Review Of Divertimento Fanfare By Roger Zare - 1268 Words

On October 5th, the Auburn University Chamber Winds and Symphonic Winds performed a collection of pieces from different time periods including: The Classical period, the 20th century period, and the Modern period. All of the pieces, except for the last piece and the pieces that were not conducted, were conducted by either Michael Cater, Zack Deininger, Ethan Lolley, or Meghan Miller, who are all graduate conductors. The first piece performed, â€Å"Divertimento-Fanfare†, was written by Roger Zare. Zare is known for his contemporary chamber and orchestral work. His music is inspired by science nature, mathematics, and mythology. Zare uses word painting to convey and contrast the two ideas in â€Å"Divertimento-Fanfare†. The opening rhythm can be described as consonance and then as the piece progresses, the rhythm becomes dissonant. The interaction between these two kinds of rhythms builds tension and energy. The texture of the piece had a main melody and a subordinate me lody, otherwise known as a homophonic texture. The only instruments in this piece were the trumpet, horn, trombone, and the euphonium (small tuba). The tone color or timbre of each instrument were all related with one another because all the instruments were in the brass family. The second piece played was the Overture and it was written by Kurt Weill. Kurt Weill was born the son of a cantor in Dessau. He made a name for himself in Berlin during the 1920’s and 30’s while working with Bertolt Brecht. His Overture

Legalized Pot; Killing Our Country Free Essays

Hempeficial, by Steven Jeffrey published in 2011 discusses the legalization of hemp and marijuana plants in the United States. Mr. Jeffrey thinks it is ludicrous that pot is illegal. We will write a custom essay sample on Legalized Pot; Killing Our Country or any similar topic only for you Order Now In my opinion it is irresponsible to propose any initiative to legalize marijuana. My experience has proven it to be highly addictive, damaging to young brains and can rob the economy of the intellect necessary to keep us moving ahead. It is a myth that cannabis is not addictive. Studies of long- term users show a significant dependency correlation. A friend of mine, who is a neuroscientist, once told me that approximately 173,000 people have some form of dependence to or use cannabis or its sister plant hemp regularly. Jeffrey states â€Å"hemp has been used for at least 5,000 years†. That is a classic case of addiction, not be able to stop. Marijuana is very damaging to the brain, especially young brains. My husband, who is a doctor, points out that it is not uncommon for people who use, to complain about memory loss and not being able to think clearly. That the chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, corrupts the natural process of endocannabinoids, a key family of chemicals that help guide the brain in proper maturation. Yet Jeffrey refers to this as an â€Å"innocuous plant†. These chemicals are vital keys to the formation of memory, learning and decision-making. In this way, marijuana is even more damaging to a person because it pilots the brain to become stagnant. The primary concern is it has a lasting effect on young people. Jeffrey agrees that, â€Å"the evil female plant-marijuana. It gets you high, it makes you laugh†. My neighbor, a mother of three, told me she is very concerned that her once straight A students do nothing all day now except get high and laugh. When young people fail to show initiative to do something with their lives, we lose that portion of innovative ideas for new and improved technology. Our nation has stopped growing along with the smokers. Even Jeffrey states that other countries are â€Å"literally laughing at our stupidity†. How to cite Legalized Pot; Killing Our Country, Papers

