Business Case Template - 1155 Words

Please provide a professional looking document that includes the following 1. Project name- Please come out with a name for your project. 2. Project team- at this point you should have your project team in place. Be sure to identify your team by its name and list all team members. 3. Project description -provide a brief description of the project. A project description should be written so that anyone unfamiliar with the project can read and understand what the project is about. Include a brief description of the organisation and the problem or opportunity that led to initiating the project. 4. Measurable organisational value (MOV) - The MOV is the goal of the project and is used to define the value that your project will bring to†¦show more content†¦Setting the time frame for achieving the MOV can be determined by asking the question - when do we want to achieve this target metric? e. Summarize the MOV in a clear, concise statement or table - Once the area of impact, value, metrics, and timeframe are agreed on, the MOV should be summarized so that it can be clearly communicated to all of the project stakeholders. The MOV can be summarised in a statement: This project will be successful if _______? On the other hand, a table format may be more appropriate for summarizing the MOV if it has a growth component over two or more time periods .Keep in mind that the MOV should tell everyone what the project will achieve, not how it will be achieved .The MOV should focus on the organisation, not the technology that will be used to build or support the system the information system. 5. Comparison of alternatives –To keep things simple, you may consider three alternatives for your presentation; maintain the status quo (do nothing), purchase a software package, or build a custom system. Using the web or library, determine whether any software packages currently exist that you think may support the expected requirements. If more than one exists, then select one that you feel may be the best option for your client. Compare each of the alternatives based on the following criteria a. Total cost of ownership(TCO) This can be only a rough estimate at this time.Show MoreRelatedBusiness Case Vs. Business Plan1132 Words   |  5 Pages Business Case vs. Business Plan Sunilkumar Patel Wilmington University Benjamin Franking has once said â€Å"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.† This quote is still stands to true no matter which side of the global you visit. Especially in businesses, not discounting what size is it, it is very important to plan ahead; set goals whether they are short term or long term, share the vision with its employees. All these are mentioned in business plan which states how businessRead MoreProject Description Of A Business Case816 Words   |  4 Pageswho prepared business case, make a recommendation for the best option of the solutions. If there is any modifications in the proposed methodology for development of the enterprise, that modification is inserted here; otherwise, this section is not obligatory (Rouse). †¢ Authorization: Being a business case for the proposed project, it needs to be authorized by top managers. Either project will be accepted or rejected, it depends on the Executive board (Rouse). Since a business case is prepared byRead MoreTips For An Invoice Diagrams1001 Words   |  5 PagesEasy Ways to send an Invoice Templates An invoice is an important business document that a business sends to a client denoting an obligation to pay a stipulated sum for goods and services provided. The tool is highly useful in tracking transactions and expenses, checking inventory and aiding the release of monthly or periodical financial reports. The authenticity and legality of the invoice also means it can be used in the court of law to argue cases involving unpaid debts and for establishing theRead MoreScope Statement1341 Words   |  6 Pagesintranet site will increase visibility of the company’s leading edge technology and software development to current and potential clients. It will also help reduce internal costs and improve profitability by providing standard tools, techniques, templates, and project management knowledge to all internal consultants. The budget for the project is $200,000. An additional $50,000 per year will be required for operational expenses after the project is completed. Estimated ben efits are $250,000 each yearRead MoreKevin1211 Words   |  5 Pages000 each year in years 2, 3, and 4. Estimated benefits are $0 in Year 1 and $100,000 each year in years 2, 3, and 4. Use a 9 percent discount rate, and round the discount factors to two decimal places. Create a spreadsheet (or use the business case financials template provided on the companion Web site) to calculate and clearly display the NPV, ROI, and year in which payback occurs. In addition, write a paragraph explaining whether you would recommend investing in this project, based on your financialRead MoreBlog Essay861 Words   |  4 PagesStarting a Company Blog, Part 1 Written by Janet Gershen-Siegel As your business progresses and you get more clients, you may find certain questions keep coming up, over and over again. They are too long for Twitter and too generalized for Facebook. Or they might be the kinds of questions or information which could help to spur sales. Another thing might be where you want to explain who you are and what your expertise is, but you don’t want to keep on repeating yourself, or even provide photographsRead MoreWhat Makes A Site Worth Targeting?1348 Words   |  6 Pagesquality website or just a spammy domain. Above all, you need to make a decision as a business whether you want your link to appear on the site or not. Therefore, don’t simply look at the page with the broken link, but get an overall feel of the website. For example, the site might feature a suitable broken link and be relatively good quality website, but include certain inappropriate elements for your business. For example, an alternative medicine site or a politically oriented website might notRead MoreDisaster Recovery639 Words   |  3 Pagesand gives the opportunity to a business to be able to recoup from any number of disasters, whether it may be a natural disaster or a fault of equipment to include power loss. These plans can be fairly basic with a goal and summary of what is to happen in the event of a disaster, to intensely involved and well spelled out plans that break down the summary, personal, intent, goal, and a timeline of events to follow. While disasters are unforeseen events that a business may neve r see or have to implementRead MoreManage Your Health, Inc. Essay1367 Words   |  6 Pagestechnologies to help employees, customers, and suppliers work together to improve the development and delivery of its health care products and services. The Health Coverage Costs Business Model is a project that creates to track the employees’ health care expenses and company health care costs. Besides, the project will cover the business sales by develop the cross-selling system to improve cross-selling to current customers. Lastly, a Web-Enhanced Communications System will be developing to improve the developmentRead MoreCSEC 630 Final Exam Essay1054 Words   |  5 Pagesexamination is worth 20 percent of your total grade. There are five semi open ended questions (worth 70 points) along with an accompanying cyber security action plan template (worth 30 points). You are to answer each of the five questions and to complete the Cyber Security Action Plan template based on best practice s and your understanding of the case. Please refer to the FAQ concerning the maximum length answer for each question You are not required to use APA formatting. For the open ended questions you

The Question of God C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate...

In 2002, Doctor Armand Nicholi, Jr. sought to put two of the greatest minds of the 20th century together to debate the answer to the lifelong question, â€Å"Is there a God, and if so, how should we respond to his existence?† Nicholi is the first scholar to ever put the arguments of C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud side by side in an attempt to recreate as realistic of a debate as possible between the two men. He examines their writings, letters, and lectures in an attempt to accurately represent both men in this debate. His result, the nearly 300 page book, The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life, is one of the most comprehensive, well researched, and unbiased summaries of the debate between†¦show more content†¦As a response to Freud’s interpretation of the conversion of Saul/Paul, Nicholi then looks at the conversion of C.S. Lewis as well as several other students who each had experienced religious convers ions of their own. Nicholi had conducted a study of said students in order to determine if their conversions were â€Å"[expressions] of pathology, i.e. isolating and destructive, or†¦adaptive and constructive? Did these experiences impair or enhance functioning?† (2002, Pg. 80). Nicholi’s findings were incredible, the lives of each and every convert, including Lewis, changes dramatically for the better. They experienced higher levels of self-esteem, more satisfying relationships with friends and family members, and â€Å"†¦a lessening of ‘existential despair’; and a decrease in preoccupation with the passage of time and apprehension over death† (2002, Pg. 80). I will dedicate the remaining words in this paper to my attempt to reason how these conversions could produce such spectacular and beneficial results. I believe the answer can be encapsulated in one word; hope. Christianity gives hope to those who believe its message. In an attempt to show why it gives hope, I will attempt to provide the fundamental beliefs of Christianity in a few short sentences. Christianity explains the universes existence with the teaching that there is a God; a supreme, goodShow MoreRelated Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex Essay1218 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus complex was formed by Sigmund Freud in the 1900’s. It is based on the play Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles around 427 BC. In this play, Oedipus killed his father, the king of Thebes, and married his mother without knowing his relationship to either of them. The Oedipus complex states that â€Å"children experience a phase in their psychosexual development (the phallic stage) during which they experience positive feelings toward the parent of the opposite sex and feelings of rivalry toward

