As You Like It Essay

‘As You Like It’ Essay Belonging is the inclusion of both acceptance and alienation. Belonging is security, connection and camaraderie where as not belonging is estrangement, ostracism and seclusion. To belong to people, communities or places can create positive as well as negative outcomes. People’s perceptions of belonging are constantly changing due to personal, historical, cultural and social contexts. In Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ incorporates both aspects of belonging; acceptance and alienation. Different types are presented throughout the play by showing connections to place, to people and to ideas. Each connection that is presented details the characters emotions, actions and morals and values. Connections to certain places is expressed throughout the play but is not restricted to a single environment. Various characters including Orlando, Rosalind and Duke Senior all achieved a sense of belonging through their banishment/withdrawal from the court environment to the Forest of Arden. The Court, once a place where these characters rightfully belonged and had created affinities with, now had became a hostile and foreign environment forming negative outcomes. Not long after, they created connections to the Forest of Arden by the forest providing them with a place of protection and a place to heal their wounded emotions. The forest and the Court are juxtaposed because both environments are necessary to create balance and unity between the characters so they can live happy and fulfilled lives. Rosalind and Orlando had to be banished from the Court, to then thrive and find themselves in the Forest of Arden enabling them to then return to the Court to live their lives where they rightfully belong displaying the importance of these environments. Connections to people are what forms their morals and values and defines their actions. Celia is a perfect example of a connection to a person. She demonstrated the power of love and one’s connection to a person through her loyalty and devotion to Rosalind by showing that she would abandon everything; the Court life and her father, to follow Rosalind into the forest. She had displayed that there is no home at the court, no sense of belonging, without her Rosalind. This connection that Celia had with Rosalind created positive effects to herself and conveyed how belonging to a person was necessary for a positive outcome. Connections to certain ideas define who people are but they also can be poignant and thought provoking toward the audience. Through the play the quote ‘All the world’s a stage’ pessimistically tells us that we all are one in this life. The play affirms that everyone belongs to the same human race and they all have the same ending. This idea is expressed in the dance at the end. It represents a social ritual where everyone belongs and they celebrate love, marriage and common humanity. Ideas can also shape ones perceptions of the world and how they act toward them. Belonging can not just create positive or negative outcomes but it can either enrich or diminish a person’s life; their actions, decisions, morals and values and emotions. In Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ everyone experiences positive outcomes because it is one of his comedies. Belonging throughout the play established its importance to the characters and also detailed the connections they had with each other, their environment and themselves. It also showed how belonging is continually modifying to one’s circumstances but also by their personal, historical, cultural and social contexts.

Case Study Cultural Considerations of Shanghai Disneyland Essay

Shanghai Disneyland resort opening 2015 will have the biggest and tallest Cinderella castle in the world. The key players are the Chinese government, Disney, Shanghai Shendi Group and Mike Crawford, with the key event being the Chinese governments approval in 2009. The political, social considerations, education and economic environments are then explained. The context approach and dimensional approach are used to discuss the cultural considerations. The case will go on to discuss that while there are no current implications affecting the domestic and international business, it will tell of how Disney will benefit the Chinese economy, through growth in income, employment etc. It is recommended that Disney improve the cultural considerations through character costumes, food and by broadening their target market. The essay will look at the case of Shanghai Disneyland and discuss key players. Events and discuss case context through an international context. It will continue to determine the case issues and the relevant theories used to develop solutions to understanding the cross-cultural understandings of culture. The essay will then show the implementations that domestic and international businesses face that operate within the theme park industry, and give recommendations to improve the cross-cultural understandings. The Article looks at Disneyland opening in Shanghai in 2015 thanks to the Chinese governments approval on November 4, 2009 (Rapoza, 2013). The resort will compromise of two Disney hotels, 46,000 square meters for retail, dinning, entertainment venues, recreational facilities, a lake, parking and transport hubs (Rapoza, 2013). Shanghai Disney will have the biggest and tallest Cinderella’s castle in the world, will be interactive and called the Enchanted Storybook castle (Rapoza, 2013). Shanghai Disney sits on nearly 1,00 acres, and is three times bigger than Hong Kong Disney (Rapoza, 2013). The resort is budgeted at 24.5 billion Yuan ($3.7 billion) for the theme park and an additional 4.5 billion Yuan ($700 million) to build hotels and restaurant venues (Rapoza, 2013). Disney itself will own 43% of the property while the Shanghai Shendi Group will own the remaining 57% (Rapoza, 2013). Mike Crawford, Disney’s general manger states that ‘We are excited to see the resort development move into an intensive phase of construction’ and ‘We look forward to providing more updates in the future, as we reach key milestones’ (Rapoza, 2013). Key players in the case are the Chinese government, who hope to improve the local economy. The Shanghai Shendi Group, Disney and Mike Crawford are excited to reach key milestones towards the opening of Shanghai Disneyland. Disney have used various initiatives to lead to the approval of Shanghai Disneyland, included are television, motion pictures and consumer products (Yang, 2012). Key events started with the Chinese government’s approval for Disneyland to be China’s first mainland resort on November 4, 2009 (Rapoza, 2013). Hong Kong Disneyland then recorded profits of $14.1 million (Rapoza, 2013). Shanghai Disney has revealed that there will also be two themed hotels, with the grand opening late 2015 (Rapoza, 2013). In understanding culture it is imperative to understand the control of political, economic, educational and social variables (Kelley & Worthley, 1981). In China, political environments of both domestic and international companies operate under government control (Zhu & Xu, 2010). The Chinese government has been in talks with Disney for more than ten years, and has kept smooth communication (Zhu & Xu, 2010). It is important for Disney to have good relationship with the Chinese government as they share ownership of Shanghai Disneyland (Zhu & Xu, 2010). Due to China still being a developing country, Shanghai Disneyland has had to set a much lower entrance fee to catch more Chinese consumers (Zhu & Xu, 2010). Social considerations that Shanghai Disneyland has had to face are their main target group. Disneyland’s main target are children, in China however, children are expected to succeed academically before socially (Zhu & Xu, 2010). Most people in China do not speak English, and so Disney opened a chain of language schools in Shanghai, with the goal to teach children to speak English, Disney is also employing English and Chinese communicators (Brooks, 2009). High context cultures and low context cultures are used in understanding cross-cultural considerations, and can often lead to unintentional problems I the workplace and negotiations in governments (Beamer &Varner, 2011, p. 102). In a high context culture such as China, communication relies heavily on unspoken conditions or assumptions, whereas in a low context culture such as America (Disney), communication is usually taken at face value however, the context approach only represents one dimension (Peng, 2013, p. 37). However Hofstede’s dimensions of culture represent several dimensions and is far more influential and consists of long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and femininity, individualism and collectivism and power distance (Peng, 2013, p. 37). Individualism and collectivism have impacted the case, due to Disney coming from an American/western culture, which is vast on individualism, and the Chinese being collectivists. Individualism values individual achievements, failures and rights over the collective (Beamer &Varner, 2011, p. 43). Collectivism values the group above the individual needs or rights (Beamer &Varner, 2011, p. 43). Disney was able to understand this particular issue and took advantage to use local companies instead of American resources to help build the technological environment and will help improve their reputation (Zhu & Xu, 2010). While there are no implications yet for domestic business in china, the Shanghai Disney project has already attracted many industries and corporations, including culture industries, restaurants, hotels and content production industries (Crawford, 2010, p.13). With a 330million target market population within a 3hour drive or train ride, and recent transportation investments will make Shanghai accessible by key provinces to Disneyland, which will all become a catalyst for growth (Crawford, 2010, p.13). This will generate income, employment, investment and infrastructure developments that can be leveraged by other industries (Crawford, 2010, p.4-20) There are no implications yet affecting international business in China. Shanghai will become a major destination for business travel with the opening of Disneyland in 2015 and for many state-owned enterprises establishing headquarters in the city (Jian, 2013). Shanghai has 230 international direct flights and all the worlds major hotel groups have hotels in the city to meet the business traveller demand (Jian, 2013). Through looking above it is shown that Shanghai Disneyland will improve the Chinese economy, and build growth towards their tourism industry in both domestic and international businesses. It is recommended that for Shanghai Disney to improve cultural perspectives, they should dress Disney characters in the Chinese Tang costume, and the food served to be Chinese-American. Disney would also need to adjust their main target in China, as students are more academically inclined and could therefore prepare for young couples and young families.

Jacques Cartier Essay

Jacques Cartier was born in St. Malo, France on December 31st in 1491 and died there also on September 1st 1556 when he was 65 years old. The name of his home was Limoelou. He married Mary Catherine des Granches in 1520. He was a respectable sailor and had travelled to South America and mainly Brazil before his great expeditions to Canada. The King in France was named Louis I and he was looking for a northern passage to China which was called the Orient in that time. Cartier had two relatives called Jean LeVeneur and the Abbot of Mont saint-Michele who convinced the king of France to fund and help Jacques Cartier find the passage to the Orient. Cartier left to find this passage on April 20th of 1534 and sailed with two ships. This was Cartier’s first of 3 trips that he made to Canada. The ships were called the Triton and the Goeland. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean and got to Newfoundland in only 20 days. It was at this time that he started to explore Newfoundland, the areas that se now know as the Atlantic Provinces and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Some of the islands he visited were The Islands of Birds. His crew killed about one thousand birds. Most of the birds were Great Auks, which look like puffins, and now they are extinct. When he landed in Newfoundland he met with Indians called Micmacs but he didn’t trust them and then when he sailed north to Gaspe he met Indians fishing that were from a tribe called the Iroquois. This place was called Honguedo and the chief of the Iroquois group was Donnacona.   Cartier wanted to show his importance to the Indians and put up a big wooden cross with the French symbol of the Fleur des Lys on it. It was July 24th 1534. During this time he also took the land in the king of France’s name. Donnacona was not very happy. However, Cartier made a large feast and invited Donnacona and his two sons (Domagaya and Taignoainy) to go back to France with him. Cartier promised to bring them back. Donnacona and the others spent eight months in France and when they came back with Cartier on his second voyage and because they had learned to speak French they helped Cartier learn a lot of information about this new land and helped Cartier find the great river that he had missed on his first voyage. It was now May of 1535. For his second voyage he sailed with three ships and one hundred and ten men. The ship’s names were: Grande Hermine, Petite Hermine and Emerillon. Jacques Cartier was hoping to find many jewels and gold to take back to the king of France. During his second voyage many men got very sick with scurvy and died. Scurvy is caused by not having enough vitamin C and can cause loosing teeth, spots on the skin and bleeding. 85 men survived because the natives taught them how to make and drink a mix made with the bark of the white cedar. Cartier sailed up the great river to Stadacona which is now Quebec City and then went by longboat to a village called Hochelaga which he called Mont Real. From the top of Mont Real he could see that would not be able to go any further into the river. Cartier spent the winter of 1535 to 1536 in Stadacona and returned to France in May of 1536 with about ten natives including Donnacona and his sons. Unfortunately, he went back without finding any riches but he did plan to colonize the areas he saw during his second voyage. On his third voyage to Canada in August of 1541 he arrived without the natives that he captured during the second voyage and the Captain who the king of France put above him was Jean-Francois de La Roque Agona de Roberval. Agona was now the only chief at Stadacona. Cartier and Roberval settled with some seeds for flowers, cows, kitchen gardens, and seeds for turnips, cabbage, and lettuce. They called this settlement Charelsbourg-Royal. The sailors also collected what they thought were diamonds and gold. Cartier decided that a passage to China did not exist and so he returned to St. Malo. The diamonds and gold ended up being quartz and iron pyrite (fool’s gold). Roberval continued with the colonization of the area but Jacques Cartier because he did not have enough money and because the king was disappointed in Cartier’s voyages. Jacques Cartier never returned to Canada again. He spent the rest of his life giving navigation advice, being a Portuguese translator and going through his travel memories. He still lived in Limoelou, St. Malo with his wife. He never had any children and died of the plague on September 1st 1557. Cartier’s most important contributions were that he gave Canada its name from the word â€Å"Kanata† meaning village. He discovered Prince Edward Island. He was the first explorer to go to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and he drew the first to draw very good maps of the St. Lawrence River which was very important to the explorers that came after him. In 1905 a representative of Canada who went to France asked the French Government to build a statue of him in St. Malo. In 1984 Limoelu, Cartier’s home was bought, restored and made into a museum by the Macdonald Stewart foundation. Jacques Cartier’s name will forever be a part of Canada’s History. This makes him a great explorer. Bibliography World Wide Web Encyclopedia of French cultural heratige in North America. â€Å"Jacques Cartier† http://www.ameriquefrancais.org Helen rain. http://helen-rainblogspot.com/2009/03/jacquescartier.html Wikipedia. â€Å"Jacques Cartier†. http://www.wikipedia.org Birth of Jacques Cartier. http://www.lookandlearn.com/blog/?p1983 Jacques Cartier, Explorer. http://www.answers.com/topic/jacques-cartier Internet Images Google Images. Jacques Cartier. http://www.google.ca/images?hl=en&source=imghp&biw=1276&bih=791&q=jacques+cartier&gbv=2&aq=5&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=jacqu

