Thursday, December 26, 2019

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 786 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/02/20 Category Medicine Essay Level High school Tags: Medical Ethics Essay Did you like this example? Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) are a set of health insurance and industry reforms that aim to expand access to health insurance and change the way the federal government pays doctors. The expansion of people with insurance can be attributed to three main provisions in the law – The expansion of Medicaid, the creation of insurance exchanges and the individual mandate (Kliff, 2017). While Obamacare relies on insurance companies and federal government, single payer healthcare relies on government (single payer) and covers the cost of essential healthcare for all residents through publicly funded taxes. The first provision under Obamacare is the expansion of Medicaid, a federal program that provides health care coverage to low income Americans. Before the expansion of Medicaid, residents of states such as Massachusetts and New York qualified for Medicaid based on income, household size, disability, family status and other factors. However, after the expansion of Medicaid in these states, residents can quality based on income level alone. If their income level is below 133% of the federal poverty level, they are eligible (HealthCare.gov). The second provision under Obamacare is the creation of health insurance marketplaces or health exchanges through which people can purchase and choose from a range of government – regulated and standardized health care plans. Before Obamacare, health insurance companies could deny coverage or charge higher prices for people with pre – existing conditions. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" essay for you Create order However, under Obamacare, one’s health, medical history and gender can’t affect their premiums. Insurance companies are only allowed to account five factors while setting premiums which are Age, Location, Tobacco use, Individual vs family enrollment and Plan Category (HealthCare.gov). The third and the most controversial provision under Obamacare is the individual mandate that requires most Americans to purchase health insurance coverage. The individual mandate would provide health care to all sections of society, irrespective of their race, color and class, thus hugely benefitting the oppressed sections. This provision forces healthy people (who wouldn’t purchase insurance) to sign up in order to keep the premiums low. However, people who can’t find an affordable plan or have religious reasons for not buying health insurance are exempted from the individual mandate. One of the aims of Obamacare is to tether doctors’ payments, at least partially, to patient outcomes, rewarding doctors who practice better medicine with higher payments. Despite having various benefits, Obamacare has some evident loopholes in it. First, residents of states such as Alabama and Mississippi (without Medicaid expansion) with incomes below the federal poverty level are severely affected since they don’t qualify for either Medicaid or health insurance savings program (HealthCare.gov). Also, Insurers are fleeing the health insurance marketplaces because Medicaid Expansion have made it more expensive for insurers in non – expansive states since they have to cover for poor people who tend to be sicker than rich people. For instance, in Alabama, Blue Cross Blue Shield being the only insurer participating in the exchange is spending $1.20 for every $1 collected in premiums (Khazan, 2017). As a result, new taxes on medical device and pharmaceutical sales were created to pay for ACA. Moreover, if an individual remains uninsured, under the individual mandate provision, he/she is asked to pay penalties which rise every year if they ar e still uninsured (Kliff, 2017). While Obamacare implemented individual mandate provision to reduce the premiums by encouraging healthy people to join, covering people with pre – existing conditions have caused the premiums to rise exponentially. On the other hand, policies such as single payer healthcare requires the federal government (single payer) to cover the costs of essential healthcare for all residents with costs financed by publicly funded taxes. Single payer system aims to provide universal health care, thereby, reducing the number of uninsured people. In a single payer government run system, government would negotiate with doctors, hospitals and pharmacies, thus, reducing price per service and bringing health care costs down (Kurtzleben,2017). Such unified system would ensure high quality health care as the quality of care would have to be high enough to be acceptable to all residents. While single payer healthcare plan of free health care with no copays and deductibles seems cost effective, government would have to increase taxes to provide funding for everyone. This tax increase could exceed the money spend on copays, deductibles and health insurance plans, thus making it cost intensive. Moreover, a single payer plan doesn’t imply no copays or deductibles. For instance, Canada’s single payer system does not include coverage for dental and vision care alongside several prescription drugs. One of the largest single payer systems, England’s National Health Services charges a $12 copay for drugs prescribed outside hospital setting. Therefore, single payer doesn’t guarantee free health care (Kliff,2015).

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Crime and Curfew Laws - 3514 Words

Perception of Selected Teenagers and their Parents Regarding the Juvenile curfew in Naga City, Camarines Sur (A Research Proposal) In partial fulfillment of the requirements in Research Methodology Table of Contents I. Rationale and Background of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦......... 1 I.1 Statement of the Problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 I.2 Null Hypothesis/Assumption†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.... 2 I.3 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework Theoretical†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 I.4 Significance of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 I.5 Scope and Delimitation of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 I.6 Definition of Terms†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.... 2 II. Review of Related Literature II.1.1 Legal Bases†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2.2.1 Local†¦show more content†¦John G. Bongat SECTION 1. – LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS. – Naga City is widely regarded as a peaceful community, with a government giving utmost importance to thepromotion of the well-being of children and families to ensure their collective safety and self-esteem. SECTION 2. – TITLE. – This Ordinance, as now revised, shall be known as the â€Å"NAGA CITY CURFEW ORDINANCE FOR MINORS†. SECTION 3. – DEFINITIONS. – The following words and phrases, whenever used in this ordinance, shall be construed as defined in this section: (a) â€Å"CURFEW HOURS† means the hours from 10:00 p.m. every night up to5:00 a.m. the next morning; (b) â€Å"MINOR† means any person under eighteen (18) years of age; (c) â€Å"PARENT† means a person who is a natural parent, adoptive parent, or step-parent of a minor. (d) â€Å"GUARDIAN† means: 1) A person who, under court order, is 2) the guardian of the person of a minor; 3) A public or private agency with whom a minor has been placed for custody by a court; 4) A person in charge of the custody or who is taking care of a minor, whether relative or not; or 5) A person at least eighteen (18) years of age and authorized by a parent or guardian to accompany a minor in a public place or to have the care and custody over him/her. (e)Show MoreRelatedAre Curfews Fair to Juveniles?840 Words   |  4 PagesAre Curfews Fair to Juveniles? Cities across the United States have imposed curfews on juveniles for many years. Teen curfew laws restrict the hours that juveniles may be on the streets or in public places at night (Sutphen and Ford). Some people consider curfews infringing on people’s constitutional rights. Curfews are hard to implement by law enforcement, and, in fact, take law enforcement away from more serious crimes. More crimes occur during daytime hours and more children are victimizedRead MoreEssay on Teenage Curfew Leads to Trouble Not Safety1600 Words   |  7 Pagesabout violent crimes and things that go bump in the night, but do we think that the problems can be solved by a magical curfew? Can parents really keep their teenagers out of trouble or does an imposed curfew only lead to resentment and chaos? Parents think back to when you were a teenager, did you have a curfew? If so, did you follow the rules or break them? Teenagers are no more likely to follow the rules today than they were in the past. It is not likely that creating a curfew for teenagers willRead MoreThe Laws On Curfews For Young Adults Under The Age Of 181220 Words   |  5 Pagesthe United States have enacted laws on curfews for young adults under the age of 18 years old. These laws are positioned to respond, in a positive manner, to the problems that arise when minors are out at all times of the night. These problems can cause an unsafe environment for not only the youth, but for the general public out late at night. Although curfews are not enacted in all major cities, this law is initiated to protect minors because it aids in reducing crime; assisting parents in settingRead MoreDo Youth Curfews Really Work?912 Words   |  4 PagesYouth Curfews Do youth curfews really work? With crime rate rising daily in many cities, more counties and cities are introducing new youth curfew laws to keep the youth out of the street after a certain time. The issue of adopting curfew laws has become more popular as parents are more concern about their kids’ safety during night time. Although parents and the cities have good intentions to cut the rate of crimes by proposing youth curfew laws, there are several unintended consequences that leadRead MoreEffectiveness Of Teen Curfews1544 Words   |  7 PagesEffectiveness of Teen Curfews Meridee Jones Cecil, a mother of two teenage boys, pronounced that she would undertake a new parenting tactic, and lay the curfew time in the teenager’s hands. Her son, Tom was a freshman in high school and often lingered around older friends who could drive. Because of this, Tom’s parents decided to teach him responsibility by having him appoint his own curfew. Meridee said, â€Å"It seemed to work like a charm. Tom even set some of his curfews for before midnight. He cameRead More Curfews: Whats the Point? Essay906 Words   |  4 PagesCurfews: Whats the Point? The 14th amendment of the United States Constitution states that any state shall not â€Å"deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws (Legal). However, many cities and states in the US currently enforce curfew laws that deny young teens under the age of 18 their right to be in public places or to drive after certain hours. These laws are punishing minors forRead MoreDo Curfews Effect Teens?951 Words   |  4 PagesLiz Wilfong ENG 101-036 April 28, 2015 Do Curfews Effect Teens? A lot of teenagers argue that obeying curfews really affects them because they get in troubles. Curfews do not guarantee that teenagers will fully stay out of trouble. Teen curfews do not reduce or take away from juvenile crime (â€Å"Teen Curfews Should Not Be Supported â€Å"). Some teens feel that when a parent sets a curfew, they don’t fully trust their kids all the way. Whether teenagers have a curfew or not, they can get in just as much troubleRead MoreTeen Curfews Should Not Be Banned1162 Words   |  5 Pagesfact that juvenile crime has been increasing in the last few years in larger cities, such as New York and Dallas. It has been a topic that is frequently brought up in town meetings and court cases dealing with town safety (Crowell 1). After the citizens demanded for something to be done about the violence and crimes that juveniles are exhibiting. They came to the solution of having teenager curfews that will hopefully decrease the violence and crime in larger ci ties. Teenager curfews have been foundRead MoreThe Violence Of The Urban Centers1060 Words   |  5 Pagesgathering. This occurrence prompted local authorities to pass an ordinance on Thursday that sets curfews as early as nine p.m. for people under age 18 (murphy, 2015). The question however remains if the youth are safe in our societies with or without curfews. The society has a significant role to play in the protection of the youth not only from joining a bad company and doing drugs but also from violence. Crime inevitably occurs during the night that during the day, it is in this light that the MayorRead MoreShould Teen Curfews Be Enforced?1055 Words   |  5 Pageshorses will once again be mice,† Said Fairy Godmother to Cinderella. Even Cinderella had a curfew. But the Fairy Godmother only wanted what was best for Cinderella, and she didn’t argue it. Giving teens an unreasonable curfew may make them think they need to sneak out of the house. But without a curfew, there is no guarantee that the teen will come home that night. So you`re left with the question, Should teen curfews be enforced? Once you think about it, if youngsters are getting into trouble, it makes