Equity Conceptualization and Measurement - Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Equity Conceptualization and Measurement. Answer: Introduction The current research sheds light on the fact about how the awareness of a brand like Myer can create an impact on the buying behaviours of consumers in Australia. The awareness of a brand is the extent to which customers can become aware of the brand and become knowledgeable about the products and services offered by the company and then make a decision regarding the purchase (Bruhn, Schoenmueller and Schfer 2012). The brand awareness includes the behaviours of consumers, management of promotional activities and advertisements, management of brand and development of strategies too. Based on the brand awareness, it is the ability of consumers to recall a particular brand and ensure a successful purchase decision making in the end (myer.com 2017). The background of research shows how the awareness of a brand can lead to making customers more aware of the products and services delivered by Myer and influence their buying behaviours too. Myer in Australia has targeted its customers from various market segments wisely by establishing brand awareness through an understanding of the customers' needs and preferences and by managing goof marketing and promotional strategies for enhancing the brand image and identity with ease and effectiveness (Hakala, Svensson and Vincze 2012). The company has established various platforms and even involved social media in enhancing the brand image and identity and promoting its products and services properly to enhance the brand awareness. The rationale of the research showed that if the customers are not aware of the brand, then the company would likely face issues to connect with customers and increase its sales (Huang and Sarigll 2014). Thus, a proper brand image and name is needed to be maintai ning for enhancing brand awareness and influence the buying behaviours of consumers (myer.com 2017). The aim of the research is to assess the impact created by brand awareness on the purchasing behaviours of consumers considering the business organisation Myer in Australia (Hutter et al. 2013). Research objectives To identify the impact of brand awareness on the buying behaviours of consumers To evaluate the various approaches to enhance the brand image and identity of Myer among the customers To assess the impact created by a positive brand image on the ability of consumer to make purchase decisions To recommend various measures for enhancing the efficiency of brand awareness and generate more profit through increase in sales of Myer What is the impact of Myer's brand awareness on the consumer buying behaviour? How could the various approaches were undertaken by Myer enhance brand awareness? What could be the probable impact of a positive brand image on the consumer buying behaviour? What measures are recommended for improving the awareness of a brand and increase the sales generation for the company? Creating brand awareness is one of the major marketing methods considered by the business organisations to influence the buying behaviours of consumers and allow them to make an effective business decision with ease and effectiveness. Having a strong brand presence can also help a company to stay ahead of its competitors in business as well as increase the customer base with much ease and efficiency (Jara and Cliquet 2012). The consumers look at the products and check whether those will be able to fulfill their needs and requirements or not and then make a purchase decision. Brand awareness of considered as an effective technique used by the companies to enhance customers experiences and make sure that a positive brand image and identity is created that can easily make the customers purchase the goods and services (Kapferer 2012). Various researches showed that customers can make a purchase decision more easily when multiple options are available among which one is the known brand, a nd the other brands may be unfamiliar. The customers are more inclined to the familiar brands, and when the companies promote their brand, they become more aware, and the familiarity of the brand further allows them to make a final decision regarding the purchase (Lu, Chang and Chang 2014). For developing brand awareness, it is essential to expose the target market to the products and services delivered by the company. A distinct logo and differentiable brand message can help the company to differentiate its products and services within the competitive business environment and furthermore influence their buying behaviours (Malik et al. 2013). There are other ways of enhancing brand awareness such as the use of traditional advertising to social media to public relations, where various campaigns are followed to bring the products and services to the minds of the consumer and allow them to make a purchase decision properly (Malik et al. 2013). Consumer buying behaviour To influence the buying behaviours of consumers, it is essential to enable consistent messaging to reach varying scales of services and create a good brand name and image among the minds of customers. By creating a good brand image, there would be loyal customers who would prefer to buy the products and services of that particular brand rather than from anywhere else within the competitive business environment (Rubio, Oubia and Villaseor 2014). Companies need to create a distinct message of the brand that can be motivating as well as encouraging for the internal audiences, i.e., the customers and allow the company to develop a unique selling proposition for spreading positive messages and information regarding the brand to the customers. Brand equity is established by focusing on the brand perception and create ample scopes for enhancing the brand commitment too (Sasmita and Mohd Suki 2015). The brand awareness should be employed by the organisations not only to save a lot of time an d effort but also compare the products and services offered based on the attributes like quality, price and packaging. Brand awareness is thus considered as cognitive that can allow customers to make decisions regarding purchase with convenience (myer.com 2017). If the products delivered can fulfill the expectations of customers, then brand awareness can create a better positive impact on the purchasing behaviours of customers too (Severi and Ling 2013). There are two different kinds of research approaches including the inductive and deductive research approaches. The deductive research is aimed towards a particular objective and testing theory while the inductive research approach is concerned with the new ideas and concepts that are generated (myer.com 2017). The deductive research approach is followed by starting with a hypothesis for determining the positivity and negativity of conducting research while the inductive research approach is more concerned with the use of research questions that are set to conduct the research according to the research scopes (Bruhn, Schoenmueller and Schfer 2012). The deductive research approach has been chosen as most effective here because the existing ideas, theories and concepts are considered here while effectively conducting the research. Research design There are three different kinds of research designs including the explanatory, exploratory and descriptive research designs. The explanatory design identified the cause and probable impact of the research by generating new ideas and combined all these to drive good research outcomes. The exploratory research design is used for making observations and explores the research data and information in a detailed manner (Hakala, Svensson and Vincze 2012). The variables considered while conducting the research had been explored in details with the use of descriptive research design. This research design fills the gaps and collects data and information without making any predictions at the earlier stages of the research. The what and how have been focused on rather than why and this makes the descriptive research design an effective one for promoting learning too. The dependent variable is consumer buying behaviour, and the independent variable is the awareness of a brand (Huang and Sarigll 2 014). The descriptive research design has been followed to create a positive impact on the dependent variable and ensure that the buying behaviours of consumers are kept inclined with the awareness of the brand (myer.com 2017). The non-probability sampling technique has been preferred here among the two sampling methods. The purposive sampling technique helped in obtaining the quantitative samples whereas the qualitative samples were gathered with the help of convenient sampling method. To gather quantitative data, the survey questionnaires are provided to the respondents where they need to provide their views and opinions after knowing about the topic on which research would be done (Hutter et al. 2013). The convenient sampling technique helped in conducting interviews with the managers of Myer based on their suitable time when they would be available to take part in the sampling process. The random probability sampling method has chosen samples randomly to whom the questionnaires have been distributed to collect the quantitative data as well (Jara and Cliquet 2012). The sample size has been chosen as 200, where 150 are quantitative samples, and the qualitative samples are 50. The quantitative data has been obtained from the customers of the organisation while the remaining qualitative data has been gathered in the form of responses from the managers (Kapferer 2012). The primary and secondary data have been collected for conducting the research efficiently. The primary data consisting of the qualitative and quantitative data have been gathered from the managers and customers respectively. The customers are provided with survey questionnaires where they have been asked about certain questions related to the research topic, and on the other hand, qualitative data has been obtained by conducting interviews with the managers by gaining their responses and opinions based on the questions asked to them (Lu, Chang and Chang 2014). The secondary data has been gathered by following various journals, articles, documents and internet websites to ensure that the data and information collected are genuine and appropriate (myer.com 2017). Data analysis The analysis of data is done with the use of SPSS tool that presents the data presented by the respondents in graphical format so that the researcher can understand that with ease. The qualitative data has been analysed by presenting those in question answer format linked with the objectives of the research. The Likert scale is also used for analysing the data and derives positive outcomes during the research (Malik et al. 2013). Few limitations could be language barriers, limitations of selecting a large sample size. The time was another constraint, because though the research had been completed, still some additional time would have been beneficial for researching a much more detailed and appropriate way (Solomon 2014). Main activities/ stages Month February Month March Month April Month May Month June Month July Selection of topic Collecting data from secondary sources Constructing the research layout Literature review Development of research Plan Selection of Appropriate Research Techniques Primary data collection Analysis Interpretation of Data which are collected Conclusion Development of Draft Final Work submission Conclusion The research was conducted to determine the efficiency of enabling brand awareness to create a positive impact on the buying behaviors of consumers. The first introductory chapter included the aims, objectives and questions of the research while the literature review portion discussed the various important aspects of brand awareness and its impact on the consumer buying behaviors. A conceptual framework was also developed to understand the flow of variables. The research methodology chapter presented the research approaches and methods along with the sample size selected. The various research tools and sampling techniques along with the limitations of research had been presented here as well. References Bruhn, M., Schoenmueller, V. and Schfer, D.B., 2012. Are social media replacing traditional media in terms of brand equity creation?.Management Research Review,35(9), pp.770-790. Hakala, U., Svensson, J. and Vincze, Z., 2012. Consumer-based brand equity and top-of-mind awareness: a cross-country analysis.Journal of Product Brand Management,21(6), pp.439-451. Huang, R. and Sarigll, E., 2014. How brand awareness relates to market outcome, brand equity, and the marketing mix. InFashion Branding and Consumer Behaviors(pp. 113-132). Springer New York. Hutter, K., Hautz, J., Dennhardt, S. and Fller, J., 2013. The impact of user interactions in social media on brand awareness and purchase intention: the case of MINI on Facebook.Journal of Product Brand Management,22(5/6), pp.342-351. Jara, M. and Cliquet, G., 2012. Retail brand equity: conceptualization and measurement.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,19(1), pp.140-149. Kapferer, J.N., 2012.The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. Kogan page publishers. Lu, L.C., Chang, W.P. and Chang, H.H., 2014. Consumer attitudes toward bloggers sponsored recommendations and purchase intention: The effect of sponsorship type, product type, and brand awareness.Computers in Human Behavior,34, pp.258-266. Malik, M.E., Ghafoor, M.M., Hafiz, K.I., Riaz, U., Hassan, N.U., Mustafa, M. and Shahbaz, S., 2013. Importance of brand awareness and brand loyalty in assessing purchase intentions of consumer.International Journal of Business and Social Science,4(5). Malik, M.E., Ghafoor, M.M., Iqbal, H.K., Ali, Q., Hunbal, H., Noman, M. and Ahmad, B., 2013. Impact of brand image and advertisement on consumer buying behavior.World Applied Sciences Journal,23(1), pp.117-122. myer.com. (2017). Myer. [online] Available at: https://www.myer.com [Accessed 28 Aug. 2017]. Rubio, N., Oubia, J. and Villaseor, N., 2014. Brand awarenessBrand quality inference and consumers risk perception in store brands of food products.Food quality and preference,32, pp.289-298. Sasmita, J. and Mohd Suki, N., 2015. Young consumers insights on brand equity: Effects of brand association, brand loyalty, brand awareness, and brand image.International Journal of Retail Distribution Management,43(3), pp.276-292. Severi, E. and Ling, K.C., 2013. The mediating effects of brand association, brand loyalty, brand image and perceived quality on brand equity.Asian Social Science,9(3), p.125. Solomon, M.R., 2014.Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being(Vol. 10). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