Digital electronics logic gates Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Digital electronics logic gates - Lab Report Example The same gates were again used to setup circuits that performed the 1’s and 2’ complements of a 4-bit binary. The first experiment required that we find, from the manufacturer’s data sheet, the pin configuration or connection diagram for the 7402 and 7400 quad 2-inputs NOR and 2- inputs NAND gates ICs respectively, and then apply Vcc and ground to the correct pins. We found out that the ground is applied in pin7 and Vcc in pin 14. We then went ahead and setup the circuit as indicated in Figure 1 and Figure 2. Figure 1 is a NAND gate and thus the IC we chose to use is the 7400 IC; on the other hand, Figure is a NOR gate and thus the 7402 IC was used (Kumar 689). After connecting the input to a 0 and a 1, we recorded each output and produced the truth tables indicated below, Table 1 and Table 2. Given these circuit configurations only had one input and one output, the circuits implemented produced the following truth

Does the Law of Defamation Strike a Fair Balance Between the Essay

Does the Law of Defamation Strike a Fair Balance Between the Protection of Reputation and Freedom of Expression - Essay Example The public naturally looks to the media to provide this information. The law of defamation has a greater impact than any other area of the law, on what and how this information is reported to the public. The law of defamation holds the publisher of information responsible for the accuracy of the information revealed. In the absence of the law of defamation, reputations would be harmed without remedies. However, the law of defamation must be framed so as to allow freedom of expression so that information released to the public has substance.2 It is therefore necessary that fair balance is struck between the protection of reputations and freedom of expression to allow for the free and fair exchange of information necessary in a democratic environment. In the UK, freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and although reputation is not a specific fundamental human right, it is connected to the right to privacy which is a fundamental human right.3 The right to privacy and freedom of expression are both provided for by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and are applicable in the UK by virtue of the Human Rights Act 1988.4 There are tensions between the right to privacy and freedom of expression. ... formation in England and Wales and identifies the extent to which the law of defamation attempts to strike a fair balance between the protection of reputation and freedom of expression. It is argued that while there is a recognized need to strike a fair balance between protection of reputational interests and freedom of expression, the historical preference for protection the reputation prevails although in more recent times there appears to be a shift away from this preference. In this regard, this research study is divided into three main parts. The first part of this paper presents a review of literature in which previous studies on the tensions between the law of defamation emphasizing protection of the reputation and freedom of expression are presented. The second part of this paper will analyse the relevant cases. The third part of his paper will present an analysis of the material discussed in the previous two parts of the paper. II. A Review of Literature In a study conducted by Smet of the ECtHR’s decisions on cases involving protection of the reputation and freedom of expression, it was revealed that momentum has been building in the ECtHR jurisprudence recognizing a conflict between the two rights. In order to resolve this tension the ECtHR has used what has been referred to by Smet as an â€Å"impact criterion†.6 The impact criterion refers to an approach in which the court considers: ...the extent to which both rights would be impaired by allowing the opposing right to take preference. 7 With respect to defamation cases, the ECtHR is particularly appreciative of the important role that the press plays as a conduit for public information at its â€Å"contribution to ensuring the proper functioning of a democracy†.  

Various lit 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Various lit 2 - Essay Example It aimed at educating the children, teaching them morality and assisting them in socialization. The web article entitled Religion, Childrens Literature and Modernity in Europe gives a clear idea about the relevance of religion, the role played by it and the influence it exerted in children’s literature. It says: â€Å"The development of childrens literature reveals a complex pattern of development in its relation to modernity and religion.† (Religion, Children’s Literature and Modernity in Europe). The debut occurrence of the new genre that is children’s literature was in German English and French; and they were circulated widely in Latin countries through translations between 1780s and 1850s. Most of them were conceived with religious values and morality of the old regime. â€Å"When describing the history of books for children, decorated medieval manuscripts and illustrated early printed books are generally considered the precursors of the form.† (Historical Children’s Literature Collection). Gradually the church had to control the production of educational books at the time but the enlightenment which followed French revolution contested this order of affairs. Initially it was religion which dominated but gradually its power both in content and editorial system began to decline. The real character of the national children’s literature emerged, making distance from religion during the period from 1880 to 1950. However, preserving some solid positions of power, the religious establishment elaborated the strategies of adaptations. But later on the moral and religious consensus collapsed and religion became more discrete. Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on 2 March 1904 on Howard Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is better known by his pen name Dr. Seuss. After graduation from Dartmouth College in 1925 he proceeded to Oxford University setting the goal of acquiring a doctoral degree in literature. After returning from Europe in 1927 he

Aging population in Japan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aging population in Japan - Research Paper Example Despite the challenges, the aging population seems to create new opportunities because people will have longer healthier lives hence extended working years besides different capacities and needs (Lutz 34). The key to survival depends on adaptation on individual, organisational and societal levels. Japan is facing the population-aging crisis now. It is a resource-poor island hence changes in population size and structure tends to present a serious problem. Japan faced a problem of a large not-working population until the 1950s. From 1600-1868, the Edo period, Japan opted to hold down its population through extremely desperate means such as infanticide as well as negligence of the old people (Coulmas 5). Towards late 19 century, the population rose and it was unlikely that japan would ever face a shortage of births. However, that is what Japan is experiencing and has experienced over a couple of past decades. Over the last half century, death rates have reduced and the life span has increased by about 30 years. For women, life expectancy is currently at 82 whereas for men it is 76 (Uhlenberg 134). The number of those aged 65 and above was 14% of the population in 1994 and by the 2010; Japan was among the leading in the world in this measure. In Japan, people in their seventies and eighties are prevalent and even centenarians have increased in number. The difference in population structure is due to factors such as fertility and mortality(Coulmas 25).Women in Japan are no longer in a hurry to get married like in previous generations and when they marry, they sire fewer children. In Japan, unmarried women rarely have babies hence the slow rate of marriages contributes to the decreased young population. Women in japan have also opted on continuing with their education to get better job opportunities compared to those of earlier years. In addition, unmarried men are more than unmarried women hence

Civil Rights, Women, and Diversity (summary) Essay

Civil Rights, Women, and Diversity (summary) - Essay Example She hid her sexual orientation from her coworkers, though people outside work knew that she was a lesbian. After Waits had worked for a year, one day her supervisor found out that Waits was a lesbian. She declared her plans of firing Waits without offering her a sound reason for that. Waits testified to the Congress that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation not be allowed in the workplace. She worked in Texas that offered no protection to gay and lesbian employees unlike most of the other states. Since 1994, bills have been passed instructing the organizations to base their judgment of the employees solely on the basis of their performance. The enforcement of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would be a landmark achievement. However, this law faces extreme challenges from the religious groups and the moral conservatives that base the discrimination against homosexual employees on the religious and spiritual grounds. Advocates of the bill assert that all Americans sho uld be treated fairly and equally and solely be judged according to their performance. This fight constitutes the long history of struggle for the protection of employees’ civil rights. Slavery introduced the practice of discrimination in America. Civil rights were deemed more important than natural rights. Ratification of the US Constitution sanctioned slavery in five clauses. Congress passed constitutional amendments and civil rights acts after the Civil War to abolish slavery, but they were ineffective. Winning of the election by Hayes caused the racism to recede though it reasserted in the South in which the states adopted the Jim Crow laws. Mexican Americans, Chinese, and Japanese workers and others also faced discrimination like the African Americans. Both the American Creed and the laws had failed to abolish discrimination in the 19th and early 20th century. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 narrowed the 14th Amendment’s meaning and made it irrelevant. Ruling over th e Plessy v Ferguson case caused complete destruction of the 14th Amendment and the spread of Jim Crow laws followed. The Civil Rights Movement that was started in the late 1950s led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 whose Title VII prohibits any kind of discrimination in the workplace and enforces the disparate treatment theory has been structuring laws against discrimination till date. The overtly discriminatory signs at the workplace were pushed aside with the enforcement of this law. In the Griggs v. Duke Power case, the Supreme Court declared the requirement of diploma illegal. The EEOC gave the 80 per cent rule to define the unlawful disparate impact. This broadened the range of discrimination that Title VII could strike down. The harm caused to the black employees by past rejection laid ground for affirmative action. Executive Order 11246 is the most affirmative action’s origin. OFCCP enforced the Executive Order 11246 without establishing rigid goals of hiring for the co mpanies. OFCCP uses statistical tools to review the compliance. The Affirmative Action challenged the American Creed. Affirmative action spurred a legal debate that paralleled three basic ethical considerations of a broader debate in the society; utilitarianism, ethical theories of justice, and the ethical theories of rights. The population of working women has increased in the US. Laws offering protection from discrimination include but are not limited to The Civil Rights