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Leadership in Organizational Knowledge Creation

Question: Discuss about the Leadership in Organizational Knowledge Creation. Answer: Introduction According to Von Krogh (2012) leaders are individuals selected to equip, control and influence one or more individuals who have diverse abilities and skills. Leaders are required to ensure followers focus on the teams mission and objective causing the followers to enthusiastically, emotionally and physically concentrate on achieving the pertained mission and objective. Leaders tend to convey prophetic visions of the future which resonates the followers values and beliefs in a manners followers can understand and interpret the future action (DuBrin, 2015). Additionally, a leaders achievement needs to be attained using ethical means as he or she seeks greater good to his followers. Challenges faced by leaders The above discussion shows that leaders should work ethically so as to achieve the pertained mission and objective. Hence, this means that there are certain challenges that as a leader one tends to experience when trying to influence a group. Firstly, staying motivated tends to be a challenge. According to Walumbwa et al (2012) the greatest mistake any leader could make is hoping that someone else will motivate him or her. For any leader motivation must always be an inside job. In any group there can be formation of a positive environment and aid in motivation, but remaining motivates is something that as a leader could do for himself. Secondly, maintaining focus for a group leader tends to be a challenge. This is because there exists a lot of demands on a leaders attention and the existence of many leaders tends to allow other to determine theirs. Effective focus which arises and the step of choosing this tends to be the most crucial but maintaining focus tends to distract most people (Hogg et al, 2012). Thirdly, leaders face the difficult of balancing the needs of the group and the team members wants. The challenging issue here it trying to satisfy the two parties which is a key factor in the attainment of group objectives. Being respected and liked by group members tends to be vital for the success of a group, thus for most leaders getting to balance the two tends to be a milestone. For many leaders they tend to use the term being respected as an excuse of them not being liked. For most leaders in any group choosing one out of these two aspects tends to be difficult (Ubben et al, 2015). This is because being competent tends to gain you respect and being nice gets people to like you. Hence, the extra effort of choosing the best aspect is the challenge most leaders face. Challenges faced by groups Above, we have looked at some of the challenges leaders face in controlling groups. On the other hand, team members also tend to experience some difficulties during their stay in the group. First, there is the issue of coordination. Coordination is a representation of time and energy needed in group work so as to complete the assigned task (Herrmann Herrmann-Nehdi, 2015). This issue tends to be difficult to tackle because arranging of schedules, meetings, making decisions collectively and integration of group members to contribute consumes more time and at times there could be no co-operation by team members. Similar to leaders pertained to leading groups remaining motivated is also difficult for group members. Some of the factors that demotivate group members include free riding by some of the team members. Social loafing where members describe the tendency of a not applying more effort in their groups (Reeves Ventura, 2012). The development of conflict in any group may also reduce the levels of morale in any group. Intellectual cost also tends to be a challenge for most group members. For instance, the escalation in commitment in plans and strategies could lower the inefficiency of group members. Transparency illusion may also become a challenge because of the thought that attitudes and reasons tend to be the obvious reasons for their inefficiency (Komives Wagner, 2016). Common information effect to a group tends to be a problem because members tend to share and ignore the unique information which could be helpful in the completion of a particular task. The issue of conflict over opinions, strategies or positions greatly affects group members. This is because of the personal preference of a certain individual which affects the group in attainment of its set objectives and goals. The significance of leadership traits Leaders recognition of diversity of the followers and achieving unity tends to be a common value. For this to happen any leader should have effective leadership traits. In this case, we will be looking at how important it is to have a leader with leadership traits. Firstly, consider the case of an honest leader (Northouse, 2012). Most people will choose to follow any honest leader this is because of his unique ability in handling of mistakes. Honesty in any leader is vital because it tends to refine new ideas that failed compared to ideas that dishonest leaders who will fail to refine such ideas because of fear of failure. The trait of forward looking tends to be a vital trait for leaders. This is because as a leader you should be able to figure out where you are going from your actual standing point. Failing to have such a trait makes team member perceive that their leader is not forward looking and the leader is unwilling to share his vision with others. Leaders having such a trait tends to be vital because it shows that he or she is thinking and planning for the future plan used in task completion (Chiriac Granstrm, 2012). Competency trait in a leader is vital. For team member, they are always on the verge of following a competent leader. This doesnt insinuate that leaders need to be experts from each areas, but the ability to portray some form of competency is vital. Additionally, as a leader you need to understand that demonstration of competency isnt enough. Some people assume one is competent because of his leadership position, but demonstrating tends to be vital for other to accept that you are competent. Inspiring others as a leaders is also a critical trait. For most group member getting inspired by their leaders tends to keep their morale high (Leroy et al, 2015). In fact, there is a class that people follow an individual because he tends to inspire them even if the leader possesses no quality. Recommendation for leadership issues Our previous discussion on leadership perceives it as a process that enables followers to be innovative towards the achievement of a certain goal. But, also we have viewed that leaders tend to face serious challenges during their influence. Hence, we will be providing brief explanation on how such issues could be tackled. First, there was the issue of remaining motivated as a leaders. There exist many ways one could use so as to remain motivated. Knowing your purpose tends to be the first initiative this tends to develop a high sense of purpose leading to high motivation (Nahavandi, 2016). Maintaining of focus is also a critical issue which most leaders face. To effectively tackle this problem there is need of knowing whats significant and choosing it first. Distractions shouldnt be ignored but tabling then in a better way could effectively tackle the situation since not all task are equal. Balancing needs of the team members and organization is also hard for leaders. Therefore, leaders need to understand that balancing the two is vital (Ubben et al, 2015). Hence, there are instances where sacrifices will be needed and most people need to understand that. Thus, leaders need to understand that achieving results at the expense of your team may lead to resentment and high turnover. Therefore, balancing the two is the only best way. The issue of being respected and liked is critical for leaders. Hence, the best way that they could deal with this is by being competent which makes people respect them (DuBrin, 2015). Being nice also get people to like them taking an extra effort on this two might be critical. This paper has provided an in-depth discussion on the issue of leadership. This includes the challenges faced by leaders in a group, challenges faced by group members and the best ways leaders could tackle this situation. References Northouse, P. G. (2012).Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage. Walumbwa, F. O., Morrison, E. W., Christensen, A. L. (2012). Ethical leadership and group in-role performance: The mediating roles of group conscientiousness and group voice.The Leadership Quarterly,23(5), 953-964. Chiriac, E. H., Granstrm, K. (2012). Teachers leadership and students experience of group work.Teachers and Teaching,18(3), 345-363. Von Krogh, G., Nonaka, I., Rechsteiner, L. (2012). Leadership in organizational knowledge creation: a review and framework.Journal of Management Studies,49(1), 240-277. Hogg, M. A., Van Knippenberg, D., Rast, D. E. (2012). Intergroup leadership in organizations: Leading across group and organizational boundaries.Academy of Management Review,37(2), 232-255. Reeves, D. B., Ventura, S. (2012). i Leadership.AGENDA. DuBrin, A. J. (2015).Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills. Nelson Education. Leroy, H., Anseel, F., Gardner, W. L., Sels, L. (2015). Authentic leadership, authentic followership, basic need satisfaction, and work role performance: A cross-level study.Journal of Management,41(6), 1677-1697. Herrmann, N., Herrmann-Nehdi, A. (2015).The Whole Brain Business Book: Unlocking the Power of Whole Brain Thinking in Organizations, Teams, and Individuals. McGraw Hill Professional. Ubben, G. C., Hughes, L. W., Norris, C. J. (2015).The principal: Creative leadership for excellence in schools. Pearson. Nahavandi, A. (2016).The Art and Science of Leadership -Global Edition. Pearson. Komives, S. R., Wagner, W. (Eds.). (2016).Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development. John Wiley Sons.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Management Essay about Michael Porters Approaches