HR consulting firms and the services

Question: Discuss about theHR consulting firms and the services Employee Behaviour. Answer: HR consulting firms in Canada employs the strongest form of professionals in the industry as they have access to the widest depth and breadth of platforms, research and services. These HR consulting firms handles millions of human resources related customer interactions. Such organizations have a proven approach that is backed by scalable and configurable technology platform. They help the client in migrating to leading standards of Human resources and practices at a pace that is right for organization. Human resources consultancies such as Hewitt Associates, Mercers Consulting, McKinsey Consulting and Towers Watson Canada vary in their range of sizes and services. Some of the areas of services focused by consulting firms involve providing assistance to business with employee behavior issues and communication (Alfes et al., 2013). They provides service in areas such as talent management and recruitment, benefits and employee healthcare. In this assignment, two firms selected for discussion include Hewitt Associates and Mercer Associates. These two firms are the provider management consulting services and human capital. Hewitt Associates has conducted research on employee engagement. Engaging employees is of little value without knowing about the actions that would be effective in increasing their engagement. This consulting firm has identified twenty-one areas that act as engagement drivers which results in potentially driving engagement of employees. All such identified drivers are interrelated. Information are gathered on describing the experience of employees and the factors that make the current workforce engaged (Fee, 2014). This would enable the employers to understand the employee has needs and focus on improvement areas. Mercer consulting on the other hand is constantly making the human resource transformation and they are rethinking on human resource function so that they support the business in a better way. This would involve changes in operating models of HR and structure of costs, governance models, and technologies. Currently, HR professionals are facing challenges in meeting demand of employees and achieving talent advantage. Mercer is currently conducting research on leveraging an increasing diverse labor pool. This is the third most important workforce trend that the business have been impacted. Organizations have been increasingly place importance on diverse workforce development and in this regard, only few employers has effective programs in place. Mercer consulting researches about bridging the gap between employer and employee view calls for substantial change (Purce, 2014). They intend to provide for improving operational capabilities surrounding talent sourcing, enhancing managerial c apabilities and tools for delivering compelling career proposition. Power of engagement is acknowledged by organizations and it is considered as key challenge area. Employers are placing importance on motivating employees for better performance and on employee differentiation. Recognition is regarded as one of the important improvement factor of engaging employees. This would in turn help the organization in enhancing the employees productivity and thereby business performance. Research conducted by Mercer would help the organization in advancing their performance and wealth of their most vital assets. This would help them in seeking right talent and this will help in delivering business results and driving the competitive advantage (Storey, 2014). Reference: Alfes, K., Shantz, A. D., Truss, C., Soane, E. C. (2013). The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behaviour: a moderated mediation model.The international journal of human resource management,24(2), 330-351. Fee, M. C. (2014). Human resources management. Purce, J. (2014). The impact of corporate strategy on human resource management.New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals),67. Storey, J. (2014).New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals). Routledge.

The Disappearance Analysis free essay sample

The short story â€Å"The Disappearance† by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni basically is about an Indian man who lived in America. At first, he married an educated Indian girl. However, she, unlike her husband, did not have a traditional mindset. She eventually left him, and this was something which he could not accept. He started to recall the times when she was with him. He was in a state of denial that his wife could possibly leave him when he thought he had been good to him, and that he had done enough to satisfy her. However, this was not the case. His wife wanted a modern husband – one who would let her have her say, and not only bringing her to Yosemite Park. He tried to forget about her, but he could not do so. He then came across a light old tea tin which she used to put her jewelry in. We will write a custom essay sample on The Disappearance Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In his deep conscious mind, he knew that something was wrong in their marriage, although it seemed perfectly fine on the surface. He went to bank to find all her jewelry gone, but she did not take anything which was not hers. Reality slapped him in the face – he realized that she had really left him. Sad and humiliated, he remarried a simple and uneducated woman who would never be anything like his first wife – a modern woman with a need for say and equality. Before moving on to the analysis of the short story, one needs at least some background knowledge about the author to fully understand what compelled him or her to write a story. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni was born in Kolkata, India. She went to the United States for her graduate studies, receiving a Master’s degree in English from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. She also has a Ph. D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Most of her works are set in India and the United States, and the focus of her stories are often on the experiences of South Asian immigrants. She held many odd jobs to continue studying, including babysitting and working in the dining hall of the International House where she lived before. She also serves in organisations that help South Asian or South Asian American women who find themselves in abusive or domestic violence situations (Creative Writing program at the University of Houston, and the Advisory board of Maitri in the San Francisco Bay Area and Daya in Houston), and helps educate underprivileged children in India (the board of Pratham). Here, we can see why she writes mostly on stories based in India and the United States. We can also say that the influence of their culture has brought some impact to Divakaruni’s short story â€Å"The Disappearance† which  portrays some aspects of feminism and culture of both the traditional Indian and the modern society of the West. Knowing the theory used in the story is also instrumental. Feminist criticism examines the ways in which literature reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social and psychological oppression of women. This paper is about the analysis of the short story â€Å"The Disappe arance† using Feminist theory. This short story reinforces the oppression of women economically, socially and psychologically. The main theme of the story is about the delicate balance that is necessary in a marriage. In â€Å"The Disappearance†, the coming together of two different individuals caused a clash in expectations for both the husband and the wife. The husband had high expectations of his wife, wanting her to be dutiful and obedient, but also educated at the same time. This is absurd as most women who are educated would not be submissive to their husbands. On the other hand, the wife wanted to pursue her own dreams. She thought by marrying an Indian man living in America, she would get a husband who has a more modern mindset. However, this was not the case. All she got for a husband was exactly that – an Indian living in America, but still with a traditional way of thought. In short, it was traditional marriage which the husband wanted versus modern marriage which the wife strived for. Marriage should be a mutual agreement between two individuals, and both should be equal in terms of say and rights. However, in this short story, the husband had most of the say in things. For instance, his wife wanted to wear American clothes, but he insisted that she wore Indian clothing. He also objectified both his first and second wives as trophies. He had many expectations of his first wife at first – he described his ideal type of woman as if she were an object subject to his likeness. This is proved by the quotes in the short story, â€Å"If you can find me a quiet, pretty girl, he wrote, not brash, like Calcutta girls are nowadays, not with too many Western ideas† and â€Å"But she had to be smart, at least a year of college, someone he could introduce to his friend with pride†. His way of putting it makes it clear that he viewed his wife as a prize or trophy which he could be proud of and show off to his friends. After his first wife left him, again he had specific â€Å"requirements† that needed to be fulfilled in looking for a second wife. This time, he wanted a simple and uneducated woman. This main theme here reinforces feminist criticism in the way that women were viewed as objects rather than individuals, especially in this story where the society is patriarchal, and that the women were expected to obey and give precedence to their husbands. The sub theme of â€Å"The Disappearance† is the duties of women as wives. The women work as full-time housewives. The first wife was economically oppressed. This can be seen from the quote â€Å"Once in a while, he had to put his foot down, like when she wanted to get a job or go back to school or buy American clothes†. The husband denied the wife of the opportunity to hold a job and hence, she did not have the chance to support herself financially. She was also oppressed psychologically because she was restricted and could not live the life she wanted even though they were living in a free country. She eventually escaped and left behind the only product of their marriage which she really loved – her son. This must be a hard decision for a mother to leave her child behind, but we can say that she is not entirely irresponsible. This is because chances of her child growing up normally like his peers would be unlikely if they were to be in hiding everyday. By leaving her son behind, the wife could ensure that he would be taken care of, at least financially, by her husband. She could not guarantee that for her child given the circumstances she would be facing by escaping from her husband. So, this point here reinforces Feminist criticism. However, there is also a quote in the story which undermines Feminist criticism. â€Å"She’d been out for her evening walk, she took one every day after he got back from the office. Yes, yes, always alone, she said that was her time for herself†. Here, we can see that the wife was allowed to go for a walk every evening. She was not really restricted to be at home 24/7. This point here then undermines Feminist criticism. Besides that, the characters can also show us whether the short story reinforces or undermines Feminist criticism. There are two main characters in â€Å"The Disappearance†, which are the husband and the first wife. The husband was one who had a traditional mindset. This is different from his wife who had a modern way of thinking. This caused them to have a clash in expectations, and such a matter would most likely affect the delicate balance in a marriage. Even though he loved his first wife dearly, he was blind to her interests and needs, resulting in her escape later. The quote â€Å"But he always softened his no’s with a remark like, What for, I’m here to take care of you, or, You look so much prettier in your Indian clothes, so much more feminine† shows us that he made decisions for his wife despite what she wanted, denied her freedom, and that he viewed women as weak creatures who had to be dependent on men. He also domestically abused his wife. â€Å"He was always careful not to hurt her, he prided himself on that. And he always told himself he’d stop if she really begged him, if she cried. After some time, though, she would quit struggling and let him do what he wanted. But that was nothing new. † Here, we see how the husband was insensitive of his wife’s feelings and needs. The wife needed something – something more than sex. She had learned to quit resisting and only meeting her husband’s needs, only because she knew that resisting would not do her any good. She was subjugated, and her feelings were not taken into account at all. Moving on to the next character, which is the first wife, we can see that she was economically and psychologically oppressed by her husband. The husband should not have the right to deny her of opportunity to further her studies or to get a job. However, he denied her of both. She was also forced to leave her son behind because she had made her decision – to be free of her ever-controlling husband. These oppressions had caused their marriage to lose its balance when two individuals are not equal – that one dominated the other. The first wife was also someone with a modern and progressive mindset, as opposed to her husband’s which was more traditional. This led to conflicts as she was merely a decoration – something for the husband to be proud of, like a trophy he brought home. Thus, she had to suffer psychologically not only from the treatment her husband gave her, but also from leaving her son behind after she decided to leave for good. These points here show the reinforcement of Feminist criticism, although one could say that the point where the wife decided to leave her husband oppresses Feminist criticism because she was still strong enough to make decisions on her own and to leave her family behind in pursue of her own dreams. As a conclusion, the short story â€Å"The Disappearance† shows us both the reinforcement and the oppression of Feminist theory, but the reinforcement of the theory is more obvious and portrayed through the oppressions faced by the main character, the first wife, whether emotionally, physically or mentally. As future teachers, it is our job to educate the younger generation so that they are aware of such oppressions and that they can stand up for their rights and fight for justice when necessary. Women should not be oppressed in any way because they can contribute as much to the country as the men can.

