Thursday, October 31, 2019

Critical review of using the literature as a research method Essay

Critical review of using the literature as a research method - Essay Example 31). There are however, various drawbacks and benefits of using literature review to conduct a research on some selected topics such as female genital mutilation among other sensitive topics. These will be discussed in this paper. Literature review is vital in that it helps a researcher to get familiarized with methodology, weight and deduction of research conducted by other people on the chosen topic. It helps the researcher familiarize with the problem or need and to express the major aim of the research issue pertinent to the issue. This ensures that the researcher comprehends the wider context to the specific topic, issue or concern and to prevent the duplication of the current research in particular the out-of-date or inconsistent research. The research gets the general overview of the research body with which one is not well conversant with (Cresswell, 2003; p.13). It helps the researcher to position the research in the broader background so that one can make the relevant conclusion which might emerge from the research. Literature review is also very significant since it initiates the researcher to the demerits and merits of the different research methods and methodologies. The main intention is for the researcher to understand intensively the connection between the methods, methodologies and the outcome and to select the most relevant and fruitful methods for the data collected in regard to the issue, problem or need (female genital mutilation). It offers the researcher new ideas and concepts which can be applied in the research to enrich the content, applicability and relevance of the outcome. Another benefit is to familiarize the researcher with the possible effective reaction to the chosen topic, subject or need which other researchers have both made attempts and assessed for their efficiency. The main intention is to assist one to learn from the experience of

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Business Models for High Tech Products Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Business Models for High Tech Products - Essay Example This ensured that the advertisement did not interfere with the client’s search results. Furthermore Google’s paid advertisements were clearly identifiable given a sponsored tag placed with them unlike other search engines where paid and unpaid advertisements were placed together. The use of an uncluttered scheme to represent the advertisement ensured that Google’s advertisement scheme gained more prominence than other similar schemes. Moreover Google’s advertisements were placed based on the client’s fiscal provision as well as based on the advertisement’s popularity (based on links and back links to the advertisement). The customer could easily figure out the advertisement and pay as much as they wanted for it offering unrivalled ease. Similarly the later affiliate marketing campaign by Google was similar in its simplicity, ease of use and credibility. These chief exponents have been used by Google to generate new business trends over and ov er again. Google’s example reflects that ethical business decision making pays in the longer run and it also serves to show that the people at the helm of affairs have a direct impact on critical business decision making. Future Course of Action Google is already supporting a strong business model that is based largely on ethical practices which are otherwise uncommon in contemporary online search engines. Another thing that makes Google far more powerful is the relevance of the advertisements placed by Google based on the search terms used by the client. Though the exact algorithm or the combination of algorithms is as yet unknown to most people and developers, but it is obvious that it works. It is time that Google expands based on its current market standing and reputation into newer global markets. Google is not only capable of such expansion but possesses certain advantages in comparison to other large giants such as MSN, Yahoo and Facebook. One of the tools that will pr opel Google in the future is its Translate feature that is well capable of performing searches in native languages though it has not yet been implemented. When it comes to emerging markets such as India and Brazil, no one is a clear winner as yet largely because clients are forced to seek answers to searches in English which is not a native language. It is time that Google banked on its power as a â€Å"mighty crawler† and took over the global search scenario along with the indigenous English search scenario. Once Google can dominate its search market internationally, it has all the more chance of providing advertisements in native languages and this in turn will mean all the more revenue for Google. Moreover performance has shown that Google’s algorithm is far more powerful than those of Facebook or Yahoo when it comes to placing advertisements with relevance. Google should bank on its search capabilities as a primary tool while developing smaller business concerns su ch as Talk, Translate, Gmail and the like. Symbian Trends to Date Symbian has represented an overwhelming influence in the global telecommunications market especially in terms of handsets manufactured by a number of manufacturers such as Nokia, Motorola, BenQ, LG and Samsung. For some time in the early years, Symbian could be seen as the de facto industrial standard for manufacturing telecommunication operating systems. However Symbian has effectively lost its lead when it comes to the contemporary handset market

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Environmental factors faced by dell and its competitors business essay

Environmental factors faced by dell and its competitors business essay The Dell Computer Company so far is been considered the most successful business company in the world among those that are in market for the past twenty years. In 2005, the company was titled the Number 1 Personal Computer vendor in the world besides being an unknown start-up in 1984.With its unique strategy of doing business, it has enabled itself to be the highlight of the computer industry comprising of some big giants including HP, IBM and Microsoft. Dell has maintained its sustainability and competitive advantage by using its superior customer service and market leadership and strong financial results. Environmental Analysis Internal Environment Dell has developed its structure on the concept of 3-m model. As Dell is a multidivisional company with different operating divisions representing separate profit centers, it implements the cooperative form of related constrained strategy. Dells corporate utilization consists of sharing of RD, finance, marketing, human resources, manufacturing, and information systems. This combination is possible because Dell pride itself on a flat corporate structure that encourages each worker to contribute innovative ideas (Martinsons). Core Competencies Cost Differentiation strategy Dell has remained consistent in being a cost leader in the industry and yet provide high quality PCs by using its Direct Business Model approach. This model helped Dell to keep just- in-time manufacturing, built-to-order products, low inventory and direct customer relationship with manufacturer. It also enabled Dell to cut out the intermediary costs. Build-To-Customer Order Dell has enabled to excel in another advantage over its competitors by including in its operating system the build to customer order strategy to sell PCs directly to customers. This has resulted in Dell being able to understand the customers needs better and providing the solutions that are most effective for meeting customers need. Dell has a direct dealing with its customers, suppliers and communicates directly with employees. Companys market penetration is sustained by this simple concept. Just-In-Time (JIT) Inventory The third core competency of Dell operating system or internal environment is its JIT inventory system using which has enabled Dell to meet the customers requirements within time and by using fresh inventories (less than five days old). This inventory period saves time and money for Dell. Surplus supplies cause extra costs so Dell saves this extra costs for its customers with the added advantage of custom designs for the customers. SWOT Analysis External Environment Dells external environment can be classified under three components: The Remote Environment The Remote environment is made up of economic, technological, ecological, social and political, factors. Dell faced healthy economic conditions in US till 2008 but after the crisis due to the recession in US markets the sales revenue was affected by decreased demand. This impact later affected the global revenues as the impact of crisis spread globally to other markets. There are no significant political pressures faced by Dell. Its technological environment is a rapidly changing one where its important to cope up with the advancements. The Industry Environment   The industry environment is composed of bargaining power of customers, supplier power, and threats of the substitute availability, entry barriers and competitive rivalry. Dells industry structure is highly competitive and is explained through Porter 5 force analysis. The Operating Environment The operating environment is made up of competitors, customers, labor, and suppliers. Fir the customers of Dell, it is a quality brand at a good price. Its competitive environment is intense with major brands like HP, Sun and IBM fighting neck to neck globally with Dell with very less price and quality differences. This has raised the effort for Dell to provide its customers with a unique value package that others dont offer. One of such efforts made by Dell is not using Microsofts operating system which other computer brands do, but this is considered a weakness compared to the rest. Other factors where Dell has enabled to manage the lead are: Price for Performance Dells procurement, distribution and manufacturing processes allow the company to offer powerful systems and services at prices better than competitors. Customization Every single order is built according to the individual requirements of the customers as customization is always been an asset for Dell. Service, Support and Reliability Dells services that are provided directly to the customers have allowed company to give high customer satisfaction before and after the sale. Latest Technology Latest technology is an essence of Dells strategy and this strategy has enabled Dell to stand out among all the competitors who are still relying upon indirect distribution channels. The inventory turnover of Dell is on average of six days which helps in keeping low inventory costs. Porter 5 Forces Model Summing up the External Environment of Dell, it can be said that with the operating system implemented by Dell, which includes its direct selling and build to customer order, Dell has managed to increase its sales each year and is among the top competitors of computer market. Its different approaches have allowed Dell to enter into this highly competitive market in a unique way. Dells sales are increasing dramatically which shows it is moving in the right direction However, threats from market rivalry, intensity of competition and bargaining power of suppliers and buyers is an acute issue and thus requires Dell to keep formulating hard core and sustainable operational and selling strategy in terms of the value it provides to its customers (Byrnes, 2003). Dells Business Level Strategy The market was already much fragmented when Dell entered in 1984 and had reached the maturity limit. At that time, Dell entered with its unique direct selling model which gave it a competitive edge through its low selling price. Dell has always looked to the market trends as an aid for the development of new products as the overall market for IT and related products is influenced by trends. Now customers are more aware and educated about their purchases ad so they want increased customization, portability and durability, creating a constant need for Dell to meet their demands. The competitors are also much efficient in responding to changing trends of market and to any strategy opted to get part of their market share. Thus Dell also needs to take care of this issue of intense market competition. From start till yet, the base of Dells Business Strategy is giving its customers a superior feel in what they are buying by providing them with made to customer order products at low prices and fast delivery. This strategy, although tried to be replicated by many others, has enabled Dell to sustain the intense and changing threats from market and be able to increase the scope of its operations from US to almost everywhere globally (Byrnes, 2003). Recommendations for Dell Improve few features in Dells product differentiation strategies. Control RD patents: Dependency on extreme standardization and outsourcing must be reduced. Innovative services must be introduced instead of services based on packages without patents. Affiliate with other players in market to achieve better advantages and compete using combination of huge range of products. Its simple website e-business presence might not be enough. Rethink its Virtual Network by moving from the short term outsourcing in value chain activities to lessen prices to a more appropriate long run effective idea to be better able to meet competitors. Moving from Hardware to Software would be another good option which can allow Dell to start developing proprietary software. Functional Strategies Some functional level recommendations are: Enhance customer experience by making corresponding products available at its website. Another improvement to be made can be of increasing the market share in educational market by exploring ways to generate attention from education markets particularly college students by either using product differentiation through more aggressive sales marketing. (Cuizon, 2009) Dell may use social networking sites for advertising. Conclusion Dell is working in an extremely intense market for personal computers, particularly laptops now. The industry is driven by ever changing consumer needs and demands and thus for companies like Dell, it requires constant effort to keep up with the adaptation so as to satisfy the changing needs of customers. Dell, with the help of its strengths, keeping close eye on weaknesses and investing properly in opportunities while coping with threats from macro-environment can enable itself to position and sustain itself as a significant player in the intensely competitive market.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Urban and Suburban Secondary Education Essay -- Arugmentative Arugment

