Is Our Society to Dependent of Computers Essay

Is Our Society too Dependent on Computers? Computers have found their way into just about every aspect of our lives, and in most cases, they make things easier for us. They allow people to work from home, socialize with friends and family, and they provide an ever-welcome stress relief from school or work. Since their invention, people far and wide have become increasingly dependent on computers. Children today are growing up in a world where computers are needed to do everything from controlling vicious heat seeking missiles to saving lives. The computers role in education is growing with increasing investments and technological innovation. The computer is a good thing, but the world must proceed with caution and a critical eye. As people increasingly rely on computers to get through the day, the question begs to be asked: is our society too dependent on computers? Despite the many benefits of computers, there are also a number of arguments against them, one of which is the negative effect some believe they are having on children’s education. Illiteracy is a growing issue, and many say that computers are to blame. In the past few years, many teachers have taken to shuffling their students off to a computer to type out short, quick assignments that could easily be written out by hand. While this is not much of an issue for older students, it is an issue for the younger students who are just learning to read and write. Regardless of how much we are coming to rely on computers, printing and handwriting are a necessary skill to have. But typing out assignments has an effect on more than just the ability to print; it can also negatively impact their spelling and grammar. While most programs now have spelling and grammar-check, they are not foolproof; they cannot differentiate between groups of words that have the same spelling but different meanings and will often times suggest corrections that are not, in fact, correct. Furthermore, information is often more easily and accurately remembered when children have to spend a little time writing it out by hand, rather than a few quick minutes typing away at a keyboard. Because of these factors some believe, computers in school should be reserved for older students, longer assignments, or classes which specifically teach how to use a computer. Another case against computers arises when a person’s interest in computers goes too far and becomes an obsession. Computers make it possible to do many things from the comfort of our own home; we can shop online, keep in touch with our friends online, even go to school online. They make it easier to record and organize information and entertain us with a nearly endless variety of games. However, it is still important to maintain a life outside of the cyber world. When a computer becomes the central point of a person’s life, they undergo a change in behavior; they become idle and develop anti-social tendencies, and, in some severe cases, simply cannot function without a computer. It is a common thing seen in children who have been allowed to spend too much time on the computer, watching television, or playing video games but when it comes time to walk away, they throw temper tantrums. But it is not just a matter of behavioral changes, when a person cannot tear themselves away from the screen long enough to take part in any other activity, it can take a toll on their health. They may experience weight gain, strained eyes, and headaches, among other unpleasant side-effects. Computers can also have a negative effect on the environment. Firstly they are a major source of energy consumption. Whole buildings are full of desks running computers day and night, causing a major drain on our natural resources. New computers become outdated far too quickly. Manufacturers are developing hardware at such a vast rate that people feel the need to upgrade. After upgrading the old hardware is obsolete and is usually disposed of. There are a lot of harmful substances that make up a modern computer, and these should, but are not always disposed of correctly. Many end up in landfills. These are just examples of issues with household computers. Instead of writing a check, people whip out their debit/ credit cards to pay for things when they are short on cash. What happens when the internet goes down and they are stuck in the checkout line with two hundred dollars worth of groceries, and no way to pay for them because they do not have a blank check? What happens when everyone is driving their fancy, futuristic cars that run on a computer chip and something goes wrong? In a few hundred years, will anyone know how to drive the cars of today? People put their computers through a lot of grief because they don’t quite know what they’re doing when they decide to fix a problem or clean up their hard drive, but there are also errors in programming, bugs that need to be fixed long after the product is out on the market, and there are always people trying to ruin a perfectly good thing with nasty computer viruses. Perhaps the most convincing argument, however, is the issue of safety. Aside from the issue of sharing personal information such as full names and addresses, there is also the bigger issue of stolen personal information. As our dependence on computers grows, so does our comfort level with them, people are more likely to save personal information to our computer. While it would be nice to think that it is always perfectly safe to do so, the fact is that there are predators that have any number of ways to gain access to personal files, and therefore, any personal information stored on your computer. Even if you do not knowingly keep any personal information on your computer, if you bank or shop online at all, it is possible for someone who knows what they are doing to gain access to delicate financial information. There is also the threat of younger computer users being introduced to violence and sex. As many negative aspects as there are against computers there are also positive ones. The first computers differed drastically from the ones we are accustomed to using. They were so massive that they occupied whole rooms or buildings and were also relatively slow. Nowadays they can perform many complex operations simultaneously and there are numerous jobs that could not be done without the aid of a computer. Imagine how much paper would be wasted and how many trees would have to be cut down just to save the information that is today saved on a computer. Computers can also calculate and process information faster and more accurate than a human. There is an ever-increasing desire to get children started learning early, even before schools start. Pre-Kindergarten programs or parent teaching is necessary for preschoolers to be prepared for a kindergarten curriculum that no longer starts with the absolute basic skills and knowledge. Kindergarten has a more advanced curriculum than it did years ago, and technology is available to help parents teach kids the basics before they ever go to school. There are many educational websites that feature games based on math, spelling, color recognition, reading and other basic educational necessities that children enjoy playing. Getting practice in this way, prior to enrollment, allows school systems to start at a higher level. The easy access and sharing capability of the Internet allows students to access study guides, tests and even grades through their computers. In addition to making these materials available to students on their home computers, there is the fact that this technology allows schools to save money on printing and save time on distributing paper copies of everything a student needs to know. Not every student has the same mental and physical ability. Therefore, there must be ways to convey information and allow for completion of work that vary with some students. Technology plays an important role in providing assistive devices to learning or physically disabled students. The computer era has unveiled new career dimensions. Specialists are required by companies, organizations, governments and other bodies to run the computer innovations in these areas. Globalization has resulted to a more search and availability of international career opportunities. Through the Internet, organizations can advertise their job vacancies to the society regardless of border limits. They can source for manpower from all the spheres of the world. Timely and up to date information is now moved from one point to another in order to reach the intended audience. The core issue is that, there is faster and convenient transmission of this data to the destination point. Think of for example, the Internet, you log on to the Web and minutes after, you have written down your content and placed the send button and instantaneously its delivered to the another part of the world. This is truly amazing. Another area computers impact is the entertainment area. Most people like science fiction or action movies, especially the ones with the neat looking effects. Well, those graphics were mostly made by computers. Most of the movies today use computer graphics to make things more realistic. Computer graphics are mostly used to create spaceships, aliens, monsters, and special effects. Movies like Jurassic Park, Starship Troopers, Star Wars SE, and the latest Star Trek Movies used computers to make them look more interesting and realistic. There are even movies completely made by computers like Toy Story and A Bugs’ Life. Finally, the most signigicant role computers play is in the medical field. Their uses include storing patient related data, housing knowledge bases, scanning and imaging the body, and facilitating speedy communications. Patient records are stored on computer databases in the medical field. Details of the medications prescribed are stored together with details of any that cannot be prescribed. Appointments are scheduled using a computer database. Billing information is also stored. Hospitals and surgeries depend on computers for administrative and financial functions. Hospital monitoring equipment is often based on computer programming. Emergency alarms, bed beeping systems and X-ray machines are all examples of equipment using computer technology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT) employ computer software. High-resolution images are achieved with the use of sophisticated computers and infrared cameras. Some surgical procedures are even computer guided. Computers also monitor heart rates, pulse rates and brain readings. It would be virtually impossible for a human to do this. Computer networking facilitates fast communication. Doctors on opposite sides of the world can communicate instantly via the internet. Images and messages can be exchanged in seconds and conclusions can be reached speedily. Computers are also used in the medical field in the manufacture of medications. Patients benefit from readily available information on the internet. Computer applications help in research studies. Computers are a must have in every medical profession. Computers have impacted the way we live on a large scale. You will find computers in hospitals, libraries, schools and banks, each running tasks that would be difficult for people to do on their own. The computer has been widely considered as one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century, but it also is blamed for many day-to-day problems and even tragic events. As computer technology advances, the effects will continue to change the world for better or worse. One thing is apparent computers and the technologies they possess are not going anywhere therefore society will become increasingly dependent upon them.

