/her a favor. It may be giving money to the family left or packages. It’s very usual. Overseas workers can be called travelers. They build up their confidence and perseverance during their work in other countries. Usually, the Filipino heading off to a different country is alone. He/she get a chance to learn being independent, no one to count on, and he/she will be the one to count on by the family they left here in the Philippines. They serve as the bread winners and so they persevere for the benefits of their families. There may be positive effects but there are also negative effects—like broken families. It may not be literally broken that one of the parents divorces the other. But the thought that it’s not complete. It may be the mother, the father, or both are leaving. The effects are on both of them—the one who leaved and the people left. The one who leaved experience home sick. He/she misses his/her family but he/she has nothing to do knowing that being away from them will benefit them and give their family a more prosperous life. The people left experience hatred and of course missing the parent who leaved. Why hatred? Children who are left at an early age may grow with the thought of â€Å"Iniwan niya kami para magpakasaya doon kasi hindi nya kami mahal†. They will rebel against their family and especially the parent who left them. The movie â€Å"Anak† is a very good film to understand my point on this. Health. Being apart from your love ones will have an effect on your health, especially due to too much stressed, too much thinking, too much work, home-sick, sadness and other negative emotions. That’s why OFWs find time to meet people same with their nationality to reduce the emotions and stress. Discrimination. Why do I say so? Filipinos are known to be very patient, caring, clean, kind, and very hard working. By these, other foreigners tend to discriminate us, give us more work, less salary, and sometimes, for brutal foreigners, they hurt Filipinos. And worse, if you look for the word â€Å"Filipina† in a foreign dictionary, the meaning of it is â€Å"household or maid†Ã¢â‚¬â€(by Ms.Aquino). * As of today the Philippine state is pursuing its constitutional mandate to afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all. Filipinos work abroad. Why not work in the Philippines instead? Why leave your own country? Discussed from before, it’s because Filipino can’t sustain the needs of his/her family. So he/she needs to work abroad in order to earn more and give a better future for his/her family. So what are the disadvantage in the Philippines that Filipinos decide to work abroad instead? Unstable economic situation in the Philippines wherein the lack of confidence in the government to secure a better future for its citizens. Example of this is Corruption, right? People in high authority take the money from the people through Taxes and use them for their own leisure. High unemployment rate in the Philippines this has been a problem in the country that produces almost million college graduates on courses that are popular but whose demand is on decline. Example is the Fresh graduates who just join the labor force, this will the increase that competition for jobs available. Low salary offered by local companies this is the biggest reason why Filipinos are willing to work abroad because of the low salary offered by employers in the Philippines. Even nurses, engineers are paid poorly in spite of the skills they have through the 4 years course. Contractual employment arrangement this brings high unemployment rate due advantage to employers who simply hire people on contractual basis. Poor Benefits another disadvantage, examples of this is PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, which is a monthly contribution that can significantly reduce the low-paid workers. OFWs are now pampered, OFWs are now covered by better protection, they are offered advantages in addition to being the nation’s new breed of heroes. It’s not so lonely to go abroad anymore we have so many Filipino communities have travelled all over the world, Filipino entertainers brought the overseas Filipino workers close to home. We have the availability of the Web to communicate with loved ones. Discrimination in job hiring in the Philippines this is very degrading as a Filipino, some are willing to get paid lower salaries and not enjoy benefits and paid holidays. We came up with the conclusion that, yes, there are a lot of benefits we can get in working overseas. Yes, we earn more money. And yes, we will have a better future. But because of that, we lose all the skilled workers that instead of serving and making the country more progressive, they migrate to different countries. What will happen to the Philippines then? Example of this is the tourist, the foreigners. They visit the Philippines because of the beautiful sceneries. Now instead of their information became ours, the little information we have is becoming theirs. Instead of us giving benefits to them, they rather give us the benefits. Why is this so? Because all of our skilled workers, or all of our professionals are owned by them. Philippines is a rich country, we don’t need to work abroad. We have jobs here. Job opportunities shouldn’t be â€Å"Out there† but it must be â€Å"here†. References Henderson, K. (2007). 7 reasons why working abroad is your best career move. Retrieved from http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/7-reasons-why-working-abroad-is-your-best-career-move/ Tomson, B. (2011). 10 good reasons to work abroad. Retrieved from http://www.ideamarketers.com/?10_Good_Reasons_To_Work_Abroad&articleid=419109 Overseas employment: choosing an international career (2008). Retrieved from http://www.best-career-match.com/overseas-employment.html Fung, J. B., & Tan, F.A. (2010). Preliminary considerations, Handbook on Overseas employment and Pleadings, 1-9 Pinoy OFW (2009). Reasons why many Filipinos like to work abroad. Retrieved from http://www.pinoy-ofw.com/news/355-reasons-why-many-filipinos-like-to-work-abroad.html