Urban and Suburban Secondary Education There is a big disparity between urban and suburban secondary education in public schools. Many critics of this inequality are arguing that urban schools are not receiving the same attention as schools that are in suburban areas or wealthier parts of country. Urban schools are facing a large crisis on there hands, these schools are not meeting the required criteria in educating and graduating their students. So, why is there a huge inequality between urban and suburban secondary public schools? Much of the debate falls around school funding and how much schools are given to operate. Many urban schools are not being given enough money to educate its students, pay its teachers, buy new books, and afford technology that could be used in the classroom in order to educate its students. Though funding plays an important role in education another issue that urban schools are facing is prejudice from teacher towards minority and lower income students; students who fit description are often t hought of as worthless because either they are receiving low test scores, can not speak English well, create trouble in the classroom or they are simply thought of as futile. While minorities fall under prejudice, illegal immigrant students are being attacked because they are attending public schools at the expense of tax payers. Illegal immigrants are being blamed for much of reasons that schools are finding themselves in the red when it comes to school funding; simply illegal immigrants are breaking the piggy bank and leaving schools in the hole as the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) puts it. In retrospect what ultimately is happening is that students in urban secondary public schools whom... ...ducational opportunitiesprovided to U.S. citizen children, and that there was no evidence that the U.S. government seriously intended to deport the parents of the illegal alien children. The Court could reverse the ruling if these circumstances were to change or if Congress were to make the exclusion of these students explicit by legislation. Source: U.S. Supreme Court: Plyler v. Doe (1982) [1] â€Å"Table 160, Summary of expenditures for public elementary and secondary education, by purpose: 1919-20 to 199-2000,† Digest of Education Statistics 2002, National Center for Education and Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. [2] National Association of State Budget Officers, State Expenditures Report, 2001. [3] Michael Fix & Jeffrey S. Passel, â€Å"U.S. Immigration-Trends and Implication for Schools,† Immigration Studies Program, Urban Institute, January 2003.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Illinois Employers Essay

The Illinois WARN reduces the number of employees required for an employer’s notification, which should be done 60 days advance, in case of layoffs or closing. It reduces from 100 (as set by the federal WARN) to not less than 75 full-time employees who has a combined working time of 4,000 hours or more per week. Also, 33% and at least 25 full-time employees or at least 250 full-time employees are required for mass lay offs which is half the requirement of the federal WARN. Other government officials must also be informed in case of reallocation. Noncompliance with the Act can be brought in the federal court by the concerned employees. COMMENT 1: Indeed, theses laws will have good impact in the community and may also decrease the unemployment rate. However, it will also trigger a fear on the side of the employer. Upon receiving a notice 60 days before the closing or lay off, the employees will surely look for a job. There, they may be times when the employees will leave their job even before the closing period once they find a new job. However, notification in such cases (closing or lay off and reallocation) will surely benefit the community will surely benefit the community as a whole for unemployment is sure to decrease. WARN really secures the employees interest by taking away the fear of being fired all of a sudden. Thus, employees will really feel secure as long WARN is in place since there is a law that protects their interest and work security. They are also more secure because noncompliance to the laws imposed by WARN can be brought to the federal court in which employers can be required to pay for the 60 days of non-notification. ESSAY 2 Almost all members of the community will be affected by the decision especially the smokers or costumers as well as the tobacco growers, manufacturers and the stores. The store has no obligation to not hurt tourism since every business is free to offer what product or services that they want provided that they didn’t violate the law. Neda does not set aside business ethics since even business ethics does not impose compulsory selling of tobacco. It is more like being responsible to the community since they aim to prevent lawsuits and criminal penalties due to unavoidable selling of tobacco to minors. COMMENT 1: Smokers and non-smokers are the ones that are truly affected by the decision to ban tobacco selling within the community. Neda does have the right to sell whatever she see fit thus, business ethics was not violated. Neda also have no responsibility on the tourism industry since what the decision she had made was meant for her own store only and not for the whole community. It just so happen that more and more agreed to her decision. However, there are times that business and personal ethics does not go hand in hand. There are times that in order to protect your personal ethics, you must violated business ethics and vice versa. Personal ethics is not a requirement of business ethics although most of the time, personally ethical are also business ethical. COMMENT 2: The stake holders that are mentioned are indeed the affected people by the decision. However, the most affected remains the consumers of the product, the smokers. They are the most affected because they are the ones that really depend on the use of the product. Regarding Neda’s decision, it is also right to say that both personal and business ethics had been taken for consideration. Another proof that showed that business ethics was also considered is that Neda protected not only the citizens but as well as the workers who are legally punished for selling tobacco on minors. It is also the concern of business ethics to ensure that their employees are doing legal jobs. Also, rather than decrease in tourism, the decision may also serve as a ground to increase tourism because of the good image that the community is able to portray. The tourists do not visit the community to smoke in the first place. It is also natural there are people that will accommodate those smokers who are suffering from the decision. Reference Craft, M. & Diljohn, J. (2005). New Illinois WARN Act Imposes Additional Requirements on Illinois Employers. Retrieved July 19, 2008 from http://library.findlaw. com/2005/Mar/10/163974. html Employment and Training Administration United States Department of Labor. (No Date). Workers Guide to Advance Notice of Closing and Layoffs. Retrieved July 19, 2008 from http://www. doleta. gov/layoff/pdf/WorkerWARN2003. pdf. Federwisch, A. (June 2006). Assessing for Ethics. Retrieved July 19, 2008 from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/assessing. html. White, Maj Gen Jerry. (1996). Personal Ethics Versus Professional Ethics. Retrieved July 19, 2008 from http://www. airpower. maxwell. af. mil/airchronicles/apj/apj96/sum96/white. html.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

HP deskjet Essay

Case: Hewlett-Packard-Supplying the Deskjet Printer in Europe The DeskJet printer was introduced in 1988 and has become one of Hewlett-Packard’s (HP’s) most successful products. Sales have grown steadily, reaching a level of over 600,000 units in 1990. Unfortunately, inventory growth has tracked sales growth closely. HP’s distribution centers are filled with pallets of the DeskJet printer. Worse yet, the organization in Europe claims that inventory levels there need to be raised even further to maintain satisfactory product availability. THE DESKJET SUPPLY CHAIN The network of suppliers, manufacturing sites, distribution centers (DCs), dealers, and customers for the DeskJet product make up the DeskJet supply chain (see Exhibit 17.14). HP in Vancouver does manufacturing. There are two key stages in the manufacturing process: (1) printed circuit assembly and test (PCAT) and (2) final assembly and test (FAT). PCAT involves the assembly and testing of electronic components (like integrated circuits, read-only memories, and raw printed circuit boards) to make logic boards used in the printer. FAT involves the assembly of other subassemblies (like motors, cables, keypads, plastic chassis, gears, and the printed circuit assemblies from PCAT) to produce a working printer, as well as the final testing of the printer. The components needed for PCAT and FAT are sourced from other HP divisions as well as from external suppliers worldwide. Exhibit 17.14 HP DeskJet Supply Chain Selling the DeskJet in Europe requires customizing the printer to meet the language and power supply requirements of the local countries, a process known as â€Å"localization.† Specifically, the localization of the DeskJet of different countries involves assembling the appropriate power supply module, which reflects the correct voltage requirements (110 or 220) and power cord plug, and packaging it with the working printer and a manual written in the appropriate language. Currently, the final test is done with the actual power supply module included with the printer. Hence, the finished products of the factory are â€Å"localized† versions of the printer destined for all the different countries. For the European Market six different versions are currently produced. These are designated A, AA, AB, AQ, AU, and AY as indicated in the Bills of Materials shown in Exhibit 17.15. Exhibit 17.15 HP DeskJet Bill of Materials The total factory throughput time through the PCAT and FAT stages is about one week. The transportation time from Vancouver to the European DC is five weeks. The long shipment time to Europe is due to ocean transit and the time to clear customs and duties at port of entry. The plant sends a weekly shipment of printers to the DC in Europe. The printer industry is highly competitive. Resellers want to carry as little inventory as possible. Consequently, there has been increasing pressure for HP as a manufacturer to provide high levels of availability at the DC. In response, management has decided to stock the DCs so that a high level of availability is maintained. THE INVENTORY SERVICE CRISIS To limit the amount of inventory throughout the DeskJet supply chain and at the same time provide the high level of service needed has been quite a challenge to Vancouver’s management. The manufacturing group has been very successful in reducing the uncertainties caused by delivery to the European DC. Forecasting demand in Europe, though, is a significant problem. It has become common to have product shortages for model demands from some countries, while inventory of other models keeps piling up. In the past, the target inventory levels at the DCs were based on safety stocks that were a result of some judgmental rule of thumb. Specifically, target inventory levels, equal to one-month average sales, were set for each model carried in the DC. Now, however, it seems that the increasing difficulty of getting accurate forecasts means the safety stock rules should be revisited. HP has put together a team of employees to help implement a scientifically based safety stock system that will be responsive to forecast errors and replenishment lead times. They are to recommend a method for calculating appropriate safety stock levels for the various DeskJet models carried in  the European DC. The team has a good sample of demand data that can be used for developing the safety stock methodology (see Exhibit 17.16). HP hopes this new methodology will solve the inventory and service problem.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