IT Governance Essay free essay sample

Research Proposal No.1 (Quantitative analysis) Alignment of Information Technology (IT) Governance with Business Needs in the EnterprisePrincipal Aim of study: To identify and understand how and why IT needs to be carefully placed to be compatible with business needs in the organization. â€Å"Some organizations started with the implementation of IT governance in order to achieve a better alignment between business and IT.† (Haes Gremberg 2008). Objectives: To identity specific needs for IT application within the framework business in the enterprise To establish a deployment that is most beneficial to the organization in economic terms To seek the implementation of most appropriate and cost effective IT solutions for contemporary organizational structures To emphasize on the need for clear and consistent standard followed in implementing IT solutions in corporate environments. To offer quantitative solutions aligned with IT; that will effectively address issues arising in the organization. Hypothesis: There is a significant role of IT governance in positively affecting the ability of businesses to cater to industry demand and achieve considerable cost benefits over time. Research Questions:1. What level of system throughput is essential and critical for the success of managerial and effective decision making using timely data and processing capabilities? IT Governance 32. How could â€Å"a purpose-built, standards-based data appliance that architecturally integrates the database, server and storage into a single, easy-to-manage system.† be operated? (Netezza twinfin data warehouse and analytic appliance: Resetting the bar on price/performance, 2009, p.1). 3. There is nothing called perfect data. However, what makes the extraction of information from data so tedious a process?Significant role of IT governance in positively affects businesses to cater to industry demand and achieve considerable cost benefits over time. There is nothing called perfect data. However, what makes the extraction of information from data so tedious a process? What system throughput is essential and critical for the success of managerial and effective decision making using timely data and processing capabilities? Literature Review How could â€Å"a purposebuilt, standards-based data appliance integrating database, server and storage into a single, easy-tomanage system.† be operated? Empirical Research Database and Systems Integration Statistical Tools and Profilers Research Objectives Research Parameters Primary Research and First-hand data collection IT Governance4 Literature review:Costs:Initial capital investmentsMaintenance and usage costsImpact on bottom line through amortizationCost benefit evaluation on short, medium and long term basisFinancial analysis including calculation of present value, cash flows and residual assessmentTechnological obsolescence Implications: Positives /Negative impact of present IT deployment: From the government’s point of view From the point of view of the IT industry Specific work-force and union perspective on IT deployment Negative aspects of the present IT policies and procedures Threats and challenges in the IT alignment the corrective measures to overcome these through practice and research studiesEnvironment: The present scenario of the IT industry The industrial techniques to meeting business needs Perceived risks in various implementation schemes Positive and negative results of IT governance and deployment in the enterprise Legal and socio-economic constructs of IT alignment Research Designs: IT Governance In a research study of this genre, it is critical to plan appropriate designs that could not only meet the goals and objectives of business but also provide an environment and basis on which the empirical research study could be well conducted. Besides, the research design should be free from known errors, statistical bias and must present a strong forum for the detailed and comprehensive study of the topic under research. In this IT related studies, it is very important that quantitative data should be gained through both primary and secondary researches. The Primary Research is based on a modern topic that requires utmost care and understanding with valid and well-informed group of respondents. It is also compulsory to consult secondary resources to establish current trends and apparent cost benefits through upgrading or reassessment of latest technologies and the latest high-tech IT operation in the existing corporate and technological demands. At this point when business cannot separate from technological influences, it is indeed important that maximum efforts and attention is given on how business needs could be increased and improved through better IT interfacing and governance. In a quantitative research study of this genre, the use of statistical tests to underpin the validity the conduct of research and hypothesis testing is imperative. The above research design by compartmentalizing between Business and IT strategy seeks to bring forth the major ingredients in the two while also seeking to integrate IT Governance 6 the two aspects of bus iness- the business unit and the IT deployment or alignment in the manner that is most advantageous to the business and its stakeholders.MethodologyThrough research techniques like surveys and personal interviews using right forethought. Also, use of appropriate statistical tests that could emphasize this quantitative research.† A chi-square test is used when you want to see if there is a relationship between two categorical variables.† (What is statistical analysis should I use? Statistical analysis using SPSS, (n.d.).Primary sources are derived from discussions with IT researchers, practitioners, revenue specialists (in public and private sectors IT governance). Interviews conduced with a selected group of IT specialists and practitioners drawn from various business and industrial sectors. Secondary and tertiary sourcing is from website libraries, online internet sources, and peer reviewed academic magazine articles.Interpretations / AnalysisBased on the literature reviews and findings of the research studies carried out after gathering quantitative data from primary, secondary and tertiary sources. Conclusions: An appropriate conclusion is that could strengthen the impact of IT in enterprise thereby stressing its present and ultimate risks, challenges, advantages and benefits. Also, observation on the various methods that are necessary in the present context .This method could be IT Governance 7 applied considering the future risks of technical and commercial obsolescence of IT industry. It is important that the requirements of the corporate units are met through the use of IT. Therefore the conclusion validates or nullifies the hypothesis. Reference ListAdvanced QA corner, 2009. [Online] CPU. Available at: http://www.computerpoweruser.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles%2Farchive %2Fc0906%2F27c06%2F27c06.asp [Accessed 9 March 2010]. Building IT and end user partnership, 2010.[Online] ITtoolkit.com. Available at: http://www.ittoolkit.com/assessments/assess_partnerships.htm [Accessed 9 March 2010]. Business sponsorship and alignment – white papers, 2010. [Online] tdwi. Available at: http://tdwi.org/whitepapers/list/business-sponsorship-and-alignment.aspx [Accessed 9 March 2010].Customer satisfaction survey questions, 2010. [Online] Zoomerang. Available at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Customer-Satisfaction-Survey-Questions/ [Accessed 9 March 2010].Data governance, 2010. [Online] Bitpipe.com. Available at: http://www. bitpipe.com/tlist/Data-Governance.html [Accessed 9 March 2010].Haes, D.S., Gremberg, V.W. , 2008. Analyzing the relationship Between IT governance and business/IT alignment maturity. [Online] IEEExplore. Available at: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore. ieee.org %2Fiel5%2F4438695%2F4438696%2F04439133.pdf%3Farnumber%3D4439133a uthDecision=-203 [Accessed 9 March 2010].National survey of information technology occupations, 2004. [Online] Statistics Canada. Available at: http://www.statcan. gc.ca/cgibin/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurveySDDS=2939lang=endb=imdbadm=8 dis=2 [Accessed 9 March 2010].Netezza twinfin data warehouse and analytic appliance: Resetting the bar on price/performance, 2009. [Online] NETEZZA, p.1. Available at: http://www. netezza.com/documents/twinfin_ds.pdf [Accessed 9 March 2010].What is statistical analysis should I use? Statistical analysis using SPSS, (n.d.). [Online] Academic Technology Services. Available at: http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/Spss/whatstat/whatstat.htm [Accessed 9 March 2010].Why is it so hard to get? 2009. [Online] Semantra. Available at: http://www.semantra.com/library/Semantra-Enterprise-FactSheet.pdf [Accessed 9 March 2010].

