Preventing Teen Pregnancy with Bill Alberts Article,...

â€Å"Parental Influence and Teen Pregnancy† is article written by Bill Albert who is part of the national campaign to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy organization. This article was found on the Education.com, it is a website where parents can get information that will help them be a better parents and teach them proper ways to raise their children from a young age. I consider Education.com credible because the website is updated and also because they do research on the tops they talk about and have citation on where they got the information from. For example, they got the article â€Å"Parental Influence and Teen Pregnancy† from a different website that is also credible. The information in the article is up-to –date because most of the information stated throughout the article is accurate. You can also tell that the information is up-to date because it was written not too long ago and because in the original website that this article came from the origination is still updating their informations about teen pregnancy. The author intended to target parents of adolescents. The author was trying to tell parents that they can stop their children from having unprotected sex and also can prevent their teenage girls from getting pregnant at a young age. There was some information in the article that was not presented in class or in the text book. The article stated that about 59% of adolescent boys were told that having sex and getting girls pregnant isn’t a big deal (Albert,

Las Vegas Case Study Free Essays

Overview of Las Vegas LVCVA Most people might not even think of Las Vegas as a â€Å"product†, or even they think of it as a brand. Places are included in the concept of product. Places could be cities, states, regions, or entire nations. We will write a custom essay sample on Las Vegas Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now Place marketing involves marketing strategies which contribute to create, maintain and change attitudes and behavior towards particular places. Behind the scenes, the image of Las Vegas is created and maintained by LVCVA, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. LVCVA is a private-public agency with the mission statement of â€Å"To attract visitors by promoting Las Vegas as the world’s most desirable destination for leisure and business travel. † Las Vegas has a perception in people’s minds as â€Å"Sin City† for long time, a town full of smoke-filled casinos, bawdy all-girl revues and no-wait weddings. LVCVA wants to broaden the segment of their tourists and reposition the image of Vegas. Some family oriented facilities were added in the 1990s. However, this family image did not seem to accomplish LVCVA’s purpose. While they are still struggling with a better positioning, the dramatic decline of tourism due to the 9/11 attack forced them to proclaim Las Vegas as a destination of adults. The new Vegas has reinvented itself as a luxury and gaming destination with classy resort hotels casinos, shopping malls with luxury goods, first-run entertainment world-renowned restaurants. LVCVA figured that Vegas is more than an assortment of facilities and amenities and what truly attracts tourists is the â€Å"Las Vegas experience† – the adult freedom. The phase â€Å"What happens here, stays here† was created to capture the essence of the Las Vegas experience. The campaign went very well and the tourism industry rose dramatically. Moreover, this thoughtful brand image has been well established because Las Vegas was named as the number two hottest brand by brand consultancy Landor Associate. Unfortunately, the recent recession hit Las Vegas tourism industry badly. The natured, naughty, indulgent image of Las Vegas has had a negative impact during the recession. Especially followed by President Obama’s statement, Las Vegas became a less attractive destination for business and leisure travelers. LVCVA made attempts to reposition Vegas as â€Å"affordable† and â€Å"well-desired† to target hard working Americans. But this positioning is less convincing to people with the perception of the well-established image of Vegas. Although a slow recovery has appeared in the past year, the figures are not the same compared to the time before the recession. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Las Vegas has well positioned itself as a destination of adult freedom which differentiates itself from other states around the nation. Moreover, LVCVA concentrates on the total experiences of the tourists and promote Las Vegas as the best place to travel where tourists would do things that they don’t normally do at their home town. The world-wide brand image of Las Vegas strengthens its position in the tourism industry. The presence of Las Vegas in the global tourism industry is still growing. Especially, Las Vegas was established by various consumption-oriented industries where gaming, tourism, business convention and luxury retailing take place. Also, many illegal activities within the nation are legal in Las Vegas such as gambling and prostitution. The â€Å"luxury† image attracts many affluent parties to visit Las Vegas which contributes to a big part of the revenue. Weaknesses: Although the large consumption-oriented industry provides huge profits for Las Vegas, it has also made the state more susceptible to extreme volatility and recession. During the recession, leisure travelers are aware of their spending as well as reducing their travel expenses. The naughty and indulgent image of Las Vegas does not play very well to attract business travelers. In addition, the city has neglected the importance of technology and knowledge-based business companies or factories in which other states are well established. The consumption-oriented industries concentration makes Las Vegas less competitive to attract these business companies. Opportunities: The excellent global presence of Las Vegas is a great opportunity to attract tourists outside of the nation. Most importantly, international travelers are most likely to stay longer than travelers from other states. Longer stays would involve more spending and activities; Thus, revenues for the state. Moreover, the income and activities in China are growing rapidly in recent years. As the income of the Chinese increase, they will want to travel outside of China. Therefore, Chinese travelers would be a great target segment for Vegas. In addition, many companies now use social media and apps to create customer relationships and solutions to better serve their customers. Innovation in technology for the casino business would be another opportunity to attract tourists or gamers. Threats: The existing image will be an issue to project a