Benihana Case Study

Marketing Management Class Notes 1/16/13 Markets: * Consumer market—B2C * Business market—B2B * Global market (? ) * Not-for-profit market—must have higher revenues than cost to survive * ex: health-care: hospitals need 7% more revenues than expenses to survive * Government market Core Concepts: * needs, wants, and demands * segmentation, target markets, positioning * offerings and brands value and satisfaction * relationship marketing * marketing channels * supply chain * competition * marketing environment Marketing mix—4 Ps * Product—good, service, idea, experience, place, person, etc. * Price—above, at, or below market * Place—retail location, channel of distribution * Promotion—advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, PR/publicity Shifts in marketing management: in past: marketing does marketing; now: everyone does marketing * organized by product units; now: organizing by customer segments * using many suppliers; no w: using fewer suppliers who are partners * ex: Wal-Mart and Procter & Gamble pampers—no longer places orders for pampers; now P&G brand manager manages Wal-Mart shelf of pampers * emphasizing tangible assets; now emphasizing intangible assets * building brands through advertising; now building brand through performance and integrated communication * good experience=tell 5 other people; ad experience=tell 9 other people * now even more permanent with online ratings * shotgun (dispersed) v. rifle (accurate) * avoid shotgun (avoid developing product/service that would appeal to everybody) * relying on old markets; now uncovering new markets * focusing on profitable transactions; now customer lifetime value * major goals of increasing revenue and market share v. now: must be responsible for return on marketing investment (ROMI) * local; now glocal (local and global) * focus on shareholders; now focus on stakeholders What do marketers do? develop marketing strategies and plans * generate/collect marketing info (research) * connect w/ customers * develop market offerings * build brands * delivery and communicate value * create long-term growth * ex: ivory 1879 and still going New Marketing capabilities: * use of internet for info and sales * easily gather info about: * customers, prospects, markets, competitors * social media * facilitate and speed communication w/ customers * personal marketing (thru email) * mobile marketing for customers on the go * mass customization * bit of an oxi-moron * ex: Levi’s jeans made to size measurements use internet internally and for other than marketing Evolution of the Marketing Concept * Production Concept—production efficiency, low costs, mass dist. ; consumers want the most quality, performance, or innovative features (more, better, faster) * Stool made in cottage industry—individuals made them at home w/ tools on handindustrial revolution—factories, standards, conformity, production concept emerged * Selling Concept—consumers will buy only if the company aggressively promotes/sells these products * Too many stools produced and no one is buying themhow to sell them? must aggressively sell and advertise * Marketing Concept—focuses on needs/wants of target markets and delivering value better than competitors * Quit making stools that people don’t need or want; * must determine how many stools the customer wants first before making them * The Marketing Concept’s—Three Pillars: * Customer orientation * Integrated marketing effort** * Table 1. 1 on p. 23 * integrated w/ other departments b/c marketing interacts w/ customers * Emphasis on profitable sales (not all sales are worth pursuing) * Pillsbury Ex: 1. We make flour†¦how do we make the flour faster and better * 2. We sell flour†¦hired sales people and started advertising * 3. What do customers want that has flour in it—expanded product lines †¦Burger King— hamburger buns, pie shops, refrigerated dough products Ch. 2: Developing Marketing Strategies and Plans * Value—the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service compared to its costs * Determinant of Cust0mer Values: * Customer perceived value * total customer value * Image value * Personal value * services value * product value vs. total customer cost * Monetary cost * time cost * energy cost * psychic cost * in mind—instantly assessing value and weighing it against cost Creating value: * satisfy needs * more than one org * functions of marketing creates value Generic value chain—link in chain consists of: * Primary activities: inbound logistics, operations, out-bound logistics, marketing and sales, service * support activities: firm infrastructure, HR management, technology development, procurement (purchasing) * margin-includes profitability Ex: Levi Jeans Value-Delivery Network: Dupont fibersMilliken fabricsLevi’s apparelSears reta ilcustomer * each is a link in the value chain When value is not provided: * lost sale * lost customer—CLV (accounting for the number of years person would have been a customer) Competitive Advantage—something a co. has that no other co. has * achieved through: * 1. core competencies—source of comp. advantage, application in wide variety of markets, and difficult for competitors to imitate * 2. distinctive capabilities—excellence in broad business practices * involve multiple levels of people ex: ability to innovate, ability to understand your customer, understanding the market Marketing goal=competitive advantage * must be something significant to customers * important in a variety of markets * difficult to imitate Strategic planning: * Corp. Mission * â€Å"Marketing Myopia†Ã¢â‚¬â€see close but don’t see far away; * Railroads thought they were in the railroad business, had they realized they were in the transportation business they could have expanded line to auto or plane * What business are we in? * growth opportunities * growth matrix * SBU—Strategic Business Unit * Resources—S/W Assessment—O/T * goalsstrategies to achieve goalstactical plans to achieve strategies Good Mission Statement * ex’s in the book: Table 2. 5 * identify: * target customers and markets * principle services delivered * org. philosophy * desired self/public image * Mission statement—what the co. does; Vision statement—hope for future Goals and Objectives: * goals—umbrella; hierarchical (at different levels) * provide broad direction * objectives—SMART * Specific * Measurable * Actionable * Realistic * Time bound—for marketing plan, usually a year * for new product, maybe 6 months Porter’s Generic Strategies: * 1.Overall cost leadership—low cost provider; can make stuff at the lowest cost (will have higher margins and more choices) * 2. Differentiation—develop competitive advantages that are diff. from competition * Focus—segment; * niche market focus that has either overall cost leadership or differentiations Ansoff’s Product/Market Expansion Grid: | Existing products| New products| Existing markets| Market Penetration * advertising, lowering price, increasing sales personnel, * take existing pie of market share and try to get bigger piece of the pie | Product development| New markets| Market development * ex: co. hat made lawnmowers B2B (golf courses) decided they could sell those lawnmowers to consumers | Diversification | Boston Consulting Group’s Growth Share Matrix | Relatively high market share| Relatively low market share| High market growth rate| Stars| Question marks (aka problem children—don’t know how they are going to turn out)| Low market growth rate| Cash cows—products you’ve had for a relatively long time but they have slow growth Ex: Coke for Coca-Cola| Dogs| Implementatio n—plansEvaluation and Control: * Set objectives (to be measured) * measure performance against objectives * understand deviations—why didn’t you achieve what you set out to achieve * set new objectives Marketing Plan Parts: * Exec. Summary * Table of Contents * Situational Analysis: External Analysis * Situational Analysis: internal analysis * SWOT critical success factors * Goals/objectives * Strategy—4 Ps * Action programs * Financial implications * Controls Case Analysis—slides being sent via email

Barack Obama’s Speech †Global Village Essay

The term Global Village is defined as a world that is globally connected by all forms of media. Basically, people’s personal experience while living in a global context has affected their attitudes about the world. Throughout â€Å"A New Beginning† speech, Obama debates that living within a modern society based on the concept of Global Village, the American’s and Muslims should respect one another and cooperate. His goal is to unify the Western world with the Islamic by promoting tolerance and change. The president depicts the positive and negative aspects of Global Village where the American beliefs and values of equality, peace and responsibility are developed by literary techniques incorporated to employ ideas surrounding this. This allows the audience to gain a deeper understanding about his purpose of the speech, and what he aims to gain from it. The speech evaluates the positive aspects of Global Village, where he highlights the advantages including the connection between cultures and better education about the world’s changing views. The president’s main concentration was based on America’s responsibility as a country to help Iraq develop a better future. The extended repetition of the word â€Å"responsibility† emphasises that issues raised are not based on the individual but on a global responsibility to change to the better. The influence of Global Village has allowed better communication between America and Iraq, where America has agreed to remove all American troops from Iraq. This has ensured trust and unity, portraying â€Å"Iraq as a partner and never as a patron†. The use of simile and contrast between the words â€Å"partner† and â€Å"patron† signifies equality and partnership. Obama continues explaining about the detrimental history experienced by women, focusing on gender equality. He does this by conveying the importance of the issues of woman’s rights currently faced on a global scale too. The quote â€Å"I reject the view that woman who choose to cover her hair is somehow less equal but believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality†. This depicts the president successfully appealing to the Islamic audience, rejecting the stereotype that women who wear the hijab are less equal, but puts forward his belief that women who are denied education on a global scale are denied equality. There is a constant debate about this issue, however Obama strives to achieve equality for woman in Islamic culture through â€Å"expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and to â€Å"live their dreams†. To juxtapose against the positive aspects of Global Village presented within the speech, Obama also addresses the negative consequences of this which consist of the violent extremists and the development of harmful weapons in the modern world of today. Here the president confronts this issue in all of its forms through the belief that â€Å"people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children†. The situation involving the American troops in Afghanistan signify a â€Å"war of choice†, he speaks about the war, rather than acknowledging what has been done wrong such as the troops still continuing to fight in the war, unable to return back to America because of the uncertainty that â€Å"violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can†. This leads to the partnering with forty-six countries that will strengthen the security of America. The issue discussed in the speech about the evolution of weaponry is concerning, as Barack Obama has decided that â€Å"no nations hold nuclear weapons†. With this quote, he ensures to all listeners and people around the world his own personal views and efforts in changing these legislations to make it an equal and safe world for everyone where nuclear weapons will not be considered an international issue anymore. However, if nuclear weapons are needed, they must oblige â€Å"under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty†. To make it a fair result, Obama has not completely banned the use of such weapons, but rather incorporated laws to reduce the risks of danger to appear. Thus, â€Å"A New Beginning† speech by Barack Obama exemplifies the advantages and disadvantages of Global Village and his view on not only America’s future, but directed towards an international scale. He has explained his efforts into what he plans to change countries to receive a better future, intending that â€Å"the people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God’s vision†. This allows responders to understand the importance of Global Village and the impacts it can cause to the world globally.