When On D-Day-June 6, 1944-Allied Armies Landed In Normandy On Essays

When on D-Day-June 6, 1944-Allied armies landed in Normandy on the northwestern coast of France, possibly the one most critical event of World War II unfolded; for upon the outcome of the invasion hung the fate of Europe. If the invasion failed, the United States might turn its full attention to the enemy in the Pacific-Japan-leaving Britain alone, with most of its resources spent in mounting the invasion. That would enable Nazi Germany to muster all its strength against the Soviet Union. By the time American forces returned to Europe-if indeed, they ever returned-Germany might be master of the entire continent. Although fewer Allied ground troops went ashore on D-Day than on the first day of the earlier invasion of Sicily, the invasion of Normandy was in total history's greatest amphibious operation, involving on the first day 5,000 ships, the largest armada ever assembled; 11,000 aircraft (following months of preliminary bombardment); and approximately 154,000 British, Canadian and American soldiers, including 23,000 arriving by parachute and glider. The invasion also involved a long-range deception plan on a scale the world had never before seen and the clandestine operations of tens of thousands of Allied resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied countries of western Europe. American General Dwight D. Eisenhower was named supreme commander for the allies in Europe. British General, Sir Frederick Morgan, established a combined American-British headquarters known as COSSAC, for Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander. COSSAC developed a number of plans for the Allies, most notable was that of Operation Overlord, a full scale invasion of France across the English Channel. Eisenhower felt that COSSAC's plan was a sound operation. After reviewing the disastrous hit-and-run raid in 1942 in Dieppe, planners decided that the strength of German defenses required not a number of separate assaults by relatively small units but an immense concentration of power in a single main landing. The invasion site would have to be close to at least one major port and airbase to allow for efficient supply lines. Possible sites included among others, the Pas de Calais across the Strait of Dover, and the beaches of Cotentin. It was decided by the Allies that the beaches of Cotentin would be the landing site for Operation Overlord. In my opinion, the primary reason that the invasion worked was deception. Deception to mislead the Germans as to the time and place of the invasion. To accomplish this, the British already had a plan known as Jael, which involved whispering campaigns in diplomatic posts around the world and various distractions to keep German eyes focused anywhere but on the coast of northwestern France. An important point to the deception was Ultra, code name for intelligence obtained from intercepts of German radio traffic. This was made possible by the British early in the war having broken the code of the standard German radio enciphering machine, the Enigma. Through Ultra the Allied high command knew what the Germans expected the Allies to do and thus could plant information either to reinforce an existing false view or to feed information through German agents, most of it false but enough of it true-and thus sometimes involving sacrifice of Allied troops, agents or resistance forces in occupied countries-to maintain the credibility of the German agents. Six days before the targeted date of June 5, troops boarded ships, transports, aircraft all along the southern and southwestern coasts of England. All was ready for one of history's most dramatic and momentous events. One important question was left unanswered though: what did the Germans know? Under Operation Fortitude, a fictitious American force-the 1st Army Group-assembled just across the Channel from the Pas de Calais. Dummy troops, false radio traffic, dummy landing craft in the bay of the Thames river, huge but unoccupied camps, dummy tanks-all contributed to the deception. Although the Allied commanders could not know it until their troops were ashore, their deception had been remarkably successful. As time for the invasion neared, the German's focus of the deception had shifted from the regions of the Balkans and Norway to the Pas de Calais. The concentration of Allied troops was so great, that an invasion of France seemed inevitable. Bombing attacks, sabotage by the French Resistance and false messages from compromised German agents all focused on the Pas de Calais with only minimal attention to Normandy. Also, German intelligence thought that the Allies had 90 divisions ready for the invasion (really only 39), so that even after the invasion of Normandy, the belief could still exist that Normandy was just a preliminary measure and the main invasion of the Pas de Calais was still to come. None of the German high

