Internet Banking at Citibank UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Internet Banking at Citibank UK - Essay Example Marketers are now focusing on existing customer development rather than just new customer acquisition. Major changes have occurred in the traditional view of customer defection rates, most noticeably in the banking industry where churn has increased from -10 percent in 2003 to almost +20 percent by 2005. These studies showed that the supposedly massive rates of customer inertia in banking is no longer a given. Banks need to fight for every customer, not only to capture each one but, more importantly, to retain them. One economic justification for this mindset change was the research finding that â€Å"it can cost five times more to obtain a new customer than to keep an existing one†. What started the trend towards customer loyalty was Reichheld who found that a 5 percent increase in loyalty can lead to a 25 to 85 percent increase in profitability.On the contrary, Reinartz and Kumar argued that whilst serving customers over a long period may be beneficial, long-term customers m ay not necessarily be profitable, and that managers should not equate customer retention with increased lifetime spending, decreased cost of service, and lower price sensitivity. They concluded that companies should study if long-term customers stay profitable, implying that if they are not, the business must jettison those customers who eat into profits.These were the concepts in our mind when we decided, exploring its look and feel and the products offered, and evaluating the over-all Internet-based customer experience.

Poverty in India Essay Example for Free

Poverty in India Essay Poverty is the deprivation of food, shelter, money and clothing that occurs when people cannot satisfy their basic needs. Poverty can be understood simply as a lack of money, or more broadly in terms of barriers to everyday life. It refers to a situation where a person is unable meet the basic necessities of life. Absolute poverty or destitution refers to the state of severe deprivation of basic human needs, which commonly includes food, water, sanitation, clothing, shelter, health care, education and information. The amount of income a person or family needs to purchase an absolute amount of the basic necessities of life. These basic necessities are identified in terms of calories of food, BTUs of energy, square feet of living space, etc. The problem with the absolute poverty level is that there really are no absolutes when in comes to consuming goods. Relative poverty views poverty as socially defined and dependent on social context, hence relative poverty is a measure of income inequality. Usually, relative poverty is measured as the percentage of population with income less than some fixed proportion of median income. There are several other different income inequality metrics, for example the Gini coefficient or the Theil Index. Relative poverty measures are used as official poverty rates in several developed countries. As such these poverty statistics measure inequality rather than material deprivation or hardship. The measurements are usually based on a persons yearly income and frequently take no account of total wealth. Definitions United Nations: Fundamentally, poverty is a denial of choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society. It means not having enough to food and clothing a family, not having a school or clinic to go to, not having the land on which to grow one’s food or a job to earn one’s living, not having access to credit. It means insecurity, powerlessness and exclusion of individuals, households and communities. It means susceptibility to violence, and it often implies living in marginal or fragile environments, without access to clean water or sanitation. World Bank: Poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-being, and comprises many dimensions. It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity. Poverty also encompasses low  levels of health and education, poor access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate physical security, lack of voice, and insufficient capacity and opportunity to better one’s life. Copenhagen Declaration: Absolute poverty is a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to social services. The term absolute poverty is sometimes synonymously referred to as extreme poverty. World Health Organisation: Poverty is associated with the undermining of a range of key human attributes, including health. The poor are exposed to greater personal and environmental health risks, are less well nourished, have less information and are less able to access health care; they thus have a higher risk of illness and disability. Conversely, illness can reduce household savings, lower learning ability, reduce productivity, and lead to a diminished quality of life, thereby perpetuating or even increasing poverty. Poverty line is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a given country. In practice, like the definition of poverty, the official or common understanding of the poverty line is significantly higher in developed countries than in developing countries. The common international poverty line has in the past been roughly $1 a day. In 2008, the World Bank came out with a revised figure of $1.25 at 2005 purchasing-power parity (PPP). Determining the poverty line is usually done by finding the total cost of all the essential resources that an average human adult consumes in one year. Individual factors are often used to account for various circumstances, such as whether one is a parent, elderly, a child, married, etc. The poverty threshold may be adjusted annually. Below Poverty Line is an economic benchmark and poverty threshold used by the government of India to indicate economic disadvantage and to identify individuals and households in need of government assistance and aid. It is determined using various parameters which vary from state to state and within states. The present criteria are based on a survey conducted in 2002. Going into a survey due for a decade, Indias central government is undecided on criteria to identify families below poverty line. Poverty in India The problem of poverty and unemployment is considered as the biggest  challenge to development planning in India. High poverty levels are synonymous with poor quality of life, deprivation, malnutrition, illiteracy and low human resource development. The slogan of poverty eradication has been adopted by all political parties in one form or another and there is a national agreement for the goal of poverty alleviation. The national consensus on poverty alleviation provided the necessary condition for launching various schemes and programmes aimed at achieving this objective. But the persistence of poverty during all these years suggests that the national consensus on objectives did not and could not provide sufficient conditions for poverty alleviation. The starting point for estimating the number of households below the poverty line is a nutritional requirement per person per day at some base point. There is a debate on the minimum calorie requirement, and whether it should be the same for all parts of the country. Most acceptable figures are 2,400 calories per person per day in rural areas, and 2,200 calories per person per day in urban areas. The next step is to translate the nutrient requirement into monetary terms. The expenditure level of households which are able to spend the requisite amount to obtain the desired calories serves as the cut-off point, or the poverty line. To adjust the poverty line over a period of time, price variations have to be considered and an appropriate price deflator has to be selected. The problem arises in deciding upon such a deflator. Thus, the following elements mainly affect the magnitude of the poverty ratio: (i) the nutrition norm (translated into monetary terms); (ii) price deflator used to update the poverty line; and (iii) pro rata adjustment in the number of households in different expenditure classes to determine the number of households below and above the poverty line. Different assumptions and methods are used for these three purposes, which accounts for the different estimates provided by scholars. The Planning Commission has been estimating the incidence of poverty at the national and state level using the methodology contained in the report of the Expert Group on Estimation of Proportion and Number of Poor (Lakdawala Committee) and applying it to consumption expenditure data from the large sample surveys on consumer expenditure conducted by the NSSO (National Sample Survey Organisation) at an interval of approximately five years. Estimates of Poverty (Per cent) Year All India Rural Urban All India Poverty Ratio Rural Poverty Ratio Urban Poverty Ratio Number (per cent) Number (per cent) Number (per cent) (Million) (Million) (Million) 1973-74 321 54.9 261 56.4 60 49.0 1977-78 329 51.3 264 53.1 65 45.2 1983 323 44.5 252 45.7 71 40.8 1987-88 307 38.9 232 39.1 75 38.2 1993-94 320 36.0 244 37.3 76 32.4 1999-2000 260 26.1 193 27.1 67 23.6 2004-05 239 21.8 170 21.8 68 21.7 Problems caused due to poverty Human poverty measures suggest even worse outcomes than for income poverty in India. India has never been a good performer in human development terms, despite the much better indicators in some states, particularly Kerala. Overall, both health and education indicators have lagged well below those in other countries at similar levels of development and with similar per capita income. But food poverty has been of particular concern. Recent studies have shown alarming levels of hunger, especially in certain states of India. Studies by IFPRI and ISHI quoted in Banerjee (2008) suggest that most states in India rank somewhere among the poor Sub-Saharan countries:  Punjab, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Assam have a „serious‟ level of hunger; Madhya Pradesh fares worst in the „extremely alarming‟ cohort of hunger. All the other states record an „alarming‟ level of hunger, which is also the general ranking for the whole country. More appallingly, the situation appears to have worsened in the recent period of rapid economic growth. National Sample Surveys shows declining per capita calorie consumption, not only among the entire population, but also among the bottom quartiles, for which consumption was already very inadequate by international standards. Other indicators of both nutrition and health are also extreme. The latest National Family Health Survey for 2005–06 shows that the proportion of underweight children below the age of five years was 45.6 per cent in rural India and 32.7 per cent in urban India, indicating hardly any change from the previous survey undertaken eight years previously. More than one-third of the rural population was also underweight. Anaemia often a good indicator of nutritional deprivation was also widespread: 79.2 per cent of children aged 12–23 months and 56.2 per cent of ever-married women between 15 and 59 years were found to be anaemic. Conclusion Poverty Alleviation Programmes The poverty alleviation programme have been broadly classified into self-employment programmes, wage employment programmes, food safety programme and social security programmes. The focus is on the central government schemes only. It is not possible to map the special programmes of all the states. It must be noted here that some of the progressive states have added additional components or given further subsidy to enhance the benefits of the central schemes. For example, in the highly subsidized public distribution system of Andhra Pradesh, the BPL card holders were provided rice at Rs. 2 per kg. Self-employment programmes: This programme was started in 1970s in rural areas of the country in the name of Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) to increase the source of income of small farmers and landless labourers. The beneficiaries were given subsidized credit, training, and infrastructure, so that they could find new sources of  earning. In this scheme, agricultural labourers and small farmers received new skills to involve in vocations other than cultivating land. They included fishery, animal husbandry, and forestry. In the 1980s, this scheme was extended to schedule castes and tribes, women and rural artisans. Wage employment programmes: The main purpose of the wage employment programmes is to provide a livelihood during the lean agricultural season as well as during drought and floods. Under these programmes, villagers worked to improve the village infrastructure such as deepening the village ponds, constructing village schools and improving the rural roads. Thus the programmes not only provided employment to the villagers but also improved village infrastructure and created village public assets. A positive fall out of this programme is that it created higher demand for village labour, thereby pushing up the wage of the labourer in the villages. Food security programmes: Meeting the very basic need of access to food is a major challenge to the government in the post-economic reform era. Those who are below poverty line are faced with the problem of meeting this very basic need. Starvation and hunger have been reported in different parts of the country, even in economically advanced states like Maharashtra. There is malnutrition in all age groups, especially among children. Problem of low birth weight due to under nutrition of mother during pregnancy and underweight of children are rampant in the country. The purchasing power of certain section of the society is so low that they cannot access food at the market price. They need the safety net of food subsidy. In this context, public distribution system or PDS assumes importance. Social security programmes: Social security programmes are meant for those who are at the bottom of the BPL facing destitution and desertion. The central government has launched the National Social Assistance Programme or NSAP in August 1995. Under NSAP, there are three schemes. The first one is the National Old Age Pension Scheme or NOAPS. A pension amount of Rs. 75 per month is given to those who are above the age of 65 years and are destitute without any regular source of income or support from any family members or relatives. Though it is a very useful scheme for the elderly destitute, the coverage of the programme was not satisfactory. In the year 1999-2000, 8.71 million eligible elderly were identified, but the scheme could reach out to only 5 million beneficiaries. It was found that the benefits really reached the  poor and the leakage rate was found to be low.