Annie Dillard. Bio Essay

HEATHER PERPENTE (352)-438-8151 10060 SE 149TH LANE SUMMERFIELD FL, 34491 HEATHER. [email  protected] EDU APRIL 3, 2013 NATALIE PEETERSE SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY Annie Dillard started out her writing career misunderstood but admirable. Dillard became well known after her first published book, ‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek’ won the 1974 ‘Pulitzer Prize for General nonfiction at age 29. She received many complaints on her first novel such as, â€Å"not one genuine ecological concern is voiced in the entire book,† critics state. (Begiebing) Dillard’s eputation has exceeded what was once known as boring and unsatisfactory to one of admiration. In a review of ‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek,’ Hayden Carruth states, â€Å"In many respects to Annie Dillard’s book, ‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek,’ is so ingratiating that even readers who find themselves in fundamental disagreement with it may take pleasure from it, a good deal of pl easure. † (Carruth) Indeed Carruth is correct. Dillard’s creativity with and in nature puts us in awe. Her writing is abhorrent and yet so beautiful. In 1971 Dillard stumbled upon an old writer’s nature book and thought, â€Å"I can do better than this. (Dillard) In 1968, Dillard spent a few years, following her graduation, by oil painting, writing, and keeping a journal. This journal is how many of her first poems and short stories were published In this journal, ‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek’ slowly started it’s well known novel. Dillard began her writing career as a young adult attending Hollins College (now Hollins University). Dillard studied literature and creative writing which motivated her to read classic novels as well as many books that humanity has promised themselves to read in the future, but never got around to it. After spending some time n college, Dillard married her writing teacher, the poet R. H. W. Dillard. In college, I learn ed how to learn from other people. As far as I was concerned, writing in college didn’t consist of what little Annie had to say, but what Wallace Stevens had to say. I didn’t come to college to think my own thoughts; I came to college to learn what had been thought. † (Dillard) Like many other creations in life, her writing began with a simple thought†¦ At the end of the island I noticed a small green frog. He was exactly half in and half out of the water, looking like a schematic diagram of an amphibian, and he didn’t jump.He didn’t jump; I crept closer. At last I knelt on the island’s winter killed grass, lost, dumbstruck, staring at the frog in the creek just four feet away. He was a very small frog with wide, dull eyes. And just as I looked at him, he slowly crumpled and began to sag. The spirit vanished from his eyes as if snuffed. His skin emptied and drooped; his very skull seemed to collapse and settle like a kicked tent. He was shrinking before my eyes like a deflating football. I watched the taut, glistening skin on his shoulders ruck, and rumple, and fall. Soon, part of his skin, formless s a pricked balloon, lay in floating folds like bright scum on top of the water; it was a monstrous and terrifying thing. I gaped bewildered, appalled. An oval shadow hung in the water behind the drained frog; then the shadow glided away. The frog skin bag started to sink. I had read about the giant water bug, but never seen one. â€Å"Giant water bug† is really the name of the creature, which is an enormous, heavy-bodied brown bug. It eats insects, tadpoles, fish, and frogs. Its grasping forelegs are mighty and hooked inward. It seizes a victim with these legs, hugs it tight, and paralyzes it with nzymes injected during a vicious bite. That one bite is the only bite it ever takes. Through the puncture shoot the poisons that dissolve the victim’s muscles and bones and organs – all but the skin †“ and through it the giant water bug sucks out the victim’s body, reduced to a juice. (Dillard) In the above quoted passage from ‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek,’ Dillard describes an event of nature that is both horrible and beautiful. Through each stage of a life, being human, animal, or insect, life has its beauty and value. We live and evolve and learn with every stage of our life. Does beauty lie in the eye of the observer? † (Krishnamurti) What an excellent question. Every individual has their own eye for beauty, but nature is the one beauty of the world that will never die. Dillard’s eye of beauty is unique. She discovers two ways in which to view nature: one of passionate and fixed attention to all things around her, and her second state is focused on an unaware state, where she connects, lives, and is the nature around her without regards to time in the present state. Dillard’s two states of ‘stalking’ and unawareness differ i n various ways, but llow her to connect with nature and her surroundings on a whole different level of understanding and appreciation. In ‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek,’ Dillard relives multiple events in the past using both states (aware and unaware) to evaluate lessons she has learned and the closeness she experienced with nature. Dillard appears to be in confusion to which state of mind is most precious in the world, awareness or unaware. Dillard feels that the state of awareness is to be valued for it is a state of mind that does distinguish humanity from both, our creator (god) and our fellow animal friends.Without our ability to distinguish ourselves from other ‘creations,’ humanity would not easily learn and acquire information regarding the many creatures before us and nature itself, while being partially blind to our current surroundings as they stand before us. While at Tinker Creek, Dillard’s appreciation for plants and animals come by no surpr ise, but while she greatly admires the state of awareness, she has multiple interpretations of the state. Dillard implies that by being aware all the time may slow down, or deprive us from our experiences and living conditions in the here-and-now time frame.The state of awareness, or â€Å"innocence†, Dillard believes to be the ultimate state to view nature and the world in. By being in her â€Å"innocence† state, she becomes, (experiences first hand) all things surrounding her. She is able to â€Å"Live them as purely as we can, in the present. † BY the spirits â€Å"Unself-conscious state at any moment of pure devotion to any object. † (Dillard) When learning, experiencing, and connecting with nature, both states, â€Å"innocence† and â€Å"stalking† are necessary to Dillard. Dillard’s section including the frog that slowly has its insides liquefied then devoured, allows er to witness such creatures in their natural state while â₠¬Å"stalking† them. Dillard examines a Giant Water bug inject, liquefy, and devour its dinner; she watched the frogs spirit drift away from its eyes, and its skin sag, to be swept away by the ocean. Dillard evaluates the feelings of horror but beauty by this event which in return, helps her observe and learn from the events of nature while at Tinker Creek. From experiencing her â€Å"innocence† and â€Å"stalking† state, Dillard states, â€Å"I am prying into secrets again, and taking my chances. I might not see anything happen; I ight see nothing but light on the water. I walk home exhilarated or becalmed, but always changed, alive. † (Dillard) I believe that while Dillard visits Tinker Creek, she gives us a gift; the tool to observe nature, seeing and experiencing every event; a new view for appreciating nature in its beauty and horror. Through Dillard, and many other authors, we must find our own way to experience and learn from nature, whether that is t hrough reading such books as ‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek’, or a nature hike of our own, if we choose to learn from nature. We can learn a great deal from nature writers ll over the world. Dillard views beauty in nature through horrible events by learning and experiencing thousands of things nature has to show and teach us. Dillard learns that while a picture of a darkened sky with remnants of clouds is a wonderful experience, nature, just like everything else beautiful in the world, has a horrible side that is seen when watching. â€Å"It’s the most beautiful day of the year. At four O’clock the eastern sky is a dead stratus black flecked with low white clouds. The sun in the west illuminates the ground, the mountains, nd especially the bare branches of trees, so that everywhere silver trees cut into the black sky like a photographers negative of a landscape. † (Dillard) WORK CITED: 1. Elliott, Sandra S. â€Å"Annie Dillard Biography. †Ã‚  Annie Dillard Biography. Rob Anderson, n. d. Web. 29 Mar. 2013. http://hubcap. clemson. edu/~sparks/dillard/bio. htm 2. Krishnamurti, J. â€Å"The Beauty of Death as Part of Life. †Ã‚  J. Krishnamurti Online. Krishnamurti Foundation, Sept. 2012. Web. 29 Mar. 2013. http://www. jkrishnamurti. org/krishnamurti-teachings/view-text. php? tid=1515&chid=1212