full recovery after the recession. The buying pattern has changed since the recession, the glamour and luxury image of Las Vegas does not fit the current economic situation and the current consumers’ desired perception. Moreover, unstable oil prices are a threat to Las Vegas which depends majorly on the tourism industry. Rising oil prices will result in higher airfare which reduces both business and leisure travelers. In addition, many states are considering legalize gambling to increase their revenue and that could pose a threat to Las Vegas’s privilege. Case Analysis The most important factor in the tourism industry is the tourists’ travelling experience. It is the experiences that travelers gain while they are travelling. LVCVA understands that they are not just selling Las Vegas; they are selling the â€Å"Las Vegas Experience† – the adult freedom. By talking to their old and potential customers, they learned the core customer value. The Vegas visitors want to feel a little naughtier and less inhibited and that is what their customers are buying. To accommodate the benefits the customers are seeking, the actual services and products are provided to the satisfaction of the visitors. Various product features of Las Vegas were produced to target the adult such as casinos, luxury retailers, world-renowned restaurants and five-star hotels. Branding is another strategy LVCVA used to deliver the core customer value. By spending $75 million for ad campaigns, LVCVA successfully boosted the brand message educating consumers of the â€Å"products† Vegas are selling. â€Å"Only Vegas: What happens here, stay here† became the now-familiar catchphrase of Las Vegas. This image has replaced the long pervasive image of â€Å"Sin City† to a luxury and indulgent image. Although this image has been adjusted to â€Å"affordable† and â€Å"well-deserved† during the recession, but the â€Å"Las Vegas Experience† brand image still maintains a consistent meaning to consumers. As research indicated, people still demand the same Vegas they’ve known and loved will still be there during hard economic times. This proves the strength of the Vegas brand image which provides its consumers a consistent meaning and helps them identify the products that benefits them. On the other hand, to manage the brand image, LVCVA also built an augmented product by constantly surveying their previous and potential customers of their Vegas travel experiences. Support service was designed to periodically assess the value of their products offering and brand experiences to obtain feedback and new ideas for future offerings. Because of the constant research and surveys, LVCVA was able to react quickly with their repositioning as well as maintain product benefits to the customers. The most powerful brand positioning builds around strong consumer beliefs and values. However, one-sided brand positioning became a detriment as Las Vegas moves forward. Although the strong brand experience has boosted the presence of Vegas around the world, it also destroys other economic opportunities for the city and makes the city difficult to react during economic changes. When marketing a city, a diverse objective would be beneficial. And it will create flexibility in the city when facing economic changes. A diverse objective is not just concentrating on developing the global tourist and business visitor industries; it will work on attracting different types of companies and businesses. It is because the ever changing external environment makes place marketing a most challenging task. To compete effectively in this current rapidly changing environment, a flexible and proactive real marketing approach must be developed. As a result, the one-sided marketing approach for Las Vegas will have a negative impact when the city moves forward. A real marketing approach must be constantly evaluated and reacts to the current environment. Also, fresh ideas and attractions are needed to maintain the current and potential customers. Therefore, the most recent efforts by the LVCVA will not continue to work since the consumers’ buying habits have changed and the revenue figures will not recover back to the 2007 peak time based on their recent efforts. Most importantly, the efforts are not contributing to the long-term strategy which should be created to adapt to the rapidly changing environment. A diverse marketing approach would require LVCVA to attract international and local companies to their offices in Las Vegas. These companies will provide ob growth and business travelers to Vegas. By diversify its industrial base; the city will find it easier to undergo economic downturn compared to just concentrating on consumption-oriented industries. LVCVA should create a set of marketing tools to increase the percentage of international visitors. Spending from international visitors will contribute to a big part of revenues in the future if the city can gain support from the government policies to ease travel re strictions and make getting a visa more easily available for foreigners. Opening the door for international visitors will create more job opportunities to immigrants who speak other languages besides English. Also, the city should encourage their citizens to learn a second language and that could possibly create a business opportunity for private language schools. In addition, LVCVA could attract parties to hold international trade shows and conventions in the city. Innovative ideas are also needed to maintain the current products and services offered in Las Vegas. Smartphones are widely used by individuals. Therefore, a technology wise city could be very favorable for modern citizens. Casinos could create apps to better serve their customers while they are gambling or offer free Wi-Fi in Casinos. The â€Å"Las Vegas Experiences† provide a great brand experience to the consumers. However, branding is pervasive but functional products and services are not. Las Vegas should provide a consistent image as well as consistent innovative products and services offerings for their consumers. Just like Disneyland will produce new rides or re-decorate the theme parks for holidays. Products and services could be renewed or add new ones to recapture the return of previous visitors and attract potential visitors. As Ralenkotter mentioned â€Å"History has shown that new properties increase visitation across the board†. Although CityCenter might affect the image of Las Vegas, it is one of the attempts to renew the appearance of this place. Las Vegas is still down from the 2007 peak but their brand image is still strong in consumers’ minds. And that represents its ability to face the upcoming challenges and changes. How to cite Las Vegas Case Study, Free Case study samples