Technology Transfer :: essays research papers

Analyzing the transfer of technology from one place to another can be a very difficult task. People have tried to trace the origins of specific technologies and map out what cultures it affected, why and what impact the technology had on history. Books have been written on conclusions that authors have made after doing the research I have suggested. I believe that obtaining the information to write a book about this subject is extremely hard and confusing, this is a personal assumption that I have made with regard to the fact that reading a book on this subject is hard and confusing. After reading The Tools of Empire by Daniel R. Headrick and excerpts from both Technology in World Civilization by A. Pacey and Major Problems in the History of American Technology, I have formed some opinions of my own primarily based on my readings about nineteenth and twentieth century technology transfer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the nineteenth century two major events stand out in connection to technology. First the progress and power of industrial technology, second the domination and exploitation of Africa and Asia by Europeans. In the book The Tools of Empire, Headrick the author connects theses factors through many examples in history. Leading into the twentieth century even though many would like to fast forward into the dawn of electronics, there is still a major focus on technology in Africa and Asia. However, the transfer of technology is now steering away from dominating and leaning towards local adaptation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Africa and India experienced a deeper affect of technological transfer because they were conquered and colonized by Europe. The steamboat with its ability to travel up and down river enabled Europeans deep into Africa and Asia. The railroad helped eliminate the difficulties of inland transportation for Europeans in India. The steamboat and the Railroad were two important technologies of the nineteenth century that changed many aspects of life in India and Africa. China’s rulers controlled European influence rather tightly, yet there was trade of course. And through the opium war there was an influence of European technology in China. In the twentieth century the transfer of technology from industrialized to the less industrialized is still happening. Yet it is happening a slightly different manner instead of being forced upon a nation it is being adapted to and for a nation. In the 1930s the United States made advancements in genetic –chemical technology. Technology Transfer :: essays research papers Analyzing the transfer of technology from one place to another can be a very difficult task. People have tried to trace the origins of specific technologies and map out what cultures it affected, why and what impact the technology had on history. Books have been written on conclusions that authors have made after doing the research I have suggested. I believe that obtaining the information to write a book about this subject is extremely hard and confusing, this is a personal assumption that I have made with regard to the fact that reading a book on this subject is hard and confusing. After reading The Tools of Empire by Daniel R. Headrick and excerpts from both Technology in World Civilization by A. Pacey and Major Problems in the History of American Technology, I have formed some opinions of my own primarily based on my readings about nineteenth and twentieth century technology transfer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the nineteenth century two major events stand out in connection to technology. First the progress and power of industrial technology, second the domination and exploitation of Africa and Asia by Europeans. In the book The Tools of Empire, Headrick the author connects theses factors through many examples in history. Leading into the twentieth century even though many would like to fast forward into the dawn of electronics, there is still a major focus on technology in Africa and Asia. However, the transfer of technology is now steering away from dominating and leaning towards local adaptation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Africa and India experienced a deeper affect of technological transfer because they were conquered and colonized by Europe. The steamboat with its ability to travel up and down river enabled Europeans deep into Africa and Asia. The railroad helped eliminate the difficulties of inland transportation for Europeans in India. The steamboat and the Railroad were two important technologies of the nineteenth century that changed many aspects of life in India and Africa. China’s rulers controlled European influence rather tightly, yet there was trade of course. And through the opium war there was an influence of European technology in China. In the twentieth century the transfer of technology from industrialized to the less industrialized is still happening. Yet it is happening a slightly different manner instead of being forced upon a nation it is being adapted to and for a nation. In the 1930s the United States made advancements in genetic –chemical technology.

A heart, a life, a cure

What causes heart problems? Young and old people alike have been keen on the effects of heart problems mostly leading to stroke, disability of immobility, even death.We know of the heart as a concept of biological lifeworks affecting the brain, blood flow and other functions of human overall body system. The context of the heart continuously contracting, pumping and relaxing warrants constant supply of oxygen carrying blood and nutrients. The presence of cholesterol plaque which was found to accumulate through the years will successfully block the flow in the coronary artery. This is turn will deprive the heart of its vital requirement.Lately people have realized the importance of looking to the effects of high cholesterol and diet but it seems not to work on a lot of adults anymore. Are we coming in to the theory of starting life, in its literal meaning, at a very early age of pre teens like the age of ten to twelve? Finding difficulties in controlling the disease implies human inte lligence inability to create appropriate interventions. This paper seeks to recommend early age intervention as appropriate part solution at a macro level of the problem. Let’s take a look with the cause of heart system failures.Cholesterol plaque is seen to be increased by smoking, fatty foods, inactivity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. The five causes are notably common and are expected to affect people in as early as the age of thirty.Cholesterol build up may not be detected immediately since it is slow and accumulates over years. Cholesterol plaque grows and merged with other cholesterol plaques that has infiltrated through the walls of the artery through the years. Plaque rupture and heart attacks structural damage are irreversible and shall be noted and understood by every human being on this planet.Smoking reflects social habits, social classification, and produces layers of platelets that progresses to thrombosis or blood clots resulting to rapid inc rease of heart rate (Schneider 2006).High blood pressure is the common product of stress generated psychosocial factors of anger, hostility, depression, work overload, and anxiety. Cholesterol rich diet more in saturated fat increases cholesterol levels.Dissecting each of the causes and realizing the effects on controlling over intake in an adult will make us understand that doctors may just be generating prescriptions to extend life and sustain the heart but not intervention. Intervention in an adult stage where cholesterol plaques were already accumulated and have been affecting heart beats is a matter of superficial medical practice.Analysis will show that man as intelligent as he is cannot prevent the onset of cholesterol deposits which immaturity and childhood practices of more saturated fats intake have been made a fad for children and youth. Diet and practices before teens are simply irresistible and uncontrollable where parents commonly regard it as an approved or agreeable food habits. In the life of a person, please take note where you eat most of the don’ts and you will see that it is in the pre teens. This is the age where cholesterol intake interventions shall be properly managed and controlled.The psychosocial conditions of stress and smoking in both adult and young people are always present no matter how hard the government seeks to control economics and environment. The heart disease effect is one sure thing which a general prescription to sustain blood flow can be generated to extend life but the attempt to make interventions on the psychosocial factors of stress and smoking points to a lot of relevant network of sub problems and headaches.Everything refers to a change in the menu, availability of the food, corresponding budget, and a whole lot of factors covering human interaction and stress. Research has not even started to perfect the failing conditions of family life and failing government strategies. These are the contributing fact ors of mankind’s failure to decrease heart illness death rates. The only option available is treatment of emergencies and prolonging life. That is our reality and it still is not changing.

Would fall under.