Gun control should be enforeced Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Gun control should be enforeced - Essay Example This amendment was based on and greatly influenced by the right to keep and bear arms that was exemplified in the English common-law. In recent times the Second Amendment has been subject to renewed judicial and academic interest. In the District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) court case, the court ruled out expressly that the amendment protects individuals to keep fire arms. When initially adopted in 1791, the Second Amendment aimed to protect and promote the safety of American citizens. In the experiences prior to the constitution, the early English settlers in the United States viewed the rights to keep and bear arms as important for reasons such as: It served to enable people to form organised militias, it was viewed to help people to participate in law enforcement, it was presumed to repel invasion and generally facilitating the natural right to self-defence. Over the years, there have been numerous debates and arguments as to whether people should own guns and the reasons support ing each argument. There have been several reasons proposed as t why Americans should own guns but there are a few major reasons that really make a difference. The core reason as to why Americans should own guns is for protection and safety purposes. ... B. National Rifle Association The National Rifle Association (NRA) was formed in 1871 with the aim of promoting firearm competency, safety and ownership. It also catered for police training in the use of firearms, marksmanship and self-defence programs in the United States (National Rifle Association, 1989). In essence, the NRA is one of the largest endorsing organisations for firearm possession and safety in the fields involving police training, recreational use and child firearm safety. The National Rifle Association also supports gun rights in the United States. Though there have been different reactions as pertains to the NRA supporting gun rights; it does so in a bid to ensure that American citizens can feel ‘safe’ and protected when they carry or possess a firearm but the use of them being regulated subject to standard conditions. The NRA believe that by creating and developing a standard to which both manufacturers retailers and civilians who possess guns can adhe re to, the safety standards of the individual Americans would improve. II. Gun Control does not violate the Constitution A. The differences between 17th and 21st Century Every individual in the society has a personal opinion as pertains to gun ownership and control. The society as a whole as evolved from the 17th century to date in terms of the perception of gun control. In the 17th century, there was no a clear guidance or regulation in place to govern and control the use of fire arms and the constitution did not provide for the possession of fire arms. During this period, not many civilians owned fire arms and hence it was not a pertinent need as compared to the current trends. In the 21st century, the presence of

Ilandes between them Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ilandes between them - Essay Example Japan is a prominent affiliate for the US in several foreign policy subjects, especially when it comes to security priorities, from countering the growth of  China within the region to responding to threats from North Korea. After the World War II, the alliance between US and Japan has long been a fix of the US security function within East Asia. This alliance eases the forward operations of nearly 49,000 US troops, as well as other US military resources based within Japan into the Asia-Pacific. Therefore, if Japan makes a decision of becoming a member of the free trade agreement known as Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), it will turn out to be an even more crucial subject within the rebalancing strategy of the Obama Administration to Asia (Curtis). In the last seven years, Japan has fought to achieve political stability. Since 2007, Japan has seen six men becoming Prime Ministers, comprising of the present Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who in 2006-2007 held the same post. His Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) resumed authority in a landslide election held in December 2012. Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), i.e. the present opposition, had governed for three turbulent years following their own watershed election win in 2009 (Curtis). The leaders in Japan encounter  overwhelming responsibilities including a rising increasingly aggressive China, a feeble economy and overhauling from the destructive March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, as well as nuclear disaster. In the recent past, opposition dominion over a single chamber of parliament has deterred policymaking in Tokyo, thereby complicating the relations between US and Japan in spite of general shared national benefits. Abe is improbable to pursue divisive initiatives prior to the coming national elections in July 2013, for the Diet, i.e. the Upper House of parliament (Curtis). Perhaps most radically, the US is going to be directly engaged in a military clash between Japan and China concerning the Senkaku/Diaoyu islets within the East China Sea. Previous comments and deeds on contentious historical concerns by Prime Minister Abe together with his cabinet have resulted in concerns that Tokyo is capable of upset regional dealing in ways that could end up harming US interests. As a strong nationalist, Abe is currently under duress on the right by a newly created party flaunting its own hawkish opinions on national security. As a result, Abe’s approach to problems such as the alleged â€Å"comfort women† sex slaves during the World War II period, history textbooks, trips to the Yasukuni Shrine, which tributes to  war dead of Japan, as well as assertions on a territorial conflict with South Korea, will be under scrutiny by not only the neighbors of Japan, but also by the US (Curtis). Although the enormous and instantaneous humanitarian relief given by the US after the â€Å"triple disaster† in March 2011, bolstered the mutual alliance, difficult concerns remain especially those linked to the positioning of marines on Okinawa. In spite of Washington and Tokyo consenting to relocate the majority of marines from Okinawa into Guam, as well as other locations within the region, the two administrations were incapable of making

Pleasant Airways Preliminary Marketing Plan Research Paper

Pleasant Airways Preliminary Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example The proposed airline’s mission is to revolutionize airline industry. As a new establishment, the airline will come with brilliant strategies to help in making the clients to have pleasant experiences while traveling. For a very long time, airline users have been treated to a straining booking and reservation process that has made many people to move from one service provider to another. With the coming of this new airline, no one will ever complain of the quality of services offered by the airline companies. The clients are treated with all the dignity and priority that they deserve. The company will employ a team of well-trained and experience staff to handle clients and treat them in a friendly manner. At the same time, the company will use modern aircrafts manned by experts to ensure that the clients get the only opportunity ever to enjoy and have a comfortable journey. Their safety will be guaranteed (Pinson, 2004).As anew entrant in the airline industry, the company will have to contend the stiff competition in the market. Potential threats will be expected to come from seasoned American airlines such as American Airline, US Airways, Delta Airline, Air Canada, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Virgin America Airline. These are established companies that now enjoy a larger share of the market. So, they are the ones who will pose a very stiff competition to this new airline.The strengths of the company are that it will use highly qualified professionals to conduct its operations.

Persepolis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Persepolis - Research Paper Example The story, in addition, gives her life in Vienna while attending her high school, as well as her return to Iran not forgetting her marriage and divorce. Satrapi describes the period, â€Å"From homey, 'round the dinner table chats to political demonstrations, from torture in Iranian prisons to the gentle touch of a loving parent† (Satrapi 31). Persepolis city is characterized by riot, and although she wants to be in the riots, the father denies her. The riots instigate her feelings and behavior towards life making her develop a habit of reading articles especially a local Charles Dickens. Through the article, she learns of many children who are forced into child labour at an early age. This is a revelation, which makes her feel embarrassed with her father driving a Cadillac. When a person dies in a riot, which turns out to be cancer people walk out in protests honoring him as a king. These are occurrences, which profoundly affects Satrapi’s life developing a defiant att itude towards the government led by Shah. Various events affect Satrapi’s life from the tender age until the time she becomes an adult. To start with is the fact that she is not happy with misdeeds committed by the people in power a fact that changes her attitude towards men. She gets influenced to be a revolutionary like Che Guevara in order to save people against atrocities they undergo. In this instance, she is not happy with her life and especially the Iranian police who commit several wrong things against people. In addition, this influences him to read revolutionary books, which could help her achieve the dream. This was because, "Greek culture had the good fortune to find successors who established a heritage and took care of it continuously, while neighboring civilizations fell victim to the ravages of time and to the victory of either Christianity or Islam" (Burkert 124). The happenings further influence Satrapi’s life to the point of tearing Shah’s pic ture from her book, as she links him to the misfortunes and problems they face. This scene transcends the celebration of a new government that brought new hope. Although her mother lectures her on the benefit of forgiving especially to the government, which had caused many atrocities to them, she is unregretful of tearing Shah’s picture and wish more worse things could happen to Shah. This gets depicted because; she apologies on her harsh actions but remains bitter for the many lives and destructions. Furthermore, after the fall of Shah’s throne, political prisoners are released which include family friends Mohsen Shakiba and Siamak Jari. They narrate ordeals they underwent in prisons to the family that increases the negative attitude Satrapi had towards the government (Mousavi 73). She is also not happy with her father for not having heroic stories. In addition, he is proud to be related to her uncle Anoosh who fought during the communist revolution. This portrays Sat rapi as a character who likes associating with heroes and heroin, as opposed to her father who has no story of imprisonment or engaging in a fight. On the other hand, â€Å"Marjane's parents are successful, forward-thinking people. They live in the twentieth century, they have televisions and fine cars, they read politics† (Satrabi 19) Establishment of the Islamic republic remained also a momentous event, which influenced her life. The formation of the new party made an exit of many people and

Food crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Food crisis - Essay Example Adverse weather condition is associated with the increasing cost of goods due to prevailing lack of supplies or production. Krugman tries to emphasize that the origin and implication of food crisis is traced back to changing climate which resulted further to droughts and floods. The intense heat is said to be the reason why there is an ample amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. This is said to result to heavy raining which causes flood in certain parts of the world especially in the tropics. Krugman believes that this slows down food production that eventually becomes the greatest contributing factor of the recent food crisis. The issue of changing climate may not be far as reason to contribute to food crisis. In fact, the very thought about changing weather condition to affect food production and supply is very relevant enough as a reason. Heavy rain, typhoon and other environmental impacts brought by changing climate all over the world may not be far enough to affect production and supply of food. However, it seems that the issue of changing weather condition is just only in addition to the problem of food crisis. It cannot be entirely considered as the root cause of the problem on the lack of food production or supply in the world. There are prior issues to this that need to be considered that eventually have contributed to global food crisis. Population increase Food crisis is caused by rapidly increasing population in the world (Grigg, 1980). This is the reason why there is a need to come up with biotechnology and other related technological innovation in order to increase production and supply of foo d. Food production is necessary in order to meet the spiraling forward demand of the people. Increasing food production is eventually the answer to the number of world’s population and the corresponding demand for food. With biotechnology for instance, it has become a good idea to promote genetic modification of some plants and domestic animals in order to enhance their characteristics to eventually ensure more production. For instance, with BT corn technology, the plant’s characteristics are enhanced and improved to fight harmful pests and diseases. The result would be to enhance growth and production. There are certainly diseases of the corn that can be prevented when some genetic modification has to be implemented. This is just one of the good promises of advancing food production through innovation with science and technology. In short, the need to come up with this or undergo this level of process is highly associated with the rising demand for food because of the increase and demand of the world as its population continues to grow in number year after year. The world’s population in 2008 is different from 2010’s or 25 years from the past. There is certainly corresponding increase in number of the world’s population and this is a great contributing factor why shortage of food has become eminent. There are more people to be fed. This contributes to social, political and economic concerns of a nation. In general, this specific event calls for social, economic and political concerns as well. The issue of distribution Some says that food crisis is caused by significantly simple political and economical issue more than anything else. There are some countries that are said to be not so willing to distribute to the world what they essentially have with them. This primarily involves the issue of food distribution. There is reputed issue about food distribution today and from the past. This makes food crisis not just a matter of availability of food but of distribution. Some countries eventually are not that willing to share what they have especially the raw materials in food production. China for instance is

