PESTEL analysis of the macro-environments

PESTEL analysis of the macro-environments There are many factors in the macro-environment that will effect the decisions of the managers of any organisation. Tax changes, new laws, trade barriers, demographic change and government policy changes are all examples of macro change. To help analyse these factors managers can categorise them using the PESTEL model. This classification distinguishes between: Political factors. These refer to government policy such as the degree of intervention in the economy. What goods and services does a government want to provide? To what extent does it believe in subsidising firms? What are its priorities in terms of business support? Political decisions can impact on many vital areas for business such as the education of the workforce, the health of the nation and the quality of the infrastructure of the economy such as the road and rail system. Economic factors.  These include interest rates, taxation changes, economic growth, inflation and exchange rates. As you will see throughout the Foundations of Economics book economic change can have a major impact on a firms behaviour. For example: higher interest rates may deter investment because it costs more to borrow a strong currency may make exporting more difficult because it may raise the price in terms of foreign currency inflation may provoke higher wage demands from employees and raise costs higher national income growth may boost demand for a firms products Social factors.  Changes in social trends can impact on the demand for a firms products and the availability and willingness of individuals to work. In the UK, for example, the population has been ageing. This has increased the costs for firms who are committed to pension payments for their employees because their staff are living longer. It also means some firms such as Asda have started to recruit older employees to tap into this growing labour pool. The ageing population also has impact on demand: for example, demand for sheltered accommodation and medicines has increased whereas demand for toys is falling. Technological factors:  new technologies create new products and new processes. MP3 players, computer games, online gambling and high definition TVs are all new markets created by technological advances. Online shopping, bar coding and computer aided design are all improvements to the way we do business as a result of better technology. Technology can reduce costs, improve quality and lead to innovation. These developments can benefit consumers as well as the organisations providing the products. Environmental factors:  environmental factors include the weather and climate change. Changes in temperature can impact on many industries including farming, tourism and insurance. With major climate changes occurring due to global warming and with greater environmental awareness this external factor is becoming a significant issue for firms to consider. The growing desire to protect the environment is having an impact on many industries such as the travel and transportation industries (for example, more taxes being placed on air travel and the success of hybrid cars) and the general move towards more environmentally friendly products and processes is affecting demand patterns and creating business opportunities. Legal factors:  these are related to the legal environment in which firms operate. In recent years in the UK there have been many significant legal changes that have affected firms behaviour. The introduction of age discrimination and disability discrimination legislation, an increase in the minimum wage and greater requirements for firms to recycle are examples of relatively recent laws that affect an organisations actions. Legal changes can affect a firms costs (e.g. if new systems and procedures have to be developed) and demand (e.g. if the law affects the likelihood of customers buying the good or using the service). Different categories of law include: consumer laws; these are designed to protect customers against unfair practices such as misleading descriptions of the product competition laws; these are aimed at protecting small firms against bullying by larger firms and ensuring customers are not exploited by firms with monopoly power employment laws; these cover areas such as redundancy, dismissal, working hours and minimum wages. They aim to protect employees against the abuse of power by managers health and safety legislation; these laws are aimed at ensuring the workplace is as safe as is reasonably practical. They cover issues such as training, reporting accidents and the appropriate provision of safety equipment Typical PESTEL factors to consider include: Factor Could include: Political e.g. EU enlargement, the euro, international trade, taxation policy Economic e.g. interest rates, exchange rates, national income, inflation, unemployment, Stock Market Social e.g. ageing population, attitudes to work, income distribution Technological e.g. innovation, new product development, rate of technological obsolescence Environmental e.g. global warming, environmental issues Legal e.g. competition law, health and safety, employment law By using the PESTEL framework we can analyse the many different factors in a firms macro environment. In some cases particular issues may fit in several categories. For example, the creation of the Monetary Policy Committee by the Labour government in 1997 as a body that was independent of government but had the ability to set interest rates was a political decision but has economic consequences; meanwhile government economic policy can influence investment in technology via taxes and tax credits. If a factor can appear in several categories managers simply make a decision of where they think it best belongs. However, it is important not to just list PESTEL factors because this does not in itself tell managers very much. What managers need to do is to think about which factors