feminist art in 1970s essays

feminist art in 1970s essays Although womens art has been present throughout the whole history of art, feminist art as a political and art movement has emerged in late 1960s and established itself in 1970s. Several countercultural movements arose simultaneously with feminism in the 1960s as part of postmodernism. At this time the United States has experienced social upheaval coming with the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, economic prosperity, the arrival of oral contraceptives, reforms in the Catholic Church, assassination of the president John F. Kennedy, and experimentation with psychotropic drugs. Political, scientific, and cultural tumult has greatly influenced the emergence of feminist movement, thus feminist artists. Social politics have been a great part and a reason for art. The key principle was consciousness raising, defined by womens movement theorists as a method of using ones own experience as the most valid way of formulating political analysis (Bronde). Feminist artists point out that thro ughout most of recorded history males have imposed patriarchal social systems in which they have dominated females. The goal of feminism, said early spokeswoman, was to change the nature of art itself, to transform the culture in sweeping and permanent ways by introducing into it heretofore suppressed perspective of women (Bronde). Feminism created a new theoretical position and a new aesthetic category-the position of female experience. Feminists felt that not only women artists, but women as an audience have been neglected for ages as well because audience responds to art with whose maker they share common beliefs or experience. By the early 1970s feminism has engendered a recognized art movement. Throughout Europe and United States feminists came together to organize women-only exhibitions and formed groups dedicated to consciousness raising, activism, and research. The first womens liberation movement group exhibition was held...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Constitution Essays - James Madison, Free Essays, Term Papers

The Constitution Essays - James Madison, Free Essays, Term Papers The Constitution I support the Constitution. I feel that this is what the United States needs and that it is our only hope to get through this hard time. The United States will remain weak if this country does not ratify this so important document. Our country right now is in serious debt. This proposed Articles of Confederation replacement will get us through this hard money-less time. I support this Constitution with great pride. The first reason I support this magnificent document is just as right now under the Articles of Confederation, the country is falling apart. The country is in serious debt. The country has many problems. The Articles are providing no order to the states. We need a new hope. States are printing their own money making trade impossible between the states. We also need this Constitution to help stop the revolts from soldiers and other people demanding money. The U.S. needs this document. I do not understand why the Anti-Federalists have fears and oppose our future. The second reason I support the Constitution is the United States will remain weak if the Constitution is not ratified. If the states can not get along and agree under the Articles of Confederation, then we need something new that will bring this country together. This Constitution will do this exactly. It will create a central government that will control that states and keep them together. It will though deny the states from entering into any treaties, alliances or confederations. It will also solve the problem of states printing their own money. Thus, bringing the states closer together. The powers the states were able to keep and the powers that were denied, control any one state from becoming to powerful. The Constitution of the United States will bring this country together. The third and final reason I support the Constitution of the United States is that our country is in some pretty serious debt. The Constitution of the United States will give us a new light and way to go and get through these barriers the Articles of Confederation are presenting. After we had finished this turning point war, we had exhausted all of our gold. The soldiers are demanding their pay for their work during the war, but their is nothing to give them. The value of the dollar has dropped to about $0.35! This means prices are going up. The Constitution has the solution to this problem too. Our country is printing money without the gold to back it up. This is the solution the Articles of Confederation provided, but the Constitution would never allow this to take place. We need this document and we need it now. As a Federalist I feel this Constitution is a safe and secure investment to our country. Anti-Federalists feel and say that the Constitution will take away individuality. This is not so because of the soon to be added Bill of Rights. The first item on the list to be added will protect against the lose of individuality and many others. In these paragraphs I have explained why I so proudly support this Constitution. I have told why the Constitution of the United States will solve out money problems, state relationship problems, and our problem of becoming a strong new nation. All of these problems have a one word, one line answer, Constitution. That is why I support this awesome and magnificent document.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Berth and Birth Commonly Confused Words

Berth and Birth Commonly Confused Words The noun berth refers to a place to sleep (usually on a train or ship), a place for a boat to moor, or a persons place or position on a team. As a verb, berth means to bring something (usually a ship) into a place where it can stay. The noun birth refers to the arrival of a baby (that is, the emergence of an infant from its mothers body) or to the beginning of something. As a verb, birth means to be born or to give rise to something. Examples At night, the seats pulled together to form the lower berth. The upper swung down on hinges from the wall. The upper berth contained the blankets, linens, mattresses, and pillows for both beds.(Rudolph L. Daniels, Trains Across the Continent: North American Railroad History. Indiana University Press, 2000)When a ship arrives at the port, the planners must decide where to berth the ship for the unloading and loading of containers.[Curt Siodmak] found an assignment at Paramount Pictures rewriting the script for a Dorothy Lamour sarong saga. He then found a berth at Universal Pictures, which specialized in horror movies.(Lee Server, Encyclopedia of Pulp Fiction Writers. Facts on File, 2002)An outdooring is the first African rite of passage. It always begins at dawn, eight days after the childs birth, and gives family and friends a chance to see and welcome the newest soul.(Maya Angelou, All Gods Children Need Traveling Shoes. Random House, 1986)The fact is that women can grow and birth a child independently of the father. Sadly, an increasing number of women in our modern societies are compelled to do exactly that.(Aviva Jill Romm, The Natural Pregnancy Book. Celestial Arts, 2011) Idiom Alert: "Give (Someone or Something) a Wide Berth" [This idiom means] to keep well away from or avoid (someone or something): I always give the park a wide berth when Im out at night. [A nautical idiom―a berth is the amount of space necessary for a sailing ship to maneuver safely.](Elizabeth McLaren Kirkpatrick and C.M. Schwarz, The Wordsworth Dictionary of Idioms. Wordsworth Editions, 1993)If Vito was impressed by his new schools academics, he gave a wide berth to its extracurricular activities and is notably absent from his sophomore and junior yearbooks.(Michael Schiavi, Celluloid Activist: The Life and Times of Vito Russo. University of Wisconsin Press, 2011) Practice Exercises (a) In the history of invention a long time almost invariably elapses between the ____ of an idea and its realization in practice.(H. W. Dickinson and Arthur Titley, Richard Trevithick: The Engineer and the Man, 1934)(b) Give a wide _____ to nesting birds, animals with young, and wildlife that is using a water source. Feel free to watch these wild inhabitants of the desert, but do so at a respectful distance so that your presence does not disturb them.(Erik Molvar and Tamara Martin, Hiking Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, 2nd ed. Globe Pequot, 2005)(c) McDowell helped me walk back to the ships sick bay, a small _____ walled in with panels of strong canvas.(Paul Dowswell, Powder Monkey: Adventures of a Young Sailor. Bloomsbury, 2005) Answers to Practice Exercises (a) In the history of invention a long time almost invariably elapses between the  birth  of an idea and its realization in practice.(H. W. Dickinson and Arthur Titley,  Richard Trevithick: The Engineer and the Man, 1934)(b) Give a wide  berth  to nesting birds, animals with young, and wildlife that is using a water source. Feel free to watch these wild inhabitants of the desert, but do so at a respectful distance so that your presence does not disturb them.(Erik Molvar and Tamara Martin,  Hiking Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, 2nd ed. Globe Pequot, 2005)(c) McDowell helped me walk back to the ships sick bay, a small  berth  walled in with panels of strong canvas.(Paul Dowswell,  Powder Monkey: Adventures of a Young Sailor. Bloomsbury, 2005)