Sakamoto Ryoma’s Life and Beliefs

Part 1: Introduction a- In 1866 a young samurai of low bearing forged an alliance that would change a nation and bring about the end of 265 year old Shogunate. b- Sakamoto Ryoma was an Imperial Loyalist whose efforts were essential in bringing about the Meiji restoration. c- In 1853, Japan was introduced to the western world by Commodore Perry. Ryoma began to feel that Japan's policy of isolationism was becoming detrimental to their society.He and a few others dared to defy the will of their Shogun to restore power to the Emperor and open Japan to the West. d- Through his determined formation of an alliance and lans for a better future, Sakamoto Ryoma changed the course of an entire nation. Part 2: Section 1 a- Sakamoto Ryoma was born on January 3, 1836, the second son of a well-to-do family. In 1853, while Ryoma was in Edo mastering his already formidable skill in swordsmanship, Commodore Perry and his â€Å"Black Ships† sailed into Edo bay.The experience of seeing the ships had a profound effect on Ryoma and while he envied the power and technology of the west, he became a xenophobe. In 1854, Ryoma returned to his home domain of Tosa and for two years spoke to Kawade Shoryo, one f the few Japanese with knowledge of western culture. From him Ryoma learned the nuances of western political, economic, and social systems. Ryoma was interested in the fact that there were no class distinctions in America and began to feel that a reform in the Japanese government.He returned to Edo in 1856 and Joined the Tosa Loyalist Party a political group that wanted a reform in the Tosa government. Ryoma later left the group and Tosa as he felt that a reform was needed throughout Japan, not Just Tosa. Since no one was allowed to leave his clan on pain of death, Ryoma was forced to use the alias Saitani Umetaro. – â€Å"He was one of the youngest patriots, yet at the same time he wanted Japan to have its own ships like the Black Ships of the United States. † S ource: â€Å"Sakamoto Ryoma. † – New World Encyclopedia.