Shinto Religious Practices Essay Example

Shinto Religious Practices Essay Example Shinto Religious Practices Paper Shinto Religious Practices Paper Shinto is a Japanese religious practice characterized by rites and based on the polytheistic idea of Kami. Jinja Shinto is the institutional form while the Jinja Honcho in Tokyo is the administering office for over eight thousand shrines in Japan. The Ise Jingu in Ise which is believed to enshrine the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, is considered to be the most sacred of the Shinto shrines. The Emperor is considered the highest Shinto priest and the divine descendant of Amaterasu Omikami. It is widely practiced religion in Japan besides Buddhism and as a religion, Shinto concerns with prosperity and happiness in this world (Ozawa-de Silva, 2014). The grounds of Shinto shrines are most commonly marked by a grove of evergreen trees that surrounds a gateway, the torii. The main building enshrines the spirit of a particular kami. Most people will go to Shinto shrines on certain occasions especially on the New Year’s Day which is normally done to pray for Kami’s blessings. During the New Year, the home is thoroughly cleaned to make it very attractive to the spirits and the main gate is decorated with a kadomofsu. The family gathers to celebrate by eating a special soup called ozone which is believed to promote health. The tradition dictates that those performing the prayer first wash their mouth and hands at the fountain usually located at the gateway. They should then proceed to the front of the main building, cast some coins into the offertory box, ring the bells, bow twice, clap their hands twice, and then bow one more time (Bernstein, 2009). There are also several rites and a major festival that are held each year at each of the Shinto shrines. During the festival, the priest will solemnly offer prayers and food to the Kami as thanksgiving and as a way of seeking blessings. Dances and music are also performed for the Kami while the people enjoy together. The prime of the festival happens when portable shrines are energetically paraded through the parish. Also, a very special ritual known as jichinsai is always performed by the Shinto priests before commencing construction on a new building (Ozawa-de Silva, 2014). This is based on the belief that lack of such a ritual would lead to accidents because deities that dwell on that construction site become angry. Shinto marks some seasons with special practices such as planting and harvesting rice. Respect for nature is a key aspect of Shinto and is characterised by reverential objects placed in the midst of fields, forests, or mountains. Respect for spirits is practices by pouring water over gravestones and leaving offerings of flowers and food. Another notable practice involves the purification of water. There is also the climbing of the sacred mountain to gain favour and union with the spirit of the mountain (Bernstein, 2009). Climbing Mount Fuji is particularly one thing that most Japanese wish to accomplish during their lifetime. Other practices involve daily worship and the maintenance of a small shrine called kamidana done in the home. Shinto worships for beauty and its tradition on figurative art are also fundamental. The defining features of the Shinto art are openness, deliberate simplicity, and the use of natural elements. Shinto places little emphasis on ethical demands and doctrines (Bernstein, 2009). It focuses on beauty of ritual, an aspect that gives it an important affiliation with the arts. Shinto’s high regard for art is also believed to have inspired today’s Japanese art and architecture. References Bernstein, A. (2009).Shinto Beliefs and Traditions. Sage Publications, Inc. Ozawa-de Silva, C. (2014).HatsumÃ… de, the Visitation of Shinto Shrines: Religion and Culture in the Japanese Context. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199362202.003.0008