Saturday, October 19, 2019

WTO (world trade organization) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WTO (world trade organization) - Research Paper Example Hence, the origin dates back almost a century ago. The mother of WTO was General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) (Ministry of Commerce and Industries 1). GATT offered some basic trade rules for member countries. However, with time it grew to an influential economic powerhouse. The aim of GATT was to have efficient trade rules to have a stable and predictable world trade. As a result, under GATT there was a reduction of tariffs and formidable trade rules. The initial members were twenty-three countries that were known as Contracting Parties (Ministry of Commerce and Industries 1). The members met in every six moths to negotiate on various issues of trade affecting member countries. Moreover, larger negotiating sessions â€Å"rounds† were held to deal with emerging issues (Ministry of Commerce and Industries 1). The body grew over the years. In the growth, there were more issues as well as greater responsibility. Moreover, reductions of tariffs in this period forced countries to divert their attention to addressing non-tariff trade barriers that were affecting the world trade. After this period, there were several rounds held. The most significant of the rounds was the Uruguay round. The round led to the birth of an organization that covered expanded issue of trade (Ministry of Commerce and Industries 1). In this round, over 120 countries took place (Ministry of Commerce and Industries 1). It was claimed to be the most significant trade negotiations to have happened. The result of the negotiations was formally approved in Marrakesh, morocco on 15 April 1994 (Ministry of Commerce and Industries 1). The approval led to the birth of WTO. There are various functions of WTO. The significant function is to negotiate for the reduction of barriers to trade and agree on principles of operation of the international trade (World Trade Organization (WTO) 1). Secondly, the organization plays a key role in reviewing of policies relating to trade. It

Friday, October 18, 2019

Sir Edward Lutyens Background and analysis of the work of this 20th Essay

Sir Edward Lutyens Background and analysis of the work of this 20th Century Architect - Essay Example Lutyens was responsible for many notable buildings. He designed the Art Gallery in Johannesburg, the British Embassy in Washington, both Oxford and Cambridge University buildings and the Irish National War Memorial in Dublin, among many others. He quickly demonstrated a mastery of Baroque architecture, often embracing classical styles of design as well as the design of New Delhi. Many of his works can still be visited today. The 19th and 20th centuries were a part of a very important era in architecture. One of the great architects of today use the works that were created during this era as inspiration for their own work. Many of the buildings that are seen through out America as well as other countries comes from the influence that this era has had on architecture as a whole. One of these very influential architects that are so often used for inspiration today is Sir Edwin Lutyens. He is often noted for this his contribution to building design for his and other eras to come. Sir Edwin Lutyens was a prominent architect of the late 19th and early 20th century. In fact, he may have been one of the most important English architects of the early twentieth century. He was influenced greatly by traditional styles and building methods. Sir Edward Lutyens was brought up by bohemian parents in the village of Thursley, West Surrey. As a child, Lutyens was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and was not able to attend school or to play with the other children. It could be argued that this is one reason for his fascination with children. At the age of 16, in 1885, Lutyens was enrolled at the Royal College of Art to study architecture. He later studied Architecture at South Kensington School of Art, London from 1885 to 1887. After college he joined the Ernest George and Harold Ainsworth Peto architectural practice. In 1889, at the age of 20, he set up an independent practice in London. He initially built his practice designing houses for the villagers who couldn't afford estate homes. His first commission was a private house at Crooksbury, Farnham, Surrey. Lutyens was often described as a whimsical person who was often very playful, even on solemn occasions. He was also seen as a passionate advocate for the state of "childhood". In dedication to this passion, as one of his 20th century works, Lutyens proposed a circular nursery for a client's home because he felt that only such a shape could ensure that no child would ever be made to stand in the corner. He often used circular shapes in his architecture as a sign of equality in society. In addition to his own works, Lutyens contributed to another childhood icon by creating the fairy-tale characters Nana, the governess dog and the ticking crocodile in the Peter Pan tale. Lutyens' talent was publicly recognized with his election as Associate of the Royal Academy in 1913. Five years later, on New Years Day 1918, he was knighted in recognition of his work in Delhi and for his free services to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. In 1921, Lutyens was awarded

The context of international business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The context of international business - Essay Example The company was founded by Jack Cohen in the year 1919, the number of stores as on April 2012 happens to be 6,351 stores. (Burgemeister, 2003, p. 192). The total revenue of the company happens to be ?64.539 billion as on 2012. The total market share in U.K. is 30.2%. The major global competitors of the company are Walmart, Carrefour, Aldi, Royal Ahold and Metro. Identifying the company’s main drivers of accessing foreign markets using theories of FDI FDI stands for foreign direct investment. There are various theories of FDI like the product life cycle theory, internationalization and eclectic paradigm theory of the OLI frame-work. Among these the internationalization theory has been used to identify the key drives. The internationalization theory states that a company operating in a matured economy needs to expand the horizon beyond the local market to get competitive advantage and economies of scale. In the early 90s Tesco was lagging behind Sainsbury’s as the second largest retailer in the country and the operations of the country was subjected to the U.K. market only. But the global economic reforms couples with the drive to become a global major retailer urged Tesco to enter the global market. The first phase of internationalization begun as Tesco entered Hungary in 1994. Since then there has been no turning back, Of-course there has been certain problems in countries like France, but looking at the overall perspective the results speak for themselves. Today Tesco is largest retailer in U.K. and the third largest retailer in the world right after Wal-Mart and Carrefour. Mainly Tesco is a general merchandise and grocery retailer and operates as following the business to consumer framework. External Environment Analysis External or macro environmental factors are those that cannot be controlled by an organization and yet the modus operand of an organization gets severely affected by the changes or developments in the external environment. The m ain external environmental factors include political, economic, social and technological factors. However, the legal factors are also to be included. Bit, since most of the legal legislatures in a country are developed by the government itself the legal factors are hereby included in the political factors. Here it is to be added that Tesco entered in U.S. in the year 2007. Therefore the PEST analysis has been based on the external environmental situation in 2007 -2008 only (Henry, 2008, p. 89). Political United States has always been a politically stable country. And the governments in U.S. have always welcomed business investments from both local and international firms. Many specialists have tagged U.S. as a very stable political country irrespective of the political regime. Probably due to such attitude of the political leaders of the country the country has become one of the strongest economies in the world. As mentioned earlier as far the legislative system goes the country as mentioned has a business friendly legal environment welcoming investments. Legal and Regulatory reforms in the 1970s actually resulted in de-regulation in various sectors and enhanced competition and efficiency.

Phenomenology and Building seminar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Phenomenology and Building seminar - Essay Example The place where I was born, the place where I grew up, the place which I learnt was called a house, a place that was so much more. It is difficult for me to describe how much this place means to me. It is the place where I took my first steps. Where I laughed and cried and grew up. It is a tangible representation of all my memories. Moving towards the history of my home, the historic value of this house is also very sentimental. When my parents got married they moved into this house. Thirty years ago it was constructed by the housing development in Tehran. However it seems older to me. Looking back at the last time I visited my childhood home I remember it all so clearly. Last year during my winter break as I went to Tehran I decided to go visit the old neighborhood. My cousin dropped me at the mosque near my home and I silently stared at it for a minute listening to the sound of the azaan. I was overcome with emotion because of the beauty of that sound and the way people left what t hey were doing and headed to the mosque to answer the call for prayer. The sound of azaan had always calmed me down and filled me with peace and hope. I had missed it a lot Moving on I walked on the footpath as I had done many times before. Then I was finally there. I was in my old neighborhood. There are so many times in life that we think that we would know how we would feel in a particular situation. Its times like these that we realize for our all knowledge, for all our experiences, for all our perceived understanding of things, how little we really know. I was here after twelve years. We had moved into a new house as I turned sixteen. Everything had changed so much.. I walked down the street and I smell the faint but familiar aroma of xangak and chelo kebab. I smile at the little children riding their bikes and running around. I see their mother’s watching them with such fondness from their driveways. I see so many faces. Strangely I recognize none of them. I see the tre es nearby and so many birds flying in different directions. I see the yellow bridge and it makes me happy as I remember standing on it as a child hoping to catch a fish. At this point Martin Heidegger’s concept of dwelling crosses my mind. I had initially struggled to grasp what he had meant when he had related buildings to dwelling. How he had mentioned the fourfold elements of earth, sky, divinities and mortals as essential for the idea of dwelling. At this point I could see with certain clarity what he had meant. My house was located near a natural environment. It was how I had related to the overall environment, also known as ‘place’ as Christian Norberg-Schulz would call it, and not just a structure of a building in which I spent a majority of my time in. I’m standing outside my house now. It’s a building of modest proportions. It’s a two storey family house built along a minimalist design. The character of which is defined from its semi hanging open terrace, a set of white pillars that start at the base and finish lightly touching the roof top, with huge glass windows and a small courtyard that provides shielding enclosure from the street while maximizing light and views.  I stare at the white residential security gate and I smile as fond memories flood my mind. I see myself struggling to climb over that gate and when tiring from the effort of doing so sitting right at the base with my feet hanging out and waving at people passing by. I can see my

