Business Writing Letter format and required information on a business letter

Business Writing Letter format and required information on a business letter August 10, 2005Bill M. ElaterMarketing DirectorFedEx Corporation942 South Shady Grove RoadMemphis, TN 38120Dear Mr. Elater:Subject: Word Processing Software SolutionAs requested, the marketing team has researched a number of word processing software solutions and has found Microsoft Word 2003 to be the best all-around software package for FedEx.Microsoft Word-2003 is the easiest word processing application in the market today in terms of ease of use. Plus it provides good support and integration between different applications as well as great technical support and availability by providing 24 X 7 technical phone support. In addition, whether it is a headquarters solution or a corporate wide directive the integration can be performed seamlessly as Microsoft Word-2003 has multi-language support, thus allowing for easy integration and use in other countries by our employees. Microsoft Word-2003 also provides easy to use templates, mail merger, and grammar and spell-check.Word 2010The sy stem can effortlessly be integrated with other Microsoft Office products such as Excel for spreadsheet, graphs and charts; Access for database management; PowerPoint for presentations and E-mail as well as 3rd party software products such as Adobe and client interface software to transfer data from different applications and systems into MS documents.By providing a simple global solution, Microsoft Word can improve our office productivity by providing simple interfaces between applications. The new release even provides compatibility between desktop, PDA's, Blackberries and some cell phones. Clearly Microsoft Word-2003 is the best solution as a word processing application for Federal Express world headquarters. I have tentatively scheduled a demo for the monthly corporate board meeting on July 15. Please advise whether this date needs to be changed.Sincerely,Cathy Last-NameSoftware Selection Team

Review on the novel Playground of the Gods by Cathy Spellman

Review on the novel Playground of the Gods by Cathy Spellman Cathy Spellman's, The Playground of The Gods is an exuberant novel which deals with murder in a remote tropical paradise but can further be read as an illustration of man's ignorance and invasion of nature."Do it big, or stay in bed."( Larry Kelly). These are words that Thoros Gagarian lives by. He is one of the wealthiest men in the world and when picking his private paradise, only one place on earth could serve his needs and fantasies. This place is Mora Utu-The playground of the Gods-a green jewel in the placid blue expanse of the South Pacific, the most luxurious and seductive private preserve anywhere on the planet. Once his prized-possession has been found, Thoros immediately ships the island natives to a different island and brings in his construction crews to hurriedly build his paradise in order to have it ready for a celebratory visit by 12 of his close friends.Book coverIn the introduction to the story, Cathy Spellman makes clear the notion that the protagonist, Thoros Gag arian views himself as an indestructible god. Her descriptions of his haste purchase of his Island paradise shows a man for whom their is no boundaries. His arrogance is further displayed in his building of his compound.Spellman's voice of reason comes from a spiritual Mexican couple who are Thoros's servants. They not only warn but predict of many consequences to the ignorance to which nature is being shown. "Nature will not permit alteration on such a scale."(Emilio, 114).However, these warnings are ignored by the men who do not appreciate a bizarre servant couple speaking of things which money can't buy and power can't control. This is when Spellman's utilization of irony comes into the picture. A member of the party catches a tropical fever, yet he can't be...

