A compare and contrast Analysis of “The Metamorphosis” and “The Things They Carried” Essay

Society’s alienation and misunderstanding of humanity can transform once life, both Gregor Samsa and Norman Bowker suffered from isolation. Freedom is truly conquered when one is at full peace spiritually; one can be imprisoned in its own thoughts, desires and memories. To follow I will provide examples form both narrative texts were both characters are imprisoned in their own thoughts, desires and memories. In the process of discovering true freedom Gregor is pressured by society and his family to support them after his father lost his job. â€Å"At the time Gregor’s sole desire was to do his utmost to help the family to forget as soon as possible the catastrophe that had overwhelmed the business and thrown them all into a state of complete desire.† Trapped in a jam box where he must be exceptional, with a work mentality to support the family. Hating his job as a travelling salesman, but must continue doing it to pay off his parents’ debts all he talks about is how exhausting the job is, how irritating it is to be always travelling: making train connections, sleeping in strange beds, always dealing with new people and never getting to make new friends or even a loved one. We can see this on the text when he has the magazine cover instead of a real picture with a friend or a loved one (pg 89). â€Å" Hung the picture which he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and put into a pretty gilt frame. It showed a lady, with a fur cap on and a fur stole, sitting upright and holding out to the spectator a huge fur muff into wich the whole of her forearm had vanished!† Leaving behind his desires as a human being all he will think about was his father’s debt and how much he will have to work to help his family. Gregor had earned so much money that he was able to meet the whole family expenses. We can see evidence in the text on (pg 111). â€Å"They had simply got used to it, both the family and Gregor; the money was gratefully accepted and gladly given, but there was no special uprush of warm feeling.† His family has used Gregors noble hearth for their own benefit, for comfort since he was able to meet the whole family’s expenses and in returned cold hard words, and isolation were given to him, no love. No true family love disgusted by the truth cockroach he had become, an animal treated like one left in the dust, completely alone slowly becoming a curse in his sister’s eyes and the rest of the family. We can see some of the sister’s rejection toward Gregor when she brings in the food on (pg 107). â€Å" But his sister at once noticed, with surprise, that the basin was still full, except for a little milk that had been spilled all around it, she lifted it immediately, not with her bare hands, true, but with a cloth and carried it away.† Trapped inside a body that repulses his family months passed by and Gregor is physically and mentally abused by his father several times, starving for true family love. At the end of the text when Gregor finds humanity, he feels no shame about anything or anybody he moves toward the music fights towards something that he felt passion about without thinking about the others. Is when Gregor truly understand the meaning of freedom and what it is to be human. On the other hand Norman Bowker and courage soldier, a survivor from the Vietnam War who fought for our freedom. A true warrior earned 7 medals in his soldier journey and he will not see the greatest in him. Having difficulty adjusting to everyday life in the late afternoon on the Fourth of July holiday, Norman drives around the lake on his dads Chevy for hours, passing time and thinking about his life before the war, as his memories from Vietnam. He remembers driving around the lake with Sally before the war thinking about how his friends have gotten married or moved away to find jobs. Complete alone, isolated from his family and the world he imagines a conversation with his dad. We can see that Norman Bowker has no pride in him constantly putting himself down like it was no brave thing to accomplish the 7 medals on (pg 162). â€Å"Well this one time, this one night out by the river†¦ I wasn’t very brave.† â€Å" You have seven medals.† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å" Seven. Count ‘em. You weren’t a coward either.† â€Å" Well, maybe not. But I had the chance and I blew it. The stink, that’s what  go to me. I couldn’t take a goddamn awful smell.† Norman continues to drive around the lake while listening to the radio and thinks more about courage and cowardice was something small and stupid. Thinking about the incident that led up to Kiowa’s death on that rainy shit field and recalls the scene with great detail as the memories play again and again in his mind. Torturing him every second, thinking that he could have done more, and extra effort would have saved him and putting the guilt on him. His consciences was stronger them him unable to cope with his life, trapped in thoughts. The war was over and his not free, his locked in in his horrible memory punishing him every second of his life, complete alone from the world and eventually killed himself. He hanged himself. Overall both text Frank Kafka’s, The Metamorphosis and The Things They Carried contributed me to a better constructive symbol of what means to be human since we see the downfalls and rises from each character. Gregor provides the strength to fight for your beliefs for what moves you in life as a person. I realized that one has to enjoy life have friends spend time with their love ones and grow as a person, not just work because at the end you may never know what can happen and Norman Bowker taught me that we have to be at peace with our sol and mind, learning to forgive ourselves to turn the page of that horrible experience we had in life, even if sometimes can take a life time.

Howard Schultz Strategy with Starbucks

When Howard Schultz first experienced Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice he was immediately smitten by the operations and business culture, and actively pursued a job with them. At that time, Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice was an 11 year old coffee shop with six stores in Seattle specializing in high-quality coffee beans. Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice desired to bring fine coffee to their customers, so to that end, they imported quality coffee beans, roasted them to their own exacting specifications and sold the beans and high-end coffeemakers to their customers, so customers could make superb coffee at home.The only coffee brewed onsite was the sampling of a roast, in order for a customer to determine if they wanted to buy that flavor, and as part of the education of their customers base to appreciate, and presumable buy more, quality coffee over the common variety available at the grocery store. Schultz, after a company trip to Italy where he accidently discovered the espresso bars of Milan, came back home with an idea of how to transform the business. His excitement was not shared by the owners, and when little changed over the next two years, Schultz left Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice to start his own company Il Giornale.At Il Giornale he did what he wanted to do at Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice – create the energy, ambience and community of the Italian coffeehouses in Seattle. Within two years the owners of Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice wanted to sell their business and Schultz happily purchased and combined both businesses, calling them Starbucks Corporation (SBUX). Schutlz, now in possession of the original stores, the roasting plant and his coffeehouses, was ready to fully explore his strategy.His plan was to create a place where his customer could enjoy premium coffee and feel pampered and relaxed, making the stop at his coffeehouse a part of the customers’ day – a 3rd place where they could go – an â€Å"urban oasisà ¢â‚¬  (Rumelt, 2011) (the 1st and 2nd place are home and work). This would be a treasured place, just for themselves or to meet with friends. Of course this unique experience was envisioned to expand nationally and create exponential sales as Starbucks became the place to be!To realize this ideal, Schultz needed to attract the right employees and engage his staff to behave so that â€Å"customers (had) a very positive experience in its stores. † (Thompson & Shah, 2010) He did this by a variety of methods, sourced from the six guiding principles the employee team came up with. He was able to achieve the 4th principle –â€Å"develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time† – by having happy employees (1st principle), commitment to sourcing the best beans and standards to make the ‘perfect cup’ (3rd principle), and creating an emotional connection to his customers. Schultz firmly believed that Starbucks had to be a great place to w ork in order to provide the atmosphere and service that he envisioned. † (Brown, 2011) He realized that in order for his employees to be happy, he needed them to trust and feel they could communicate without retribution, and to feel valued. One of the ways he demonstrated their value to the company was to provide health care to even his part time baristas. Employees, now called ‘partners,’ were supported by extensive training in coffee knowledge, brewing, and how to â€Å"go out of their way †¦ to make sure customers were fully satisfied. (Thompson & Shah, 2010) Furthermore, they were rewarded by a recognition program which acknowledged excellence in brewing, customer service, leadership, savings, profits, and other activities that supported the company’s mission. Starbucks broadened their commitment to their staff by offering employee stock options to all employees, and later this would expand to include employee stock purchase programs. Schutzâ€⠄¢s plan created a new romance with coffee and the coffeehouse. His customers flocked to experience the ‘experience. Customers appreciated Starbucks dedication to fine coffee and the attention paid to them from the moment they walked into the store. Starbucks discovered that â€Å"the connections we make in communities create[d] a loyal following. † (starbucks. com) Customers spent afternoons at Starbucks. They brought their work to Starbucks. They dated at Starbucks. And they came back! Sometimes daily. Schultz’s strategy was a success. Starbucks became the number 1 retailer of specialty coffees. When Schultz took a break from everyday operations as CEO in 2000, Starbucks had grown to 3,501 stores.What a growth from a start of 11 stores and 100 employees in 1987. Two CEOs followed Schultz’s tenure and Jim Donald, the second one, put increasing the number of stores and store efficiencies as his strategy above customer service driving the business. â€Å"C omplaints surfaced that Starbucks felt more like a fast-food restaurant than a coffeehouse. † (New York Times ~ Business Day, 2012) This pursuit, along with the Great Recession, created havoc in Starbucks finances, driving stock price â€Å"from a high of $40 (5/1/2006) to $8 (11/17/2008). † (Living Economics) At that point, the Board usted Jim Donald and asked Schultz to come back as CEO and â€Å"lead a major restructuring and revitalization initiative. † (Thompson & Shah, 2010) Just like the first time he walked into Starbucks in 1981, Schultz wanted to be transported by the aromas and the ambience. He found the corporation he came back to missing those points. Making of breakfast sandwiches, added to compete with encroaching competitors, diffused the rich smell of coffee and distracted from the core product. Growth and appeasing Wall Street appeared to have become the product.His dream to â€Å"inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cu p and one neighborhood at a time† (starbucks. com) would need a brutal review of what wasn’t working and what needed to change. â€Å"Mr. Schultz faced a difficult task: He had to slow down the company to make stores feel more like hip neighborhood coffeehouses while also delivering the steady growth that investors have come to expect from Starbucks. † (New York Times ~ Business Day, 2012) Schultz â€Å"concluded that growth had become a ‘carcinogen’ and that the company needed a transformation in its culture and operating approach. (McKinsey Quarterly, 2011) He halted the aggressive store openings and closed 900 underperforming stores. This in turn caused layoffs of 1,500 store employees nationally and 1,700 globally, and 700 corporate employees. He refocused the company back to its passion of obtaining the finest beans and creating the best brew. He recommitted to respect and pay to all – from the small coffee growers to the employees. And to devote Starbucks and their employees to the ‘human connection’ – from the customers seeking a good drink and a respite to meaningful contributions to the neighborhood where the store was located.Keeping coffee at the core, Schultz explored other revenue streams in order to grow the business. They could â€Å"seed and introduce new products and new brands inside [the] stores† (McKinsey Quarterly, 2011) and then license them for sale with diverse retailers. For example Starbucks developed VIA, an instant coffee that was superior to the basic fare that was available. They â€Å"integrate[ed] VIA into the emotional connection [they] had with [their] customers in [Starbucks] stores†¦[doing] that for six to eight months and succeeded well beyond expectations. (McKinsey Quarterly, 2011) With that track record, grocery and drug stores lined up to add this exciting product to their store lineup. Starbucks has added many similar products to distribution â⠂¬â€œ Frappuccino, a flavored iced coffee in glass bottles, now available just about everywhere. Starbucks has licensed Unilever Corporation to manufacture and distribute seven different flavors of super-premium coffee ice cream. Starbucks coffee beans are sold in various retail establishments, whether by the bag or in pods, for single cup dispensers like Keurig.All these items keep Starbucks in control of their brand and have significantly contributed to Starbucks’ financial good health. The stock has clearly responded to Schultz’s revamped strategy by rebounding from the $8. 26 (11/17/2008) to $51. 17 (9/7/12). Today, Starbucks has slowed down from Donald’s ambition of 40,000 stores with a controlled growth of 17,000 stores in 55 countries. As the market, competition and economies change and adjust throughout the coming years, Starbucks can be expected to refine their strategic vision.If they want to continue to grow, Schultz and his successor will need to kee p the same core vision that Schultz first had in 1987 and then again in 2008: passion for the best and commitment to customer service. Bibliography (n. d. ). Retrieved September 2012, from Living Economics: http://livingeconomics. org/article. asp? docId=182 McKinsey Quarterly. (2011, March). Retrieved from McKinsey & Company: http://www. mckinseyquarterly. com/Starbucks_quest_for_healthy_growth_An_interview_with_Howard_Schultz_2777 New York Times ~ Business Day. (2012, January 26).Retrieved from New York Times: http://topics. nytimes. com/top/news/business/companies/starbucks_corporation/index. html Brown, H. (2011, March). External Environmental Analysis of Starbucks and the Coffee Industry. Rumelt, R. (2011). Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters. Crown Business. starbucks. com. (n. d. ). Retrieved September 2012, from http://www. starbucks. com/about-us/company-information/mission-statement Thompson, A. A. , & Shah, A. J. (2010). Starbucks' Strategy and I nternal Initiatives to Return to Profitable Growth.