Voice in Writing 77 Questions to Find Yours

Voice in Writing 77 Questions to Find Yours Voice in Writing: 77 Questions to Find Yours Finding your unique voice in writing can be so tricky. Have you ever thought, Why do I seem to become more boring the longer I write?Or, maybe youre thinking, Why do I struggle to write when I can talk to people so easily about the same subject?Sometimes, there’s a disconnect between how we want to say something and how it actually sounds.Our voice as a writer can get lost, tainted, or may just be inconsistent.The way to combat this is found in a two-part solution:Create an avatar.Write to that avatar.What Is An Avatar?To a writer, an avatar is a composite of characteristics of people that you want as your ideal readers. This person should have a name, a picture, a specific demographic, and other detailed qualities. Once you can easily hold a picture of who this person is in your mind’s eye, you can develop your writer’s voice by writing to your avatar.When you hold your avatar in mind, you’re able to write as if youre having a conversation. This allows yo u to be more authentic, more helpful, and it enables you to connect with your reader which will in turn help you to sell more books.If your readers are the right readers (the people that your avatar represented), they will think as they read your book, Oh my goodness, this book was written exactly for me!How Do I Create An Avatar?A good first step is to think, Who is one person in my life that this book would help the most?If there is someone that you think fits the bill exactly, then voila! Write the book for that person.Chandler Bolt, founder of Self-Publishing School, even suggests starting each chapter off by addressing your avatar.For example, if your avatars name is Sharon, you could start each chapter by saying, Dear Sharon. Later, in your editing process, you can delete that initial greeting.Chandler says, What youll find is that when youre struggling with your voice and youre not sure what to say, youll just come back to, What would [name of avatar] want to hear right now? What story would most resonate with them? How could I write the next portion of my book in a language that would resonate the most to [name of avatar]?'You will write faster, you will write easier, and you will write books that your readers crave.Is an Avatar Necessary?Some people may opt for a slew of statistics that represent the general demographic of their reader instead of an avatar. But basing your writing voice off of a generic understanding of your ideal reader will result in a generic portrayal of your message.And, with a generic message, your audience will be too broad. As its been said, When your audience is everyone, your audience is no one.But I Dont Have An Avatar!If you dont know someone that perfectly embodies your avatar, don’t stress!Here are 77 questions that you can answer to flesh out your avatar, and in turn, solidify your voice as a writer.Determine Your Avatars DemographicsWhat is your avatars name?What is your avatars age?What is your avatars gender? What is the marital status of your avatar?How many children does your avatar have?What are the ages of your avatars children?What is your avatars occupation?What is their job title?How many years have they been in their current position?What is your avatars annual income?How many jobs have they held throughout their career?What is your avatars level of education?Where did they attend school?What type of experience did they have at school?Who were their friends at school?What are your avatars political views?What are your avatars religious views?It is even important that you define your avatars physical characteristics. This means that you should even have a picture of your avatar!You can easily find a picture on the internet to find an image that captures the look of your created avatar.What is your avatar’s hair color?What is your avatar’s eye color?What is your avatar’s weight?What is your avatar’s height?What does their facial expressions look like whe n theyre frustrated? Tired? Confused? Happy? Surprised? Taken off-guard?Determine Your Avatars PersonalityDescribe your avatars personality at home, at work, and in other social situations. (If youre stuck, consider the questions, What makes your avatar anxious? Does your avatar feel secure in social situations? Does your avatar crave attention or try to avoid it? Does your avatar feel accepted in their relationships?)If you could tell your avatar anything, and you knew that they would not only hear you, but apply what youve said, how would you instruct them?What are exact quotes that your avatar would say? (If you are unsure of this, simply watch people- whether personal friends or other online presences- and observe how they speak. What do their Facebook comments look like, their Amazon book reviews, etc.?)What thoughts keep your avatar awake at night?What does your avatar’s typical social environment look like?How does their culture influence their personality and decision s?What things does your avatar feel like they have control over?What things does your avatar feel like are out of their reach?What does your avatar worry about?Who does your avatar celebrate?Has