Enzymes †Proteins Amino Acids

Enzymes – Proteins Amino Acids Free Online Research Papers Enzymes are proteins produced by all living organisms. These proteins consist of amino acids but what makes them different is how they behave in our body. (Felice) Enzymes are catalysts that make biochemical reactions take place within our bodies take place quickly and efficiently. These reactions would otherwise happen very slowly and or not occur at all. (SYMBIOSIS p59) These enzymes are highly specific in their functionality and work in different ways. They are the basic elements that activate all functions in the body. They facilitate reactions that build compounds from raw materials within the body, transport elements throughout the body, break down substances and eliminate the waste and unwanted chemicals within our bodies. Simply, enzymes carry out all the body’s biochemical functions. (Felice) Since enzymes are proteins, each consists of a specific sequence of amino acids. (WORTHINGTON) Weak hydrogen bonds that form between some of the amino acids help to determine the shape of the enzyme. It is this shape that allows the enzyme to fit onto a specific substrate molecule. Figuratively speaking, the enzyme and substrate molecule must fit together like a lock and key. (SYMBIOSIS p60) The material with which catalysts react is the enzyme’s substrate, which fits into a region of the enzyme called the active site. These enzymes are specific due to their active site. This active site will bind with the substrate to form the enzyme-substrate complex. (BIOLOGY p84) This is where the catalysis takes place. When the catalyst is complete the complex dissociates into enzyme and products. Enzymes lower the energy of activation needed for reactions to take place, they accelerate the rate of reactions. However, they do not determine the direction in which a reaction will go. (SYMBIOSIS p59) Enzyme activity is influenced by many factors such as varying environmental conditions, such as pH or temperature. Enzymes have a unique three-dimensional shape which determines which reaction the enzyme catalyzes. (BIOLOGY p84) Changes in the body’s temperature or the pH level may alter the three-dimensional shape of the enzyme or alter its rate of activity. When the shape of an enzyme is changed, this process is called denaturing. Purpose An enzyme is inactivated by a change in its shape, which can be altered by anything that disrupts the pattern of hydrogen bonding. Many enzymes function best within a narrow range of temperature or pH level. Substantial changes in either can disrupt their hydrogen bonds and alter their shape. It is the unique bonding pattern that determines the sensitivity of each enzyme to changes in temperature and pH. (SYMBIOSIS p61) For the purpose of this lab, we will perform three separate experiments to determine how certain enzymes are affected by changes in temperature and pH. Experiment I: The Influence of Enzyme Concentration on the Rate of Starch Digestion Amylase is an enzyme found in the saliva of many animals, including humans. Amylase utilizes starch as a source of food. Amylase is responsible for the preliminary digestion of starch by breaking up the chains of glucose molecules in starch into maltose, which is a two-glucose-unit compound. (SYMBIOSIS p62) Materials and Methods In this experiment, we will investigate the influence of enzyme concentration on the activity of the enzyme amylase. To help us follow the digestion of starch into maltose by salivary amylase, we will take advantage that starch, but not maltose, turns a dark purple color when treated with a solution of Iâ‚‚KI, which is normally yellow-amber in color. (SYMBIOSIS p62) We will vary the concentration of the enzyme amylase to determine that affect, if any, the variation will have on the rate of the reaction. The rate of disappearance of starch in these different concentrations allows a quantitative measurement of reaction rate. (SYMBIOSIS p62) We will begin the experiment by preparing the Amylase dilution. We will number five test tubes. Using the 5ml graduated pipette, we will add 5ml of distilled water to each tube. Using the graduated cylinders, we will then make serial dilutions. To do this we will add 5ml Amylase to tube #1 and mix by rolling the tube between our hands. In tube #2, we will add 5ml of Amylase from tube#1 and mix; then in tube #3, we will add 5ml of Amylase from tube#2 and mix; then in tube #4, we will add 5ml of Amylase from tube#3 and mix; and finally in tube #3, we will add 5ml of Amylase from tube#4 and mix. Then we will rinse the graduated cylinder thoroughly. (SYMBIOSIS p63) Next, we will prepare the experimental test tubes. We will begin by numbering the test tubes 1-5. Beginning with test tube #5 of the first set, we will transfer 2ml of the dilution into tube 5 of the second set using a 5ml pipette. We will rinse the pipette thoroughly with distilled water and repeat the procedure for tubes 4, 3, 2 and 1. After the transfers have been carried out, the first test tube set will not be used again in the experiment. (SYMBIOSIS p63) Now, we will add 1 or 2 drops of Iâ‚‚KI to each compartment of four rows of a spot plate. We will use a separate row for each concentration of Amylase. Using the second set of tubes, we will proceed with the tests beginning with tube 5. Using a clean pipette, one lab partner will add 1ml of the 1% starch solution to tube #5 and mix by rolling the tube between their hands, while the other partner immediately records the time. This time is 0. Then we will remove 21 drop of the mixture with a disposable Pasteur pipette, and add it to a drop of the Iâ‚‚KI in the first compartment on the test plate. Then we will sample the reaction mixture at 10 second intervals, each time using a new compartment of the test plate. We will continue this process until the blue color is no longer produced and the Iâ‚‚KI solution remains its original color (yellow-amber) indicating that all of the starch has been digested. We will repeat the same procedure for tubes 4, 3, 2 and 1. We will finish by recording our findings. (SYMBIOSIS p63-64) Results Experiment II: The Effect of pH on Catalase Activity Catalase is an enzyme that speeds the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. Cells of almost all living organisms use Catalase to remove Hydrogen Peroxide, which is a toxic byproduct of metabolism. (SYMBIOSIS p65) In this experiment we will examine the activity of Catalase at three different pH levels. The reaction between Hydrogen peroxide and Catalase products produces tiny bubbles. The more bubbles, the higher the activity. Materials and Methods For this experiment, we will add 1ml of Catalase to three test tubes numbered 1-3. Then we will add 2ml of pH2 buffer to test tube #1; 2ml of pH7 buffer to test tube #2; and 2ml of pH10 buffer to test tube #3. After adding the buffers, we will swirl each test tube and then add a drop of soap to each test tube. Then we will add 2ml of Hydrogen peroxide to each tube and wait 20 seconds. After 20 seconds, we will measure the height of the bubble column. (SYMBIOSIS p66) The research hypothesis is that the pH level of the solutions will affect the height of the bubble column. For the lower pH level, there should be little or no reaction; and as we go higher on the pH scale, the more bubbles we will see. This is due to the enzyme will have been denatured by the lower pH level. Results In test tube #1, there is no reaction within the solution. In test tube #2, the height of the bubbles is 5cm indicating that there is a reaction within the solution. In test tube #3, the height of the bubbles in 15cm, showing that this solution has the highest reaction within the solution. Experiment III: The Effect of Temperature on Rennin Activity Rennin is a protein digesting enzyme found in the lining of the stomachs of young mammals. Newborn babies and infants produce rennin but it is undetectable in adults. The reason is because the purpose of Rennin is to help solidify milk so that it will stay in the stomach and digestive system as a solid long enough to be digested and absorbed. (SYMBIOSIS p68) Chemical reactions, as explained above, accelerate as temperature rises. This is partly due to increased temperatures speeding up the motion of molecules causing the substrates to collide more frequently with enzyme active sites. A 10⠁ ° rise in temperature results in a two to three fold increase in the rate of a particular reaction. However, at higher temperatures, the integrity of proteins can be irreversible denatured. The optimum temperature for activity may vary depending on the structure of the enzyme. (SYMBIOSIS p68) Materials and Methods For this experiment, we will number three test tubes 1-3 and then measure and mark each tube 2 cm from the bottom of each tube with a wax pencil. To tube #1, we will add 4ml of refrigerated milk; however we will add 4ml of warm milk to tube numbers 2 and 3. Then we will add Rennin in different temperatures to each tube. For test tube #1, we will add 3 drops of refrigerated Rennin; for test tube #2 we will add 3 drops of warmed Rennin; and to test tube #3 we will add 3 drops of boiled Rennin. After adding the Rennin, we will place each tube in different temperatures for a total of 15 minutes. We will place test tube #1 in the refrigerator; test tube numbers 2 and 3 will both be placed in a warm water bath. After the 15 minutes have elapsed we will observe any changes in the solutions. (SYMBIOSIS p68-69) The research hypothesis is that the Rennin will react by causing the milk solutions to solidify as they would in the stomachs of infants and small mammals. I hypothesize that the refrigerated Rennin and milk solution will have little, if no, reaction; The warmer Rennin and milk solution will be more solidified than the refrigerated solution; and finally I hypothesize that the solution in which the Rennin was boiled and the milk was warmed will have the highest solidity of the three. (SYMBIOSIS p68-69) Results In test tube #1, we find the milk solution is barely solidified, almost not affected at all. This is due to the fact that the temperature was significantly lower than that of the other solutions causing little reaction with the Rennin. In test tube #2, the milk solution is slightly more solidified than the refrigerated solution. This is due to the fact that the temperature of the milk and Rennin was warmer in temperature causing the solution to react by solidifying. However, giving the solution a warmer environment by being placed in a warm water bath also aided in causing the solution to further solidify. In test tube #3, the milk solution was warm and the Rennin was boiling, therefore causing an almost instant reaction in the solution. However, after being given a warm water bath for 15 minutes it was almost completely solid. Therefore, my hypothesis regarding the affect of temperature on the enzymes is proved correct. Pearson Custom Publishing. SYMBIOSIS: the Benjamin Cummings custom laboratory program for the biological sciences. Boston, Massachusetts 2008. Pearson Education, Inc. BIOLOGY: Concepts Connections. San Francisco, California 2009. What is an Enzyme. Karen DeFelice. 15 April 2006. enzymestuff.com/ Introduction to Enzymes. Worthington Biochemical Corporation. February 2009. worthington-biochem.com/IntroBiochem/default.html Research Papers on Enzymes - Proteins Project Management 101Gap Analysis: Lester ElectronicsMRSA Staph BacteriaDeontological Teleological TheoriesCash or Card?Distance Learning Survival Guide