Marketing Products Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Marketing Products - Assignment Example It would be ensured that the beverages would not be supplied to corporate customers in plastic bottles for environmental issues (MHHE, n.d). The ingredients of the products would be scrutinized by the marketing department and it would be ensured that the product content comply with the national health and safety guidelines. Beverages Description Cola It would be available in basic cola flavor with lesser caffeine and caramel content. It would also include additional content of vitamins, taurine, and niacin (Coca Cola, 2013a). Diet Coke This product will have lesser sugar and caramel content. The prime motive of marketing department would be to offer a sparkling drink with lesser amount of calories that will include additional mineral and vitamins (America’s Greatest Brands, 2013). Bottled Water The water will be purified in special filtration process and additional nutrients and vitamins would be included to deliver fresh taste (America’s Greatest Brands, 2013). Sparkli ng Drinks The sparkling drink would be highly concentrated with additional nutritional requirements to offer a distinctive flavor to the customers (Coca Cola, 2013). (2) Service Component of Fizzy Cola The service component will add value to the product and also enhance the brand personality and features to attract potential customers. Service is an intangible product and consists of additional features and benefits that are relevant to a specific target market (Rao, 2004).The main objective of the company would be to offer beverages in the initial stages and there would be no services offered by the company. However, the research and development team of Fizzy Cola would be the design making of machines and equipments which would have the potentiality of developing high quality beverages. One of the prime objectives would be to develop high quality filtration machinery which would purify the beverages and remove the pesticides. After the company has been able to establish itself in the market it would considers plans of providing services like downloading of free music, nutritional information etc. This would help the company to position itself strongly in the beverage market. (3) Product Mix of Fizzy Cola The product mix also popularly known as product assortment refers to the total number of product lines that a company can offer to its customers. Width: The width of the company pertains to the total number of products lines that a company offers (Suttle, 2013). For example Fizzy Cola would offer beverages in cola and varied other flavors. Hence, the product width of the company is two. Later, advanced technology may permit the company to diversify into other industries and develop further products (Suttle, 2013). Length: The product length pertains to the total number of products in a company’s product mix (Suttle, 2013). In the initial stages the company would be offering beverages in three varied flavors and juices in three basic flavors apple, man go and mixed fruit. The product length for Fizzy Cola would be six. Depth: In the initial stages the company would be offering beverages in three basic flavors and in can sizes of 8oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, and 20 oz. The product depth would be 12 in this case. Consistency: The consistency will pertain to how close the product lines

Segmentation and Targeting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Segmentation and Targeting - Research Paper Example Starbucks coffee and Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee company are used as the bases of reference. Target markets for Starbucks coffee and Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee Starbucks coffee targets a general local market. Its initial target market was young college students, neighborhoods and social classes that would spend time with friends at their stores and gladly accept the idea of buying a $3 a cup of coffee. The initial focus included small towns, ethnic neighborhoods, highway rest shops, rural communities and even towns saturated with coffee shops. As a result of rapid growth, this target market has expanded quickly to include local buyers of all ages. On the other hand, the Jamaica Blue Mountain focuses on the export market. Its main target market is Japan though it wants to expand to include Canada. How the choice of target market influences the company's promotion and pricing A company has to consider the buying power of its market. Miller (2006) explains that customers have differe nt disposable income and this means they are different in terms of their sensitivity to prices. Market segmentation is therefore important in determining if a company can raise its prices or not. If the company has to raise its prices, the type of target market will determine the level to which the company will raise its average prices. If the target market is very sensitive to prices, then a company could consider dropping its prices slightly so as to gain an extra market share. If it is insensitive to prices, then a slight increase for purposes of increasing profits margins will benefit since the increase will be indiscernible. According to Aaker et al (2000), the type of target market also determines promotion methods used. A company has to choose the promotion methods that will enable it to reach its target market quickly and adequately. Alternative methods include the TV, radio, billboards, direct marketing mail shot or the Internet. At the same time, the company has to conside r how competitors do their promotions. They should then evaluate the efficiency of these methods and compare with those they use or intend to use. The type of target market also determines the frequency of these promotions. For example, markets that are highly competitive require frequent promotions in order to retain customer loyalty. Effects of introducing a new target market on consumer perceptions A company can introduce a new target market in a market that is already captured by its competitor. For example, Starbucks coffee can start producing brands for export to Japan, a market segment that is already captured by Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. According to Kotler (2003) the perception here will be that the company has performed well in terms of pricing and its expansion is a sign that it is now focusing on the quality of its products and expansion of its image. As a result of this, customers will tend to associate more with the company products so as to enjoy the anticipated h igh quality products and form part of this international or wide region market. The influenced of economic changes on purchase trends of customers The customers will not be influenced by changes in the economy because they will have already formed a perception that the company is already working on the quality of its products. This means that at fair prices, they will be enjoying more quality products and variety as well. This situation is reinforced by the