Introduction The concept of strategic management is increasingly being adopted by companies across the globe. As competition intensify, firms look for the most effective management strategies or models in order to improve their competitiveness.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management Essay About Michael Porter’s Approaches specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strategic management can be defined as â€Å"a goals-oriented management in which the mission and planned achievements of an organization are clearly set and all management processes are designed and monitored towards reaching the organization’s overall goals† (Joyce and Woods, 2001, p. 12). It is concerned with the planned and emergent initiatives that mangers take regarding resource allocation and improving the performance of the firm. Such initiatives entail formulating the firm’s mission, vision and objectives as well as formul ating policies that help in achieving the objectives. The performance of a firm is normally assessed using the balanced scorecard model and the results reflect the effectiveness of strategic management. In order to enhance the process of strategic management, Michael Porter developed several analysis tools which can be used by firms to evaluate their competitiveness in an industry. Such analyses enable firms to make informed decisions in regard to strategic management. This paper focuses on the contributions of Michael Porter in the filed of management. Michael Porter’s Contributions Michel Porter developed several analysis and management tools which include Porter’s five forces analysis, value chain analysis, competitive advantage theory, strategic group analysis and generic strategies (Joyce and Woods, 2001, p. 21). These tools are normally applied to specific management functions. The significance of these tools in the process of strategic management can be explaine d as follows.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Value Chain Analysis A value chain refers to the various activities that a firm perform in order to produce the end good or service in a given industry. At each stage â€Å"value is added to the product† (Sadler and Craig, 2003, p. 47). In order to deliver value to customers, companies must identify the point at which value is created or lost in their processes. Thus Michel Porter developed a model for analyzing the value chain in order to help in determining where value is created or lost within a firm. The costs and value associated with the activities of the firm determines whether or not products with the best value are produced by the company (Sadler and Craig, 2003, p. 50). The value chain framework gives managers the opportunity to identify the activities which generate the greatest value and those that create compe titive advantages. Similarly, the framework enables managers to identify the activities that create little value for the firm and its customers. Thus the framework enables managers to determine the activities that are important for competitiveness as well as the achievement of the firm’s overall strategy. The value chain is characterized by two main categories of activities namely, the primary and the secondary activities. Primary activities are those â€Å"directly concerned with the production or delivery of products or services† (Sadler and Craig, 2003, p. 53). They include transportation, production, sales and marketing services. Secondary activities on the other hand enhance the efficiency as well as effectiveness of primary processes. They include developing human resources, procurement, acquisition of infrastructure and improving production technology. The firm’s strategic goals must be aligned with its value chain (Sadler and Craig, 2003, p. 53). For exa mple, if the company’s goal is to achieve cost efficiency, then it will focus on activities that reduce costs. In the context of management, the value chain enables the management to evaluate the organization’s design. By identifying the activities that add value and those that do not, the management can make decisions on which activities to outsource or terminate and the ones to strengthen. Competitive Advantage Competitive advantages refer to the unique attributes that distinguish a company from the rest and improves its competitiveness within an industry. According to Porter, a firm should pursue policies aimed at producing high-quality products which are then sold at high prices (Dess, 2010, p. 67).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management Essay About Michael Porter’s Approaches specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Competitive advantage is attained when the firm develops attributes which e nable it to outperform its rivals. Thus achieving competitive advantage implies the ability to realize high performance through attributes and resources. In the context of management, achieving competitive advantage involves successful implementation of strategic goals. Strategic management aimed at improving the competitive advantage of a firm should thus involve activities which enhance access to raw materials, talented personnel and new technologies (Dess, 2010, p. 68). Strategic Group Strategic group analysis is a strategic management concept used to group together firms with similar strategies or business models within an industry (Dess, 2010, p. 77). The number and characteristics of groups in a given industry is determined by the attributes used to categorize them. However, companies normally fall into two broad categories namely, direct and indirect competitors. Michael Porter â€Å"explained the concept of strategic group in terms of mobility barriers† (Dess, 2010, p . 77). The mobility barriers in this case represent the entry barriers which prevent potential competitors from entering the industry. The significance of strategic group analysis in management includes the following. It enables the management to identify who their rivals are, their strength within the industry and the strategy behind their competitiveness. Thus the management will be able to formulate policies that enable the firm to comfortably compete with its rivals (Dess, 2010, p. 78). Strategic group analysis also helps the management to determine the likelihood of firms moving from one strategic group to another. By knowing the characteristics of firms within a given strategic group, the management will be able to identify opportunities which they can take advantage of within the industry. Finally, it enables the firm to identify strategic problems that it faces. Consequently, it gives the management an opportunity to take timely precautionary measures in order to maintain or improve its competitiveness.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Generic Strategies The relative position occupied by a firm within an industry determines whether its profitability will be above or below the average profitability levels of the industry. Sustainable competitive advantage is the main determinant of a firm’s ability to realize above average profits in the long-run. The two main competitive advantages that a company can posses include, low cost and differentiation. When these two types of competitive advantages are aligned with activities for which the company intends to realize them; three generic strategies for achieving above average profitability are formed. The three generic strategies include â€Å"cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategy† (Sadler and Craig, 2003, p. 63). A firm pursuing a cost leadership strategy focuses on being the lowest cost producer in the industry it operates in. The sources of cost advantage are influenced by the industry’s structure. The sources include economies of scal e, access to superior production technology and access to raw materials. In order to achieve cost leadership a firm must explore all avenues of realizing cost advantages (Porter, 1996, pp. 61-78). Achieving cost leadership will enable the firm to realize profits which are higher than the industry average as long as its prices are comparable to the average prices in the industry. A firm pursing the differentiation strategy aims at being unique within its industry. The firm’s uniqueness is normally built along the dimensions that customers highly value such as superior product quality. In order to achieve this objective, the firm identifies one or more elements that majority of customers perceive as important (Porter, 1996, pp. 61-78). It then aims at meeting those needs by uniquely positioning itself. The company will be able to charge premium prices if it maintains its unique status in the industry. According to Porter, a firm pursuing the focus strategy usually identifies a particular segment of the market and concentrates in serving it. Thus the firm’s strategy will be tailored towards serving a particular market while excluding others. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Porter developed a framework for analyzing the level of competition in an industry. His framework identifies five forces which determine the level of competition within an industry. The forces include â€Å"threat of new entrants, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitute products, bargaining power of suppliers and threat of competitive rivalry† (Joyce and Woods, 2001, p. 78). Thus profitability within a given industry is determined by the strongest force. Profitability will be low if these forces are strong. It will however be relatively high if the forces are weak. Since these forces are external to the firm, they create both threats and opportunities to the firm. Thus analyzing the relative strength of these forces enables a firm to formulate policies that wi ll help it to take advantage of the opportunities associated with the forces and minimize the threats associated with them. This objective can be achieved as follows. First, the company should position itself â€Å"where the forces are weakest† (Porter, 2000, pp. 1-8). Second, the firm should always explore changes in the forces. The forces normally change over time and can create opportunities for the firm. Finally, the firm should explore the possibility of reshaping the forces in its favor (Porter, 2000, pp. 1-8). This includes efforts to reduce the threat of substitutes, neutralizing suppliers’ power and countering customer power. Case Study: Fortescure Metals Group Fortescure Metals Group (FMG) is a new entrant in the iron ore mining industry. The Porter’s Five Forces analysis will be used to analyze its competitiveness in the industry. Competitive Rivalry The intensity of competition is very high and this can be explained as follows. Even though there are a few competitors, the dominant firms control the greatest share of the market (78%). There are only three competitors in the industry. However, the two dominant firms, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto have the largest market share. The industry growth rate is also slow as demand for iron ore dwindles. The fixed costs are very high since mining is labor intensive. This means that the fixed costs are high due to the large number of employees needed in the industry. Exit costs are very high due to the high sunk costs associated with mining. Since mining involves specialized equipment and infrastructure, exiting the industry will lead to a loss of the money used to acquire such equipment. The high threat of competitive rivalry is likely to limit FMG’s growth in the industry. Power of the Buyer The power of the buyer is very high due to the following reasons. The concentration of buyers relative to suppliers is very high. This means that there are few buyers as compared to suppliers. T he buyers’ switching costs are low since they can easily change their suppliers of iron ore at low costs. The suppliers’ (iron miners) products are not differentiated. The iron ore is normally sold to the buyers as a raw material hence its low level of differentiation. Finally, the threat of backward integration is high as most Chinese steel millers (main buyers) invest in direct mining of iron ore. The high power of the buyers means that iron ore miners are price takers. Thereat of Substitutes The threat of substitutes is low in the industry. 99% of the iron is used to manufacture steel. However, there is no substitute for iron in the manufacture of steel. The low threat of substitutes means that the incumbents can increase their profits by increasing the supply of iron ore since there are no substitutes (Sadler and Craig, 2003, p. 80). Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants in the iron ore mining industry is low due to the following reasons. There is low d ifferentiation of products since all miners produce the same raw iron ore. The capital requirement for joining the industry is very high. This is because mining is capital intensive and requires heavy investment in infrastructure and technology. The switching costs are very high since moving from one mining site or region to another will require significant investment in plant, equipment and infrastructure. The incumbents in the industry have a great control over the distribution channel by limiting access to their rail systems. The low threat of new entrants means that new companies can not easily join the industry (Sadler and Craig, 2003, p. 79). Thus the incumbents like FMG can maintain their market shares. Power of the Supplier The power of the suppliers is low since the iron ore miners obtain their supply of iron on their own. Thus iron miners such as FMG have the advantage of obtaining their iron ore at the lowest price possible by focusing on cost efficiency in their producti on. Conclusion Strategic management involves formulating the mission of an organization and formulating policies which facilitate resource allocation in order to realize the mission. This process involves designing and effectively executing the organization’s strategy (Sadler and Craig, 2003, p. 27). The essence of strategic management is to enhance the competitiveness of the organization. Michael Porter developed several tools that can be used by organizations to evaluate their competitiveness and to develop the best strategies as discussed above. Organizations should utilize the tools effectively to enhance their competitiveness. References Dess, G. 2010. Strategic Management. New York: McGraw-Hill. Joyce, P. and Woods, A. 2001. Strategic Management. New York: Kogan Page. Porter, M. 2000. The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review, 1(1), pp. 1-8. Porter, M. 1996. What is Strategy? Harvard Business Review, 1(1), pp.61-78. Sadler, P. and Craig, J . Strategic Management. New York: Kogan Page. This essay on Management Essay About Michael Porter’s Approaches was written and submitted by user Legend Sanford to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