Drug-Free Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Drug-Free Workplace - Essay Example The employers make it a habit to employ workers who do not have a smoking or drinking habit. But as this scheme is being introduced after a lot of time it cannot eradicate the problem of drugs from the workplaces. Similarly like every workplace I have been working in a place which in the recent years has been trying to curb this issue seriously and eradicate this problem from their premises. And in this regard they have introduced new policies to create a drug free environment in the workplace. The company in which I work is related to petroleum and services. Three years back there was a trend of smoking, drinking and other drug related activities in our workplace. But today our workplace shows a better environment with a significant amount of decrease in the ratio of people who are related to drug related activities. The company has identified strategies to create a drug-free environment in the workplace. The company now has a strict policy to create a drug free environment. No one is allowed to smoke or drink openly during the working hours and if anyone is caught doing this the company managers take a strict action against them. These strategies at first were not preferred by the employees as they were not used to it but after a time due to the effectiveness of the strategy the employees had to cope up with it. On the other hand the employees incurred great profits as the image of the company improved in the market and the employees worked more efficiently. While on the other hand this strategy had some bad effects too as our company consisted of employees who couldn't work without having their desired drug. Because of this effect employees who were loyal and worked efficiently for the employers had to leave their job as they were not able to work without having their desired form of drug.The company implemented a new strategy to control the drug addictive environment inside the company. New employees are provided with special instructions when entering the company which describe the issue relating to drugs. The new employees are told about the strict policies of the company regarding drug related problems through a separate meeting designed for this purpose only. The company is taking effective measures in improving this program. The company also makes a meeting on a monthly/weekly basis for the old employees to tell them about the effects of the drug and how to control this drug problem. The program has been quite successful in decreasing the am ount of drug intake during office hours. While on the other hand the program is not able to control all the drug related activity in the company as in some of the departments the supervisors themselves are indulged in drug related activities. The company is looking in this issue to further monitor all the supervisors so that the program is implemented perfectly. Employees are being guided by the supervisors and other specialized staff about drug threats and how to control the intake of drugs. Specialized doctors are called in for the guidance of employees which not only helps the employees to feel the importance of a drug free workplace but also helps the employees to stop themselves from doing any drug related activity which can harm them in the outer world. The meeting organized by the specialized staff is attended by most of the staff and it has a great influence on the employees. The company has trained supervisors which help in controlling the

Workplace Counselling Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Workplace Counselling - Case Study Example Also in (managing trauma and stress) it is noted that "Workplace counseling provides measurable benefits by offering staff solution focused counseling to assist in resolving issues of stress, trauma and personal problems which have a negative effect on both the employee and the workplace alike, costing businesses many millions of pounds every year." (Valentine Sean) added more information on the subject matter where he says "Employment counseling is commonly used in companies to assist employees with various personal and professional challenges that are confronted in the workplace. Such guidance could affect the degree to which employees believe a company proactively supports an ethical orientation." The Value of counseling in the work place: Motivating all the workers. There is need at any working place to motivate workers in order to encourage them on what they are employed for. Counseling in a workplace thus explains to management the great need for that. "Keep rules and policies to a minimum. ... yment counseling is commonly used in companies to assist employees with various personal and professional challenges that are confronted in the workplace. Such guidance could affect the degree to which employees believe a company proactively supports an ethical orientation." The Value of counseling in the work place: Motivating all the workers. There is need at any working place to motivate workers in order to encourage them on what they are employed for. Counseling in a workplace thus explains to management the great need for that. (The guidelines for motivating workers) states that: "Keep rules and policies to a minimum. Rules are there to protect your business and create organization, if a rule does not serve that purpose only, then you will need to consider retiring that particular policy. After the rules are established, it is essential that all employees know what is expected of them. Make sure that the rules and/or policies are published and posted in a manner in which all employees are aware. Create a code of conduct. Make this a collaborative effort which involves all or most of the employees that work with you. Use this to identify values that should be held on high in your organization. Follow the rules. As a manager it is your job to be sure that not only the employees are following the rules, but that you are as well. All members of management should follow the rules that have been established. The employees should notice a sense of consistency from the management team rather than employees knowing which managers will let them "get away" with things while others will not. Management should recognize and address inappropriate behaviors on an as-needed basis rather than picking and/or "waiting" for someone to mess up. Use counseling or a progressive

To what extent can the post-war boom be attributed to Keynesianism Essay - 1

To what extent can the post-war boom be attributed to Keynesianism - Essay Example The ideas included in Keynes’s famous book, ‘The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, which published at 1936’ (Arnold 2008, p.226) are presented for showing the key elements of Keynesianism. Other ideas proposed by Keynes in regard to markets and economics are also used in order to respond to the following question: Has Keynesianism influenced the post-war boom and at what level? It is proved that Keynesianism has highly contributed in the development of the post-war boom but the involvement of the above framework in this phenomenon has not been direct, in the context described below. 2. The method of Keynes The understanding of the role of Keynesianism in the post-war boom requires the explanation of the key aspects of the specific economic framework. In general, Keynesianism is based on the idea that ‘aggregate demand is influenced by a series of decisions, both public and private’ (Davies and Green 2010, p.27). Public decisions seem t o be more powerful in influencing aggregate demand, compared to private decisions (Davies and Green 2010). Public decisions are those involved in a country’s ‘monetary or fiscal policy’ (Davies and Green 2010, p.27), as this policy is designed and implemented by the local government. It should be noted that in the context of Keynesianism ‘changes on aggregate demand are not always anticipated’ (Davies and Green 2010, p.27). Another characteristic of Keynesianism is the following one: for Keynesianism the changes on demand are often revealed with delay (Davies and Green 2010). In this way, there is no time for aligning wages with the actual level of demand, a fact that results to unexpected increase or decrease of labor (Davies and Green 2010). In other words, even if the vulnerability of aggregate demand towards public and private decisions is known, the measures taken by governments for securing a balance between demand and prices, including wages, are often ineffective (Davies and Green 2010, p.27). This means that Keynesianism offers the basis for the explanation of markets’ trends but it cannot provide a strategy for limiting markets’ exposure to changes. Another important element of Keynesianism is the relationship between consumption and income (Arnold 2008, p.226). The above relationship is likely to have three modes: a) the level of disposable income is a criterion influencing the level of consumption; b) as the disposable income increases so does the consumption and vice versa and c) any change on disposable income is followed by changes on consumption (Arnold 2008, p.226). Kadish (2010) focused on the view of Keynes in regard to market controversies. According to Kadish (2010), Kaynes considered these controversies had been resulted mostly because of communication failures and did not reflect the actual status of the economy (Kadish 2010). As a result, three different approaches would be appropriate for resolving problems related to the performance of markets: a) the positive; this approach would focus on the actual status of a market, b) the normative; this approach reflect the status that a market could have and c) the practical; this approach focuses on the tools that would be used for reaching a solution (Kadish 2010, p.118). In general, Keynesianism can be considered as related both to ‘classical macro-economics and effective demand’