Marketing Strategy Environmental Conservation

Question: Discuss about theMarketing Strategyfor Environmental Conservation. Answer: Introduction Environmental conservation is essential for the survival of the living beings. The new product is a product of research over time. The study covered the market needs as well as the opportunities available. Driven by the desire to have a safer environment, the new product will focus on the quality of water which is a basic need of life. The target market is in India and China. Background: Country Profiles India is a country in the South East of Asia. It is the worlds 7th largest country with a population of about 1.2 Billion people (Kosambi, 1975, p. 25). 90% of the Hindu populations, however, live in India. It boasts as the world's largest democracy with a history of an old civilization. It is famous for its culture and traditions. Despite having over thirty languages, English is widely used, but the official language is Hindi. Hindus practice religion and it plays a significant role in the society. The people of India also embrace music and movie culture. Bollywood is very popular in the society. China is the most populous country in the world. It was founded in 1949, but its culture dates back to up to 4000 years ago. With a population of over 1.3 billion people, the Chinese believe that no individual exists but must be in relation with one another (Morton, 2005, p. 85). They believe that relationships form the basis of social capital which ultimately guides their relationships in business. Chinas economy is one of the largest in the world (Ray, 2015, p. 45). Business Practices The two countries, India and China, have different traditional and business cultures. They have several similarities as well. China Chinese believe that meetings are a primary platform to create relationships. They observe and listen keenly. The Chinese love to make friends first before they embark on doing business with the other people. They do not say no often because they fear losing face. With the opening up of cultures across the world, Chinese are appreciating the Western ways of doing business. However, the gap is still wide. They believe that everything is possible, but nothing is easy. An important virtue of success is patience. When they agree to sign a contract, they are inviting you to begin the real negotiation. Despite being slow to reach a decision, once they decide, they stick to it (Wachner, 2013, p. 216). India Any business transaction among the Hindu begins with a handshake. Women can shake hands with anyone depending on themselves. The status in a society is determined by the profession one is undertaking. It is also determined by the age and level of university education. They pay attention to the levels of honest and etiquette (Ardichvili, 2012, p. 419). This, they believe, proves that one is motivated by sincere objectives. It is not polite to be aggressive while negotiating a business deal so is refusing to partake a meal or drink offered by the other party. Most Indians strictly adhere to their religions and traditions and hence majority of them do not drink alcohol or smoke. Most of them are also vegetarians (Ray, 2015, p. 46). Doing business in either of the countries require a good understanding of their cultures. The cost of doing business in both countries varies. Language barrier is a common factor while doing business in China but India has a widespread use of English. The economies of both countries have been on the rise and doing business there promises good returns over time. Based on the firm practices studied above, there is little difference. It is anticipated that the product will sell well once launched. Market Analysis New Product Development The new product uses the modern technology to record and transmits information regarding the quality of the water. The product is easy to use and easily portable. The data acquired can be translated in real-time giving access to a new dimension of saving the degrading quality of water. Target Market The target market is the state and private agencies that promote the conservation of the water bodies. The product is an environmental measuring tool which measures and reports on the quality of water in the waterways. The waterways include rivers, lake canals, oceans, and seas. This product is designed to give real-time analysis of the condition of the water. It is an outstanding product to those interested in analyzing the trends of the water bodies. Its quality has been compromised over time, and this can cause a threat to the human population. As the worlds population continues to grow, the water recourses are continuously being populated by people who do not care (Greenstone, 2014, p. 3049). On the other hand, more and more individuals are learning ways of improving the quality of water and eventually enhancing the quality of life (Sauri, 2013, p. 229). Logistics The product will be made available from different outlets. First, an online shop should be setup, or a well known online store should be outsourced. Secondly, physical stores should be made available throughout both countries to serve the clients on location. Further, the marketing department should always make the product available whenever they are on marketing missions. Marketing Mix Product The new product will hugely employ the available technology to ensure accurate and reliable information is obtained. It will be a real time device that transmits data instantly. Other qualities of the product include proper labeling according to the client language as well as the use of colors that appeal to saving the environment it will be put to use. The brand name should be attractive and appeal to the target clients (Kotler, 2015, p. 24). Price The price of the product should be competitive. In the two cultures, prices play a crucial role as to whether the item will be purchased or not. Once the product has been launched, a discount offer should be given to the clients who buy it in larger volumes (Armstrong et. al, 2014, p. 42). The payment method can be online, cash or through the use of debit or credit card. This encourages the uptake of the product as several clients are using cashless methods to shop. A customer with a good relation with the company can sign a contract to purchase the item on credit. Place The product should be launched independently on the countries on focus. This should be followed by direct deliveries to the customers. With the rise in the use of online platforms to sell items, the company should take advantage of the online community. A website can be created, but other alternatives are available. The use of well-established online retails should also be employed. However, a physical shop will still be necessary for the product as not every population can access the internet yet (Ferrell and Hartline, 2012, p. 345) Promotion Promoting a product is a challenging aspect yet the most important. First, the company should put up online adverts to capture the attention of potential clients. The use of social media by the societies in the two countries has been on the rise. The internet penetration has also grown steadily. This is attributed to the advancement of Smartphone and its penetration. The Social media, therefore, is a powerful tool to, market the product (Jobber, 2012, p. 214). Despite not reaching all the potential clients, it should be used to target the youthful generation. Facebook and Twitter are the two main focuses for the company. The second platform to promote the product will be the use of mainstream media. These include newspapers, Television channels, radios, and magazines. The industry has revolutionized over time, and its use has been proven to deliver real results. Despite the costs attributed to it, a well-documented, clever advert should be able to capture a good number of clients to try the new product. Mainstream media commands a huge following from loyal customers. Today, the media has been positioned to a particular group of people. Once the company has recognized the target market, it should appeal to them through the appropriate mainstream media. Thirdly, billboards and fliers serve to promote the product in a unique way. The advertisements have been used by several organizations over time, and it has also been proved to be able to deliver. The strategy appeals directly to the interested parties hence its effectiveness. Further, seminars should be organized to meet potential clients. The workshops should involve all the handlers of the product from the design team to the marketing team. The strategy should be to explain the uniqueness of the item and display its abilities ( Seren, 2012, p. 221). The seminar should not primarily focus on the product but should appeal to general conservation of the environment. The objectives of the seminar should, however, be aligned to the ultimate solutions that the product should deliver. All the details of the product should be availed in the symposium. Advertising should be done on the sideshows. Conclusion The unique features of the product will quickly capture the market in the chosen countries. The difference in culture is connected by the desire to have the water, and this will drive the product use further. References Ardichvili, A., Jondle, D., Kowske, B., Cornachione, E., Li, J. and Thakadipuram, T., 2012. Ethical cultures in large business organizations in Brazil, Russia, India, and China.Journal of Business Ethics,105(4), pp.415-428. Armstrong, G., Adam, S., Denize, S. and Kotler, P., 2014.Principles of marketing. Pearson Australia. Chow, G.C., 2012.China as a Leader of the World Economy. World scientific. Ferrell, O.C. and Hartline, M., 2012.Marketing strategy, text and cases. Nelson Education. Greenstone, M. and Hanna, R., 2014. Environmental regulations, air and water pollution, and infant mortality in India.The American Economic Review,104(10), pp.3038-3072. Jobber, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F., 2012.Principles and practice of marketing(No. 7th). McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Kosambi, D.D., 1975.An introduction to the study of Indian history. Popular Prakashan. Kotler, P., Burton, S., Deans, K., Brown, L. and Armstrong, G., 2015.Marketing. Pearson Higher Education AU. Mayer, T., Melitz, M.J. and Ottaviano, G.I., 2014. Market size, competition, and the product mix of exporters.The American Economic Review,104(2), pp.495-536. Morton, W.S. and Lewis, C.M., 2005.China: Its history and culture(Vol. 4). New York: McGraw-Hill. Ray, U., 2015.Culinary Culture in Colonial India. Cambridge University Press. Saren, M., Maclaran, P., Goulding, C., Elliott, R. and Caterall, M., 2012.Critical marketing. Routledge. Saur, D., 2013. Water conservation: theory and evidence in urban areas of the developed world.Annual Review of Environment and Resources,38, pp.227-248. Wachner, T., 2013. Business Culture in China: Lessons Learned from a US Based Non-Profit.

