Study of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon BP oil spillage in the Mexican Gulf The WritePass Journal

Study of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon BP oil spillage in the Mexican Gulf Introduction Study of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon BP oil spillage in the Mexican Gulf IntroductionThe Topic: Potential Implications on Corporate Governance:Cleaning of the spill:Financial ClaimsFinancial LiquidityInvestigation by BP:Internal initiatives of BP:Rebuilding the Reputation:BP’s Business StrategyConclusionList of ReferencesRelated Introduction The Topic: This assignment highlights the incident of the Deepwater Horizon oil spillage in the Mexican Gulf which took place from April 2010, as well as a brief explanation of the financial consequences faced by BP. It also discusses the potential implications of this event regarding BP’s corporate governance regulations. Explanation of the Event: Deepwater Horizon was a deepwater mobile offshore drilling unit. The rig was so high in length and width that it could easily conduct its operations in deep waters. It was owned by Transocean Ltd. Then Transocean Ltd and BP had a leasing contract until 2013. BP planned to drill a well through this rig and it started the drilling process in February 2010. In April 2010, a very big explosion in the Mexican Gulf was caused on the Deepwater Horizon which was recorded as the highest oil spill in the US history. The Deepwater Horizon was sunk deeply and the oil was continuously flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. According to R, Z (2010), 206 million gallons of oil was spewed.   Around 126 workers were managed to be evacuated from the affected area, whereas 11 workers were missing who were later presumed to have passed away. Efforts were put in by BP to cap the well but unfortunately, it did not work out. In July 2010, BP had capped the well. However, it was too late since the incident occurred as the oil had flowed in large quantities to the ocean and it already had created the biggest environmental loss in the history. Cleveland, C (2011) discusses that Since Transocean Ltd and BP were working under a contract for drilling the well, the government of the US considered BP to be responsible for the accident, and therefore, BP was accountable for paying all the cleanup costs which occurred due to the oil spill. BP agreed with the US government on accepting the responsibility of all costs.   Even if the costs are covered, it was analysed as the loss which had numerous negative effects on the entire globe. Potential Implications on Corporate Governance: Because of the emergence of the crisis regarding the Deepwater Horizon, the Corporate Governance of BP had to work and plan about the potential implications in an effective manner. Through this incidence, BP Corporate Governance learned many lessons in terms of delivering environmental safety and fulfilling its commitments. In order to respond well for the incident, the Corporate Governance of BP formed the Gulf of Mexico committee. The responsibility of this committee was to restore the losses that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. Following are some initiatives that were to be implemented after the incidence of Deepwater Horizon oil spillage: Cleaning of the spill: The BP board had to monitor the operations of the company in terms of capping the well. The management of the company kept the board in contact and thus, it provides updates to the board on a regular basis. Moreover, the board of BP has decided to continuously work on cleaning up the beaches as well as to work for the communities which are affected by this disaster. Financial Claims There have been seen many legitimate claims against BP, Therefore, the company is now meeting these claims as well as the company’s board is monitoring these claims. The board regarding Corporate Governance of BP has planned about establishing a trust fund and this has been approved with the consent of the White House. This step is going to be taken so that BP’s commitment for accepting all the claims occurring from the event can be proved to all its stakeholders. Financial Liquidity BP was unable to cap the well after this major event. It is due to this reason that the company faced a major loss in terms of its financial standing as well as it suffered negativity in financing because its credit-rating decreased instantly. BP (2010) reports that the company suffered huge financial uncertainties as it lost a huge amount of money in paying claims as well as in establishing a trust fund which cost around 20 billion dollars. Therefore, considering the Corporate Governance of the company, the BP board reviewed the company’s dividend policy. According to the current financial situation of BP after the Deepwater Horizon incident, the company has planned to cancel the dividends of its first quarter. Additionally, it made an announcement that in 2010, the second and third quarters of the year would have no interim dividends. Furthermore, the payments of dividends would be made in 2011. The present financial situation of BP after the incident suggests that the cash resources available to the company are quite less now as compared to its earlier financial situations. Therefore, for having a stable financial position in the market, the board has reduced the level of spending on the capital of the company in 2010. However, the company’s corporate governance is also making sure that the stakeholders are aware of this. Investigation by BP: An investigation has been undertaken by the corporate governance of BP, for identifying the events which surround the unforgettable incident of the Deepwater Horizon. According to Gupta, S (2010), the oil is still there in the underwater in a large quantity. The company is also focusing on coming up with some really effective recommendations relating to the prevention of such accidental occurrences in future. BP produced a report after the conduction of the investigation, named The Deepwater Horizon Accident Investigation Report. This report from the BP included the recommendations for preventing the similar accident in any future situation. Internal initiatives of BP: After the accident, there are some internal initiatives made by BP’s management. These initiatives also include the new possible learning for the improvement of the risk processes within the company. One of the initiatives is the development of an entirely new division of safety and risk. Additionally, one more initiative by the company includes dividing one business, i.e. Exploration and Production segment into three different divisions i.e. Exploration, Development and Production. Dividing a single operation into three different functions means that it will further promote the development in terms of expertise and risk management for the long run. Rebuilding the Reputation: The trust and credibility of BP for its stakeholders is affected a lot after the company held responsible for the huge environmental and societal loss. It can take years to rebuild that trust. Therefore, the corporate governance has started playing an active role in bringing back the reputation of the company which existed before the incident. However, no matter how efficiently the company focuses on rebuilding the previous reputation of BP, it seems quite impossible that it manages to stand out once again in the market facing other similar companies in the industry. Now it has to pay for it as well as wait for a long time to face the world again. BP’s Business Strategy Because of the incident of Deepwater Horizon, the board of BP is reviewing its strategy and made changes in it as following: The events in the Gulf of Mexico led the board to undertake a review of strategy. Led by the group chief executive and his team, the board attempted to address the key challenge of how to regain shareholder value and address core issues, including: To focus on BP’s operations geographically To manage BP’s risk more effectively To focus on BP’s core competency To reset the portfolio of BP Conclusion In April 2010, the Globe faced a disaster in the Mexican Gulf which was ranked as the one which caused the highest loss for the environment, society, as well as the economy in the US history, i.e. Deepwater Horizon oil spillage. Analysing the event from JSEAFORD (2010),the brand image of BP has been suffered to a great extent, negatively affecting its financial position as well as the shareholder value and the reputation and credibility among its stakeholders. BP having a recognition of being a global company, have the positioning in the minds of people that it is a company which does not care much about the planet if it has to make profits. This perception can be justified from the fact that according to The New York Times (2011), BP took steps which actually saved their own time for working through the rig and just did not care about the dangers involved in those steps. Additionally, for global organisations to achieve success, it is essential for them that they should build a mindset in the organisational culture about focusing not only on profits, but it is quite significant to focus equally on the planet as well as its people. This indicates that an organisation can only prosper and earn its desired profits if it aligns the wellbeing of the environment and the people living in the society, as they also are the stakeholders of the organisation’s business. Without aligning the business with environment and society means that the company is just running its business on selfish terms. Thus, the BP incident shows that the environmental and societal concerns were not present in the scenario, which resulted into extremely negative consequences. However, concluding from The Economist (2011), environmentalists say that the consequences are so negative that the surroundings as well as the people living and working near the affected place are going to recover after many more years. List of References BP (2010) BP Annual Report 2010 [online] available at bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/set_branch/STAGING/common_assets/downloads/pdf/IC_CG10_board_performance_report_2010.pdf [24th March 2011] Cleveland, C (2011) The Encyclopedia of Earth [online] available from eoearth.org/article/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill?topic=50364 [24th March 2011] Gupta, S (2010) Gulf spill: Is the oil lurking underwater? [online] available from newscientist.com/article/dn19345-gulf-spill-is-the-oil-lurking-underwater.html [24th March 2011] JSEAFORD (2010) The Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil  Spill [online] available from http://jseaford.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/the-impact-of-the-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill/ [24th March 2011] R, Z (2010) Gulf Oil Spill: BP Oil Well Is Now Dead [online] available from http://morichesdaily.com/2010/09/gulf-oil-spill-bp-oil-dead/ [24th March 2011] The Economist (2011) What lies beneath [online] available from economist.com/node/16160853/comments [24th March 2011] The New York Times (2011) Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill (2010) [online] available from http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/o/oil_spills/gulf_of_mexico_2010/index.html [24th March 2011]