are most likely to change and which ones will have the greatest impact on them i.e. each firm must identify the key factors in their own environment. For some such as pharmaceutical companies government regulation may be critical; for others, perhaps firms that have borrowed heavily, interest rate changes may be a huge issue. Managers must decide on the relative importance of various factors and one way of doing this is to rank or score the likelihood of a change occurring and also rate the impact if it did. The higher the likelihood of a change occurring and the greater the impact of any change the more significant this factor will be to the firms planning. It is also important when using PESTEL analysis to consider the level at which it is applied. When analysing companies such as Sony, Chrysler, Coca Cola, BP and Disney it is important to remember that they have many different parts to their overall business they include many different divisions and in some cases many different brands. Whilst it may be useful to consider the whole business when using PESTEL in that it may highlight some important factors, managers may want to narrow it down to a particular part of the business (e.g. a specific division of Sony); this may be more useful because it will focus on the factors relevant to that part of the business. They may also want to differentiate between factors which are very local, other which are national and those which are global. For example, a retailer undertaking PESTEL analysis may consider: Local factors  such as planning permission and local economic growth rates National factors  such as UK laws on retailer opening hours and trade descriptions legislation and UK interest rates Global factors  such as the opening up of new markets making trade easier. The entry of Bulgaria and Rumania into the European Union might make it easier to enter that market in terms of meeting the various regulations and provide new expansion opportunities. It might also change the labour force within the UK and recruitment opportunities. This version of PESTEL analysis is called LoNGPESTEL. This is illustrated below: LOCAL NATIONAL GLOBAL POLITICAL Provision of services by local council UK government policy on subsidies World trade agreements e.g. further expansion of the EU ECONOMIC Local income UK interest rates Overseas economic growth SOCIAL Local population growth Demographic change (e.g. ageing population) Migration flows TECHNOLOGICAL Improvements in local technologies e.g. availability of Digital TV UK wide technology e.g. UK online services International technological breakthroughs e.g. internet ENVIRONMENTAL Local waste issues UK weather Global climate change LEGAL Local licences/planning permission UK law International agreements on human rights or environmental policy In Foundations of Economics we focus on the economic environment. We examine issues such as the effect of interest rate changes, changes in exchange rates, changes in trade policy, government intervention in an economy via spending and taxation and economic growth rates. These can be incredibly important factors in a firms macro-environment. The growth of China and India, for example, have had massive effects on many organisations. Firms can relocate production there to benefit from lower costs; these emerging markets are also providing enormous markets for firms to aim their products at. With a population of over 1 billion, for example, the Chinese market is not one you would want to ignore; at the same time Chinese producers should not be ignored either. However, the relative importance of economic factors compared to other factors will depend on the particular position of a business. Exchange rate fluctuations may be critically important to a multinational but less significant to a local window cleaner. Rapid economic growth or economic decline may be very significant to a construction business that depends heavily on the level of income in the economy but may be slightly less significant to a milk producer whose product is less sensitive to income. So whilst the economy is important to all firms on both the supply side (e.g. unemployment levels affect the ease of recruitment) and demand side (e.g. income tax affects spending power) the relative importance of specific economic factors and the relative importance of the economy compared to, say, regulation or social trends will vary. Whilst we hope this book provides a good insight into the economy and the possible effects of economic change on a business these must be considered in the light of other macro and micro factors that influence a firms decisions and success. macro environment Hide links within definitions Definitions (2) 1. Major external and uncontrollable  factors  that  influencean  organizations  decision making, and affect itsperformance  and  strategies. These factors include theeconomic,  demographics,  legal, political, and socialconditions, technological  changes, and natural  forces. 2. Factors that influence a  companys  or  productsHYPERLINK http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/development.htmldevelopment  but that are outside of the companys  control. For example, the  macro  environment could includecompetitors, changes in  interest rates, changes in cultural tastes, or  government  regulations. How Macro Environment affects Financial Management Decision? Macro environment is a dynamic factor and has changed drastically in last few years, leading to increase in avenues, competition and complexity. Efficient financial management calls for better financial decisions. This is only possible when every factor is reviewed which can affect the decision in any way and macro environment is one of the most important factors. This has made financial management more critical and sensitive for any business. Effective evaluation of alternatives is very critical in financial decisions. The evaluation calls for analysis of various factors belonging