Summary of God's relationship with Hebrew people Essay

Summary of God's relationship with Hebrew people - Essay Example food and companions to the first couple; God’s punishing of the first couple and serpent; Cain and Abel’s offerings to God; God’s interaction with Noah; God’s second punishment -- the Great Flood; God’s promise to Abraham; and God’s encounter with Jonah and Job. Collectively, God’s relationship with the Hebrews was established through the Hebrew understanding and living of the themes carried out by these Biblical events. Moreover, the relationship was also strongly made out of the fact that Hebrews, just like the other races, came from the same descendants -- the first couple. Specifically, the Hebrew was said to be a race coming from Shem -- one of Noah’s children. The extent to which God’s relationship to the Hebrews domineered any other relationship. This was significantly reflected on the Hebrew’s dedication. This dedication came to fruition through the writing of the Bible. Consequently, the Hebrew people were able to pass God’s will through an emphasis on themes to the next generation of worshippers. Because of this emphasis on themes, time-lines were ignored and contradicting facts ensue (Dj Love, Chapter 15, Study

Increased Women's Issues and Its Significance in American Culture Essay

Increased Women's Issues and Its Significance in American Culture - Essay Example Women were offered low payment compared to men in 1820 and this facilitated them to replace men in school teacher’s position. Women as they started receiving jobs, they gained an acknowledgeable position in the society. The concept of republicanism initiated equality between women and men, and even altered family and social values. Woman’s rights movement was one of the causes behind women gaining significance in American culture. Abolitionist movement and women rights movement took place at the same time. These movements were closely knitted with one another since they reinforced each other. Both the movements were associated with incorporating equality within the system. Second Great Awakening indicated that women shall be considered to be moral reformers of society as well as family. There were circumstances when women were observed to become a part of abolitionist sphere. This strengthened women in order to stand up for equality in the society. Abolitionist proposal enabled women to criticize any wrong happenings occurring in American society.1 Several American institutions were abused who not only supported women empowerment but also was against equality for African Americans. Women’s Rights Convention was organized in 1848 in New York. This was one of the reasons behind evolution of women’s issues. The convention held was an act of protest, mainly in context of mistreatment towards women in religious, social, political and economic dimension. The convention ended with Declaration of Independence, which clearly stated that women would be provided with equal privilege and right like men, encompassing right to vote. This change in laws and regulations made women powerful in American culture. The new set of laws designed was in favor of women and their societal position. American society noticed turmoil with the emergence of women’s issues.

What significance should transnational actors and processes have for Essay

What significance should transnational actors and processes have for the foreign policy analyst - Essay Example It is mainly the role of the foreign policy analyst who is expected to take into account the transforming nature of the statehood which has been experienced and witnessed in the second part of the 20th century. This is derived from the different insights collected from a number of disciplines that include anthropology, sociology and social psychology. From one of the aspects of IR researchers have questioned the happenings during the last two decades. It has resulted in the argument by various scholars that the processes of privatization, internationalization and trans-nationalization have in a great way resulted in the transformation of how international politics are currently conducted. However, there is great level of competition that is faced by the privileged actors and the foreign offices. These are increasingly faced not only from the available ministries but also the agencies in the governments as well as the non state actors and the international organizations. In this paper, the trends that have resulted to the role and behavior of these actors as well as their processes on the foreign policy analysts and practitioners will be discussed. In addition, it will also analyze the role of the researchers in these activities. Therefore, in this case, a question is presented on the extent to which foreign policy analysis, the sub field of International relations that are actor centric has taken the various related accounts of non states actors who have currently become of growing importance to this subject. The Foreign Policy analysts have made a disapproval of viewing the state as a unitary actor. Because of this the scholars within the field of foreign policy analysis should make appropriate analysis in decision making to involve the non state actors within the first elements of international relations. However, most of the studies have revealed that foreign policy analysis is still focused on the state actors while it tends to