Understanding Maslows Theory of Self-Actualization

Understanding Maslows Theory of Self-Actualization Psychologist Abraham Maslows theory of self-actualization contends that individuals are motivated to fulfill their potential in life. Self-actualization is typically discussed in conjunction with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which posits that self-actualization sits at the top of a hierarchy above four lower needs. Origins of the Theory During the mid-20th century, the theories of psychoanalysis and behaviorism were prominent in the field of psychology. Though largely very different, these two perspectives shared a general assumption that people are driven by forces beyond their control. In response to this assumption, a new perspective, called humanistic psychology, arose.  The humanists wanted to offer a more optimistic, agentive perspective on human striving. The theory of self-actualization emerged out of this humanistic perspective. Humanistic psychologists claimed that people are driven by higher needs, particularly the need to actualize the self. In contrast to the psychoanalysts and behaviorists who focused on psychological problems, Maslow developed his theory by studying psychologically healthy individuals. The Hierarchy of Needs Maslow contextualized his theory of self-actualization within a hierarchy of needs. The hierarchy represents five needs arranged from lowest to highest, as follows: Physiological needs: These include needs that keep us alive, such as food, water, shelter, warmth, and sleep.Safety needs: The need to feel secure, stable, and unafraid.Love and belongingness needs: The need to belong socially by developing relationships with friends and family.Esteem needs: The need to feel both (a) self-esteem based on one’s achievements and abilities and (b) recognition and respect from others.Self-actualization needs: The need to pursue and fulfill one’s unique potentials. When Maslow originally explained the hierarchy in 1943, he stated that higher needs generally won’t be pursued until lower needs are met. However, he added, a need does not have to be completely satisfied for someone to move onto the next need in the hierarchy. Instead, the needs must be partially satisfied, meaning that an individual  can pursue all five needs, at least to some extent, at the same time.   Maslow included  caveats in order to explain why certain individuals might pursue higher needs before lower ones. For example, some people who are especially driven by the desire to express themselves creatively may pursue self-actualization even if their lower needs are unmet. Similarly, individuals who are particularly dedicated to pursuing higher ideals may achieve self-actualization despite adversity that prevents them from meeting their lower needs. Defining Self-Actualization To Maslow, self-actualization is the ability to become the best version of oneself. Maslow stated, â€Å"This tendency might be phrased as the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming.†    Of course, we all hold different values, desires, and capacities. As a result, self-actualization will manifest itself differently in different people. One person may self-actualize through artistic expression, while another will do so by becoming a parent, and yet another by inventing new technologies. Maslow believed that, because of the difficulty of fulfilling the four lower needs, very few people would successfully become self-actualized, or would only do so in a limited capacity. He proposed that the people who can successfully self actualize share certain characteristics. He called these people self-actualizers. According to Maslow, self-actualizers  share the ability to achieve peak experiences, or moments of joy and transcendence. While anyone can have a peak experience, self-actualizers have them more frequently. In addition, Maslow suggested that self-actualizers tend to be highly creative, autonomous, objective, concerned about humanity, and accepting of themselves and others. Maslow contended  that some people are simply not motivated to self-actualize. He made this point by differentiating between deficiency needs, or D-needs, which encompass the four lower needs in his hierarchy, and being needs, or B-needs. Maslow said that D-needs come from external sources, while B-needs come from within the individual. According to Maslow, self-actualizers are more motivated to pursue B-needs than non-self-actualizers. Criticism and Further Study The theory of self-actualization has been criticized for its lack of empirical support and for its suggestion that lower needs must be met before self-actualization is possible. In 1976, Wahba and Bridwell investigated these issues by reviewing a number of studies exploring different parts of the theory. They found only inconsistent support for the theory, and limited support for the proposed progression through Maslow’s hierarchy. However, the idea that some people are more motivated by B-needs than D-needs was supported by their research, lending increased evidence to the idea that some people may be more naturally motivated towards self-actualization than others. A 2011 study by Tay and Diener explored the satisfaction of needs that roughly matched those in Maslow’s hierarchy in 123 countries. They found that the needs were largely universal, but that the fulfillment of one need was not dependent on the fulfillment of another. For example, an individual can benefit from self-actualization even if they have not met their need to belong. However, the study also showed that when most citizens in a society have their basic needs met, more people in that society focus on pursuing a fulfilling and meaningful life. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that self-actualization can be attained before all of the  four other needs are met, but that having ones most  basic  needs met makes self-actualization much more likely.   The evidence for Maslow’s theory is not conclusive. Future research involving self-actualizers is needed in order to learn more. Yet given its importance to the history of psychology, the theory of self-actualization will maintain its place in the pantheon of classic psychological theories.   Sources Compton, William C. â€Å"Self-Actualization Myths: What Did Maslow Really Say?† Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 2018, pp.1-18, http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022167818761929Maslow, Abraham H. â€Å"A Theory of Human Motivation.† Psychological Review, vol. 50, no. 4, 1943, pp. 370-396, http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htmMcAdams, Dan. The Person: An Introduction to the Science of Personality Psychology. 5th ed., Wiley, 2008.McLeod, Saul. â€Å"Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.† Simply Psychology, 21 May 2018. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.htmlTay, Louis, and Ed Diener. â€Å"Needs and Subjective Well-Being Around the World.† Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 101, no. 2, 2011, 354-365, http://academic.udayton.edu/jackbauer/Readings%20595/Tay%20Diener%2011%20needs%20WB%20world%20copy.pdfWahba, Mahmoud A., and Lawrence G. Bridwell. â€Å"Maslow Reconsidered: A Review of Research on the Need Hierarchy Th eory.† Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, vol. 15, 1976, 212-240, http://larrybridwell.com/Maslo.pdf

The Influence of Social Media on Activism and Revolution on the World Essay

The Influence of Social Media on Activism and Revolution on the World Stage - Essay Example Occupy Wall Street was a protest movement where individuals conducted a large-scale sit-in at a park near Wall Street. The widespread popularity of this movement was made possible through social media, most notably Facebook. In these regards, it’s noted that, â€Å"The best way to get people away from their computer is through the computer; you cant organize thousands of people in New York City without the web† (Kannally). Ultimately, then social media directed facilitated the Occupy Wall Street protest. Social media has also had a profound impact on revolution. Undoubtedly the most prominent recent example of this is through the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring revolts emerged in Tunisia when an individual committed suicide after an injustice was committed against him by the government. Rapidly individuals over social media were able to share their experiences of oppression and organize widespread revolts throughout the Middle East. It’s noted, â€Å"The movements throughout the Arab world appeared to have imbued social media with an irrevocable sense of legitimacy as a tool for fomenting change† (Killinger). In this way social media allowed forms of organization to occur in this region that previously had not been possible under the stringent governmental oppression.

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Strategic Management - Essay Example 2014). Management with consideration of communication will provide feedback in surveys, giving ideas in the organization. Sharing of information in an organization also ensures that the objectives of the organization are met, as communication will lead to coordination of activities. Strategic management involves innovation in activities that an organization carries out. Management strategies may involve development of a new product or rendering a new service. Innovation will involve putting groups together to work in development of major initiatives and giving out resources to ensure that the innovative objectives are met. Strategic management should involve trying out something that is new even with the risks that are involved. Management of projects is also a critical element through which management should be able to identify projects that ensures success in achieving all strategies. The other aspect of project management is development of priorities of all the elements to ensure that there is success in achieving objectives of management (Gerry et al. 2014). Project management will also ensure that employees understand strategies of the organization. Organization structure is an essential factor in strategic management. Organization cultures are the attitudes that are held by an organization and behavior that employees in the organization portray. Organization cultures are always unique and diverse due to personality. Managers are to understand the culture to ensure that planning that is put in place is in line with culture of the organization (Gerry et al. 2014). Cultures that are considered are those on belief in change by employees and values that employees hold. Strategic management in an organization requires consideration of these aspects. Engagement of employees at all levels, communication to employees, innovation in an organization, creation of

Concentration Camp Sourcework Essay Example for Free

Concentration Camp Sourcework Essay In Source 5 Reitlinger says that more than a hundred thousand people must have known. If this is correct then why did no-one take the blame for it at the end of the war? Or even do anything to help the Jews? How well supported this claim is depends on the other sources. Source two agrees with Reitlingers claim as it says All the same rumours did circulate about dreadful deeds in the East this concurs with had not heard the same story in Reitlingers source. Also in Source 2 it says Because of the Nazis much publicised resettlement plans this again agrees with Jews had disappeared in Reitlingers source. In conclusion Reitlinger is supported, by Source 2, about rumours being spread and that people had seen Jews disappear. Source three is a very neutral source to the credibility of Reitlingers as it says Workers at an extermination centre in Austria were told Keep quiet about this or face the death penalty' this almost contradicts what Reitlinger says about people knowing about the camps. If the workers in the camps were threatened with their lives then would the hardly gossip to neighbours? Also in source three is says that when the crematoria were turned on it caused a power- outage outside Dachau, the people would obviously notice if their power was turned off so this supports Reitlingers claims. Source 6 contains much information and it supports Reitlingers claims as it contains information concerning an SS man declaring on a train that 2000 Jews were being murdered every week at Auschwitz if this SS man was concerned about secrecy would he have said it on a busy train? Source 6 also goes into some detail about the BBC laughing a broadcast campaign on the extermination of the Jews which provided information for any Germans that held a radio and it also says that The leaflets dropped by Allied planes also relayed information on the annihilation policy I think that the German people would have had enough information to confirm the rumours they might have heard. Source 8 contradicts Reitlinger as it says All swore that during the past few years they had no idea what had been going on in the camp outside their town this is important to note as the people themselves are saying they hadnt heart anything. There is a possibility that they could have been lying or faking their knowledge of the situation as evidence shows the general knowledge of people living around the camps. Source 10 supports Reitlinger as the author says The Jews are disappearing in throngs this matches with Source 5s not know most of the Jews had disappeared I would have to conclude that Reitlinger was probably correct in his estimate of German knowledge of the concentration camps as a good portion of the evidence in the sources tells us that it is plausible to estimate figures as grand as a hundred thousand people. I think many of the Germans did in fact know about the camps either by the rumours or by radio or by information pamphlets and therefore it begs the question as to why they didnt do anything to help the suffering Jews. Were they afraid of the strict penalties? Some had put their lives on the line by telling people about the camps why didnt they do anything? The answer to this is that although the people may have known there was nothing that they could have done to stop it completely and therefore could not be really held responsible for not helping.