Dimensions of Intelligence: The Nature and Properties

There is a wide debate as to how intelligence can be defined. Different scholars and researchers argue about the nature and properties that can be definitive of intelligence (Paik 1998). There are also different theories as to the nature of intelligence, but the debate that stands out is whether it has a general intelligence or multiple intelligences (Paik 1998). The school of though that consider a single general intelligence theory points out how there is but one factor that intelligence can be derived from while the other school of thought sees different kinds of intelligence (Paik 1998). However, most believes in the fact that there are different levels of intelligence and how different people have different capacities for it (Paik 1998). Models of Intelligence Sternberg Model Robert Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence exemplified propositions that came from the multiple intelligence schools of thought. This theory dictates three categories of intelligence; analytic or componential intelligence, creative or experiential dimension of intelligence, and practical or contextual aspect of intelligence (Krelof 2002). The analytic dimension pertains to different methods people use in order to analyze information or to process facts in their minds thus becoming a very critical portion of intelligence (Krelof 2002). The components of this dimension consist of the Metacomponents, Performance components, and Knowledge-acquisition components (Krelof 2002). On the other hand, the creative or experiential dimension refers to how people approach new things with its novelty component and he can handle repeated tasks as seen with its automatization (Krelof 2002). The third dimension is the practical dimension that shows how someone relates or adapts to the environmental or sociocultural context and shapes the current environment (Krelof 2002). Understanding Sternberg’s theory implies that there cannot be a single test that can fully account for the different dimensions of intelligence he had mentioned as there are different skill areas involved in the testing (Krelof 2002). Spearman Model According to Charles Spearman, there is a single unitary quality in the brain or the human mind that qualifies his theory under the general intelligence school of thought. He developed a psychometric definition for intelligence and believes in an entity called in the general factor that encompasses the singleness of the intelligence factor or â€Å"one pool of mental energy† (Plucker 2007). Gardner Model Howard Gardner was the one who promotes his own theory of multiple intelligences (Li 1996, p. 33). The uniqueness of his theory from other multiple theorists is his theory is grounded on a biological basis of intelligence (Li 1996, p. 33). This theory is able to isolate seven distinct human abilities that represented seven intelligences (Li 1996, p. 33). He also added a number of other types of abilities that was an offshoot from Thurstone and Guilford’s single ability which was the intellectual ability (Li 1996, p.33). He presented human symbols system that included linguistic, logical, numerical, musical, bodily, spatial, and personal symbols system (Li 1996, p. 33). Analysis of Models There are different theorists that supports that there is but one kind of intelligence and there is a single factor that determines intelligence (Paik 1998). Spearman’s model is the perfect example of this group. In complete contrast, Sternberg and Gardner both puts forth that there are multiple intelligences. However, the multiple intelligence theorists cannot seem to agree as to how many kinds of intelligences are there (Paik 1998). Even though Gardner and Sternberg follow the same school of thought that involves multiple intelligences, Sternberg believes in three dimensions of intelligence while Gardner believes in seven (Paik 1998). Sternberg’s theory is an attempt to reinterpret intelligence according to cognitive terms or under an information processing framework (Li 1998, p.69). He skips the general/pluralist intelligence debate and redefines the domains of intelligence and placed intelligence as a phenomenon that can be dissected into smaller parts (Li 1998, p. 69). On the other side, Gardner promotes the multiple intelligence position and approaches the issue of intelligence based on biology and macrophysics as his pieces of evidence (Li 1998, p. 69). Gardner and Sternberg through their theories presented different definitions of intelligence. For Gardner it was the ability to solve problems within one or more cultural settings (Li 1998, p. 75). While Sternberg sees it as a mental capability from contextual behavior from different regions of the mind (Li 1998, p. 75). Multiple Intelligence Theory Gardner offered two premises and a conclusion from his theory. According to his first premise, â€Å"If it can be found that certain brain parts can distinctively map with certain cognitive functioning then that cognitive functioning can be isolated as one candidate of multiple intelligences† (Li 1998, p. 34). His second premise states, â€Å"Now it has been found that certain brain parts do distinctively map with certain cognitive functioning, as evidenced by certain brain damage leading to loss of certain cognitive function† (Li 1998, p. 34). The conclusion would be the existence of multiple intelligences. The argument is valid and it is taken from neuroscientific evidence (Li 1998, p. 34). His theory has strong support from neuroscience, neuroanatomy, and clinical cases before he concluded brain modularity and multiple intelligences (Li 1998, p. 34). Compared to Sternberg’s treatment of his knowledge-acquisition component that reflects a rather sketchy, inadequate and unclear mechanism, Gardner has presented a more well-rounded and evidence-based theory to the thinking and learning in relation to intelligence (Li 1998, pp. 11-12). References Krelof, N. (2002). Robert Sternberg. Retrieved on October 29, 2007. Li, R. (1996). A Theory of Conceptual Intelligence: Thinking, Learning, Creativity, and Giftedness. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Paik, H. (1998). One Intelligence or Many? Alternative Approaches to Cognitive Abilities. Retrieved on October 29, 2007 Plucker, J. (2007). Charles Spearman. Retrieved on October 29, 2007, from http://www.indiana.edu/%7Eintell/spearman.shtml. Spearman, C. (1904). General Intelligences: Objectively determined and measured. American Journal of Psychology (15), p 201-293, also retrieved on October 29, 2007, from http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Spearman/chap5.htm.   

Roman Republic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Roman Republic - Research Paper Example The differences between Catliana’s approach and those of other factions will also be assessed. The Caitlian conspiracy occurred during a background of economic and social problems that had been plaguing Rome for more than a year. Living conditions were deteriorating for many Italian peasants, levels of debt were rising and so were the numbers of the urban poor; additionally, small farms were declining and there was a shortage of men available to serve in the army.(Cicero and Shapiro ) A radical Roman politician named Lucius Sergius Catiliana was responsible for gathering together a group of Roman nobles who were disaffected, together with farmers who were disaffected in a conspiracy which aimed to overthrow the existing Government at Rome, so that they could take control of the Italian peninsula. This was a Republican Government that was in power while the proconsul Pompeii the Great was out campaigning in the Near east, together with a majority of the military units that had accompanied him there. Catiliana and his band of rebellious followers were present in the capital Rome, as well as in the province of Eturia. The existence f the conspiracy was uncovered by the conservative, optimate consul, Marcus Tullius Cicero and he successfully drive Catliana and his followers out of Rome. Church (no date) has provided a detailed description of the conspiracy that was organized by Catiliana in his book titled â€Å"Roman life in the days of Cicero†. The actual conspiracy was preceded by an earlier one that aimed to assassinate the new consuls. Church (no date) points out that Catliana was born into a noble family, which had however, fallen into poverty. During the days of Sulla, individuals from similar families that had been former noblemen but had descended into poverty, decided to come together to seize power once again. Catliana was cruel and wicked,

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 4

Marketing - Essay Example They also serve as the management team with specific roles and responsibilities. Adam Balon, 26, handles the sales functions of the company. He graduated with a degree in Economics and earned a place in Harvard MBA. He has worked as a marketing manager for Virgin Cola UK. His competencies include developing brand strategies, budget management and extensive experience in dealing with impulse and grocery multiples to drive listings. He has previous positions as brand manager, logistics and production planning in Virgin Cola. He has worked as a business analyst in the financial services and grocery retailing. John Wright, 25, manages the operations of the company. He graduated with a Masters in Manufacturing Engineering. He worked as a consultant at Bain & Company. His competencies include developing start up plans setting up new ventures, business cases with negotiating strategies to invest/dispose business units and heavy involvement in IT and recruitment operations. He has worked across different industries in manufacturing, financial services and media. Richard Reed runs the marketing functions of the company. He graduated with a degree in Geography. He has 4 years experience in the advertising industry. He served as an account director on BMP DDB Needham Marketing agency that handles the Volkswagen business account. His competencies include devising and implementing new marketing strategies to double the market share. He has intensive knowledge in macro-planning and retail communications that would exploit new services and new revenue streams to the agency. He has previously served as business director for BMP’s interactive marketing consultancy as well as director for new business. The core competency of Fresh Trading Ltd is centred on marketing and business strategy as derived from the experiences of the management team. Core competency is defined as the collective learning in the

IKEA Challenges and HR Solutions Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

IKEA Challenges and HR Solutions - Case Study Example Regardless, the company still faces the problem of its branding professionals being obsessed with the strong brand image, which has consistently developed for almost four decades while underrating the real creators of brand competitiveness. Brand-internalisation is the primary issue facing IKEA as it expands to other international markets where different cultures exist. The company faces the problem of recreating its brand identity based on the prevailing market conditions in different economies around the world. Its managers have been basically transferring its identities from Sweden to various stores which are under its brand in other countries, with fairly positive outcomes being registered in Europe while Asia creates mixed outcomes (Vizard, 2014). The attempt by its managers to advance the company’s sense making of the value of its products, reinterpreting and reactivating the brand to reflect the cultural needs of foreign markets has been largely missing at IKEA’s foreign excursions. As such, the process of brand-activating can be construed as a serious divide in the process of creating the common sense, hence requiring extra attention by an equally effective human resources management. Lack of a proper plan for brand internalization has resulted in IKEA being incapable of strengthening its brand in foreign markets for higher sales, hence the problem of heavy duties, especially in Asian markets (Tarnovskaya, & de Chernatony, 2011). In light of this, IKEA faces other brand challenges in culturally diverse.