Police Fitness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Police Fitness - Essay Example Physical fitness required for policing consists of general fitness and job specific fitness. Canadian Mounted Policing (and other Canadian police forces) requires horsemanship skills as much of the 'Mounties' policing is done on horseback. Local forces are returning to the use of horses for policing. Many police organizations in Canada require a basic level of fitness be maintained by officers/constables. Many officers are required to perform foot patrol, bicycle patrol, or horse patrol. Obviously these types of police work require a higher level of fitness than is required for equivalent patrol in an automobile or desk work. Officers of the Peel Regional Police are required to pass a fitness test with an overall score of 75% (Peel Police, 2007). Potential police that pass the tests (and a rigorous written and psychological exam) are recommended to attend the Ontario Police College. Officers are also required to maintain the physical fitness level at 75% or above to keep their positions In addition to basic fitness testing police forces use an incentive program to promote a higher level of fitness for their officers. Officers/Constables are encouraged to exercise on their own to meet the higher standards that result in recognition from their organizations. Police organizations assist the officers by providing exercise facilities with exercise machines, free weights, treadmills, and stair-steppers. It is the officer's responsibility to schedule workouts and exercise on their own time. Officers who choose to maintain a high-level of physical fitness are rewarded with public recognition, award pins and certificates, and prime policing jobs such as bike patrol. In Toronto officers are rewarded with fitness pins, and consideration for special units such as the Emergency Task Force or Marine Units. Another unwritten incentive is to keep ahead of criminals who spend much of their time in prison working out lifting weights, etc Physically fit officers have a personal commitment to stay fit. Constables in Toronto's 51st division often exercise before the beginning of their shift. The 51st is made up of officers on mountain bikes. These officers spend up to ten hours a day patrolling the streets of Toronto. They are on their bikes up to 80% of the time (Savin, 2007). A look at a photo of the 51st division's bikers shows a very physically fit group of officers. This group spends about an hour of their own time exercising everyday (Savin, 2007). Many Canadian police organizations require that officers compete for coveted bicycle patrol slots. This means that officers need to push themselves past the basic level of fitness required to be an officer/constable. Again, this means officers spend some of their personal time exercising and preparing for the competition. Most of these policing organizations have built exercise facilities for their officers. No one is required to use the facilities but many officers spend much of their free time using these facilities. Many bicycle patrol officers focus on using free-weights or resistance training because much of their cardio-respiratory fitness is accomplished on the job. Many officers/constables compete in regional, national, and international