This lowering of production costs stems from a procurement strategy called Low-cost country sourcing (LAICS). I The abundance of cheap labor in Thailand gives the country and its businesses an edge, as they are now able to produce their products at a much lower cost and thus be able to gain a comparative advantage against their rivals from other countries like the US. With regards to exporting to Thailand , as the economy is still in its stages of infancy and the people Just beginning to open up to leisure sports such as RollerBalding , Blades may be able to gain the first-mover advantage by venturing In to Thailand at this point In time. In addition, the good relations and ties that Blades may build with some of their Thai suppliers, could help to ease their efforts in to breaking into the Thai market and exporting to Thailand Furthermore with the rising affluence amongst the people in Thailand, it is likely that more individuals would turn to leisure sports such as, roller balding, during their free time.Coupled with youths in Thailand becoming increasingly â€Å"Americanizes†. This trend therefore, poses as an excellent opportunity for Blades to boost sales In Thailand to off-set the falling demand being experienced In the US. Finally, by exporting to Thailand, Blades Is able to diversify their sales and operations overseas. This way, should their business take off in Thailand, the profits from their foreign subsidiary would be able to offset the falling demand for their products in the US to ensure the company's sustainability and also investor confidence.Question 2: In the short run, one of the disadvantages would be facing sales that may fall short of expectations due to the ongoing political conflict In Thailand. This potential fall In sales is a result of country risk. The protests and riots as a result of the political instability in the country could deter Blade's target audience from purchasing their products due to them preferring to stay saf e at home than subject themselves to unnecessary harm whilst shopping. Another disadvantage, would be the exchange rate risk which would come about with the currency fluctuation of the Thai Baht.Blades would be more affected by an appreciation of the Tall baht rather than a appreciation. This Is as when the Thai baht appreciates, the raw materials and production costs would become relatively more expensive as one US dollar is now worth less in Thai Baht. This would then drive up their overall cost of production and without any change in demand or sales, result in lower profits. In the long run, Blades should be aware of the international economic conditions as a recession could be disadvantages to the company. With a recession, sales would be affected as blades would fall under.Another disadvantage in the long run would be the isolations that could be implemented by the governing body after Blades have successfully established their subsidiary. Examples would be changes in the regul ations for Multi-National Corporations (Mans) like Blades in the country and increase in taxes. All these changes would equate to inconvenience for the company and possibly an increase in their operations cost in the case of an increase in taxes. All these disadvantages should be carefully thought through by Ben Holt and his team as they could impact the commercial viability of setting up a subsidiary in Thailand.

Dolce and Gabbanas Fingerprint

Dolce and Gabbanas Fingerprint Dolce and Gabbana’s market section entails customers above the age of twenty-five coming from a stable and preferably strong financial background (Vivanco 15). Dolce and Gabbana’s target market is the top and wealthy class of societies from across the globe interested in stylish, classy, and fashionable commodities. Dolce and Gabbana’s positioning involves stylish, contemporary, distinctive, and creative luxuries with class.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Dolce and Gabbana’s Fingerprint specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The luxury cursor as applied to Dolce and Gabbana Social motion pictures are a more popular strategy amongst luxury organizations today than they have ever been. However, it might be hard to steer transactions solely based on social motion pictures (Vivanco 40). In addition, contributing an economic option to a YouTube channel is a simple method of bringing customers to a w ebsite and purchase apparel and accessories that they recently viewed in the social video. This is Dolce and Gabbana’s luxury cursor (Vivanco 41). Dolce and Gabbana branded a YouTube channel that permits a video-instilled experience that incorporates rich factors of narration, appropriateness, and marketing for ecommerce through elegant banners. Contemporary society thrives in an era of multiplatform utility and Dolce and Gabbana makes a stylish editorial the same as the likes of Vogue, W, V, and interview magazine (Vivanco 77). Consecutively, clicking on other parts of Dolce and Gabbana’s YouTube channel highlights thumbnail still pictures from every video. Browsing through these videos with a cursor also highlights the video title and other information. Dolce and Gabbana’s used to employ digital efforts with a range of objectives in mind in the course of the second quarter of 2012. Nonetheless, it is definite that email, site, and social media are more overbea ring to a contemporary promotion plan in 2013 than 2012 (Vivanco 107). Eventually, these efforts can make a 360-degree brand message stronger than other brands. Italian fashion brand Dolce and Gabbana recently retooled its YouTube channel to give the appearance and experience a lift of the brand world. The organization managed to make these changes by applying stylish artistic and clear journalistic lines, per Dolce and Gabbana (Vivanco 109). The Dolce and Gabbana YouTube channel runs on featured motion pictures, collections, movements, splendor, friends and occasions, visions and accessories. The channel enables users to browse through each highlighted video using the arrows on the section (Roberts 2013). On the other hand, clicking on other sections highlights thumbnail unmoving images from every video. Browsing over the motion pictures using a cursor highlights the title and also provides other information about the video (Vivanco 110). For example, the ecommerce section of Dolce and Gabbana youtube channel attracts buyers straight to the Dolce and Gabbana site.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From here, the buyers can peruse through various drifts. Dolce and Gabbana appears to be trailblazing this marvel that is on the verge of raising ecommerce dealings, particularly when buyers simply watched a motion picture that gets them in the spending frame of mind. SWOT Analysis Strengths Dolce and Gabbana is a robust brand status. Dolce and Gabbana’s biggest market section comprises of loyal customers. Dolce and Gabbana has creative and exclusive commodities appropriate for people’s preference for change and quality launched often (Vivanco 158). Dolce and Gabbana has a huge collection of brands. Weaknesses All of Dolce and Gabbana commodities are costly, which limits its consumer base to the wealthy and classy group of society. Dolc e and Gabbana’s operations are highly dependent on economic fluctuations. As a result, Dolce and Gabbana has greater sales when the market settings are improved and vice versa than when the market is in turmoil (Vivanco 161). Dolce and Gabbana faces strong rivalry from other luxury brands such as Louie Vuitton and Gucci. Opportunities Dolce and Gabbana has an expanding market in the luxury section in financial systems such as India and China (Vivanco 166). Dolce and Gabbana has commodity and services growth across the globe. Dolce and Gabbana has a high innovation rate in commodities. Threats Dolce and Gabbana faces a lot of robust rivals competing in terms of creativity, elegance, and stylishness. Dolce and Gabbana finds it hard to break the loyalty of consumers from other brands (Vivanco 169). Dolce and Gabbana makes large investments in marketing of its brands. Dolce and Gabbana Future The designers of Dolce and Gabbana may have to reduce their anger when it comes to deali ng with rivalry and media controversies (Roberts 2013). This is because Dolce and Gabbana has a record of poor public relations, which is a disadvantage for a company trying to penetrate new markets (Vivanco 185). Dolce and Gabbana has a record of poor public relations because the organization was forced to close stores in Milan in july 2013 because of public criticism (Roberts 2013). The organization was compelled to put up signs of â€Å"closed for indignation,† which escalated the problem of public criticism instead of solving it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Dolce and Gabbana’s Fingerprint specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to prevent future exhibition signs of indignation shutdowns, Dolce and Gabbana may have to avoid any other form of confrontation with rival organizations apart from demand and supply. Dolce and Gabbana may also become reluctant out of all proportion of suffering the al legations of the tax organizations and the Italian income returns authorities (Roberts 2013). For instance, Dolce and Gabbana’s owners were convicted of more than  £860 million of tax avoidance (Roberts 2013). Dolce and Gabbana may not succeed penetrating new markets if it does not stop these convictions from public figures and the ongoing media humiliation. Roberts, Hannah. Dolce Gabbana close their Milan shops in protest at being pilloried over tax evasion convictions. Mail Online, 19 Jul. 2013. Web. Vivanco, Mariano. Dolce Gabbana Uomini. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Incorporated, 2011. Print.