The Effects of Burning Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Burning Essay This study analyzes the effect of burning on the decay process, abundance of invertebrate fauna, and the diversity of invertebrate fauna in the pig liver samples; effect of the length of decay to the diversity of soil invertebrate fauna; and, the effect of the length of decay to the numbers of the soil invertebrate fauna. Two hundred grams (440 lbs) samples of pig (Sus scrofa L. ) liver were utilized in this experiment by exposing it to the grassland soil environment around Byrom Street Complex between 2 days and 4 weeks. At day 3, 7, 10, 14, and 17 burnt and unburnt liver samples and five soil cores from underneath the liver samples were collected and placed at -20 °C to prevent further degradation and multiplication of the invertebrate fauna present in the sample. Then the invertebrates present in the pig liver samples and soil cores were extracted, identified, and counted. The study results which were tested with a two sided t-test shows evidence that there is significant effect of burning in the abundance of invertebrate fauna in the corpse of vertebrate animal species. Burning decreases the number of invertebrate fauna colonizing the dead body remains. The t-test analysis of the data gathered also proves the significance of the relationship between the rate of decay of dead body remains and the burning. The study concludes that the invertebrate fauna abundance does not increase in relation to the length of decay. The Effects of Burning on Diversity and Numbers of Invertebrate Fauna in Decaying Dead Bodies of Vertebrate Animals and Soil with Decaying Dead Matter INTRODUCTION Decaying vertebrate remains are good food source for insects whilst these insects are also of significance in the decomposition of these remains. The scavenging invertebrate fauna of vertebrate body remains today is utilized as important tools in the identification of the time elapsed since the death of the body. Continuous research has been done on the matter thus the emergence of forensic entomology which is the employment of invertebrate fauna such as arthropods, earthworms, and slugs in determining the time elapse from the death of the vertebrate animals especially human beings(Gomes, 2006). This field in forensic science known specifically as medicocriminal or medicolegal entomology which focus on the utilization of arthropod evidence for the criminal investigation of wrongful or unexplained deaths has gained significant importance in legal medicine(Tabor, 2004). Body temperature and conditions like rigor mortis or livor mortis are insignificant factors to consider during cases wherein the human carcass has been found days after his or her death. During these cases the insects that colonize the decaying dead human’s remains can provide information about the postmortem interval (PMI). Evidence that can serve as tool for the measurement of the PMI can be provided by the age of the immature stages of insects existing in the human carcass(Gomes, 2006). Established data regarding the development of arthropods which are significant in forensic investigations on the dead body remains that are derived through various controlled studies are employed in the conduct of forensic entomology(Tabor, 2004). Various conditions though like the species of invertebrate animals to be considered and the climatic condition of the location of death affect the accuracy of the information provided by this forensic entomology(Gomes, 2006). Thus, there is a necessity to conduct studies and establish arthropod colonization patterns in corpse of different locations of the globe. The progression of the global acceptance of forensic entomology in the investigation of criminal cases like murders catalyzed the various studies and researches conducted on this matter. The insects belonging to the family Calliphoridae which is commonly known as â€Å"blowflies† in particular are currently employed as biological clock for the determination of the time of death for more than two weeks. Some of the other insects found to be of significant importance in forensic entomology are: Chrysomya spp. , Cochliomyia spp. , Lucilia spp. , Fannia spp. , Drosophila spp. , Musca spp. , Nasonia spp. , Tineola spp. , Geotrupes spp. , and Necrobia spp(Gomes, 2006). The earliest invertebrates which will colonize dead body remains of vertebrate animals including humans are the necrophilus fly species which are of the family Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae. When the maggots of these invertebrates arise, beetles which belong to the families Staphylidae, Silphidae, and Histeridae are the next ones to colonize the corpse because they fed on the maggots of the necrophilus flies. Beetles that are under the family Dermestidae are usually the late ones to colonize the dead body remains of vertebrates because they thrive on dry stages of decomposing corpse. In different locations around the globe there is variation in the patterns of invertebrate fauna colonization due to the variations in arthropod families thriving factors(Tabor, 2004). The general objective of this study is to verify the utilization of invertebrate fauna as indicators of the time elapsed from the death of the vertebrate animal. The specific objectives of this study are to determine the following: the existence of the effect of burning on the decay process, abundance of invertebrate fauna, and the diversity of invertebrate fauna in the pig liver samples; effect of the length of decay to the diversity of soil invertebrate fauna; and, the effect of the length of decay to the numbers of the soil invertebrate fauna MATERIALS AND METHODS Studies associated to forensic entomology use various types of carcasses like that of the dogs, pigs, and calves. In this study, samples of the pig (Sus scrofa) liver were utilized because whilst it is the widely utilized and acceptable animal model, humans have similar characteristics with this animal specie such as the type of digestive system and the omnivorous characteristic. Two hundred grams (440 lbs) samples of pig liver were utilized for the experiments. All the pig livers were placed on the same day on the surface of the grassland soil around Byrom Street Complex between 2 days and 4 weeks. Wire coverings were utilized to prevent seagulls and other scavengers from consuming the pig liver samples placed in the grassland soil. All the samples have the same exposure to the weather and invertebrate infestation. The pig liver samples were of two types the burnt and unburned (control) samples. At day 3, 7, 10, 14, and 17 burnt and unburnt liver samples were collected and placed at -20 °C to prevent further degradation and multiplication of the invertebrate fauna present in the samples. The unburnt and burnt liver samples utilized in the experiment were identical in number. The liver samples which were used as the burnt variable were first covered with petrol before being burnt until crisp, dry, and black in the outer surface. In each same time intervals, five soil cores were collected from underneath the liver samples. The invertebrates which were present in these soil cores were extracted, identified, and counted. During the examination time, the pig liver samples from the temperature of -20 °C were weighed and then the colour and the state of decay were noted. The invertebrates which were present in the in the pig liver samples were extracted, identified, and counted. The larvae of flies were classified into first, second, or third instar. The taxonomic groupings like the phylum, orders, and genus of the invertebrates collected from the pig liver samples were included in the identification, classification, and recording of the invertebrate species present in the samples. The species considered in the identification and classification of the invertebrate fauna extracted from the pig liver samples were: species under suborder Nematocera, Stratiomyia species, Fannia spp. , Calliphora spp. (blowflies), species of family Lumbricidae (Earthworms), species of class Gastropoda (Slugs), species of Subclass Acari (Mites), species of order Collembola, species of order Diplura, Superclass Myriapoda (Millipedes and Centipedes), and species of family Carabidae. All the observations were recorded and tabulated after the experimentation proper. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS There are a variety of data gathered in this study thus the t-test was employed not only once in the analysis of the diverse gathered data. To determine the effect of burning on the abundance of invertebrate fauna in the decaying body remains a two sided t-test is done. The hypothesis (ho) is that the number of Calliphora spp. colonizing the decomposing vertebrate animal part is equal in the burnt and unburnt pig liver samples. The effect of burning on the rate of decomposition of body tissues was also analyzed through a two way t-test and the hypothesis (ho) is that the rate of decay process is equal in both the burnt and unburnt pig liver samples. Abundance of invertebrate fauna in soil in relation to the length of pig liver sample decay is determined by a two sided t-test with the hypothesis (ho) that the invertebrate fauna abundance RESULTS The primary invertebrate fauna which was observed in this study is the blowflies or Calliphora species. There are other species that were extracted from the liver sample though but the numbers are lesser than ten for each species and compared to the number of the Calliphora species the collected other invertebrate species are insignificant in number. The results of the two sided t-test done for the determination if burning has effects on the abundance of invertebrate species implies that indeed burning vertebrate animal carcass is associated with decreased number of Calliphora spp. compared to the invertebrate animal species collected in the raw pig liver samples. At ? =10%, the computed value for /ttab/ is 1. 622 which is greater than ttab =1. 303. Then hypothesis (ho) which is the number of Calliphora spp. colonizing the decomposing vertebrate animal part is equal in the burnt and unburnt pig liver samples was rejected. Thus, the ha that is the number of Calliphora spp. collected from the raw pig liver samples are greater than the number of Calliphora spp. collected from the burnt pig liver sample is accepted. Therefore, there is significant evidence which supports that burning affects the abundance of invertebrate fauna colonizing vertebrate animal corpse by creating a condition that facilitates the decrease of the number of the invertebrate fauna being able to colonize the burnt vertebrate animal corpse. The existence larvae in the control liver pig samples were observed only until day 7 and the stage of larvae development is in the 1st and 2nd instar in both the raw (unburnt) and burnt pig liver samples. On the 10th day, a reduction in the number of Calliphora spp. larvae is observed whilst there is the development of some of the larvae into the third instar stage hence the stages of larvae observed in this collection period were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd instars for the unburnt pig liver samples. In the burnt liver samples the larval stages were not identified. On day 14, the numbers of Calliphora species extracted continued to decrease whilst the larval stages are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd instar for the unburnt pig liver samples. The Callipora spp. larvae collected from the burnt pig liver samples on day 14 are on the 3rd instar. On the 17th day a greater reduction in the number of Calliphora species present is observed but mainly the larval stage is the 3rd instar (Table 1). SAMPLES DAY 1 DAY 7 DAY 10 DAY 14 DAY 17 Raw liver sample 1 no larvae 1st 2nd instar larvae 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar larvae 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar larvae no larvae Raw liver sample 2 no larvae 1st 2nd instar larvae 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar larvae 2nd and 3rd instar larvae 3rd instar larvae Burnt liver sample 1 no larvae 1st 2nd instar larvae Larval stage not identified 3rd instar larvae 3rd instar larvae Burnt liver sample 2 no larvae 1st 2nd instar larvae Larval stage not identified 3rd instar larvae 3rd instar larvae Table 1. The stages of larval development observed in the burnt and unburnt pig liver samples. The effect of burning on the rate of decomposition of body tissues (pig liver samples) were analyzed also using a two sided t-test. Since the data on the burnt and unburnt pig liver samples have two replicates the average of this data was used in the analysis. A graph of this average shows the difference of the decomposition rate of body tissues in the raw state and the burnt state (Figure 1). There is an observable greater decrease in tissue mass of the raw pig liver samples onwhen compared to the tissue mass decay of the burnt pig liver samples. The two sided t-test analysis result reject the hypothesis (ho) is that the rate of decay process is equal in both the burnt and unburnt pig liver samples. The computed value for /ttab/ at ? =10% is 1. 899. This is greater than ttab =1. 303 , thus the null hypothesis (ho) is rejected and the alternative hypothesis which is raw pig liver sample tissue decomposed (in kilograms) is greater than the tissue decomposed in the burnt pig liver samples. The rate of decomposition thus is faster in unburnt vertebrate body remains when compared to the burnt body remains. The number of invertebrate colonization in the soil in relation to the length of corpse decay in the different sample types is shown in figure 2. In each sample type (control, raw, and burnt pig liver samples) there were 6 replicates thus the values of the replicates were averaged and then tabulated and converted into a graph. The graph shows that in both the raw (unburnt) and burnt pig liver samples the peak number of invertebrates collected is in day 7. There was greater number of invertebrates collected in the soil with burnt pig liver sample (average of 234 invertebrates) on the 7th day collection compared to the collected invertebrates in the soil with raw pig liver sample. Abundance of invertebrate fauna in soil in relation to the length of pig liver sample decay is determined by a two sided t-test with the hypothesis (ho) that the invertebrate fauna abundance (number of invertebrates) increases in relation to the progression of the length of decay. The t- test result rejects the hypothesis (ho) that the invertebrate fauna abundance (number of invertebrates) increases in relation to the progression of the length of decay. The computed value for /ttab/ at ? =10% is 2. 278 which is greater than ttab =1. 303. The invertebrate fauna does not decrease with the progression of the decay due to the life cycling of the invertebrates. DISCUSSION The predominant invertebrate species that first arrive in the dead body remains of vertebrates especially humans are the blowflies which belong to the family Calliphoridae and the members of these family are commonly known as Green bottle flies, House flies, and Blue Bottle flies. The stages of the life cycle of these flies are the egg, first instar larvae, second instar larvae, third instar larvae, prepupa, pupa, and adult(Steck-Flynn, 2003). These species of invertebrate fauna are first colonizers of vertebrate dead animal remains hence there population are the predominant ones observed in this study. The pattern of colonization abundance in the soil is different in both the raw and burnt liver pig samples (Fig. 2). The colonization abundance in the soil with raw pig liver samples has a major and minor peak in the five collection days which is in day 7 and day 14 respectively. The invertebrate fauna collected on the soil with burnt pig sample on the other hand has the major peak also at day 7 but the other peak is not in the scope of the 5 collection days (day3, 7, 10, 14, 17). The soil invertebrate colonization thus has a later cycle in the burnt pig liver sample when compared to the raw pig liver sample. The invertebrate fauna species that have majority of the population of the collected specimens were the blowflies (Calliphora spp. ). The other invertebrate species that has significant numbers in the collected population are: Mites, Collembola, Diplura, Carabid/ Staphylinid larvae, and Earthworms. The faster rate of decomposition of raw vertebrate dead body tissues when compared to the burnt vertebrate dead body tissues is attributed to the presence of more materials that the invertebrates can fed on. The burnt tissues of invertebrate dead bodies have have lesser water content and the tissues are covered with carbon dioxide instead of oxygen. Palatability may be the reason behind the invertebrate animal’s preference for raw than burnt corpse. The lesser invertebrates that feed on the dead body remains the longer the decay of it hence the burnt dead body remains will take longer time to decompose(de Carvalho, 2001). ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REFERENCES de Carvalho, L. (2001).Seasonality of insect succession and pig carcass decomposition in a natural forest area in southeastern Brazil Journal of Forensic Sciences, 46(3). Gomes, L. V. Z. , CL. (2006). Forensic Entomology and Main Challenges in Brazil. Neotropical Entomology, 35(1), 001-011. Steck-Flynn, K. (2003). The Role Of Entomology In Forensic Investigations. Crime and Clues Retrieved January 19, 2008, from http://www. crimeandclues. com/entomology_intro. htm Tabor, K. B. , C; Fell, R. (2004). Analysis of the Successional Patterns of Insects on Carrion in Southwest Virginia. Journal of Medical Entomology, 41(4), 785? 795.