Personal statement for business economics major

For business economics major - Personal Statement Example Focusing on business economic studies will enable me to prepare the present for future progress in business activities. My interest to study business economics is based on the experience I possess in entrepreneurship and the modes of overcoming challenges related to various life situations. I am aware that my present decisions will enable me to embrace a prosperous future. This will be based on application of the concepts that I will acquire from business economics class. The determination and passion that I possess towards pursuing business economics studies emanate from past experiences related to the field. I interned for Chows Elect; a company that specializes in manufacturing materials for micro chips and LEDs among others. I was the assistant manager obliged to participate in activities such as business meetings, providing ideas, and interacting with potential customers. I was able to learn what the real world is like, and how to stay on top by organizing my lifestyle. I also l earned that the business world is changing at a fast pace such that if you are not on top of your game, you fail tremendously. This principle has enabled me to be self motivated and committed in all the activities I engage in; enables me to attain my full potential. Furthermore, the committed character that I acquired when serving as an assistant manager has made me a conscientious and hard working person; this will enable me to become successful in my studies. My strength is the ability to adapt and excellently pursue life opportunities. This makes me confident that I will be able to cope and solve future problems related to business economics. I have lived in six different countries which taught me how to reason under pressure and solve problems. I taught myself how to repair my own car. By studying the car diagram, I was able to install the suspension and many other parts. Success in business economics studies involves innovative connection of information bits and pieces. I was a GoKart Racer at 10 years, indulged into formula 1 racing when I was 14, and competed with other racers in different age level for 4 years in China. However, just as I was about to secure sponsorship from Audi my father passed away and my mother had some difficulties and I only had to keep on believing. Even though I was not able to continue, I will never give-up my dream that has become a drive in my life. I will take one step at a time, finish school, save money and become successful. When I become financially stable, I will own a race car team and support more young people who do not have the privilege to be enrolled in other car teams. I was not discouraged by my life incidents; instead, they made me stronger. They provided me with an opportunity to move forward and chant the way forward for a prosperous future. I recently established my own clothing brand called Urban Beasts. It is a fashion brand with fresh designs by college students. It is already an established brand in Tai wan and has generated steady surmountable revenue for the past 6 months. It also provides a platform for young talented people to express their skills on photography, dance, art and music. It is an excellent opportunity for me to learn how to manage a company, become a leader, take responsibility and organize resources. Management of the brand enables me know how to interact with my friends as well as treat them as colleagues. Economic concepts acquired through studying the course will enable me

Dreamers versus Workers and Their Humanity Essay

Dreamers versus Workers and Their Humanity - Essay Example The Cherry Orchard illustrates Chekhov's time, when feudalism shifted to capitalism and how it differentiated the dreamers from the workers, although Chekhov did not press judgment on these people, since he also believes that humanity is humanity because they are fraught with weaknesses. Chekhov's time represented the transition from feudalism to capitalism in Russia, which drastically altered the social class structure and contributed to the â€Å"defeat of the cultured elite†. He shows Madame Ranevskaya’s household as the â€Å"passing of the semifeudal existence of Russian landowners on their country estates†. Madame Ranevskaya composes the aging and fading Russian aristocracy, who slips into economic decline after centuries of upholding luxurious lifestyles. Another class emerges, nevertheless, the â€Å"semiliterate, ambitious middle class† that Lopakhin belongs to. Lopakhin has become wealthy because of his hard work, which the aristocrats lacked. He is part of the â€Å"workers† in the play. Lopakhin feels short of being part of the true, new upper class, however. He realises that he can never replace the upper class: â€Å"...you'll find I'm still a peasant down to the marrow of my bones† (Chekhov Act 1). This viewpoint may also be part of Chekhov's belief that the bourgeoisie is a class of its own that cannot fully usurp the ancient charm and sophistication of the former aristocracy. The characters depict Chekhov's idea that dreams are nothing without action. Madame Ranevskaya lives in the same dream that she is still wealthy. She sells her villa to have her daughter Anya go to Paris. Once there, they act as if they remain rich. Anya tells Varya: â€Å"We had dinner at a station; she asked for all the expensive things, and tipped the waiters one rouble each† (Chekhov 1). Instead of living within their means, Madame Ranevskaya continues her former wealthy lifestyle, which economically ruins her. Madame Ra nevskaya also wants to save the orchard from being sold and divided. She is emotionally attached to the orchard, which is why she cannot bear selling it. The cherry trees stood for their aristocrat â€Å"happiness,† a happiness which Chekhov felt when he tended to his own orchard (Vorob'eva 82). Madame Ranevskaya knows that they cannot rely on Gaev, because he is also a dreamer who does act to save the orchard. He wants to save the orchard though, because it stands for their erstwhile affluence. He mentions to Lopakhin that their cherry orchard was once mentioned in the Encyclopaedic Dictionary. The dictionary represents the extinction of aristocracy, who will only be remembered in the pages of history. Varya also dreams of Lopakhin's proposal, but the latter does not feel he deserves Varya. Varya expresses her bitterness to Anya: â€Å"But everybody talks about our marriage, everybody congratulates me, and there's nothing in it at all, it's all like a dream† (Chekhov 1). Indeed, these characters have various dreams that they never act on. Gaev illustrates the futility of dreaming:â€Å"I keep thinking and racking my brains; I have many schemes, a great many, and that really means none.† The play draws the difference between dreaming and realising those dreams. But dreaming is better than having no dreams at all. Chekhov shows that people with no aspirations are more deplorable than those who dream. Yephodov, who earned the nickname of two-and-twenty misfortunes because of his