Words That Begin with Q

Words That Begin with Q Words That Begin with Q Words That Begin with Q By Maeve Maddox Although Scrabble resources list hundreds of â€Å"English words† beginning with the letter q, there are only about 80 (not counting inflections) that most people are likely to encounter in their reading. I’ll categorize them according to â€Å"Basic Vocabulary,† â€Å"General Vocabulary,† and â€Å"Advanced Vocabulary.† Note: In English orthography, q is usually followed by the letter u. The conventional pronunciation of qu is [kw]. In a few words, qu is pronounced [k]; I’ll note them. Basic Vocabulary quail quaint Quaker qualify quality quantity quarrel quarry quart quartet quartz queen queer query quest question queue [kju] quiche [keesh] quick quiet quilt quintet quip quit quite quiz quota quote quotient General Vocabulary quack quaff quagmire quake qualm quandary quantum quark quash quasi quaver quay [kee] quell quench queasy quibble quicken quid quieten quill quince quirk quirt quiver quixotic Quixote (Standard American pronunciation of Quixote: [kee-HOH-tee]; Standard British pronunciation: [KWIK-sit]) quorum quoth Advanced Vocabulary quaestor quahog (also spelled quohog; some speakers pronounce the qu as [k]) quai [kay] (this is the word for the quays in Paris) quartile quean quern quiddity Quietism quietude quietus quiff quire quoin [KOYN] quoit [koit] and [kwoit] quondam Related post: Q in English Words Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of HumorDisappointed + Preposition40 Synonyms for Praise

Destruction of Jerusalem Predicted by Ashkelons Fall

Destruction of Jerusalem Predicted by Ashkelon's Fall The Destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. caused the period in Jewish history known as the Babylonian Exile. Ironically, as with the prophets warnings in the book of Jeremiah in the Hebrew Bible, Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar also gave the Jews fair warning of what could happen, if they crossed him, in the way he devastated Ashkelon, the capital of their enemies, the Philistines. The Warning from Ashkelon New archaeological findings in the ruins of Ashkelon, Philistias main seaport, are providing evidence that Nebuchadnezzars conquest of his enemies was utterly merciless. If Judahs kings had heeded the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah about imitating Ashkelon and embracing Egypt, Jerusalems destruction might have been avoided. Instead, the Jews ignored both the religious rantings of Jeremiah and the unequivocal real-world implications of Ashkelons fall. In the late 7th century B. C., Philistia and Judah were battlegrounds for the power struggle between Egypt and a resurgent neo-Babylonia to take over the remnants of the late Assyrian Empire. In the mid-7th century B.C., Egypt made allies of both Philistia and Judah. In 605 B.C, Nebuchadnezzar led Babylonias army to a decisive victory over Egyptian forces at the Battle of Carchemish on the Euphrates River in what is now western Syria. His conquest is noted in Jeremiah 46:2-6. Nebuchadnezzar Fought Through the Winter After Carchemish, Nebuchadnezzar pursued an unusual battle strategy: he continued to wage war through the winter of 604 B.C., which is the rainy season in the Near East. By fighting through sometimes torrential rains despite the hazards posed to horses and chariots, Nebuchadnezzar proved to be an unorthodox, persistent general capable of unleashing terrifying devastation. In a 2009 article titled The Fury of Babylon for the Biblical Archaeology Societys e-book, Israel: An Archaeological Journey, Lawrence E. Stager cites a fragmentary cuneiform record called the Babylonian Chronicle: [Nebuchadnezzar] marched to the city of Ashkelon and captured it in the month of Kislev [November/December]. He captured its king and plundered it and carried off [spoil from it ...]. He turned the city into a mound (Akkadian ana tili, literally a tell) and heaps of ruins ...; Evidence Sheds Light on Religion and Economy Dr. Stager writes that the Levy Expedition uncovered hundreds of artifacts at Ashkelon that shed light on Philistine society. Among the items recovered were dozens of large, wide-mouth jars that could hold wine or olive oil. The climate of Philistia in the 7th century B.C. made it ideal to grow grapes for wine and olives for oil. Thus archaeologists now think its reasonable to propose that these two products were the Philistines principal industries. Wine and olive oil were priceless commodities in the late 7th century because they were the basis of food, medicines, cosmetics, and other preparations. A trade agreement with Egypt for these products would have been financially advantageous to Philistia and Judah. Such alliances also would pose a threat to Babylon, because those with wealth could better arm themselves against Nebuchadnezzar. In addition, the Levy researchers found signs that religion and commerce were closely intertwined in Ashkelon. On top of a pile of rubble in ​the main bazaar they found a rooftop altar where incense had been burned, usually a sign of seeking a gods favor for some human endeavor. The prophet Jeremiah also preached against this practice (Jeremiah 32:39), calling it one of the sure signs of the destruction of Jerusalem. Finding and dating the Ashkelon altar was the first time an artifact confirmed the existence of these altars mentioned in the Bible. Sobering Signs of Mass Destruction The archaeologists uncovered more evidence that Nebuchadnezzar was ruthless in conquering his enemies as he was in the destruction of Jerusalem. Historically when a city was besieged, the greatest damage could be found along its walls and fortified gates. In Ashkelons ruins, however, the greatest destruction lies at the center of the city, spreading outward from areas of commerce, government, and religion. Dr. Stager says this indicates that the invaders strategy was to cut off the centers of power and then pillage and destroy the city. This was precisely the way the destruction of Jerusalem proceeded, evidenced by the devastation of the First Temple. Dr. Stager acknowledges that archaeology cant precisely confirm Nebuchadnezzars conquest of Ashkelon in 604 B.C. However, it has proven clearly that the Philistine seaport was utterly destroyed around that time, and other sources confirm the Babylonian campaign of that same era. Warnings Unheeded in Judah The citizens of Judah may have rejoiced to learn of Nebuchadnezzars conquest of Ashkelon  since the Philistines had long been enemies of the Jews. Centuries earlier, David had mourned the death of his friend Jonathan and King Saul in 2 Samuel 1:20, Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice.... The Jews rejoicing at the Philistines misfortunes would have been short-lived. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in 599 B.C., conquering the city two years later. Nebuchadnezzar captured King Jeconiah and other Jewish elites  and installed his own choice, Zedekiah, as king. When Zedekiah rebelled 11 years later in 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzars destruction of Jerusalem was as merciless as his Philistine campaign. Sources: Exile of the Jews - Babylonian Captvity, http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/israeljudaea/a/BabylonianExile_2.htmThe Fury of Babylon by Lawrence E. Stager, Israel: An Archaeological Journey (Biblical Archaeology Society, 2009). The Oxford Study Bible with the Apocrypha, New Revised Standard Version (1994 Oxford University Press). Comments? Please post in forum thread.

Sexual Abuse as a Deviant Behavior Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sexual Abuse as a Deviant Behavior - Term Paper Example Stronger laws should be in place for Sex Offenders because many women do not report sexual abuse afraid of revenge and further cruelty. Punishment as deterrence also raises sets of important questions to consider in arguing for punishment as restitution. It means that the state should be a positive factor in the area of criminal law. The state should not passively await criminal activity before it deals with those involved and its consequences (Groth 29).   It should take some action to anticipate and preclude criminal activity before it manifests itself clearly (Serran et al 87). Those of critics who support restitution believe very strongly and will argue that the proper foci of the criminal law are the victims and others directly affected by the criminal act as well as the good of society in a practical (i.e., economic or institutional sense), rather than a moral sense. Consequently, critics are convinced that punishment should become operative as an award of damages to victims, other injured parties, and society in the person of its political institutions (Serran et al 51). To convince most people that deterrence is a way of increasing the total social good through punishment (rather than merely reducing the total social evil) since it benefits victims, injured parties, and political institutions, as well as the criminal, the penal system, and the courts. Consequently, restitution is the most economical and ethical way in which the state can take positive action to secure human welfare (i.e., the benefits of social living) and avoid its opposite (Groth 65; Ward 41).             Stricter laws should be imposed on sex offenders because the authorities cannot control their lives and actions after the release. Oklahoma state Rep. Lucky Lamons â€Å"says it forces many offenders to live in rural areas where they are difficult for authorities to monitor... Also, he says, it does not differentiate between real predators and the type of men he recalls arresting for urinating in public, a sex offense in Oklahoma† (Koch 2007).

Activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Activity - Essay Example With the aim of finding new opportunities, the organization has to expand their line of business to meet customers’ demands, hence shun recurrent complains. To avoid failing of the business as well as ensuring adequate meeting of client’s demands, it entails the firm to apply appropriately marketing mix. Under product marketing mix, the organization will consider its 4Ps with the intention of applying it effectively with the intention of attaining high aggressive edge (Czinkota, Ilkka &Michael 57). The firm ought to expand its line of products by embarking on producing clothes other than games skits including supplying even hospitals with customized lab coats, patients’ attires as well as those of nurses. When setting the prices for the goods, it must know the reference value and set prices that are not costly compared to other firms supplying similar goods. Since the company will be supplying its merchandises in large quantities, it ought to sell them in wholesale terms including prices in order to retain and please its pool of clientele or segment. When it comes to promotion of the product, the company must get involved in things like exhibitions and trade fairs whereby it can adequately showcase the quality and range of goods. Placement in this case will entail the company to choose carefully the region or area easily accessible by not only clients but also other suppliers wishing to embrace the role of supplying. Under service marketing mix, the 3Ps, there must be physical evidence for the delivery of goods, which is either packaged or a signed delivery note (Czinkota, Ilkka , & Michael 57). The people who deliver the goods must do it in time besides products meeting all the requirements that were in the order (Czinkota, Ilkka & Michael 57). The processes of supplying goods or any other service that the customers need should be effective, which in turn will result to building