Essay --

As a review of techniques for working with students with learning disabilities, various journal articles were reviewed. For the purpose of the assignment, articles were chosen that discussed various aspects of education that a special education teacher would regularly address in their everyday work. Articles were chosen that spoke to suggestions for the teaching of academic as well as social skills for students with disabilities. Another topic central to the work of a special education teacher is collaboration with others. For this aspect, an article about collaboration with parents was selected. Finally, an article addressing the methods of teaching in both the special education as well as the general education classroom was selected. Each article spoke to a different and important aspect of the special education programs and how teachers work with both students and others involved in the education of students with exceptionalities. Academic Skills In addressing students with special needs, it is often beneficial to focus intensive interventions on students with specific difficulties. In the first study, Vaughn, et. al. (2012) investigated the benefits of an intensive intervention for students with sever reading difficulties. For the study, the selected students that had a very low Response to Intervention (RTI). These students did not respond to the general education interventions targeted at students with reading difficulties. In this study, the investigators developed an intensive intervention for those students not responding to the graduated interventions of RTI. For the purposes of the study, the split the group into two categories; a normal intervention of specialized instruction, and an intensive intervention group. Th... ...and go to work. However, my compliance with this rule of my employer allows me to continue employment and to reap the rewards of my job. Compliance to social norms as well as authority is an important social skill that many students need to develop. As the authors point out, â€Å"the cycle of inept social skills cannot be broken by chance† (Dobbins, et. al., 359, 2010). It is important for both special educators as well as their general education colleagues to assist students in the development of the important social skills necessary to become an active and productive member of society. This study points to the importance of explicit instruction in social skills and that it is possible to teach them to students that lack the necessary skills. This is very important for educators to recognize, especially considering the number of emotional disturbed students coming to u

Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling Essay

Introduction Traditionally, psychology and theology have stood in opposition to each other. Christian counselors felt that the relationship between the two disciplines is essentially adversarial. Those who tried to integrate psychology and theology were criticized for doing so. As time goes by, important insights about human behavior and the importance of spirituality have been highlighted. As such, the principles of psychotherapy and psychology could do well to heed the lessons offered by theology, specifically the principles of prayer, worship, the Christian centrality of redemption and forgiveness. McMinn’s book highlighted new theories, techniques, and other important information in psychotherapy and psychology. The book essentially integrates spiritual principles into the practice of psychology and psychotherapy instead of the other way around. Hence, even non-Christian counselors can make use of Christian principles in dealing with their counselees. In the course of this integration, McMinn discusses psychology, theology and spirituality and the different areas where they overlap and where meaningful integration can be achieved in helping people deal with different issues in their emotional, mental and overall well-being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In traditional psychotherapy, religion tends to be relegated to the sidelines and not brought out into the open in discussions. Psychology instead relies on human experience, the meanings generated from these experiences and how such meanings impact the life of a person. God’s involvement, more or less is relegated to the sideways. On the other hand, theology has placed God at the center of understanding human behavior and the social processes in the world. Hence, God’s word and the way it is interpreted are used in evaluating human experiences and behaviors. Because of the mutual exclusivity of the two disciplines, practitioners of either discipline tended to ignore what the other has to offer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   McMinn, through his book however, poses that the Christian view of humans and of God’s involvement in the lives of people has an important impact in the mental and emotional help of people. Christian practices such as prayer and the reading of scripture can help a lot in determining the condition of individuals and help them initiate in the process of looking into themselves and evaluating themselves in light of God’s word.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If this were done, the counselee will be directed to areas of sin in his life. In a sense, he will not be able to understand the areas of sin unless he has a standard to use. In this case, it is the Scripture with the help of the Holy Spirit that directs the person’s attention to the areas of sin in his life. When these areas shall have been recognized, then confession can be done. Confession helps the person put a name to the nameless feelings of guilt and shame. When they have been named, then their power over the person tends to loosen. Confession, a distinct Christian practice, helps the person unload and pour out his heart. This in turn paves the way for forgiveness to come—forgiveness from oneself, from the people involved and from God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Forgiveness then makes redemption possible. Even if the scars of the sins are still there, redemption enables a person to walk away from sin and its painful consequences and start anew. More than simply starting anew, however, redemption entails being re-integrated into the community and into the world. Response to the Book   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a Christian, I was raised in a setting where the Bible is the authority over major issues in life. As such, I could identify with those who tend to look at Psychology with suspicious eyes. As such, with McMinn’s book came as an important eye-opener in regards to the benefits that the integration of psychology, theology and spirituality could do in the overall well-being of a person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Confession though is a little difficult to do. Oftentimes, the church fosters a place where people do not feel safe to confess. Fellowship also tends to get broken down because of hypocrisy. People are afraid of opening up, afraid of being looked down as not being enough of a Christian. A friend of mine was struggling with depression even in the midst of doing ministry for the Sunday School of the church. He did not actively seek help for fear of being discredited in his ministry. By the time he sought help he was under the throes of his depression and needed to have professional help. As a friend, I did not have much to help him because I did not understand enough psychology in helping him. I was loaded with bible verses, which he also knew. I found out that even if I had tons of bible verses, it was not enough without a good understanding of how a person’s experiences affect his emotions and his well-being. If I simply heeded the need to consult psychology, I would have been in a better position to help my friend even if I were not a professional. During the course of my friend’s therapy, he related to me the counseling process and it was based almost solely on psychology. Even if God was being brought into discussion because of my friend’s faith, He was not central in the process. There were also techniques used by the psychotherapist that resembled some of the Christian practices that we were exposed to but were not being practiced in church. At first, I was skeptical of the process because the role of God and of faith has been minimized. As I continued my discussions with my friend, however, there was a noticeable change in my friend and he was indeed becoming better. In one of our conversations, he even talked about his realization that psychology has much to offer to Christians who want to make a difference in the lives of others in terms of counseling and helping cope with the challenges of life. Integration of Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The greatest learning for me in this book is the idea that three separate disciplines could be integrated for the promotion of the total well-being of a person. Indeed, psychology can help look at the mental aspect of person and help provide additional understanding of the significance of the experiences that people go through. More than that, there are techniques and tools that psychology offers. These can then be used by a Christian counselor in helping a person who is going through a difficult time in his life. Psychology can also help blunt the tendency of theology to focus too much on sin, guilt, and shame. These concepts however, should not be set aside totally as they are also important in helping a person come to terms with his true situation in life. The role of theology is to bring God’s standards to the settings in which humans find themselves. God’s word stands as the standards in which human behavior may be subjected to. Being Christians, the primary purpose of counseling is to align a person’s life in the standards of God. This is what I am alarmed about in the book—that in the process of integrating theology and psychology, theology might be relegated to the side and psychology takes center stage. There is indeed a place for scientific inquiry and the use of tools and techniques developed by man for the betterment and empowerment of a person. Yet, as Christians, God’s word should be the first basis of truth and standards of behavior. Psychology deals with emotions, thoughts, responses, and other insights from the lives and experiences of humans. Psychology, in itself, might even draw a person away from God and institute a new version of spirituality that may not be in conjunction with the Christian faith. Another question that I had in the course of reading the book concerns the Christian practices and principles. If for example, non-Christian psychologists do recommend the practice of these principles, such practices may simply be practiced for the sole purpose of improving the person and not for the original purpose of these principles and practices. Prayer, scripture, confession, forgiveness and redemption are concepts that are heavily Christian in essence. Can they be practiced effectively outside of the Christian context? Moreover, if a Christian counselor would use these practices, would not that be constituted as a means of proselytism? There have been challenges in the integration of psychology into theology. On the other hand, while integrating spiritual principles and practices into psychology has its benefits, there may also be drawbacks. The spirituality of the person may be seen as simply a means of improving one’s well-being and not as means of following Christ. Spirituality then might become as simply another tool for man to use instead of being used for the glory of God. Furthermore, the issue of openly promoting Christian practices in the practice of psychology might not be welcome to certain kinds of people. Although it is good to promote Christian practices, there may be issues in terms of their general acceptability, especially because religion is being seen as a highly personal matter. Nonetheless, what I like about the book was the way that McMinn used the term spirituality instead of religion. Spirituality seems to indicate a higher level of significance in the life of people. Christianity as a means to ensuring spiritual and mental health was clearly elucidated by McMinn. He showed in his discussions that Christianity is not only about church attendance every Sunday. Rather, it is a dynamic faith that can help a person deal with issues on a daily basis. McMinn also was riled against the kind of spirituality that seeks only to serve the interest of an individual, especially the type that integrates this and that from different disciplines. His presentation about the integration of psychology, theology, and spirituality was not only theoretical; he presented case studies, which illustrated that Christianity as a faith is relevant to twenty-first century life. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The divide between theology and psychology has been going on for a long time in their applicability in counseling. There are those who look at psychology as a purely human-made discipline and that it is totally incompatible with theology and the way that God’s word deals with human experiences, emotions, and mental health problems. Yet, in this age, the techniques, tools and strategies offered by psychology can no longer be denied. They also offer something which Christian counselors—professional or not—can use. Such techniques however should not be used in themselves. Rather, they should be integrated with God’s word and with theology so that true spirituality may be attained by a person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Spirituality is more than just religion. It takes into account the overall well-being of the person, which is the intent of psychology. It also helps a person align his life with God’s word, which is the aim of theology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When there is a balance and skillful use of psychology, theology and spirituality, counselors everywhere will be able to look at the benefit of God’s ways for humans. It will also help humans avoid pitfalls and if they fell into such, they can easily consult God’s word and get back on track.