to both macro as well as micro environment. Financial management; a specialized field of general management is affected to a large extent by macro situations. We have to make various decisions related to finance; broadly such decisions include capital budgeting, capital structure working capital decisions. Capital budgeting facilitates investment decisions, capital structure takes care of decisions relating to mix of sources of funds and, working capital assesses the day to day needs of business. While taking these decisions, one needs to understand the criticality of environmental forces. Since, there is no single factor that makes our macro environment but group of various forces like political, legal, economical, social, technological etc, together build it. An effective financial decision needs assessment of these factors. To evaluate various macro forces, it is necessary to be aware of the system and processes of the country constituting the economy. For e.g. financial system of a country which plays a major role while making financial decision. Awareness about financial environment helps us understand how it constraints or facilitate implementation of decisions. Financial environment comprises of various intermediaries as well as regulatory bodies. A simple example will help us understand the criticality of macro factors thoroughly. A change in credit policy like tightening of prudential norms for banks (for e.g. Increase in Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio by central bank of a country) will reduce the money supply in the economy. Decreased money supply will push up the interest rates and make credit costlier for people who want to borrow. Costly credit will directly affect the capital structure decision. It will also affect capital budgeting decision while assessing the feasibility of the investment alternative. Since, a higher cost of capital will increase the percentage of discounting factor (opportunity cost) with which the future cash flows are discounted. This may cause deferring or canceling the capital expenditure (CAPEX) plans. Also, one should be updated with various changes taking place around the world. We are living in an era of globalization where, nothing is stable and information technology has made the access to news and information of the world just a click away. World is becoming a level playing field where, not only national but international factor can also cause a threat. Like, Sub-prime Crisis brought a challenging time for almost entire world. To summarize, financial management and its decisions are greatly based on some major assumptions. These assumptions are greatly based on the macro factors such as country or worldwide interest rates, gross domestic product (GDP) of a country, growth rate of economy, production and sales figures, population census etc. It clarifies to a great extent that financial decisions may go wrong if proper study of macro factors is not done. If the foundation go wrong, dreaming about a strong building would be equivalent to day dreaming. The new Thinking The role of the Ministry ought to be facilitating industrialists to achieve their vision and being a catalyst in that process I was curious when invited to deliver the keynote address at a seminar which is on Investment Opportunities in the New Economy because the last person you would want to speak on investment opportunities is a bureaucrat.   I think investment opportunities come from the market. And if by the New Economy you are referring to the post-peace era, what we would want to see is not bureaucrats deciding on new investment opportunities, but letting the private sector decide what new opportunities are available for investment.   I have been in the Ministry for the last three months. And during the three months I have encouraged a soul-searching exercise within the Ministry as to what the role of the Ministry ought to be. We have asked ourselves the questions: What is the vision of the Ministry? Together with the Minister and with the senior staff of the Ministry, we have been trying to define the vision we hold for industry in Sri Lanka. And in order to achieve that vision, what is the mission of the Industries Ministry? I would like to share with you some of our conclusions.   We believe that the vision of the industrial sector, as well as that of the Ministry should be to create an internationally competitive, robust, modern industrial sector in Sri Lanka. If we are looking at five years or ten years from now, we would like to see our industrial sector being internationally competitive, self dependent, robust and modern. The age when government subsidized industry, when industry existed with handouts from government is over. If that is the vision that we hold out for industry, what is the mission of the Ministry? We intend sharing with the chambers our views on this matter because we want the chambers to either endorse or suggest what the Ministry ought to do. And in that context we will be unfolding before them the work programme of the Ministry. We will be accountable to industry and the chambers. Every six months we will tell them what we have achieved.   If making the industrial sector modern and internationally competitive is our vision, what is the role or the mission of the Ministry? We believe that the role of the Ministry ought to be facilitating industrialists to achieve their vision and being the catalyst in that process. And we have tried to ask ourselves the question, if we are a facilitator, if we want to be a catalyst in helping industry to achieve their vision, what should we be doing. The new organizational structure of the Ministry will reflect that mission.   Let me share some thoughts with you on what we feel are the areas that we should be involved in and we intend to get involved in. Firstly, all of you as business men and industrialists would agree that more than all the incentives and the tax breaks that you would desire, the fundamental question for industrialists is the macro environment. If you do not have a conducive macro environment in which to operate, I do not think we can talk of business or industry.   