Comparison of Two Types of Operational Budgets Assignment

Comparison of Two Types of Operational Budgets - Assignment Example Alternatively, variable costs can be stated as cost of every unit activity measure. Actual activity measures are then fed into the model after the accounting period. After this, the flexible budget is updated automatically by the variable costs. The resultant flexible budget is ten entered into the accounting system in order for comparisons to be made. These comparisons produce variances more relevant than those produced under a static budget. These variances are especially because the expenses involved are based on an activity. This accounts for the small variances registered in this comparison than those registered under static budget. Flexible budget can range across levels of sophistication. In basic flexible budget, alterations are recorded where there is a direct variation between certain expenses and revenues (Hope & Fraser, 2003). Under intermediate flexible budget, there are certain expenditures that will change with other activity measures and not with revenue. Advanced flexible budget deals with expenditures that vary only at given ranges of other activities and revenue. Master budget is a planning document that brings together all the budgets. It matches the beginning of a company’s fiscal year and be organized in quarters or months. The operating and financial budgets are the two parts of a master budget. It helps in judging the performance of company and its centers. The management makes modifies the master budget until it allocates funds to all set goals. Direct labor, direct materials, sales, manufacturing overhead and production are some of the budgets that show on a master budget (Finkler & McHugh, 2008). After preparation, the master budget is fed into the accounting system and financial reports are generated. Comparisons are then drawn between actual results and the budgeted amounts. There are spreadsheets that can help produce master budgets but they can have errors. A master budget appears

Economic Theories and the Music Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economic Theories and the Music Industry - Essay Example Musicians have made a living out of selling their music formats and thus the identification of the importance of the industry. However, of contemporary times, the sales of music formats have fallen continuously. It is the fear of many that there will lack and industry in this sector after some years and this can gain attribution to several economic theories. One of the standing economic theories in the identification of this is Market Anomaly. The key aspects of this theory are that there is inefficiency in the sales of a particular product in a given economic sector may depreciate and go against efficient market hypothesis (Fabozzi, 2011, 71). There are two main reasons that lead to market anomaly and they are ranges in two spectrums, the structural factors and the behavioral aspects. Focusing on the structural factors, one of the key components is unfair competition. The music industry is one that has undergone numerous changes over the years and thus the need to keep up with the c hanges. The changes have been caused by the development of Information Technology and thus the necessity to keep up with current trends in the creation of music formats. This necessity has led to different people in the various music sectors to develop a competition culture bases on the goal of most market sales. However, this unfair competition has led to their loss of customers rather than an increase and this is based from the fact that they focus more on the quantity of music produced to outdo each other rather than the quantity (Fabozzi, 2011, 125). The customers do not care about the quantity of music formats produced but rather on the quality. When customers find the quality not appealing to their needs, they decrease their focus on the particular music and spend the money in another manner. Unfair competition also comes up based on other entertainment industries rather than music. A major competitor in entertainment is the movies. The movie industry also started a long time ago and the amount of developments that the sector has witnessed over the past decade goes nothing short of overwhelming. Many movie directors have invented a lot of technology that has drawn more attention to entertainment fans. An example of this is the introduction of 3D films that give the viewer a livelier experience while watching a movie. Upon the introduction of the aspect, the music industry is in a fast search to develop a new concept in terms of music formats that will outdo the theatre developments (Robert, 2012, 153). This form of competition is healthy but of contemporary reports, it has led to various rivalries developing between music producers and movie directors and this has not had a positive impact on music formats. Another factor in the theory that affects the sale of music formats negatively is market transparency. In this case, not many people recognize the various genres of music formats that society is willing to offer due to less publicity made by the respo nsible promoters (Nilsson, 2010, 63). Less promotion by advertisement is one conflict that has hit markets in the 21st century and the credit for this goes to the high amount of inflation that the current global market is facing. The less the promotion made the more anonymous music formats are in society. This is one contribution to the poor music market figures in the 21st century. Moreover, regulatory actions for various music formats by authorities have led to a decrease in the number of sales over the past few years.

Cambridge Tourism Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cambridge Tourism - Case Study Example According to the United kingdoms economic development strategy, tourism is a very critical factor in the initiative to improve economy. Currently, tourism sector in the UK provide employment to about 7% of the working population. In the year 1999, the UK government received over 25.4 million tourists from overseas and consequently earned about 123 million trips in England (Beech & Chadwick 2006). Research has indicated that in 1999, east England received over14.8 million trips of over night stay and 7% of these stayed in Cambridgeshire while 27% were overseas tourists. The number of visitors from the Cambridge city has been increasing over time as indicated that in the 1999 findings. That same year, about 4.1 million visitors were from Cambridge a number that was higher that anticipated or even compared to previous years (Davidson 1998). The increase was attributed to the changes made to the day's visits by the culture department to include the visitors from outside the local area bu t who were regular visitors coming to shop of for leisure trips. The number of people staying for over night visits has also been increasing drastically. Half of the visitors usually stay over night because they are mostly from the overseas. Local visitors are increasingly visiting Cambridge (Holloway & Taylor 2006). Out of the 4.1million visitors in 1999, 3.2 million were from the south Cambridgeshire while 10 percent of them were those staying overnight. It can be concluded that over the past years, the total number of visitors coming to Cambridge has increased by more than 200% since the 1970s through 1980s. The growth levelled in 1990s but during the beginning of the new millennium, a 10 percent drop was observed. This cannot be explained easily though the economic crunch that the world was facing could be the greatest contributor to this drop. It's estimated that in the year 2000, only less than half of the visitors came from the United Kingdom and those from overseas were largely from North America (Holloway & Taylor 2006). Most of the visitors come on holiday tours and sight seeing while few of them come on business trips. Most of the people who have visited Cambridge admitted that they felt welcome and only 2 percent did not feel welcomed. About seventy four percent of the visitors were able to recommend places they had received better services. Over the pas years, Cambridge City council strategy has had a policy of managing and not promotion of tourism activities. With the increasing number of tourist in the region, Cambridge City council cam up with a policy in 1996 to help the industry to cope up with the increased customer base and the resulting possible pollution to the environment (Page & Connell 2006). Resources There are several aspects that are being addressed by the Cambridge city council to improve the service of tourism and hospitality in the city areas so as to meet the ever changing client's demands and requirements. The city through its tourism strategy will be abele to allocate resources properly and manage customers. The provision of the resources will be based on the tourism vision of the Cambridge city while integrating and incorporating objectives and the policies of the region to be able to deliver quality tourism services (Davidson 1998). The Cambridge city plan

Research paper on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

On Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice - Research Paper Example In fact, a girl who was wed when her father died would not inherit his fortune; instead, the husband was in line for the inheritance. This is what would have happened in the Bennet house hold, and this is one of the reasons that Mrs. Bennet wanted to make sure that her girls were wed. Keeping these thoughts in mind, Jane Austen, in her novel, Pride and Prejudice, reinforces the conservative values of the society in which her characters live. The period that the novel takes place was called the Regency Period. This period was called this because King George IV was in rule between 1810 and 1820 and the story takes place midway between these two years in 1813 (Austen, â€Å"Study† 10). During this period, the industrial revolution created wealthy men from the middle class who were business owners and professionals. They were able to purchase large homes, landscape the grounds, wear elaborate clothes and be driven around in fine carriages (Austen, â€Å"Study† 10). Although many had become wealthy, others were struggling and many were hungry. When people have these challenges, they often turn to social unrest, which happened at this time, and there were bread riots and worker protests (Austen, â€Å"Study† 11). Social customs were very important to this era and men and women had specific places within society. Austen shows this throughout her novel. This historical back ground was never included in Austen’s novels. Instead, she wanted readers to understand what she saw during this time because she was constantly observing the middle class that she lived within. Her novels depicted the â€Å"manners and morals of the middle class† (Austen â€Å"Study† 11). This historical back ground is important to understand how Austen’s novel reinforced the conservative values of the time. â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife†

Science in American Popular Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Science in American Popular Culture - Essay Example The popular American culture signifies contribution of all these sections. The rich, complex and yet unique American culture has major influence of European cultural patterns, particularly in language, the arts and political institutions, but it has a good share of the cultural diversity from the people of Africa, Asia, and North America as well1. Working diligently throughout the week and then spending the weekends with friends and family is one of the popular American ways of preparing oneself for the week ahead. The government too has been supporting and facilitating such system, because it is sound economics. The business will thrive only when we spend money from our kitty. The system too doesn't require complex scientific postulates; instead it works with pure interests and influences. Economic prosperity too is not a guarantee under a flourishing democracy, as we can see in cases of India and Brazil, the world's first- and fourth-largest democracies, respectively. These nations have been struggling for centuries to escape poverty. In fact, at times, the smooth correlation between politics and economics defies even the common wisdom. For example, while autocratic regimes are known to have a destabilizing effect on nation's economy, South Korea and Singapore crossed the threshold to development and prosperity under autocr atic regimes2. This further indicates that popular culture defies the scientific deduction and rational logic. It all depends on the patience and temperament of the people. America has seen maddening rush for Harry Potter series, a fictitious character, living in a fictitious world of wizard, making everything possible with his magic tricks. How does one explain this craze for Harry Potter and his brand of magic tricks The final Harry Potter book 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' is stated to have a record first day sales of 8.3 million copies3. That does not involve any science at all. J.K Rowling knew how to play with the emotions and sentiments of the people. She is a wonderful marketing professional as well and came out successful in implementing her progressive plans. An average American citizen is a peace loving person. But unfortunately, today America is involved around in many such missions which are proving to be detrimental for the popularity of American culture and its ways of life. While the search for the Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan is proving to be a big headache for the country, the Iraq venture too is proving to be a costly affai r. Carrying out massive strikes in Iraq, in search of the illusive WMDs and plunging huge manpower and resources guarding a foreign land certainly doesn't involve any science in it. It's apparently the game of power politics or is it the dual for controlling the vast oil reserves. Well, we're all waiting for the appropriate answer. President Bush has seen sharp decline in his popularity but he continues to have a firm grip on the administration and country's affairs. If we go by a pure scientific deduction then the dissatisfaction of majority of the people should have resulted in the stepping down of the President. But it is a part of