Human Resource Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resource Development - Essay Example Human Resource Development (HRD) can also take an informal shape for example employees being coached by a manager. Healthy organizations, in meaningful terms, have strong faith in Human Resource Development and cover all its fundamental aspects. Learning and development is continuous process in every aspect whether it's in organizational or in classroom, people or an employee always learn something new in every area which will help in developing its skills and knowledge which also support him/her to work better in an organization or any other working condition. Ans. In my opinion learning is a continuous process and person will always learn on every stage of life. According to me learning will be more practical to gain an effective skills, knowledge, and motivation by developing the vision and skills that result in real team commitment; Build and lead empowered and motivated teams; Delegate tasks and authority while maintaining control, communicate effectively at all levels, create w orld-class team performance, Become a skilled and effective team leader. Ans. 2.Needs and performance are the main factors to improve learning. Discus this issue in relation to E-learning method to learn. Ans. Learning is a phenomenon within this definition that takes place across various locations, or that reaps benefits of learning opportunities provided by moveable technologies. In other words, E-learning decreases limitation of learning location with the mobility of general portable devices. The term covers: learning with portable technologies, where the focus is on the technology (which could be in a fixed location, such as a classroom).in today's world technology places very positive and effective role in several sectors and in different aspects such as in performance and needs as well. This technology will help in effective learning in every person's life because it's really fast and effective and the person can learn everything very easily and work can be done efficiently af ter effective learning in relation to E- learning. 3. State the main problem, objective that this university applied this teaching method. Ans. Arab Open University runs degree programs in the Middle Eastern country by providing open learning business studies. The lecturers adopt an action learning approach to teaching during their periodic time to students. However, resistance to this method is regularly experienced.

Synthesis of Gold Particles and Their Use for Chemical Sensing Assignment

Synthesis of Gold Particles and Their Use for Chemical Sensing - Assignment Example e it clear that the gold was eligible since there was a continued accumulation that was evident by the change in the color of the solution from red to Purple color. It is important to test the foods sold in commercial markets. Notably, it had been discovered some sold in the commercial markets are toxic. For examples, some years ago, foods containing melamine were found in stores in China. Foods that contain melamine are toxic and are not fit for human consumption. Thus, foods that were found in stores in China were poisonous. Fortunately, a solution to this problem has been found. The use of citrate ions prevents the accumulation of layers of gold thereby hindering the formation of melamine that prevent the formation of nanoparticles on the surface of gold. This process enables shielding continued reaction of the gold layers. When such interactions occur in food gold solution that causes coloration of food is formed. The particle size having effects on gold can also be determined through photography. The size of gold particles ranges from 10 to 20 nm reflect light of different colors particularly red that turns to blue or purple if larger. The refore, the chemical test for melamine can reveal varied collect chemical properties that can help in drawing conclusions. Usually, there is a color changes from red to blue when a solutions nitrate ions and gold particles are mixed. The significance of this chemical experiment lies in this interaction Procedure. Take 0.2 mL of 100 mM gold salt stock solution and add 20 mL of distilled water to make 20 mL of 1mM gold salt solution. Then take 20 mL of the 1mM NaAuCl4 and place it into 50mL beaker. Place the beaker and its content hot plate and stirred the mixture using a magnetic stir bar. Heat the solution until it boil. When the solution begins boiling, add 2 mL of 38.8 mM solution of trisodium citrate dehydrate (Na3C6H5O7.2H2O). The gold solution forms gradually as the citrate reduces the Au ions to the neutral gold

The Best Friendships Essay Example for Free

The Best Friendships Essay Most people say that friendship is the most common relationship that each of us has. Each relationship that we hold in our lives has a common ground of friendship. However, the levels might differ in terms of our interaction and personal communication with them. In every relationship that we have, a part of us is also revealed as we try to perform the responsibilities in line with the friendships that we have with various people. As of today, I can identify five types of friendships which are currently active in keeping my life as meaningful as possible. Similar with the rest of the world, one of the friendships that I treasure is the one I have built with strangers I have met along my journey in life. These set of people consists of my childhood friends, classmates from previous schools, colleagues from different organizations, co-workers, and other persons whom I have shared myself with as a friend. They are the people whom I have laughed with in times of fun and cried with in times of woe. The second type of friendship that I have is the one that I secure with the person I intend to spend the rest of my life with. I consider this a special type, for I know that amidst the romance, intimacy, and further stages in a couple’s relationship, it is friendship that will most probably be left after a long time of companionship. That is why I do not treat my partner entirely as a lover but at the same time as a best friend whom I can always rely on even without the affectionate words or romantic stuff. The third type of friendship in my life is the one that I have with my family. I am of those few blessed people who have close-knit relatives and family. The friendship I have with them may not be similar with the first two friendships I have discussed. Ours is much understood and profound. They are the ones whom I know will stay with me despite my weaknesses and faults because I was born related to them. It is sort of permanent in nature that once damaged, the scars would always be traceable. The fourth type of friendship that I believe to be as important as the previous ones I have mentioned would be the friendship that I have with myself. It is equally important with the external friendships that I have because it is responsible for a person’s well-being and personal development. The ability to treat oneself as a friend produces a much better relationship and friendship with other people. It amounts to the idea that one must first love oneself before he/she can love others. The fifth and last but definitely not the least is my friendship with God. Without this type of friendship, how could one see the beauty of life and befriend it? One may probe how can I claim such if the existence of this â€Å"Friend† is even physically questionable. The strength of my faith is the sole proof of friendship that I have with Him. This may be quite hard to characterize, for only people with the same kind of friendship can comprehend what I am trying to explain. Presenting all these types of friendships also reveals the different characters that mold my personality. Each relationship illustrates a different definition and function that I must deliver. I am a friend, a lover, a sister/brother, and a daughter/son with responsibilities to fulfill in my attempt to develop myself as well as these friendships.