What is Akrasia (incontinence) according to Aristotle in Book 7 of Essay

What is Akrasia (incontinence) according to Aristotle in Book 7 of Nicomachean Ethics - Essay Example According to Aristotle, the feelings of an incontinent person are not usually more powerful than their reason as people have been made to believe (Aristotle 106). Thus, an incontinent person could also be driven by reason as well as by their feelings and emotions. Other philosophers like Socrates believed that incontinence presents a scenario where individuals have let their emotions control their lives and they have found it difficult to control their emotions. â€Å"It would be strange... if knowledge was in a man, something else could master it and drag it about like a slave† (Aristotle 107). This was an anomaly that Aristotle sought to correct. Aristotle believes that it is on the basis of akrasia that people are influenced or propelled to act irrationally and this is not to say that these people are not logical in nature. Aristotle also opined that the incontinent people have not totally lost their sense of reasoning and even in cases that there seems to be no appreciable amount of reasoning in them, these people could still decide to behave logically, but they prefer to use the pleasures of their emotions (Aristotle 108). Aristotle uses these arguments to explain the uncontrolled and unrestrained nature of the incontinent people that it is not due to the fact that they are incapable of keeping their emotions at bay and this is really not the reason that they behave in an irrational manner. Aristotle believed that the fact that incontinent people have knowledge of their actions goes a long way to show that they also make logical calculations and people should not see them as irrational human beings that are only driven by their feelings. Aristotle believed that akrasia does not imply irrationality or ignorance as he was of the opinion that akrasia is not a total neglect of reason and that people should not assume that incontinence results only from pleasurable feelings. Aristotle agrees that the incontinent person is

Consumer Research on Ethical Consumption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Consumer Research on Ethical Consumption - Essay Example General assumption on relationship between attitudes and behavior is the consistency. This is known as principle of consistency which means expectation on consistency of one’s behavior with the attitudes hold by them. Furthermore it means people are rational and try to behave rationally at every time. Though this principle is through, it is clear that consumers do not always follow that. Sometimes it is able to experience irrational behavior. For an instance, majority of consumers are smoking cigarettes while knowing this consumption causes heart diseases and lung cancers. Literature relevant to theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behavior are significant theories that discussed this attitude-behavior relationship in-depth manner. Attitude is defined as a permanent, general evaluation regarding people or person, objects, issues or advertisements (Soloman et.al, 2010). Difficulty of changing and nature of evaluating something are discussed as the characteristics of attitude according to above definition. Relationship between attitude and behavior is presented by Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) based on theory of reasoned action. As theorized by Gordon W. Allport in 1935, there is a multidimensional relationship in between attitude and behavior but not one-dimensional relationship. It means attitude is a complex system that consists with individual’s belief regarding the object, feeling on the object and action tendencies towards the object.

Argument Diet coke (it's bad in health, waste money, contributes to Essay - 1

Argument Diet coke (it's bad in health, waste money, contributes to greenhouse gases because the product is shipped in lots of p - Essay Example Similarly, there are other adverse effects of Diet Coke on health. The beverage also contributes to greenhouse gases, and environmental issues due to its non-recycleable packaging. The Coca-Cola company with the Carbon Trust has given details on â€Å"the carbon footprints of some of the company’s most popular drinks, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, and Coke Zero† (Mohan, 2009). This is the first time the Carbon Trust has certified the carbon footprint of any brand of carbonated drinks. Thesis Statement: This argument paper supports the view that Diet Coke is detrimental to weight loss, to maintaining good health and to the environment. The Adverse Health Outcomes of Consuming Diet Coke According to Pat Thomas, although Diet Coke is strongly associated with sports and health, it is composed of a â€Å"worrying mixture of neurotoxic and potentially carcinogenic high intensity sweeteners, tooth and bone destroying acids and DNA damaging colourings† (Thomas 31). Fur ther, the beverage also contains psychoaddictive caffeine and other ‘flavorings’. ... Soda manufacturers have continued to mix benzoates and acids due to a lack of pressure from regulatory authorities to change their formula to prevent the formation of benzene. â€Å"Ironically, the high fructose syrups used in regular drinks seem to slow this reaction down, and the formation of benzene appears to be most problematic in diet drinks† (Thomas 31). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved of the sweetener acesulfame potassium, or Sunett, for use in various instant beverages and other food products. The sweetener is manufactured by Hoechst Celanese Corporation. The company’s tests have not proved that the product is safe; on the other hand, research studies by some of the scientists at the company’s laboratory have indicated that the product may even cause cancer in laboratory animals. The FDA is â€Å"now reviewing Sunett for soft drinks, the biggest and most competitive market for artificial sweeteners† (BBN 7C). The annual sales o f low calorie soft drinks such as Diet Coke at retail outlets in the United States reached $3.8 billion, according to Information Resources Inc. The Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has stated that if Sunnet is approved for use in Diet Coke, millions of Americans will be further exposed to large amounts of the additive. The Cocal Cola firm plans to use a blend of Sunett with NutraSweet (the brand name for the artificial sweetener Aspartame) in Diet Coke popular as â€Å"the nation’s leading diet soda and the third-largest selling soft drink† (BBN 7C), after Sunett’s approval by the FDA. The Hoechst Celanese disputes the CSPI’s opposition to the artificial sweetener, â€Å"arguing that Sunett is already in some 3,000 products in 80

Consumer Research on Ethical Consumption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Consumer Research on Ethical Consumption - Essay Example General assumption on relationship between attitudes and behavior is the consistency. This is known as principle of consistency which means expectation on consistency of one’s behavior with the attitudes hold by them. Furthermore it means people are rational and try to behave rationally at every time. Though this principle is through, it is clear that consumers do not always follow that. Sometimes it is able to experience irrational behavior. For an instance, majority of consumers are smoking cigarettes while knowing this consumption causes heart diseases and lung cancers. Literature relevant to theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behavior are significant theories that discussed this attitude-behavior relationship in-depth manner. Attitude is defined as a permanent, general evaluation regarding people or person, objects, issues or advertisements (Soloman et.al, 2010). Difficulty of changing and nature of evaluating something are discussed as the characteristics of attitude according to above definition. Relationship between attitude and behavior is presented by Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) based on theory of reasoned action. As theorized by Gordon W. Allport in 1935, there is a multidimensional relationship in between attitude and behavior but not one-dimensional relationship. It means attitude is a complex system that consists with individual’s belief regarding the object, feeling on the object and action tendencies towards the object.

Parkinson's Disease Discussion Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Parkinson's Disease Discussion - Research Paper Example Management of motor response changes, for example, nighttime deterioration, dyskinesias, early morning deterioration, and psychiatric problems can only be successful if there are strategies for treatment. Although tremendous efforts and developments have been made in comprehending the pathophysiology that lie beneath this condition, the cause is not yet known, and there is no treatment that is curative. This paper will look at the video â€Å"My Father, My Brother, and Me†, and attempt to discuss issues that surround Parkinson’s disease. Firstly, there is a personal drive to understand Parkinson’s disease. The disease has affected the actor’s family members. During his undertakings, he meets with various remarkable people who are doing research about the disease. The researcher’s meeting with frozen heroin addicts results in a monumental step forward. An individual who had suffered from this disease got a reformed living by going through the surgery of the brain. Moreover, he encountered a geneticist who assisted in identifying some of the mutations responsible for Parkinson disease. It has also been noted by specialists that at least six genes can cause Parkinson’s disease. Secondly, there is a belief that the debate involving genetics and environment is adequate because there has not been an answer to it. A development of the connection between genetics and environment has led to the improvement of Parkinson’s disease research hugely in the last few years. Thirdly, it is fascinating to know that even with the progression in the embryonic cell therapies; the research was stopped in 2006 by the former United States president, George Bush. He did this by vetoing the bill that was supposed to increase funding for stem cell research. He was largely responding to pressure from various religious groups. Fourthly, there is an illustration of the different treatment, medication of interest,

Health and Social Care Level 3 Essay Example for Free

Health and Social Care Level 3 Essay Objectives: All learners should be able to define basis of discrimination. All learners should be able to explain basis of discrimination Most learners should be able to demonstrate discriminatory practice Some learners should be able to describe effects of discriminatory practice. Basis of discriminatory Culture A person’s culture is important to them and identifies who they are in the world. In health and social care profession, respecting a person’s culture is important for all concerned. It also important to health and social care professionals because they see the benefits of their care value base which underlines respecting and individual’s culture Disability In health and social care you will work or support people with various disability. This disability Act status it unlawful to discriminate against someone has disability. Are covered include: employment, access to goods, facilities and services of organisation, education etc. Age Age discrimination happens when someone is treated unfavourably because of their age without justification or harassed because of their age. Controversies regarding dispensing of expensive drugs to older people because of shorter life expectancy. Denying a person a drug is illegal. Social class Our social class is apparent from where we live. The higher the class the better place is kept and maintained. The poor are more likely to get cancer than the rich and their chances of survival are poor. Human rights emphasises that everyone should be treated equally and with dignity no matter of their circumstances. Gender A person cannot be discriminated because of their gender. Health and social service should not discriminate unfairly due to a person’s gender. Equality rights of access, health and social care rights must be adhered to. Sexuality Sexual orientation can be referring to a person who is attracted to another person of the same sex. E.g. gay and lesbian. Discrimination against someone due to their sexual orientations against the law. Health status Taking into account the cost of treatment and the expected quality of life after treatment and overall life expectancy, people taking these decisions should always keep their own assumptions and prejudices. Family status This is lead to a variety of discriminations: against gay/lesbian parents, single parents, parents of different genders, parents from different race with mix race children and other family grouping