Corruption Among Nations

Corruption Among Nations Agenda Kautilya’s â€Å"Arthashastra† Corruption in Ancient Rome and Athens Why corruption has become a serious problem nowadays?-arguments Variations among nations Definition of Corruption The most wide-spread definition of corruption is the one formulated by the World Bank: the abuse of public power for private gain. Corruption is a complex phenomenon that encloses different types of unfair behavior and not always associated with bribes. For instance, a public employee pretending to be sick goes on vacation thereby abusing his public position for personal benefit; or a president of a country who builds an airport in his small hometown is also engaged in corruption that doesn’t involve the payment of bribes. Throughout history great thinkers and politicians have recognized corruption as a mysterious and complex phenomenon. The complexity of the problem is proved by the fact that corruption in various forms takes place in any sphere of activity; promotes illegality, injustice, waste, inefficiency in administrative conduct; destroys the moral fabric of society, ruins the faith of people in the legitimacy of politico-administrative set up. Besides the fact that corruption encloses unethical business practices through the unfair way to gain advantage over particular good or service, it is a serious problem harming moral values of people. The payment of bribes, nepotism and other forms require lying and dissimilation. It is socially irresponsible, as it discriminates the rights of poor people who are unable to pay bribes for obtaining particular good or service. Corruption has been recognized as a â€Å"general disease for the body politic† to be common as in modern, as in ancient times as well. Indeed, this deviant behavior provoked great concerns of such famous political thinkers as Kautilya, Aristotle, Cicero, Xenophon and others. 1.Corruption in Ancient Athens and Rome Corruption in ancient world is first discovered in an archive listing the names of â€Å"employees accepting bribes† at the administrative centres of the ancient Assyrian empire 3400 years ago. In ancient Greece and Rome very often corrupt behavior was difficult to identify, as the same terms were applied to bribes and gifts (doron, lemma, chresmasi peithein). According to Claire Taylor’s prominent work â€Å"Greece and Rome†, â€Å"every level of Athenian politics was riddled with corruption, from the most important orators to the smallest deme elections†. Political Corruption Both ancient Rome and Athens had large highly developed bureaucracies and at the same time with certain opportunities for abuse. Corruption has been considered to be one of the basic causes of the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire. One of the most famous cases of corruption happened in the 1st cen. BC. The Roman governor of Sicily was prosecuted by Cicero for the acts of abuse of power. According to specific historical sources, he bought at first his praetorship and afterwards his governorship. His deviant behavior and misuse of power ruined Sicily, one of the richest provinces at that time that in turn caused Sicilians’ great frustration with the government and the formation of mafia. One of the plots of Verres’s abuse of power was to â€Å"name non-existent slaves†. He used to blame the landowners for hiding slaves suspected in rebellion organization. If the owner couldn’t produce the slave (whom he actually didn’t own), upon Verres’s order the accused was sent to prison and kept there until a bribe was paid for his release. The factors contributing to corruption in ancient times were both of political and legal amateurism. According to the complaint of Plato, public officials are â€Å" bribe-takers and money-lovers.† Despite the fact that the abuse of public power has been always considered a serious crime, the corrupt behaviour of public officials in ancient times may be explained not only on the basis of the love of money but as a professional necessity. The temptation to make private gains was particularly caused by the fact that most magistrates, for instance, in ancient Greece after 411BC were not paid salaries for their service. The members of the Boule may have received small state income (mithos). Because of low-to-nonexistent payments politicians had to care about their considerable expences themselves. Politicians needed money for gathering information for being properly informed; entertain subordinates and pay bailiffs for running their farms while they worked for the state. It is therefore hardly surprising that some public officials accepted bribes and gifts for supplementing their income. However, the result of the misuse of power had a devastating effect on social order that therefore provoked great concern of many famous ancient orators and writers in ancient Rome and Greece. In â€Å"Politics† Aristotle states that â€Å"a tyrant has no regard to public interest except of as conducive to his private ends’ of pleasure†. With regard to public officials, Aristotle considered them to have public duty and private interest is harmed when they use the office for their own â€Å"private ends†. The ideal form of government is the one that governs with the view of common interest. Ancient Athenians were quite sensitive to the misuse of public resources and when detected, the act of corruption was punished severely. In his â€Å"Laws† Plato states that corrupt officials were punished by the loss of citizenship and the right to take part in the political institutions of the city-state. According to the Athenian orator Demosthenes (384-322 BC), a person who†¦ â€Å"†¦ accepts a bribe from another or himself offers it to another, or corrupts anyone by promises, to the detriment of the people in general, or if any individual citizen, by any means or device, whatsoever, he shall be disfranchised together with his children, and his property will be confiscated.† In fact, Demosthenes himself was found guilty of accepting bribes. In 324 BC he was fined 50 talents that equals $20 million in today’s dollars. He turned out to be comparatively lucky when he went into exile, while other Athenian officials were frequently severely executed for bribery. According to the Law of the Twelve Tables that formed the centerpiece of the Roman Republic constitution, there was imposed a death penalty on the judges who accepted bribes. The punishment was eased after the rise of the Roman empire (27 BC–476 AD). Electoral Corruption As a paragon of civilization, Rome represented a major centre where corruption took place. Following the Greek historian Polybius (200-118 BC), â€Å"to the Romans nothing is more disgraceful than to receive bribes or to seek gain by improper means.† This estimation sounds quite optimistic, however in reality, compared to Athens, electoral bribery (ambitus) was a much more serious problem in ancient Rome. For instance, Julius Caesar won the office of Pontifex Maximus through bribery. Electoral bribery turned into such a common event that it gave rise to the profession of bribe distributors called divisores. In this case, Cicero proposed the establishment of particular laws for electoral corruption prevention: limit the amount political elites could spend on gifts and entertainment aimed to influence election results. Extortion and embezzlement Reports on extortion in ancient history are very frequent. For instance, Marcus Aemilius Scaurus(163 BC – 89 BC) aRoman consul was accused of extortions while being a governor of Sardinia and Corsica. Army was not the exception. The representative of the Sophist school Libanius (341-392 AD) in his speech proposed the emperor Theodosius to enforce laws against soldiers who used to extort money from the inhabitants of the colonies and then in turn applied the acquitted amount in military protection to oppress neighbours. In Luke 3 John the Baptist exhort the tax-collectors â€Å"to collect no more that is appointed to you†. With regard to Roman army, he instructs the soldiers â€Å"to be content with the wages† and give up extorting money from civilians by violence. Bribe or gift? â€Å"It was quite impossible to get anything done unless one produced a present. Politicians could be paid to do anything or nothing†. Thycydides (460 – c. 395 BC) Bribes performed a significant role in the everyday life both in ancient Rome and Athens. Bribes could decide the matters of war and peace, movement of armies, destruction and the fate of the whole nations as well. There were even formed particular associations for extortion. The long-term consequences of bribery became particularly noticeable in the sixties and fifties BC. Bribery caused financial and correspondingly political instability; as well as loss of faith in constitution and rule of law. This outcome is considered to have contributed to the civil war. The distinction between bribe and gift was quite unstable. In ancient Rome the notion of â€Å"gratia† meant the expression of gratitude. It represented particular gifts, donations and hospitality provided to a socially dominant person by a client. In ancient Greece the same role was attributed to gift called â€Å"dora† that at the same time meant bribe. The term â€Å"dorokein† meant receiving bribes, while â€Å"dorokia† stood for political corruption. If there was made no distinction between gifts and bribes, it therefore points to the estimation that the provision of bribes was a part of social behavior and expression of solidarity and gratitude. 2. Kautilya’s Arthashastra The temptation to make private gains has always existed and unfortunately can’t be totally eliminated. However, the level of corruption can be monitored with particular anti-corrupt tools that may sometimes move economy closer to the level of complete transparency. Corruption should be examined first of all as an essential feature of a changeable human nature. â€Å"Men are naturally fickle minded and are compared to horses who exhibit constant change in their temper†. Kautilya (370-283 BC) One of the most prominent political figures of ancient times, the professor of economics and political sciences at the ancient Takshashila University and the royal advisor, Kautilya (Chanakya or Vishnu Gupta), also examined corruption as a major threat to economics and social order. Kautilya played a significant role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire, the first empire in the archeologically recorded history for the ruling of the most Indian subcontinent. Being a chief advisor to both Chandragupta (340-298 BC) and Bindusara (320-272 BC), he dealt with the issues on politics, social order, diplomacy, war and ethics. The widespread character of corruption at various levels of the Kingdom’s administration prompted Kautilya to establish an elaborated statecraft â€Å"Arthashastra† that describes what a state ought to be and not what it really was. One should agree that the norms of how to handle the problem are prescribed when particular disorder and abnormalities ex ist.†Arthashastra†, being considered as an elaborated statecraft that discusses monetary and fiscal policies, the art of international relations and war strategies, encloses valuable advice on how to handle and fight against corruption. According to Kautilya, honesty is not the virtue that would remain consistent lifelong and the temptation to make easy gains through corrupt means can override the trait of honesty any time. The identification of corruption with the notion of temptation is clearly proved by the comparison of the revenue collection process (by officials) with the honey or poison on the tip of the tongue that is impossible not to taste. As nowadays, as in ancient times corruption is so obvious and yet so mysterious. Kautilya expressed great concern on the difficulty of the detection of corruption. He compared embezzlers to fish moving under water and the impossibility to detect when exactly the fish was drinking water. Corruption in public sector and the tools to fight against it Kautilya stated that the increase in expenditures and lower revenue is an indicator of embezzlement and extortion in the government. Being an ancient statecraft, â€Å"Arthashastra† represents elaborated guidelines that may be applied in dealing with corruption even nowadays. Kautilya considered corruption, first of all, as a phenomenon deriving from a changeable human nature. On the basis of this assessment, the process of fighting against corruption must begin from the employee recruitment level. Employee recruitment In Mauryan Empire (322-185BC) â€Å"superintendents† were the highest officials, who received their position on the basis of â€Å"ministerial qualifications†, as well as â€Å"individual capacity†. Educational background, work experience and particular skills gave particular advantage to a candidate during the selection process. However, no less attention was paid to the right kind of aptitude for the position: traits of honesty and the level of impartiality. Despite such thorough selection process, corrupt persons still made their way into the system; however, other efficient tools were applied for the detection and prevention of corruption. Relations among co-workers Kautilya considered efficient team work to be the key for success. There were, however, particular impediments, like too much personal interactions among the higher executives, and co-workers that led to compromise and consequently corruption. Kautilya explained that human emotions and personal concerns impeded the successful running of an administration that is, first of all, a rule-based impersonal affair. Besides, different vision of particular issues also harmed the team spirit. Kautilya suggested stimulation of professionalism at work: superintendents must execute work with the employees following subordination system. Kautilya was certain that such model would stimulate the sense of belonging of employees to particular department, clearly identify their rights and obligations and therefore contribute to success of the state. Work period shortening Another measure for corruption prevention was the suggestion to make several positions in each department temporary. Periodic transfer of government officials from one position to another was implemented with the intention of not giving enough time for the officials to pick holes in the system and misuse their advantages. Whistleblowers’ contribution Whistle blowing has remained one of the most efficient tools in corruption detection process. Kautilya made particular emphasis on the importance of informants’ (suchaka) activity for exposing embezzlement or some deviant behavior. If the whistleblower was a government servant, he was given one twelfth of the bribe or the extorted amount. While, if the informant was from outside the system, he was entitled the award of one-sixth of the amount. The latter’s share was more, as the detection of corruption while being outside the system was rather more challenging. Corruption Nowadays The â€Å"Arthashstra† of Kautilya convincingly confirms the fact that corruption is not the exclusive feature of contemporary world. It represents a piece of prehistoric heritage that has survived through centuries. Governments of all historical eras have recognized the devastating effect of this phenomenon on the political system, security and social order. Globalization has stimulated the spread of corruption all over the globe. As a result, nowadays corruption is a world-scale problem that in return is recognized as a major threat to internationals security. However, before discussing the central point of the research, it is necessary to understand why corruption is paid so much attention now? Is it because there was more corruption in the past than in the present? Is it because more attention is paid to the phenomenon that has existed for ages but has been partially or completely ignored? The answer is still not obvious; however there are several arguments that describe w hy corruption is attracting more attention now than in the past. First, the end of the Cold War stopped the political hypocrisy giving the opportunity to many decision makers in industrial countries to ignore political corruption, e.g. Zaire. Second, the lack of information and the ignorance of the abuse of power didn’t give the possibility for corruption detection in centrally-planned economy. It is now widely known that the central planned economies, such as the USSR or those imitating them experienced high rate of political corruption. However, the cases of deviant behavior and the abuse of public power was either ignored or not properly reported. Third, the emergence of new democratic governments in recent years, as well as free and active media have contributed to the creation of a new environment where discussion of corruption is no longer forbidden. Forth, the process of globalization has stimulated closer and frequent contacts between individuals from different countries: those from the countries with the high rate of transparency with those from the countries where corruption widespread. These contacts have increased the attention towards corruption. Fifth, the emergences of nongovernmental organizations, such as Transparency International, as well as a growing interest in the problem from the side of other international organizations have contributed to the anti-corrupt movements in many countries. Besides, numerous empirical studies have contributed to greater awareness of the problem. Sixth, market economy has created an environment where the pursuit of efficiency has become much more important and distortions caused by corruption attract more attention. Finally, the influence of the US in many international institutions has been very important. American policy makers have stated that American exporters have lost out in foreign trade due to the prohibition to pay bribes to foreign trade partners. For American officials, the payment of bribes is a criminal act and bribes can’t be deducted as cost for tax purposes. The case of OECD was quite different from the US’s model of behavior. However, under the sponsorship of the OECD situation has noticeably changed.