Advanced Microeconomics Essay Example for Free

Advanced Microeconomics Essay Question 1: Consumer Theory 1.1: In both the Marshallian and Hicksian consumer optimisation problems, it is assumed that consumers are supposed to be rational. The main focus of these problems are cost minimisation and utility maximisation, which play a huge part in consumer demand, but in real life, these are not the only problems that are considered. Also, it is assumed that every consumer’s indifference curve for two goods would be the same – they are very generalised models, and do not take into account other factors. For example, not many consumers would spend their entire budget on said goods – one thing to consider would be a consumer’s marginal propensity to consume and save. Though both of the problems provide a framework and model of consumer decisions, they are not plausible when applying them to real-life terms, because we have imperfect knowledge. 1.2: The expression given in the question, is the rearranged derivative of the Hicksian demand being equal to the Marshallian demand, when income from the budget constraint is equal to minimised expenditure, whereby m=ep, ÃŽ ¼. This is given by: dDdp= dHdp- dDdm . dedp using m = e. Shephard’s Lemma provides us an alternative way of deriving Hicksian demand functions, using e. It is given by: dedp= x* It is important to note that e is strictly increasing in p, due to Shephard’s Lemma, and x* 0,by assumption. Substituting this into the above expression gives: dDdp= dHdp- dDdm x*  This expression now represents a complete law of demand, as it has combined both Marshallian and Hicksian demand, whereby income from the budget constraint of Marshallian demand, is equal to minimised expenditure of Hicksian demand. Therefore, it has maximised utility and minimised cost simultaneously, to create an optimal quantity of demand in x*. The first term, dDdp, means that Marshallian demand (maximising utility) increases, relative to the price of the good. dHdp represents the Hicksian part of the expression, whereby expenditure is minimised, relative to the price of the good. Question 3: Adverse Selection, Moral Hazard and Insurance 3.1: Insurance markets are needed when risk is present. Risk occurs when there is uncertainty about the state of the world. For example, car drivers do not know if they will crash their car in future, and suffer a loss of wealth – so they would purchase insurance to eliminate this risk of loss, and protect them if they were to ever crash their car. Agents (buyers of insurance) will use insurance markets to transfer their income between different states of the world. This allows insurance markets to trade risk between high-risk and low-risk agents/states. These can be described as Pareto movements. A Pareto improvement is the allocation, or reallocation of resources to make one individual better off, without making another individual worse off. Another term for this is multi-criteria optimisation, where variables and parameters are manipulated to result in an optimal situation, where no further improvements can be made. When the situation occurs that no more improvements can be made , it is Pareto efficient. A condition for efficiency is the least risk-averse agent bears all the risk in an insurance market. If a risk-averse agent bears risk, they would be willing to pay to remove it. A risk-averse agent has a diminishing marginal utility of income; whereby his marginal utility is different across states, if his income is different across states. The agent would give up income in high-income states, in which his marginal utility is low, to have more income in low-income states (e.g. bad state of the world causing a loss of wealth), where his marginal utility would be high. If the insurance market is risk neutral, they will sell insurance to the customer, as long as the payment received is higher than the expected value of pay-outs that the insurer is contracted to give to the customer in different states of the world. Whenever the agent bears some risk, unexploited gains from trade exist. Absence of unexploited gains from trade is a requirement in an efficient insurance market, therefore the situation must arise, whereby the agent’s income is equalised across the states of the world. A risk neutral insurance company can charge a premium to equalise the agent’s income across states of the world, in the best interests of the risk-averse agent. Also, for an insurance market to be  efficient, a tangency condition is implied. The tangency of the indifference curves of a risk-averse agent, and a risk-neutral agent, is where efficiency occurs. At this point, one cannot be made better off, without the other being made worse off (Pareto efficiency). However, an insurance company will never be completely efficient in real life, as information asymmetry exists. The first type of information asymmetry to arise in an insurance market is moral hazard, whereby the actions that an agent may take after signing the contract cannot be observed. This gives the company a trade-off decision between giving full insurance or offering incentives for the agent. Full insurance is first-best in the absence of asymmetric information, when the insurance company is risk-neutral and the agent is risk-averse. However, if the agent is fully insured by the company, they have no reason to prevent a bad state of the world from happening. To solve this problem, the insurance company will not offer full insurance, in order to provide the agent with an incentive to avoid losses. The second type of information asymmetry to occur in an insurance market, is adverse selection. This is when the agent has private information about his risk type and characteristics, and agents in the market are heterogenous. As the insurer doesn’t know which agents are high-risk or low risk, the company will not offer different types of full insurance to match risk-types, as high-risk agents will prefer contracts that are designed for low-risk agents. To solve this, the insurer will offer low-risk agents less insurance – this ensures that high-risk types do not have the incentive to choose a contract for low-risk customers, as they will want more insurance, because they know they will need to claim more. This ensures that the insurance company maintains non-negative profit, as high-risk individuals cost more to insure. However, these solutions carry agency costs, because the result is less efficient than if symmetric information was present. I believe that risk neutrality of an insurance company is a sufficient condition for insurance to take place. Insurance companies are risk-neutral to maximise expected profits, therefore as the principal, will design contracts to achieve this, as well as making certain that the agent picks the desired effort (i.e to prevent a bad state of the world) for that contract, and to make sure that the agent even picks the  contract in the first place. Making sure incentives are compatible, and ensuring participation by the correct risk types, are constraints on maximising expected profits. If an insurance company was risk-averse, without the availability of symmetric information, they cannot differentiate between different risk-types, and therefore would not want to take on the risk of possible high-risk agents buying low-risk contracts. They would charge a higher premium to offset this, which would discourage low-risk customers to sign a contract with the company, as it would not be maximising their own utility. This would lead to a missing market, where trade would be prevented, because other risk-neutral companies would offer better contracts, and they would be able to steal all the low-risk customers. The magnitude of this would depend on the number of low- and high-risk people in the population. This leads me to believe that risk neutrality is also a necessary condition for insurance to take place. 3.2: An insurance company will sell a policy, c, r, if it makes non-negative profits, then:  Ã¢â€ â€™ r-pic ≠¥0,  where c = payout, pi = probability of the loss state, r = premium. Competition in the market drives profit down to zero, therefore r-pic = 0 in equilibrium. For the contract to be at equilibrium, it must satisfy two conditions: the break-even condition, whereby no contract makes negative profits; and absence of unexploited opportunities for profit, because if there was a contract outside of the offered set, with non-negative profit, would mean the offered set is not in equilibrium. If all agents are homogenous, if all agents face the same probability of loss, pi=p, insurance companies would know each buyer’s pi. The firm must maximise each agent’s utility subject to the firm breaking even. This would be at the point of tangency of the agent’s indifference curve and zero-profit constraint. This would be in equilibrium as another profit-making polic y could not be offered. Therefore, as they can observe agent’s risk types, they can offer different policies, to different types: ÃŽ ¸i= ri, ci. It follows that each is offered full and fair insurance. In real life, heterogeneity is usually the case. This is when pi varies with all individuals. Assuming that there are two types: high-risk types, H, and low-risk types, L, where the probability  of loss for H is higher than for L. Individuals know their own probability of loss i=H, L, but insurance companies are unable to observe this. In this case, there are two different kinds of equilibria that insurance companies could opt with: the candidate pooling equilibrium and the candidate separating equilibrium. The pooling equilibrium is where all risk types buy the same policy. In contrary, the separating equilibrium is based on each risk type buying a different policy. In the pooling equilibrium, if both H and L risk-types choose the same policy, the probability of loss is p and the probability of no l oss is 1- p. Therefore, the slope of the ‘aggregate fair-odds line is -1-pp. The pooling contract must lie on this line to be in equilibrium, to ensure the firm breaks even exactly. The contract must also ensure both types want to buy it – it must take both L and H to higher indifference curve than the indifference curve they would be on if they stayed uninsured. Agent L ends up below his fair odds line, and H above his, which means L pays more than expected costs, and H pays less – both pay the fair pooled premium, but H claims on the policy more. So if L prefers to buy the contract, so will H. This leads me to believe both L and H will be able to get full insurance, though it’s not completely fair, as the firm does not need H to choose a different policy to remain breaking even. However, this brings to mind the notion that if full insurance is offered, the agent will not have the incentive to prevent a loss state. Therefore, less insurance will probably be offered, and as both risk types are paying the same premium of the same policy, neither will receive full insurance, as it impossible to differentiate between the two – they will both choose the same policy offered. In the separating equilibrium, one contract would be offered to L, and another to H. Each risk type must prefer the contract designed for that type (i.e. the incentives must be compatible). The contracts offered should give each type the highest possible utility, subject to the firm breaking even. If full insurance contracts were offered to both L and H, where their respective indifference curves are tangent with their respective zero-profit constraints/fair-odds lines, low risk customers would prefer the policy designed for them, but high-risk customers would also prefer the same policy, not the policy designed for them. So they would not both be offered full insurance, as this gives rise to the problem of preventing H from imitating L – low-risk agents are cheaper to insure for the firm (claim less  often) so they get a better rate. Therefore, instead of offering L full insurance, they are offered C, which is still on their fair odds line, but on a lower indifference curve, still ensuring the zero-profit constraint. Now, if the high-risk agents were to choose between the policy designed for them, and C, they will choose the policy designed for them, because they prefer to have more insurance for less money. So, in conclusion, in the separating equilibrium, high-risk (H) customers receive full insurance, and low-risk (L) customers only receive partial insurance – they pay the price to prevent H from imitating them. L is worse off than if there was symmetric information in the market, but no difference to H.