Biological Weapons and Americas Secret War Essay Example for Free

Biological Weapons and Americas Secret War Essay Each and every day, everyone is exposed to germs. Despite our distaste for germs, nature has assured us that many, perhaps most of the germs we encounter are not harmful, but many are not just harmful, but deadly. Perhaps man spent most of his existence without any first hand knowledge about germs, but man almost certainly has recognized that unseen germs have undesirable effects. In ancient times, people thought that germs came from demons or the gods. In ancient history, Hypocrites acknowledged that this was not true. From ancient times to the Black Death of the fourteenth century and on to the arrival of Columbus to the New World, germs killed millions of people. During the Plague of the fourteenth century, known as the Black Death, fully one third of all Europeans are thought to have perished. Invisible at the time, germs such as bacteria were first seen when Anton Van Leeuwenhoek noticed them with the invention of the microscope. Even then, some germs are so small that they could not be seen until the electron microscope was invented in the 1930s. Although seen for the first time, no defense against them was readily available until Dr. Edward Jenner created the first vaccine in 1796. In the nineteenth century, medical professionals realized that taking precautions as simple as washing ones hands could reduce the likelihood of being infected by germs. In 1928, Alexander Flemming discovered that penicillin kills bacteria, a discovery that might have helped the world a decade earlier when an estimated 20 million people world wide died from influenza. This staggering figure demonstrates just how deadly germs can be, and vividly drives home the dangers of germs and their potential for use in warfare. Recent events also demonstrate the cause for concern about the spread of germs and the possible dangers of widespread germ warfare. In 2003, fully two decades after the world first grew alarmed about the spread of the human immunovirus (HIV) and the dangers AIDS that result, a Chinese man living in China became ill with an unusual type of pneumonia labeled SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Although initially localized to China, SARS quickly spread throughout the world in just three months, another vivid illustration of the dangers of germ warfare. Those who might use germ weapons targeted at a particular enemy are not endangering their enemy. Germs do not recognize boundaries. This is one of the central concerns the authors express in their book. Germs are bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. Although the vast majority of germs are probably harmless, some can invade plants and animals and make them sick and many are deadly. However, not all are harmful and some can be beneficial. For example, some bacteria grow in our intestines and help us to incorporate nutrients in our bodies from the foods we eat. Such bacteria are not cause for concern and not the subject of the authors’ book. Rather, authors Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg and William Broad focus on biological warfare and the deadly germs used in and/or developed for biological warfare. This book is a revealing look at the biological weapons programs that have existed in the US and Russia in the past and might exist today. In Russia, for example, the program was Known to the Soviets as the Concern, Biopreparat [the laboratories and plants that supposedly manufactured vaccines and other civilian pharmaceutical products] was in fact a hub of Moscows germ effort, a vast network of secret cities, production plants, and centers that studied and perfected germs as weapons. (p. 135) While nuclear energy and the potential to develop and use nuclear power for military purposes was the novel weapon of the 20th century, the comparable weapon of this century may be germ bombs and the threat of germ warfare. Germs are less costly to cultivate and develop than nuclear power, easier to develop and available to anyone with adequate expertise and laboratory facilities. Unlike the millions of dollars required to develop and design nuclear weapons, biological weapons are relatively inexpensive to develop and use. Developing an efficient delivery system to use with biological weapons may be more difficult than developing or cultivating deadly germs, but the tendency of people to move among themselves and the propensity of germs to quickly spread from one individual to another make germs and germ warfare a cause for concern. Of course, protective gear is required for their development so as to avoid contamination during research or use and to protect from accidents and wastes, but developing germ weapons is relatively easy and available. What are the effects of viral infection? Despite their minute size, germs are among the most deadly things in the kingdom of living things. The authors provide an example. In their scenario, the victims contracted the virus after eating in a restaurant. The stomach cramps began later that day Two days later,(they) started getting ill by weeks end, thirteen of twenty-eight employees were sick. And dozens (more) called to complain that they had gotten violently ill. (p. 18) Germs are or can be the cause of great illness and biological destruction and can cause death in numerous painful and undesirable ways. The spectrum of effects that can be attributed to germs ranges from very beneficial to mildly beneficial to mildly harmful and all the way to deadly. Once germs invade a body, they consume nutrients and energy and produce toxic wastes that act as poisons leading to any number of health problems. The beneficial germs are not what concern the authors. The authors message is that germs can be deadly and that governments have and probably still are developing germs specifically for use as weapons in military situations, and while that is of concern, the authors point out that other concerns are just as worrisome or of more concern. What if biological weapons developed by the military were to fall into the hands of terrorists? Even though the means to deliver biological weapons is difficult, in a terrorist act or even in a military situation, even an inefficient means of delivery can be sufficiently effective to be frightening and cause the rapid spread of germs. The germs can be spread by human interaction and contact. In situations of terrorism, germs can be sprayed or merely distributed by means of tiny vials. Once the spread begins, the germs can be more difficult to eradicate than they were to deliver even if only distributed in a small area. The problem then becomes how to contain the germs and prevent their spread. General focus of the book Although the authors focus on the biological weapons program in the US, they also consider other elements of concern as regards biological weapons and biological warfare. They point out that research into the development and use of biological weapons has grown despite the deadly nature of the weapons and the reality that such weapons, like the gases used during World War I, are just as deadly and harmful to those who would use the weapons as to those who are the intended victims. It may be impossible to protect victim or victimizer from the effects of biological weapons. The authors are concerned that on numerous occasions, the U. S. has considered using biological weapons despite the dangers they pose. But the U. S. is not the only culprit. Other countries have biological weapons programs and some biological weapons have been used in the past. These weapons pose a threat for the future. During the Gulf War, for example, biological weapons developed by Iraq posed a threat and they might, in fact still pose a threat. While U. S. went in search of nuclear weapons and found none, the threat of biological weapons posed just as great a danger. The authors consider and compare chemical and biological weapons and outline the relative dangers of each. Authors view and why author feels this is important The authors make clear that everyone is playing with germs for use in warfare. During World War I, the combatants used mustard gas to kill the enemy, but they learned that a temporary shift in the wind direction could result in deaths on both sides. While it is perhaps only a value judgment that germs are worse than nuclear weapons, nobody can deny that germs might be at least as bad. If the radiation pollution and effects of nuclear weapons can last for hundreds or thousands of years, how long could the effects of a living virus last and how are we to combat them: perhaps not as long as nuclear radiation and perhaps not forever; perhaps longer and even forever. Who can predict? What is to stop them from infecting all parties? Of course, conventional warfare is not the only reason for concern as regards biological weapons. Of particular concern are terrorists. The authors of this book review the problems associated with the creation and existence of biological weapons manufactured by countries around the world. They point out that the biological weapons prepared for use in war are just as deadly and just as much of concern for their value to terrorist for use in acts of terror. Unlike nuclear weapons, both chemical and biological weapons can be easy and inconspicuously transported from one location to another by anyone. Even if the countries that have germ weapons have no intention of using them, who can prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorists. Terrorists have a death wish of sorts. Perhaps they dont want to die, but they are willing to die for their cause, and while no one can object to a person being willing to die for a cause, not all causes are for the benefit of humankind. In the hands of terrorists who dont care about anyone or anything but their cause, biological weapons pose an equal danger to everyone. Germs do not recognize boundaries, race, nationality or cause. Terrorists can but biological weapons just as they buy other weapons or manufacture them on their own. The authors describe biological weapons as the poor mans hydrogen bomb. Often, they are simple to make in a laboratory. Sociological consequences from authors perspective Biological weapons are more than merely a military concern. They are a sociological concern and a concern to society in general. Perhaps the only reason biological weapons might not be of as great a concern as the concern surrounding nuclear weapons is that most terrorists might not have a proper means to spread contamination by biological microbes, but even with the limited use of a biological weapon, stopping the spread of germs is complicated. Even limited use of such weapons can cause widespread contamination, especially during the initial period before anyone becomes aware that a biological weapon has been used and action can be taken to stop the spread of the microbes. Once released, stopping the subsequent spread of the biological germs is both a medical and a sociological problem. Sociology involves how people interact with people, and the widespread use of biological weapons would dramatically alter and restrict human interactions. Typical human interactions from one day to the next, from one moment to the next dictate that germs will spread quickly and rapidly become a global concern as was demonstrated with the SARS outbreak in 2003. Weaknesses and strengths of the book Perhaps the book’s greatest weakness is adequately addressing what can be done to prevent the further development and spread of such weapons. How can we prevent similar situations in other countries? Even if we could persuade the U. S. and Russia to abandon research and development of biological weapons, what can be done to prevent the spread and use of such weapons throughout smaller countries of the developing world? The authors do not pose viable solutions for that problem and, sadly, there may be none. Signing treaties may alleviate fear, but treaties signed in public are broken in secret. No one realizes they have been broken until it is too late. That, perhaps, is among the greatest concerns connected with this issue. While the book is well written and adequately considers a number of important issues, the question as to how to prevent biological weapons from spreading is not adequately considered, perhaps because, in my view, openly signing treaties is no guarantee that anyone will adhere to what has been signed. That, therefore, is a concern, at least my concern. Yes, Americans could put pressure on U. S. politicians to stop research in and development of germ weapons and germ warfare, but that wouldnt necessary stop such research among terrorists. How can we really prevent germ weapons from falling into the hands of rogue countries and terrorists? The book addresses the issue, but no viable solutions are presented. Another concern, perhaps a major one, is the manner in which the authors pose or form their conclusions. For example, they ask, Is the threat of germ weapons real or exaggerated? Our answer is both. This leaves the reader wondering what to conclude, or at the least leads the reader to wonder what message the authors are trying to relay. Fortunately, this book is not designed to be an alarmist book, but rather to point out the threat currently posed by biological weapons and what can be done to minimize their impact in the event of a biological attack. Authors biases Of course, everyone has a bias and slant on everything. The authors slant their work on the dangers of germ weapons and ignore the benefits. Considering the true dangers, one might ask, Do germ weapons present any benefits in the long run? Certainly, no rational person could blame the authors for ignoring the assumed benefits of germ warfare. For example, is it possible that just the threat that these weapons exist might serve as a deterrent to war? From my perspect, that question, although it seems logical, is foolish to the point of being ridiculous. Any weapon that is so deadly and dangerous that it cannot be used is useless because it leaves no rational options. Fail to use it and be destroyed. Use it and be destroyed. Those seem to be the options and, as you can see, they do not constitute an option at all. The final outcome is destruction. The authors explain, Once the rod-shaped bacteria entered a victims body, the invaders multiplied wildly over hours and days, damaging tissues and overwhelming rival bacteria. Their main weapons were toxins and sticky hairs The toxins caused the intestines to exude waves of watery fluid. (p. 19) By the end of the outbreak, nearly 1,000 people had been infected, medical facilities and staff had been overwhelmed and infected individuals had moved around so as to spread infection. This is how viruses act on everyone, victim and victimizer alike. They create situations that overwhelm facilities, medical professionals and staff alike. On the other hand, if situations never come to the point where such issues need be considered, then the weapons and their creation were needless in the first place. So, the bottom line is not to develop such weapons at all. They pose many serious dangers and no real advantages. Personal experiences with Germs Like most people perhaps, my personal experiences and perspective on this issue involve no more than the common colds I occasionally get. Some are worse than others, but I am well away that people, me included, tend to take colds for granted. We assume that colds are things that generally come unexpectedly, last briefly and then go away. Most people fail to realize that colds kill and most people today cannot fathom the seriousness of the global influenza epidemic of 1918. It is said that so many American men being sent to war in Europe died from influenza that the virus actually posed as great or greater threat of death than the war. My personal experiences with colds make it difficult to fathom this situation, but it also emphasizes the point that viruses kill and that even apparently simple and common viruses are of greater concern than we realize. Further research needed If further research were pursued, where should we place most of our research emphasis? Certainly, much research should be devoted to finding ways and means to cope with the effects of the viruses most likely to be used in biological warfare. Providing medical assistance after a biological attach may be useless since viruses can exert their lethal effect so quickly that many would die long before any effective treatment could be delivered. Perhaps a research focus on preventing the spread of such weapons would be of greater value although certainly treatment should not be ignored. What treatment would there be, or could there be for newly developed biological weapons? While we cannot develop treatment for deadly viruses not yet developed, perhaps we can pursue research that would head off the development of such viruses. I feel that this is impossible because you cannot head off what you cannot even vaguely predict or foresee. Even as I consider this issue, it seems the possibilities of pursuing research that would provide medical cures for biological germs not yet developed is rather preposterous. In my view, research is not the answer to any of the problems except possibly treating the victims of the potential biological weapons we already have and the germs we already know exist, but what about protecting people from newly developed germs? Ultimately, the real solution appears to be finding a way to stop the development and use of such weapons. Certainly, that might be much easier said than done, but it might mean that the most effective â€Å"medical† research is â€Å"sociological† in nature. I don’t like to view anything as being hopeless, but in this case, it seems to me that the greatest hope lays not so much in any type of research, but in finding ways for human beings to get along better. If further research were pursued, where should we place most of our research emphasis? Certainly, much research should be devoted to finding ways and means to cope with the effects of the viruses most likely to be used in biological warfare. Providing medical assistance after a biological attack may be useless since viruses become resistant to any attack. In a sense, they are perfect fighting machines. This topic is of sociological concern because it indicates how important it is to find ways to address and deal with the social situations and problems we encounter as individuals and as countries. For example, not mentioned in the book is that naive individuals might use viruses to vent grudges against other individuals. Personally, I am just as happy that this idea is not presented in the book because I would not want to give anyone foolish and dangerous ideas that would go far beyond affecting the intended victim, and perhaps that is a central message the book tries to convey as well. Germ warfare is not a strategy that assures national security but a dangerous idea that serves no valid purpose and assures danger, mayhem and widespread death. Book’s Relationship to Sociology its Value in Class Lectures. This topic has value in the class, but in my view, its value lies only in bringing the issue to our attention and allowing us to address the research and development of such weapons in America and perhaps Russia, China and the European countries. There is little we can do about terrorists or rogue countries and certainly, showing too much concern for the creation of such weapons only increases the likelihood that terrorists might be foolish enough to use them. So, the question as to the value of this topic in class is questionable. Certainly, we need to be aware of the dangers of germs and take measures to protect against them and to prevent their spread, but that is mainly a health issue and it remains a health issue whether or not viewed from the perspective of sociology or medicine. Personally, I don’t like calling undue attention to things we cannot control because it alarms people in a manner that leads to a feeling of helplessness. Summary and conclusion In conclusion, this book vividly presents the dangers and concerns that surround germ warfare. While the book focuses on the biological weapons program in the US it points out that many countries are playing with this deadly idea and that developing countries view it as a poor mans nuclear bomb. Even so, from the authors perspective at least, biological weapons are much worse than nuclear weapons. In my view, perhaps that is not true. While the methods (nuclear vs. biological) are different, in the final analysis, both cause great illness and (different types of) global pollution that will affect the world for decades, centuries, possibly millennia. In my personal view, I believe that surviving a biological war is more likely than surviving a nuclear war, but I find the idea of choosing between one or the other ludicrous. I feel that more people might die quickly and painfully with biological weapons than with nuclear weapons, but ultimately, I feel that the global pollution with nuclear weapons would be worse. It is a question of seeing a glass as half empty or half full. The idea that there is a difference or distinction is more or less an illusion. In the end, the only viable alternative is to completely avoid both. Choosing between the value judgment as to which is worse is a decision I would rather never take and it is also one that I wish no one else in the world had the opportunity to make. Yes, perhaps that is a naive view, but in the end, isnt that what you would probably prefer as well. Reference Miller, Judith, Stephen Engelberg and William Broad. (2002). Germs: Biological Weapons and Americas Secret War. Simon and Schuster, New York, NY.