Skills I Learned in High School Essay Example for Free

Skills I Learned in High School Essay My Skills From High School Learning to read and write in college is a situation parallel to Issac Newton’s quote, â€Å"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.† This is because Newton was able to advance the knowledge of science because he simply advanced the research of other great scientists. The skills that will be attained here in college are simply the sharpening of the skills I have already learned in high school. My freshman English teacher taught me to sit down and just read a book and enjoy it. She also helped me expand my vocabulary by showing me the Latin roots in words. Mr. Cicoletti was my English teacher for grades 10th-12th . He was a kind man who had us look at the philosophical side of literature. Existentialism is a great example of this because it deals with you creating your own reality and deciding to make a positive change or a negative one on this â€Å"nonsensical† world. Albert Camus’ novel â€Å"The Stranger† is one of the existentialism books I read. I learned a little Greek mythology and was able to understand the definition of a tragic hero. Joseph Conrad’s novel â€Å"Heart of Darkness† was filled with symbolism and imagery and was fun to analyze because it had so much content. It’s true that it was hard to read but by using literary devices, I was able to break down the density of the book and realize that the Congo represented darkness and the further man went into it the wilder man became. That novel helped me see how man is primarily evil and society’s boundaries and structure us overcome our lower nature. My English teacher also had us read a book that had to do with African culture called, â€Å"Things Fall Apart,† and a book called, â€Å"Night,† which had to do with the Holocaust. We read these books because my teacher  said they helped us understand other people’s cultures and see how other people think. I liked how he showed us that by reading literature you can understand different parts of the world without even going there. I also learned a lot more about writing when I was introduced to literary devices. I learned about research papers. That included learning how to cite your resources and use the MLA format. We also learned how to write argument papers, analysis reports, and compare and contrast essays. I was also able to take the AP Language and Writing Composition Exam my junior year, where I wrote three Essays in a limited amount of time. I felt proud of myself because I am usually a slow writer but I was able to think of topics Samuelson 2  quickly and write down my main points in a standard formatted essay. My senior year AP exam was not as successful because I didn’t understand the second writing prompt very well and so I wrote down a poorly constructed essay that didn’t make much sense but I was still able to finish the test. My teacher showed us that by being able to write well meant we would be able to communicate easier with many people and get substantial jobs by writing goo d resumes. Mr. Cicoletti taught me a lot of literary devices which includes, Alliteration, the repeated sound of one letter. I learned that this is used a lot in poetry to make the words fit together better, such as the nursery rhyme, â€Å"She sells sea shells by the sea shore.† Setting, the location and time era of a literary piece, is a very important element for every story because it helps the reader understand the background pf the story better. Metaphors, saying something is something else, are used a lot in stories because they help you understand a concept better such as â€Å"The woman was a snake.† This helps you understand that â€Å"The woman† is untrustworthy and not safe to be around. Symbolism, a concrete object representing an abstract idea, is a very important concept that I learned that was used a lot in â€Å"the Heart of Darkness†. One of the symbols in that novel was the ivory which represented the white pilgrims’ greed and lust for wealth. Similes, saying something is like something, is a common device used in everyday  writing, such as a diary where someone might write, â€Å"My heart was like a bouncy ball when I bumped into Cody Johnson this morning.† Personification, describing a lifeless object as if it had human characteristics, is a literary device used in â€Å"The Heart of Darkness† because Marlow describes the jungle as being alive and waiting to swallow him and his crew up even though it’s obvious that a forest can’t really swallow human beings. Hyperbole, exaggeration, is something used in tall tales. Verbal irony is the speaker saying the opposite of what he is feeling; Dramatic irony is the reader of a book knowing something a character in the book doesn’t; Cosmic irony is forces that negatively influence somebody’s life that are beyond that person’s control. Shakespeare uses a lot of dramatic irony in his play â€Å"Macbeth†. Sonnets are poems that are written in three quatrains and one couplet, making up a total of fourteen lines. Ballads are poems that tell a story. Haikus are poems that have three lines with seven in the first line, five in the second, and seven in the last. Poetry was a big focus my senior year and I was able to research the famous children’s author A.A. Milne who was an extremely talented poet and I enjoyed reading his works! By accumulating all these skills in high school, I hope to develop even better writing and reading skills in college. I trust that my teachers have done their best to prepare me for this new chapter in my life but I know I will still be learning a lot!