Unit 9&10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Unit 9 - Essay Example To examine the issue of morality in environmental situations, one faces the concept of rights and duties made famous by Immanuel Kant. According to Gilbert (2000), this approach is better explained, to wit: â€Å"the basic position here is that individuals have rights, either as humans, as citizens of a given country or state, or as occupants of a particular position. These right rights confer duties on others, and the morality of a given decision or act can be determined by an analysis of these rights and duties.† The rights of the concerned citizens of Florida remain the protection and preservation of Florida’s coastline to be regarded as a legacy to this nation’s children. It is a responsibility to preserve botanical and biological resources to assist in an immediate rehabilitation of Florida’s oceans and address the still impending threats. One relevant solution to this environmentally ethical dilemma is to call the attention of government officials to reduce government subsidy that encourage growth in high-risk coastal areas. There are numerous conservation, recreation and civic organizations that call on local government officials to unit with their efforts and be the representative to establish a unified and coordinated government leadership for ocean and coastal resource. An immediate action is the only recourse to save our oceans. It is time to update ocean and coastal policies to prevent continued deterioration and unconcerned destruction of an irreplaceable natural resource. An article published in the New York Times on March 17, 2010 reported state lawmakers’ closer monitoring of humans who were found to have previous records of abusing animals. The report indicated that there is â€Å"growing evidence that people who abuse animals often go on to attack humans, states are increasing the penalties for animal cruelty and developing better methods for tracking

World Literature Phase 4 DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World Literature Phase 4 DB - Essay Example Other comparisons include the thought that sometimes the sun is too hot while his love is never unpleasant to be around, never too intense. In these types of comparisons, in which she is not like early summer nor like late summer, Shakespeare indicates that his subject exists in a space of time that doesn’t exist, neither shaken by rough winds nor too hot for comfort nor too short for summer. Despite this, he recognizes the short term period in which most beauty exists. The summer is too short to contain his love, but as time passes, â€Å"every fair from fair sometime declines, / By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed† (7-8). As much as her beauty seems timeless to him, Shakespeare is acknowledging that time cannot be held back for anyone and will eventually leave its trace upon her beauty. The second half of the poem begins to describe her in terms that seem to place her beyond the realm of the living, â€Å"But thy eternal summer shall not fade / Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st† (9-10), because time seems incapable of touching her. This idea is negated in the next line though, â€Å"Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade† (11), making the reader begin to wonder just how this individual is to escape the inevitable progression of time to which the rest of the human race is subject. The only way t o preserve such a thing, Shakespeare reasons, is through poetry. â€Å"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee† (13-14). As long as someone is capable of reading his lines, the beauty of his love will remain unforgotten and unspoiled. Because of these wonderful images that portray the depth of affection felt for another, poetry remains inextricably linked with romance and the involvement of the imagination. Christopher Smart’s poem, â€Å"Jubilate Agno† is quite different from most poems because half of the lines all start with the word

Internal and External Business Environments Research Paper

Internal and External Business Environments - Research Paper Example Answer of Question 1 The main five segments of the of the general business environment that tend to have significant effect on an industry and all the companies belonging to an industry (irrespective of the size and revenue) happens to be macro environmental forces in the form of political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental or better known as PESTLE. Although it is needless to say that all the factors are of great significance but as per the requirement of the study economic and social factors have been chosen as the two most significant forces to reckon with. The main reason for such choice is the fact that these two factors only affects the businesses & the industry but also have a close interrelation with the other forces and corresponding affect on the businesses and the industry (Porter, 1980). Economic factors The retail industry in U.S. happens to be second largest industry in the country. The industry is responsible for 12% of the overall employment of the country. Majority of the retail industry is dominated by the organized retail chains. The country has the presence of some f the major global retailers in the form of Wal-Mart (the largest in the world) followed by Kroger, Target, Best Buy, the Home Depot, etc. However, like many other industries the retail industry is also looking to combat the wrath of the 2008 economic downturns. The economic downturn coupled the high level of competition has meant that the growth rate of the industry is going to be slow as the economy is still going through a stage of downturn. The economic downturn has also increased the unemployment rate and reduced the disposable income which most certainly will continue be a reason for the slow growth rate. It is needless to say that Wal-Mart has been affected by the economic conditions just like any other retailers. However, there have been certain opportunities that have been available to the industry such as the free trade zone. Also in the year 2009, the retailer awarded benefits worth $2 billion that included bonuses, contributions, profit sharing and attractive merchandise discounts. Here it is to be noted that this was a move that was respected by the employees and the government also most of the retailers were looking to cut down on costs and employee benefits during that period of time. But from the perspective of growth it is to be said that the company needs to focus a lot more on the operations in the emerging economies. Simply because, the economy of Germany, UK, USA is matured in nature and provide very little opportunity for growth; On the contrary the emerging economies like India and china have a relatively un-taped market and hence would provide would provide a lot more opportunity for growth than some of the matured economies. Social Factors Off late the retail industry in the country has witnessed a paradigm of shift in the domain of consumer behavior. This actually has been an affect multiple factors. Due to th e environmental concern regarding global warming the customers have become a lot more environmental conscious and like to consume green products. Consumers have also become a lot of health conscious too. Also, as mentioned above the due to the economic downturn there has been a rise in the unemployment rate and dip in the disposable income of the people. Unlike earlier due the hectic and complex schedules and high fuel costs the people prefer to