How to Use phpMyAdmin for Your Database

How to Use phpMyAdmin for Your Database Abhilash writes I am using phpMyAdmin†¦ so how can I interact with the database? Hi Abhilash! phpMyAdmin is a great way to interact with your database. It allows you the flexibility of using the interface, or simply using SQL commands directly. Lets take a closer look at how to use it! First navigate to your phpMyAdmin login page. Enter your username and password to access your database. Now that you have logged in, you will see a screen that has all of your databases basic information. From here there are several things you can do. Lets say you want to run a bit of SQL script. On the left hand side of the screen, there are some small buttons. The first button is a home button, then an exit button, and the third is a button that reads SQL. Click on this button. This should prompt a popup window. Now, if you wish to run your code you have two options. Option one is to type or paste in the SQL code directly. The second option is to choose the Import Files tab. From here you can import files full of SQL code. Often when you download software they will include files like this to help you install it. Another thing you can do in phpMyAdmin is browse your database. Click on the database name in the left hand column. It should expand to show you a list of tables within your database. You can then click on any of the tables it contains. There are several tabs of options on the top of the right page now. The first option is Browse. If you select browse, you can view all of the entries in that table of the database. You can edit, or delete entries from this area of phpMyAdmin. It is best not to change data here if you arent exactly sure what its doing. Only edit what you understand because once deleted it is irreversible. The next tab is the Structure tab. From this table you can view all of the fields within the database table. You can remove or edit the fields from this area too. You can also change the data types here. The third table is the SQL tab. This is similar to the pop up SQL window that we discussed earlier in this article. The difference is that when you access it from this tab, it already has some SQL pre-filled in the box pertaining to the table from which you accessed it. The forth tab is the Search tab. As its name implies this is used to search your database, or more particularly the table form which you accessed the tab. If you access the search feature from the main phpMyAdmin screen you can search all of the tables and entries for your entire database. This is a very useful feature, that could be completed using only SQL but for many programmers as well as non-programmers its nice to have the simple to use interface. The next tab is Insert which allows you to add information to your database. It is followed by the Import and Export buttons. As they imply they are used to import or export data from your database. The Export option is particularly useful, as it allows you to make a backup of your database from which you can restore if you ever have an issue. It is a good idea to backup data often! Empty and Drop are both potentially dangerous tabs, so please use them with caution. Many a novice has clicked through these tabs only to have their database disappear into the great unknown. Never delete unless you are absolutely sure it wont break things! Hopefully that gives you some basic ideas of how you can use phpMyAdmin to work with the database on your website.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Aldi and Lidl Essays

Aldi and Lidl Essays Aldi and Lidl Paper Aldi and Lidl Paper In our globalized world it Is becoming more and more challenging for companies to create their own unique brand. Competition is high and companies have to decide which strategy is the best for their business evolvement. This report is focused on two different companies Lidl and Aldi operating in the food retailing industry. Lidl and Aldi mostly was entering markets through Greenfield investments. These two companies chose greenfield investment as they wanted to have a full control over their business, promote their own brand and manage their business on their own. Advantages and disadvantages of entering market through greenfield investment is included in this report. Aldi’s main objective, when entering other market like UK and Switzerland, is ‘recognising customers needs and meeting the requirements of the demand in that country’. Lidl and Aldi have completely different strategies in global expansion. Aldi was entering big markets like the USA and Australia and this was good strategy for company’s expansion as target markets of such countries are much bigger than European target market. But it takes much more effort to control such big markets. As for Lidl’s future I would recommend to expand in other European countries before entering big markets like Russia, although it would be a great opportunity for Lidl to enter Russian market. About Aldi and Lidl Both companies Aldi and Lidl were founded in Germany. Aldi was founded in 1946 by two Albrecht brothers and Lidl was founded eleven years after Aldi was founded by Dieter Schwarz. These two companies were opening and still open, grocery discount stores which means selling products at the lowest price possible reducing its costs on companies promotion, rental fees or purchasing prices of properties as well as having a basic outlet format stores. German company Aldi started to go global after Second World War, time characterised by common market in European countries, which means it was time when trade barriers were reduced and goods and production factors ( labour, capital, technology) could freely move from country to country. As this company was already big enough to invest in other country it firstly invested in Austria, country which borders on Germany. Austria was mostly influenced by Germany culture, so it was a good idea for the company’s first experience in investing abroad as the culture differences were not so big. The same as Aldi, Lidl company focuses on discount markets, larger supermarkets and cash and carry wholesale markets. At first, Lidl copied Aldi as much as possible, although in time Lidl took completely different strategy and added more articles to their assortment and new innovative approaches. 1. a Market entry strategy of Aldi and Lidl FDI (foreign direct investment)is an equity mode for companies which want to export their products or services. Aldi and Lidl decided to invest abroad to expand their business and some of the benefits of doing so are : cheaper labour costs, infrastructure quality , economic growth or market size of the host country. Aldi and Lidl are both ‘grocery discounters’ and to save money these companies build up their stores in suburban areas and remote districts where they can save money on rent or on purchase prices of properties and being a ‘grocery discounter’ Is a good strategy to expand their business abroad. Economic and political environment in the home country is influential on company’s decision to go international. Power and prestige is another influence on Aldi’s and Lidl decision going global. The companies want to become successful, popular and powerful. They want to become an example for the rest of the world and gain global market power. That is why Aldi and Lidl decided to go global. Aldi and Lidl were mostly entering other countries markets through Greenfield investment. Greenfield investment is a form of foreign direct investment which means setting up an entirely new foreign facility in the host country. These two companies wanted to keep their brand all over the world and have full control over their business. Although Greenfield investment is not always the best way to enter the foreign market. Although in Aldi’s and Lidl’s case it was the best way to enter the foreign market, as the primarily aim for these two companies was to promote their own brand and to manage their business in the way these two companies wanted. So in some cases companies should go for Greenfield type investment and in other cases acquisitions are more beneficial. Advantages and disadvantages of entering market through greenfield investment are discussed further. . b Advantages and disadvantages of greenfield investment For the host country, it is beneficial if a company invests through greenfield type of investment, although the effects of FDI (foreign direct investment) differ in different regions and countries. For example, Brazil have attracted foreign direct investment but mostly it was non Greenfield, while India attracted mostly Greenfield investments although it is possible to suggest that generally it has failed to attract any FDI. But Indian economy is growing whereas Brazil has remained without any improvements. So some examples also show that Greenfield investments are more beneficial for the host countries. Although such point of view can be argued. As, for example, in Aldi’s case entering different countries markets in 1950th (after the Second World War, when the time faced shortage of goods) was beneficial for host countries as such companies as Aldi was bringing market growth to the host country at that time. Comparing to acquisition’s type of investment Traditionally acquisitions or privatizations of stated-owned enterprises were considered as evolvement of developed countries , although in years the situation had changed. It became beneficial for developed countries invest in developing countries through cross-border acquisitions , as these countries could buy enterprises assets at cheap prices . But it was also beneficial for developing countries for their opportunity for market growth. Investing through cross-border acquisitions can be beneficial for those who want to enrich their multinational experience, international strategy , cultural differences between the home country and host country and other. That is why Aldi entered Austria (first country abroad) via acquisition. This company did not have any multinational experience and entering through acquisition helped them to learn a lot about different country, understand how other markets operate and gain experience in creating new international strategies. Andersson and Svensson (1996) came to the conclusion that a firm with strong organizational skills prefer acquiring an existing company in the host country, while firms with strong technological skills favour greenfield operations. Applying this study it is possible to consider that Aldi and Lidl have strong technological skills. Investing through greenfield investment means operating fast, being organised and meet the requirements of the demanding customers. And case study proves that: ‘with their altered product and service strategies, Lidl and Aldi are trying to meet the requirements of their demanding local customers. ’ Another interesting finding is that Greenfield FDI has a stronger positive impact on GDP compared to that of domestic investment, (as in Austria where Aldi invested. It is one of the richest countries comparing Gross domestic product per capita ), a country with strong and stable economy attracts Greenfield investment more, whereas Greenfield investment is more attractive for underdeveloped countries. Advantages of greenfield investment The economic growth of the host country is one of the most important determinants for Greenfield investment considerations. Such investment was primarily considered by Aldi and then by lidl because the companies wanted to promote their own brand, and they promoted their names in the host countries. These companies did not need to share any profit with anyone else as well as controlled and operated their business and organizational culture in their own way and in the way they wanted it to. They also created new production capacity and linkages to the global marketplace. For the host countries where Lidl and Aldi invested, greenfield investment was beneficial as such investments create new job opportunities , the companies invest in research and development and invest in additional capital programs. Disadvantages of greenfield investment  Although starting from the scratch ( investing through the Greenfield type investment) was not easy for them. Aldi and Lidl did not understand anything about the host country’s culture, market or country’s regulations in which they wanted to invest. Investing in the host country through the Greenfield investment was also risky because the companies did not know how well local companies were established in the country, they did not understand how did everything work in that country , so it took a long time for them getting to know that country. So reactive reasons ( actions for getting the information about the foreign market) were not enough to get understanding of the foreign market. Also Greenfield investment costs much more than cross-border acquisition investment, so mostly only big companies ( like Aldi and Lidl) which can invest good amount of money in another country can afford to invest through the Greenfield investment. Also such investments were dangerous for domestic companies, as competition was growing and domestic companies could lose their market share while international companies Aldi and Lidl were growing and expanding in the home country. . a Aldi’s strategy in the UK and Switzerland Entering such markets as UK or Swiss high-price market, meant creating a new strategy of enlarging Aldi’s products and offering higher level of service. As for example, Switzerland market was mostly shared by three largest companies Micros, Coop and Denner ( 80% of market) , so it was firstly, brave enough entering such market, and secondly, if entering such market that meant creating new more attractive product offers for customers with high level of services. Aldi in UK and Switzerland was trying to concentrate on 700 products for daily use in these two countries as well as adapting to new eating habits and consumption habits typical for the customers. As from the case study, director Martin Bailie explained : ‘It’s not all pan-European buying; we have to look what UK customers want’. Also it is important to note that entering Swiss market meant making prices higher so that they could adapt to Swiss market and provide necessary level of service. Having said so, the company had strategy to become the cheapest underclass-discounter in UK and Switzerland fulfilling costumers needs. Buying goods in great volume from the same supplier , not spending money on brand promotion and fancy displays approach helped Aldi to achieve their guaranteed price range and become successful in the markets. Buying goods from the same supplier gave them opportunity to investigate product quality in special test kitchens and improve products quality if it was necessary. Saving money on fancy displays and advertisements helped them reduce goods prices. As from the case study, Aldi realized that by adaptation to local needs the company can successfully develop a foreign market and become prospering in different countries, as Switzerland and UK. 2. b risks of taking such strategy It is clear that UK and Switzerland have different culture than Germany, so customers approach to shopping also differs. As from the case study : ‘In Germany, cheap equates to value. By contrast, in the UK low prices are not necessarily equated with value and are more associated with poor quality. ’ That is why grocery discounter may seem suspicious for them. People might think that low price goods means not really good quality, especially if customers realise that the company grows and prospers. So customers might not want to buy bad quality products (especially food) even knowing that it is cheaper. So the biggest risk for grocery discounter in such countries is bad reputation. 3. a Aldi and Lidl Internationalisation Although it is possible to say that Lidl copied Aldi’s business their strategy became completely different. Achieving strategic advantage was primarily influence on Aldi deciding to open stores in Europe, Australia and in the USA or on Lidl restricting their expansion in particular European countries till 2009. Strategy decision-making depended on company’s targets , planning and volume of expansion . Aldi and Lidl are competitors so it was obvious that these two companies would try to differ their strategies in different ways. It is possible to consider that Lidl was trying to build its strategy decision-making on Aldi’s experience, but Lidl’s strategic advantage achievements became more adventurous . So Aldi’s and Lidl’s strategies were focused on different goals. As from the case study, Lidl was focused on expansion in markets where ‘no competitor had been present previously’, whereas Aldi would wait till retail sector matured. Also as it was said previously, Lidl was mostly focused on expansion in European countries whereas Aldi expanded in USA, Australia and Europe. There are advantages and disadvantages of Aldi’s strategy. Advantages The USA and Australia are very big countries and these countries have huge target market. Exporting there means selling more than in Europe. Consumers in these countries are generally interested in products as in UK, and Aldi has experience in selling its products in UK. So selling in these countries for Aldi means selling more goods and better promote the brand. Disadvantages So Aldi promotes its brand worldwide, but to that the company needs a lot of resources to control it. It is much harder to control the business in the USA and Australia as these countries are very big. Whereas selling in Europe is easier to control and manage. Also controlling the company in such countries as USA and Australia means creating strategies for each region separately whereas selling in Europe Lidl can create only one strategy for all countries . So it is a huge responsibility for Aldi to manage its business all over the world. 3. b Lidl strategy until 2020 The impact of the Lidl name outside the German borders is astonishing when considering that very little information is leaked to the publicity about its future plans. ’ (M. Moesgaard Andersen Flemming Poulfelt, 2006) Although from the case study it is clear that Lidl plans are to expand its business in Brazil, Mexico, Russia and the USA. The countries where Lidl want to export are culturally completely different as well as geographically much bigger than Europe. So internationalisation to these countries needs new and well-organised strategies to each of the countries. As Lidl was mostly focusing on Europe it will be a big challenge for the company to enter these markets. So considering this, firstly, I would recommend to expand its business in countries where its main competitor Aldi hasn’t stores. Countries in which Lidl operates at the moment. This map shows in which countries Lidl operates at the moment. There is a list of countries in which ALdi operates at the moment: Australia Austria Belgium Denmark France Germany Great Britain Hungary Ireland Luxemburg Netherlands Poland Portugal Slovenia Spain Switzerland USA As from the map it is clear that Lidl was mostly focusing on Western countries, so I would recommend to enter Baltic countries markets and other Eastern European countries first. There is no Aldi in Baltic countries as well, and if talking about these countries markets they are not as competitive as other European countries. So it would be a great opportunity for Lidl. Entering the Baltic countries markets and other Eastern European countries would help Lidl to gain recognition of European countries as ‘strong brand throughout Europe’. Afterwards, I would recommend to enter Russian market. Russia is the biggest country in the world and target market is huge. Russia doesn’t have very competitive market and supermarkets, I would say , would become very popular over there. Also Aldi doesn’t have any store there. Although this country’s culture differs from other European countries and at first it would very challenging for Lidl. Conclusion To conclude with, the grocery retailing industry will always be profitable, especially knowing that worldwide annual sales volume ofâ‚ ¬ 3. trillion in 2007 and an average annual sales growth is 2. 7 percent during the past ten years. And it is obviously the most important sector in the world as people cannot survive without food , drinks and other groceries. Although companies operating in this sector and considering going global must decide which strategy would be best for their expansion, promotion and prosperity. Lidl’s and Aldi’s expansion became very successful and for the future these two companies must consider their expansion very carefully to achieve their goals and enlarge their revenues.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Japan -earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in international Essay