Five Perspective on Personality: Comparison and Analysis

Five Perspective on Personality: Comparison and Analysis Compare and Contrast the Five Perspective on Personality Indicating  the Strengths and Weakness of Each Approach Tiara A. We know what we are but not what we may be. Ophelia in Hamlet According to Guralnik (1987), personality is defined as the quality or fact of being a person or a particular person. Guralnik also defines personality as distinctive individual qualities of a person, considered collectively. Personality is an account that is hard to put one explanation. Individuals each have their own definition. Instead of agreeing on one specific definition, psychologist are involved in an ongoing and perhaps never ending discussion of how to depict human personality and what topics belong within this sub field of psychology (Mayer, 2005; McAdams Pals, 2006). Five separate theories emerge from the different perspectives of notable psychologist. Each approach seem to correctly determine and examine an important feature of human personality. Biological theorists believes that personality is genetic. Behaviorists go with the idea that personality is a straightforward result of the influence of the individual’s environment. Third, the psychodynamic theory jour neys into the unconscious mind and childhood to describe personality. Humanist use free will as their statement of personality. Finally, the trait theory proposes that the development of personality is derived from many different traits. Psychologists have projected various theories of personality to attempt explaining similarities and provide reasons for differences in personalities. The following approaches psychodynamic, biological, humanistic, behavioristic and trait theories of personality will be outlined in this essay, highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses for each theory. Sigmund Freud was the primary proponent of psychodynamic theory but neo-Freudians such as Jung, Adler, Erikson and Horney are also major contributors. Freud believed that every personality has an unconscious element and that childhood experiences, even if not consciously recollected, continue to influence peoples behaviors. The theory states that a personality has three parts – the id, the ego, and the superego which serve to regulate instinctual energies and forms our personalities. The dynamic unconscious is populated by anxiety-provoking drives ideas which have been exiled from conscious awareness by psychological defense mechanisms such as repression. Defense mechanisms are the domain of the Ego, the part of personality preoccupied with mediating between external reality and the internal reality. They function to prevent the experience of intense conscious anxiety caused by a conflict between base drives and the moral aspect of the psyche, the Superego. Freud suggested that personality is formed during the first six years of life known as the Psychosexual stages of Development. The maturing child supposedly experiences a number of discrete and biologically-motivated psychosexual phases, during which their essential sexual energies (the libido) become endowed in particular areas of the body. So, the Id controlled oral stage, where sensual pleasure is derived via the mouth, gives way to the anal stage and the birth of the Ego. This is followed by the phallic st age, during which the Oedipus complex (children aspire to be the partner of the opposite-sex parent) occurs. Resolution of this complex results in shaping of the superego. Unlike some other theories, the psychodynamic approach is a downright theory and can explain behaviour without difficulty. One strength of the psychodynamic approach is that they centered on the effects that childhood experiences have on the developing personality. This is a strength because Freud was the first psychologist to realize the importance of childhood. It also led to other psychologists including Piaget developing theories on childhood. An instance of this is the Little Hans case study. Hans had a fear of castration which led to him having a phobia of horses. One weakness of the psychodynamic approach is that it is unfalsifiable. This is a weakness because the suppositions can not be scientifically measured or proved wrong. An example of this is the idea of the mind being split into three parts. It is a lso deterministic because it suggests that behaviour is pre-determined and people do not have free will. An example of this is the psychosexual stages. Freud also placed an over-emphasis on sexual drive and provides us with an extremely pessimistic outlook on personality as it discounts the notion of free will. Hans Eysenck was an early proponent of the biological approach to personality. He reasoned that personality can be divided along three primary dimensions. He called these extraversion-introversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. Eysenck debated that differences in personality are largely based in inherited biological differences. One strength of the biological conceptualization is that it is very scientific. This is a strength because the experiments used are measurable, objective and can be repeated to test for reliability. Also, the researcher has more control over the variables which is apparent in Selyes study of rats which led to him developing the theory of General Adaptation Syndrome. It is also deterministic. This is a strength because it increases the likelihood of being able to treat people with abnormal behaviour and provides statements about the causes of behaviour. This apprehension can then be used to improve peoples lives. One weakness of the biological approach is tha t it focuses too much on the nature side of the nature/nurture argument. They debates that behaviour is caused by hormones, neurotransmitters and genetics. One theory is that schizophrenia is genetic, however, twin studies show that it is not entirely genetic and the environment has a component to play. It is also nomothetic. This is a weakness because it creates theories about disorders and generalizes them to utilize to everyone. It does not take into account the view that humans are unique. An example of this is that General Adaptation Syndrome presumes that everyone responds in the same way to stress but does not take into account that some people have more support than others. The humanistic movement was led by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers and concentrates primarily on an individual’s potential in terms of development and satisfaction. Humanists have an optimistic view on human nature. They focus on the ability of human beings to think consciously and rationally and to attain their full potential. In the humanistic view, people are accountable for their own lives and actions, they also have the freedom and will to change their attitudes and behaviour. Maslow believed a human has a hierarchy of needs to fulfill before becoming a self-actualized individual. After the basic needs such as food and shelter are met, humans seek safety and security and then seek love and acceptance. Only after all these things are through with can a person fulfill their potential or achieve â€Å"self-actualisation†. Rogers agreed with most of what Maslow believed in terms of striving towards self-actualisation but through the self-concept or one’s opinion of oneself. Roger’s approach is called person-centered. He believed that for a person to grow, they need an environment that provides them with genuineness (openness and self-disclosure), unconditional positive regard (acceptance, respect, love), and empathy (being listened to and understood). Wit hout these, relationships and healthy personalities will not evolve as they should. Another basic premise to Roger’s theory is the self or self concept, i.e. what one thinks of oneself is the self-concept and how others see one is the actual self. The humanistic approach is enormously popular from a phenomenological view point: it is about a person living their life with meaning and authenticity. It also has the potential to enrich people’s lives by understanding and appreciating their own self. Like every theory, some people find the humanistic approach to be valid while others see it for the numerous inherent flaws. The humanistic perspective does recognize human experience, but largely at the expense of being non-scientific in its methods and ability to provide evidence. Some of the strengths of this theory include the focus on both the positive nature of humankind and the free will associated with change. Unlike Freuds theory and the biological approach, which focus on determinism or our lack of power over ourselves, Maslow and others see the individual as very powerful. With the good, always comes the bad, and this theory is no different. The biggest criticism of humanistic thought appears to center around its lack of concrete treatment approaches aimed at specific issues. With the basic concept behind the theory being free will, it is difficult to both develop a treatment technique and study the effectiveness of this technique. Critics also contend that the humanistic approach’s emphasis on self-fulfillment may lead some people to become self-indulgent and so absorbed with themselves that they develop a lack of concern for others. Even the concept of self-actualization poses challenges. Behaviorism was introduced by John B. Watson in the 1920s. It limits psychology to the study of observable behaviors. To explain the development and maintenance of behaviors, behaviorist used classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Personality is described as the end result of ones history of conditioning. One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has successfully applied classical and operant conditioning to its theories. Systematic desensitization is based on classical conditioning and is useful for treating phobias. Another strength is that it uses scientific methods of research. This is a strength because the experiments are objective, measurable and observable. An example of this is Banduras bobo doll study of aggression. One weakness of the behaviourist approach is that it focuses too much on the nurture side of the nature/nurture debate. It suggests that all behaviour is learned but cognitive and biological elements have been proved to affect behaviour. An example of this is the assumption that people learn behaviour by observing others getting rewarded for certain actions. Another weakness is the ethical issues raised by using animals in experiments. This is because animals can not consent to take part and are unable to withdraw. An example of a behaviourist animal study is Pavlovs dogs which led to classical conditioning principles being developed. The trait theory approach is one of the largest areas within personality psychology. According to this theory, personality is made up of a number of broad traits. A trait is basically a relatively stable characteristic that causes an individual to behave in certain ways. Some of the best known trait theories include Eysencks three-dimension theory and the five factor theory of personality. The trait perspective or 5 Factor theory of personality consists of broad, enduring dispositions that can be assessed. With respect to trait assessment, it is possible that people can fake desirable responses on self-report measures of personality. Research does show however that averaging behavior across several situations seems to indicate that people do have distinct personality traits. Genetic studies have supported the claim that genetic predispositions influence most personality types and that many traits are biologically rooted. The empirical nature of the work by Allport, Murray and other early trait psychologists sets them apart from the founders of most personality theories. Rather than relying on intuition and subjective judgment as did Freud and many of the neo-Freudians, these trait theorists used objective measures to examine their constructs. Cattell specifically allowed the data to determine the theory which was then subject to further empirical validation. This approach reduces some of the biases and subjectivity that plague other approaches. Like any other important theoretical perspective, the trait approach has generated a large amount of research. Weakness of this approach concerns the lack of an agreed-upon framework. Although all trait theorists use empirical methods and are concerned with the identification of traits, no single theory or underly ing structure ties all of the theories together. We can see the confusion this created by asking how many basic traits there are. Murray reduced personality to 27 psychogenic needs. Cattell found 16 basic elements of personality. Without an agreed-upon framework, it is difficult to gain a cohesive overview of the approach or to see how research on one aspect of personality traits fits with research in other areas. REFERENCE McLeod, S. A. (2007). Psychology Perspectives Burger, J.M. (2011) Introduction to Personality Ryckman, R.M. (2000). Theories of personality. Wadsworth: Belmont, CA. Carver, C.S., Scheier, M.F. (2000). Perspectives on personality (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Explain the construction of the service package offered by the Lewis :: Business and Management Studies