Utopia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Utopia - Essay Example On the contrary, I think its' very far from being Utopia. But what is Utopia I would think that it is a world where there is peace and love among all men. But according to Plato's The Republic, he considered a perfect state to have two things: the perfect man and the perfect justice. A perfect world cannot exist if the people that consists it are flawed. I must agree albeit hesitantly, because come to think of it, the world is nothing but the sum of the people which consist it. Hence, to make a perfect world, the men that form it must be perfect as well. Although we have come a long way since our barbarian ancestors, we are not perfect still. According to Charles Darwin, men may have noble qualities and god-like intelligence and yet "men still bears in his bodily frame the inedible stamp of his lowly origin." Since it is our body that limits us and prevents us from being perfect, Plato has suggested in The Republic that in the modern world, sickly and deformed children are segregated and put to death so they don't contaminate nor burden the rest. They are flawed, and there is no room for flaws in a perfect world. Plato suggested that in a perfect world, there is unity among men and they are one with the state. Men cease to be mere individuals and instead they are seen as members of the state. I agree with this line of thinking because if men today would think this way, they would hesitate before doing harm to another, because if they injure another, they injure the State. And in a way, they injure themselves. However, to attain this oneness with the State, Plato suggests communal property under the control of the state. Likewise, it suggests that the State rears the children without parents knowing their offspring. All of these are aimed to prevent accumulation of wealth, brains, beauty and other qualities of birth. Again, I must agree to this line of thinking. Because to have a complete unity with the State, one must surrender everything to it, otherwise, wealth will be concentrated only to certain individuals, beauty and brains would only be limited to only one family. This is what is happening now. And as we see, it leads to inequality and injustice. Can We Attain Utopia In my opinion, it will be nearly impossible to attain Utopia. First of all, we are flawed men. And as things are going with respect to human rights advocacy, I don't think it is possible to segregate the deformed and sickly and put them to death. Such would be contrary to all tenets of human rights. Likewise, while it's more possible to have community of property as such exists in certain communist nations today. I don't think it is possible for the State to rear children. No parent would agree to give up their child. All of us are brought up in a family environment and we are taught how important family ties are. In the work of Rene Descartes, he concluded that a piece made by one person out of scratch is more perfect than a piece that evolved from different pieces merged together. We are the latter. The human race evolved and our society is what it is now based on various experiences. Thus, it is less perfect. To attain perfection, we must start over. Destroy what we have now and build it

Training Corps Essay Example for Free

Training Corps Essay My plan is to create a recruitment leaflet for my local squadron of the Air Training Corps (ATC), 578 Langley Park Sqn. I will include a list of activities, a map of the local area, for easy finding, as well as any extra information, such as website, contact numbers, email addresses etc. I will choose to use a word processor over a desktop publisher as I find them easier to use and I do not need to add backgrounds and borders to it. Also I can make it form the layout of a leaflet better in a word processor. The word processor I shall use will be Microsoft Word as I have access to it at home and school. The most important thing is that I make it attractive to the target audience (13-14 year olds). To do this I will have to find out what sort of things, that link to the ATC, do the target audience like to see. The hardware used will include an inkjet colour printer, to print in colour, scanner, to scan pictures in, and a digital camera, to take pictures to place in Analyse I have spoken to the Commanding officer and he wishes to have a leaflet made so that extra cadets could be recruited. The leaflet should be easy to understand and be found attractive to the target audience of 13-14 year olds of either sex. The information I require will be a map of the local area for the audience to locate the squadron, as well as contact telephone numbers, email addresses, and also the squadron website. To work out the most attractive type of leaflet I shall create short questionnaires for people of the target age group to answer in order to help me decide on the layout. When the leaflet is then completed it must be decided how they may be distributed among the general public. System Flowchart Design To produce my leaflet I first needed to decide the word processor that I would use. I decided to use Microsoft Word 2000 as I have access to it at home as well as at school. I decided not to use a DTP wizard such as Microsoft Publisher as I do not have easy access to them. I designed my leaflet so that it could be folded up into six sections. To do this I used the columns button at the top of the page to separate each side into three columns (Image1). Then I began gathering pictures off the internet to use in my project. The pictures I consider to be most important too the target audience are the maps (Images 2,3), which were downloaded from www. multimap. com. (Images 2,3) The front cover (Image 4) was made by layering different images from the air cadet website and adding the letters for 578sqn to be placed on the front cover over the rest of the pictures. I was able to do this by using Paint Shop Pro. (Image 4) (Image 5) For the activities section I used Word Art to create the title (Image 5) and used pictures downloaded from the squadron website to show the activities (Images 6,7,and 8). (Image 6) (Image 7) (Image 8) For the Duke of Edinborough Award section I took pictures from the official website. These included the title, different awards, and an image of an expedition (Images 9,10,and 11). (Image 9) (Image 10) (Image 11) Using Word Art, I created the title for the sport section (Image 12), which contains a list of sports in which the Air Training Corps take part. (Image 12) The final section on the Air Training Corps gives a brief summary of what the ATC is all about and gives information such as age limitations. Other information given in the leaflet include the time and days that the squadron parades and its address. Front Back Implement I had to change several things on my leaflet before I came to my final design. For instance the leaflet did contain information on Royal Air Force Stations, and aircraft. However I decided against this as it breaks the Official Secret Acts of 1911 and 1989. Other changes were more basic such as changes in fonts, pictures, etc. The leaflet will be folded in the following way: Testing I showed the leaflet to the Commanding Officer of the squadron the leaflet was for and he liked the idea and thought it was well designed, however to use the leaflet it would have to be cleared with Kent Wing HQ which would have been a lengthy and ultimately pointless process. Conclusion I conclude that the leaflet would have been successful in bringing in new recruits from the local area if it had been allowed to be given out.