Japan -earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in international business perspective - Essay Example The influence of the earthquake and the tsunami in the nuclear strategies of countries worldwide is examined in this paper. Reference is also made to the effects of the event on the global market. Appropriate theories are used for explaining the relationship between the earthquake in Japan and the nuclear crisis that followed. 2. Background of earthquake It could be argued that Japan should be best prepared to face such events. Two Swiss experts have been asked to evaluate the potentials of predicting the above earthquake: In accordance with Domenico Giardini, there were major chances to predict the specific earthquake. It is noted that earthquakes of 8.5 are considered as possible in the greater region; also, a few days before the above earthquake, tremors of 7.7 were reported in the region, but they were not given the adequate attention (Kuenzi & Beti 2011).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Hybrids versus Electrics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hybrids versus Electrics - Essay Example   Even though the electric cars had low-speed limits, they still held numerous advantages over their gasoline counterparts including minimal noise emissions, and no vibrations and smells produced by engine combustions and rotations. Furthermore, an electric car driver did not need to change gears while driving like the gasoline car driver had to and as such, they were easier to drive. The electric cars were especially popular among city dwellers, especially the women who were targeted by the cars’ marketers citing its easiness in operation. The electric cars’ sales were initially impeded by the limited electricity infrastructure but this set back was overcome by 1912 when most homes had access to electricity, driving a surge in sales of the cars. This was also the year when the early electrics sales peaked (Leitman & Brant, 36).The 1913 invention of the starter that enabled gasoline cars to start with ease almost caused the extinction of the electric cars and steam au tomobiles. Sales in electric vehicles dropped sharply with the next six decades experiencing dormancy in their mass production as gasoline cars became the preferred choice. However, the 1970s Arab oil embargo created new interest in the cars and environmental concerns also played a significant role in boosting their production. Hybrids are also considered electric though they are not purely electric as they only run as electric at low speeds above which the vehicles operate just like ICE with the exception of their braking systems.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Analyse a five-minute extract of an episode of a soap Essay Example for Free

Analyse a five-minute extract of an episode of a soap Essay Analyse a five-minute extract of an episode of a soap, drawing reference to features which maximise the dramatic effectiveness as seen by the audience. The dramatic effectiveness as viewed by the audience is governed by many different features, for example the camera position and angle. During a peak of tension or drama, the director may choose a close-up shot of a zooming-out shot that fades to either the credits or the next scene. The way the camera captures the picture can either make a scene take off or just blend in with any other. At the beginning of Eastenders, there was a birds eye view of the Square that was interrupted by different conversations about dramas going on in different peoples lives. I thought this type of spy camera method was fast moving and really effective in maximising the drama in the characters lives. Another spy camera whisked through the market stalls giving you a feeling of being there with the characters and involved in their situations or dilemmas, whether they be good or bad. I wasnt aware of much editing in the scenes I was analysing, but I often heard sound from the following scene, while the current one was still in shot. I also noticed this can be done with the music being held and the picture changing. This became apparent in the first scene, the title music was still playing but the picture had changed to Barry, a failing businessman who was having a angry conversation with his father Roy, about the car lot. During the theme tune and credits at the end of the soap, I noticed straight after the last scene has ended they interrupt the broadcast to advertise another show or an event the channel needs promoting. Although this editing isnt about the scenes in the extract I still think it is important. Lighting is a major and significant part in a soap. I am not sure if it adds too much dramatic tension to a plot but it does help to set the scene. In the scene, between Roy and Barry there was a silhouette created by Barry. He is usually being talked down to. I think by creating a shadow, standing in the window, with his father sitting in an armchair looking at his back, it shows Barry is trying to exert some dominance. Unfortunately for Barry his father was not going to stand being talked to like that. One other effect created by lighting I noticed was in E20. The lights in the night-club are always dim, even in the day, creating a mysterious, sinister atmosphere . Lighting can be very useful to a soap but only if employed in the correct manner. Dialogue is, I believe extremely important. The characters intellect and personality is expressed through their language. The dialogue can build tension to extreme points so the audience are on the edge of their seats, and are suspending their own belief. They forget real life for half an hour and become involved in the soap plot. Slang is used all the time in soaps, it is like the their own language. I also saw dialogue styles change when one person spoke to different people. A prime example is Beppe. When he talks to Lynne he has a soft, kind and friendly tone, but when Lynne leaves E20 (the setting of their conversation), Steve and Beppe are left alone. At this point Beppe lets out a sigh and his tone changes completely. His harsh and defensive attitude returns as he talks to Steve. Tension in the scenes can be maximised by shouting or screaming. I feel a scene would be far more dramatic and interesting if the characters in it were screaming at each other, rather than discussing things politely. Voiceovers are very subtly used in soaps so that viewers barely realise that they are being used. Sometimes a shot is held for a few seconds longer than usual, while the sound from the next scene is already playing. This tension-building pause is very effective, and maximises totally the dramatic tension present in the scene. This is the only type of voice-over I saw in my five-minute extract. Sound effects or FX are fundamental in the formula of soap operas, they are used in every scene almost. They come in the forms of a juke box playing in the Vic, a baby crying in the market or a tube going past. These sounds add to the supposed reality of the soap. Another sound effect everyone knows is the theme tune. The song readies the audience for the beginning of the forth coming drama. The music is used in the theme tune (which I have already analysed) is very effective in suspending the audience, making them anxious. I noticed that there is always music playing in the Vic that co-ordinates with the moods of the punters. For instance if there has just been a argument or fight and everyone is depressed and have nothing to talk about, the music will be subtle and quiet. Where as if there was a party or a celebration going on the music would be much more lively and loud. Also when there is a fight or a scene of some kind, the music is always conveniently halted, and everyone turns to see what is going on. I believe the music doesnt do much by itself to maximise the dramatic effectiveness, but it certainly aids the actors in building the illusion that they are in a busy and social place. Visual effects are a real essential in displaying maximised drama in soaps. I saw this from the very start of my five-minute extract. The opening picture of the Thames river in the last few years has been swapped from a model to a real one. This change has resulted in another very noticeable colour-change in the river. I think the new picture looks more realistic and gives the viewers a better first impression of the soap. Sometimes visual effects make the subject more believable and therefore more enjoyable to watch. The location is very important in the formula of a soap, as all have a certain area they focus on. In Hollyoaks it is the area around the college, in Coranation Street it is the street and in EastEnders it is the Square. There are very few scenes set outside the specific location in this case the Square. If there ever is the writers will make that whole episode in that place. It just so happened that in the five-minute extract that I was analysing Roy had met his long-lost son Nathan. He had many of the scenes he was in, set at Nathans mothers house. This is an unusual feature in a soap, and to be honest I didnt enjoy having the new sets and characters introduced. It didnt feel like the proper EastEnders. I feel that, that the location has a big part in the plots and dramas in soaps, as we know whenever a new location is introduced a new plot is too. Costumes add to our understanding of a character by reflecting their wealth and personality. You wouldnt expect Kat (tart) to wear the clothes Dot (pensioner) wears or vice a versa. I have been noticing now Billy has lost all his money he has ditched his designer suits for is old casual, trampy clothes. The costumes play a small part in maximising drama, as the audience wouldnt be too interested if two people in E20 were wearing tracksuits. They would be much more interested if they were wearing trendy, skimpy clothes