Marshall’s Theory of Citizenship

ï » ¿Marshall’s Theory of Citizenship Marshall’s theory of citizenship and its relevance in Britain in 2017 Introduction Marshall’s citizenship theory is concerned with social rights, education, and voting. Marshall’s theory on citizenship is compatible with Britain in 2017 due to the fact that schools are influenced by ideological, economic, and cultural forces, and citizenship considers the way in which education functions in class formation, struggle, capital accumulation, and the legitimation of the privileges of dominant groups (Apple, 2017:4). In fact, there is no doubt that schools are institutions of economic and cultural reproduction (Apple, 2017). Similarly, Marshall (2009:149) opines that the institutions most closely connected to citizenship and civilisation are the educational system and the social services. Citizenship has also raised questions on the sense of social solidarity and integration in any given community (Turner, 1990). Thus, citizenship, and every idealised version of it, holds relevance today. Marshall’s theory in particular, has relevance in 2017 due to the fact that there are several distinct forms of citizenship, and each can be understood by taking Marshall’s vision of citizenship as a whole, rather than a sum of parts. Turner (1997) notes that society is faced with two contradictory principles: scarcity and social solidarity. Scarcity results in exclusionary events such as gender divisions, social classes, and status groups, whilst social solidarity requires cohesive community structures, regardless of one’s social standing (Turner, 1997). Gender divisions are the one area that Marshall’s theory on citizenship fails to consider. In addition to the above characteristics of Marshall’s theory, Marshall’s theory on citizenship considered legal rights as the first form of citizenship (Turner, 1997). In the 19th century, political rights and their institutionalisation in parliament was Marshall’s second notion of citizenship (Turner, 1997). Next, Marshall believed that citizenship was related to social rights, and that those social rights were institutionalised in the welfare state (Turner, 1997). When considering these three forms of rights, Marshall argued that citizenship mitigates the inequalities created by capitalism (Turner, 1997:11). Marshall referred to modern industrialist capitalist societies as ‘hyphenated societies,’ due to the fact that such societies have some degree of democratic redistribution of wealth through the institution of citizenship. Marshall’s theory on citizenship relies on post-war societies and their relationships between social class, welfare, and citizenship (Turner, 1997). At the heart of Marshall’s theory on citizenship is identity. For instance, contemporary Britain has faced anxiety in granting unconditional comprehensive citizenship to Hong Kong nationals (Turner, 1997). Turner (1997:7) describes this concept as ‘social closure’ in which citizenship is determined on an inclusion/exclusion basis, in an attempt to exclude ‘outsiders’ and drive out diversity. The idea of social closure is still a pervasive concept in 2017, as evidenced by â€Å"Brexit.† Openness to diversity and difference is an essential component of a liberal democracy (Turner, 1997), yet the sentiment of some UK citizens is in conflict with the idea of diversity. Brexit and immigration are discussed later in the essay. Critique of Marshall’s Theory Marshall’s theory of citizenship has been criticised for being Anglocentric and evolutionist (Mann, 1987). Mann (1987) suggests that emphasis should be placed on understanding ruling class interactions and anciens rà ©gimes rather than rising bourgeois and proletarian classes, which has been the status quo in previous political studies (Mann, 1987). Other critics discount Marshall’s concept of citizenship due to the fact that his theories were developed in the mid 70’s (Bulmer & Rees, 1996) and the post-World War II political dynamic is much different than it is today. While this may be the case, it does not negate the fact that Marshall’s lived experiences as a prisoner in Germany and as a social worker, provides a knowledge and culture that can only be subsumed from such experiences. Such experiences can be triangulated to the adversity that many UK citizens feel today; it is not an overseas war that many in the UK are fighting- it is an internal war at which the will of the underclass of Britain and Britain’s diminishing middle-class is threatened. It is arguable that Marshall’s theory on citizenship will always have relevance, whether it is in the year 2017, 2060, or later. For instance, in 1978, some scholars pointed out that the concept of citizenship had gone â€Å"out of fashion† amongst political thinkers (Kymlicka & Norman, 1994). Yet, 15 years later, citizenship has become a â€Å"buzz word† in political discourse (Kymlicka & Norman, 1994). Considered even minimally, it is arguable that Marshall’s theory is relevant in a cyclical nature. During certain points in time, it could be more relevant than in other time periods, although the concept itself is always relevant. Marshall has considered the entitlements of economic structure and capitalist society (Turner & Hamilton, 1990: 199), and these concepts will always be a constant. Social Class & Welfare Reform Social class, like citizenship, is a system of inequality (Marshall, 2009). Thus, Marshall’s theory on citizenship takes account of the impact of citizenship on social class (Marshall, 2009). In fact, Marshall (1950) notes that citizenship and social class are in conflict. The paragraphs below discuss social class and welfare reform. Social welfare reform has been a central part of Britain’s political agenda since Margaret Thatcher’s policies of the conservative government (McLaughlin, 2000). Thatcher’s social welfare reforms included less governmental intervention and less social assistance so as to allow citizens to be more active in their social and economic standing. Thatcher’s policies also known as ‘Thatcherism’ encouraged greater citizen freedom and free market (McLaughlin, 2000). The idea of a free market is in line with Marshall’s view on citizenship. Following Thatcher’s policies, the Labour government reinvented social welfare after their 1997 win (McLaughlin, 2000). Given the stark contrast between the Conservative government’s policies and the Labour Party’s policies, it is arguable that Marshall’s understanding of citizenship is very much relevant to today’s Britain. Marshall’s hypothesis rested on an economic calculation that the cost of providing education for all would increase a country’s productivity (Marshall, 1950: 6). Although Marshall’s hypothesis was calculated at a time in which physical labour was heavily utilised, affordable access to education is a concept that many in Britain worry about (Yuan & Powell, 2013). While Liberals and the Labour Party push for more social services such as education bursaries and grants for lower income families, Conservatives hold the view that education should not be a part of the social welfare system (Counts, 1978). Thus, this is the very notion of citizenship in which minimal access to education further widens inequality and inequality is inversely correlated with citizenship. Inequality is inversely correlated with citizenship due to the fact that the higher the inequality that exists, the lower the [participation] of citizenship, due to the fact that individuals faced with economic hardship are less likely to vote (Rosenstone, 1982). Arguably, the higher the citizenship, the lower the inequality of citizenship. Prior to the Labour’s win in 1997, the Labour Party stated that welfare reform would be one its major campaign promises that it kept (Powell, 2000). The Labour’s rhetoric was said to be a new and distinctive method that differed from both the old left and the new right (Powell, 2000). At the heart of the party’s campaign, however, was the need for social change and reform. Marshall’s concept of citizenship is relevant to that period and today’s period due to the fact that social reform is still a heavily debated concept in 2017. Another element that points to the relevance of Marshall’s theory on citizenship is welfare fraud. Welfare fraud is a hot-button topic for many political campaigns, despite its occurrence on a small scale. The British public believes that 27% of the UK’s welfare budget is lost to fraud (Trade Unions Congress, 2013) while the government’s records of funding lost to welfare fraud is 0.7% (TUC, 2013). And according to a poll conducted by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Ministers should not assume that voters will continue to support Ministers’ plans to cap welfare benefit rises. The TUC’s research further notes that voters who are least able to provide accurate results on benefits are most likely to back the government’s plan to cut benefits (TUC, 2013). The poll results paint a bleak picture on citizen perception on unemployment. For instance, the TUC poll shows that once citizens learn that the benefits cap will hit workers in low paid jobs the most, support moves away from the government (TUC, 2013). The poll also demonstrated that 61% of individuals polled believed that 41% of the entire welfare budget goes to unemployed people, while the true figure is 3% (TUC, 2013). Overall, the results of the poll demonstrate that misconceptions on poverty and unemployment are what fuel misleading news stories and sensationalised campaign points. This is relevant to Marshall’s notion of citizenship because people need to understand the real causes and issues plaguing social welfare and unemployment: welfare fraud is not one of them. By remaining uninformed, an electorate may very well vote against their better interests, and in turn, this foster inequality. Marshall (1950) suggested that it was the state’s social responsibility to help the working class and poor to utilise their political and civil rights, and this can only be accomplished with an informed voter base. This is especially true due to the fact that cuts in social security programs have disproportionately affected women (Shelley & Gavigan, 2004). Cuts to these programs have affected single mothers in particular (Shelley & Gavigan, 2004). Shelley and Gavigan (2004) make a critical point when they note that public discourse and social images on welfare fraud erroneously link poverty and welfare to crime. Brexit & Immigration Prior to Brexit, many political analysts suggested that the determining factor on attitudes for leaving or staying in Britain was immigration, while others suggested that the determining factor was the advantage versus the disadvantage of EU membership (McKee & Galsworthy, 2016). Although ‘Brexit’ took place in 2016, the effects of the vote are apparent in 2017. Tied to Brexit is immigration. As immigration is a global concern, minority groups and liberal assimilationist concepts of citizenship have dominated political discourse. The same can be said for Britain’s immigration â€Å"problem.† The public vote to leave the EU brought about issues of citizenship and ‘otherness’ (Goodwin & Milazzo, 2017). In fact, a poll conducted by the British Election Study (BES) demonstrated that anti-immigration rhetoric shaped public support for Brexit (Goodwin & Milazzo, 2017). For instance, increases in the rate of immigration in the UK were key predictors of the vote for Brexit (Goodwin & Milazzo, 2017). It is not surprising that Britain has taken issue with immigration for several years. Journalists and reporters have seen increased attacks on EU migrants and minorities in record number, and it appears that this problem has only increased subsequent to Brexit (Goodwin & Milazzo, 2017). Further to the violence and anti-immigrant sentiment, the anger and xenophobia against immigrants are expected to become more intense (Goodwin & Milazzo, 2017). In considering the other side of the argument, Marshall’s theory may not be as relevant to the year 2017 due to the fact that Marshall’s theory focused on the exercise of political power and voter turnout for Brexit was low (Goodwin & Heath, 2016). Marshall noted that citizens exercise participation of political power by voting, and if citizens do not exercise this right, they cannot be said to be involved in the political process. Arguably, a lack of participation points to apathy or ‘hopelessness.’ Marshall argued that citizenship â€Å"is a status bestowed on all those who are full members of a community.† (Marshall, 1950:28). Such members carry out their responsibilities by voting and completing civic obligations. On the other hand, Banks’ (2008) theory on citizenship which is still evident in today’s society is similar to Marshall’s notion of citizenship as Banks rejects assimilation, arguing that citizenship should reflect diverse cultures and languages. Further, diverse groups rights can aid individuals in attaining structural equality. Education Reform Education reform has been a hot button issue for the past 20 years (Torres, 1998). Education reform and citizenship are interrelated concepts due to the fact that citizens exercise their rights to vote on education. Education is not only a human right, but it is a concept that is at the forefront of the electorate. While some authors note that the discussion of schools in the UK remain marginal to the policy process or they are heard minimally through teaching unions (Bowe, Ball, & Gold, 2017), the consensus is that educational reform is an important campaigning point, and this is acknowledged by political pundits. Another reason why education reform and citizenship are linked is because the social division of labour and educational systems are connected. This is in line with Marshall’s theory on citizenship due to the fact that discussions on educational reform have centred around schools and their ability to reduce the division of labour and lessen existing inequality (Apple, 2017). The UK’s Housing Crisis The current housing crisis in the UK is another issue that is related to citizenship, due to the fact that it is a social phenomenon that the electorate holds a stake in. The housing crisis also exacerbates inequality, and inequality is a fundamental precept of citizenship, as noted by Marshall. The housing crisis in the UK is a problem that began after World War II (Gurran & Whitehead, 2011). Post-war planning legislation was instated in order to ensure that there was adequate supply of housing land, but much of the legislation failed to account to for Britain’s growing population (Gurran & Whitehead, 2011). Since the passing of such legislation, there has been a widening gap between housing demand and supply in the UK, leading to the housing crisis (Gurran & Whitehead, 2011). The question of whether Marshall’s theory on citizenship pertains to today’s housing crisis in the UK, rests on government intervention. While Marshall was largely against state intervention in some respects, Marshall supported the state using its power for education and basic assistance (Marshall, 1950). Proponents of improved and affordable housing conditions suggest that the government should vigorously be involved in the planning process and provide adequate housing provisions for low-income households (Gurran & Whitehead, 2011). While Conservatives believe that the private market should be able to balance development and the interests of the UK citizens, Liberals believe that state intervention will provide equitable and socially beneficial forms of housing for those that are most in need (Gurran & Whitehead, 2011). Gurran and Whitehead (2011) argue that state intervention is the only solution that will ease the housing crisis due to the fact that less land will be available for activities that generate negative externalities, resulting in higher housing prices, whilst more land will be available for uses that include greater social benefit. Stone (2006) also notes that affordable housing is a social issue that must take account of current incomes in the UK. Affordable housing can mean subsidised housing and liveable housing conditions (Stone, 2006). Thus, Marshall’s theory would include support for affordable housing, given the inequalities that exist in the housing shortage. Feminism As feminism has gained steam in the last 20 years, so has the quest for equality (Brooks, 1997). Postmodern feminism and citizenship moves beyond the mainly white, male, middle-class perspective that much of history has been based on. Further, the absence of gender causes problems for understanding citizenship (Walby, 1994). Walby (1994) argues that discussions on citizenship must consider the ways in which gender can be integrated into citizenship (Walby, 1994). Thus, citizenship must consider a dynamic theory of gender relations and political citizenship that destabilises patriarchy and restores equal citizenship (Walby, 1994). Some scholars note that Marshall’s theory of citizenship is not applicable today based on Marshall’s linear view on citizenship. These scholars argue that Marshall’s perspective on citizenship is that of a white, heterosexual male, and that it does not take account of minorities, women, lesbians, or homosexuals (Turner, 2009). Lister (2003) notes that active citizenship can be accomplished by questioning deeply entrenched dichotomies and understanding the more coercive forms of active citizenship which are dominated by political agendas. The other way that active citizenship can be accomplished is by refusing to accept unfounded definitions and constructions of â€Å"insiders† and â€Å"outsiders† in relation to individual rights on citizenship, and this requires a deep regard for gender equality. Postmodernist feminist also allows issues of child care, education, and work-life balance to be considered as a matter of both genders, despite those issues being considered as ‘female’ issues. Lister (2003) has allowed poor gendered versions of citizenship to be questioned, which is what Marshall’s theory on citizenship fails to do. Conclusion While Marshall’s theory on citizenship focused mainly on the free market, Marshall also considered with the inequalities that came with citizenship. On this end, Marshall’s theory is still applicable to Britain in the year 2017, due to the fact that inequalities linked to citizenship still exist in Britain. The housing crisis has also demonstrated the applicability of Marshall’s theory. Brexit has demonstrated that there is anti-immigrant sentiment, despite the fact that the selling point for joining the EU was the free movement of people and goods. The one area that Marshall’s theory on citizenship may not apply to, is feminism. In regards to gender and inequality, the negative historical treatment of poor women on welfare have clouted public discourse (Shelley & Gavigan, 2004) on the real social welfare issues. The criminalisation of poverty in Britain raises theoretical questions on the regulation and control of Britain’s welfare state. Thus, Marshall’s theory on citizenship fails on this particular point due to the fact that Marshall’s perspective considers that of the white male, while largely ignoring women and their struggle and position as second-class citizens. As citizenship has re-emerged as an issue which is central to political concerns regarding healthcare, education, and social security (Turner, 1990), it must also consider the fight for equality and feminism- otherwise, citizenship is not truly considered in its totality. Bibliography Apple, M.W. 2017. Cultural and Economic Reproduction in Education: Essays on Class, Ideology, and the State (London: Routledge). Banks, J.A.2008. Diversity, Group Identity, and Citizenship Education in a Global Age. Educational Researcher, 37(3), 129-139. Bowe, R., Ball, S.J., Gold, A. 2017. Reforming Education and Changing Schools: Case Studies in Policy Sociology (UK: Routledge). Brooks, A. 1997. Postfeminisms: Feminism, Cultural Theory and Cultural Forms (NY: Routledge). Bulmer, M., & Rees, A.M.1996. Citizenship Today: The Contemporary Relevance of T.H. Marshall. (London: Routledge). Chunn, E.D., & Gavigan, S.A.M. 2004. Welfare Law, Welfare Fraud, and the Moral Regulation of the ‘Never Deserving’ Poor. Social & Legal Studies, 13(2), 219-243. Counts, G.S. 1978. Dare the School Build a New Social Order? (London: Southern Illinois University Press). Faulks, K. 1998. Citizenship in Modern Britain (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press). Trades Union Congress. 2013. Support for benefit cuts dependent on ignorance, TUC-commissioned poll finds. [Accessed: 5 May 2017]. Available from: https://www.tuc.org.uk/social-issues/child-poverty/welfare-and-benefits/tax-credits/support-benefit-cuts-dependent Goodwin, M., & Heath, O. 2016. The 2016 Referendum, Brexit and the Left Behind: An Aggregate-level Analysis of the Result. The Political Quarterly, 87(3). Goodwin, M., & Milazzo, C. 2017. Taking Back Control?: Investigating the role of Immigration in the 2016 vote for Brexit. British Journal of Politics and International Relations. Gurran, N., & Whitehead, C. 2011. Planning and Affordable Housing in Australia and the UK: A Comparative Perspective. Housing Studies, 26(7-8). Jones, H., Gunaratnam, Y., Bhattacharyya, G., Davies, W., Dhaliwal, S., Forkert, K., Jackson, E., & Saltus, R. 2017. Immigration Controversies and Performative Politics. (UK: Oxford University Press). Kymlicka, W., & Norman, W. 1994. Return of the Citizen: A Survey of Recent Work on Citizenship Theory. An International Journal of Social, Political, and Legal Philosophy, 104(2). Lister, R. 2003. Citizenship: Feminist Perspectives. 2nd Edition, (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan). Mann, M. 1987. Ruling Class Strategies and Citizenship. Sociology, 21(3). Marshall, T.H. 2005. Developing the Global Gaze in Citizenship Education: Exploring the Perspectives of Global Education NGO Workers in England. International Journal of Citizenship and Teacher Education, 1(2), 76-91. Marshall, T.H. 2009. Inequality and Society, edited by Jeff Manza and Michael Sauder (NY: W.W. Norton and Co.) McKee, M., & Galsworthy, M.J. 2016. Brexit: A Confused Concept that threatens Public Health. Journal of Public Health, 38(1), 3-5. McLaughlin, E. 2000. New Managerialism, New Welfare? Eds. John Clarke, Sharon Gewirtz. (London: Sage). Powell, M. 2000. New Labour and the third way in the British welfare state: a new distinctive approach? Critical Social Policy, 20(1) Rosenstone, S.J. 1982. Economic Adversity and Voter Turnout. American Journal of Political Science, 26(1), 25-46. Stone, M.E. 2006. What is Housing Affordability? The Case for the Residual Income Approach. Housing Policy Debate, 17(1), 151-184. Torres, C.A. 1998. Democracy, Education, and Multiculturalism: Dilemmas of Citizenship in a Global World. Comparative Education Review, 42(4), 421-447. Turner, B.S. 1990. Outline of a Theory of Citizenship. Sociology, 24(2). Turner, B.S., & Hamilton, P. 1990. Citizenship: Critical Concepts, Volume 1. (London Routledge). Turner, B.S. 1997. Citizenship Studies: A General Theory. Citizenship Studies, 1(1). 5-18. Turner, B.S. 2009. T.H. Marshall, social rights and English national identity. Citizenship Studies, 13(1), 65-73. Walby, S. 1994. Is Citizenship Gendered? Sociology, 28(2), 379-395. Yuan, L., & Powell, S. 2013. MOOCs and Open Education: Implications for Higher Education, A White Paper. (UK: Centre for Educational Technology & Interoperability Standards).