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 19

Sociology - Essay Example The field of politics as well as religion has always moved ahead together, several times these fields have helped each other and in certain cases these fields have conflicted with each other. Politics have been greatly impacted by religion and politics have to comply with religion in order to serve its own purpose. In other cases religious leaders have tried to impose their opinion based on religion in order to govern citizens in a better manner under the religious party they are part of. The activities stated above are clearly evident in the politics of United States, it is witnessed that huge amounts of funds are given to political parties and candidates of these parties depending on their view of various societal issues such as control of birth rate, abortion and the most heavily debated topic of gay marriage which has gained tremendous amount of popularity. The religious side that has been in the limelight over this issue is the Fundamentalist Christians, they used their ability to alter the secular policy in their own favor and they portrayed their religious thoughts by getting President Bush elected during the election of 2000 and 2004. In other religions such as the religion of Islam where Muslims elect their political leaders and then direct and control their leaders who have to act in accordance to Islamic religious book called Quran. The similarity between the field of politics as well as religion is the purpose of controlling the citizens and human being’s cognition, soul and behavior. The game played in these fields is simple; the game played in these fields is based on gaining more and more support in order to gain recognition as majority.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Reflection - Essay Example ry to the popular belief that the Filipino Amerasian children live prosperous lives in the Philippines since the country does not have anti-American sentiment. Whether or not a country nurtures anti-American sentiment provides no guarantee that its citizens would not be discriminated against if they look like Americans. The Filipino Amerasian children are socially outcast as they are identified with their American lineage instead of the Filipino lineage. The government of the US assumes moral responsibility to help the Filipino Amerasian children and provide them with the opportunity to migrate to the US. This can be achieved by preferring them on immigration services. Realization of any plans made in this regard requires joint cooperation of the Filipino people, the local governments of the Philippines, and the government of the US. It is noteworthy that the problem is not addressed just by providing these children with a way to reach the US; these children also need to be linked to their biological American fathers which is another challenge after the children reach the US. In order for the children to sue their fathers for child support, they need to know their fathers. Enforcement of child support is a matter primarily taken care of by state. Unfortunately, most states do not enforce the child-support payments ordered by court effectively. This imparts the need for providing these children with the opportunity to pursue redress at the federal level. It is just as important to address the issue at the source as it is to address it at the level of effects. American soldiers are still stationed overseas. It is important to see what steps the government of the US has taken to ensure that such biracial children with lost American fathers are not born to another nation like they were born to the Filipinos. Either the government should place a ban on the American soldiers having sexual intercourse with the local people or prostitutes of the host countries and

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 19

Sociology - Essay Example The field of politics as well as religion has always moved ahead together, several times these fields have helped each other and in certain cases these fields have conflicted with each other. Politics have been greatly impacted by religion and politics have to comply with religion in order to serve its own purpose. In other cases religious leaders have tried to impose their opinion based on religion in order to govern citizens in a better manner under the religious party they are part of. The activities stated above are clearly evident in the politics of United States, it is witnessed that huge amounts of funds are given to political parties and candidates of these parties depending on their view of various societal issues such as control of birth rate, abortion and the most heavily debated topic of gay marriage which has gained tremendous amount of popularity. The religious side that has been in the limelight over this issue is the Fundamentalist Christians, they used their ability to alter the secular policy in their own favor and they portrayed their religious thoughts by getting President Bush elected during the election of 2000 and 2004. In other religions such as the religion of Islam where Muslims elect their political leaders and then direct and control their leaders who have to act in accordance to Islamic religious book called Quran. The similarity between the field of politics as well as religion is the purpose of controlling the citizens and human being’s cognition, soul and behavior. The game played in these fields is simple; the game played in these fields is based on gaining more and more support in order to gain recognition as majority.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

How Pollution Destroys the Atmosphere and Habitats Essay Example for Free

How Pollution Destroys the Atmosphere and Habitats Essay Introduction â€Å"Nowadays, industries, automobiles, power stations, etc. have become indispensable in our daily life.† ( Science Level K page 242) Have you ever wondered what causes pollution? Forms of Pollution Pollution is the process whereby various harmful substances are added to the environment (land, water, air etc.) by human and natural activities. The main various types of pollution that exist are: Air Pollution Air pollution is the cause of release of chemicals, and particulates into the atmosphere which endanger human life and living matter on the earth by humans, human products and natural disasters. As the current era of modern industrialization progresses more and more waste of the results of their production become toxins which can be freely inhaled and fatal to mammals. Water Pollution Water pollution is the introduction of chemical, biological and physical matter into large bodies of water that corrupt the quality of life that lives in it and consumes it. Like the discharging of waste water from commercial and industrial waste (intentionally or through spills) into surface waters; oil spills, household chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers are the major sources of water pollution. Land Pollution Land pollution is pollution of the Earth’s natural land surface by industrial, commercial, domestic and agricultural activities. It occurs when chemicals are released intentionally, by spill or underground leakage. Some of the main contributions to land pollution are deforestation, construction debris, industrial factories etc. Effects on Environment Human Health Pollution has many different forms that are not only doing damage to our environment but also to our health. Pollutants can enter human body causing diseases. Air pollution can cause breathing problems and eye, throat and skin irritation. When solid waste is not properly treated and disposed of, it can become a breeding for pests and disease can spread. Water pollution can cause waterborne diseases by polluted drinking water, polluted beach water, and, serious diseases by water polluted by chemicals. Water pollution may also result from interactions between water and contaminated soil, as well as from deposition of air contaminants (such as acid rain).Damage to people may be caused by fish foods coming from polluted water and vegetable crops grown or washed with polluted water. Plants Leaves find it difficult to produce food in polluted air. When trees begin to lose their leaves, they may eventually die. When there is too much chemical content in the water absorbed by the roots, it can also affect plant life. Water Pollution that affects plants would include acid rain. Soil Pollution problems affecting plants include the overuse of pesticides which selects for resistant strains of insects and weeds, the loss of topsoil due to overdevelopment and soil erosion, and the uptake of toxic chemicals through the mismanagement of solid waste. Acid rain can kill trees, destroy the leaves of plants, can infiltrate soil by making it unsuitable for purposes of nutrition and habitation. Trees and plants may absorb soil contaminants and pass them up the food chain. Animals Oil spills in the seas and oceans result in birds and animals (e.g. penguins and seals) being coated in oil. This makes it difficult for them to float and keep warm and they may eventually die. Solid waste in the water encourages the growth of algae which depletes water of oxygen and kills marine life. People, who don’t throw away their trash, throw it on the ground. It is very sad for stray cats and dogs who wander the streets with nothing to eat but garbage. That is how pollution is very effective on animals and how they used to live. Pollution Originates in Nature Volcanic eruptions, sandstorms and natural forest fires are one of the natural activities that cause pollution. These events cause a large amount of substances such as ash and dust, which are harmful to our health, to be added to the environment. The volcanic gases that pose the greatest potential hazard to people, animals, agriculture, and property are sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide which also can be generated by forest fires, and hydrogen fluoride. Sulfur dioxide gas can lead to acid rain and air pollution downwind from a volcano. Globally, large volcano explosive eruptions that inject a tremendous volume of sulfur aerosols into the stratosphere can lead to lower surface temperatures and promote depletion of the Earths ozone layer. Because carbon dioxide gas is heavier than air, the gas may flow into in low-lying areas and collect in the soil. The concentration of carbon dioxide gas in these areas can be lethal to people, animals, and vegetation. A few historic eruptions have released sufficient fluorine-compounds to deform or kill animals that grazed on vegetation coated with volcanic ash; fluorine compounds tend to become concentrated on fine-grained ash particles, which can be ingested by animals. Ways to Prevent Pollution Most human activities produce some waste products, but it is important to make sure that we have as little pollution as possible. Many people are switching to clean technology. That means having the same benefits from our modern life-style without the pollution. Electric cars, environmentally sensitive washing powders and solar-powered energy are examples. Less pollution is not only good for wildlife and nature human health benefits from less pollution as well. That means lower medical bills, and a better quality of life. There are many ways to stop pollution like:- * The best way to prevent water pollution is to not throw trash and other harmful chemicals into our water supplies because it causes harm to the rivers and lakes. * Throw trash in the proper places. * Reduce, reuse, and recycle things in your house. * Because of water run-off, dont put oils down the storm drain. * Cut the plastic ties on sodas so they dont hurt animals in case the ties in up in the bay. Conclusion We should all work to reduce pollution to work towards a greener and safer earth; for the next generation. Let’s give people hope for a better future; and let’s erase the thought of the â€Å"2012† ending, all over the world.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Marketing Profile Analysis On Pandora Internet Radio Media Essay