Profanity Essay Essays - Blasphemy, Censorship, Connotation

Profanity Essay Free Swiss Anti-Wrinkle Cream. You Won't Believe Your Eyes! Profanity Essay "Money doesn't talk, it swears." Many of the most brilliant minds throughout time have used profanity. Shakespeare's best works were revised and edited in order to remove the numerous curse words or obscene phrases he included. The harmless use of profanity in an informal setting should not be penalized, by the assignment of an essay. Profanity continuously to evolves, and has a very rich and interesting history. The system of assigning essays for the use of profanity is ineffective and counter productive. "When angry, count four; when very angry, swear." The evolution of profanity began in the sixteenth century, and it evolves with each generation. Profanity is recognized in many Shakespearean works, and has evolved into the profane language used today. Some cuss or curse words have somehow maintained their original meanings throughout hundreds of years, while many others have completely changed meaning or simply fallen from popular vocabulary. William Shakespeare, though it is not widely taught, used a rather vulgar and dirty vocabulary in his writings. His works included subjects that some people wish they had not. "That includes a fair helping of sex, violence, crime, horror, politics, religion, anti-authoritarianism, anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, sexism, jealousy, profanity, satire, and controversy of all kinds" (Macrone 6). In Shakespeare's time, religious and moral curses were more offensive than biological curses. Most original, prior to being censored, Shakespearean works contain offensive profanity, mostly religious, which is probably one of many reasons that his works were and continue to be so popular. "Shakespeare pushed a lot of buttons in his day- which is one reason he was so phenomenally popular. Despite what they tell you, people like having their buttons pushed" (Macrone 6). His works contained many profane words or phrases and as a result, were censored to protect the innocent minds of the teenagers who are now required to read them, and also because they were blasphemous and offensive. Almost all of the profanity was removed, and that that was not had just reason for being there. Some of the Bard's censored oaths are; "God's blessing on your beard" Love's Labors Lost, II.i.203 This was a very rude curse because a man's facial hair was a point of pride for him. And "to play with someone's beard" was to insult him. "God's body" 1 Henry IV, II.i.26 Swearing by Christ's body (or any part thereof,) was off limits in civil discourse. "God's Bod(y)kins, man" Hamlet, II.ii.529 The word bod(y)kin means "little body" or "dear body," but adding the cute little suffix does not make this curse any more acceptable. "By God's [blest] mother!" 2 Henry VI, II.i; 3 Henry VI, III.ii; Henry VIII, V.i Swearing by the virgin was almost as rude as swearing by her son, especially when addressing a catholic cathedral as Gloucester did in 2 Henry VI, II.i Perhaps the two worst of these Shakespearean swears were "'zounds" and "'sblood." "'Zounds" had twenty-three occurrences. Ten of them were in 1 Henry IV. The rest appear in Titus (once), Richard III (four times), Romeo and Juliet (twice), and Othello (six times). Lago and Falstaff were the worst offenders. 'Zounds has evolved into somewhat of a silly and meaningless word, but was originally horribly offensive. This oath, short for "God's wounds," was extremely offensive because references to the wounds or blood of Christ were thought especially outrageous, as they touched directly on the crucifixion. "'Sblood" had twelve occurrences in all. There were eight times in 1 Henry IV (with Falstaff accounting for six), plus once in Henry V, twice in Hamlet, and once in Othello. 'Sblood occurs less than 'zounds, but is equally offensive and means basically the same thing. Several other words came from Great Britain, but were not included in Shakespeare's works. Today the expression "Gadzooks!" is not particularly offensive to most. Of course, most don't know what it originally meant. Gadzooks was originally slang for "God's hooks," and was equally offensive to 'zounds and 'sblood as it also referred to the crucifixion. An interesting note is that there is an American store called Gadzooks, which is a pop-culture vendor to America's youth. Some of Gadzooks' shoppers would be very offended if they knew the true meaning of the store's name. Another word from this region is a Cockney expression, "Gorblimey," which is a word used to swear to the truth, and is a shortened form of "God blind me." Also, in England, words such as "bloody," "blimey," "blinkin'," beginning with the letters "BL" are taken offense to because they, once again, refer to the blood of Christ and the crucifixion. The military has an interesting technique for swearing without offending

Roman Military.

Roman Military. As you probably know, being a fellow Roman, we have the finest and undefeated military. Our military has properly equipped our men with the weapons and armor that they would need to basically do anything that they would need to do in their times of duty. Their equipment includes a helmet, body armor, limb armor, a shield, a short word, a dagger, a spear or pilum, a belt, a tunic, and boots. The helmets are a round shape to let blows to the head easily slide off, where as many of the opposing forces helmets are square shaped, making them take the blows hard through the helmet. Their body armor is a scale type, not mail. This is because scaled armor cannot be punctured very easily. The limb armor is made to prevent our soldiers form having their limbs easily cut off or injured during battle. The shield that they have has been made with a dulled spike in the middle so that they can kill people with it.English: Roman soldier 175 a.C. from a northern pr...It has also been made rounded so it can protect their entire bodies. Their sword have been made short so it is easy to carry and stab with. Their dagger is the lightest weapon that they carry, and it is not made mainly for fighting, but can be used in battle. Their spears where made to be used only once and then be broken so the enemy could not use them. They are made with a thin piece of metal that can easily puncture armor, but then would be bent, so it could not be used again. The Pilum is a heavy and short ranged javelin that had a sharp tip and a lead ball on it to kill easily. They had also a strong and heavy artillery backing them up...