Gender, Consumption and the Media

Gender, Consumption and the Media Consumption is a social practice which subconsciously communicates ideas about gender. In turn, gender intersects with the realm of consumer behaviour as a cognitive, cultural and political construct (Ross, 2010, pp.13-39). In this instance, the media provides an important sphere to observe the social constructions of gender that, through routine, substantiates certain performances of gender (Hirschman Stern, 1994, pp. 576-81). Within the context of Home Box Office’s television series, Sex and the City (1998-2004, hereafter ‘SATC’), this paper will analyse contemporary depictions of femininity and demonstrate how these interpretations coincide with consumption. It will further discuss how gender fluidity allow the characters of SATC the liberty to transpire and transition between the essentialist attributes of feminine versus masculine, distorting the conventional boundaries and constructions of femininity when they consume homes, engage in consumption related to sex, and struggle with true love and marriage in their search for authenticity. Each character discovers approaches to simultaneously reconstruct and reinforce their gendered identities as they construct contemporary roles with the assistance of consumption. However, it is this consumption that can generate new tensions. The home is often associated with the gendered notions of the domestic sphere. Within the home, production and consumption are conventionally defined, with men buying the home and women buying for the home. This shapes the home as a site of patriarchal oppression and control (Schroeder Borgerson, 1998, pp. 105-231). However, Caldwell and Kleppe (2006, pp. 22-40) argue that household members can subvert, conform to, or negotiate ideas about gender. While discourses on home ownership are traditionally related to the marriage of a man and woman, SATC represents home ownership as allowing the female characters freedom to explore the expectations that are associated with conventional gender roles in the home and their personal desire to demarcate new gender roles as single women, without children, consuming living spaces. For Miranda, gender fluidity is communicated to encompass the power roles of men and women as professionals, lovers and homeowners. In light of this, Miranda experiences tensions when she confronts the vestiges of conventional gender roles when buying her home. Initially, Miranda had visualised that her acquirement of a home would satisfy her identity as an independent yet professionally accomplished single woman. However, the possession of a home for Miranda is shown to become imbued with sexism. This reflects the cultural assumption that a woman without children or a husband would simply not possess sufficient financial funds or knowledge to invest in real estate and would not consider purchasing her home ‘alone’. In effect, the challenge a woman’s achievement in the conventionally masculine, public sphere of work as a corporate lawyer poses leaves Miranda’s character insecure about her performance of femininity. Here, SATC communicates how the subversion of traditional feminine ideals will inevitably involve a negotiation of the gains of feminism. By purchasing a house without a man, Miranda is portrayed to challenge the norm which results in a self-reflective debate regarding her performance of femininity. Miranda’s experiences of tension demonstrate that changes to gender norms come slowly. The consumption related to domesticity and the home is therefore denoted in SATC as simultaneously liberating yet replete with tensions of the gender norms in everyday life. Another theme of gender that SATC communicates is how gender and consumption discourses are interlinked with the confines of sexuality. Gender is argued to be interlinked with sexuality as an individual’s gender guides their sexuality while at the same time an individual’s sexuality validates their gender (Fracher Kimmel 1995, p. 367). Schroeder and Zwick (2004, p. 34) argue that consumer behaviour regarding everyday products reflects on the messages of ‘sexuality, lifestyle and identity’. In SATC, themes of sexuality are intently interlinked with gender and consumption discourses although the cultural messages imbued in the consumption choices are neither essentialist nor direct. The women of SATC represent a contemporary adaptation of the single girl. This new standard for contemporary women is less fixed on chasing marriage as a fundamental end, but more focused on career and relationships. While stereotypical media representations of women primarily ex hibit traits of femininity as that of passivity and helplessness (Stole 2003, pp. 65-80), the narrative of single girls in SATC mirror the changes in the norms of femininity over time. For Samantha, her gender status as a single female and being the eldest of the four women, welcomes her attempts to control and preserve her youth through the performance of aesthetic labour (Pettinger, 2004, pp. 165-84). However, this narrative of Samantha struggling and worrying about her changing sexuality because of aging is brought to a halt when she realises the power her gender status provides her over the notions of beauty and youth. Samantha is characterised as empowering when she withstands the influence of the stereotypical images of female sexuality she is enveloped by as an exuberant consumer of fashion and executive-owner of a public relations firm. Through the characterisation of Samantha, the performance of female sexuality is suggested to involve an aesthetic that changes as a woman physically and emotionally matures. The aesthetic of femininity links female sexuality and power as SATC frames the aesthetic and its associated power to be about Samantha’s power to create and use it. In essence, Samantha embodies the tensions that emerge when a female must let go of youth and acknowledge her own power to determine her own beauty with age. In turn, the performance of female sexuality is highlighted to relate to consuming pleasure which may or may not involve sharing that pleasure with a man, either because men cannot provide it, or women prefer to experience the pleasure alone. Nonetheless, views of masculine power and predatory sexuality, the correlation sexual performance has with marriage and dating that will eventually result in marriage remain evident notions in SATC. This stresses gender as a social construct and how consumers will require time before being able to perform a more fluid notion of gender, without the anxiety, despite the idea of gender equality. SATC therefore communicates the tensions experienced by females that relate to these norms during their consumption of goods (for Samantha, the consideration of plastic surgery) which, in turn, affect the females’ performance of their sexuality and creating their desired gender identity. The final theme of gender communicated in SATC is the tension between an ongoing ambivalence for an authentic gender identity and the stereotyped female longing for true love and marriage. Potter (2010, p. 4) holds that authenticity and the consumption of true love and marriage is about individualism and a movement way from the masses to seek an individual gender status. However, consumption can never lead to an authentic gender identity because of what is consumed is considered to be inauthentic. As gender is a ‘natural and pre-cultural’ social construct (McCracken, 2008, p.186), the pursuit of an authentic gender identity and the performance of gender fluidity that may offer self-transformation and opportunities by being enacted through consumption may require the shelving of the authentic gender along the way. In SATC, the real self and the real love are framed as the female authenticity. By consuming to pursue authenticity, the female characters alter the power struc ture traditional gender roles have established through femininity’s contemporary self-sufficiency as the women of SATC discern between the fakes and real of love and self-knowledge. In Season 3, Charlotte escapes from the authenticity of New York City to experience the superficiality of Los Angeles. The change in setting allows Charlotte to reconsider the authenticity of the conservative gender messages she embodied in New York City. In effect, Charlotte is shown to become frustrated by her pursuits of authentic love and marriage as following the conventions of how to get married and pursue her views of true love and marriage to establish an authentic gender identity have been unsuccessful. Through the characterisation of Charlotte, SATC communicates the view of a conservative, gender identity where unmarried women should not have sex with their unmarried partner until after marriage. In effect, work, sexuality and consumption are conveyed as gender roles to be performed for the goal of true love, marriage and a gender identity. However, Charlotte’s later frustrations over her marriage with an impotent husband indicate that her pursuit of true love and ma rriage through following conventions may have, in itself, been inauthentic. This expresses the contemporary idea that gender identities in relationships are unstable and unscripted. Tensions between the conventional and contemporary norms are conveyed in SATC to be part of new gender performances yet the ending of fixed models or frames of references for true love, marriage and gender identity inherently creates anxiety. Constructions of gender in the media influence the understandings of gender in reality. These constructions provide points of analysis as they legitimise certain performances of gender and reflect broader discourses in society. The themes of gender in SATC focus on questions of the freedom of femininity and the changing notions of female sexuality in a dynamic social landscape. By examining SATC, insight is provided into the contemporary performativity of femininity in relation to consumption in public and traditionally masculine spheres. With the notions of family and work having changed in society, it has brought simultaneous changes in the understanding of gender roles. SATC provides a new independent woman, who despite subverts their traditional gender role, still struggles with similar issues prevalent in traditional notions of gender. The gender fluidity of post-feminism gives the characters of SATC the freedom to be multifaceted in their performances regarding consuming the ho me, experiencing sexuality and maintain and projecting an authentic self. However, this fluidity is often fraught with tensions between traditional models of gender and the gendered performances of the characters. The characters in SATC find ways to simultaneously re-establish and reinforce their gendered identities as they create and occupy new roles (with the aid of consumption) in a world of competing discourses of gender which are grounded in prior notions of femininity. Yet this consumption can lead to a sense of anxiety as well from the complex negotiations of gender expectations. References Caldwell, M. Kleppe, I. A. 2006, ‘Gender identity and perceptions of femininity in everyday life: A multi country study of contemporary young female achievers’, Gender and Consumer Behaviour, vol. 8, pp. 22–40. Fracher, J. Kimmel, M. 1995, ‘Hard issues and soft spots: Counselling men about sexuality’, Men’s Lives, pp. 365–74. Hirschman, E. C. Stern B. B. 1994, ‘Women as commodities: Prostitution as depicted in The Blue Angel, Pretty Baby and Pretty Woman’, Advances in Consumer Research, vol. 21, pp. 576–81. McCracken, G. 2008, Transformations: Identity construction in contemporary culture, Indiana University Press, Bloomington. Pettinger, L. 2004, ‘Brand culture and branded workers: Service work and aesthetic labour in fashion retail’, Consumption Markets Culture, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 165–84. Potter, A. 2010, The authenticity hoax: How we get lost finding ourselves, HarperCollins Publishers, New York. Ross, K. 2010, Gendered media: Women, men and identity politics, Rowman and Littlefield, Plymouth, pp. 13-39. Schroeder, J. E. Borgerson, J. L. 1998, ‘Marketing images of gender: A visual analysis’, Consumption Markets Culture, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 105–231. Schroeder, J. E. Zwick, D. 2004, ‘Mirrors of masculinity: Representation and identity in advertising images’, Consumption Markets Culture, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 21–52. Sex and the City 1998 – 2004, television series, HBO Original Programming, New York. Stole, I. L. 2003, ‘Televised consumption: Women, advertisers and the early daytime television industry’, Consumption Markets Culture, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 65–80.