Asia Pacific Breweries

International Business Environment Project GROUP PROJECT: ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES LIMITED (APBL) Prepared by G&T Consultancy (TZ02): Benjamin Jethro Neo Czaraim Suganob Carreon Michelle Oh Hui Ling Ratchadakorn Wongphothiphan Valerie Ng Shi Min Yap Yi Jun Prepared for: Ms. Ng Lay Khim, Linda Date of Submission: 18th July 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Company and IndustryOne of the main components of the beverage industry is Alcoholic drink; an example of a company that produces alcoholic beverages, namely Beer and Lager is Asia Pacific Breweries. Listed on the Singapore Exchange, Asia Pacific Breweries Limited (APBL) is one of the key players in the beer industry Asia Pacific Breweries, formerly known as Malayan Breweries Limited (MBL) in 1931 is a joint enterprise between Heineken International & Fraser and Neave. Its present name was given in 1990.As of today, Asia Pacific Breweries also operates a broad global marketing network, which extends across 60 countries and is supporte d by 30 breweries in 14 countries, namely Singapore, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. Asia Pacific Breweries also offers their consumers a wide range of brands, be it global, regional or local, which suit the taste of various beer drinkers; boasting a wide range of choices, including Tiger Beer, Heineken, Anchor Beer, Baron’s Strong Brew, ABC Extra Stout and Bintang Beer.Their beers are brewed under the supervision of Heineken technical experts, who can call upon countless years of experience of European brewing excellence. Using only the finest ingredients, maintaining the most stringent brewing standards, and conducting over 200 quality checks during the process. This scrutiny over production of APB beers has reeled in many awards while their breweries are among the forerunners in their respective markets. 2. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES 2. 1 StrengthsTiger beer, the prize brand of APB, was the winner of the UK's Brewing Industry International Awards, the most esteemed award in the brewing industry 1998. The brand won a Gold medal in the International Style Lager category in the 2010 World Beer Cup; and silver medal in 2010 World Beer Championships. Anchor Beer was presented a gold medal in Selection Mondiale in 2010, a gold medal by Australian International Beer Awards in 1998, on top of several other honors. Since beer sales mostly relied on quality and tang, the higher quality standards of APB beer, makes APB standout in the competitive brewery business.APB's Tiger and Heineken brands scores on the point of identity and thus have a strong brand image. A part of one of the few establishments in Singapore, APBL set up the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation (APB Foundation). This foundation provides financial aid to causes in Creativity Development, achievements in Human Excellence and Humanitarian Awards. APBL plays a significant role in gi ving back to the communities in which they operate. Being socially responsible, each of them renders support to the various educational, social and environmental causes in the respective countries.Through its endless efforts towards community and environment protection, APB continues to build a long-term relationship and good rapport with its customers. 2. 2 Weaknesses Although the US market is mounting at a slower rate compared to certain Eastern European and Asian markets, lack of presence in this market puts the group at a disadvantage as compared to some of the other great players in the industry. Since large beer consuming countries provide possibility for volume and revenue expansion, a modest presence in these markets results in a drawback for APB.The anticipated sale of APBL’s 50% owned Heineken-APB (China) Pte Ltd to China Resources Snow Breweries Limited would not be going through due to an unreachable agreement with CRSB. 3. OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS 3. 1 Opportuni ties With a rise in disposable income and alcoholic beverages more widely accepted by its people, Asia had its potential as a profitable market. APB operates primarily in Asia Pacific, which grew at a compound annual growth rate of 5%, reaching a figure of $112. 2 billion in 2009. To maximize on their Asian opportunity, APB has ventured into New Caledonia and Indonesia. In FY2010, hey came into possession of Heineken International's 65. 1% interest in PT Multi Bintang, Indonesia and also Heineken’s 87. 3% interest in Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle Caledonie, New Caledonia. The group also received beer brand Bintang and its trademarks rights. The acquisition allowed APB to launch their other popular beer brands easier as it gave them a firm consumer base in Indonesia and New Caledonia. APB is extending its brand portfolio by adding more flavors and varieties. They acquired Bintang and Number One, from Indonesia and New Caledonia in FY2010. The group also introduced some other ne w brands in the same year.Laos has its local beer Namkhong; New Zealand was introduced Monteith's Crushed Pear Cider while Tiger Crystal was presented to Vietnam and, as a limited edition, to Malaysia. APB attracts consumers of distinct tastes by presenting new brands every now and then. 3. 2 Threats Beers belongs to one of the highly taxed commodities globally; especially high in the countries APB operates in. Per liter of beer was imposed an excise duty of S$70 in Singapore, the single largest market of APB. New Zealand also increased excise duty. This caused DB Breweries, the New Zealand division of APB to increase its prices by 3%.Higher prices are a result of higher excise rates. APB, known for being a cheaper option of premium brands, may lose its current consumers if excise rates continue to rise and cause APB to set a higher price for its beer brands. Alcohol companies have received criticism on their advertisements and thus, countries set a legal ban on spirits advertisemen ts on TV and radio; on broadcast advertisements which associate alcohol with children or leisure, or promoting alcohol abuse; as well as on sponsorship of TV and radio programs by companies mainly concerned about alcohol production.These rules would hinder APB’s development, as its awareness in the consumers would decrease. Beer has been linked with negative health issues. Among people, there is a general negative perception about beer having an effect on the body fat and cholesterol. On the other hand, wine is considered a healthier option to other beverages. In matured markets like Western Europe and North America, beer is losing its field to wine, as there is an increase in consumers’ preferences for healthier alternatives. Wide variety of alcohol products available readily and extensive advertising is also bringing a negative impact to beer sales. . KEY CUSTOMER (GROUPS) & COMPETITORS Key customer groups Business to Customers APBL has large consumer base due to its wide variety. Tiger beer, among all the brands is the most famous international brand with largest number of consumers. Tiger Beer targeted the vibrant young Asian adults; Tiger also launched Tiger Crystal Lite, a softer-flavored Tiger Beer to cater consumers especially the Chinese who prefer lighter taste. Likewise, Heineken and Gold Crown targets young Asian adults in Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, China, Singapore, and Malaysia.Anchor, which offers consumers with international, affordable quality brew, is more successful in Hainan, Cambodia and Vietnam. Everyday drinkers in Singapore and Malaysia are appealed to Anchor while Cambodians and Singaporeans in their 30s-40s are appealed to stouts including Guinness, Extra Stout and Amber Stout. Baron’s Strong Brew had European as its loyal customer base appealing those who favor strong alcohol taste. Business to Business The company has a strong market share in various countries within the Asia Pacific Region.It also boas ts that in the UK, Tiger Beer can be found in more than 8,000 premium bars, clubs and distribution outlets in major cities. APBL’s products can be found in almost any shop that sells alcoholic beverages in the countries it has expanded to. Competitors Asia Pacific Breweries’ faces many competitors in the industry, namely in Breweries, beverage manufacturing, alcoholic beverage manufacturing, bars and nightclubs and restaurants, bars and food services. APBL’s local and overseas competitors include Carlsberg A/S, whose company perates in Europe and Asia. Asahi Breweries, Ltd, Suntory Group and Kirin Holding Company, Ltd, which primarily operates in Japan. SABMiller, which primarily operates in Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. The Philippines-based company: San Miguel Corporation and China Resources Enterprise Limited based in Hong Kong. Kirin Brewery Company, Limited is engaged in producing alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, food products and pharmaceuticals thro ugh its subsidiaries. SABMiller is engaged in producing and distributing beer, malts and carbonated soft drinks.Likewise, Suntory Group primarily operates in the non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, food products and the food services business segments. Carlsberg, a renowned competitor, is also engaged not only in the production, marketing and sales of beer, but also produces soft drinks, energy drinks and bottled water. San Miguel Corporation, yet another renowned competitor, also engages in the production of beverages and is involved in other business segments such as food and packaging products, power generation and distribution, mining, fuel and oil, infrastructure, telecommunications, management and development of real estate properties. . EXISTING OPERATIONS OF COMPANY 5. 1 Entry modes used for expansion Joint Ventures Asia pacific breweries preferred mode of entry is Joint Ventures. For example, in Singapore, Asian Pacific Breweries started out in Singapore as a Joint Ventu re between Heineken International and Fraser and Neave in 1931 and was known as Malayan Breweries Limited. Asia pacific breweries also used joint venture in Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand. In Cambodia, Asian Pacific Breweries formed a joint venture with Progress Import and Export, which formed Cambodia Brewery Ltd.In China, Asian Pacific Brewery formed a 50-50 joint venture with its shareholders, Fraser and Neave, Limited and Heineken in China known as Heineken-APB (China). APBL also engaged in a joint venture with Laos: Asian Pacific Breweries opened a brewery in Laos through a joint venture with the Government of Laos and SBK Consultant Ltd. Malaysia’s Guinness Anchor Bhd was a result of the merger of Guinness Malaysia Bhd and Malayan Sdn Bhd whose parent company is the current Asian Pacific Brewery. In Mongolia, Asian Pacific has formed a 55-45 joint venture with MCS Holdings LLC.APBL also entered Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand via Joint Venture. In Thailand, Asian Pacific Breweries entered Thailand, to form a joint venture with Thai Life Insurance Company Limited and Thai Pure Drinks Company Limited. Similarly, In Vietnam, Vietnam Brewery Ltd. , (VBL) was formed by a joint venture between Saigon Trading Group (SATRA) & APBL. Finally, In Indonesia, APB participates in the Indonesian beer market via PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk (MBI). Acquisitions In 1955, APB entered Papua New Guinea by acquiring a stake in the brewery, which has been the sole beer brewer in Papua New Guinea since 1983.Further expanding their foothold in the South Pacific, APB entered the beer market of Solomon Islands with a majority  stake in Solomon Breweries Limited (SBL). Merger In New Caledonia, APB entered the beer market of New Caledonia via Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle Caledonia (GBNC). GBNC was formed in 1974 as a result of a merger of two breweries in the territory of New Caledonia. Partnership In Sri Lanka, APBL formed a partnership with Sri Lankan-based Anandappa family group and associates and MBL Offshore Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Phoenix Beverages Limited, which is a leading beverage group from Mauritius, to form APB Lanka.Please refer to Appendix A for APB’s shareholdings in the various countries 5. 2Types of operating issues or problems encountered Operational issues: When expanding into foreign countries, the scale of investment and exports increases. Large amount of capital is needed for venturing into new markets, resulting in the company having fewer budgets to channelize into other new markets or other development areas like R&D. Additionally; customers in different market have different standards, forcing APBL to consistently adapt the flavor to suit to local’s tongue.The unexpected fluctuating exchange rate incurred loss as seen when â€Å"APB suffered a paper loss of S$37. 9m & S$14. 5m in 2008 & 2009 respectively. â₠¬  APBL experiences currency risks due to contractual cash flow invoice in another currency. There is potential currency mismatch in investing countries like Vietnam and Mongolia. For example, APBL invests in USD but revenue generated comes in VND. High agricultural products price resulting from natural disasters also happens in overseas production subsidiary would increase cost of beer production.There might be political and economic regulatory uncertainties in investing market that delay the business operation or high entry barrier in some country as government restrict foreign investment scale or the sales of beer. Economic problems: Due to increase in prices of agricultural products such as wheat and barley, this increases the cost of beer production as well. APBL had to absorb this increase in cost of production, which will be bound to induce negative effects such as an increase in selling prices of beer to offset the higher cost of production.This might lead to potential loss of customers. Also, the value of the firm may be affected by unanticipated and volatile changes in the exchange rates on home currency. For example, the depreciation of Tugrik led to an exchange loss of $ 5. 