Clinico-histopathological Spectrum of Cutaneous Vasculitis

Clinico-histopathological Spectrum of Cutaneous Vasculitis Article Type: Original Title: Clinico-histopathological Spectrum of Cutaneous Vasculitis: A Retrospective Study of 62 cases Running Title: A Clinico-pathological study of Cutaneous vasculitis Authors: Nadia Shirazi*, Rashmi Jindal^, Neha Tyagi*, Samarjit Roy^, Meena Harsh,* Sohaib AhmadÇ‚ Affiliation: Department of *Pathology, ^Dermatology and Ç‚Internal Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences. SRH University. Jolly Grant. Dehradun. Uttarakhand. India Corresponding Author: Dr. Nadia Shirazi ABSTRACT Context: Cutaneous Vasculitis is the inflammation of vessel walls which leads to hemorrhagic or ischemic events. The histopathological classification of cutaneous vasculitis depends on the vessel size and the dominant immune cell mediating the inflammation. Object: We studied the etiological factors and clinico-pathological spectrum of patients with cutaneous vasculitis at a tertiary referral centre of north India. Design: Skin biopsies of all patients with clinically suspected cutaneous vasculitis presenting over 5 years , between 2009-2014 were reviewed. Cutaneous vasculitis was classified on the basis of etiology (primary or secondary), on the basis of size of vessel wall as well as on the dominant inflammatory cell infiltrating the vessels. Results: Over 5 years, 62 / 103 patients evaluated for vasculitic syndromes had histologically proven vasculitis. Clinically, vasculitis was primary (77.4%) or secondary (22.5%) to drugs, infections, underlying connective tissue diseases and malignancy. Neutrophilic (n=30), lymphocytic (n=18), eosinophilic (n=10), and granulomatous (n=4) vasculitis were the major histopathological groups. Small vessel involvement was seen in 97% cases. Conclusion: Skin biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosing cutaneous vasculitis. Small vessel vasculitis is the most common type of cutaneous vasculitis with the dominant cell type being neutrophilic. Eosinophilic infiltrate was exclusively associated with primary vasculitis. Keywords: Cutaneous vasculitis, Small vessel vasculitis, Skin biopsy INTRODUCTION Cutaneous vasculitis (CV) is an inflammatory process of the vessels leading to the destruction of their wall with subsequent hemorrhagic features with or without ischemic necrosis.1 The incidence of cutaneous vasculitis ranges from 15.4 to 29.7 cases per million per year.2,3 The condition usually affects adults with a slight female predominance, however, all ages may be afflicted. CV is classified histo-morphologically on the basis of size of vessel affected (small or medium vessel vasculitis) and on the basis of the dominant cell mediating inflammation- neutrophilic/leukocytoclastic, lymphocytic, eosinophilic and granulomatous. On the basis of etiology, they are classified as primary/idiopathic or secondary to an underlying cause like drug induced, connective tissue disorders, infections, malignancy, etc. Vasculitis in a medium or large vessel is defined as presence of inflammatory cells within their walls, whereas in small vessels diapedesis of various leukocytes often take place and this criteria alone is not significant. It must be associated with signs of vessel damage, such as fibrin within the walls, thrombi or endothelial necrosis. Veins are involved more commonly than arterioles. Clinically, CV can present with a variety of signs and symptoms like urticaria, palpable purpura, ulcers, maculopapular rash, nodules, hemorrhagic vesicles, etc. It can be limited to skin or manifest in other organs like kidney, lungs and heart. Due to this myriad of presentations, CV can mimic a variety of other dermatological and systemic diseases. Skin biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis of cutaneous vasculitis complemented by clinical data and relevant haematological and immunological investigations. In this article, we will be presenting the histopathological spectrum of cutaneous vasc ulitis at a single centre of north India. MATERIALS AND METHODS All patients with clinical suspicion of cutaneous vasculitis attending the dermatology OPD between August 2009 and July 2014 at a single tertiary referral centre of north India were included. An informed consent was taken wherever possible in writing. Approval was obtained from the institute’s research committee for compiling the data from the hospital records. A punch biopsy, 4mm in depth was taken from the edge of the lesion. Though efforts were made to collect most of the biopsies within 48 hours of appearance of the suspected vasculitic lesion, a few patients presented as late as 1 -2 weeks. These biopsies were routinely processed and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (HE). Serial sections were taken in which no vasculitis was identified on initial section. Elastic tissue staining to assess the damage to the elastic lamina in muscular vessels was also performed. Simultaneously, a hemogram, ESR, kidney and liver functions, rheumatoid factor and immunological tests like AN A and ANCA were also carried out for assessment. Direct immunoflourescence (DIF) could not be undertaken in any case due to poor patient affordability and lack of infrastructure. Patients with thrombocytopenia ( RESULTS Over 5 years a total of 480 skin biopsies were studied out of which 103 cases were performed in those with clinically suspected vasculitis. However, 62 out of these 103 cases were histologically confirmed to have vasculitis; the remaining had unremarkable and non-specific histologic features. Those with positive histological features had a mean age of 44.5 years [range 6-83 years] with the male to female ratio of 1.1:1. The maximum number of patients (n=15) were seen in the age group 31-40 years followed by those in the second decade. Clinically vasculitis was primary (n=48, 77.4%) or secondary (n=14; 22.5%). (Table I) History of drug intake and presence of recent upper respiratory tract infection was seen in 7 and 3 patients respectively. The commonest offending drugs were antibiotics of ÃŽ ²-lactam group and analgesics followed by anti-histaminics. Connective tissue disorders (n=3) and malignancy (n=1) were also found to be the cause of secondary vasculitis. Clinically palpable purpura was the most common finding followed by maculopapular rash.(Figure I). Three-quarters of granulomatous vasculitis presented clinically with symptoms of allergic granulomatosis; 25% (n=4/17) of leukocytoclastic vasculitis presented clinically with features of microscopic polyangiitis. Among the haematological parameters, a raised ESR was the most consistent finding. (Tables II III). Most of these were small vessel (venules and arterioles) vasculitis (n=60, 97%). Only 2 cases showed medium vessel vasculitis particularly associated with panniculitis. Depending upon the dominant cell mediating inflammation, the dominant cell type was neutrophilic (n=30), lymphocytic (n=18), eosinophilic (n=10), and granulomatous (n=4). Histopathological evaluation in neutrophilic vasculitis showed transmural infiltration of vessel wall with neutrophils (Figure II). Fibrinoid necrosis, neutrophilic debris with or without extravasated red cells were features of leucocytoclastic vasculitis. Lymphocytic vasculitis is shown in Figure III. Epithelioid granulomas were seen surrounding and destroying the vessel wall in granulomatous vasculitis with transmural vessel wall infiltration by lymphocytes and polymorphs (Figure IV). Medium vessel vasculitis showed infiltration by neutrophils in vessel wall which was associated with septal panniculitis. (Figure V). Six of the 10 cases with urticarial vasculitis had an eosinophilic infiltrate; the remaining showed lymphocytes predominantly. Clinically most cases (n=8; 47%) of idiopathic vasculitis were of neutrophilic type. Drug reaction was the commonest cause of secondary vasculitis (n=7) and most of these (n=4, 57%) showed lymphocytic infiltrate (Table IV). DISCUSSION Cutaneous vasculitis presents as a mosaic of clinical and histological findings due to varied pathogenic mechanisms.3 Even in the presence of suggestive dermatological lesions, biopsy showed histological features in nearly 60% cases. We observed primary vasculitic syndromes leading to cutaneous histologic changes in 77% of all cases. Joint pain and swelling was the main presenting feature, palpable purpura and maculopapular rash were the predominant clinical cutaneous markers and raised ESR was a consistent feature. Mostly small vessels were affected and neutrophils predominated in infiltrates. However, there was a substantial overlap in the calibre of the vessel, the cellular infiltrate and the clinical diagnosis. Our observations corroborate with the case series of Carlson et al in terms of the dominance of primary vasculitis and lack of organ involvement.3 Raised ESR was also observed by Ekenstam et al and Gupta et al.4, 5 Arthralgia was the commonest systemic manifestation also observed by Gupta et al. 5 Neural and renal involvement was seen in 15 (24.1%) and 18 (29%) patients respectively in our series. Earlier studies showed visceral involvement is seen in 6, 7, 8 Fatal disease occurs in a minority (3, 8 Different therapeutic approaches are the main reason for sub-classifying vasculitis. Avoidance or treatment of the causative factor may cure or limit the activity of secondary vasculitis; whereas immunosuppressive therapy is the treatment of choice for primary vasculitis. Given this broad range of presentations of cutaneous vasculitis and the numerous disorders that can mimic vasculitis, it is not surprising that it is difficult to correctly and confidently classify these patients. 9 Currently the most widely adopted vasculitis classification system is that of Chapel Hill Consensus Conference (CHCC) which is based on pathologic criteria . 10 The other widely used system is that of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) which is based on clinical findings. 11-18 As yet, no ideal system of classification exists for vasculitis. 3, 19, 20 The most accepted classification is one which distinguishes between primary and secondary vasculitis, recognizes the dominant blood vessel size involved as well as incorporates patho-physiological markers such as direct immune-fluorescence (DIF) and ANCA.21,22 Therefore the classification of cutaneous vasculitis into specific syndromes is best first approached morphologically by determining vessel size and principal inflammatory response. 3 This is the first case series classifying cutaneous vasculitis based on the vessel calibre and histo-morphologic features from the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. Though, the referral centre caters to a million people, this data cannot be extrapolated to the general population as the people are treated in the periphery by practitioners, the data of which is non-existent. A major limitation of our study was the non-availability of direct immunofluorescence which is considered very important for delineating the immunoglubulin type. Nevertheless, since this facility is not available in most of the Indian subcontinent and there is a lack of expertise in the field of dermatopathology, our data merits attention. CONCLUSION Vasculitis occurs as a primary disorder or secondary to various medical conditions, the treatment differing accordingly. The severity may range from a self-limited condition to a life threatening disorder with multiple organ failure. Skin biopsy is an important tool in arriving at a definitive diagnosis duly complemented by clinical features, pertinent laboratory data, serological evaluation, ANCA with or without direct immunofluorescence. REFERENCES 1. Carlson JA, Cavaliere LE, Grant-Kels JM. Cutaneous Vasculitis: diagnosis and management. Clin Dermatol 2006; 24: 414-29. 2. Chen KR, Carlson JA. Clinical approach to cutaneous vasculitis. Am. J Clin Dermatol 2008; 9: 71-92. 3. Carlson JA, Ng BT, Chen KR. Cutaneous vasculitis update: diagnostic criteria, classification, epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, evaluation and prognosis. Am J Dermatopathol 2005; 27 (6): 504-28. 4. Ekenstam E, Callen JP. Cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis-clinical and laboratory features of 82 patients seen in private practice. Arch Dermatol 1984;120: 484-9 5. Gupta S, Handa S, Kanwar AJ, Radotra BD, Minz RW. Cutaneous Vasculitides: Clinico-pathological correlation. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2009;75:356-62 6. Fiorentino DF. Cutaneous Vasculitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 2003; 48(3): 311-40 7. Carlson JA, Chen KR. Cutaneous vasculitis update: small vessel neutrophilic vasculitis syndromes. Am J Dermatopathol 2006; 28(6): 486-506 8. Tai YJ, Chang AH, Williams RA et al. Retrospective analysis of adult patients with cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Australas J Dermatol 2006; 47(2): 92-6 9. Carlson JA, Chen KR. Cutaneous pseudovasculitis. Am J Dermatopathol 2007; 29(1): 44-55. 10. Jennette JC, Falk RJ, Andrassy K et al. Nomenclature of systemic vasculitides: proposal of an international consensus conference. Arthritis Rheum 1990; 33 (8): 1135-6. 11. Fries JF, Hunder GG, Bloch DA et al. The American college of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of vasculitis: Summary. Arthritis Rheum 1990, 33(8):1135-6. 12. Leavitt Ry, Fauci AS, Bloch DA et al. The American college of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of wegener’s granulomatosis.1990;33(8):1101-7 13. Masi AT, Hunder GG, Lie JT, et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of Churg-Strauss Syndrome (allergic granulomatosis and angitis). Arthritis Rheum 1990; 33(8): 1094-100 14. Hunder GG, Bloch DA, et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of giant cell arteritis. Arthritis Rheum 1990; 33(8): 1122-8 15. Mills JA, Michel BA, Bloch DA et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of Henoch-Schonlein purpura. Arthritis Rheum 1990; 33(8): 1114-21. 16. Calabrese LH, Michel BA, Bloch DA et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of hypersensitivity vasculitis. Arthritis Rheum 1990; 33(8): 1108-13. 17. Lightfoot Jr RW, Michel BA, Bloch DA et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of polyarteritis nodosa. Arthritis Rheum 1990; 33(8): 1088-93. 18. Arend WP, Michel BA, Bloch DA et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of Takayasu arteritis. Arthritis Rheum 1990; 33(8): 1129-34. 19. Callen JP. Cutaneous vasculitis: what have we learned in the past 20 years? Arch Dermatol 1998;134(3):355-7 20. Jennette JC, Falk RJ. Do vasculitis categorization systems really matter? Curr Rheumatol Rep 2000; 2(5): 430-8 21. Sunderkotter C, Sindritaru A. Clinical classification of vasculitis. Eur J Dermatol 2006; 16(2):114-24. 22. Watts RA, Scott DG. Classification and epidemiology of the vasculitides. Baillieres Clin Rheumatol 1997; 11 (2): 191-217 Table I. Causes of vasculitis in our study (n=62) Causes Number (%) Histomorphology Primary 48 (77.4) Neutrophilic (n=22) Lymphocytic (n=13) Eosinophilic (n=10) Granulomatous (n=3) Secondary 14 (22.5) Drugs 7 (50) Neutrophilic (n=3) Lymphocytic (n=3) Eosinophilic (n=1) Infections 3 (21.4) Neutrophilic (n=2) Granulomatous (n=1) Connective tissue disorders 3 (21.4) Lymphocytic (n=3) Malignancy 1 (7.1) Neutrophilic (n=1) Table II: Clinical features of cases with histologically proven vasculitis Clinical feature Number (%) Arthralgia/ arthritis 45 (72.5) Palpable purpura 34 (54.8) Maculopapular rash 18 (29.0) Fever 15 (24.1) Urticaria 12 (19.3) Nodule 4 (6.4) Papule 4 (6.4) Ulcer 2 (3.2) Haematuria 1 (1.6) Table III: Laboratory parameters of patients of patients with histologically proven vasculitis Parameter Positive Negative Not done Anemia 12 30 20 Raised ESR 50 12 Leukocytosis with neutrophilia 11 31 20 Eosinophilia 4 38 20 Thrombocytopenia 8 42 12 Kidney function tests 4 58 ANA 12 22 28 Anti-ds DNA 6 28 28 ANCA 16 46 CRP 12 26 24 Anti HCV 5 57 ASO titre 8 15 39 Table IV: Association of histomorphological diagnosis with clinical impression HISTOPATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS Primary Small Vessel Vasculitis (n=48) Neutrophilic / Leukocytoclastic (n=22) Vasculitis(n=8) Pustular dermatosis (n=5) Microscopic polyangiitis (n=4) Rheumatoid vasculitis (n=2) Hypersensitivity vasculitis (n=1) Erythema Elevatun Diutinum (n=1) Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (n=1) Lymphocytic (n=13) Chronic Urticaria (n=4) Perniosis (n=3) Pityriasis Lichenoides (n=2) Atrophie Blanche (n=2) Erythema Annulare Centrifugum (n=1) Polymorphous Light Eruptions (n=1) Eosinophilic (n=10) Urticarial vasculitis (n=6) Prurigo nodularis (n=2) Hypersensitivity vasculitis (n=1) Granuloma faciale (n=1) Granulomatous (n=3) Allergic granulomatosis (n=2) Churg-Strauss Syndrome (n=1) Secondary Small Vessel Vasculitis (n= 12) Neutrophilic (n=6) Drug reaction (n=3) Behcet’s disease (n=1) Sweets syndrome (n=1) Acute neutrophilic dermatosis (n=1) Lymphocytic (n=5) Drug reaction (n=4) Discoid lupus erythematosis (n=1) Granulomatous (n=1) Wegener’s granulomatosis (n=1) Medium vessel vasculitis (n=2) Neutrophilic (n=2) Polyarteritis Nodosa (n=2) LEGENDS Figure I: Palpable purpura Figure II: H E (20x10X): Neutrophilic vasculitis Figure III: HE (10x10X): Lymphocytic vasculitis Figure IV: HE (20x 10X): Granulomatous vasculitis Figure V: HE (20x10X): Medium vessel vasculitis with panniculitis