Friday, November 15, 2019

Cell Phones :: essays research papers

Cell Phones!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What Causes Mobile Phone Radiation and How Does it Effect Your Body? Why is it so popular with young teenagers today? What problems do Mobile phones cause? Walking around in school to walking around at the shopping centre with your mobile phone may seem fashionable and trendy, but did you know that it might be causing you to get a cancer and brain damage threw lost of memory? . Many mobile phone holders do not realize it and it should be something everyone should be aware of. It may seem a bit unusually how a Mobile phone can cause a child or an adult to get cancer, but it is true. New evidence is growing fast about health risks from mobile phones – electromagnetic radiation. These devices can be used to make telephone calls from almost any country in the world to another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are a growing number of unconfirmed reports of individuals whose health has been affected after chronic, frequent use of mobile phones, presumably from radiation effects on brain cells. There are two types of phones, one has the antenna mounted on the handset and the other has the antenna mounted on a separate transmitter or, if the telephone is installed in a vehicle, mounted on the roof or rear window. Communication between a mobile telephone and the nearest base station is achieved by the microwave emissions from the antenna. Concerns have been raised about the type of mobile telephone that has the antenna in the handset. In this case, the antenna is very close to the user's head during normal use of the telephone and there is concern about the level of microwave emissions to which the brain is being exposed. Media reports have claimed that up to 2/3 of the microwave emissions from hand- held mobile telephones may be absorbed in the user's head. Those telephones that have th e antenna mounted elsewhere are of no concern, since exposure levels decrease rapidly with increasing distance from the antenna also Cordless telephones, which need to be operated within about 20 meters of a base unit that is connected directly to the telephone system do not have any health concerns associated with their use because exposure levels are very low. There is no clear evidence in the existing scientific literature that the use of digital or analogue mobile telephones poses a long-term public health hazard.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

All the Wrong Moves Case Essay

What’s the right decision –making process for Nutrorim? I think, it is necessary to change democratic management for authoritative management. Because Mr. Don nobody takes. It is very democratic, loyal to employees, he tries to listen to all and make the right decision. And his employees do not perceive it. You need to change his style of management. The democratic leadership style is a very open and collegial style of running a team. Ideas move freely amongst the group and are discussed openly. Everyone is given a seat at the table, and discussion is relatively free-flowing. Some managers adopt democratic leadership to please their subordinates but fail to follow the technique in its entirety. They might simply take in all the ideas and end up never implementing them. Disadvantages: Employees might take advantage of the situation, The decision making process is very time consuming due to the need for consensus and agreement and this can be risky in the situations when a quick decision needs to be taken. One way, and one way only. That is the nature of the style of the authoritarian leader. Employees must do precisely what they are told to do by the leader, without any questions or creative input. This style of leadership is most often used when a company needs to make a quick decision, or with a large number of workers who are poorly skilled and who need to be controlled. The authoritative style of leadership carries many disadvantages, including a high risk of hostile divisions, lack of motivation and absence of new and diverse ideas in a team. But for Don currently need this style of management. From this it can make a quick decision. Or he can in the process of developing the decision to use the democratic style of management, and in the decision is the authoritarian style.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Product and Brand Management

?AFFECT OF BRANDING ON CONSUMER PURCHASE DECISION IN FMCG GOODS AND DURABLE GOODS? INTRODUCTION What is a BRAND? Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the use of the product or service and through the influence of advertising, design, and media commentary. A brand is a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to the product and serves to create associations and expectations around it. A brand often includes a logo, fonts, color schemes, symbols, and sound, which may be developed to represent implicit values, ideas, and even personality. Concepts Marketers engaged in branding seek to develop or align the expectations behind the brand experience, creating the impression that a brand associated with a product or service has certain qualities or characteristics that make it special or unique. A brand image may be developed by attributing a â€Å"personality† to or associating an â€Å"image† with a product or service, whereby the personality or image is â€Å"branded† into the consciousness of consumers. A brand is therefore one of the most valuable elements in an advertising theme. The art of creating and maintaining a brand is called brand management. A brand which is widely known in the marketplace acquires brand recognition. When brand recognition builds up to a point where a brand enjoys a critical mass of positive sentiment in the marketplace, it is said to have achieved brand franchise. One goal in brand recognition is the identification of a brand without the name of the company present. For example, Disney has been successful at branding with their particular script font (originally created for Walt Disney's â€Å"signature† logo) which it used in the logo for go. om. â€Å"DNA† refers to the unique attributes, essence, purpose, or profile of a brand and, therefore, a company. The term is borrowed from the biological DNA, the molecular â€Å"blueprint† or genetic profile of an organism which determines its unique characteristics. Brand equity measures the total value of the brand to the brand owner, and reflects the extent of brand franchise. The term brand name is often used interchangeably with â€Å"brand†, although it is more correctly used to specifically denote written or spoken linguistic elements of a brand. In this context a â€Å"brand name† constitutes a type of trademark, if the brand name exclusively identifies the brand owner as the commercial source of products or services. A brand owner may seek to protect proprietary rights in relation to a brand name through trademark registration. Brand energy is a concept that links together the ideas that the brand is experiential; that it is not just about the experiences of customers/potential customers but all stakeholders; and that businesses are essentially more about creating value through creating meaningful experiences than generating profit. Economic value comes from businesses ¶ transactions between people whether they be customers, employees, suppliers or other stakeholders. For such value to be created people first have to have positive associations with the business and/or its products and services and be energised to behave positively towards them  ± hence brand energy. It has been defined as â€Å"The energy that flows throughout the system that links businesses and all their stakeholders and which is manifested in the way these stakeholders think, feel and behave towards the business and its products or services. Attitude branding is the choice to represent a feeling, which is not necessarily connected with the product or consumption of the product at all. Marketing labeled as attitude branding includes that of Nike, Starbucks, The Body Shop, Safeway, and Apple Inc. â€Å"A great brand raises the bar — it adds a greater sense of purpose to the experience, whether it's the challenge to do your best in sports and fitness, or the affirmation that the cup of coffee you're drinking really matters. † – Howard Schultz (CEO, Starbucks Corp. ) The act of associating a product or service with a brand has become part of pop culture. Most products have some kind of brand identity, from common table salt to designer clothes. In non-commercial contexts, the marketing of entities which supply ideas or promises rather than product and services (e. g. political parties or religious organizations) may also be known as â€Å"branding†. OBJECTIVE OF PROJECT WORK Main Objective:The main objective of research is to analysis how the brand effects the customer purchasing decision in FMCG goods and durable goods Sub Objective:The sub objective of research is to understand the choice of the customer is branded or nonbranded goods. JUSTIFICATION FOR CHOOSING A PARTICULAR RESEARCH PROPOSAL Branding can be viewed as a tool to position a product or a service with a consistent image of quality and value for money to ensure the development of a recurring preference by the customer. It is common knowledge that the consumer ¶s choice is influenced by many surrogat es of which the simplest one is a brand name. Although there may be equally satisfying products, the consumer when satisfied with some brand does not want to spend additional effort to evaluate the other alternative choices. Once he or she has liked a part icular brand, he or she tends to stay with it, unless there is a steep rise in the price or a discernible better quality product comes to his/her knowledge, which prompts the consumer to switch the brand. Companies spend a lot of money and time on the branding and thus it needs a careful evaluation on the effect of branding on consumer buying behavior. QUESTIONNAIRE 1. Are you a brand loyal customer? ` Yes ` No 2. Which attributes did attract you to purchase branded products? Rank these attributes in order of their importance to you. ` ` Brand Name Price Easy Availability ` ` Transparent Cleanliness ` Others 3. What was the reason for the delay between the purchase decision and the actual purchase? ` ` ` Financial constraints Waiting for more innovative product Waiting for market response 4. What influenced you to buy the above stated brand(s) ? ` ` ` ` Advertising Word of mouth Attractive packaging Dealer ` Shop Display ` Family/Friend/Relatives ` Any Other 5. Influence of Brand name on purchasing decision ` ` Agree Strongly Agree ` Disagree ` Strongly disagree 6. Influence of Quality on Purchase Decision ` ` Agree Strongly Agree ` Disagree ` Strongly disagree 7. Influence of Price on Purchase Decision ` Agree ` Strongly Agree ` Disagree ` Strongly disagree 8. Influence of Product features on Purchase Decision ` ` Agree Strongly Agree ` Disagree ` Strongly disagree 9. Influence of Family members on Purchase Decision ` ` Agree Strongly Agree ` Disagree ` Strongly disagree 10. Influence of Peer group on Purchase Decision ` ` Agree Strongly Agree ` Disagree ` Strongly disagree 11. Influence of Advertisement on Purchase Decision ` Agree Strongly Agree ` Disagree ` Strongly disagree 12. Will you like to switch your brand preference if you get some promotional scheme with another brand? ` Yes ` No 13. Do you think branded products are better than unbranded products? ` Yes ` No NAME OF THE RESPONDENT: ADDRESS: EDUCATIONAL QUALITICATION: OCCUPATION: AGE: MONTHLY INCOME: 1. 100% Financial Inclusion: A Challenging Task Ahead 2. Afforestation of ARID Was telands Through Energy Plantations: A Case Study from India 3. Agribusiness Sector in Rural India and Increasing Opportunities of E -Commerce 4. Asset prices and inflation is there a predictive link 5. Back Water Tourism in Kerala: Challenges and Opportunities 6. Banking Channel Perceptions An Indian Youth perspective 7. Banking on Themselves 8. Behavioral Skills Trainings in Travel Agencies 9. Brand awareness and preference in rural markets 10. Branding for 21st Century Teenagers 11. Branding India for Health and Spiritual Tourism 12. Branding India: Strategic Challenges and Possible Approaches 2. subliminal messages in advertising and how they affect consumers.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Okonkwo Essay Example