The Solow Swan model of economic growth

The Solow Swan model of economic growth 1.0 Purpose Examine aspects of the Solow-Swan model of economic growth and identify whether capital accumulation has been the cause for growth in the cases of South Korea and Australia. 2.0 The Solow-Swan Model in brief The model shows how growth in capital stock (KM) and labour (L) affect economic growth (Y). It assumes that there is diminishing marginal returns for labour and capital considered separately as inputs and constant returns to scale when taken together. Mathematically, this is expressed as: Y = AK ÃŽ ± L 1-ÃŽ ± (from Cobb-Douglas Production function, where Y= National Income, K=Capital, L= Labour, A= Total Factor Productivity and 0

Theme of Marriage in Pride and Prejudice Essay -- Jane Austen

How is marriage presented in Pride and Prejudice? Marriage is an important theme in the novel ‘‘Pride and Prejudice’’ by Jane Austin and it is portrayed in many different ways. Even the very first line displays this theme, as it says ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife,’ which is said by the narrator. This is a clever opening as it brings you straight into the main theme of marriage, while also introducing the subtle theme of satire. The irony of the line is that the truth, and the plot of the book, turns out to be a complete reversal of this phrase, with the point being that it is a single woman of little fortune who must be in want of a husband, preferably of good fortune. One way in which marriage is displayed in the book is the way Austin uses the different characters to display all the various views on marriage in her time and then uses this to show her opinion through the characters. For example, Mrs Benne t has, in Austin’s opinion, rather silly views on marriage so her character is shown as a silly person to represent this, and Mr Collins is satirised throughout the book as Austin uses this to display her opinion of his views as well. Mrs Bennet’s attempts to get her daughters married are also satirised throughout the book to create an ironic parody of people’s aims and of the way they lived at the time. Elizabeth is one of the most prominent characters in the novel. She is the character whose views on marriage are the most closely related to Austin’s, so she is portrayed as the most sensible character and, since her views are the most modern, she is also the most modern person in the story. This is because Austin considers her own... ...yed so prominently is in Mr Collins’ proposal but it is present in all her views on marriage, social etiquette and most of society. Marriage is portrayed as many things in his book, as a thing of convenience, a matter of the heart or a tool used to gain status and wealth. The idea that is most commonly shown is that if you act mainly with your heart, not just your head, you will achieve happiness. This is a sweet, if unrealistic, idea. Austin uses many literary tools such as satire and character manipulation to build up or mock the characters, and through them the ideas of marriage. She displays her opinions on status, etiquette, love and connections very well, leaving us in no doubt of her opinion on all aspects, if nothing else. By making us relate to certain characters Austin manipulates our views to match her own and displays marriage as she sees it to be.