piracy :: essays research papers

What is Piracy The term "software piracy" covers different activities: illegal copying of programs, counterfeiting and distributing software - even sharing a program with a friend. It's important to understand the different software piracy channels, not just to comply with the law but also to protect against bigger economic problems like lost revenue...and lost jobs. OEMs and Resellers Just because the disk says Microsoft or the software came preloaded on your PC, doesn't guarantee it's legal. Learn how pirated software is distributed. Copying and Counterfeiting It starts with one legitimate, licensed copy of the software, then escalates from there. Internet Piracy The sale of software over Web sites and Auction sites is common and easy, making the Internet the perfect vehicle for counterfeiters. Learn how to protect yourself now. How Piracy Impacts You Pirated software hurts everyone—from the software developers, retail storeowners, and ultimately all software users. Consumers are at Risk Pirated software directly impacts consumers because: Â · It often lacks key elements and documentation, and it always carries no warranty protection or upgrade options. Â · These untested, counterfeit discs may be infected with viruses that will damage your hard drive and may cripple your entire network. Â · If they copy software at work, users put themselves and their company at risk by pirating a product protected by copyright laws. Economic Losses When you purchase counterfeit software, you're supporting disreputable companies, not tax-paying, legitimate businesses that provide jobs and salaries to good citizens. The profits from these sales of counterfeit software don't help expand the economy by providing jobs, taxes, and wages, and there is a good chance the profits are funding additional illegitimate businesses. Legitimate companies never receive any funds from the sale of counterfeit software, and frequently this loss of revenue leads to layoffs for workers in all related industries, from manufacturers to resellers. So, as you can see, purchasing counterfeit software doesn't only impact software manufacturers, it impacts everyone. Innovation is Slowed Intellectual property is the ownership of ideas as well as the control over the tangible or virtual representation of those ideas. Software is intellectual property, as are books, movies, and music.Like music performers and authors, software developers use copyright laws to protect their work and their investment in the field. The theft of intellectual property thus eliminates the resources used to develop newer and better products. Taking Action In an effort to level the playing field for honest resellers, Microsoft is taking legal actions against repeat offenders.

Frederick Douglass and Martin Delaney Essay -- American History Essays

Frederick Douglass and Martin Delaney Preface I began the research for this paper looking to write about Frederick Douglass’ drive to start his abolitionist paper The North Star. What I then found in my research was the writings of a man I had never before heard of, Martin R. Delaney. Delaney and Douglass were co-editors of the paper for its first four years, therefore partners in the abolitionist battle. Yet I found that despite this partnership these men actually held many differing opinions that ultimately drove them apart. My research led me to examine the lives of both of these men to find possibly sources for these differences, and many did I find. While Douglass rose from slavery, with the help of white benefactors, to achieve self-sufficiency and success Delaney was born a non-slave, yet not-quite-citizen, that achieved through his immersion in closely knit black societies. What did this necessarily mean for both of these men? What differences in the personal growth of Douglass and Delaney led to differences in their ideologies later in life? This is the question I propose to answer within my text. For such a purpose I have planned this paper as both a biographical work and one of intellectual history. For the biography of Delaney I owe credit to the work of Victor Ullman and his work, . Otherwise my research is based primarily on documents, written by both Douglass and Delaney, found in collections made by people such as Philip. S. Foner and Robert S. Levine. One Nation, Two People America has forever long been looked upon as the land of opportunity, yet for just as long struggled with the actual attainment of equal opportunity by all of its citizens. The lines of this inequality have b... ...ts that, and for that Delaney should be remembered in equal esteem. For this nation has never been shaped through the actions of one man, and its story should never be told as if that were so. Works Cited Douglass, Frederick. Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. New York: Collier Books, 1962. Foner, Philip S., ed. The Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass: Pre-Civil War Decade 1850-1860. Vol. 2. New York: International Publishers, 1950. The Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass: 1844-1860. Vol. 5. New York: International Publishers, 1975. Levine, Robert S., ed. Martin R. Delaney: A Documentary Reader. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2003. Ullman, Victor. Martin R. Delaney: The Beginnings of Black Nationalism. Boston: Beacon Press, 1971. White, Barbara A. The Beecher Sisters. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.

Assurance of learning exercises

Implemented plans to Inhalant and accelerate the turnaround of the Mix business in Europe. Their plans focused on enhancing the brand by improving product appeal. In order to do this the company made key appointments to the Mix Europe Holdings management team. Along with appointing a new interim CEO, they appointed John Moore as consulting Vice President. Mr.. Moore came with an extensive background. Mr.. Moore was an Important factor with Firebombed & Bitch's Hollister Co. Line and ModernAmusement for Moslem Inc. LIZ Collarbone Inc. Believed that the turnaround process was at a critical juncture and the enhancements, structural changes and new leadership were necessary to reinvigorate the brand and improve performance (Bloomberg. Com). Liz Collarbone Inc. Hired Thomas Grate in 2009 as their permanent CEO for the Mix chain. Grate headed up a plan to improve the chain by changing the business modes so that one manager would oversee all aspects of a product segment, Including design, p roduction, product management, and merchandise management. He called this â€Å"one-hand responsibility.Then there was an urgent need to have a new corporate brand identity focused on the core markets in Germany and the Benelux countries. He implemented sales productivity improvement by accenting a â€Å"consumer need-based merchandise planning approach† and placing an emphasis on e-commerce (Reuters. Com). Grate continued to focus on the right products for the targeted group, not making the Mix line too much Like casual American sportswear or too city oriented. Grate resigned as CEO In 2012. Shortly after this LIZ Collarbone Inc. Sold Mix to The Gores Group which has also implemented many changing in leadership.I think that you need to do whatever is necessary to keep the business thriving. In this case the leaders are very informed and knowledgeable in their industry. The execution has at least stopped the Mix line from its downward spiral. The losses today are less than t hose predicted by Wall Street. The management brought the Mix line out of the gutter and made it possible for LIZ Collarbone Inc. To sell a majority stake to relieve some of the worries of the struggling chain.