Business Studies

What does the nature of business mean ? Usually, when filling out some kind of form, nature of business refers to the type or general category of business or commerce you are describing. For example, if you worked at McDonalds, the nature of your business is food services. Nature of Business means what type of business your are doing? like Wholesale, Retail or Service, Manufacturing, Marketing, etc. If you want more specific, then HBA wholesale, Car Service, Furniture manufacturing, health Drinks Marketing, etc. The nature of business, means what exactly your business is doing and what is the service/product you are offering. For example the nature of Walmart as a business is Retail and the nature of Microsoft is Software. Internal and External Influences on businesses The external environment includes those factors over which the business has little control, such as government policy, technology, economic conditions and social attitudes. The internal environment includes these factors over which the business has some degree of control, such as products, location, resources, management and business culture. External Influences on business  ·Economic  ·Financial  ·Markets  ·Competitive siuation Technological  ·Institutional  ·Political  ·Legal  ·Social  ·Geographic If you had a shop and everyone decided to go to another shop that would be an econmic disaster! If this continues for a month then the business would close, employees would be laid off, and landlords and suppliers will not be paid. Charasteristics of boom perios Higer lever of employment -Inflation may increase The level of spending by consumers increases as they have more confidence in the economy Characteristics of recessi on period Unemployment levels rise Inflation may remain stable or fall Wages are less likely to rise as employers The level of spending usually decreases Internal influences on Business Product The types of good and services will affect the internal operations of a business, The product influence and the size of the business -Location -A good location is an asset and will lead to high levels of sales and profits and a bad location is a liability that adversely affects sales and products  ·Location Factors Visibility, promixity to customers, promixity to suppliers and promiximity to support devices -Management- Resource management -Business culture Failure to SME failure  ·Failure to plan  ·lack of information  ·leaderhsip skills  ·inaccurate record keeping  ·new taxes  ·not enough sales  ·economic turndown  ·staff difficulties Success to SMEs  ·Entrepemtual abilities

Maria Full of Grace Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maria Full of Grace - Movie Review Example In the scene when Maria is traveling to Bogota, the movie captures infrastructure development in the countryside as average. The road on which Maria is traveling on a motorbike is depicted as having only two lanes. The roads are narrow at various points where sharp turns occur along the overlooking valleys. There are a number of ramps along the road at such turns, though the rest of the road sections have no ramps on the side that face the valley. When they reach Bogota, the road network improves to three lanes. There are elements of improvement of infrastructure unlike in many developing countries. There is a flyover, which may be seen to easy traffic along the roads. The buildings on the right also seem modern, though they appear to be based on the 1960s engineering technology that was not so much advanced. The streets of Bogota seem to have been maintained close to the level of other developed countries. There is a zebra crossing and the houses in Bogota central business district are quite properly planned. They are neatly arranged in a line. There is also evidence of streetlights. However, there is evidence of informal settlement and structures within Bogota. There is a poorly constructed structure by the roadside, probably an eatery. The environment around the eatery is untidy. One can see papers lying all over the place in the grass. Some people have parked their cars by the roadside, an indication that probably there are no official parking lots. In one street, vendors have occupied part of the road with their carts, which they sell their grocery. Inside buildings, there is an evidence of poor planning in lighting. The corridor and the rooms, through which Maria walks are dark, almost like dungeons. Life in Bogota is generally lively. There is a little bit of pomp. People seem to mix freely. Much of the countryside in Colombia is quite impoverished, so is part of the urban dwellers. Survival mechanisms in urban areas include taking odd jobs such

Introduction to Sociology of Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Sociology of Religion - Essay Example Department of State par. 4). Therefore, one’s personal immersion to religion, as a subject in class, was actually during the course entitled Religions of the World which had been very illuminating. I realized from then on that the subject appropriately prepared me for life beyond the traditional classroom setting and also in various settings including the work place. The course is definitely a dynamic and evolving source of sociological learning due to its interactive nature to diverse societies worldwide. Knowledge of different religious beliefs, teachings, practices and how these are applied in current scenarios made one recognize the diversity and richness of religion as it encompasses social structures. The experience made one compare other courses, such as engineering courses, where theories and concept prepared students for applications to work behind computers or research laboratories, as well as in high technology settings. Since the first religion course, the next successive courses on religion have been enriching in terms of learning so much about diversity in people from various cultural orientations. Despite being in the field of technology, one acknowledges that through increasing emphasis on globalization, one has significantly become most respectful towards other people’s religions and diversity in culture and social perceptions towards beliefs, preferences, value systems, and family life. One’s expectations from the course on sociology of religion include highlighting religion as a belief system and also as a social expression of faith. It could therefore include looking back at the theories and concepts learned from the past religion courses; but at the same time, the course could be more advance in terms of thinking how these religious theories are linked to sociological theories in both the domestic setting and on a more global scale. As one learned from Religions of the World, most of the practices become

Ethical Delimas Facing a Profession Essay Example for Free

Ethical Delimas Facing a Profession Essay Healthcare professionals often face complex ethical dilemmas in the workplace. These dilemmas often arise when employment obligations conflict with personal beliefs. An ethical dilemma that is becoming more common in the workplace involves emergency contraception. Emergency contraceptives or morning-after pills are a fiery topic. Some pharmacists are refusing to dispense morning-after pills because it is against their beliefs. Imagine yourself in the position of needing this medication. Should the beliefs of the pharmacist outweigh your rights as the patient? For me, the answer would be a resounding no. According to The Code of Ethics for Pharmacists (Pharmacist. com, 1994), adopted by the membership of the American Pharmacists Association October 27, 1994, â€Å"Pharmacists are health professionals who assist individuals in making the best use of medications. This Code, prepared and supported by pharmacists, is intended to state publicly the principles that form the fundamental basis of the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists. These principles, based on moral obligations and virtues, are established to guide pharmacists in relationships with patients, health professionals, and society. † The Code of Ethics further states, â€Å"A pharmacist promotes the right of self-determination and recognizes individual self-worth by encouraging patients to participate in decisions about their health. In all cases, a pharmacist respects personal and cultural differences among patients. A pharmacist avoids discriminatory practices, behavior or work conditions that impair professional judgment, and actions that compromise dedication to the best interests of patients. This guideline clearly states the responsibilities and duties of the pharmacist are to serve the needs of the patient even when doing so contradicts their personal beliefs. In some states, legislators are introducing bills that would grant pharmacists the right to refuse (refusal clauses also known as conscience clauses) to dispense drugs related to contraception on moral grounds. Other state legislators are introducing legislation that would require pharmacies to fill any legal prescription for birth control. NCSL Health Program, 2011) APhA has had a policy supporting a pharmacist’s conscience clause since 1998. APhA’s two-part policy supports the ability of the pharmacist to step away from participating in activity to which they have personal objections—but not step in the way. The Association supports the pharmacist’s right to choose not to fill a prescription based on moral or ethical values. But recognizing the pharmacist’s important role in the health care system, APhA supports the establishment of systems to ensure that the patient’s health care needs are served. Pharmacist. com, 1994) When it comes to ethics or morality, arguments and counterarguments will never cease. If a person’s religious objections to emergency contraception interfere with their ability to do their job, then they shouldn’t be in that profession. Refusing to do your job because your conscience won’t allow it comes with consequences that you must accept. Businesses and society cannot function if people are able to ignore rules, regulations, standards, and laws on the basis of â€Å"conscience† or religious desire.