Ernesto Guevara de Serna Essay -- Ernest Che Guevara Biographies Essay

Ernesto Guevara de Serna Ernesto Guevara de Serna was born in Argentina in 1928 into a fairly privileged family. He developed serious asthma at the age of two, which would plague him throughout his life. He was home-schooled by his mother, Celia de la Serna. It was these early years when he became an eager reader of Marx, Engels, and Freud which all were all part of his father's library. He went to secondary school in 1941, the Colegio Nacional Dean Funes, Cordoba, where he excelled in literature and sports. At home he was impressed by the Spanish Civil War refugees and by the long series of political crises in Argentina. These culminated in the ‘Left Fascist’ dictatorship of Juan Peron, to whom the Guevara de la Sernas were opposed. These events and influences implanted ideas of contempt for the charade of parliamentary democracy, a hatred of military politicians and the army, the capitalist oligarchy, and, above all, U.S. imperialism. Although his parents, most notably his mother, were anti-Peronist activists, he did not take participate in revolutionary student movements and showed little interest in politics at Buenos Aires University (1947) where he studied medicine. He focused on understanding his own disease, and later became more interested in leprosy. In 1949 he made the first of his long journeys, exploring northern Argentina on a bicycle. This was the first time Ernesto came into contact with the very poor and the remnants of the Indian tribes. It was during this leave of absence from schooling that Guevara, now nicknamed "Che" (Italian origin meaning chum or buddy), first experienced the depth of poverty and suffering of his fellows. In 1951, after taking his exams, he made a much longer journey. He visited southern Argentina, Chile, where he met Salvador Allende, and Peru, where he worked for several weeks in the San Pablo leprosarium. He then was in Colombia at the time of La Violencia, and Venezuela and Miami where he was arrested but soon released. He returned home for his finals sure of only one thing: he did not want to become a middle-class general practitioner. He passed, specializing in dermatology, and went to La Paz, Bolivia, during the National Revolution in which he condemned as an opportunist. From there he went to Guatemala, arriving during the socialist Arbenz presidency. It was in Guatemala that he began ... ...reabouts were a secret and his death was widely rumored. He was in various African countries, notably the Congo surveying the possibilities of turning the Kinshasa rebellion into a Communist revolution, by Cuban-style guerrilla tactics. He returned to Cuba to train volunteers for that project, and took a force of 120 Cubans to the Congo. His men fought well, but the Kinshasa rebels did not. They were useless against the Belgian mercenaries, and by autumn 1965 Che had to advise Castro to withdraw Cuban aid. Che's final revolutionary adventure was in Bolivia where he grossly misjudged the revolutionary potential of that country with disastrous consequences. The attempt ended in his being captured by a Bolivian army unit and shot a day later. Because of his wild, romantic appearance, his dashing style, and his unwillingness to bend to any kind of establishment, Che became a legend and an idol for the revolutionary—and even the merely discontented—youth of the later 1960s and early 70's. He was a focus for the kind of desperate revolutionary action which seemed, to millions of young people, the only hope of destroying the world of middle class industrial capitalism and communism.

Advertising: Information or Manipulation Essay

Advertising, also known as a part of the marketing process, has a rich background. When we talk about marketing the first things that come to our mind are high profit, goods and services and of course consumers. Advertising’s role should only exist in order to help society by real information about products and services. Moreover, it helps consumers decide what to purchase according their actual needs. Advertisements are located everywhere and no one can avoid seeing them. Thus, every individual in exposed to seeing at least one advertisement. Advertising is a form of mass communication with the public. It is a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade the potential customers to purchase or consume more of a particular brand of product/services. We could separate advertising in two categories. Giving information through advertising about a product is the first category that is innocent when facing the costumers. The second category has a manipulative effect on people. Thus, People exposed to specific advertisements are led to buy goods and services or do things that don’t actually want to do. And in order to attract audiences, some advertisers use different extreme technique that does more damage on the consumer’s life then with helping him. Therefore, we can say that advertising is based on manipulation and thus should be limited because it harmful. To start with, advertising reaches the mind of people and is dangerous when it is not real especially on children and youth. By unreal advertising we mean a shallow advertising that focuses on the desire and wants of people so the firms producing this product achieves sales and high profits. Young children are unable to understand advertising messages and the information given by these advertisements, therefore, children may consider these advertisements as the truth and the real world thus it will affect their behavior. According to the Washington post and their researches, â€Å"Federal regulators should restrict television advertising aimed at children 8 and younger because research shows youngsters lack the skills to question a commercial’s claims as anything but fact, the American Psychological Association said yesterday†. (Washington post article). Moreover, children will be affected by cartoons, kids’ shows†¦ Thus, manipulation is being forced on children by using the popular faces in cartoons like Hannah Montana, Dora†¦ For instance, during my childhood, there was a chocolate commercial for Disney (picture of the product) and the same chocolate bar was next to it. The price range was very apart since the chocolate by Disney was a brand name. And as a Disney fan I cried and begged for the chocolate bar that was by Disney. Thus, we can see here that manipulation in advertising is being implemented through the mind of children and is affecting their behavior.