9M. Political problems: When venturing into Mongolia, there were various benefits and risks encountered by APBL. Some political risks encountered were that the political system lacks transparency and corruption level is high.When venturing into Indochina, there was similarly a high level of corruption in the government coupled with a high tax regime of 45% which decreases the profit margin of APBL due to the higher expenses incurred from the high tax regime. Legal problems: Asia Pacific Breweries’ financial manager, Chia Teck Leng is currently serving 42 years in prison as a result of swindling S$117 million from a Scandinavian bank, two Japanese banks, and a German bank across a period of four years to make up for his gambling addiction.This is reflected as the lengthie st jail term given for the biggest case in commercial fraud in Singapore to date. Chia was charged with using underhand means to extort foreign banks of about S$117 million, criminal breach of trust of S$53 million, money laundering, and encouraging his girlfriend Li Jin to use a forged passport. He was imprisoned on 2 April 2004 after pleading guilty to 14 charges. 6. FUTURE EXPANSION PLAN 6. 1 Selected countries and reasons for expansion Reasons for venturing into Spain The Spanish culture is known for drinking a lot of beer.If APB ventures into Spain, it can be assured of a big market to introduce its products to. But despite the presence of many other beer companies in Spain, APB is a cheaper alternative compared to other beers, which will thus attract many consumers. Furthermore, it is known that good beer is a sign of a good restaurant. If APB can satisfy its customers’ standard of ‘good beer’, it can definitely boost the reputation of restaurants that cate r APB to its customers. In addition, foreign beers are very rampant in Spain. This shows that the Spanish would welcome foreign beers.Thus, this ensures that APB products will have higher chances of being accepted by the Spanish. Barcelona is also known to be a ‘Drinker’s Paradise’. However, there have been negative feedbacks about the type of beers offered in Barcelona bars, which does not complement the drinking environment in Barcelona. Hence, if APB products can satisfy the Spanish, this will up the profit that bars make from selling beers, which will in turn benefit APB in the long run. From 2009 to 2012, the economy of Spain met with a downturn, and almost a quarter of Spain’s workforce was unemployed.APB can now make use of the unemployed as labor for APB in Spain. Reasons for venturing into Australia The wine industry has expanded rapidly but Australians will always be known as beer drinkers, even rivaling the likes of Germans. Therefore, if APB ve ntures into Australia it will also have a large market of consumers to introduce its products to. Coupled with the fact that APB is a cheaper beer alternative, there is a high chance that many consumers will turn to APB to satisfy their demands. There are also various Beer Festivals held in Australia on a regular basis.Such Beer Festivals include ‘The 7th Annual Australian Beer Festival’ which attracted a large crowd of over 10000 people with 24 Australian brewers and over 100 Aussie beers present during the festival. Such Beer Festivals are definitely a good avenue to increase the reputation of APB at a large and quick scale if APB were to venture into Australia. In addition to Beer Festivals, there is also the presence of beer competition such as the ‘Australian International Beer Awards’. This is yet another platform for breweries to showcase their premium beer and brewing excellence.All these platforms reflects the Australian’s interest in beer d rinking and thus this is definitely a good reason for APB to venture into the Australian market and grab its own customer loyalties and build its reputation in Australia. More importantly, the economy of Australia is one of the most developed, modern market economies in the world. In 2011, the Australian economy was the fastest growing advanced economy in the world, with a GDP of approximately US$1. 6 trillion. This means that the Australians are earning more than the worldwide average.The IMF in April 2012 predicted that Australia would be the best performing economy in the world over the next two years. With such a boosting economy in Australia, APB should venture into Australia. Australia has also entered into many FTAs with ASEAN countries and Australia is also a member of various international organizations such as APEC and WTO. This puts Australia in a very good position to make foreign trading with other countries, granted support from these organizations 6. 2 Identification of sub-factors used for expansion Political-Legal factorsSub-factors used: Country risk ranking, political stability ranking, legal regulatory ranking, corruption index and political transparency index and ease of doing business ranking. Political and legal forces greatly impact the success of a company expanding into a foreign environment. It comprises of three main pillars. They are government regulation; laws that restrict the amount of trade freedom a foreign company has in a host country. The Government bureaucracy provides the foreign company with the legal license to conduct business activity in the country and political stability.Economic factors Sub-factors used: GDP growth rate, GDP Growth Projection, Purchasing power parity, Per Capita Income, Inflation rate, Exchange rate stability and presence of competitors. Economic factors refer to whether the country is favorable in terms of its economy. It is a significant factor considered when expanding, as economic factors will greatly affect the success of the company in that country. Social Cultural factors Sub-factors used: Education level, Language, Religion, Income, Age and Ethnic distribution and attitude towards time. The social culture in every country is different.The language, attitudes towards business, religious beliefs, traditions, and customs varies greatly from country to country. Managers must be aware of the differing cultures and specific taste of each country and tailor their products to suit their individual cultures. By doing so, it raises the level of competiveness and demand for that product in that market. Geographical factors Sub-factors used: Accessibility to raw materials, agricultural products available, natural hazards, climate, percentage unemployed in labor force, minimum gross annual wage rate, land area, lease period of land, cost of land & terrain.Geographic features in every country heavily influence the rate and pace at which a foreign company can expand in the host country. Surface features such as navigable rivers and flat plains aids travel and contact with others, hence accelerating the productivity of the company. However, countries with topographical features like treacherous mountain ranges, deserts and large bodies of water may discourage communication. This affects consumers’ product needs and wants, hence requiring managers to be extra particular about their preference. Technological factorsSub-factors used: Availability of Digital Network Infrastructure, Internet penetration rate, Presence of legal framework for intellectual property and presence of e-banking structure. Technological advancement varies extensively throughout the world. Most firms would expand into a new market only if there is demand for its product or if the technology and infrastructure there can support its existing production operations. A country with the latest technology and infrastructure would mean lower costs for the company that is intending to ente r into that market. 6. 2. Political/Legal Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Country Risk Ranking| Risk ranking of 61. 83| Risk ranking of 82. 25 ? | Political Stability Risk Ranking| With a Political Instability Index of 5. 5, Spain is ranked 104th in the world. | With a Political Instability Index (PII) of 3. 6, Australia is ranked 154th in the world. ?| Legal Regulatory Risk Ranking| Overall assessment of Spain is B, 30. | Overall assessment of Australia is A, 18. ?| Corruption Index & Political Transparency Index | With a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 6. 1, Spain is ranked 30th in the world. With a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 8. 7, Australia is ranked 8th in the world. ?| Ease of Doing Business Ranking| Spain achieved a rank of 44. | Australia achieved a rank of 15. ?| In terms of Political-Legal factors, Australia is more favorable as it is better than Spain in terms of Country Risk Ranking, Political Stability Risk Ranking, Legal Regulatory Risk Ranking, Cor ruption Index & Political Transparency Index and Ease of Doing Business Ranking. 6. 2. 2 Economic Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| GDP Growth Rate| 0. 8% (2011 est. )| 1. 8% (2011 est. ) ? | -0. 1% (2010 est. )| 2. 7% (2010 est. )  ? | Purchasing Power Parity| $1,413,468 million (2011)| $914,482 million (2011) | Per Capita Income| $32360 (2010-11)| $65477 (2010-11) | Inflation Rate| 3. 1% (2011 est. ) ? | 3. 4% (2011 est. )| | 2% (2010 est. )  ? | 2. 8% (2010 est. )| Exchange Rate Stability| Euros (EUR) per US dollar – 0. 7107 (2011 est. ) 0. 755 (2010 est. ) 0. 7198 (2009 est. ) 0. 6827 (2008 est. ) 0. 7345 (2007 est. ) > Less stable| Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar – 0. 9694 (2011 est. ) 1. 0902 (2010) 1. 2822 (2009) 1. 2059 (2008) 1. 137 (2007) > More stable ? | Presence of Competitors| Yes. There are strong competitors but not so many brewery companies ? | Yes. There are strong competitors and various microbreweries companies. Tense competit ion| In terms of Economic factors, Australia is more favorable because it is deemed better in five out seven sub-factors. From the comparison table, we know that Australia’s economy is more stable and more favorable for business as compared to Spain because it has a higher GDP Growth Rate and Projection, a lower Purchasing Power Parity and a higher Per Capita Income.Furthermore its Exchange Rate Stability is also more stable. 6. 2. 3 Social Cultural Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Education level/ Literacy rate| 98. 5| 99. 98 ? | Language| Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, and Basque 2%  | Majority: English 78. 5%, Chinese 2. 5%, Italian 1. 6%, Greek 1. 3%, Arabic 1. 2%, Vietnamese 1%, other 8. 2%, Unspecified 5. 7%  ? | Income Distribution| * 10% Rich (25. 2% of income) * 80% Middle Class (72% of income) * 10% (2. 8% of the income)| * 10% Rich (25. 4% of income) * 80% Between the two (72. % of the income) * 10% Poor (2% of the income. ?| Attit ude towards time| The Spaniards are typically a laid back group of people, with a relaxed sense of time| It is expected of an individual to be punctual in any occasion ? | Age Distribution| 0-14 years:  15. 1%15-64 years:  67. 7%65 years and over:  17. 1%| 0-14 years:  18. 3% 15-64 years:  67. 7%65 years and over:  14% ? | It is more feasible to expand into Australia because its Social Cultural factors are more promising. It has a higher Education level and Literacy rate, which means the citizens in Australia are more employable.In terms of Language, majority of Australians speak English thus dispelling any language barriers. Australia’s attitude towards time is also more advantageous for the business. 6. 2. 4 Technological-Infrastructure Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Secure Internet Servers| 285| 2003? | Internet users (per 100 people)| 65. 8| 75. 9? | Presence of Legal framework for Intellectual Property| Copyright Law of SpainSpanish Patent and Trademark Of fice| Australian Property Law ? | Presence of e-Banking Infrastructure | Top 8 country, 46% utilization ? Top 10 country, 44% utilization| It is also more practical to expand into Australia because it is better in terms of the Technological-Infrastructure sub factors. In order for an international business to experience ease in communications between countries, its technological factors must be superlative. By analyzing the various sub-factors, we know that the Internet users (per 100) and Secure Internet Servers in Australia is much higher. 6. 2. 4 Geographical Factors 1 Factor| Spain| Australia| Natural hazards| Periodic droughts, occasional flooding and volcanism ? Cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires volcanism| Climate| Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior,  partly cloudy and cool along coast ? | Generally arid to semiarid (low precipitation); temperate in south and east; tropical i n north| % Unemployed in Labour Force| 20. 065%? | 5. 233% | Minimum Gross Annual Wage Rate (International Dollars)| $11,426. 00 ? | $20,027. 00| Land Area (sq. km)| 505,370| 7,741,220 ? | Terrain| Large, flat to dissected plateaus surrounded by rugged hills ? | Mostly low plateau with eserts, fertile plains in southeast| Upon comparing both countries’ Geographical Factors 1, Spain is more favorable. This is because it is less prone to natural hazards and its climate is more conducive for setting up a plant. They also have a large unemployment rate, which APBL can take advantage of if they chose to expand into Spain. 6. 2. 5 Geographical Factors 2 Factor| Spain| Australia| Length of road network| The road network comprises a total of 346,858 km| The road network comprises a total of 913,000 km ? | Number of Airports| 47 Airports | 448 Airports ? | Number of Seaports| 66 Seaports| 214 Seaports ? Preferential Tax Incentives for Foreign Investors| Deductions are readily availabl e for export activities, investment in the environment, R&D, extraordinary profits reinvestment, training, etc. ?