Shame by. Dick Gregory and the Professor is a Dropout'' by. Beth Assignment

Shame by. Dick Gregory and the Professor is a Dropout'' by. Beth Jonhson - Assignment Example as an encouragement account, which relays young girl’s chronicle that based on the author learnt to read by the aid of her grandfather from childhood (Johnson). This culture of reading would later lay a foundation for her when everyone thought she was retarded thus unable to read. The love for her children and desire to see them succeed in life pushed to go back and improve her English. This account demonstrates that, with motivation and reading skill, anyone can drive his life to great success. From Shame, Richard was from a poor background and attracted to her classmate Helene Tucker (Gregory). The respect he felt for her greatly motivated her continually go to school despite numerous hardships he then experienced. His determination’s was evident by unequaled willingness in continually attempting to please through emulating her cleanliness even though he had only one pair of cloths. He would even brush his hair, which clearly shows that through admiration and respect to the people we look up to we, can change positively and strive ahead. Richard shame was for having no dad, being in the relief program and for being poor. This was worsened by his teacher’s comments that he had no dad while the whole class was listening. The teacher’s irresponsibility of not caring to find out why he was not concentrating in class but just termed him as stupid made the situation even more worse. This clearly shows how some people teach others to feel shameful through their words. This shameful feeling made Richards to lack the motivation he initially had to go to school. Contrary to this, the professor is a dropout is a story of encouragement where Quadalupe Quintanilla strived to be successful in life even when people termed as retarded. When we are motivated to give a little push in life we can achieve whatever we want. Her motivation was her children and with the skills for reading she acquired at a young age really helped her a lot. Hard work is yet another aspect

Electoral College Reform Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Electoral College Reform - Research Paper Example There are other viewpoints as well but this discussion is going to focus on these topics. In the opinion of this author, Electoral College, even if it has certain flaws, provides the best compromise to ensure a federalist, all inclusive, judicious method to elect the American leadership. It is also proposed that instead of breaking down the system altogether, the flaws are addressed through other means. Context To set the stage for describing and placing arguments related to opinions on Electoral College Reform, it is essential to briefly describe the process. Electoral College is used to elect the President and Vice President of the United States. It is a form of indirect election in which the public casts their vote to elect â€Å"Electors† in their respective states. These Electors are authorized to eventually vote on their behalf to choose the President. The nationwide group of electors and the process through which this two tier voting takes place is called the Electoral College. Each state is allocated a number of electors equal to the state’s representation in the House of Representatives plus the Senate. This allocation is based on the census and this means that more populous states have more electors than the less populous ones. However, as a minimum, each state has three to four electors. Since it is binding on each elector to vote for their party’s candidate, the result for Presidential election becomes clear after the first tier of voting. The total electors at this time being 538, whoever gets past 270 electors, wins the election. In the first tier of direct voting, a winner-takes-all system is followed. This means that whichever party’s electors get more than 50% of votes cast in a particular state, all electors for that party go to the Electoral College. The debate In the past 200 years, there have been â€Å"more proposals for constitutional amendments on changing the Electoral College than on any other subject† ("How the Electoral College Functions"). Presidential elections in the year 2000 rekindled the long held debate about the efficacy and democratic nature of elections through the Electoral College. In that year, George W. Bush beat Al Gore through a very small margin of Electoral College votes despite the fact that Al Gore was leading in the popular vote count. The controversy that was raised was eventually decided in the Supreme Court which ruled to stop voter recounting and the Bush was consequently accepted as the winner. So, the question that became fresh in everyone’s minds was why in the future the Americans should not decide on their President through the more representative popular vote rather than through the indirect Electoral College? In the current system, a candidate can lose the elections through the Electoral College even if he or she has more cumulative nationwide popular vote. Gore lost the election because the electoral votes in the swing state of Florida e ventually went to Bush. Proponents of election through popular vote (Neale 2-3) present two arguments against the Electoral College method. Firstly, they claim that the idea of not considering popular national vote is against democratic principles. According to them, the intermediate step of Electoral College takes away the national voter’s franchise and that the choice for the person holding