Why We are Shy Writers…and Natural At It

Why We are Shy Writers†¦and Natural At It I swear†¦emails from readers are the best catalysts for editorials and lessons. They make me think, and they give me ideas for stories, for solutions, for hints on how to help other writers. It’s been a while since I’ve talked SHY WRITER. As many of you know, I wrote THE SHY WRITER REBORN because I have an earnest longing to help writers afraid to publish, speak or self-promote. It’s hard. I hate it, too. It goes against my grain. If I could stay locked up in my study writing, and let someone else sell my work, I would. Most of us would. So I wrote THE SHY WRITER REBORN to share the hints, lessons and tricks I’ve collected over the years that help me step away from my desk and be an entrepreneur. I’m much better than I used to be, but still, there are many moments when I want to turn down an opportunity, walk away from people, and crawl into my own head to live out my life†¦and tell my stories. But last week I received this memo: â€Å"I need a push. Confidence in business and teaching has been my strength for so many years. Why am I a shy writer?† This woman could’ve been me . . . WAS me. As a federal director for years, I held a reputation for being pretty strong and diligent in maintaining the direction of any mission assigned to me. Many relied upon me. Some of my peers found me intimidating. To tell you a secret, part of that intimidation was the fact I would write better than anyone I met within the agency, and trust me, writing well makes everyone who can’t write think you’re part genius. But I recall the first time I had to read my fiction aloud, at a critique group. After 25 years of management, I sat in a room at the local library, holding only ten people, and literally shook as I read Chapter One of Lowcountry Bribe. Five years later, when Lowcountry Bribe had a contract, when I should’ve felt validated, I stood at a writers conference to read my fiction again, and shook. That evening, I pondered what the deal was. How could I be so strong one minute and fearful the next? Then it hit me. In business and teaching, we are symbolic of an organization, a school, a subject. We are something else. However, as writers, we are putting ourselves out there. What we say is only ours, from our words, our personal thoughts. That’s hitting too close to home. If we can put ourselves in the â€Å"role† of author, maybe that same strength we use for business and teaching would come forth. And I’ve been using that logic ever since.

The eNotes Blog Pokémon GO What toKnow

Pokà ©mon GO What toKnow Unless youve been living under a rock, you have probably heard (and seen) the new craze sweeping the nation: Pokà ©mon Go. The new augmented reality game by Niantic, Inc. and The Pokà ©mon Company has taken the world by storm as its international releases continue. Image: The Official Pokemon Company YouTube Australia, New Zealand, and the United States were the first to see the game in their app stores, as it was released on July 6, 2016.  Since then, the international releases of Pokà ©mon Go have hit Germany, the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan, France,  Hong Kong, and the majority of the remaining European countries. For  all its sensationalism, Pokà ©mon Go was actually a  project twenty  years in the making. February of 1996 saw  Nintendo introduce humans to the world of Pokà ©mon in its domestic stomping grounds, Japan. By 1999, Pokà ©mon had  made its way to Europe, and quickly became an international sensation. Picking up its own cartoon series, trading card deck, and comic book series, Pokà ©mon was at the peak of its popularity.  Its handheld game series has continued to be popular, and is approaching the release of its seventh generation. By the time Pokà ©mon had hit its stride, Google-controlled Niantic was creating Ingress, a game not too unlike Pokà ©mon Go. Based on the data from mapping  firm  Keyhole (which became Google Earth), Ingress used location to create  a game based on  holding control over certain physical landmarks that became- you guessed it- Pokà ©mon gyms. Niantic became independent and teamed up with The Pokà ©mon Company (responsible for t he marketing and licensing of Pokà ©mon  since  1998) to bring the world Pokà ©mon Go. Unsurprisingly, the new game has a lot of players asking a lot of questions. Very little information was released along with Pokà ©mon Go in all its glory, and users have taken to sites  like Reddit to share information and  inductively conclude as much as they can. Weve corralled the most common and most interesting questions about Pokà ©mon Go and answered them over on Homework Help. 1. How much data does Pokemon Go use? Short answer: Not very much! As little as 5 to 10 mb per hour. Long answer: According to P3 communications Inc., Pokemon GO only uses 5 to 10 megabytes per hour. To put that into perspective, Verizons data calculator says that watching an HD video takes 350 megabytes of datacontinue reading 2. What features are coming next to Pokemon Go? Image: The Pokemon Company According to Tech Insider, we can expect eight new Pokemon GO features to be available soon! Improved Pokemon tracking Pokemon trading between friends Pokemon battles between friends Continue reading 3. How do I get a Pokestop in my house? Although Niantic is not currently accepting requests for Pokemon Go stops, many hope they will reopen the form at some point so that you can ask them to place one in your areacontinue reading 4. Is Pokemon both singular and plural? Pokemon can be used as both a singular and plural word. The lyrics to the intro song of the popular cartoon Pokemon states: Pokemon, gotta catch em all By using em, a shortened version of them, we can conclude that Pokemon is suitable to be used in the plural formcontinue reading 5. Do teams affect anything besides gym and color? Image: Attack of the Fanboy Upon reaching level 5, you can finally head to your first gym. It does not matter what color the first gym you go to is on your mapyou will still be able to choose your team! The different team leaders claim to have different methods of researching Pokemon. It does not seem that there is any technical advantage to choosing a teambut some speculation states that the Legendary Birds that represent each team’s color may come into play sometime in the futurecontinue reading 6. Are Pokemon based on mythological creatures? In many cases, yes! While a lot of Pokà ©mon are based on animals from the real world, and all are at least the partial product of the creators’ vivid imaginations, many Pokà ©mon are drawn from world mythology. Japan, where the Pokà ©mon franchise originates, has a particularly rich tradition of myths and legends of kami- gods, deities, or spirits- and the spookier yokai- demons and ghostscontinue reading 7. Does location affect the likelihood of encountering different Pokemon? Yes. There are certain Pokemon that are hypothesized to be location locked by continents. Tauros: North America Mr. Mime: Western Europe Kangaskhan: Australia / New Zealand Continue reading 8. How can Pokemon Go bring communities together? Image: The Alternative Press If you take a moment to head to your local park, you will probably spot clumps of people stooped over their phones. This is due to the latest app craze- Pokemon Go- and the vast number of people it has affected. People of all races, genders, orientations, and personalities play the game. Some people have waited years for the game, and some people only discovered the game when it was released a few weeks ago. The main point here is that there isnt a single type of person that Pokemon Go targetscontinue reading 9. Are Eevee evolutions random? Image: sanlea.deviantart.com Apparently not! The original anime Eevee Brothers were named  Rainer, Pyro, and Sparky. Rainer owned a Vaporeon, Pyro owned a Flareon, and Sparky owned a Jolteon. People have discovered that  naming your Eevee either Rainer, Pyro, or Sparky will result in the respective evolutioncontinue reading 10. How far away is each footstep? As of today, July 25th, 2016, the footstep function is broken, and has been broken for a few days now. The footstep counter is supposed to be one step away, two steps away, or three steps away depending on how close/far away you are. There is a lot of debate on the internet about the exact values (Niantic wont give us exact numbers), but it appears that: No Footstep: 0m to 40m (the same as the distance you can trigger PokeStations and the like from) One Footstep: 40m to 75m Continue Reading 11. How do you avoid taking damage in a battle? You cannot take zero damage in a fight.   But you can dodge the attacks and reduce damage taken significantly. While you are fighting there will be a yellow screen flash right before your opponent attacks.   When that happens forget everything else, stop attacking, and dodgecontinue reading 12. How is Pokemon Go affecting real estate and the housing market? Image: Upload VR Currently restaurants, bars, and coffee shops that have Pokestops in them are benefiting from Pokemon go.   Personally I have stayed at a coffee shop for over an hour, buying multiple coffees purely because I wanted to use the Pokestop for lures. Yelp already has a Pokestop filter on their websitecontinue reading 13. What is the best way to get stronger Pokemon? The trick to playing Pokemon Go and getting strong Pokemon is focusing on leveling up your character. Dont worry about powering up Pokemon until you are a higher level; youll gain levels quickly- and youll catch higher level Pokemon later. So if the best way to get strong Pokemon is to level up your character, what is the best way to level up your character?  Continue reading Have more questions about Pokemon Go? Head over to Homework Help to ask your own!

Culture and development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Culture and development - Essay Example In this case most governments in these regions of the world strive to empower cultural heritage tourism through funding the indigenous art and design industries. This is in order to encourage local communities to maintain their cultures as it can act as a form of social entrepreneurship. West Bengal in eastern India is one of the regions in the world which have embraced the notion of social entrepreneurship in building community wealth (Chaudhury 162). The region is rich in cultural and natural resources. The communities in this region are focused on creative industries which are based on art and culture2. The communities have developed Art Business Hubs which offer cultural products as well as services which basically correlate with their traditions and natural surroundings. Apart from industrial development, culture acts as a medium in the formation of social capital. Social capital helps in the development of local industries through local investment as it promotes communal reliability (Thyer 77). People tend to form communal organizations which fund and market their cultural products thus utilizing natural beauty and architectural heritage to increase revenue generation and employment3. Culture is a key entity in the fight against ethnicity. It promotes diversity thus leading to the formation of a global village which is a positive factor in business and economic development. Therefore, culture is essential in both local and international