What do we mean by the macro environment? Macro environment comprises several factors like interest rates, labour policy, tariff regime, the regulatory framework, investment policy, entry policy and exit policy. There is a whole heap of factors including the legislative framework that creates the macro environment. If that macro environment is not right, I do not think any industry can flourish in a country. So we would have a Director in the Ministry in charge of these macro environmental issues. The last budget included a proposal to set up a permanent Tariff Commission to decide on tariff issues. The market is dynamic and tariff issues keep changing. The government will very soon appoint a Tariff Commission.   Similarly we intend to be represented on bodies that decide on other areas pertaining to industry, in creating that macro environment for industry, labour policy and interest rates.   The second area is industrial policy itself. I am sure many of you have either listened to or participated in debates which discussed what industries ought to be protected in Sri Lanka, if any. We find criticism at many fora where people say we opened up our economy too soon and too sudden. We did not give a chance to local industry to face competition from imported products. Even today there are people who believe that we should not allow some foreign products which have captured the markets to come into this country.   What is Government policy on this issue? We would like to develop that policy in the Ministry after discussions with industry and the chambers.   If you take a simple example, today the shoe industry is facing competition from imports from China. Huge amounts of shoes are on the pavements and in shops that have been imported at very low prices. The shoe industry in Sri Lanka employs more than 5,000 workers. And that is in the organised sector. I am ignoring the informal sector. That industry is crying for protection. Should we protect the shoe industry? There are some who argue that if our industry is to survive, they should be able to compete with any imported product.   In all the sectors of industry that we have dealt with, there are major issues of this kind. So, I think it is necessary for the Government to announce, after a dialogue with the industry and chambers, the policy of the government on protection. I am sure as consumers we would all like to pay a cheap price. We would not like to pay even more, even for the cause of protecting industry. I dont think our national consciousness goes to such an extent that we would agree to the government levying a duty of say, Rs. 900 in order to protect a local industry which manufactures the same products at a cost of Rs. 1,000 while the imported price is only Rs. 100.   If on the other hand, the imported product is Rs. 100 and the cost of the local product is Rs. 110, and there is also a likelihood that given the requisite support, given the assistance needed to upgrade technology and be more productive, the local product can also be sold at Rs 100 within a reasonable period of time, then you and I may not mind a duty of Rs. 10 being levied on the imported product in order to give that local industry a chance to improve and be competitive. In fact, if you look at examples in other countries, if you look at the Indian example, there was a time when milk produced in India was far more costly than imported milk. At that time, they imposed a duty on imported milk and used the money that was recovered to help the local milk industry. Today India is in a position to export milk. We should think carefully what our policy ought to be on tariff issues. So the Ministry would like to get into that exercise and help government make a declaration of its policy on tariffs. Similarly, there are other issues of industrial policy like the BOI and the non BOI regime. I am sure most of you are aware that the same industry within the BOI enjoys certain privileges which are not available to a similar non BOI industry operating in Sri Lanka. The budget has tried to take those differences away and unify the system. Similar issues are there on industrial policy with regard to environment, location of industries and the zones. All those areas are matters on which the Ministry wants to focus its attention. A third area is entrepreneurship development. Sri Lanka has a history of being a protected economy. We have few entrepreneurs in the country. Much less than the desired number we would need in a market economy. We have over the years got our people used to a static, comfortable state of affairs where risk taking is no more in our genes. We need to take some steps in the universities and in the schools to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship in our future generations.   There is an excellent programme in schools, executed with the collaboration of an American organisation for creating entrepreneurship in the schools. There are 300 schools that have formed companies with the students. They produce and market products. We need similar exercises like the incubation programmes, the Vasanthaya Programme, and so on to create enterpreneurs in the country. Thus, the third area that we would like to get into is to invest in entrepreneur development. A fourth area that the Ministry would like to get into is small and medium industry.   With the assistance of the Asian Development Bank, we are now engaged in the process of finishing a white paper which will outline the strategy for development of SME industry in the county for the next five years. There is a short term plan and a medium and long term plan. That paper will be out for public scrutiny. There will be public hearings held about the white paper throughout the country. And we intend publishing and implementing the proposals embodied in that white paper.   