Okonkwo Essay Example Okonkwo Essay Okonkwo Essay Definition of hero: a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Things Fall Apart takes place in the sass where Ginkgos life was very violent, always surrounded with fire. One could argue his major actions were heroic because he was in fact a hero; he was admired by his tribe, who also had outstanding achievements, qualities of a hero. Ever since his early life, Awoken was driven to such an violent person because of he wanted to be everything opposite of his father was. He couldnt stand being lazy poor and in debt like his father. Ever since Awoken was young he had a mind set to be as successful as possible and has done some memorable things for his tribe starting early, His fame rested on solid personal achievements. Brought honor to his village by throwing Emailing the Cat. (Pl) That was the main part to his success as a hero was his war-like characteristic. But there are many other things that make an impact to him heroism Other than his action of throwing the Cat, Awoken had big family, and lots of aims to support them with which made his family look up to him as a hero. Ginkgos fierce actions makes him a hero also because for the kids to not end up like their grandfather Awoken had to constantly make them work and scold them harshly for any laziness. Aside from his war side of things, killing five men during wars, he was a leader to his tribe. He wanted the best for the tribe when things were going wrong He mourned for the clan. He mourned for the warlike men of Comfit who had unaccountably become soft like women. (Pl 83) His major action to want to ill the white men was heroic but was brought down upon his tribe. Before the destruction of the church, they had listened to him with respect. It was like the good old days again, when a warrior was a warrior (IPPP) Awoken was happy for the first time in a while with the decision to destruct the church and he brought pride to his clan again. But all heroes fall in the end, Schnooks fall as a hero was sad, he had spent all his life wanting to be a leader with lots of titles but near the end he knew it wouldnt happen when he sighed Worth men are no more (IPPP).

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Legal week, Lucid language - Emphasis

Legal week, Lucid language Legal week, Lucid language Plain language need not mean dumbing down. Clear, well-drafted advice makes things easier for clients, raising the chance that they will call on you more frequently. The moment you become overly reliant on a thesaurus or get carried away with archaic terms is the moment you risk losing your reader. This is not to say you cannot use technical language or clarify your points, it just means thinking of your reader at all times and making sure you communicate difficult or complex topics clearly. It is all about readability, not just the vocabulary you use. That means organising the structure so that it is logical and straightforward. Complex legal principles are not always easy to convey, but easy reading doesnt necessarily have to mean extra-hard writing. The truth is that legal documents do not have to be written in language which is full of jargon and difficult for the average person to understand. The tide is turning, as law firms such as Nabarro, SJ Berwin, DLA Piper and CMS Cameron McKenna recognise the value of better writing skills and commission specialist training programmes. In fact, Nabarro recently launched a high-profile, firm-wide campaign Clarity Matters to simplify the way its lawyers write. Here are some of the most common errors made by lawyers when writing and tips on remedying them. Mistake: adding in unnecessary words, such as therein, herein, forthwith and aforesaid Poor prose: I herein enclose the contract for the aforesaid book, as requested. Better prose: I enclose the contract for the book, as requested. The herein and aforesaid are unnecessary and make the sentence sound archaic and stilted. Mistake: verbosity Poor prose: Pursuant to the recent communication of the improper proposal that the information be falsified, such assertion could only have been ascertained or appreciated from a full, detailed review of the meeting notes. Better prose: The claim that the information was falsified is wrong. This would have been clear if a detailed review of the meeting notes had been conducted. The author of the first example is more than a little disgruntled. But the message is hidden behind too much flowery language. The second suggestion gets to the heart of the problem and makes the meaning clear. Note that the passive voice is used in the second example to soften the blow. You dont always have to use the active voice, just make sure that if you do use it, you do so consciously. Mistake: using nouns instead of verbs Poor prose: In the case of X, we believe the company is in possession of a structure that would be acceptable for securitisation. Better prose: X possesses a structure that is acceptable for securitisation. Possession is a noun, whereas possesses is a verb. Verbs create action in the sentence which moves the pace along and helps keep the readers interest. We believe has also been taken out as the sentence already asserts the writers belief. Mistake: overuse of the passive voice Poor prose: The role played by the client in the project has been investigated. Better prose: X investigated the clients role in the project. The first example doesnt tell us who investigated the role, creating a very impersonal tone. Using the active voice makes the writing easier to read. It also forces you to say who or what is taking the action, as the second example shows, making the sentence more specific and connecting the reader to what is happening. Of course, the passive voice can be useful where the intention is to obfuscate or create distance. Mistake: long, complex sentences and paragraphs Poor prose: As per earlier correspondence, I have attached the quotes that we have obtained from three firms (a) Hooke, Lyne and Siennker (contacts David Hooke and Franz Siennker) (This is separate to the law firm but forms part of the same group, and also has a different administrative team) (b) Edna Clouds (contacts Clare Edna and Michael Clouds I note you have already met Michael) and (c) Maybey Knott who are a limited company (the contacts there are Noel Maybey and James Knott). Better prose: Following our previous correspondence, I have attached quotes from three firms. The contacts for Hooke, Lyne and Siennker are David Hooke and Franz Siennker. Please note that this firm has a separate administration team, even though it is part of the same group. Edna Clouds contacts are Clare Edna and Michael Clouds, who you already know. Maybey Knott Ltds contacts are Noel Maybey and James Knott. When a sentence runs past three lines, you know you are in trouble. In the first example, there are also too many brackets and too much information squeezed in one space, which can become confusing. The second example takes out all the brackets and sets everything out much more clearly. Long sentences are often the result of fuzzy thinking. So, the first step is to ensure that you think before you write. That means never using the writing process to clarify your thoughts. Consider the main subject areas and issues you need to cover first. Questions are a useful prompt. Then use each heading to brainstorm all the points related to that subject. Knowing what you want to say before you write gives you a fighting chance of building a logical structure. Dealing with technical information The first step is to think about your audience and avoid a one size fits all approach. Use technical language in order to be precise. At each stage pick the best word to communicate your ideas and thoughts. The benchmark test is to think about whether another lawyer or layperson (depending on your audience) would be able to understand instantly what you mean. If not, it is time to go back to the computer and tweak it. It can also help if you try not to think of it as legal writing, but merely writing, which simply aims to communicate effectively. Punchy prose saves time and money and is far more likely to persuade the reader. It may mean a bit of extra effort, but it could well pay dividends. Robert Ashton is chief executive of Emphasis, the specialist business writing trainers.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Current Event Article 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Current Event Article 2 - Essay Example The case study method was used for the research study because the data generated can be interpreted in a number of ways. The British company Phipps Brothers was used because of the fact that it was founded by three brothers. As the company expanded, it faced many obstacles to growth in other markets. The business came up with three strategies to help combat these challenges: cost reduction, professionalism, and focus on specific markets. Phipps Brothers enacted these changes and the firm was able to expand to other European countries. Analysis: This article highlights the challenges that small and medium-sized firms have when entering into international business. If there is not a strong supply chain, then it can be difficult to establish a presence in a foreign market. Just as in the case used in this article, sometimes a company’s strategies need to change because something comes up that it did not foresee. What works well in the home market may not always prove successful overseas. Family-run businesses have the additional problem of personally knowing the other partners in the business. One hallmark about family-run businesses is that they are usually founded on a certain principle or belief, and this may need to be adapted when expanding