Hong Kong vs Uk Business Norms Essay

This paper will introduce the audience to the historical background of Hong Kong; business dos and don’ts comparing Hong Kong to the UK; financial, economic, political and social climate of Hong Kong. The aim is to provide fundamental data to assist a professional when conducting business in Hong Kong effectively but also respectfully. Hong Kong Background Hong Kong can be found on China’s south coast region bordered by the Pearl River Delta and the South China Sea. Geographically, Hong Kong has a total area of 1,104 square kilometres which include 262 outlying islands (GovHK, 2012). The population is over 7 million, with the majority speaking Cantonese though English is still widely used. Hong Kong was acquired by the British Empire from the Qing Dynasty during the first opium war from 1839-1842 (Kan, 2010). After 150 years of British colonial rule, in 1997 China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong (U.S. Department of State, 2012). Hong Kong is under Chinese rule and the Chinese government is responsible for Hong Kong’s security and foreign relations. Hong Kong, however, is recognized as Special Administration Region of the People’s Republic of China. This ensures that Hong Kong’s customs territory and economic entity are separate from the rest of China. This allows Hong Kong to enter into international agre ements on its own behalf in commercial and economic matters (U.S. Department of State, 2012). Government/ Politics The government of Hong Kong is noted to be economically liberal. Hong Kong is an autonomous special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China. The current government executed under Hong Kong’s basic law is secured in this autonomy for 50 years (GovHK, 2012). The governmental structure is directed by a chief executive and an executive council, accompanied with a two-tier system of a representative government and an independent judiciary. Economic & Financial Climate Based on rule of law, limited government, regulator efficiency, and open markets ranked by the Heritage foundation with a score of 89.3, Hong Kong is ranked as the freest global economy in 2012 and has successively kept this title for the past 19 years (Heritage Foundation, 2012). Hong Kong â€Å"is a Freeport with no barriers to trade; has simple procedures for starting enterprises, free entry of foreign capital and repatriation of earnings, and transparency; and operates under the rule of law (Heritage Foundation, 2012).† Hong Kong switched from an industrialized manufacturing economy to a service based economy in the 1980s (economywatch.com). Hong Kong’s free market economy is built on the harbour, investments and trade (Sociology for Change, 2007). Hong Kong is dependent on international trade and finance. 92.3% to the GDP in 2009 which was contributed from the service sector (economywatch.com). The major industries in Hong Kong are textile/garment, banking/financial services and tourism. Hong Kong is the third largest distributer of garments in the world. In 2008 Hong Kong exported $40 billion US dollars’ worth of textiles and garments which is 11% of the territory’s total exports (economywatch.com). In the financial sector, Hong Kong has the world’s 10th largest security exchange, with a market cap of $2.7 trillion (GovHK, 2012). At the end of 2012 there were 1,533 companies listed as trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange (SEHK). In 2009, 2010 and 2011 Hong Kong was listed as the highest ranking market for IPO’s (GovHK, 2012). Looking at Hong Kong’s banking industry at the end of 2012, there were 154 licensed banks, 20 restricted licence banks and 25 deposit-taking companies. These banks come from 34 countries and include 69 out of the 100 world’s largest banks (GovHK, 2012). Conducting Business Hong Kong vs. United Kingdom Introduction This section will inform the reader on both Hong Kong and the United Kingdom’s etiquette and protocol relating to business practices. I will concentrate on how business meetings are conducted, how business decisions are made and how negotiations are conducted in the business realm while integrating Hofstede’s cultural theory. I will conclude with possible challenges and pitfalls that should be considered if the â€Å"dos and don’ts† fall short or turn out to be limited. Hong Kong Pre-departure Info Working Practices Prior to flying over on a business trip to Hong Kong, it is suggested that one ought to understand the common business practices. Confucianism is entrenched within Chinese philosophy and plays a strong influence on the importance of social relations that Hong Kong’s people are known for. So when we look at â€Å"the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members,† which defines the Individualism dimension, it’s not shocking to see Hong Kong as a collectivist culture, where people tend to think of the groups interests rather than their own personal objectives. In Hong Kong a large number of businesses are family owned and it’s normal for family members to work for the same companies (cummunicaid.com). Hong Kong’s daily business hours are from 9am to 5pm with a lunch break from 12noon to 2pm (communicaid.com). When scheduling a business trip to Hong Kong you should avoid the holidays. Vacations are usually scheduled around the weeks surrounding Christmas, Easter and the Chinese New Year; most business are typically closed during these periods (cummunicaid.com). After you plan your business trip in accordance to that criterion, it’s best to schedule appointments in accordance to their customs, noting that punctuality is important and that tardiness could be considered disrespectful. Taking that further, reputation also known as â€Å"concept of face† explained as the adherence to proper honourable ethical and social norms of a society in all situations and times is also something the Hong Kong society considers highly during business practices (cummunicaid.com).When making appointments they should be scheduled in advance to your arrival and in some cases one to two months’ notice is a courteous (cummunicaid.com). Organizational Hierarchy in Hong Kong Companies Hong Kong is a high power distance culture and we can point out that hierarchy is ingrained in the business culture. In Hong Kong, companies clearly define the line of authority with the distance between superiors and subordinates which are constantly maintained (cummunicaid.com). Men still dominate the workforce although in the recent years women are becoming more active. Some say this is because of the Western influence of equality (cummunicaid.com). In Hong Kong it’s imperative to maintain harmony and avoid conflict in a group atmosphere. In the public atmosphere of Hong Kong, the people always keep calm, show no emotion and refrain from criticising out in the open. This compliments Hong Kong’s slightly male dominated society. Hong Kong is a success oriented and driven society, where it is not uncommon for people to spend many hours at work. Conducting Business Standard business attire for men would be dark colored suits and for women dark colored suits with trousers or skirts (cummunicaid.com). When greetings take place, it’s traditional to both give a Chinese bow and a Western handshake. Keep in mind that you address them with their title and last name, if you’re in a group setting the most senior person should be greeted first (cummunicaid.com). Hong Kong people are keen on building relationships, so small talk should be expected and if you are offered an invitation to a social event you should never reject that opportunity (cummunicaid.com). Moving forward to the exchanging of business cards, one is expected to exchange business cards with two hands and accepting it also with two hands. It’s courtesy to examine the card for a few moments reading it to familiarize yourself with the name and the title, before placing the card in your pocket (cummunicaid.com). When negotiations take place one must expect for the deals to move at a slow pace and must avoid losing composure for this will damage ones reputation also known as â€Å"losing face† (kan, 2000). It’s not uncommon for an astrologer or a feng shui practitioner to determine a singing date if a contract is on the table (kan, 2000). Fred Kan also highlights that if a colleague sucks air through their teeth while you’re speaking, this signifies they are unhappy and its best to try and reiterate or adjust your position. After the business deal has been presented the decision usually arrives from a group consensus, but leaving the top of the company having the last to say (cummunicaid.com). Table Etiquette In Hong Kong it’s common for business transactions to take place or end up at the dinner table. If invited to dinner expect alcohol to be present. If your host decides to make a toast it’s customary for you to follow up with your own toast which should consist of good health and prosperity (cummunicaid.com). Meals are often served family-style and you are encouraged to try everything, but don’t take the last piece as this can be seen as selfish gesture. United Kingdom Pre-departure Info Working Practices Distinguished for its constitutional monarchy, rich history of the colonial empire and deeply ingrained traditions, the British Empire now known as the United Kingdom is a culturally and ethnically diverse nation that is made up of four countries. Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England comprise the United Kingdom. The UK is a member of the European Union and currently is ranked fourth in trading within Europe. British culture is known for its indirectness, â€Å"stiff upper lip† and dry humour. It’s a common communication style in the UK that direct questions are often answered with indirect answers filled with ambiguous subtleties which forces one to pay close attention to tone of voice and facial expression to fully understand the response given (communicaid.com). Displays of emotion, positive or negative should be avoided in public space. The term â€Å"stiff upper lip† describes the British portrayal of reserve and restraint when faced with difficult s ituations (communicaid.com). Humour a key component to the culture of the British life style and is commonly used as a defence mechanism (communicaid.com). Organizational Hierarchy in British Companies In the work environment, the British are known to be formal. In the past, the British preferred to work with colleagues and companies they knew of, however the younger generation of business professionals do not require any form of relationship in order to begin business. Networking and building strategic relationships are the fundamental to long-term success in the UK. Superiority is respected, although colleagues gravitate to people at their own level to work with directly. This hierarchy can be notated as â€Å"flat† where the principal divide is between managers and other ranks (communicaid.com). The board of directors are the key decision making group and managers are understood to be the coaches creating a supportive working environment (communicaid.com). Conducting Business In the professional atmosphere men should be dressed in a dark colored suit and women should wear either a business suit or a conservative dress (communicaid.com). Upon the initial meeting it is common to shake hands with everyone upon arrival and maintain steady eye contact during the greeting. I must highlight that one should wait until given permission to move onto a first name basis. Under special circumstances if you’re in the presence of someone who have been knighted then they are to be called â€Å"Sir† followed by their first and surnames (communicaid.com). Also during the initial greeting it’s common for professionals to exchange business cards and may be placed into the pocket after having just a moment’s glance. There are no rituals when exchanging business cards in the UK. When a meeting is conducted, depending of the level and status of the people attending, it will dictate how the meeting will commence. A free flow meeting usually occurs when everyone is at the same level, if there is a senior ranking person in the room, then they will do most of the speaking. Meetings are usually formal with a set agenda identifying the purpose. In British culture it is suggested that, when presenting to a group, one must make sure to be prepared with facts; relying on facts is more stable than emotions (communicaid.com). After concluding the meeting it is customary to send a printed summary containing the next steps which are to be taken in a letter to the attendees. The British are known to follow established rules and practices which make the decision process a slow systematic one (communicaid.com). When dealing with the British in business negotiations patience will be required. Communication will also be one area to focus on. The British communicate in a controlled fashion and only rarely raise their voices to make a point (kats, 2008). The level of directness depends on the strength of the relationship, education and status. Vague statements that may be difficult to understand are common when communicating with the British. Lothar Kats explains it best when identifying the â€Å"British are masters of understatement and often use subtle irony† Contrast: Hong Kong vs. UK After reviewing both Hong Kong and UK there are a few similarities and a few differences. In Hong Kong traditional values of respect to hierarchy, the exchange of business cards and developing a personal relationship are cornerstones within their society. Whereas in the United Kingdom building personal relationships was once a tendency that no longer exists; the younger generations move forward and start the business process. When dealing with the British in business one must pay close attention to the conversation. The tone, eye contact, and understated response can commonly lead to a misunderstanding if one is not paying close attention. It is therefore best to not underestimate the importance of humour in the British business environment (communicaid.com). The hierarchy in Hong Kong is clearly defined with ample distinction between subordinates and superiors. Contrastingly, the UK is known for a â€Å"flat† structure where most business is usually dealt with by colleagues of the same level. Taking a glance into the integration of women in the work place we see the UK with comparable numbers men to women while in Hong Kong the introduction to women in the work place is a recent occurrence. Comparing the two nations in regards to how a professional is to book a business appointment we see in Hong Kong it’s common to make an appointment one to two months in advance unlike the United Kingdom its common for just giving several days’ notice. In conclusion, we can see that it is vital for one to do background research on the business norms prior to jumping on a plane to conduct business internationally. Cultural Intelligence Elisabeth Plum defines cultural intelligence as the ability to act in an appropriate way in multicultural situations coupled with the ability to have an open mind which admits new information and is curious about diversity. Cross-national work is an example of cultural intelligence, and when an organization needs to join forces and partner with other businesses in other countries to keep business efficient it important to prevent conflicts. As discussed earlier in this paper it’s important to understand the culture that you’re doing business with. In order to have successful negotiations in the international market place the smallest misunderstanding could have a negative outcome. Looking to Hong Kong, if a professional arrives dressed in white or in blue colors to a meeting and speaks out of turn that could essentially dissolve any hope of a business deal, as the Hong Kong society associates white and blue with mourning and speaking out of turn shows disrespect for the power structure.