Marketing Profile Analysis On Pandora Internet Radio Media Essay For our Group project we will be doing a marketing profile analysis on Pandora Internet Radio. First, we will explain what the company does. Next, an in depth analysis including the site navigation, the Pandora business model, brand interactivity, the brand look, brand personality, their competitors, Pandoras metrics, what kind of consumers use Pandora, how consumers behave, and where Pandora could use room for improvement will follow. In the business model we will look at how Pandora makes their revenue through the different services they offer. Site navigation will describe where each click will take you and how to get from page to page. Brand interactivity explains how not only user can interact with Pandora, but how Pandora can interact with its users. Further, we will see how the brand looks across different formats from computer screens to mobile phones in brand look. Next, in brand personality, we will discuss what kind personalities are embedded in the brand. Also, while looking at competitors we will see how Pandora fares against their top competitors and what they do differently. Pandoras metrics will include the sites traffic, how long a consumer stays connected to a site, and its reach. Finally, when we look at consumers, we will look at how the Net gen is the majority of Pandora users, and how consumers move through the behavior model of acquisition, consumption, and disposition. What is Pandora? Pandora is a Internet radio service created by the Music Genome Project. They started up in 2000 and according to their website its the most comprehensive analysis of music ever undertaken. Users can enter a song or artist and Pandora will play music that you entered, but also music that is stylistically and auditorily similar. They have more than 50 music analyist that study and listen to the music one song at a time, collecting details on every song based on close to 400 attributes that include melody, harmony, instrumentation, rhythm, vocals, and lyrics. According to their website, the typical analyst working on the Music Genome Project has a four-year degree in music theory, composition or performance, has passed through a selective screening process, and has completed intensive training in the Music Genomes rigorous and precise methodology. Pandora never uses any bots or machines to extract data from any of the songs. The songs are always being updated and new songs are continually added to their ever expanding catalogue of titles. Site navigation Pandoras website is very easy to access. The address is http://www.pandora.com/. When the page loads, there are 3 places you can click at the top half of the page. You can register a new account, log-in with a preexisting account, or type in an artist, or song, and immediately begin listening to music. Clicking on the register hyperlink takes you to the registration page and is completely free. The only information needed is an email address, a password, the persons birth year, their US zip code, and their gender. There is a opt-out check box for personalized recommendations and tips. Once everything is complete you can click register for free of cancel. Registering for a Pandora account allows you to save you stations and access them from anywhere. If sign -in is chosen, all that is need is an email address and password. This takes you to all of your saved stations and also allows you to type in a new station or artist. Typing in an artist or song starts playing the music. The bottom half of the page is newer. There is a space where you can click to see the information about the music you are playing, view a mini feed of your profile, select music by genre, learn about how to get Pandora radio on your mobile phone and in your home, and see whats happening in the Pandora video series. Below this feed, you can view concert listings, gift a station where you can make a station and give it to another Pandora user, look at bookmarked songs, and again, go to the video series page. Business model The business model for Pandora is mostly ad driven. Consumers can register for free and begin listening to music immediately. Users are never required to pay anything because it is payed for by the advertisements. However, they have two more aspects to the business model. Once free Pandora accounts reach the 40 hour mark of listening per month, the music stops and you are required to pay 99 cents for unlimited listening for the rest of the month. You can also just come back the next month for another 40 free hours. Each month has the same choice on the limit and they never bill you after the fact of charge you. The final part of the business model is a paid Pandora One subscription account. This offers unlimited listening hours each month, plus no advertisements. It comes with a high stream quality, desktop application, extended interaction timeout, and a mini player. This can be purchased for a subscription for 36 dollars per year. Pandora also has a box through HP that you can purchase to stream music anywhere in your home. It has built in speakers and Wi-Fi connectivity. Aside from music, you can now view the Pandora vise series and look up concerts coming to areas near your town. Pandora is branching out to video and live music avenues. They also work with mobile companies through advertising and putting mobile applications on phones so you can listen to Pandora anywhere instead of just a computer or home device. Pandora allows for users to expand their musical knowledge based on their own personal preferences without requiring the user to purchase songs on a whim. The seemingly archaic days of buy before you try have ended partly because of services like Pandora. Pandora gives users the option to purchase each song multiple ways in a variety of digital formats. One of these methods is to buy a song via iTunes. While the iTunes service itself allows for the sampling of a given song, it does not give users the ability to stream the entire song prior to purchase.    Brand Interactivity Pandora is becoming more that just an internet radio player. Consumers can create a profile much like social networking sites and add friends to communicate with. Users can leave comments on other users profiles, share radio stations, and even find other Pandora listeners. With Pandora mobile applications, users can access this information where ever they are and listen to music straight from their mobile phones. Not only can you search to find song, or artist, you can also take a look at the Pandora video series, which is a video blog that contains videos about music, how the music is made, and where to hear it. Pandora also has a written blog where users can interact and comment on posts. The final point of interactivity is users can see a schedule of local live shows in their area. The list is based on your bookmarks list, thumb up and you station seeds, so the concerts that they show you are going to be based off of what your profile says you listen to and what you like. For each event, you can click on the ticket info button which takes you to the event website, to view the event and get tickets. This can also all be accessed from the mobile phone application. Brand look across formats Pandoras brand look is, for the most part, uniform across its various mediums. The page is identical no matter what browser you chose to view it on. This is extremely important for a service like Pandora. This is because a user might choose to view this content on a computer loaded with a browser that is different from the browser that they usually use Pandora on. An example of this would be a user who usually uses their windows-based computer loaded with Internet Explorer to access Pandora being forced for some reason to use a mac-based computer loaded with Safari. Because of Pandoras uniformity across platforms, this user will be able to use their Pandora on the mac-based computer without the initial learning curve often associated with using new web based services. Pandora is also able to be accessed on various broadband enabled mobile devices. Pandora has taken steps to make their service as uniform and consistent as possible across the mobile devices that might be used to access Pandora. For instance, Pandora accessed on a users Apple iPhone 3G looks almost identical to Pandora accessed on another users Motorola MOTORAZR V3. Furthermore, the page layout on both devices mirrors that of Pandora accessed on the users personal computers. This is another step Pandora has taken in order to reduce any additional learning curve that might be associated with accessing Pandora service on a users mobile device. Brand Personality Pandoras brand personality includes both a mechanical passion for music as well as a passion for connecting users with music that they otherwise might not have had or wanted access to. This mechanical passion for music is made evident by Pandoras Music Genome Project. Because of this mechanical passion, Pandoras brand gives off a scientific vibe. Pandora is also very diverse because no one persons musical taste is exactly like the next person. Musical taste is something that is very unique and Pandora is trying to cater to each persons uniqueness. They know each person is different, which what makes them different from other internet radio stations. Pandora is kind of like the guy that no one really cared about, but then everyone wants to know him because they realized how cool he really is. Major Competitors While Pandora brings many new and unique features to free internet radio, it is hardly the only game in town. Last.fm, Imeem, and Grooveshark are just a few internet radio alternatives to Pandora. Each of these services offers their own take on Internet radio. Lately, Last.fm has taken the position of Pandoras primary competitor. Like Pandora, Last.fm offers users the ability to stream custom playlists based on a users personal preference. While both services share this feature, they have unique and independent ways of doing so. Last.fm employs a technique called Scrobbling to determine which songs rise or fall in popularity. This is accomplished by the user downloading software on their personal computers and ranking their streaming music. With millions of users doing this on a daily basis, this is a great way to crowdsource popularity. Pandora on the other hand is based on The Music Genome Project. This is essentially a database of artist-defined analysis of each song. This analysis is primarily based on the songs musical attributes as well as unique qualities associated with the each song. So one on hand, you have millions of laymen ratings helping to improve the listeners streaming experience, and on the other hand you have a selected group of well trained ears pouring over individual songs to produce unique playlists for the user. Which is better is left up to the individual user. Recently, one of Pandoras competitors, Imeem, has stolen a substantial amount of traffic away from Pandora. Imeem is part social networking site, part internet media service. With Imeem, users interact with each other by streaming, uploading, and sharing music and videos. Imeem also allows users to build and share custom playlists with others directly on Imeems website or via an imbedded Imeem player through external sites such as Facebook and Myspace. Other online music services such as Grooveshark compete with Pandora. Grooveshark allows users to upload, stream, and vote on content similar to Imeem. Grooveshark also incorporates a Pandora-like system for recommending content based on the users personal song choices. With all these great features, why is Groovesharks traffic almost stagnant next to Pandoras mammoth annual growth of close to three million users? Grooveshark users have provided criticism that Grooveshark does not indemnify its users against any unlicensed uploaded content. Essentially, this means that Grooveshark is not responsible for the content that they host. Pandora Site Metrics According to Alexa.com, a website that specializes in web traffic metrics, Pandora is ranked 82nd for United States website traffic. This sandwiches Pandora between Newegg.com, arguably the internets largest electronic retailer, and the United States Postal Service for internet traffic. There are many metrics with which to compare a websites e-traffic and ultimately said websites/services success. The first of these metrics and arguably the most important is a websites daily traffic rank trend. This metric compares Pandoras daily traffic against other websites accessed. According to this metric, daily Pandora traffic has fluctuated over the past year. Currently, Pandora is ranked 371. Another metric with which to compare Pandora to its competitors is the time the average user stays connected to the given website. Currently, the average Pandora user stays connected eleven minutes. In relation to Pandoras previously discussed competitors, Pandora has the longest user retention rate. This compares to Last.fm and Imeems five minute and Groovesharks seven minute user retention rate. The last metric used is Reach. Reach refers to the percentage of global internet users who visit Pandora. According to Alexa, 97.7% of Pandoras users access Pandora from within the United States. This metric shows that Pandora has a strong national user base but should look into expanding their international user base. This is not necessarily the case for Pandoras competitors. Imeem, for example, has an extremely strong user base in Thailand, having a national user base of only 42.8% United States users. Last.fm has a United States user base of 35.2% with the remaining 65% consisting of international users. Ultimately, Pandora will need to begin increasing their international traffic if they plan on sustaining their growth. Customer Profile The types of people we see using Pandora, more frequently, and more often are the Net Generation. They were typically born from 1980-2000 and are anywhere from 10-30 years old. The reason that the Netgeners use Pandora more is because Pandora is a digital product and the Netgeners are growing up in a digital world. They are different from other generation in that their lives are surrounded by digital media. (Tapscott) 73% of youths between the ages of 12 and 17 use the Internet. For most teenagers it is a way of life. So, it is only natural that we see this age demographic using Pandora services. The characteristics of these consumers are as follows according to Tapscott. They have fierce independence because they create online identities and acquire knowledge to make their own decisions. They have and Intellectual and emotional openness and view the world in a global context. They have very free expression and have strong views. They are also very innovative and have a strong desire to be more mature than their predecessors. They investigate things out of curiosity, demands real time and fast processing, are very sensitive to corporate interest, and are very trusting online. Consumer Behavior Acquisition How the consumer gets content from Pandora is that they find it. This is accomplished by typing in an artist name, or song name, and Pandora streams then the content. They also get to choose more or less what they listen too. Also creating a profile helps in the acquisition process. They also get to create stations so that they can the content that suits them best. Consumption The customer consumes content by listening to the music, reading the blogs, or watching Pandoras video series. They can also consume content by getting gift stations from other users and communicating with them through a simple messaging service. Disposition In the disposition process, consumers can bookmark and save songs to remember them later and even use the information so that they can personally own the song. The content never really goes away though. They can listen, watch, or read the duration of the content, but its always there for the consumer to go back and listen, watch, or read it again. Ideas for Growth   Ã‚              The first idea for growth, which I think will also target a larger market, is somehow incorporating their service into automobiles a little better.   Currently, Pandora can only be heard through computers and cell phone with broadband data plans. If Pandora can create a way for people to get internet radio in cars with services, they could reach a larger audience for people that either dont listen to music on their computers or dont have expensive smart phones. A way of implementing Pandora into an already well respected device would be to implement Pandora functionality into satellite radios. It would also be a safer alternative to have something compatible with a car that being distracted by a mobile device.   Ã‚           Next, Pandora needs to begin expanding into the international market. Currently, Pandora has blocked access to users outside of the United States. This clearly explains why Pandoras user base is comprised of 97.7% United States users. Pandora founder Tim Westergren spoke directly on the topic saying: As it stands now, there is still no affordable license for a webcaster to stream legally (ie. abiding by all standing copyright law and properly compensating performers and composers) anywhere outside the US. However, Pandora has publicly stated their commitment to finding a way to provide Pandora service to international users, leaving new potential users with only keep the faithà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Finally, Pandora should look to advertise their paid services more. Even if they dont in publications or Ads, they need to at least start pushing it on their website more. The guess would be that they dont want to seem like they are moving to a paid service, but if they want to stay in this business, more money is what it is going to take and they need to start pushing people to subscribe, or buy products from them. Channel Mix Plan The Channel mix plan for Pandora is Internet. It is the one channel that can reach the maximum number of clients for their business model. They also use a phone application as a channel through mobile Internet service providers. The messaging with customer through both channels is all opt-in only. You will only receive emails if you check a box and any information is only sent or retrievable of you want, or ask for it. Conclusion In conclusion, we have discussed Pandoras business model in detail. It seems that once Pandora can monetize their service appropriately, they will be an extremely, financially, successful digital media venture. Furthermore, Pandora has a great deal of legitimate future growth considering they have yet to expand their service outside of the United States. Ultimately, Pandora has an extremely bright future in the internet radio market.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Elisa of The Chrysanthemums :: The Chrysanthemums Essays