your avatars life lived up to their expectations?Determine Your Avatars Hobbies and InterestsWhat type of music does your avatar listen to?How often does your avatar listen to music?Does he or she like sports? Do they enjoy watching? Playing?Is your avatar interested in art?Where does your avatar want to travel?Where has your avatar already traveled?What does your avatar stay up-to-date on?What are your avatars favorite clothing brands?Determine Your Avatars Goals and ValuesWhat does your avatar want to accomplish this week? This year? Before they die?What is your avatars process for working towards those goals?What is your avatar committed to (values)?In what ways does your avatar wish to improve their family situation?What would your avatar pay almost anything for?Determine Your Avatars Ch allenges and Pain PointsWhat challenges is your avatar currently facing?What causes your avatar pain?What is the worst thing that could happen to your avatar if their problem (that you are solving in your book) wasnt solved?How would this make them feel?What is your avatar afraid of?What does your avatar dislike about their current situation?Determine Where Your Avatar Spends TimeWhere does your avatar hang out (physical locations)?Where does your avatar spend time on the internet?What books does your avatar read? Digital Marketer, an online business that specializes in internet marketing, suggests that you answer the question, My ideal [reader] would read [book name], but no one else would. By determining a book that your avatar would read, but no one else would, you are able to understand the personality and buying traits of your avatar even more.What magazines does your avatar read?What blogs and websites does your avatar read and spend time on?Does your avatar use Twitter? Why?D oes your avatar use Facebook? Why?Does your avatar use LinkedIn? Why?What other social media platforms does your avatar use? Why?How much time does your avatar spend online?What conferences does your avatar attend?Who does your avatar consider gurus or experts?What types of technology does your avatar use (what type of phone, computer, television, etc.)?What does your avatar think of themselves?What does your avatars friends think about them?What does your avatars family think about them?Determine Objections Your Avatar Might Have To Your Book/MessageWhat possible objections might your avatar have to your book/message?Why would your avatar choose not to buy your book?What is your avatars ability to purchase products from you?How does your avatar perceive products similar to yours?Determine What Your Avatars Experience With Your Book Should BeWhat did your avatar do before reading your book?What will your avatar think while reading your book?What is your avatar trying to accomplish b y reading your book?What will your avatar do after reading your book?What will make your avatar come back to your book?Steps to Find Your Voice in WritingTo create your avatar, something that will greatly enhance your voice as a writer and your all-around ability to sell to and connect with your readers, do the following:Answer the questions above.Based on the information you gather, write a story about your avatar. Transform the facts into a short narrative about this persons life.Write your book to this person and watch your writing voice become more consistent and powerful.Knowing who you are writing for not only influences future blog posts, sales copy, email marketing, and paid traffic advertising, it also helps you write your book.

Transferable Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Transferable Learning - Essay Example These important industries are the building blocks of successful economic growth. This paper evaluates Lonrho’s business interests in Africa to determine the company’s position, strengths and weaknesses against the backdrop of internal and external constraints and opportunities (Lonrho vision, 2013, Para6). Management structure Stakeholders Stakeholder Stakeholder expectation Customers Customers expect services and products of high quality relative to the price charged. In the case of corporate and government contracts, the expectation is timely delivery of products and services the company is contracted to supply. Investors (shareholders) Shareholders anticipate a return on their investment in terms of dividends and growth in terms of expansion and market capitalization. Employees Employees expect proper remuneration for their labor in terms of the pay package and social security. External Environmental Analysis (PESTLE Analysis) PESTLE is an acronym for political, eco nomic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors, which are used to assess the market for a business or organizational unit (Salva?, 2011, P.96). Political Factors Political factors are government regulations such as employment laws, environmental regulations and tax policy. The company’s John Deere distributor in Mozambique experienced import delays of tractors and other consignments towards the end of the financial year 2012. These delays resulted in loss of contracts and project delays and had a negative effect on the company’s revenue and profitability (Project delays, 2012, Para3).