| Subjective to the nature and size of the investment project, the relevant Australian State governments may give rebates from payroll, stamp and land taxes on an ad hoc basis and for limited periods. | By analyzing the Geographical factors 2, Australia is much better because it has a longer road network, more airports as well as seaports. This means that it is much more accessible if we expand into Australia. 6. Recommendation, reasons and type of entry mode to use for Australia. Recommendation We chose to enter the Australian market with either a company currently existing in Australia or a company that hasn’t expanded into any other countries, and have similar goals as Asia Pacific Brewery. We have chosen to go with Coopers Brewery Limited, the largest Australian-owned brewery or the largest home brewing equipment producer in the world. Reasons By venturing into Australia with Coopers Brewery Limited, the chances of reducing cost and risk would be higher as compared to attempting to enter the market alone or with external companies.This would be due to the fact that Coopers Brewery Limited has an established name and hence, this allows them to share their experiences with APB, reducing the trouble of setting up their own subsidiary, ultimately reducing the chances of consumer doubt. Therefore, smaller amount of investment is required to put APB’s business into operation. APB need not waste valuable time to set up its own subsidiary or look for ways to enter the Australian market, which it has low international experience or little cultural knowledge of. Knowledge wise, APB would have an advantage when going into joint venture with CoopersBrewery Limited because they possess information and first-hand experience about the local market demand and they know what â€Å"works† in order to satisfy their consumer’s standa rds and preferences. In terms of production capacity, APB would be able to increase its product and sales volume as there might be sharing of staff and production facilities between both brewery companies. They can also share the cost of marketing and advertising their brewery products. APB can now afford to sell its product at cheaper price, thus increasing its competitiveness in the brewery industry within short period of time.Type of Entry Mode to use We chose to enter the Australian market via Joint Venture with Coopers Brewery Limited. Coopers Brewery Limited was established in 1862, by Thomas Cooper at his home in the  Adelaide  suburb of  Norwood, South Australia. Being the utmost powerful beer company in South-Australia, Coopers Brewery Limited would have the largest amount of market shares hence we would be able to penetrate the markets and promote APB’s branding to Australia, as the consumer-producer’s trust is already established.APB can build good rel ations with its new retailers and customers since its joint venture partner already has a reputable brand image, thus this adds on to APB’s credibility without much effort required. Therefore, APB would be able to distribute its product more efficiently through the availability of existing market channels that Coopers Brewery Limited has. 6. 4 Reasons for not selecting Spain. By comparing both countries, and weighing the factors used for expansion, we have unanimously concluded that Spain is not as favorable as compared to Australia.In terms of Political-Legal factors, Spain’s country risk ranking is lower than Australia, which indicates political instability that is unfavorable when setting up a business. Furthermore, Spain’s ranking when it comes to ease of doing business is ranked 44 in the world, a significant inferiority compared to Australia which ranks 15. Economically wise, Spain’s GDP Growth rate is relatively smaller compared to Australiaâ€℠¢s. In terms of Per Capita Income, Spain’s is much lower compared to Australia, which might play a role as to unsatisfactory sales.Furthermore, by comparing 5-year statistics, the exchange rate stability also fluctuates more than Australia, therefore being less stable. By looking at the Social Cultural factors, Spain is less favorable than Australia because of its lower literacy rate and minor percentage of English speaking individuals, Moreover, the Age Distribution in Australia is better than Spain because despite the exact same percentage of people aged 15-64, the youth’s population in Australia is greater than Spain.This means that in the future, Spain’s percentage of 15-64 would be less compared to Australia. This age groups consists of the majority of working individuals, hence, a smaller figure would be deemed as having an adverse effect to the company. Technological Factors also indicates that Spain isn’t on par with Australia. International Busin esses rely heavily on technology for communication. If APBL wants to expand to a country, it would be an advantage if the country’s penetration rate were higher.By comparison from the table above, it is evident that the Internet Users (per 100) in Australia far exceeds Spain’s, which would mean that there are more computer literate individuals in Australia as compared to Spain, which would pave the way for more employment opportunities. Geographically speaking, Spain’s land area is comparatively smaller than Australia. In order to establish a major brewery, a vast land area is required and Australia has more land than Spain, which means that it would be more economical as land isn’t as scarce.The comparison also shows that Spain has lesser Airports, Seaports and a shorter length of road network, which reflects that the accessibility in Spain is inferior to Australia’s. CONCLUSION Our consultant team has found that Australia would be the more promis ing country for Asia Pacific Breweries’ expansion plans. This is conclusive of our results, which were based on a thorough assessment of thirty-six diverse sub-factors, which are instrumental in successful business expansions. Australia was found to be more favorable in twenty-six out of the thirty-six factors.Australia boasts a relatively slight political risk and has low corruption in the country, which provides a conducive and secure environment for Asia Pacific Breweries to conduct its operations in. Furthermore, agricultural produce in Australia is suitable for the brewing of quality beer, thus Asia Pacific Breweries does not need to source for additional raw materials, which would otherwise incur a huge cost. Australia also has a comprehensive web of transport infrastructure, which would greatly increase the efficiency of Asia Pacific Breweries operations, hence cutting costs.The quality of education in Australia is also of a high standard, producing a workforce that is highly literate. A highly educated work force will not only increase work productivity but also the overall competitiveness and capabilities of Asia Pacific Breweries in Australia. The Australian economy shows no sign of slowing down as GDP growth rates are projected to continue increasing through the years. Additionally, the per capita income in Australia is considerably high, which means that the average Australian is comparatively well to do.As beer is a lifestyle product, a strong, robust economy coupled with a high standard of living will be able to better complement and boost the sales of beer. After taking into considerations the abovementioned conclusions, the team here at G&T Consultancy would like to offer a recommendation for Asia Pacific Breweries to expand into the Australian market. APPENDIXES Appendix A: APB’s Shareholdings BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Asia Pacific Breweries Limited – SWOT Analysis Overview, (2011) Retrieved 20 May 2012, from  http://forum. sh areinvestor. com/forum/showthread. php? 23-Asia-Pacific-Breweries 2.APB: Commences Legal Proceedings Regarding Proposed Sale Of Heineken-APB (China)(2012) Retrieved 20 May 2012, from  http://forum. shareinvestor. com/forum/showthread. php? 23-Asia-Pacific-Breweries 3. Market line, Last updated (2012), Retrieved 22nd May 2012 from: http://360. datamonitor. com. libwww3. np. edu. sg/Product? pid=88B119E4-FAC0-4BA3-B0B8-403ED16218AA&view=SWOTAnalysis 4. Damien Corrigan – Beer in Spain: What to expect in a Spanish Bar (2012) Retrieved 29th May from: http://gospain. about. com/od/fooddrink/qt/beerinspain. htm 5. Beer drinking in Barcelona, Spain, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. beertutor. om/city_guides/barcelona. shtml 6. Beers of Australia, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. clickforaustralia. com/BeersofAustralia. htm 7. Australian International Beer Awards, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. beerawards. com/index. asp 8. The 7th Annual Australian Beer Festival? Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th October, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. australianheritagehotel. com/beerFest. html 9. Economy of Australia. (2012), Retrieved 12th June from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Australia 10. Economy of Spain (2012), Retrieved 12th June from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Spain 11. 11.Singapore, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: h 12. ttp://www. apb. com. sg/singapore. html 13. Cambodia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: http://www. apb. com. sg/cambodia. html 14. 13. China, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 15. http://www. apb. com. sg/china. html 16. 14. Indonesia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 17. http://www. apb. com. sg/indonesia. html 18. Laos, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 19. 20. http://www. apb. com. sg/laos. html 21. 16. Malaysia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 22. http://www. apb. com. sg/malaysia. html 23. 17. Mongolia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 24. http://www. apb. com. sg/mongolia. html 25. 18.New Caledonia, Retrie ved 10th July 2012 from: 26. http://www. apb. com. sg/new-caledonia. html 27. 19. New Zealand, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 28. http://www. apb. com. sg/new-zealand. html 29. 20. Papua New Guinea, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 30. http://www. apb. com. sg/papua-new-guinea. html 21. Sri Lanka, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 22. 23. http://www. apb. com. sg/sri-lanka. html 24. 22. Singapore, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 25. http://www. apb. com. sg/solomon-islands. html 26. 23. Thailand, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 27. http://www. apb. com. sg/thailand. html 28. 24. Vietnam, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 9. http://www. apb. com. sg/vietnam. html 30. Cambodia Brewery Ltd sales down 10pc in ’09. (2010, 8th February). Retrieved 11th July from: http://khmernz. blogspot. sg/2010/02/cambodia-brewery-ltd-sales-down-10pc-in. html 31. Coopers Brewery, Retrieved 11th July 2012 from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Coopers_Brewery 32. Rogers, S. (2010, October 26). Datablog. Retri eved 4th July from http://www. guardian. co. uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/26/corruption-index-2010-transparency-international 33. Viewswire. (2010). Retrieved 4th July from http://viewswire. eiu. com/site_info. asp? info_name=social_unrest_table&page=noads 34.Cia – the world factbook. (2012, June 08). Retrieved 4th July from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sp. html 35. CIA. (2012, February 15). Cia world factbook. Retrieved 4th July from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as. html 36. European beer guide. (2006). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. europeanbeerguide. net/spanbrew. htm 37. International monetary fund. (n. d. ). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. imf. org/external/country/AUS/index. htm 38. International monetary fund. (n. d. ). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. imf. org/external/country/ESP/index. htm 39.Spain economic statistics and indicators. (2011, August 01). Retrieved 4th July from ht tp://www. economywatch. com/economic-statistics/country/Spain/ 40. Australia economic statistics and indicators. (2011, August 01). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. economywatch. com/economic-statistics/country/Australia/ 41. Retrieved 10th July from http://www. unece. org/fileadmin/DAM/hlm/wpla/publications/restrictionsanalysis. pdf 42. Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. (2011, November 14). Retrieved 10th July from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_minimum_wages_by_country 43. World risk average. (2011, June 03). Retrieved 10th July from http://www. uromoneycountryrisk. com/ 44. Economic Intelligence Unit. (2011, July 15). Retrieved 10th July from http://www. eiu. com/ 45. Trumbic, T. (2011). Retrieved 13th July from The World Bank website: http://www. doingbusiness. org 46. Barrientos, M. (2011, 12 21). www. indexmundi. com/georgia/. Retrieved 13th July from http://www. indexmundi. com/ 47. Executive planet. ( 21:). Retrieved 13th July from http://executiveplanet. com/ 48. Wikipedia. (2012, March 31). Retrieved 13th July from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita 49. Wikipedia. (2012). Retrieved 13th July from: http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Category:Beer_and_breweries_in_Spain 50. Wikipedia. (2012). Retrieved 13th July from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_breweries_in_Australia 51. (2011). Retrieved 17th July from The World Bank Group website: http://data. worldbank. org/indicator/IT. NET. USER/countries 52. (2011). Retrieved 17th July from The World Bank Group website: http://data. worldbank. org/indicator/IT. NET. SECR. P6/countries 53. Business Review. (2012) Retrieved 17th July from: http://apb. com. sg/annual-report. html 54. Top Countries for Online Banking. (2010, October 27). Retrieved from http://www. onlinebanking. net/top-countries-for-online-banking/