Rosalind Franklin Discovered DNA Structure

Rosalind Franklin Discovered DNA Structure Rosalind Franklin is known for her role (largely unacknowledged during her lifetime) in discovering the helical structure of DNA, a discovery credited to Watson, Crick, and Wilkins- received a Nobel Prize for physiology and medicine in 1962.  Franklin might have been included in that prize, had she lived.  She was born on July 25, 1920, and died on April 16, 1958.  she was a biophysicist, physical chemist, and molecular biologist. Early Life Rosalind Franklin was born in London. Her family was well-off; her father worked as a banker with socialist leanings and taught at the Working Mens College. Her family was active in the public sphere. A paternal great-uncle was the first practicing Jew to serve in the British Cabinet. An aunt was involved with the womens suffrage movement and trade union organizing. Her parents were involved in resettling Jews from Europe. Studies Rosalind Franklin developed her interest in science at school, and by age 15 she decided to become a chemist. She had to overcome the opposition of her father, who did not want her to attend college or become a scientist; he preferred that she go into social work. She earned her Ph.D. in chemistry in 1945 at Cambridge. After graduating, Rosalind Franklin stayed and worked for a while at Cambridge and then took a job in the coal industry, applying her knowledge and skill to the structure of coal. She went from that position to Paris, where she worked with Jacques Mering and developed techniques in x-ray crystallography, a leading-edge technique to explore the structure of the atoms in molecules. Studying DNA Rosalind Franklin joined the scientists at the Medical Research Unit, Kings College when John Randall recruited her to work on the structure of DNA. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) was originally discovered in 1898 by Johann Miescher, and it was known that it was a key to genetics. But it was not until the middle of the 20th century when scientific methods had developed to where the actual structure of the molecule could be discovered, and Rosalind Franklins work was key to that methodology. Rosalind Franklin worked on the DNA molecule from 1951 until 1953. Using x-ray crystallography, she took photographs of the B version of the molecule. A co-worker with whom Franklin did not have a good working relationship, Maurice H.F. Wilkins, showed Franklins photographs of DNA to James Watson- without Franklins permission. Watson and his research partner Francis Crick were working independently on the structure of DNA, and Watson realized that these photographs were the scientific evidence they needed to prove that the DNA molecule was a double-stranded helix. While Watson, in his account of the discovery of the structure of DNA, largely dismissed Franklins role in the discovery, Crick later admitted that Franklin had been only two steps away from the solution herself. Randall had decided that the lab would not work with DNA, and so by the time her paper was published, she had moved on to Birkbeck College and the study of the structure of the tobacco mosaic virus, and she showed the helix structure of the virus RNA. She worked at Birkbeck for John Desmond Bernal and with Aaron Klug, whose 1982 Nobel Prize was based in part on his work with Franklin. Cancer In 1956, Franklin discovered she had tumors in her abdomen. She continued to work while undergoing treatment for cancer. She was hospitalized at the end of 1957, returned to work in early 1958, but soon became unable to work. She died in April. Rosalind Franklin did not marry or have children; she conceived of her choice to go into science as giving up marriage and children. Legacy Watson, Crick, and Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine in 1962, four years after Franklin died. The Nobel Prize rules limit the number of people for an award to three and also limit the award to those who are still alive, so Franklin was not eligible for the Nobel. Nevertheless, many have thought that she deserved explicit mention in the award and that her key role in confirming the structure of DNA was overlooked because of her early death and the attitudes of the scientists of the time toward women scientists. Watsons book recounting his role in the discovery of DNA displays his dismissive attitude toward Rosy. Cricks description of Franklins role was less negative than Watsons, and Wilkins mentioned Franklin when he accepted the Nobel. Anne Sayre wrote a biography of Rosalind Franklin, responding to the lack of credit given to her and the descriptions of Franklin by Watson and others. The wife of another scientist at the laboratory and a friend of Franklin, Sayre describes the clash of personalities and the sexism that Franklin faced in her work. Aaron Klug used Franklins notebooks to show how close she had come to independently discovering the structure of DNA. In 2004, the Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School changed its name to the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science to honor Franklins role in science and medicine. Career Highlights Fellowship, Cambridge, 1941-42: gas-phase chromatography, working with Ronald Norrish (Norrish won a 1967 Nobel in chemistry)British Coal Utilisation Research Association, 1942-46: studied physical structure of coal and graphiteLaboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de lEtat, Paris, 1947-1950: worked with x-ray crystallography, working with Jacques MeringMedical Research Unit, Kings College, London; Turner-Newall fellowship, 1950-1953: worked on the structure of DNABirkbeck College, 1953-1958; studied tobacco mosaic virus and RNA Education St. Pauls Girls School, London: one of the few schools for girls that included scientific studyNewnham College, Cambridge, 1938-1941, graduated 1941 in chemistryCambridge, Ph.D. in chemistry, 1945 Family Father: Ellis FranklinMother: Muriel Waley FranklinRosalind Franklin was one of four children, the only daughter Religious Heritage: Jewish, later became an agnostic Also known as:  Rosalind Elsie Franklin, Rosalind E. Franklin Key Writings by or About Rosalind Franklin Rosalind Franklin and Raymond G. Gosling [research student working with Franklin]. Article in Nature published April 25, 1953, with Franklins photograph of the B form of DNA. In the same issue as Watson and Cricks article announcing the double-helix structure of DNA.J. D. Bernal. Dr. Rosalind E. Franklin. Nature 182, 1958.James D. Watson. The Double Helix. 1968.Aaron Klug, Rosalind Franklin and the discovery of the structure of DNA. Nature 219, 1968.Robert Olby. The Path to the Double Helix. 1974.Anne Sayre. Rosalind Franklin and DNA. 1975.Brenda Maddox. Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA. 2002.