â€Å"Why-why Elisa†¦. You look strong enough to break a calf over your knee, happy enough to eat it like a watermelon.† (Steinbeck 232) Most people reading this would just pass it off as a tactless man’s attempt to compliment, but is that all it is? In â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, Elisa is a farm wife, whose only passion in life is found in her gardening. Henry, her husband, owns a farm and is oblivious to the monotony of Elisa’s life. Throughout the story, Henry is on the outside, never really understanding Elisa and how she feels. Until, a tinker comes by the farm and speaks with Elisa about her Chrysanthemums. By asking just one question, the tinker opens Elisa and allows her to release the passion and femininity that she keeps hidden throughout her life. In John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums†, Henry Allen’s seemingly inept comment is not just that but an allusion, put in place by Steinbeck, to the Dionysian maenads. Dionysus is the Greek god of wine, merrymaking and gathering. His followers, the maenads, were said to be pushed into some form of â€Å"divine madness†, aided by wine, which would lead to prophecy and insight. More often, however, it led to drunkenness and promiscuity. They would then dance, sing and wander about, not to mention, join in sexual activities to stimulate fertility of the earth and achieve ecstasy. The maenads would occasionally reach a dangerous â€Å"frenzied state† where if they happened across it, they would â€Å"tear animals apart and devour the raw flesh† (â€Å"Maenads† par.1). So, knowing that, we take a second look at our story. Elisa Allen has had an erotic experience with the tinker by merely speaking of the passion she has for her chrysanthemums that has opened her eyes to how much of herself that she hides and subdues. Henry notices a difference in Elisa, beyond the way she is dressed, but he has never seen the passionate side of her and does not know what to say. When Henry claims that Elisa looks strong enough to kill and eat a cow, Steinbeck is making an allusion to the maenads of the ancient Greek world. David Leon Higdon, a scholar, claims that â€Å"With this image†¦Steinbeck transforms the characters and the ranch, synchronizing empirical and mythical realities, and identifying Elisa's new power and beauty with those of the Maenads or Bacchantes in their worship of Dionysus† (par. 1). It is quite clear that Henry’s comment is more than just that. â€Å"It is as if Steinbeck wished his reader to feel, for one brief moment, that he or she had opened a door inappropriately and

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Selfishness of Oedipus in Oedipus the King :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

"Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race,† as quoted by William E. Gladstone, supports my thought that selfishness is what causes most of our problems in the modern world. Currently, we are living in an era that is filled with much gluttony and selfishness. However, selfishness is a trait that all of us possess, but the amount of selfishness that we have can determine the type of person we are. For instance, parents should always put their children’s needs before their own. Selfish parents would rather buy materialistic items for themselves than anything useful for their children. In Sophocles’s â€Å"Oedipus Rex,† the protagonist is literally blinded by his own arrogance. This attitude begins before he even travels to Thebes, and that is apparent due to the circumstances of his father’s death. Oedipus seals his own fate with his egotistical attitude and he cannot change his destiny after everything is set into motion. During his jo urney on the road to enlightenment, Oedipus’s selfishness causes him to transcend from being completely ignorant of his fate to holding on to the last shreds of denial to having an overwhelming sense of realization. The selfishness that Oedipus possesses causes him to have abundance of ignorance. This combination is what leads to his father’s death. After fleeing Corinth and his foster family, Oedipus gets into a skirmish with an older man. The reason for the fight was because, â€Å"The groom leading the horses forced me off the road at his lord’s command† (1336). Oedipus is filled with a rage after being insulted by the lord and feels the need to act. The two men fight, but Oedipus ends up being too much for the older man, and he kills him. What Oedipus is unaware of is that the man was actually his birth father and by killing him, Oedipus has started on the path of his own destruction. Not only does Oedipus kill his father, but also everyone else, â€Å"I killed them all† (1336). The other men had no part in the scuffle, but in his rage, he did not care who he was killing. As Oedipus becomes king, his selfishness only grows, as does his denial. As the king, he gained the burden of Thebes whenever a problem arose. To find a way to rid his city of the plague, he sent Kreon so that he would have some answers and be able to place the blame on something or someone.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Analyse an Example of Propaganda Essay