Olivers life Essays

Olivers life Essays Olivers life Essay Olivers life Essay After nine years with Mrs Mann, Oliver is moved to the workhouse to undergo even more pain and suffering where the boys are so hungry that one boy says he is scared that he will eat the boy that sleeps next to him. Eventually the starving boys decide that one of them will ask for more at the next meal and they come up with a way of deciding it and, as it turns out, Oliver gets the short straw and ends up saying Please sir, I want some more. Mr Bumble almost cant believe what Oliver has said and his face turns pale and he stumbles and clings for support. This is one of the most important parts of Olivers life because it changes the path of his life completely. Straight away he is marched down to the market by Mr Bumble offering Oliver together with five pounds. Eventually they come across Mr Gamfield, a vicious chimney-sweep who offers to take Oliver on as an apprentice for 5 pounds which is later lowered to 3. Mr. Bumble, Mr. Gamfield, and Oliver appear before a magistrate to sign the documents for Oliver to be taken. At the last minute, when he was looking for his inkbottle to sign the document, the magistrate notices Olivers pale face. He asks the boy why he looks so petrified. Oliver tells the magistrate that he would rather be beaten or killed rather than being an apprentice to Mr. Gamfield. The magistrate refuses to allow Oliver to be an apprentice. This is also a big turning point in Olivers life as a hint of fate comes in that if the ink bottle had been in the right place he would have been a chimney-sweep but he is put back for sale again and a kind undertaker called Mr Sowerberry takes him on trial for one week. His wife, Mrs Sowerberry, is not a very nice person and as soon as Oliver enters the shop she remarks that he is very small, only for Mr Bumble to assure her that he will grow but she isnt happy and says I dare say he will on our bittles and our drink and complaining that the workhouse boys always cost more than they are worth. Mr Sowerberry points out that Oliver is a good-looking boy and would make a good mute in proportion. This is the only time we get told about Olivers facial features this links back to the beginning of the book where Oliver is branded and described as it.  Noah Claypole works under the Sowerberrys he is slightly higher in the hierarchy of the lower class yet he still has a go at Oliver just because he has some little form of power. He keeps saying to Oliver Hows your mother, Workhouse Oliver tries to be nonchalant about this and gets on with his job even though it is bothering him. Eventually Noah gets on his nerves so much by saying your mother, she was a nice one, a regular right down bad one. Its a good thing she died when she did otherwise shed be in prison doing hard labour even though Noah doesnt have a clue who Olivers mum is. Eventually Oliver lashes out at him and jumps on him and starts punching him. Noah is a coward because he starts screaming to get people in the room and when two people have Oliver pinned Noah takes two cowardly cheap shots from behind. Then Noah runs to get Mr Bumble from the Workhouse and they lock Oliver in the cellar until they can decide what to do with him. In the cellar Oliver escapes and decides to walk to London and there he finds Jack Dawkins, more commonly known as The Artful Dodger. Oliver tells him that he has come to London to make his fortune. At this The Dodger says I suppose youll want some place to sleep tonight and this takes Olivers fancy since he has no lodgings and no money and so he agrees. The Dodger says as it happens I know a rather kind and respectable gentleman wholl give you lodgings for nothing. Oliver follows him to Fagins hideout where the children are sat around playing cards, smoking and drinking gin. Fagin is a good man that bad things have happened to and Oliver is very grateful because he would have probably died of starvation if Fagin had refused to take him in. Fagin then tells Oliver to make The Artful Dodger his role model because hes going to be a right little Bill Sykes. During Olivers first night he wakes up and sees Fagin looking at all his stolen treasure. Fagin then gets really concious that Oliver will tell the authorities and so he threatens him with a knife to the throat. The next day Oliver wants to go on his first job with The Dodger, so Fagin thinks it over and agrees. During the job The Dodger steals an elderly mans wallet who we later know as Mr Brownlow and he mistakes Oliver for The Dodger as Oliver wasnt ready to run away. Mr Brownlow gets the police to chase after him and eventually the police catch him and take him to the magistrates, or the beaks as The Dodger refers to them. Then Fagin starts yelling at The Dodger saying, why didnt you look after him, why didnt you bring him back This shows that Fagin is very worried because Oliver could tell the police everything about Fagin and his associates so Fagin and Bill Sykes decide to send Nancy to the court hearing. In the hearing the magistrate is drinking behind his desk and doesnt care what anybody says which mirrors the surgeon and the drunk nurse at the begging of the novel. Eventually the shop owner from outside where the robbery took place comes in and says it wasnt Oliver but another boy all the charges are dropped. Mr Brownlow decides to adopt Oliver and all the parts of Olivers life are falling right into place. It then gets even better when Mr Brownlow comes across a necklace that he gave to his niece for her 18th birthday one that was taken off her by a drunk nurse at her death when she gave birth to young Oliver. Fagin is still not convinced that Oliver wont tell the police of his wearabouts so they decide to kidnapp Oliver, which completley rips his troubled life apart, just as it was beginning to come-together.  Unlike other characters throughout the book Nancy is not entirely good. She has battles between her inner conscience and her devotion to  Bill Sykes. Nancy cares for Oliver so overwhelmingly she tries to take Oliver back to Mr Brownlow and it results in her death. Eventually Bill Sykes is killed trying to escape after everybody comes to try to save Oliver.  This book changed peoples opinion towards the poor and the rich people loved reading it and couldnt wait for the next issue to come out every month.