The Social Problem Of Homelessness

The Social Problem Of Homelessness In this essay, the social problems I have chosen to write about is Homelessness. I will also be exploring different perspective of Homelessness and the policy responses and the impact it have on the society. The groups I will focus my discussion on are young people and rough sleepers as the evidence indicates that young homeless people experience rough sleeping before securing temporary accommodation. There are wide ranges of definition Homelessness and it varies from country to country or among different institutions in the same country. According to |Liddiard, M (2001:119) the immediate sense of the term as regularly employed by the mass media and politicians, simplistically equates homelessness with rooflessness or literally sleeping rough on the street. This is can be a straightforward and easy to understand definition but this does not reflect the true scope of the problem so a broader definition of homeless peoples include those lacking permanent residence and living in a range of unsatisfactory housing conditions. They can include those living in temporary hostels, bed and breakfast, night shelters and squatters. However, the legal definition of someone homeless is if they do not have a legal right to occupy accommodation or if their accommodation is unsuitable to live in. They also include families and peoples who do not sleep rough and some are accommodated by friends and family on temporary basis. So from the above definition the social construction of homelessness are not the small amounts of individual that sleep on the street, looking dirty and smells of alcohol and drugs but comprises of all individual who do not have a permanent decent place of accommodation or without a regular dwelling and are on a waiting list or takes housing benefit and in temporary accommodations. (Giddens 2007) The cause of homelessness varies as many are of the view that homelessness is a result of personal failings and consider if the economy is going on well, there is no excuse to be homeless. Shelter (2007) is of the view that homelessness is cause by a complex interplay between a personà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s individual circumstances and adverse structural factors outside their direct control. Among the individual factors include social exclusion, thus when a person lack of qualification because they did not have access to good education and decent job. Ones misuse of drugs and alcohol which result in lack of personal control, lack of social support and debts especially mortgage or rent arrears. Having mental health problems and getting involved in crime at an early age also contribute to homelessness. Family breakdown and unresolved disputes are a major factor of homelessness as a result of divorce and separation and a greater number of men and women are affected. People from institutiona l background like having been in care, the armed forces are likely to be affected. Ex-offenders who come out of prison and lose their friend and families can become homeless and the majority from ethnic minority or ex-asylum seekers who have the right to stay but have no accommodation. Structural causes of homelessness are mostly social and economical in nature often outside the control of individual or family concerned. These may include poverty, lack of affordable housing, unemployment and the structure and administration of housing benefit. According to the shelter (2007) the number of households found to be homeless by local authorities increased 31percent between 1997/98 and 2003/2004. Historically, homelessness had low publicity until the 1966 when the BBC screened Ken Loachà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s film about homelessness Cathy Come Home. This was watch by 12million people and the film alerted the public, the media and the government to the scale of the housing crises and then Shelter was formed. Another policy response was the 1977 Housing (Homeless Persons) Acts was the first measure to place responsibilities on local authorities to rehouse homeless families and individuals permanently. (Liddiard, M .2001) The 1977 legislation had Priority Need which included women with children or pregnant, vulnerable due to age, mental illness, disability, and loss of home by natural disasters. This did not cater for everyone who was homeless and the criteria by which local authorities accepted someone as homeless was complex and rest ricted. Hence the 1996 section 177 amended to include domestic violence as a priority need but strict eligibility remains (Hill, M: 2000). Young people were not covered under the existing legislation and the number of young homeless increased. Existing data on youth homelessness has significant limitation; in particular it is only possible to count young people who are in contact with services. According to ONS (2007) it can be estimated that at least 75,000 young people experienced homelessness in the UK in 2006-07. This included 43,075 aged 16-24 of which 8,337 were 16 -17 year old who were accepted as statutorily homeless in the UK and at least 31,000 non-statutorily homeless young people using supporting people services during 2006-2007. The Homelessness Act (2002) changes significantly the way in which homeless in England and Wales is tackled. The priority need categories was extended to includes 16/17 years rather those who social services are responsible for accommodating, care- leavers under the age of 21 who were looked after by social services when they were 16/17 and ex- prisoners, former soldiers and young p eople leaving care. This act also introduces greater flexibility with regards to social housing allocation giving more people the right to be considered for a council or housing home. The local authorities had a statutory duty to care for all the homeless people but no extra resources were added. This had a great impact on the number of homeless people who were able to relocate permanently at a given time and especially those under priority need. Young people experiencing disruption or trauma during childhood who may be from socio-economic background are at increased risk of homelessness. The main trigger for youth homelessness is relationship breakdown usually parents or step-parent. Among the impact of homeless on young people is poor health as they cannot take care of their health being. They lack basic food and shelter to help them grow to become healthy adults and they may suffer from depression. Homelessness can lead to increased levels of non- participation in formal education, training or employment. At times leaving school early without a qualification and a decent job may lead some young people into the misuse of drugs and some have mental health problems. Another homeless group of concern is the rough sleepers who were in temporary accommodation but some choose to roam the streets, sleeping rough free from the constraints of property and possessions. But a large majority has no such wish at all but they have been pushed over the edge into homelessness by factors beyond their control. Once they find themselves without a permanent dwelling, their lives sometimes deteriorate into a spiral of hardship and deprivation. ( Giddens 2009:503) The Homelessness Act 2002 extended the definition of the priority need to include new groups of vulnerable people, and requirement that all homeless people receive advice and assistance. In addition, Local Authorities are requires to periodically develop homeless strategies, including an assessment of levels of homelessness and conduct an audit of those sleeping rough. In 1998 there were around 1,850 people sleeping rough on the street of England on any one night. This follows on from the government drive to reduce rough sleeping by two-thirds in 2002. The Rough Sleeper Unit was set up in April 1999 to take the lead on delivering this challenging new target and help thousands of people to escape fro good from the humiliation and misery of life under a blanket in a shop doorway. One of the key principal of the strategy was to understand the cause of rough sleeping, why people end up on the street and what could be done to stop this from happing in the future. The strategy also place t he emphasis on encouraging rough sleepers to become active members of the community, to build self esteem and bring on talent as well as helping the individual to become prepared for the life away from the street. Positive result soon follows as reductions in rough sleeping were achieves around the country in December 2001 the target set by the government was met ahead of time. The target was met amid the controversy about how rough sleepers were counted and concern about the emphasis on street homelessness, which campaigners claimed was only tip of the homelessness iceberg. According to BBC New Magazine, housing minister Grant Shapps believes that the government figures on the count of rough sleeper is low and the system of counting is flawed. He argues that, under previous governmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s system, councils with fewer than 10 rough sleepers were not obliged to count them, and that vagrants sitting up in sleeping bags were not counted as homeless. After Mr. Shapps insisted that councils provide estimates, the England wide figure rose to 1,247, this comprised 440 from 70 authorities that count and 807 from 256 authorities that provided estimates. Despite government investment in hostels to accommodate rough sleepers many are on waiting list as resources and financing is limited. Overcrowding, lack of bed space and sharing rooms or limited facili ties with others are also identified as a problem especially if you have a partner or a dog, your choices narrow considerably. Although the quality of hostels has improved considerably, hostels are often considered unsafe. Over 57 percent of those who stayed in hostels mentioned problems with other residents, including drug and alcohol use, violence, theft, bulling, noise and arguments. And some are of the view that it is not a place to go if you want to stay clean of drugs. People are under the same legislation and the local authorities are unable to permanently house all in priority need. In addition to the above, there are certain groups who are excluded from hostels, such as people from the EU and asylum seekers from non-EU countries who are homeless and destitute in the street of the UK. Their entitlement to benefits is restricted until they have lived and worked and paid into the UK system through national Insurance and tax for one year continuously. Such laws bring about social exclusion as street homeless people have reduced access to health care and dental services. They face discrimination and general rejection from other people and may have increased risk to suffering from violence and abuse. The impact of rough sleeping is limited access to education, not being seen as suitable for employment and loss of usual relationship with the mainstream. Most of all, living on the streets is dangerous as rough sleepers die young with the average life expectancy at 42. Inequalities among the population still remain one factor of homelessness. Privatisation and residualisation of the council housing meant that fewer houses are available for council tenant. This imposes greater long term risks on the former council tenants while also generating considerable costs for the taxpayer. The process also excludes the many tenants who either reject transfer or are not given the choice and therefore exacerbates inequalities. There are 1.4 million unfit home in England as the majority of homeowners are in the private sector. The increase of housing association rents and increases in house prices means most people cannot afford a decent accommodation. Low income families are the most affected as 4 million people receiving housing benefit. ( Quilgars D. et al 2008) In conclusion, the problem of homelessness has been tackled by the governments over the years through policies and legislation. However, the problem require long term policy solutions such as changes in the benefit system, the building of more affordable homes and ensuring that a wider cross- section of society benefits from the fruits of economic growth. For many people, there is no single event that results in sudden homelessness; instead homelessness is due to a number of unresolved problems outlined above building up over time. The achievement of one government policy on rough sleepers indicates much could be done to reduce the impact of homelessness as the number still rises. Ministers are now focusing on the prevention of rough sleeper and youth homelessness through a new government homelessness strategy.

Free Essays - Character of Achilles in Homers Iliad :: Iliad essays

Character of Achilles in Homer's Iliad The Iliad may be seen as an account of the circumstances that irrevocably alter the life of one man: Achilles, one of the greatest warriors. Throughout the course of the poem Achilles goes through many ordeals that change his character immensely. Starting with his quarrel with Agamemnon and withdrawal from battle, to the death of Patroklos, and with the slaying of Hektor.   Achilles emotions and actions decide the fate of many warriors on both sides. Achilles struggles with anger, honor, pride, loyalty and love make the poem more that just a gruesome war story.   A large source of Achilles anger started with his fight with Agamemnon. Apollo put a plague on the Achaean soldiers that was killing them off. The only way to stop this from killing them all was to give back a priest’s daughter who had been captured. This girl â€Å"belonged† to Agamemnon and he didn’t want to give her up unless he got Achilles girl in return. This would disgrace Achilles honor but he could not let any more soldiers be killed so, he reluctantly let her go. But in return for giving up his girl he withdrew from the battle. Much of Achilles anger is a result of this occasion but the death of Patroklos later overrode his previous anger to Agamemnon.   The death of Patroklos touched Achilles in many ways that changed and shaped his character. Many emotions were a result of his death such as love, loss, anger, and sadness. Patroklos was a dear friend to Achilles and when a mix of divine intervention and Hektor cut Patroklos down grief and the desire to avenge his dear friends death consumed Achilles. This switched his anger from King Agamemnon to Hektor, the man who slew his dear friend. This anger drew Achilles to avenge the death of his friend, to kill Hektor.    The slaughter of Hektor is gruesome and horrid. Not only did Achilles kill Hektor but, he hung him by his ankles, attached him to his chariot and dragged Hector around the burial site of Patroklos. This is horrible enough but Achilles for a while refused to give Priam, father of Hektor and King of Troy, back the body of Hektor for proper burial. He was going to let it be eaten by the dogs, though the gods protected his body from this.