Comparing Science and Religion in Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The Struggle Between Science and Religion in Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Metropolis From Frankenstein to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to Metropolis, the mad scientist is one of the modern world's most instantly recognizable and entertaining cultural icons. Popular culture's fascination with demented doctors, crazed clinicians, and technologically fanatical fiends have dominated the major motifs of popular literature and film for most of the 20th century and this fascination will continue into the 21st century. An archetypal outcast, the mad scientist represents all that modern culture holds mysterious and fascinating, intriguing and sinful, and, to say the least, romantic. Popular culture has completely desensitized the blasphemous, heretical, epileptic shocks of tampering with "things that should not be tampered with" and has made them, instead, into common, everyday occurrences. The Romantic struggle between theology and science still wages today--only today's theology has become a religion of materialism and the worship of the monetary system; and through mass media this neo-theology has appealed to societies appetite and captivated an audience desirable by any deity. When we think of 'Mad Science,' the modern, stereotypical, Hollywood vision of mad science floods the mind-of Dr. Frankenstein (Frankenstein); Dr. Jekyll (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde); and Rotwang (Metropolis); along with many others-and for good reason. Many of these characters we know by heart, either from literature, theater, or film, while many others we've hardly heard of and are thus marked mundane and unimportant in our minds. Mad science is synonymous with 'the insane scientist' who blew up his lab, but is ecst... ... science and symbolism pertaining to sex roles, marriage, and the family. With the reformed tolerance and leniency of the 19th century, especially that of religion, the gateway was opened and the chaos that is modern horror was set free to terrorize the land. Works Cited Carroll, David , and Kyla Ward. "The Horror Timeline." < http://www.tabula-rasa.info/DarkAges/> October 13, 2003. Lovecraft, H.P. "H.P. Lovecraft Library." William Johns, 2002. October 15, 2003. Perkus, Aaron Keith. Mythos Journal No. 6: Myths of Science and Technology: Dr. Jekyll Hyeding in the Garden of Eden. October 15, 2003. Skal, David J. Screams of Reason: mad science and modern culture. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1998. Stevenson, Robert Louis. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2003.

A Performance Constraints of Thai Economy

It may be useful to put the discussion of performance constraints of the Thai economy briefly in perspective. Over the past 2 decades, the Thai economy has been one of the best performing economies in the world, characterized by sustained high growth rates, averaging 10. 3% 1985-90, and 8% in the years prior to the crisis (1990-96). This growth was accompanied by a dramatic decline in the incidence of absolute poverty, from 57% in 1962 to 14% in 1992, with per capita income increasing from $700 per annum in the late 1960s, to $2,700 in 1996. At the same time, rapid growth was accompanied by environmental degradation, resource depletion, and an increasingly unequal distribution of income and wealth. However, on balance a remarkable record of development. During this period of rapid growth and economic transformation, Thailand became increasingly integrated into the world economy through trade and investment flows, and production linkages. As the economy expanded rapidly and became more complex in structure, it posed more and new types of strains and challenges to economic management or â€Å"governance† systems at both the macro (i. . public policy) and micro (enterprise) levels. As the relative role of the private sector increased in the economy, the importance of enterprise management and performance correspondingly increased. Looking more deeply at Thailand†s performance, manufactured exports grew by about 23% per year between 1980 and 1995, almost doubling during 1992-1995. However, in 1996 export growth fell practically to 0 per cent, with labor-intensive exports usually identified as the main culprit. Certain factors are generally cited as responsible for this abrupt and dramatic decline: External factors cited included the emergence of new competitors, with the coming on stream of new production facilities in lower income/lower wage countries such as China, Indochina, Philippines, further complicated by the30% devaluation of the Chinese yen in 1994;  · Domestic factors cited generally relate to rising wage rates and overvalued exchange rates. Domestic wage rates during 1991-95 rose about 11%, on average or about 5% increase in real wages per year, cited as the key factor in the slowdown in growth of labor intensive exports. The real effective exchange rate of the baht is estimated to have appreciated by about 15% during 1995-97, primarily because of the linkage to the US$, which appreciated against the yen. While the above factors suggest that Thailand was losing its edge in low cost, labor intensive exports, these are at best partial explanations for the overall decline in export performance. The impact of rising wages should not have come this suddenly and pervasively, given that wages were rising for some time, with no significant impact on xport performance. For example, textiles, gems and jewelry, which are not particularly labor intensive declined significantly in the 1996 crunch, as did many technology intensive products. 5 Similarly, the timing and size of the real exchange rate appreciation is not sufficient to explain the sudden, dramatic drop in export performance. If the â€Å"usual suspects† are not sufficient to explain the export slowdown, then could this be primarily a â€Å"cyclical† downturn, e. g. the result of short-term, mainly external, adverse factors? There is some support for this being a factor. There was a global slowdown in world trade in 1996, with the growth rate of world manufactured exports dropping from 8. 6% p. a. during 1990-95, to 2. 1% in 1996 6 . All countries in Asia were hit, with Korea and Thailand the worst affected. If the basic problem of export performance could be seen as cyclical, then in terms of the main focus of this paper, the management of the economic crisis perhaps can indeed focus on the financial sector. That is, the â€Å"real sector† will realign itself, as the financial crisis begins to be resolved, and the â€Å"cycles† will at some point, begin their upswing though the global economic outlook looks less than optimistic at this time. Although cyclical demand factors seem to be relevant, they are only partly helpful in understanding the performance of the Thai (real) economy prior to the crisis. There seems to be more to the story. For example, industry-specific factors may have also been at work: a rapid rise in US sourcing of garments from Western Hemisphere producers such as Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador, led to a relative loss of US market share by Asian exporters, including Thailand, among others. It is not clear whether this shift in sourcing is a â€Å"cyclical† factor, or a â€Å"structural† shift in the basis of competitive advantage (e. g. relating to NAFTA; relating to the increasing role of time or order cycle as a competitive actor, an issue touched on in section III). A fundamental question that emerges from the perspective of the present economic crisis relates to the performance of the corporate sector prior to the crisis, a performance which was then further aggravated by the financial devastation of corporates by the crisis. In particular, were there clear signs of deterioration in performance, especially at the micro (enterprise) level prior to mid-1997, masked by rapid (export) growth? If yes, then resolving the present crisis in terms of restoring the Thai economy†s performance is likely to require a focus on the â€Å"real sector† simultaneously with addressing the problems of the financial sector. This is likely to be especially important for Thailand†s economic renewal and sustainable growth, given expectations of a global economic environment over the medium term characterized by slow growth and increasing competition for both markets and capital.