These four areas are not sector specific. They cut across all sectors. In fact, without having a conducive macro environment, a rational industrial policy and entrepreneurs, I do not think we can develop industry. And the Ministry would devote much attention to those areas in the forthcoming years.   But, that alone will not do. There are sector specific problems and we need to get involved with such issues. For that purpose, we have selected 15 sectors based on two studies done for Sri Lanka. One, the JICA sponsored, Japanese assisted study, and the other, the USAID Competitiveness study. Based on those two studies we have selected 15 sectors and formed task forces in each of these sectors. 14 have already been formed. These task forces are led by the private sector and the Ministry only has a director who acts as the secretary to each task force.   The task force in each group will prepare a five year plan for the sector. The five year plan will have four elements. One, the state of the sector today in the country how many units are there, how many are employed, how much exports, what is the degree of technology, competitiveness in that particular sector. In other words, they will prepare a profile of the sector as it is today.   Secondly, they will do a SWOT analysis for that industry. They would look at the strengths and weaknesses of that industry in Sri Lanka and analyse the opportunities and threats faced by that industry. Thirdly, they would decide what would be reasonable targets for that sector to achieve in five years. They will create a vision for the sector in terms of increased number of units, increased exports and increased employment. And lastly, they will specify what they want the government to do in order to help them realize their vision. A simple five year plan is to be prepared by all 15 sectors. Two sectors have already completed their assignment and handed over the documents to the Ministry. The Ministry will monitor them and help them reach those targets. There could be policy changes that are required. Areas in which the industry needs the support of the Government as identified in these sector studies will receive the attention of the Ministry.   In reinventing the Ministry to playing that role of facilitator and catalyst, there is a tremendous contribution that the Ministry could make for industry. It is a challenge that I and my colleagues in the Ministry are eager to take on. PEST analysis From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  (Redirected from  PESTLE) PEST analysis  stands for Political,  Economic,  Social, and  Technological analysis and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the  environmental scanning  component of  strategic management. Some analysts added  Legal and rearranged the mnemonic to SLEPT;1  inserting  Environmental factors expanded it to PESTEL or PESTLE, which is popular in the UK.2  The model has recently been further extended to STEEPLE and STEEPLED, adding education and  demographicfactors. It is a part of the external analysis when conducting a strategic analysis or doing  market research, and gives an overview of the different macroenvironmental factors that the company has to take into consideration. It is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations. The growing importance of environmental or ecological factors in the first decade of the 21st century have given rise to  green business  and encouraged widespread use of an updated version of the PEST framework. STEER analysis systematically considers Socio-cultural, Technological, Economic, Ecological, and Regulatory factors. Contents   [hide] 1HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#The_Model.27s_Factors  HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#The_Model.27s_FactorsThe Models Factors 2HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#Applicability_of_the_Factors  HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#Applicability_of_the_FactorsApplicability of the Factors 3HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#Use_of_PEST_analysis_with_other_models  HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#Use_of_PEST_analysis_with_other_modelsUse of PEST analysis with other models 4HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#See_also  HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#See_alsoSee also 5HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#References  HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#ReferencesReferences 6HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#External_links  HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-PESTLE#External_linksExternal links The Models Factors Political  factors, are how and to what degree a  government  intervenes in the economy. Specifically, political factors include areas such as  tax policy,  labour law,  environmental law,  trade restrictions,  tariffs, and political stability. Political factors may also include goods and services which the government wants to provide or be provided (merit goods) and those that the government does not want to be provided (demerit goods  or merit bads). Furthermore, governments have great influence on the  health,  education, and  infrastructure  of a nation. Economic  factors include  economic growth,  interest rates,  exchange rates  and the  inflation rate. These factors have major impacts on how businesses operate and make decisions. For example, interest rates affect a firms  cost of HYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-Cost_of_capitalcapital  and therefore to what extent a business grows and expands. Exchange rates affect the costs of exporting goods and the supply and price of imported goods in an economy Social  factors include the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social factors affect the demand for a companys products and how that company operates. For example, an aging population may