Explain the construction of the service package offered by the Lewis Partnership at the Swan Hotel or the Moat House Hotel. 1. Define the concept of â€Å"service package† and explain the construction of the service package offered by the Lewis Partnership at the Swan Hotel or the Moat House Hotel. The Service Package is defined as: â€Å" a bundle of goods and services that is provided in some environment † 1 The Service Package is composed of the following four elements: Supporting facility, facilitating goods, explicit services and implicit services. It’s quite difficult for the service managers to identify their product. This is partly due to the intangible nature of services, but what really has a huge influence on the total service experience is the presence of the customer in the process. The service manager has to offer a total experience to the customer which is compatible with the desired service package. The four features of the service package are the base of the customer perception of the service. The Lewis Partnership, as a service company, take into account and manage all the parts of the service package. - Supporting facility: are the physical resources which a service needs to can be offered. For example a building for a restaurant, a swimming pool, etc.2 The main supporting facilities of the Moat House is the building with it’s rustic furniture. It is located in a accessible rural landscape not fare away from Stafford. With the collaboration of Lloyds TSB Corporate, Mark Lewis the General Manager of the Moat House has been able to realise big invests in the supporting facilities of the partnership. The eager of perfection and development leads to a constant evolution and improvement of the supporting facilities. - Facilitating goods: the material which the buyer purchases or or consumes, or the items provided by the customer. For example towels, skis, shampoo, etc. 3 For the Moat House the facilitating goods are part of his resources. Quality is the most important aspect of the culture of this family business, so we can find a long list of suppliers which provide excellent selection of products, like B&S Dairies, Cottage Flowers, Chartley Coffee, etc. - Explicit services: the benefits that are quickly noticed by the senses that are based on the intrinsic or essential features of the service. Examples are the relaxed feeling after a massage, the improved sound of a car after tuning, etc.4 Due to the policy of the partnership, we can find a intensive control of the Explicit Services which are the accommodation and feeding of their customers. The culture of this company is â€Å" Only the best is good enough† but his

Presidential Biography of Theodore Roosevelt :: American Presidents History Governmental Essays

Presidential Biography of Theodore Roosevelt Ascension To The White House As Governor of New York, Roosevelt would once againl stand on his own and distance himself from the political bosses and machines that got him elected. The head of the Republican machine, Thomas Platt, had misgivings about making Roosevelt governor of New York because of Roosevelt's total independence and his reform nature. But in the gubernatorial race of 1898, with the bad press the Republican Party was receiving, there seemed to be no one else who had a chance. Roosevelt was riding the crest of the wave of being a true war hero, and with Platt's help together they might keep the Democrats from winning the office. Platt in return for his help expected Roosevelt to let him make the appointments and carry the party line. Roosevelt had no intentions of being Platt's puppet, and as soon as he got in office the two would begin to battle. Roosevelt had to be careful, because to totally alienate Platt would cripple his chances to go any further politically or even threaten his chances to be reelected governor. Roosevelt made his point by declining to appoint Platt's first suggested appointee. After making his point, however, Roosevelt tried to work with the Republican boss to the extent of not abandoning his own principals. Platt for his part could not toss the war hero out on his ear in 1900, but at the same time, he wanted to find a way to gracefully get Roosevelt out of his hair. Platt's opportunity to get rid of Roosevelt came with the approach of the presidential election of 1900. McKinley was discretely looking for a new running mate to replace Hobart in the upcoming election. It was fairly obvious that the Democrats would choose William Jennings Bryan as their candidate of choice again, and McKinley would need a fiery speaking running mate to offset Bryan's oratory abilities. McKinley would simply sit back and look Presidential while his running mate would attack Bryan. Hobart was not a gifted orator, and this decision to replace him became all that much easier when he died just prior to the national Republican convention. Mark Hanna had run McKinley's campaign in 1896 and wanted nothing to do with Roosevelt in 1900. Platt on the other hand saw his opportunity to get rid of Roosevelt at the same time saving face in his own home state of New York.

Information about Financial Aid Essay -- essays research papers

Financial Aid Financial aid is money in the form of loans, grants and employment that is available to a student to help pay the cost of attending. Financial aid comes from the federal government, which is the largest provider of aid, as well as state government, the school and a variety of other public and private sources. If you think your educational expenses are more than you and your family can afford, you should apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You will need to apply for financial aid every year by completing a FAFSA. The FAFSA includes all the information necessary to determine your eligibility and must be completed if you want to be considered for any of the federal programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The FAFSA is available in two formats: paper and electronic. If you complete a paper FAFSA, you will mail it directly to the application processor listed on the FAFSA. Or you can apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov and list school code will receive your processed information. You should apply for financial aid (for the upcoming academic year beginning in August) as soon after January 1 as possible. Many financial aid programs have limited funding, therefore early application is recommended. Application should be completed at least one month prior to the semester you are planning to attend. If you apply for funding late, you will receive your funding late. Financial Aid Eligibility To be considered for financial aid you must: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  be enrolled as a degree- or certificate-seeking student. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  be a U.S. citizen or a permanent citizen of the United States. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  have a valid social security number. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  register with Selective Service (if required). †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  make satisfactory academic progress (successfully complete courses with grade of A, B, C, D or P at least 66% of the hours attempted each term with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above.) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  demonstrate an ability to benefit (see below). The following are the different types of Financial Aid available: GRANTS - funds that do not have to be paid back. Grants offered at: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pell Grants - Federal Pell Grants are available only to undergraduates with no prior b... ...fore, must demonstrate one of the following ATB requirements: 1. High school transcript showing graduation, or 2. General Education Development (GED) certificate, or 3. COMPASS test with a minimum score of 25 on Pre-Algebra/Numerical, 62 on Reading, and 32 on Writing, all completed in one test session, or 4. College transcript with 60 or more transfer hours. Return of Title IV Aid (formerly called Refund/Repayment) The Federal Government has set guidelines concerning students who receive Title IV Aid and completely withdraw from school or stop attending courses. Any student making a complete withdrawal or that stops attending their classes who received a Federal Pell Grant, SEOG, Subsidized Stafford Loan, Unsubsidized Stafford Loan or a Parent (PLUS) Loan, will be required to pay back money to the school immediately if they drop out or stop attending courses before 60% of the semester has been finished. After the calculations are figured, the Financial Aid Office will notify any student that might owe money back to the Federal Government. Your Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress status will also be evaluated at the end of the semester and you will be notified accordingly