Elements of Monster-in-Law Essay

I am a big fan of Romantic Comedy movies and to be honest it has been a while since I’ve had time to actually sit down, relax and enjoy of a great movie. When you have two young children and a husband that is not into these types of movies it make it that much difficult. The last time I was able to take time for myself and fully enjoy a movie I like was about 2 weeks ago and I chose to watch one of my favorite movies, Monster-in-Law, with Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda. A lot of people can familiarize themselves with this movie, as I am sure that they have had a mother-in-law that has driven them up the wall. In this essay I will point out the elements of the movie and tell you how my personal life can some what relate to this movie as well. To me this movie is interesting as it represents how some girls get treated once they meet their future husbands mother. I know that there are a lot of women that have had an aaltercation or two with their mother-in-law and that is why this movie was one that many can relate to. The character of Charlie, played by Jennifer Lopez, was very good as it transmits the frustration of a women in love that has to deal with the attacks and malice of her future mother-in-law. To me this movie has credibility, as it expands external observable truths with in the film (Boggs and Petrie, 2008, pg. 42). Most of the events that happen in this movie can be seen in our everyday life. There are many mother-in-laws that do not approve of their child relationship and for that reason they do things that are not seen normal. This movie is really about how a mother needs to respect and accept their Childs’ decisions when it comes to whom they choose to marry. In this movie Viola who is afraid of loosing her son, Kevin Fields, determines to scare off her son’s new fiance, Charlie, by becoming the world’s worst mother-in-law. Little did she know that Charlie would fight back and not let Viola ruin the thought of her marrying the man she loves. The tricks they play on each other are what make the movie entertaining. Charlie knew that Viola was not a bad person in the inside, but her obsession with her son would not let Viola budge towards accepting their relationship. At the end it turns out that Viola seems to have her own monster-in-law, her deceased husbands mother, that treats Viola badly. Charlie sees the way Viola is being treated and realizes that’s how they will be years from now. Charlie decides that she will not have that happen and determines to call off the wedding, but Viola then comes to her senses and recognizes that she has become this person she hates and asks Charlie to proceed with the wedding as they come to an agreement that works out for both of them. The moral of the story is that in order to get respect one must give it. If you go against someone’s wishes you will end up pushing them farther away. In this case Viola did not want to loose her son but by her acting and doing the things she was doing was actually pushing her father away from him. To her Charlie was not enough for her son, but it turned out that Charlie was a wonderful girl in the inside who loved Kevin for who he was and not for the material things he had. One should not judge a book for it is cover and give the change to get to know the person before judging. I found this movie meaning to me personally because when I first started dating my now husband my mother-in-law was not a fond of me. Although she never played tricks on me, she would always make me feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed at his house. To her the perfect women for her son was his ex-girlfriend who she loved dearly and did not want to accept the fact that her son no longer wanted to be with her. I loved him so much that I did put up with her unkindness ways and did not give up on what we had at all. As Charlie, I knew that my mother-in-law had a tender heart but she was still holding on to a string in hopes of her son reconciling with his ex. As times passed by and she realized that was never going to happen she started softening up. One day I went over to his house and I had a long talk with her and ever since that talk she learned how to accept me for who I was. I think this is why I liked this movie so much it reminded me of how our relationship started. I do have to admit that some of the tricks Charlie played on Viola in the movie made me wish I had done to my mother-in-law when she was being spiteful. Just like the movie at the end everything worked out for us and I have now been married to my husband for 7 years and the relationship I have with her now is awesome. In conclusion, this movie had this movie might not have had great reviews but it was one of my favorites. I am sure that a lot of people can familiarize themselves with this movie, as many women out there just like me has a mother-in-law that has driven them up the wall at one point or another. The moral of the story shows the audience in order to get respect one must give it. This movie also signifies how a mother needs to respect and accept their Childs’ decisions when it comes to whom they choose to marry. As hard as it can be as parents we need to learn how to step back and let our children learn from their own mistakes, the person they’re with may or may not be the best candidate but we need to let them find out their own way. Overall, this movie was a good entertainment and in my case I was able to imagine for a moment that it was I living the life of Charlie. References Boggs, J. M. & Petrie D. W. (2008) The Art of Watching Films. New York. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Martha Corey Essays