imply a smaller and less-willing workforce (thus increasing the cost of labor). Furthermore, companies may change various management strategies to adapt to these social trends (such as recruiting older workers). Technological  factors include ecological and environmental aspects, such as  RHYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-RDHYPERLINK http://www.srilankadot.com/wiki-RDD  activity,  automation, technology incentives and the rate of  technological change. They can determine  barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence  outsourcing  decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to  innovation. Environmental  factors include weather, climate, and  climate change, which may especially affect industries such as tourism, farming, and insurance.Furthermore, growing awareness to climate change is affecting how companies operate and the products they offerit is both creating new markets and diminishing or destroying existing ones. Legal  factors include  discrimination law,  consumer law,  antitrust law,  employment law, and  health and s

P.R FIELD

Remember proper referencing for anything taken from a source of any kind (book or Internet, CD, DVD, anything). Dazzle me with your knowledge. QUESTION 1 Read the short cases below, choose two of the three cases provided, then answer the questions that follow for each case. Ethics case study 1 â€Å"You've recently left a Job as an account supervisor at a public relations agency that specializes in social media and technology clients to go to work in the public relations division of a leading smart phone manufacturer.You learned of the career opportunity a few months after the agency you worked for had failed to win the smart phone company as a client. You were a member of the team that developed and pitched the business and happen to have the agency's entire presentation on a arsenal flash drive. Your new boss asks you to propose strategies and tactics to support the launch of a ground-breaking application. The fastest and easiest thing for you to do is to copy relevant portions of your previous employer's proposal, including key messages for targeted markets, and present It to your new boss.What do you do? † (Cited from APRS Ethics and Standards Case Study Series) Ethics case study 2 has asked you to write a speech for the Chairman of the Board that will be delivered at an International Air Transport Association gathering in Geneva, Switzerland. Your lenient hopes to use the speech as a springboard to open discussion about the subsidiaries many airlines receive from governments in the countries where these carriers are based. Your client's position is that this creates unfair competition and lowers the subsidized airlines' standards of service, safety and security.Your deadline is immediate and you have the worst writer's block you've ever had in your life. Through some random electronic searches, you find the perfect speech on Youth. It was delivered by a member of Panamas National Assembly who opposed the government's generous subsidiaries of the cou ntry's state-owned airline and was ousted with subtitles. You are ready to copy it and present it to your client because it is exactly what you have been directed to write. But you're uncomfortable because you know the speech will not be your own work.The deadline is immediate. What do you do? (Cited from APRS Ethics and Standards Case Study Series) Ethics case study 3 One of the biggest success stories in the technology sector has hired the large international public relations agency you work for to represent its interests in a fierce battle to retain market dominance. Your agency was hired because of its mistreated success in marketing communication and issues management for other technology companies. You were not involved in signing the business, but are excited to be on the account team.You learn that the issue is a larger, better established and even more successful technology company that is developing products to compete head-to-head with your new client. With your expertise in multiplication media, your task is to secure news reports and blobs about how poorly the competitor's products perform and the possible problems that they create because of incompatibility with the most common operating systems. The only basis o have to support allegations that the competitor's products don't work is a few negative online reviews and print media reports.

Sense and Descriptive Essay

Your second portfolio will be a descriptive essay about your favorite location. You will not be focused on building characters or telling a story in this paper – Your paper will purely describe. Remember that your descriptions should use imagery and sensory details, meaning that it should appeal to the five senses. While reading your paper, I should be able to picture your location.Your favorite room of your house Your favorite location in nature An event you have attended that was particularly fun, such as: A school field trip A youth retreat A summer camp A tourist destination Think about the following questions to help you brainstorm ideas for your description:– What places in nature, such as the ocean or mountains, do you especially enjoy visiting? Think about places you have visited with friends or family.– What unusual plants or animals in nature would lend themselves to being described in an interesting way?