Identity Theft Essay -- Stealing Identity Theft Essays

Identity Theft   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today's society, there is a white-collar crime that has greatly risen in popularity among criminals. This crime is identity theft. Hundreds of thousands of people have their identities stolen each year. Identity theft is when these criminals obtain and use consumers personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, insurance information, and social security numbers to purchase goods or services fraudulently. According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 1.1 million people were the victim of identity theft. With this number, it is very evident that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our country. This paper will attempt to more thoroughly define identity theft. It will give examples of identity theft by examining the stories of Rosalie Pugliese and Mari Frank. It will show ways in which this very easily committed crime can be avoided, and in the extreme case that a person is a victim of identity fraud, to show the steps one can take to get their lives back on track.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to identityguard.com, identity theft is defined as, ?when someone uses your name or personal information to open a credit account, take out a loan, or make a major purchase. And if they can do it once, they can do it repeatedly, using each new account as a reference for the next one. The result is that identity thieves can run up thousands of dollars worth of charges or obligations all in your name.? In our current society, since there have been a great deal of technological advances made, it is easier than ever for a common criminal to steal a social security number, a bank account number, or any other piece of information which could help a criminal gain access to ones personal finances. Identity thieves can retrieve vital information in many different ways. They can look through your trash at home or at work and retrieve a discarded bill, a piece of mail, or a credit application. They can intercept your mail before it reaches you and take your social security or other information off of it. Identity thieves can pose as a telemarketer, claiming to represent a reputable charity or business, a bank, or even a credit-reporting agency. By doing this, they may be able to coax vital information from a naà ¯ve consumer. ?In some states your Social Security number is printed right on your driver?s license, so an iden... ...hat has been charged under their name, they are very much responsible for getting rid of the unauthorized accounts and restoring credit. This may prove to be a very painstaking effort since most credit companies hate dealing with these types of issues. It is very important, though, to stay persistent in the effort to restore a good credit rating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission, is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country. It may be the fastest growing white-collar crime out there. With nothing more than your name, your Social Security number, and date of birth, the only thing that can limit an identity thief is the thief?s creativity. They are able to do anything from open credit card accounts to open accounts and take out loans. With this basic information, they can get a job in your name, possibly tarnishing an honest person?s good name. They can apply for anything from cell phones to health insurance. With more than 1.1 million victims of identity theft each year, it is very important to know how to protect yourself from identity theft. It is just as, if not more important to know what to do in the case that your identity is stolen.

Employee Training and Development Essay -- Human Resources Business Ma

Organisations attain competitive advantage through the utilization of skills and knowledge of their employees (Bach and Sisson 2000).According to Subedi (2006:90), the highest value for training as perceived by managers, supervisors and employees was the ‘need for performance improvement’. If this is true then why is it that organisations and individuals still do not invest in training? Studies show that despite the recognition that training offers an avenue for development of skills, enhancement of productivity, increase in individual and organisational performance (Pride et al 2009; Bulut and Culha 2010), it is still quite rare in practice (Lengermann 1996).While some organisations invest in training, others find it more practical to poach employees, subcontract or engage temporary lower skilled workers (Bach and Sisson 2000). Cost, fear of poaching, poorly designed training programs, inability to ascertain economic returns and measure effectiveness of training are recognized as some of the reasons why organisations and individuals do not invest in training (Bach and Sisson 2000; Lloyd 2002; Jameson 2000; Van den Bossche et al 2010). On the other hand, while individuals may acquire new skills in order to be better positioned in the labour market (Grugulis 2006), organisations invest in training to obtain control also known as monopsony power (Booth and Zoega 2000), achieve competitive advantage (Bach and Sisson 2000) and to gain employee commitment (Bulut and Culha 2010). This essay examines benefits of training and development and possible reasons to why organisations and individuals are reluctant to invest in training. It also looks at the two main commonly practised approaches to training in relation to how they influen... .../www.traintogain.gov.uk/Helping_Your_Business/ttgincontext/ (Accessed 9 Nov.2010). U.S Department of Labour (2009). Occupational Outlook Handbook 2009: An Up to Date Guide to Today’s Job Market, New York: Skyhorse Publishing Inc. pp. 60-65. UKCES: UK commission for employment and skills (2010). National Employer Skills Survey for England 2010: Key findings report. http://www.ukces.org.uk/upload/pdf/NESS%20Key%20findings%202009_2.pdf (Accessed 12 Nov. 2010). Van den Bossche, P., Segers, M., and Jansen, N., (2010). ‘Transfer of Training: The Role of Feedback in Supportive Social Networks’ International Journal of Training and Development, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 81-94. Wickramasinghe, V.M. (2006) ‘Training Objectives, Transfer, Validation and Evaluation: A Sri Lankan Study’. The International Journal of Training and Development, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 227-247.