Governing Business Activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Governing Business Activity - Essay Example Therefore, organizations must ensure that they have a competitive edge that will guarantee prosperity of the firm. Notably, competitiveness varies with certain factors. First, the industry in which the entities operate. Secondly, the size of the firm affects competitiveness significantly. Evidently, these factors have significant implications on competiveness. This write–up will discuss competitiveness in relation to the size of the entity. This write-up will also relate competitiveness to adaptation of large or small organizations to changes in the business environment (Harry & Normand 1996, p. 122). Competitiveness encompasses the ability of an entity to manage factors such as government, suppliers, rivals and customers. Suppliers provide an entity with inputs required to create products. Therefore, an entity should manage suppliers to ensure that costs do not spiral out of control thus, reducing an entity’s profitability. The government affects an entity’s com petitive edge by the policies it enacts (Pfeffer 1995, p. 234). Higher taxation reduces competitiveness. Conversely, tax cuts increases competitive edge since they entity can offer its clients products at reduced prices. Rivals are other partakers in the sector that are in direct competition with an entity for clientele or any other factor that is central to the undertakings of an organization e.g. raw materials. Therefore, rivalry reduces competitive edge since some competitors may opt for price cutting strategy to eliminate competition. This is a strategy utilized by large monopolistic entities, which seek dominance. The above factors influence competitiveness immensely as revealed above. However, their impact on competitiveness varies owing to the size of an entity (Pfeffer 1995, p. 231). A large firm has massive resources. As such, the entity has an enormous bargaining power, large market segment, and it operates on a massive scale. The above factors contribute significantly to the competitiveness of an entity. A large entity has the resources to undertake a far-reaching marketing. This will enhance its chances of boosting its sales. In contrast, a small organization does not have the resources to fund such campaigns. This reduces the chances of such an entity boosting its sales. An entity requires input to create its merchandise. Acquiring such inputs is tricky for smaller firms. Suppliers prefer large-scale purchasers. Consequently, large firms receive discounts form supplier decreasing their overheads. Contrary, small firm incur the full cost of their purchases. This means they do not benefit from discounts from supplier. The suppliers also treat large-scale purchasers in preference. If a shortage emerges, the smaller organizations will not receive any inputs. Large firms operate on a colossal scale allowing the entities to capitalize on economies of scale. Consequently, such entities incur minimum cost per unit product (Pfeffer 1995, p. 123). This allo ws such entities to offer reduced prices since they incur minimal costs. However, smaller firms incur higher costs per product. This reduces the ability of such to offer reduced prices. This decreases the competitiveness of smaller firms. In the analysis of the competitive edge, it is essential to evaluate the competitive advantage of firms based on innovation. A large firm has the means to invest in research. The research will contribute

Promotional Practice Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Promotional Practice Report - Essay Example Nike holds the leading position in this industry with the total sale of USD 37 billion which is USD 9 billion ahead of its primary competitor, Adidas Group (Nike Inc., 2014, p.1). The brand equity and the innovative promotional activities and campaigns have acted as the major drivers of the growth and continued popularity of the company since its inception till the current days of operation (Porter, Harris and Yeung, 2002, p.200). Nike Inc. is considered to be one of the most valuable brands across the globe and is renowned for its innovative communication techniques. The company holds the 26th position in the list of the top 100 global brands as published in the year 2012 by Inter brand. The brand value of Nike in 2013 was USD 13, 179 million. Brand image is a significant factor required for any company to ensure continued success and create competitive advantage in a dynamic global business environment. As such, Nike Inc. has been continuously working on developing strong promotional practices as a part of its integrated marketing communication strategies. In this report, an analysis of the very successful recent campaign of the company â€Å"Risk everything† would be discussed and analyzed. This advertising campaign was released in April 2014 and went on to become one of the most impactful and successful advertising campaigns in the history of the company thereby taking the brand image, perception and awareness of the company to new heights. The main objective of the â€Å"Risk Everything† Campaign launched by Nike was to inspire the consumer groups of the company to take risks and succeed. This campaign used celebrity endorsements by various famous athletes to promote the brand and create high levels of inspiration and euphoria among the fans of these famous athletes. The celebrity endorsements were also used as a strategy to establish the acclaimed quality of the products by