– What is an object or place that you see often without really thinking much about it—for instance, your backyard? Try observing it more closely.Observe and Record Details (Prewriting)A descriptive essay is most effective if it is packed with details that vividly portray the object or place being described. Set aside some time to observe your subject closely and write down the details you notice using the Sensory Chart Prewriting Activity Sheet (attached). Record sensory details (sights, sounds, scents, flavors, and textures) that you can include in your descriptive essay.As you record sensory details, it helps to pretend that your reader has never seen the object or scene you are describing. Even if some details seem obvious, write them down! Remember that your reader can’t see what you’re seeing, so you want to record as much detail as possible in order to paint a mental picture of your object/scene for your readerWhen you record what you see, record things like colors, textures, lighting, and movemen ts. When you record what you feel, describe textures & temperatures (bumpy, smooth, rough, soft, fluffy, warm, cold). Use similes to make comparisons between what you feel when you touch the object or objects in your scene to familiar things Example – The tree’s bark is rough like coarse sandpaper. When you record what you hear, smell, and taste (if applicable), close your eyes! This helps you to hone in on these senses.It is best to observe your subject directly if possible. However, if you are not able to do so—for instance, if you are writing about a faraway vacation spot you visited last summer—you can still take time to brainstorm details. Use photographs, letters, or conversations to jog your memory. Then write down the sensory impressions you recall.Your paper should consist of the following:1. Introduction: Begin with a memorable image or idea that sets the tone for your essay. Try to convey an overall impression about the place you are describing . For instance, a beach scene could come across as tranquil and idyllic or stormy and foreboding, depending on the details chosen.2. At least 3 body paragraphs: The details presented in the body of your description should present a vivid  portrait of your scene. This is where you need to load up on that sensory detail from your observations. 1st body paragraph – Explain one reason why you like your location & use at least one sense to illustrate that reason. 2nd body paragraph- Explain a second reason why you like your location & use at least one sense to illustrate that reason. 3rd body paragraph- Explain a third reason why you like your location & use at least one sense to illustrate that reason.3. Conclusion Sum up why this place is important to you and end with a memorable final image.General Guidelines: 2 pages in length At least 5 paragraphs (intro, 3 body, conclusion) Double space 12 point, Times New Roman font Heading in upper left hand corner with your name, date, and name of assignment (Descriptive Portfolio) Title for your essay, centered. Proofread for spelling, grammar, and punctuation.Descriptive Essay RubricCriteria Expectations Points Up for Grabs Focus -The essay is tightly focused on a single location/scene. -The importance of the scene is explained in detail to the audience. – Ideas and details in the essay are consistently relevant to the topic. Final – 20Content – Essay consists of an introduction, at least three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. – Essay consistently develops the description effectively with vivid details (including sensory images) and specific examples and explanations. Final – 20Organization – The essay is consistently well- organized and follows a clear pattern of organization. – Transitions are used consistently and effectively within and between paragraphs. Final – 20Style, Voice & Language– Vivid and specific details and explanations used. †“ Precise word choice and varied sentences used. – The voice of the essay reflects the writer’s feelings and personality and is appropriate to the subject and audience. Final – 20Conventions – Correct use of spelling, punctuation, grammar. – Heading included (name, date, title of assignment) – Double Spaced – 12 point, Times New Roman font Final – 20

Analyzing The Roots Of Congressional Gridlock - 1487 Words

Analyzing the Roots of Congressional Gridlock Gridlock refers to a point in which there is no progress in the debates, motions or bills being passed in parliament simply because the members of congress cannot agree to a decision (Binder, 2003, p.4). The congress has two houses that are usually in conflict with each other. They are the Senate and the House of Representatives. Within the congress, there are also parties that are influential in the passing of motions and bills. Parliamentary parties refer to the differences among the members of congress as defined by the political party with which they are affiliated. Gridlock in congress is contributed by two issues; the fact that there are two different parties competing to outshine each†¦show more content†¦People who elect Senators into congress feel that they need a leader who will advocate for their needs, and one who will fight for their economic, academic and political empowerment. As such, they believe that they have the power to decide whoever goes into the Senat e, as long as genuine elections are held. Senators also share this view and have the belief that their voters were the deciders of whether or not they would have a chance to sit in congress. They know that they have a duty to represent and work for their people. Besides, these are the people they went to and requested for votes so that they could represent them in the Senate. Therefore, they should be afraid of the voters as they have the power to decide who to elect into the Senate every time there is an election related to this post. Through this understanding, Davidson et al (2012, p.91) settle on the idea that the decisions of the senate are highly influenced by reelection prospects. Every senator wants to enjoy more than one term in the Senate. Therefore, they will do as much as they can to ensure that they please their voters. They debate as the people in their states want them to. They support motions and bills that favor their people so that they can get a following and their popularity can be on the high. This inclination towards pleasing voters leads to a division in congress. The congressmen who wish to be reelected by their people will support arguments that benefit these people. They simply