The Humpback Whale :: essays research papers

To look up into the mountains and see the steam rolling from a mountain stream on a cold winters morning is a beautiful sight. However, to look out over the horizon and see the white spray of salt water coming from the blow of a huge hump-back whale is much more exciting sight and a whole lot warmer. I lived in the mountains of Colorado for most of my childhood. The first time I had the opportunity to see the ocean was on a vacation to California, when I was about 15 years old. It was even better than I had dreamed it would be. The different animals in the ocean, the color of the water, and the warm sand between my toes was probably what led me to come to the islands of Hawaii. When I first saw the hump-back whale I was amazed at their huge size and how they could breach out of the water so gracefully. It is as if they were trying to play or show off. So when we were asked to choose a favorite animal, I had no problem deciding on the hump-back whale.The hump-back whale gets it's name from the distinctive hump in front of the dorsal fin and from the way it raises it's back high above water before diving. They are a member of the order Cetacea. This order is of aquatic mammals and the hump-back belongs to the suborder of the Mysticeti. The Mysticeti are the baleen whales which have three families and several species. The family in which the hump-back belongs is the Balaenopteridae, the true fin backed whale. The thing that separates this genus from the other fin-backed whales is the pectoral fins, which grow in lengths of about 5 meters (16.4 feet). This Genus is called Megaptera meaning great wing (Tinker 290). There was a controversy over the species name in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. In 1932, Remington Kellogg finally settled the matter with Megatera Novaeangliae (Cousteau 84). The common English name is the hump-back whale.The hump-back whale lives in both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Since we live in the Pacific I'll be discussing the hump-backs of the North Pacific. They migrate from North to South. In the months of July through September they gather in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea or the Chukchi Sea. They head south for the winter.

Chinese Rice Farming Essay -- China Agriculture Rice Essays Papers

Chinese Rice Farming Works Cited Not Included An ancient Chinese proverb reads, â€Å"Without rice, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook.† In a comical manner, this proverb illustrates an important point - rice serves an essential function to the people of China. As the pivotal mediator between the Chinese people and the rice they consume, the weather, climate, and environment has played an integral role in rice’s production and utility, as well as the importance it plays within the culture. Ironically, something so integral to Chinese society may not indeed be sustainable for the future. Before discussing the important inter-dynamics between rice, people and the environment, it is necessary to briefly review the importance of rice in China. Rice is the staple food source of China, a country containing over 1.3 billion residents. Chinese officials report that the per capita energy intake of food is around 2,600 calories, where  ¾ of their protein and 5/6 of their caloric intake come from grain – primarily rice.28 The government has gone to great lengths to feed their ever burgeoning population and it is a monumental undertaking. China produces 35% of the world’s total rice production, ranging from 171 million to 191 million metric tons annually over the past decade.29 Chinese mythology has expounded upon many of the critical elements that pertain to human existence: the division of the heavens and the earth, the creation of man, and the origins of rice. According to legend, rice’s origin is begins during the aftermath of a devastating storm thousands of years ago.30 The lands and rivers were flooded and food sources were scarce; every type of plant life was destroyed and no animals could be found. Seeing the hardships the... ...the fields during the monsoons would be almost impossible, and highly expensive. Other proposed remedies have their own specific costs and benefits, but as of yet no comprehensive, realistic solution has been developed.37 Until this occurs, the situation in China, and the world at large, gets worse by the day. At this point in time, there are no signs suggesting that China will abandon their â€Å"rice culture†, and weather and climate will both influence and be impacted by rice production for years to come. Scientific research is advancing by the day and we will eventually find a solution to this rice methane problem. Hopefully, this paper has been able to illustrate how important the dynamic relationship between rice, the weather and climate, and Chinese society, and how a subject that on surface may appear to be dull to some can be rather exciting and educational.

Public Policing vs Private Security Comparison

What are differences and similarities between the two roles? In the field of policing there are a couple different paths for an individual to choose from and they include private security and public policing. State government, city government, and towns normally provide the community with a public police force to enforce the laws and protect the citizens. Police officers are very important within a community but sometimes a private security can come in and help out and this frees up time for the public policing. Private security personnel generally work for a private company that handles their own dispatching, training and recruiting. Private security functions include loss-prevention duties or protective services that would not be handled by public policing. Private security also specializes in closed circuit monitoring services, secret level clearance, drive by patrol. Private security does not have the authority to arrest anyone either; however they can detain until law enforcement get there. Public policing officers are a function of the executive branch of government. Public officers are paid entirely from public funds that generate from grants, public sources, and revenues from taxes. Most private security organizations are paid from collecting a fee from their client. It is not uncommon for private security to go undercover like public police also, so that they can blend in the environment and be used as asset protection. The goals and training of private security and public policing are similar to each other. Private security and public policing are unique and successful in their own ways. The way that the private security and public policing organizations function and interact within each other is different; however they both function with leadership. The differences in public policing and private security would include the duties of the job. Police officers duties include responding to emergency calls, patrol public streets and monitor the traffic; private security may have the duty to be on duty at a supermarket or retail store, a bank or even drive an armored car. Some of the similarities of private security and public policing would be that they both hire men and women and both organizations are required to wear uniforms. The use of uniforms lets citizens know who security is and who the officers are. Both organizations offer in-house training. Some private security officers are permitted to carry guns just like public policing. How does leadership differ between the two roles? Public policing and private security both have a positive relationship with the criminal justice system but they are held to different standards. They use their resources to help work together when needed by sharing information, joint operations, networking, training and the development and promotion of state and federal legislation of mutual interest (Ortmeier, 2009). What is the relationship of each role with the criminal justice system? The relationship of each public policing and private security is that they both have the goal to deter crime. The public policing works to keep and prevent crime, maintains order, and responds to dispatched calls and reported crimes on public and private property. The relationship for private security is they can help out with terrorist threats, and other crimes that may affect the world, and in return that helps out the public policing in the fact that if they work together they can defend our homeland. What are the essential policies for each role? For private security the essential policies that would be needed would include to have a qualified staff, insurance, and have a license with that state, most are given after a background is checked at both federal and state levels. Some of the other policies that private security organizations should have would be the following : Acceptable Use Policy that defines what employees are allowed to do on company property, while using company resources and equipment, this should be made know to all staff so that there are no excuses or exceptions. There should be a privacy policy in effect; this is important because there are many laws and regulations that address privacy. Included in the privacy policy notification should be made that about the logging user activity, monitoring internet usage; including recording keystrokes. Password policy is another good policy to have in effect so that certain protocol is used when creating and issuing password within the company and included could be the account lockout protocol that will be used within the company. Destruction and Disposal policy which will define how and when to get rid of stuff. Storage and Retention policy will explain what items need to be kept for a number of years, things such as auditing date, financial history and customer information. The next policy would be an incident response policy and this policy would be to handle security breaches. Classification policy that way workers understand to use the information properly rather it is private or sensitive. Human resource policy and this should be covered in the way that employees are supervised, code of ethics, sort of like a company handbook one that will explain repercussions for certain behaviors and tardiness. Change management policy since one of the biggest threats to security is when things are unmanaged and unknown or even changed. The last policy for private security would be firewall policy and this would cover the essential components of the entire security structure, these are important to protect against cybercrimes. Public policing essential policies would include: use of force policy that explains how to not abuse the power of their authority, another police policy to have would be a policy on the code of ethics and this would define what ethical and non-ethical behavior is and what is expected of them as an officer of the law. Describe and discuss the importance of a comprehensive security plan, and its key components. The importance of a comprehensive security plan is in case something happens to the organization, it can somewhat be repairable to getting back on track. If an organization is aware of what the threats may be then they would know what they need to do to avoid these and prevent incidents from happening, instead of waiting for an incident to happen first. Developing a comprehensive security plan requires deliberate and methodical analysis. The purpose of the security analysis is to expose any security breaches so they can be addressed in a controlled manner and the comprehensive security plan can be created from a broad analysis. The analysis will keep resources in mind and will be directed based on the individual needs of the client and while protecting the assets of the company. The components of the comprehensive security plan include asset definition, vulnerability analysis, and threat assessment, selection of countermeasures and implementation of the plan. It is important to make policies for the client to follow along with their workers and these policies must be made know if they are expected to be followed. Incompetence and carelessness equals ncreased legal liability and financial loss. The key components consist of overlapping the features that provide mutual support and direction of the program: personnel, devices, procedures and policies. References Comprehensive Security Services, Inc. (2012). Retrieved from http://www. comprehensivesecurity. net Global Knowledge Training LLC. (2010). 10 Essential Security Policies. Retrieved from http://isaca. org Ortmeier, P. (2009). Introduction to security: O perations and management (3rd ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