Martha Corey Essays Martha Corey Paper Martha Corey Paper Friday March 11, 1692, during the day the communitys minister, the Rev. Samuel Parris asked the girls to reveal another witch. They did, and what they said shocked everyone who heard it for it was Martha Corey a new but upstanding member of the congregation. However, she had never shown support for the witch trials, since she did not believe witches existed. Immediately they sent out to the Corey farm to interview the accused in the hope of clearing up this discrepancy. When she was asked, Martha Corey had a sarcastic response to what the girls said. This sarcastic remark disheartened the delegation who immediately called for her arrest. Her trial was the scene of much tension. In the courtroom Marthas accusers screamed in agony as they were forced by an unseen power to mimic the witchs (Martha Corey) every movement. What ever Martha Corey did the girls did also. When Martha moved her feet the girls did also, when Martha bit her lip the girls were compelled to bit their own lips, crying out in pain. This was enough evdience to persuade the jury of her guilt. She denied all that was charged upon her, and said they could not prove her a witch. She was that afternoon committed to Salem prison. She was hanged on September 22, 1692. In March the girls accused Martha Corey. The three women previously denounced as witches were trivial to the public. Martha Corey was different; she was an upstanding member of the Puritan congregation her exposure as a witch demonstrated that Satans influence reached to the very core of the community. Events snowballed as the harsh atmosphere got worse and reached the peak. During the time from March into the fall many were charged, examined, tried and put to death. The hangings started in June with the death of Bridget Bishop and continued through September. As winter approached, the panic played itself out as criticism of the procedures grew. In October, the colonial governor dissolved the local Court of question. The convictions and condemnations for witchery stopped. Nineteen victims of the witch-hunt had been hanged, one crushed to death under the weight of stones, which was Martha Corey’s husband Giles Corey. He refused to undergo a trial and was executed by pressing, a slow crushing death under a pile of stones. When the sheriff asked how he would plead, he responded by asking for more weight. He died on September 19, 1692, three days before his wife Martha was hanged. At least four died in prison awaiting trial. The research that was found portrayed the fictional version on â€Å"The Crucible† and the actuall events to be close to the same if not the exact same that was portrayed in the novel and I the movie. Martha Corey was acussed by the girls of being a witch in real life, just as in the movie â€Å"The Crucible†. There were not any mayjor differences from the book and the actual events. Miller did a good job with â€Å"The Crucible† in making Martha Corey story almost exactly what happened in real life. Sources: Lawson, Deodat, A Brief and True Narrative of Some Remarkable Passages Relating to Sundry Persons Afflicted by Witchcraft at Salem Village(1692) [reprinted in Commager, Henry Steele, The Heritage of America (1949)] The Salem Witch Trials, 1692, EyeWitness to History, www. eyewitnesstohistory. com (2000).

Denial and deception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Denial and deception - Essay Example The particulars of D&D thus deserve closer academic scrutiny. According to Shulsky (2000, p. 17), â€Å"‘Denial’ refers to the attempt to block all information channels by which an adversary could learn some truth (e.g., about a military development program, a policy, a course of action, etc.), thus preventing him from reacting in a timely manner.† Thus, â€Å"denial† includes all methods that may be employed in order to safeguard information that may be â€Å"classified†, such as security programs. Shulsky also wrote: â€Å"’Deception’ by contrast refers to the effort to cause an adversary to believe something that is not true, to believe a ‘cover story’ rather than the truth, with the goal of leading him to react in a way that serves one’s own interests, rather than his.† â€Å"Deception† therefore involves creating an â€Å"alternative reality† which the target is induced to believe. While denial and deception are two different concepts, they are so intertwined in practice as to make one a necessary adjunct to the other. After all, deceiving one into believing a story other than what is reality is denying him the reality. According to (Caddell, 2004), deception is traditionally accepted as an integral component of political and military conflict. It is even a popularly accepted truth that a certain level of deception regularly occurs in all levels and types of human interaction and even in nature. Disinformation/deception, however, should not be confused with unintentional misinformation. Deception has two elements: intention to disinform, and intention to gain an advantage from the disinformation. In nature, deception exists in some forms of natural defense among flora and fauna. For instance, protective coloration or â€Å"camouflage† is common, in order to visually conceal the plant or animal in its natural habitat. Some animals are

Martial Arts In Renaissance Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Martial Arts In Renaissance Europe - Essay Example The gathered evidences are either in the form of scriptures of paintings. It is important to mention the event of Gladiator, this event occurred in 260 BC in Rome. The gathered evidences depict the wrestling techniques which were practiced during old ages, and with specific tools for self-defence and offend were designed and used. As per historic record, the groups practiced special martial arts during crucial combats. The pictorial display of historic combats have indicated the compilation of drafts i.e. Bayeux Tapestry and Morgan Bible, which has exclusively listed the details of technique necessary for combat alongside the design of the tools. As per European history, a specific manual has been discovered which depicts the learning of martial arts, "extant dedicated martial arts manual is the MS I.33 (ca. 1300), detailing sword and buckler combat". The book has mentioned that during high and late middle ages, common martial arts included jousting, fencing system. It was unfolded t hat during the period of late Middle Ages, different books on martial arts and fighting i.e. Fechubucher were compiled, regarded as "instructional treatises" (Mangan, 2001). The history of affiliation between the Europe and martial arts is significant and bonded. The literal meaning of Martial means the arts of Mars, which Mars is the reference to the Roman god of battle. It is therefore justifiable to link the history of martial arts with Ancient Greece. The literature of martial arts has been gathered and compiled by the European historians, have originated from the tradition of Mediaeval and Renaissance Europe, the compilation is in the form of treatise which included details of the combat techniques. The Europe has history of political and local struggle against injustice and mutiny, therefore on several accounts the mention of martial arts have been observed, which in actual was intended to communicate the fundamentals of defence to the forces and public (Jane, 1995). The conte mporary martial arts have its origination from the tradition of Mediaeval and Renaissance Europe. Several schools have been identified which have identified specified nature of practices relevant to martial arts, out of these some schools have been categorised as Italian, Spanish, German and English style; however some schools have focused upon weapons combat, mainly related to sword. The important institute linked to the promulgation and promotion of martial arts inside Europe includes the Academy of European Swordsmanship, this school has researched upon traditional swordsmanship. The book has given the details of the classified information relevant to this specific practice of martial arts includes strikes, locks and breaks, throws, wrestling, and disarms. The nature of these martial arts is limited to weapon and self combat, however the nature of martial arts practiced during Renaissance focused much upon hand-to-hand combat. The martial arts practices which originated during pe riod of Renaissance have transformed into boxing and fencing. The core values of the martial arts related to the European period of Renaissance focused primarily upon defensive and combat techniques, specially "learning to defend against knives, empty hand, ground fighting, pole weapons and swords" (Mangan, 2001). Discussion There growing misconception among the public is regarded the origination of martial art