The use of propaganda has been practiced since early historical times. This is a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude and view about a given issue in the larger population. This form of communication is meant for some cause or position (Taylor 2006, pp57-78).The information that is given in propaganda is usually not impartial as it is used to influence a given audience and in so doing further a given agenda. The facts used in propaganda are presented in a selective manner usually omitting bits in order to encourage some certain synthesis. Propaganda usually contains loaded messages which are meant to produce emotional response to the given information presented (Sommerville 2012, pp187-193). These being the characteristics of propaganda, the document will evaluate a video â€Å"Russia without Putin† produced in Russia during the 2012 election. The paper will examine the various aspects in the video which makes it qualify to be labeled as propaganda. The supp orting material will be evaluated as well as textual analysis. Discussion                      The release time of Russia Without Putin (2013) video was a calculated move-one day before the 2012 general election. Though there had been a long campaign period by which time such a video could have been released, the same was not carried out until the last minute. Such is the craftiness that can be associated with propaganda material. To the society the video was released to, they were meant to see it as the â€Å"savior† card before they committed political suicide by electing anyone other than Putin. Such is meant to be the power of propaganda (Silverblatt & Zlobin 2004, pp314-323). The timing of the video is also a characteristic of a propaganda video in that it was released late into the campaigns and precisely one day before the election. This did not give the voters enough time to deeply analyze the video and see the misleading presentation of facts. The people were not in a position to judge whether what they were being given was tr ue or not. With the devastating effects that were presented in the video of what would happen if they did not elects Putin, then the people were bound to be influenced to believe the video and vote Putin. In most times, any information that is meant to have the good of the people at heart should be presented in such a timely manner that there will be the full evaluation of the same and countering of facts which may not be true. However, with the video, there was no chance or the time to counter the content (Seidman 2008, pp177-184). In most times as highlighted in the introduction, propaganda material is meant to sway the people’s take in a given aspect. For this case, those rooting for Putin re-election would have wanted to influence most if not all of the voting population. The best option for this group to do this successfully was thus in form of a propaganda video (Reeves 2003, pp164-176). The Russia Without Putin (2013) video was released by Putin’s party channels and pro-Kremlin TV. The loyalty of the two groups is not hard to miss as they are known Putin’s campaign avenues. For the two groups to have released a video indicating what would happen to Russia if their preferred candidate was not elected is propaganda. They two pro-Putin groups were presenting their facts to the people without support of their source of their information or the truth in the same. Objective information should be delivered in such a manner that the reader or consumer is given accurate background with the ana lysis of the same being at hand. Missing the same is bound to be propaganda as the news will be subjective and often misleading. The same will be done with the intention to mislead. All the pro-Putin groups showed was the bad that would result if their candidate was not elected. They did not give the people the analysis of their subject thus the use of propaganda in the video (O’sahughnessy 2004, pp321-325). The channel of release of the video by the two Pro-Putin groups also makes the same qualify as propaganda. In most times, for news to reach most of the people, those who are in need of using a communication channel will utilize the most famous and the most effective channel. In the case of â€Å"Russia without Putin† video, the channel of choice was YouTube. This is a social media site where the pro-Putin groups targeted the larger audience the aim being to influence and sway the people into voting Putin back (Moore 2010, pp163-172). The groups knew that the release of the video on such a channel as you tube was bound to generate interest as it would reach many in the society especially the youth who are the majority group in consuming and using social media channels. For the video to have not qualified as propaganda and to show its impartiality, the same should have been released through Russia news channels. The same would have enabled the concerned group, in this case the R ussia society to see the authenticity and having the plight of the people at heart. However, release of â€Å"critical† information on what Russia would turn into without Putin with the use of social media channel affects the credibility and makes the video qualify as propaganda (Marlin 2002, pp97-124). The content in the video is segmented in such a way that there is a month to month account of Putin-less Russia. The video creators do an impressive job with a specification of the doomsday scenario of how Russia apocalypse will take place after without Putin. The clever crafting of scenes is meant to invoke the memories of the Russians to the past days marked by suffering (Kamalipour 2004, pp238-312). The Russian people are being led or manipulated to believe the calamities that will befall their nation. The specific scenes and accompanying propaganda are as follows: March 2012- The first month of a â€Å"Russia† without Putin is depicted as being marred by the struggle for political power by the various groups that may have had an interest in the same like in the past. The dissolving of the state duma will take Russia back to the dark days when the same was not in place. The various groups in the society who have been struggling to get to power will finally have their way. The video is meant to corrupt the minds of the people as to what will happen with the state when political power in politics is not held by Putin. Such issues as the formation of 200 parties within a month are not factual. The same may be a feat that is hard to occur which can also be read as propaganda (Herpen 2014, pp178-187). With the likes of the USA having been bitter rivals with the Russian, the same are shown to celebrate the fall of Putin where they declare the same as democracy. However, in real sense, such enemies will be celebrating the fall of Russia. The Ma rch section part of the video is to persuade the people not to make such a mistake as eliminate Putin from political power. May 2012                      Business is a big aspect in Russia. The same drives the economy. When such a critical channel is threatened, the people of Russia are bound to rally all the efforts in fighting for the same. Russia without Putin will see the same critical channel (business) face threats from the enemy. After two months without Putin in power, critical business such as oil, the banking sector and the transport sector will be doomed. Such critical amenities will end up in the hands of Russia society enemies. The fact that the video has examples of the same and who happen to be Putin’s political enemies is no surprise. Propaganda dictates that one portray the best case as they would want their audience to believe. In this case, those who have had their voices raised in public in opposition to Putin’s rule such as Eveginia Shirikova, Aleksei Navalnyi and Boris Nemtsov are shown to take over the major businesses (Gillespie 2000, pp 127-137). The Russia peop le are thus being led to oppose such a move. The fact that the same are Putin’s competitors is meant to show how they cannot be entrusted with such public amenities as banks, transport and oil business. However, as is the case with propaganda, the facts are not supported with people such as Boris Nemtsov being depicted as developing a sudden interest in business whereas he has been renowned for politics rather than his business prowess. With the nuclear aspect being a crucial matter in the whole world the fact that Russia’s enemy in this case the USA will be put in control of such weapons is something many in the Russian population would not be ready to allow. Propaganda in this section is meant to rally the Russian people behind protecting their amenities (Gessen 2013, pp98-112). September 2012                      The economy is a central part of any state. Russia without Putin will see the country face downfall in this section. The same should not be allowed to take place which is the message and call to the Russian people. The closure of huge companies such as Avto Vaz, the fall of the Russia stock exchange, the depreciation of the rubles against the dollar, highest rates of inflation, and unemployment are all economic problems that have plagued Russia in the past and left many suffering. This section of the video thus plays with the fear aspect in the society. The same would not want to go back to such times. Thus, the people are being reminded that failure to have Putin in power will result in their greatest fear coming to pass- suffering. Russia without Putin will see the society go back to the days when bread, an important commodity during hard times, becomes unavailable. The fact that this part of the video reminds the people of the past is a character istic of propaganda; relieving past failures in order to make the people think in the opposite direction (Freeze 2009, pp232-235). Going hungry is not something any society would want thus Putin should be allowed to stay in power to make sure that the same does not happen. November 2012                      If Putin is not in power, by this time as shown in the video, Russia will have degenerated into a violent society with civilians being the causalities. The plight of the needy such as the pensioners will have no one to take care of. This part of the video also relies on rekindling past bad memories in order to make people believe what is on offer to be the best. This is a major characteristic of propaganda (Cunningham 2002, pp128-154). March 2013                      This part of the video shows the degeneration of Russia just as it has been in the past with many regions wanting their independence from their mother country. Such a scene is reminiscent of the past times such as the end of the Second World War. Pro-Putin activists who made the video are aware of some of the emotional attachment the Russian people have with the motherland. They thus make sure that this part of the video depicts the fall-out within the same as it has happened in the past. In order to avoid the same, the people are made to believe that voting Putin will prevent such a scenario from emerging (Cull et al. 2003, pp157-163). June 2013                      Occupation of one’s country by foreigners is an aspect that many nations condemn and do not entertain. This is what the society in Russia is made to believe will happen if they fail to retain Putin in power. In the pretense of peace keeping, Russia will be invaded by other nations such as China and Japan occupying the different parts of Russia, for example, Chita, Khabarovsk, Blagoveshensk and Irkutsk and Vladivostok. With their nation’s sovereignty at risk, the Russian society is bound to resist such a move by all means in this case the best option being to retain Putin in power (Chomsky & Barsamian 2001, pp178-183). August 2013                      This section depicts the woes that will befall the society in this case human suffering. Failure to elect Putin will lead to continued occupation and invasion of Russia by the outside world with a human crisis such as the wiping out of entire societies such as Cossack militia. This is a move the society is being urged by this section of the video to desist from (Brady 2010, pp156-162). December 2013                      This section of the video is meant to convince the Russian society that failure to elect Putin will lead to the continued triumph of Russian enemies such as Alex Navalny. The same will receive international accreditation with people such as Navalny being awarded the Nobel peace prize. Navalny is a renowned Putin critic and political opponent thus international celebration of the same will mean Russia’s failure (Baker & Glasser 2007, pp231). February 2014                      International events such as the Olympics are a source of pride and prestige to the hosting nations. The fact that this section of the video depicts the upcoming winter games characterized by violence with Russia as the designated host is bound to touch each and everyone in the Russia society. The people will fight to see that the same does not occur. As per the planned propaganda in the video, the only way they can do so is by retaining Putin in power. The chaos from the games will also affect the rest of the society in that such amenities as communication channels and electricity will be interrupted. This section thus urges the people to protect the pride of their nation in hosting a successful international event by retaining Putin in power (Arutunyan 2009, pp132). Conclusion                      There was a timely release of the â€Å"Russia without Putin† video to the masses specifically one day before the election. The content as presented in the video relied on the influencing power of propaganda material. The target audience in this case the Russian voters were bound to be moved by the graphic portrayal of the doom that would befall their mother-land without Putin. The same would trigger an emotional cord within the voters in such a way that would enhance Putin’s re-election to power. 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