BLK Enjoy the Dark Side of Water Essay

BLK is the first ever fulvic- enhanced all natural mineral water. This is a recent item that has recently entered the market. This product derives from a proprietary blend of fulvic acid which is a yellow brown substance. It is a derivative of plant matter that is mined from an 80 million year old source deep within the earth. Naturally black in color, the formula binds to the molecules of pure Canadian spring water giving BLK its signature black color, with no artificial dyes, coloring, or additives. Fulvic acid is critical in the growth of plant life, helping the transportation and absorption of nutrients. Fulvic acid’s small molecular structure allows for the fast absorption of over 77 different trace minerals and elements, powerful electrolytes, and antioxidants that are overall good for the body. BLK is distributed by BLK Enterprises LLC in New York, NY. It is a private company categorized under Water Distilled Manufacturers. It was established in 2011 and incorporated in New York. Product Decision As a group we wanted to choose a product that was different and nutrious and yet at the same time was astetically appealing to the eye of the consumer. We found BLK water to be a product that met these needs. One of our group members knew of this product and introduced it to our group and we all agreed that it would be a great product to learn about as 3 out of 4 of us had never heard of or come across this product. After our group sampled this product and learned more about it we were all curious as to why this product was not more widely known or advertised to become more popular. Research Objectives Our group will be using the five following criteria’s to evaluate the product as it will help us to explore the BLK Water in order to determine if the product is a success or failure in the competitive market. To have a successful product in the market, we question BLK’s attributes based on the following: A) Customer Interpretation: evaluative reactions ( perception) B) Product packaging/ Product appearance: package design, size, price, color, bottle volume C) Advertisements: T.V, events, word of mouth, celebrity endorsements, D) Distribution: grocery stores and specialty stores E) Market Segmentation: who are the main customers that are trying to be reached? Research Hypothesis BLK Water is a successful company. This water is a new emerging phenomenon that is sweeping its way across shelves nationwide. However, due to a major lack in marketing, we believe that this product is a failure on the overall business model and will not catch on like the other major bottled water companies such as Vitamin Water, Smart Water, Evian, or Fiji. We believe that BLK can do much better if they promote their product through different channels. Methodology A) In order to accomplish the previous section mentioned, we will need to research the product and locate it, determining the places that the product is most sold at: * Location of the product- we found this product to be available at all grocery stores, but not available at convenience stores, coffee shops, or fitness centers. * Placement of the product- BLK water is displayed in grocery stores along with all other popular waters and is lacking any display that really makes it stand out to the consumer. * Price- The price of BLK water is slightly higher than regular bottled water such as deer park, being about one dollar more; But is in the average price range of specialty waters such as Figi and Vitamin Water. Therefore we agree that the price is acceptable for the product. B) Take notes on our first reaction with the product in the grocery store environment. We all the same similar shocking reaction when we first found BLK Water in the grocery store which we will be explaining in our presentation. C) Do some research, then based on these, form hypotheses of the product to discuss why the product may or may not be doing well in the bottled water market. D) Develop surveys and distribute to the public using the following information: * Male/ female * Occupation * Age * Income * Would they consider buying the product? * Would they try the product? * Would they buy the product? * This will allow us to have an overall idea of what the consumers think of the product, thus providing us with a better understanding of the customers’ viewpoint. E) Collect data and compile all survey results- completed 11/13/2012 F) Review data and interpret the product G) Conclusion about the product Questionnaire Design We distributed this to our whole Marketing Research 342 class. This is our cover from our questionnaire. We asked 14 different questions in hopes to understand the potential customer basis. In our questionnaire, we questioned the product. We mainly focused on the water’s appearance. We used interval scales on our survey asking the question on a 1-5 non-forced scale. The participants could rate how they felt about the question 1 being definitely not and 5 being most definitely and 3 being neutral. For our demographics we asked questions regarding gender which was a simple, male/female choice, income, age, and education in a range format, which we asked at the end of our survey as these are sensitive questions and participants are not always willing to share these answers with strangers. Our screening question was our first question of the survey which would tell us the Here is a copy of our actual survey we used. BLK WATER Consumer Water Preference Survey BLK is the first ever fulvic- enhanced all natural mineral water. This is a recent item that has recently entered the market. This product derives from a proprietary blend of fulvic acid which is a yellow brown substance. It is a derivative of plant matter that is mined from an 80 million year old source deep within the earth. Naturally black in color, the formula binds to the molecules of pure Canadian spring water giving BLK its signature black color, with no artificial dyes, coloring, or additives. Fulvic acid is critical in the growth of plant life, helping the transportation and absorption of nutrients. Fulvic acid’s small molecular structure allows for the fast absorption of over 77 different trace minerals and elements, powerful electrolytes, and antioxidants that are overall good for the body. BLK is distributed by BLK Enterprises LLC in New York, NY. It is a private company categorized under Water Distilled Manufacturers. It was established in 2011 and incorporated in New York.

Tooth and Claw

â€Å"Disguises† Every character and their relationships between them in â€Å"Tooth and Claw† by T. Coraghessan Boyle, disguise themselves in many ways, both consciously and unconsciously, all for different purposes. The author introduces us to four major characters in this story that all interact with each other and have some sort of mask over themselves hiding their true identities and motives. The main character James Turner Jr. as recently moved to California â€Å"So that I could inject a little excitement into my life and mingle with all the college students in the bars†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he lives by himself in an apartment which his aunt pays for even though he has a full time job. This apartment is extremely messy and unorganized. It seems to me that James is not living up to his full potential, he is running away and maybe even hiding from something the apartment is perfect example of just that. James has a full time job but was recently told to take some time off and now he does not know what to do with his free time. James is drawn to a bar named â€Å"Daggets,† â€Å"Daggets is the only place I feel comfortable. And Why? Precicely because it was filled with old men drinking themselves into oblivion. It made me think of home. Or feel at home, anyway. † James has moved halfway across the country to â€Å"Mingle with the college students† yet he frequently visits a bar that is surrounded with â€Å"old men. † He has been eyeing a waitress at â€Å"Daggets† named Daria, but â€Å"hadn’t worked up the nerve to say more than hello and good-bye to her. â€Å"Daggets† may serve as another mask that James is hiding beneath, it reminds him of his father (who died sixth months earlier) and he can also relate to Daria because of how close in age they are. A mysterious man enters the bar named â€Å"Ludwig† who begins to show falsehoods right from the start. He begins to flirt with Daria and orders two raw eggs from her, everyone believes he is going t o eat them but he does not. After James has had a few drinks Ludwig convinces James to play him in a game of dice but doesn’t tell him what they are playing for. Ludwig surprises everyone and brings in a large cage with an African wild cat nside it, to everyone’s surprise this is what they will be playing for. James doesn’t have the courage to back down and â€Å"I couldn’t back out without feeling the shame rise to my face—and there was Daria to consider, because she was watching me, too. † It seems as though Ludwig sort of a con artist, he brings an exotic animal that he wants to get rid of to a bar where almost every person in there is judgment impaired. This was Ludwig’s plan, go to a bar, convince some drunk people to play a game, and dump this animal on them and leave. James is intoxicated enough to fall right into his plan, not knowing what hit him until it was too late. James wins the game of dice, winning the cat and immediately after Ludwig disappears and James is trying to figure out what has just happened. Daria witnesses this and immediately shows interest, excitement, and curiosity. â€Å"Daria rose and came to me with a look of wonder. ‘Don’t do a thing till I get off, O. K.? ’ and in her favor she took hold of my arm. ‘I get off at nine, so you wait, O. K.? ’† Daria is falsely identifying herself to James (unconsciously or consciously) she begins to lead him on. James believes she is interested in him but she is really interested, excited and curious about the cat and the moment, she is in for the ride. Daria has her own motives, it seems she does not really care about James. They go shopping together to buy essentials for the cat, Daria in control of the situation and in complete disregard for James. â€Å"I watched Daria march up and down the aisles seeking out kitty litter and the biggest cat pan they had†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢I’ve only got ten bucks,’ I said†¦she reached back to slip the band of her ponytail so that her hair fell glistening across her shoulders, a storm of hair, fluid and loose, the ends trailing down her back like liquid in motion. She tossed her head impatiently. ‘You do have a credit card, don’t you? ’† Daria is subtly flirting with James; she is leading him on again so that she will get what she wants. She does not care whether he has any money; she is so interested and curious about the animal that she will do anything to get what she wants. The next two days Daria stays at James’s house and they occasionally talk and have long conversations but becomes clear that she is only there for the concern and interest in the cat. The first day she leaves and says â€Å"Take care of our cat now, O. K.? † It seems as though she is implying that they are together and the cat is both of theirs. This seems to confuse James, he doesn’t know exactly what she meant by that. Replying to this he shows another falsehood by not showing exactly how he feels, â€Å"I shrugged in a helpless, submissive way, the pain of her leaving as acute as anything I’d ever felt. ‘Sure,’ I said. † She then pulls him in for a kiss and calls him â€Å"sweet. Every time she enters the apartment she goes right to the cat and every time she wakes up she immediately says â€Å"We have to feed the cat. † Soon Daria’s ride is over, her interest is lost in the cat and in James (if there was any real interest to begin with) and so is her curiosity. She soon figures out James’s real personality, how he is basically a loser and whatever interest she may have had with him, has been lost. After she has spent the last three days with him she ends up telling him that she has a boyfriend and that she doesn’t want to give him the wrong â€Å"impression. Whether she realizes it or not she leads him on this entire time and already did give him the wrong impression, she was falsely identifying herself and her actions towards James. James does not know what to do with himself after what Daria informs him. He formed a dependence on her, â€Å"I felt lost without her. † He becomes angry and hostile with the manager at â€Å"Daggets,† his boss, and himself. After he is asked to leave the bar for drinking too much and insulting the bartender, James faces the cat and essentially attempts to commit suicide. He goes back to his apartment, â€Å"Pulled open the door, and slipped inside. And then—and I don’t know why—I pulled the door shut behind me. † Every character in this story misrepresents themselves in one way or another with the way they act towards each other and with what they have people believe. Even the giant African cat misrepresents itself, it does not belong in a bar, nor does it belong in an apartment. The characters in this story hide behind masks, physically or theoretically all to gain something or to hide something.