Financial theories Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial theories - Research Paper Example This theory applied to establish the expected rate of return on investments to pricing models of modern assets. Some of the attributes include the support of what information can be supportive for strategic investment (Shankman, 1999). Agency theory aimed at the ever-present relationship of agency, in which delegation of work takes place from one person to another, usually the principal and agent. The agency theory deals with the agency clashes, between principals and agents (Bamberg & Spremann, 1987). This theory has certain attributes which includes: (1) ambiguity in routine conclusions, (2) unfavorable choice, and (3) nature of work performed (Bamberg & Spremann, 1987). Agency Costs of free-cash-flow occur between stockholders and managers’ conflict. These conflict arises where a firms with large cash flows than positive investment forecast. The attributes are: (1) agency costs of free cash flow’s reduction benefit in debts and (2) substitution of debt against dividends (Bowie & Freeman, 1992). Theory of Capital Structure provides the companies to organize their financial sources from internal to equity financing. Capital raising sources includes equity or debt, to equity is treated as less preferred means of raising capital. Firms usually, large firms raise their debts to support the dividend’s payment while small firms cut their debts to disburse dividend (Myers & Nicholas, 1984). â€Å"Economic Value Added Theory† (EVA) is a technique of financial performance to compute the profit of a firm. Coca-Cola and General Motors are good examples of this theory. The attributes of this theory includes: (1) maximization of the wealth of shareholders, and (2) investors expectation of company’s growth in future profits against the cost of capital (Hayne, 1998). â€Å"Weighted average cost of Capital is the rate of return, sometimes called discount rate† (Shankman, 1999). This applied in assessing weather the project is viable or not in the

Domtar Business Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Domtar Business Analysis - Research Paper Example Domtar has exhibited excellent cash flow over the last few years. The cash flow is anticipated to rise to an average of 9% in the next one year. Domtar’s income has been declining considerably though is still considered to be performing well as compared to other companies in the same industry. Domtar Products Domtar specializes in a wide range of fiber-based products. The products include digital printing papers, specialty papers, EarthChoice papers, publishing papers, commercial printing papers, Business papers, as well as office papers. It is currently planning to start manufacturing packaging papers. Additionally, Domtar engages in the manufacture of paper grade, lumber, wood products, in addition to specialty pulp. Domtar sells its products to a wide range of customers such as merchants, retailers, printers, converters, publishers, as well as end users. Domtar sells its product within Canada, North America and exports to other regions of the world such as United State, whi ch is one of the main customers (Ivara, 2012) Domtar’s Financial Health Financially, Domtar has been performing considerably well. It is considered the second largest paper industry in the world in terms of financial standings. In the financial statement issued on July 27, 2012, which showed the financial performance for the second quarter of 2012, the report showed the considerable decline from that of the previous year. The company reported an operating income of $106 million. Although this was excellent compared to other companies in the same industry, it was, however, a decline from $ 109 million reported in the first quarter for the year 2012. The decline was attributed to increased maintenance costs in addition to reduced shipments for pulp as well as paper. However, the market prices had increased considerably which helped offset the losses, which could have been higher. However, Domtar is anticipating worse times in the third quarter due to the challenges facing the p ulp markets such as the declining demand for both paper and pulp shipments. Domtar management is planning to counteract the anticipated losses by converting the less needed communication paper to Specialty as well as packaging papers, which are still in higher demands. Additionally, Domtar hopes to increase the prices of pulp (Domtar, 2012). The cash flow from functioning activities amounted to about $30 million in the first quarter of 2011. The capital expenditures were approximately $29 million. By March 31, 2012, which marked the end of the first quarter of 2012, Domtar paid $47 million for outstanding premiums and recorded a free cash flow amounting to $48 million. This demonstrates strong cash flow. Additionally, Domtar’s cash flow is expected to average improve further in the future. Domtar’s stock price has outdone the benchmark in the first quarter of 2012. Investors are expected to increase their shareholdings. Additionally, the shares are expected to continue exchanging at bargain basement levels (Domtar, 2012). Any company has the main goal of increasing the value for the shareholders.  Ã‚