Francisco I. Madero :: essays research papers

Franciso I. Madero The Rosary was born in the Property, Parras, Coahuila, in 1873. It belonged to a well-off family of agriculturists. It made studies of commerce in France and the United States. From 1904 it took part in political subjects of Coahuila. President of the Independent Democratic Party named, that was against the re-election of the governor, Miguel Cardinal red. He collaborated in the organ of that party: The Democrat, in whom he wrote political articles, spreading his ideas on the human rights, the vote and the freedom. In 1908 I publish the Presidential Succession of 1910, book in which put to recover the democracy under protection of the Constitution of 1857. In its work it defended the political freedom and it showed the necessity to form a great political party that participated in the presidential elections of 1910. It defined to the Constitution of the 1857 like the triumph of the liberal ideas: Both great parties that formed, once obtained our independence -liberal and the conservative-, then represented the aspirations and the interests of two great Mexican groups. first, of ideas outposts, he wanted to implant in our country the most modern principles, and the second he wished to conserve to where outside possible, the old traditions. This party, integrated mainly by the people of money, always preservative, and by the clergy possessor of immense wealth, looked for the shade of a government of its form, the protection to its numerous interests (...) in the Hill of ace Bells was buried for always old the Conservative Party ". With its initiative the National Party Antireeleccionista was created (1909), of which candidate to the presidency of the Republic went. As of that moment, it initiated an intense political campaign by all the country to spread the democratic principles. This party, directed by Emilio Và ¡zquez Go'mez, made a convention the 15 of April of 1910, in which the basic principles were proclaimed that they sustained to the organization: †¢ Nonre-election. †¢ Strict fulfillment of the Constitution of 1857. †¢ Freedom of the municipalities. †¢ Respect to the individual guarantees. The 6 of following June, Log was jailed under the accusation of "CONATO of rebellion and ultraje to the authorities". It was transferred San Luis Potosi, where he waited for the accomplishment of the elections, that favored it mainly, and where it received the news of the fraud committed by Diaz, who declared reelecto again. The 6 of October, Log fled, taking refuge in San Antonio, Texas.

Negative Effects of Tv on Family Life

Negative Effects of TV The television has many effects on family life and the individual, causing family bonds to unravel and the individual to become naive of their surroundings. The TV keeps one hooked for hours on end, causing family relationships to diminish and personal relationships to weaken. Not only does the TV seem to be a good alternative to conversations and interactions amongst one another, but it also helps to create a gap between the fictional world of TV and reality.Since the invention of the home television, it has become a crucial part in everyday household life. Children spend less time with family, because it is simply easier to sit down and be entertained by the TV. †The time spent next to it [the TV] exceeds the amount of time spent together with any other family member. † (Wattermann) Watching TV has a major effect on the way a child communicates with other family members and friends, distancing them from real-world situations and problems. Parents spend long hours working and want an effective suppressant for their children. Contemporary parents work a lot, but when they come back home they are not eager to spend time with their child†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Wattermann) Even adults fall into the attraction of taking themselves out of their childs’ life, in order to relax or gain the free time they long desire. The effect the TV has on the family has been negative in comparison to the original intention of bringing the TV into the home, back in the 1940s. The depiction of the family watching TV together has changed, and now with multiply TVs present in a home, the separation and disfunction of the family has increased.TV also has a negative effect on the individual, because it takes away from potential relationships and also promotes bad behavior and aggressions as seen on violent television shows. What is being watched on television has the potential to influencing negative behavior, within the child or even adult. In an articl e from the AAP or the American Association of Pediatrics, it was noted that, â€Å"Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed. † (Pediatrics Vol. 108 No. ) The violence seen on TV, can lead to violent acts later on. Individuals are affected by what they see on TV and can be influenced by the suggestive nature that is described in almost every TV program. â€Å"Even in G-rated, animated movies and DVDs, violence is common† (Boyse, RN). The TV violence has an effect on people and children of all ages, and even though some programs are educational and beneficial for the development and growth of the child, there are so many other programs going on at the same time that contradict the idea of â€Å"good TV†. Television watching also has a major impact on the self-image one has of themself.The TV paints a false image of what the normal and accepted person should look like. The person watching, therefore gets sucked into the mindset that they have to be like the well-toned models seen on tv, this creates many different problems. Insecurities within the individual flourish and they are constantly bombarded with images of how they should be, in order to fit into today’s society. While watching constant images of healthy women and men makes some people immediately jump off the couch and start their â€Å"cardio routine† some sit back and envy what they simply will never have.Ironically, this leads to eating disorders and obesity. â€Å"People, who spend hours and hours in front of the TV sets, are under very high risk of becoming overweight and obese. † (API Heathline) Either way, false advertisement of the way someone should be perceived has a negative effect on the viewer. In general, the content on TV impacts who were are and who we want to become in order to fit into society. Another factor involved in tel evision watching, is the amount and the persistence of commercials.Commercials make up a majority of television air time, trying to influence people to spend time and resources on products and new inventions that will make you better fit into society. For example, food commercials are constantly influencing people to make new recipes or to go to the newest most delicious restaurant in town. Other commercials such as the shopping channel become appealing to the older audience who are alone and constantly craving new things. This leads to hording and other disorders, including the addiction of television watching in itself.Commercials and news articles also persuade people in terms of politics, economic issues, and social influences therefore inducting the one-way nature of the viewers. If people constantly go to the TV for current updates on news and other current events then it deters the need to communicate with one another and create the social relationships needed to have a cohes ive balance in life. Another problem that arises with TV is the effect it has on one psychologically. Kids spend many hours in front of the TV, especially over long periods of isolation. Some adults can argue that the constant atching of television is the beginning of a new age of addiction. â€Å"Studies about negative effects of television addiction show the TV addicts’ people through its tranquilizing numbing affect, causing them to relax, become drowsy, and then desire to watch more TV. † (Parenting-Healthy-Children) Watching TV seems to have the same effects that habit- forming narcotics have on the individual. When watching hours upon hours of TV, one is quickly relaxed and put into a state of obliviousness to the outside world, therefore having similar effects of mind altering drugs.TV watching has many effects on the viewer and can lead to many social and personal problems. Family relationships, individual self- consciousness, and violent/ inappropriate subject matter all lead to the conclusion that too much television can be harmful to our society. TV is readily available to every one of all ages, and the majority of the material is geared toward a more mature audience. Over time, TV has changed dramatically from mostly family-oriented TV programs to programs geared to different age groups, in order to attract different audiences. Children and TV: The Negative Effects of Television. †Ã‚  Children and TV: The Negative Effects of Television. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. â€Å"Media Violence. †Ã‚  Media Violence. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. â€Å"Bad Effects Of Watching Too Much TV | Academic Programs International a Health Line. â€Å"Academic Programs International Health Line Bad Effects Of Watching Too Much TV Comments. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. â€Å"The Negative Effects of Television Addiction and Computer Addiction. †Ã‚  The Negative Effects of TelevisionAddiction and Computer Addiction. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Love Essay