Friday, November 1, 2019

Compare two moving image texts the genere gangster flims Essay

Compare two moving image texts the genere gangster flims - Essay Example The main story line of the film is Dick Tracy's efforts to bring down Big Boy Caprice's gangster empire and the search for a mystery assassin known as The Blank. A secondary storyline follows Tracy's romances with Tess Trueheart and Breathless Mahoney. The third sub-plot is Tracy's rescuing a young orphan boy, The Kid, who looks up to Tracy as a father figure. All this becomes quickly tangled when Tracy finds himself framed for the murder of Chicago's beloved (although corrupt) District Attorney, and Caprice's empire begins to take over the city itself. Classical Hollywood cinema has traditionally presented its viewer with a unified narrative. The Untouchablesis a perfect example of this. The film's narrative deals with Treasury Officer Elliot Ness's quest to get criminal Al Capone behind bars. This is a goal that is clearly and explicitly delineated from the start, and most scenes follow the protagonist's actions from that point on. At first he tries to achieve this goal by himself, which leads to failure when he finds out that the rest of the police force is corrupt. As he walks home, depressed about his embarrassing failure, the character of Maloneis introduced. The death of Malone not only has the plot function of strengthening Ness's resolve to catch Capone, it also functions structurally as reinforcement of the audience's sympathy for his quest. When

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Primitivism and Exoticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Primitivism and Exoticism - Essay Example If an entity is being adopted or being infiltrated in the other culture then the entity becomes foreign for that specific culture. Exoticism deals with the exotic adoptions in arts from diverse and previous cultures and incorporates it in the modern era of art. It demonstrates that â€Å"Exoticism is to space what Primitivism is to time†. However, Primitivism and Exoticism in the modern music congealed the preceded understanding of these two schools of thought in the modern art. Exoticism and primitivism in music do not only deal with foreign or previous contents and contexts but also utilized the developed outcomes of those contexts in the modern manner. This paper is aimed to discuss the association of Exoticism and Primitivism to the music in the era of modernism and it will be discussed in the light of chapter seven of the book Modernism and Music: Anthology of Sources by Daniel Albright. Primitivism The side of modern music which is embarked in the ideology of Primitivism is contained with some distinct traits which are not usually found in the conventional ideals of primitivism in other modern art forms like paintings. It can be understood by contrasting the two art forms in the domain of Primitivism. Primitivism in the art is accepted to be consisting on three major factors. These major factors are intensely separate in their realistic sense and concepts. However the modern primitivism does incorporate all three of these distinct factors which are fascination, the factor of disgust and a significant proportion of terror. Modern primitive art is formulated by the compilation of these three factors in which the pessimistic account is more illuminated than the optimistic shade of the demonstration. (Albright, 2004). Primitivism in modern music is significantly different from the other art forms regarding Primitivism. It can be said that Primitivism in music contains a less amount of pessimism as compared to the Primitivism in painting and literature. Musical primitivism is immensely based on research and this research involves the analyses of folksongs. The researchers of these folksongs realize the non modernity of those folksongs which were produced in the preceding times. The essence of Primitivism is steeped under the principle that the art of previous times must be adopted and demonstrated on the canvas of modern art in the modern times. Similarly, the Primitivism in modern music manifests the correspondence of preceding folksongs with a lesser of the dark side (Albright, 2004). Primitivism and Modernism Modernism is often described as the post feudal and post colonial era in which the preceding ideologies were replaced with the modern ideologies including the equality of mankind. The most fundamental change which is marked to be identified as the major change was the rise of capitalism and industrialization in the prominent parts of the world. This major change initiated the congealment of society by every possible aspect and perspective including the system of politics in the society, educational system and most importantly the art. The period of modernism is also known as the era of enlightenment in which many thinker and artists played there significant roles in their scope of excellence. Many of the artistic movements were formed and appreciated in

Monday, October 28, 2019

Racial Profiling within America’s Criminal Justice System Essay Example for Free

Racial Profiling within America’s Criminal Justice System Essay The criminal justice system of America is deeply scarred with racial bias. Crimes are being committed and, in turn, are resulting with innocent people doing hard-time. Thankfully, newfound methods of appealing court rulings are finding justice for these minorities; however, the results are as shocking as the crimes being committed. When it was found that the majority of successful appeals were of minorities, the true defects of the system was apparent. The minority community is being critically judged for things they’re not doing. Throughout the last decade lawmakers have be aiding the racial profiling scene. Arizona legislature passed a law allowing for an officer to demand papers of any person that proved their legal citizenship. The law, intending to lower the illegal immigrants in Arizona, became a symbol for racial profiling within our government. President Obama strongly opposed the passing of the law saying that it threatened â€Å"to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe† (Archibold). It is a very rare occasion where the President speaks out about state legislature, proving the enormity of the law and its regards to human rights in America. The law, dubbed the â€Å"Show Me Your Papers† law, has Arizona residents furious. Faulting someone of being illegal, purely based on their appearance is a very subjective issue. Someone with a last name of Garcia or Rodriquez is much more likely to be suspected of being in the country illegally rather than someone with the last name of Smith. Because Smith has a very typically â€Å"American† last name, he, most likely, wouldn’t be asked to prove citizenship. This is a perfect example of the kind of profiling that Arizonians are concerned about. Not only have lawmakers been creating laws supporting racial profiling, but laws such as the â€Å"Stand your Ground† law in Florida are allowing for racial profiling to occur under a pseudonym. The â€Å"Stand your Ground† law allows for someone to use deadly force, if needed, in order to protect themselves from harm’s way. The recent slayings of teenagers Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, two African American teenagers, have so far been defended under the law, bringing uproar to the stateespecially among the black community. Even worse, it’s considered legal. Families and friends of these children defend them as being upstanding citizens killed due to their race. Although Martin and Davis have not been the only people murdered under the law, they are the ones bring publicity to it. Due to the media attention, the policy’s effect on different racial groups is finally being questioned. John Roman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center, conducted a study intending to measure the racial bias within the policy. Roman focused his study on killings that were considered justified within the eyes of the court: the murder of people that just committed a felony. â€Å"Roman found that the killings of black people by whites were more likely to be considered justified than the killings of white people by blacks†¦. In non-Stand Your Ground states, whites are 250 percent more likely to be found justified in killing a black person than a white person who kills another white person; in Stand Your Ground states, that number jumps to 354 percent.† (Childress). Roman’s findings show that even laws that weren’t aimed to become a racial issue are. The issue, however, is that it’s not being stopped despite the blatantly obvious ramifications. Some might argue that people of color are being convicted for more crimes than other races because they’re the ones committing more crimes. A valid point, however, with the recent advancement of these races throughout society, it would be thought that these numbers would be heading in opposite directions. In reality, minorities are being served harsher consequences than their white counterparts despite their equal standing in society. Michigan State University (MSU) conducted a study revealing that there was often racial bias when selecting a jury—especially those involving minority parties. The study conducted by MSU examined jury selection as well as the decisions made by said juries. â€Å"The MSU study of capital charging and sentencing found that those who kill whites are more likely to get the death penalty than those who kill blacks. The MSU study found that a defendant is 2.6 times more likely to get the death penalty if the victim is white.† (ACLU). Following the study, North Carolina passed a law entitled the â€Å"Racial Justice Act†. This piece of legislature made it possible for inmates to appeal their sentences due to supposed racial profiling. Since the passing of the law last year, there have been 4 successful appeals. The law doesn’t guarantee that the whole sentence will be reversed; however, it puts in place a system that allows for flaws in the length/severity of the sentence to be readdressed. The passing of the law as well as the MSU study prove that although there are more minorities being charged for crimes, the charges are of ill-willed intentions. In addition to undeserved charges, DNA testing has exonerated hundreds of people for crimes in which they were convicted over the past few years. When DNA testing became readily available to the criminal justice system, crucial flaws began to surface. It was realized that people were serving hard-time for felony crimes they didn’t commit. University of Virginia Law professor, Brandon Garrett, studied the first 200 people exonerated through said DNA testing. He compared the demographics of the exonerees concluding that â€Å"[Of] the innocent group, all male save one†¦71 percent were minorities. The vast majority of exonerated rape convicts (73 percent) were black or Hispanic, while studies show only about 37 percent of rape convicts are minorities.† (Wood). These hundreds of people are provide valid evidence supporting that, although people of color are being convicted of more crimes, they are also being cleared of said crimes. Racial ethnicity plays a large factor when it comes to being convicted of a crime. Oftentimes, a person of color is automatically assumed to be more likely of committing a crime than a Caucasian person. People of minority races are being targeted as criminals purely based on their looks rather than their guilt. Laws have been passed both for and against said issue, providing for a government that is facilitating racism. Racial profiling isn’t an act that would be thought of as happening in the 21st century, following the Civil Rights movement of the mid 1900’s. Despite the advancements in society, America’s criminal justice system hasn’t quite advanced so far. Works Cited Archibold, Randal. â€Å"Arizona Enacts Stringent Law on Immigration† NYtimes.com April 23, 2012. Web. New York Times January 30, 2013. Childress, Sarah. â€Å"Is There Racial Bias in ‘Stand your Ground’ Law?† PBS.org, July 31, 2012. Web. UNC-TV January 30, 2013 ACLU. â€Å"North Carolina Racial Justice Act† ACLU.org, December 17, 2012. Web. American Civil Liberties Union January 30, 2013 Wood, Mary. â€Å"Study of First 200 DNA Exonerations Shows Flawed Criminal System† law.virginia.edu, July 23, 2007. Web. University of Virginia February 2, 2013