Conflicting Viewpoints in ACT Science Strategies and Tips

Conflicting Viewpoints in ACT Science Strategies and Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Think of the Conflicting Viewpoints Passages as a debate: two or more parties state their conflicting beliefs.Sometimes they agree on one point but disagree on others.Conflicting Viewpoints Passages present this argument and expect you to identify the Scientists’/Students’ beliefs and the similarities and/or differences in beliefs. There will only be 1 Conflicting Viewpoints Passage on the ACT Science section (out of 7 total passages). It can appear at any point throughout ACT Science. To read about the other types of passages, check out our article on the 3 Types of ACT Science Passages. In this article, I will: Break down the format of the Conflicting Viewpoints Passages Address the two types of questions you will be asked in Conflicting Viewpoints Passages and provide ACT Science practice questions for each type: Understanding Viewpoints Questions Comparing Viewpoints Questions Discuss the ACT Science strategies for attacking these passages Format of Conflicting Viewpoints Passages Overview of the format of Conflicting Viewpoints Passages Introduction Visual (if there is one) Scientist 1 / Student 1 Scientist 2 / Student 2 If there are more than 2 Scientists / Students, their paragraphs follow in sequentialorder. 7 Questions I will delve into more information on each part below: Introduction The introduction will vary in length from a short paragraph to a long list. This is what a short introduction might look like: taken from an ACT Science practice test This is what a long introduction might look like: taken from an ACT Science practice test No matter the length, the introduction to the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage is always important. Do not ignore the introduction or forget about it as there is usually one question that you cannot answer without reading it. Visual There may not be a visual in your Conflicting Viewpoints passage; only about half of theConflicting Viewpoints Passages have a visual.The visual will not be a graph or table, but rather just an image/diagram of what is being discussed such as this one: taken from an ACT Science practice test The visual is not usually necessary to answer any questions, but rather it is just there to help you imagine what is being discussed. For example, thevisual above provides no data; it simply shows the location of the nucleus, chromosomes, and cytoplasm in the cell. The majority of the questions will instead ask about: Scientist 1 / 2 / 3 or Student 1 / 2 / 3 This is the meat of the passage.This is where the points of view of each scientist/student are fleshed out.Pay close attention as you read.The bulk of the questions ask you about this part.Also, do not get thrown off if they disguise points of view as different theories such as in this Conflicting Viewpoints Passage: Make sure you identify the similarities and differences of each person or theory. If you are having trouble identifying the point of view, I recommend looking at the first and last sentence of each person's mini-passage. Usually, the main idea is spelled out there. In the example above, the first sentences of Protein Hypothesis and DNA Hypothesis state the point of view. Understanding the points of view fully will serve you best when you start attempting questions: Conflicting Viewpoints Passages Have 7 Questions There are always 7 questions, no more, no less.There are two types of ACT Science questions used with Conflicting Viewpoints Passages that I will delve into next: Understanding Viewpoints Questions Comparing Viewpoints Questions Now that we have an overview of what this type of passage entails, we'll dig into the two types of questions that come along with this passage: Understanding Viewpoints Questions: What They Are and How to Answer Them As I said above, the Scientist 1 / 2 portion will present each Scientist's point of view with the supporting points. These questions check to make sure you really understand each author's/theory’s point of view. Here are some example Understanding Viewpoints questions: What would Student 2 predict to happen? Scientist 1 would most likely agree with: Which statement most agrees with the DNA Hypothesis? A.Genes are mostly proteins B. DNA is found throughout the nucleus and cytoplasm C. Protein is found only in the cell's nucleus D.DNA is found only in the cell's nucleus Let's attempt some ACT Science practicequestions using the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage above, keeping in mind the: Rules for Answering These Questions: ACT Science Tip #1 - Make sure you are considering the right point of view.If it asks about Scientist 1, make sure you are looking at Scientist 1’s paragraph.The ACT will always have an answer choice with Scientist 2’s point of view, hoping that someone will fall for that incorrect answer. In the last question above, you are asked about DNA Hypothesis, so make sure you are looking at DNA Hypothesis, not Protein Hypothesis. If you accidentally looked at Protein Hypothesis instead, you would have incorrectly chosen answer A. ACT Science Tip #2 - Some questions require logic as well as understanding the point of view such as the last question above: Which of the following would support the DNA Hypothesis? A. Genes are mostly proteinsB. DNA is found throughout the nucleus and cytoplasmC. Protein is found only in the cell's nucleusD. DNA is found only in the cell's nucleus You need to understand the DNA Hypothesis so that you are able to figure out which of the answer choices would support it. On these "which of the following..." questions, process of elimination is your best weapon. Eliminate the answer choices that only support Protein Hypothesis and that do not support DNA Hypothesis. Ideally, after all of your eliminating, you will be left with oneanswer choice. Double check that the answer choice does indeed support DNA Hypothesis. For the question above, we can eliminate answer choice A because it supports Protein Hypothesis. We can eliminate answer choices B and C because it directly contradicts what is stated in the DNA Hypothesis. In the DNA Hypothesis, it says that DNA is found exclusively in the cell's nucleus, so D is the correct answer. ACT Science Tip #3 -Some questions are as easy as repeating a fact.Some questions will ask you to just relay facts you read in the passage such as: According to Protein Hypothesis, genes are made only of: This question just requires you to go back and look at the Protein Hypothesis paragraph. The Protein Hypothesis paragraph says that genes are made only of proteins, so that is the answer.Again, make sure you are looking at the right section.These questions are easy, but it is also easy to make a careless mistake on these questions. ACT Science Tip #4 -Ignore the validity of the viewpoint. Sometimes one viewpoint will be factually false, and you will know it from your previous science studies.Ignore it!You still need to understand the viewpoint and be able to answer questions about it. If a viewpoint said that the Earth is the center of the Solar System and you were asked what best supported this viewpoint, you would need to pick an answer choice that supported it such as â€Å"respected philosopher Aristotle taught this model.† Even though you know the viewpoint is false, you need to be able to articulate the point of view and its supporting arguments. ACT Science Tip #5 -Your understanding needs to go beyond talking about each point of view distinct from one another,which leads us to the other type of question: Comparing Viewpoints Questions: What They Are and How to Answer Them These questions ask you to point out the similarities and differences between the authors. Here are some example ComparingViewpoints questions: Student 1 and 2 both agree that: Which of the following would support student 1, but not student 2? DNA Hypothesis and Protein Hypothesis both agree that: A.DNA is less abundant than proteins B. DNA is found throughout the nucleus and cytoplasm C. Protein is found only in the cell's nucleus D.Genes are made up only of DNA Let's attempt some Comparing Viewpoints ACT Science practicequestions from the same passage keeping in mind the same rules as before: ACT Science Tip #1: Make sure you're considering the correct point of view and answering the correct question.This is especially important on the Conflicting Viewpoints questions that ask, "Which of the following would support Student 1, but not Student 2?" You should circle and/or underline the Student you are looking to support, in this case, Student 1. Put an X through the Student you are not looking to support. Such as I have done below: This step helps you concentrate on the correct point of view. For these fact-finding questions, make sure you're reading the correct section for both viewpoints. ACT Science Tip #3: Some questions simply ask you to restate the information stated in both viewpoints.Let's attack this fact-finding Conflicting Viewpoints question from the passage above: DNA Hypothesis and Protein Hypothesis both agree that: A.DNA is less abundant than proteins B. DNA is found throughout the nucleus and cytoplasm C. Protein is found only in the cell's nucleus D.Genes are made up only of DNA Consider first, what is the question asking us? The question asks us to find the statement that both DNA and Protein Hypothesis would agree with. To do this, you need to use process of elimination. Start by looking at A and work your way through the answer choices. Answer choice A is directly stated in DNA Hypothesis and Protein Hypothesis mentions that protein makes up over 50% of the cell, so A seems like a good choice. However, I will check the others just in case. Answer choice B directly conflicts with DNA Hypothesis, which said DNA is only found in the nucleus. Answer choice C conflicts with DNA Hypothesis, which said that proteins are found throughout the nucleus and cytoplasm. Answer choice D conflicts with Protein Hypothesis because Protein Hypothesis argued that genes are made up only of proteins. So, Answer A is the correct answer. ACT Science Tip #2: As with understanding viewpoints questions, some conflicting viewpoints questions require deeper logic. For these questions, understand the points of view, and then use reasoning to find the answer.For example, if you were asked, Which of the following would support ProteinHypothesis, DNA Hypothesis? A. Genes are mostly proteinsB.DNA is less abundant than proteinsC. Protein is found only in the cell's nucleusD. DNA is found only in the cell's nucleus Start by circling and/or underlining and/or crossing out as we did above: Again, use process of elimination.If it supports both Protein Hypothesisand DNA Hypothesis, it is wrong.If it supports DNA Hypothesisand not Protein Hypothesis, it is wrong.Make sure you are looking at the correct section. Start with answer choice A and work your way through the questions, checking each one against what is stated in the viewpoints. Answer choice A is directly stated in Protein Hypothesis and directly conflicts DNA Hypothesis, so it should be the correct answer. However, I will check the others. Answer choice Bis in both Protein Hypothesis and DNA Hypothesis, which states, "DNA is less abundant than proteins," so B is incorrect. Answer choice C is not stated in Protein Hypothesis, and therefore, C does not support it. Answer choice D is directly stated in DNA Hypothesis, so it is incorrect. So, A is the correct answer. Strategy for Conflicting Viewpoints Passages Now that we have a full understanding of what these passages are like, what questions characterize this passage, and how to solve those questions, let's discuss the overall approach to integrating this all together. If you find yourself running out of time, you may find this approach especially helpful. First off, Conflicting Viewpoints Passages will take you the longest because as I discussed above, you need to have a full understanding of the passage to answer the Understanding Viewpoints and Comparing Viewpoints questions.So save it for the very end - finish the other 6 passages before attempting this one or it will slow you down. When attempting Conflicting Viewpoints Passages, read the whole passage first before looking at the questions. I discuss this more in depth in my article on time management. Since you need to read the introduction and all viewpoints to answer the questions, it makes the most sense to read the whole passage at the start. If you find yourself struggling to remember who believed what, write yourself mini-summaries in the margins after reading each viewpoint such as â€Å"pro-comet theory.†Check out this example: It will save you time, so you don’t have to re-read when answering questions. By doing this, you are also ensuring you understand the viewpoint, which is crucial to answering questions. When you start answering the questions, consider which viewpoint(s) you are asked about such as in this ACT Science practice question from the above passage: Which of the following phrases best describes the major point of difference between the 2 scientists’ hypotheses? A.The location of the eventB.The speed the object was travelingC.The density of Earth's atmosphereD.The type of object that entered Earth's atmosphere In this Comparing Viewpoints problem, you are asked to define the major difference between Scientist 1 and 2. Well, according to our awesome notes, Scientist 1 thought the object was a comet, and Scientist 2 thought the object was an asteroid. While there may be other minor differences, this is the major difference in point of view, so the answer is D. You could use process of elimination on this question, but it would have taken longer than simply matching your summary to the best answer choice. Now that we have learned the format, questions, and strategies behind the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage, I will summarizethe steps we tookwhen attacking Conflicting Viewpoints Passage and the common problems to avoid: Steps to take when attempting Conflicting Viewpoints Passages: Read the entire passage firstincluding theintroduction. Write briefnotes in the margins to remember each viewpoint's main argument. When answering questions, start by asking yourself which viewpoint does this question address? Use your notes to help answer questions. Use process of elimination to answer questions by eliminating answer choices that address the wrong viewpoint. Common problems you should avoid when answering the questions: Reading the wrong viewpoint(s). Getting caught up in the validity of the viewpoint. Recap Conflicting Viewpoints Passages always have the same format: Introduction Visual (if there is one) Scientist 1 / Student 1 Scientist 2 / Student 2 If there are more than 2 Scientists / Students, their paragraphs follow in chronological order. 7 Questions There are 2 types of questions: Understanding Viewpoints Questions Comparing Viewpoints Questions For both types, Make sure you're considering the correct point of view and answering the right question. For fact-finding questions, make sure you're reading the right section for both viewpoints. For deeper logic questions, understand the points of view, then use reasoning to find the answer. Ignore the validity of crazy viewpoints. Strategy Save this passage for last. Read the whole passage first. Write yourself short margin notes to remember each viewpoint. Answer the questions using these notes and process of elimination. What’s Next? I hope you feel ready to rock the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage! For further learning on the ACT Science Section, read about the other 2 types of passages in our article, The 3 Types of ACT Science Passages.Learn about Time Management and Section Strategy for ACT Science.Also, learn about Time Management for the ACT Reading section and for the ACT Math section. Like this article? Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Sciencelesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Dora Seigel About the Author As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. 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