Strategic Management Study Guide

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT TEST 2 (Chapters 3, 4, and 6): STUDY GUIDE †¢Know definitions and be able to recognize examples of concepts †¢Test will be multiple choice, 45-50 items †¢Bring scantron sheet and #2 pencil Additional free student study resources available including an interactive quiz from the publisher at: http://highered. mcgraw-hill. com/sites/0078029317/student_view0/chapter1/chapter_quiz. html Chapter 3: Assessing the Internal Environment †¢What is value chain analysis? How is it useful for understanding competitive advantages?Strategic analysis of an organization that uses value-creating activities. It is useful for understanding the building blocks of competitive advantages. †¢In the value chain, what are the 5 primary activities? Which 4 activities are support activities? Primary- inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service. Support- general admininistration, human resource management, technology development , and procurement. †¢Relating to primary activities, what specific activities are associated with inbound logistics? Operations? Outbound logistics?Marketing and sales? Service? Inbound logistics- receiving, storing, and distributing inputs of a product. Operations- all activities associated with transforming inputs into the final product form. Outbound logistics- collecting, storing, and distributing the product or service to buyers. Marketing and sales- activities associated with purchases of products and services by end users and the inducements used to get them to make purchases. Service- actions associated with providing service to enhance or maintain the value of the product. †¢What is a Just-in-time inventory system? were designed to achieve efficient inbound logistics. Parts and deliveries arrive only hours before they are needed. †¢Relating to support activities, what specific activities are associated with procurement? Technology development? HR management? General administration? Procurement- purchasing inputs used in the firm’s value chain, including raw materials, supplies, and other consumable items as well as assets such as machinery, laboratory equipment, office equipment, and buildings. Technology development- development of new knowledge that is applied to the firm’s operations.HR management- activities involved in the recruiting, hiring, training, development, and compensation of all types of personnel. General administration- general management, planning, finance, accounting, legal and government affairs, quality management, and information systems: activities that support the entire value chain and not individual activities. †¢How has Walgreen’s used information systems to be a sources of competitive advantage? Introduction of a computer based prescription management system- automates telephone refills, store to store prescription transfers, and drug reordering.Also provides information on drug inte ractions and frees up pharmacists from administrative tasks to devote more time to patient counseling. †¢What are the two levels of interrelationships among value-chain activities? 1. Interrelationships among activities within the firm 2. Interrelationships among activities within the firm and other stakeholders. †¢What is resource-based view of the firm? Perceptions that firms’ competitive advantages are due to their endowment of strategic resources that are valuable, rare, costly to imitate, and costly to substitute. What are the 3 types of firm resources? Tangible, Intangible, and Organizational Capabilities. †¢What are the 4 kinds of tangible resources? Financial, physical, technological, and organizational. †¢What are the 3 kinds of intangible resources, Human, Innovation and Creativity, and Reputation. †¢What examples of organizational capabilities? Ex. Outstanding customer service. Excellent product development capabilities, innovativeness of p roducts and services. Ability to hire, motivate, and retain human capital. What are the four criteria that a firm’s resources must possess to maintain a sustainable advantage? 1. Resource must be valuable in the sense that it exploits opportunities and/or neutralizes threats in the firm’s environment. 2. It must be rare among the firm’s current and potential competitors. 3. It must be difficult to imitate. 4. Must have no strategically equivalent substitutes. †¢How can the following four resource characteristics help sustain a competitive advantage based on inimitability: physical uniqueness, path dependency, causal ambiguity, and social complexity? 1.Inherently difficult to copy. 2. Resources are scarce because they were acquired through a unique series of events. 3. Costly to imitate because competitor cannot determine what the resource is and/or how it can be re-created. 4. Costly to imitate because the social engineering required is beyond the capabilit y of competitors, including interpersonal relations among managers, organizational culture, and reputation with suppliers and customers. †¢Substitutability can take which two forms? 1. Substitute a similar resource that enables it to develop and implement the same strategy. . Very different firm resources can become strategic substitutes. †¢ See exhibit 3. 7 – what are the implications for competitiveness based on differing characteristics of a resource or capability? The less valuable, less rare, easier to imitate, more substitutes, the less competitive advantage. †¢What are the four factors that help explain the extent to which employees will be able to obtain a proportionally high level of a firm’s profits? 1. Employee bargaining power. 2. Employee replacement costs. 3. Employee exit costs. 4. Manager Bargaining Power. What are the two approaches to use when evaluating a firm’s performance? Financial ration analysis and taking a broad stakehold er view. †¢What is financial ratio analysis? How can historical comparisons, industry norm comparisons, and competitor comparisons each serve as useful reference points? 1. Technique for measuring the performance of a firm according to its balance sheet, income statement, and market valuation. 2. Provides a means of evaluating trends. 3. Assesses relative performance. 4. Gain valuable insights into a firm’s financial and competitive position. What is the balanced scorecard? Why is it useful? a method of evaluating a firm’s performance using performance measures from the customers, internal innovation, and learning, and financial perspectives. Provides managers with a fast, but comprehensive review of the business (operations measures that drive the future financial performance). †¢What are the four key perspectives of the balanced scorecard? 1. Customer perspective- measures of firm performance that indicate how well firms are satisfying customer’s exp ectations. 2.Internal business perspective- measures of firm performance that indicate how well firms internal processes, decisions, and actions are contributing to customer satisfaction. 3. Innovation and learning perspective- measures of a firm performance that indicate how well firms are changing their product and service offerings to adapt to changes in the internal and external environments. 4. Financial perspective- measure of firm’s financial performance that indicate how well strategy, implementation and execution are contributing bottom-line improvement. †¢What are the limitations of the balanced scorecard?Lack of a clear strategy, limited or ineffective executive sponsorship, too much emphasis on financial measures rather than nonfinancial measures, poor data on actual performance, inappropriate links of scorecard measures to compensation, inconsistent or inappropriate terminology. Chapter 4: Recognizing a Firm’s Intellectual Assets: Moving Beyond a Firm ’s Tangible Resources †¢What is the knowledge economy? An economy where wealth is created through the effective management of knowledge workers instead of by the efficient control of physical and financial assets. How has the emphasis shifted between intangible and tangible resources as a result of changes in the competitive environment? Shifted from tangible resources such as land, equipment, and money. Efforts were more directed toward the efficient allocation of labor and capital. Now intellectual and information processes create most of the value for firms in large service industries. †¢What is the market value of a firm? What is the book value of a firm? What does the difference between the two values represent? In what types of firms does this difference tend to be the greatest?Market value- the value of a share of its common stock times the number of shares outstanding. Book value- is primarily a measure of the value of its tangible resources: total assets- t otal liabilities. The difference between the two represents the firm’s intellectual capital ( a measure of the firm’s intangible assets). In firms where knowledge and the management of knowledge workers are relatively important contributors to developing products and services and physical resources are less critical, the ratio of market to book value tends to be much higher. †¢What is intellectual capital and how can it be increased?Intellectual capital= market value of firm-book value of the firm. To increase: attract and leverage human capital effectively through mechanisms that create products and services of value over time. †¢What is human capital? Social capital? Explicit knowledge? Tacit knowledge? Human capital- the individual capabilities, knowledge, skills, and experience of a company’s employees and managers. Social capital- the network of friendships between talented people both inside and outside the organization. Explicit knowledge- knowl edge that is codified, documented, easily reproduced, and widely distributed.Tacit knowledge- knowledge that is in the minds of employees and is based on their experiences and backgrounds. †¢How is new knowledge created? Through the continual interaction of explicit and tacit knowledge. †¢How has employee loyalty to the company changed relative to loyalty to the profession? Knowledge workers place professional development and personal enrichment above company loyalty. †¢What is a first critical step in the process of of building intellectual capital? What are the other processes organizations use to build human capital?Hiring talented individuals, developing them to fulfill their full potential to maximize their joint contributions. Retain the best and brightest. †¢Why do many companies use employee referrals for new hires? Incentive bonuses paid to the referrers are cheaper than what they would have to pay headhunters to find candidates, plus the current employe es would find good candidates because they are putting their reputation on the line for them. †¢What strategies are used to develop human capital? Encouraging widespread involvement, Transferring knowledge, monitoring progress and development, and evaluating human capital. How as the importance of evaluating human capital changed in recent years? Collaboration and interdependence are vital to organizational success. Individuals must work collectively. Traditional past systems evaluate performance from a single perspective. †¢What is 360 degree feedback? Superiors, direct reports, colleagues, and even external and internal customers rate a person’s performance. †¢What are the 6 benefits of diversity in a firm’s workforce? 1. Cost argument- firms with more effective management in diversity will have a cost advantage over those that are not. 2.Resource acquisition argument- firms with excellent reputations as prospective employers for minorities will have a n advantage in the competition for top talent. 3. Marketing argument- for multinational firms this will be useful. 4. Creativity argument- less emphasis on conformity to norms of the past and diversity of perspectives will improve the level of creativity. 5. Problem solving argument- people with different perspectives have a better shot at solving complex problems than those who all think alike. 6. Organizational flexibility argument- greater flexibility leads means better reactions to environmental changes. What is network analysis? Closure relationships? Bridging relationships? Analysis of the pattern of social interactions among individuals. †¢How can effective social networks be advantageous to an individual’s career? Private information now available. Access to diverse skill sets. Power. †¢What is groupthink? – tendency in an organization for individuals not to question shared beliefts. †¢What are intellectual property rights? What actions can be ta ken to manage intellectual property? Intangible property owned by a firm in the forms of patents, copyrights, trademarks, or trade secrets. What are dynamic capabilities? The ability to sense and seize new opportunities, generates new knowledge, and reconfigure existing assets and capabilities. Chapter 6: Corporate-Level Strategy: Creating Value Through Diversification †¢What is corporate-level strategy? What two related issues does it address? a strategy that focuses on gaining long-term revenue, profits, and market value through managing operations in multiple businesses. Acquisitions and mergers. †¢How is related diversification different than unrelated diversification? What are the potential benefits of each?Related diversification- a firm entering a different business in which it can benefit from leveraging core competencies, sharing activities, or building market power. Unrelated diversification- a firm entering a different business that has little horizontal interac tion with other businesses of a firm. †¢Be familiar with the classifications of Exhibit 6. 2 3M was using exorbitant rebates to retailers, which pushed them into a â€Å"monopolistic position† and courts ordered 3M to pay 68. 5 million dollars to another tape company. †¢In related diversification, what is meant by economies of scope?Cost savings from leveraging core competencies, sharing activities, or building market power. †¢What is a core competency? What are the three criteria for assessing if a core competency creates value? Firm’s strategic resources that reflect the collective learning in the organization. 1. Must enhance competitive advantage by creating superior customer value. 2. Different businesses in the corporation must be similar in at least one important way related to the core competence. 3. Must be difficult for competitors to imitate or find substitutes for. †¢What are sharing activities?What are the two payoffs associated with sh aring activities. -Having activities of two or more businesses value chains done by one of the businesses. -1. Cost savings -2. Revenue enhancement †¢In related diversification, what is market power? Firm’s ability to profit through restricting or controlling supply to a market or coordinating with other firms to reduce investment. †¢What is pooled negotiating power? the improvement in bargaining position relative to customers and suppliers. †¢What is vertical integration, in its associated risks and benefits? an xpansion or extension of the firm by integrating preceding or successive production processes (occurs when a firm becomes its own supplier or distributer). Pros- secure supply of raw materials or distribution channels. Protection and control over assests and services required to produce and deliver. Access to new business opportunities and new forms of technology. Eliminating the need to deal with a wide variety of suppliers and distributors. Cons- cos ts and expenses associated with increased overhead and capital expenditures. Loss of flexibility resulting from large investments.Problems associated with unbalanced capacities along the value chain. Additional administrative costs associated with managing a more complex set of activities. †¢What 5 issues should be considered in making vertical integration decisions? 1. Is the company satisfied with the quality of the value that its present suppliers and distributors are providing? 2. Are there activities in the industry value chain presently being outsourced or performed independently by others that are a viable source of future profits? 3. Is there a high level of stability in the demand for the organization’s products? . Does the company have the necessary competencies to execute the vertical integration strategies? 5. Will the vertical integration initiative have potential negative impacts on the firm’s stakeholders? †¢What is the transaction cost perspec tive? A perspective that the choice of a transaction’s governance structure such as vertical integration or market transaction, is influenced by transaction costs, including, search, negotiating, contracting, monitoring, and enforcement costs, associated with each choice. †¢What is unrelated diversification? What is a parenting advantage?A firm entering a different business that has little horizontal interaction with other businesses of a firm. Parenting advantage- the positive contributions of the corporate office to a new business as a result of expertise and support provided and not as a result of substantial changes in assets, capital structure, or management. †¢What is restructuring? What are the three types of restructuring? The intervention of the corporate office in a new business that substantially changes assets, capital structure and management. 1. Asset restructuring 2. Capital restructuring 3. Management restructuring What is portfolio management?Method of assessing the competitive position of a portfolio of businesses within a corporation, suggesting strategic alternatives for each business, and identifying priorities for the allocation of resources across the businesses. †¢What is the Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) growth/share matrix? What are the 4 quadrants in the matrix? What are the suggested strategies associated with each of the quadrants? What are the limitations of the BCG matrix? Each of the firm’s strategic business units is plotted on a two-dimensional grid in which the axes are relevant market share and industry growth rate. 1.Stars-competing in high growth industries with high market shares, long term growth potential and should continue to receive substantial investment funding. 2. Question marks- competing in high growth industries with but have weak market share, resources should be invested to enhance their competitive positions. 3. Cash cows- have high market shares in low growth industries . Have limited long run potential, but represent a source of current cash flows to fund investments into starts and question marks. 4. Dogs- have weak market shares in low growth industries, weak positions and limited potential.Most recommend they become divested. Limitations of BCG matrix- 1. the only compare based on two dimensions. 2. View them as a stand-alone entity, ignoring common business practices and value creating activities that may hold promise for synergies across business units. 3. The process becomes largely mechanical, substituting an overly simplified graphical model for the important contributions of the CEO or other managers experience. †¢What are the three primary means by which a firm can diversify? 1. Through acquisitions or mergers 2.Pool the resources of other companies with their resource base, commonly known as a joint-venture or strategic alliance. 3. Diversify into new products, markets, and technologies through internal development. †¢What are the benefits and potential of mergers and acquisitions? 1. A means of obtaining valuable resources that can help an organization expand its product offerings and services 2. Can provide the opportunity for firms to attain the three bases of synergy—leveraging core competencies, sharing activities, and building market power. 3. Can lead to consolidation within an industry and can force other players to merge.Cons- competing firms can often imitate any advantages realized from the M&A. there can be cultural issues that may doom the intended benefits from the endeavors. †¢What is a divestment? The exit of a business from a firm’s portfolio. †¢What is a strategic alliance? Joint venture? How do they differ? What are their potential advantages and downsides? Strategic alliance- a cooperative relationship between two or more firms. Joint venture- new entities formed within a strategic alliance in which two or more firms, the parents, contribute equity to form the new legal entity.A strategic alliance is a cooperative relationship. A joint venture is a special case of alliances where both firms contribute equity to form a new legal entity. Pros- Reducing manufacturing or other costs in the value chain. Developing and diffusing new technologies. Cons- many fail to meet expectations. Without proper partner, a firm should never consider it. Little attention is often given to nurturing the close working relationships and interpersonal connections that bring together the partnering organizations. †¢What is internal development?What are its potential downsides? -Entering a new business through investment in new facilities, often called corporate entrepreneurship and new venture development. -It may be time consuming, firms may forfeit the benefits of speed that growth through mergers and acquisitions can provide. †¢How can managerial motives erode value creation? They may often act in their own self-interests (CEOS). â€Å"growth for gro wth’s sake†, excessive egotism, and the creation of a wide variety of antitakeover tactics. †¢What is meant by growth for growth’s sake? Egotism? Manager’s actions to grow the size of their firms not to increase long-term profitability, but to sever managerial self-interest. -Manager’s actions to shape their firm’s strategies to serve their selfish interests rather than to maximize long-term shareholder value. †¢What are the antitakeover tactics of greenmail, the golden parachute, and poison pill? Greenmail- a payment by a firm to a hostile party for the firm’s stock at a premium, made when the firm’s management feels that the hostile party is about to make a tender offer. (sort of like a bribe)