When I think about the concept of love, my thoughts are uncertain. When I think about the word love, the four letters arranged in a random pattern, nothing is simpler. Clearly, a distinct difference lies between a word and what it represents. The importance of the word love lies in the power it has over people. When asking someone what love means, not one person has a solid answer to the question. The word love is so abstract, as to which why I adore the word â€Å"Love.† While growing older, we have used the word love in many contexts. The word love can be referred to as a variety of different feelings and attitudes, ranging from just common pleasure â€Å"I loved that meal† to an intense interpersonal attraction â€Å"I love my boyfriend.† The word love can be used in numerous ways and with endless feeling. In certain situations, the word love is such an expression that sometimes one’s relationship might even depend on it. For example, If for a long time someone has not said â€Å"I love you† to a loved one, they might think something is wrong. The word â€Å"love† is a word that makes one wonder how much power one word could have. Love does not have just one meaning, but rather many different definitions. It is a word used in many different contexts, with many different levels of feelings that are unexplainable. Love is a word that is universal in every language of the world. Everyone knows of it or has used the word. Although we know of it, no person has an actual definition of it. The uncertainty of this word makes me realize how powerful the word is, even though we still seem to know what someone is trying to say. Everyone uses the word love, but never took a minute to think about it’s meaning. I adore this word and will always think about as the future generations use the word love in ambiguity.

In reality Britain is not a meritocracy, this is due to discrimination and labelling. It is a capitalist economy

In reality Britain is not a meritocracy, this is due to discrimination and labelling. It is a capitalist economy. The type of stratification system used in Britain is the Class System, which divides society into a hierarchy of unequal social groups based on their occupation this defines whether they are working-class or middle-class. However, the social divisions are not clearly separated. The class system is an open society, social mobility is possible across the social hierarchy on the basis of personal achievement, from which you can gain achieved status. However, there are obstacles to social mobility including prejudice, labelling, discrimination, racism and sexism. Lack of Educational achievement can also be an obstacle. Conjugal roles are the roles played by a male and a female in a marriage or cohabiting relationship. The inequalities in social class between the working-class and middle-class exist in the conjugal roles played in the family. Traditionally the roles played by the male and female were very different. For example the male did the DIY and the ‘manly' jobs and the female took care of the more domestic jobs like housework and looking after the children. They had segregated conjugal roles. These roles are the gender stereotype of what is expected of us even today. However, we have seen a shift from segregated conjugal roles to joint conjugal roles where the male and female do similar tasks. This idea of joint conjugal roles is called ‘The Symmetrical Family' (Young and Willmott). Statistics have shown that more men are choosing to become ‘house-husbands', the ‘New Man'. The reversal of the traditional roles normally occurs where the women earn more than the man, and it is financially practical to swap roles. The importance of female partners earnings gives them more equality to men as they agree to the housework and are then encouraged with the housework. This shift has been seen mainly amongst middle-class couples, other reasons for this are that middle-class men have been encouraged to stay at home by shorter working hours and improvements in living standards and material comforts in the home because they can afford them. Working-class suffer from material deprivation and cannot afford these material comforts. Young and Willmott (1975) argued modern home-centred families have increasingly more joint conjugal roles. More geographical mobility also meant a decline of the traditional extended family network so there is no longer the pressure of the extended family on the woman to act, as a housewife and stay at home like tradition. Those couples who moved to new areas because of work and re-housing during industrialisation tend to have joint conjugal roles and have loose-knit social networks. Each male and female are less likely to have their own friends and relatives outside the family. They tend to rely on each other more for support, leisure and spend more time together and share domestic responsibilities. Those couples who have close-knit social networks (traditional working-class) tend to have segregated conjugal roles. Each partner has their own network of friend and relatives. The man and woman tend to be less socially dependant on each other than middle-class symmetrical families. Our primary agency of socialisation is our family. Working-class parents are continually teaching their sons and daughter differently to each other, teaching the gender stereotype on conjugal roles through gender role socialisation, so that inequality between men and women continues to exist through future generations. It could be argued, the middle-class have different values which mean they have different attitudes towards who does what domestic tasks. However, the ‘New' working-class (argued by Goldthorpe et al) arguably have become more like the middle-class due to embourgeoisement (Marxist theory devised by Karl Marx) and this includes their attitudes towards conjugal roles. However, evidence still shows that the majority of women still perform the domestic tasks around the home (the gender stereotype), even though they have paid jobs outside the home. The number of hour's women spend on housework is calculated at around 50-60 hours per week compared to men who do an average of 1.6 hours (newspaper article, sociology review, ‘Back to the Future' by Madeline Leonard). Feminists believe that this is a dual burden and there is a role conflict for women. Anne Oakley believes this, she is a feminist she also believes that we live in a patriarchal society. Feminists say that men may appear to be the ‘New Man', however they usually perform the more enjoyable side of the domestic work, like playing with the children, instead of the more routine jobs like cooking and cleaning which are performed mainly by the women.

Arkansas Economy - about Agriculture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arkansas Economy - about Agriculture - Essay Example According to the survey, it has been revealed that about more than 46% of the rice are supplied to the United States. Top five agricultural products ofArkansas that generate supreme amount of revenue for the state are cotton, broilers, cattle, soybeans and rice. â€Å"The export value of rice generated by Arkansas is 3859 million dollars which is number one in the United States† (Cosidine 19a). The export valued for cotton is at 615 million dollar and it is fourth in the United States. In the crop sector the direct contribution to economy is by providing more than 62,918 jobs and more than 3,062 million dollar value added to the economy of Arkansas. â€Å"In the year 2011, survey states that more than 12.8 billion dollars of value added to the economy of Arkansas† (Considine 26b). This huge revenue is generated which accounted due to enormous agricultural resources. Total contribution to the economy of Arkansas can be direct, indirect and induced contribution. Direct contributions to the economy are generated by the help of forest products and farm production. Some agricultural firms of Arkansas purchase product from other business of same state can generate revenue is known as the indirect contribution to the economy. Contributions generated from employees working in agricultural farms can spend portion of money within Arkansas can benefit the economy of the state. â€Å"In the year 2012, survey states that more than 47,800 farms are located in Arkansas† (USDA 7a). The diversified portfolio of Arkansas profits the state in revenue and which benefit the economy. The net farm income generated from the number of far ms present in Arkansas is 1.4 billion dollar. Estimated amount of export of rice is 1 billion annually. Arkansas is number of export of rice. â€Å"The agriculture of Arkansas enables to create 24% job in the state† (USDA 12b). This resembles the fact the agriculture has become pivotal for Arkansas by creating large number of jobs. The

Managing and Leading Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing and Leading Change - Essay Example To sustain in this competitive business market, an organisation needs to implement lots of change tactics. Change may be in terms of technological aspects, accounting principles, human resource planning and also of expansion programs among others. Organisational change is viewed to be a sort of structured approach from the viewpoint of organisational perspective. Smoother adoption as well as execution of making effectual changes may support a specific organisation to avail significant benefits. The benefits might comprise enhancing profitability along with overall productivity, mounting market share, competing with major rivalries and most vitally accomplishing superior competitive position. It can be stated from a broader circumstance that gaining momentum of globalisation and the constant changing technologies increased the business market competition amid the marketers by a greater level. Organisations must have to adopt change process in order to survive in this competitive lands cape (Bollen & Emes, 2008). ... From a theoretical perspective, change is often viewed to a deliberate initiative of a particular company for the purpose of attaining its expected business targets by a significant level. While defining the perception of change, it has often been viewed that customers are largely influenced by various sales promotional based tools. Change may be in terms of capital structure which combines both debts along with equity. Change may be regarding the human resource policies that amalgamate the aspects like leadership and superior-subordinates interrelation among others (Bollen & Emes, 2008). Change is important in respect of the particular discussion in respect of the multinational company presented in this case wherein, a number of points need to be highlighted. Overcapacity is a kind of situation where any company fail to sell all its broad assortment of products. Thus, in order to overcome this critical situation, change plays a decisive part in supporting the companies to effectivel y selling their respective products with ease by adopting any significant measure relating to the change in corporate culture or strategies. Relating to the case, the manufacturing company faced certain significant pressures particularly upon its profit margins due to overcapacity especially in manufacturing. The aspect of change might certainly support this company towards lessening from such pressure in terms of changing its respective organisational matrix along with the functions of its various operational departments (Canada's Health Informatics Association, 2013). Critical Analysis of the Challenges According to the case, it can be critically analysed that the major manufacturing company faced certain crucial challenges or issues regarding various important aspects. The main