Differences Between Gaap & Ifrs in Accounting

Income Tax Memorandum 10/18/2012 Over the past few years, there has been a push to adopt a single international accounting standard in order to simplify commerce in the global economy we live in today. However, this is more easily said than done because of some very notable differences between U. S. GAAP and IFRS standards. One of the most significant differences between GAAP and IFRS arises when accounting for income taxes.The first issue that arises when accounting for income taxes is determining the tax basis of an asset or liability. Under IFRS standards, tax basis is based on the expected manner of recovery. These standards define the tax base of an asset as the amount that will be deductible for tax purposes against any taxable economic benefits that will be received in the future. Similarly, the tax base of a liability is defined as its carrying amount, less any amount that will be deductible for tax purposes in the future.Under U. S. GAAP standards, tax basis is a question of fact under the tax law, which means the tax basis of an asset or liability is the amount used for tax purposes. For example, in the case of an asset, tax basis includes the amounts that are deductible for deprecation, as well as any amounts that would be deductible upon sale or liquidation of the asset under tax law. Another key difference between IFRS and GAAP is how income tax expense (benefit) is allocated to financial statement components.IFRS allows for a full â€Å"backwards tracing† approach to be used. In this approach, income tax expense is recognized in the income statement regardless of the period in which the tax expense or benefit is recognized. Under GAAP standards, â€Å"backwards tracing† is prohibited, and income tax is allocated to the financial statement category where the pre-tax item was recorded. A further difference between IFRS and GAAP arises when dealing with Deferred Tax Assets (DTA’s) and Deferred Tax Liabilities (DTL’s).The f irst difference between the two standards is how DTA’s and DTL’s are classified. Under IFRS, DTA’s and DTL’s are always classified as noncurrent on the balance sheet. GAAP requires that DTA’s and DTL’s be classified as either current or noncurrent, based on the classification of the asset or liability generating the temporary difference. IFRS and GAAP also differ on how a Deferred Tax Asset is recognized. IFRS uses the Net Approach, where assets are not recognized unless it is probable (greater than 50%) that they will be realized.Whereas GAAP calls for the Gross Approach, in which the full DTA is recorded and then reduced by a valuation allowance if it is not likely to be realized. One of the last key differences between IFRS and GAAP in accounting for income taxes is each standard’s guidance for uncertain tax positions. Under IFRS, there is no specific guidance given, and a company can record the liability as either a single best es timate, or a weighted-average probability of the possible outcomes. GAAP however, gives clear guidance on how to account for uncertain tax positions.Under these standards, if an uncertain tax position meets the â€Å"more likely than not† recognition threshold, the benefit is measured at the largest amount of tax benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized. In summary, the differences between IFRS and GAAP accounting standards are vast, and each difference has a real effect on a company’s financial statements. IFRS tends to have less strict guidelines, and each individual company is allowed to use their own judgment on certain matters. GAAP takes a stricter approach, and most accounting issues have set guidelines and standards that a company must adhere to.

MHR

Motivation refers to the forces within a person that affect his or her direction, Intensity, and persistence of voluntary behavior o Particular level of effort (intensity) o Certain amount of time (persistence) o Particular goal (direction Although is definition is still being debated, employee engagement Is defined as an Individual's emotional and cognitive (rational) motivation, particularly a focused, Intense, persistent, and purposive effort toward work-related goals Employee Drives and Needs To understand how to create a more engaged and motivated workforce, we need o understand the motivational â€Å"forces† or prime movers of employee behavior o Drives (Also called primary needs) are defined as hardwired characteristics of the brain that attempt to keep us In balance by correcting deficiencies 0 Drives accomplish this task by producing emotions to energize us to act on our environment.A few drives that are consistently identified in research include the drive for social interaction, understanding the environment, competence or status, and defending oneself against physiological and psychological harm. D Everyone has drives and is born with them. They are prime movers of behavior because they generate emotions. O Needs are goal-directed forces that people experience. They are the motivational forces of emotions channeled toward particular goals to correct deficiencies or imbalances. C] Suppose you arrive at work to discover a stranger sitting at your desk. Seeing this situation produces emotions (worry, curiosity) that motivate you to act. These emotions are generated from drives, such as the drive to defend and the drive to know.The emotional reactions to seeing the stranger sitting at your desk represent the forces that move you, but you channel those emotions towards specific goals Everyone has the same drives, they are hardwired through evolution. The type and intensity of emotions formed in a particular situation varies from one person to the next. O Individual's self-concept (as well as personality and values), social norms, and past experience amplify or suppress drive-based emotions, resulting in stronger or weaker needs C] This explains why needs can be learned† to some extent. Colonization and reinforcement may cause people to alter their self-concept somewhat, resulting In stronger or weaker need for social Interaction, achievement, etc.MR. 405 By Colorist intensity, and persistence of voluntary behavior o Particular level of effort (intensity) Although is definition is still being debated, employee engagement is defined as an individual's emotional and cognitive (rational) motivation, particularly a focused, intense, persistent, and purposive effort toward work-related goals Employee Drives Drives (Also called primary needs) are defined as hardwired characteristics of the brain that attempt to keep us in balance by correcting deficiencies Drives and defending oneself against physiological and psychological h arm. 0 Everyone has deficiencies or imbalances. 0 Suppose you arrive at work to discover a stranger emotions, resulting in stronger or weaker needs.

Evaluate the part played in Macbeth by the supernatural Essay

By consideration to the text, evaluate the part played in ‘Macbeth’ by the supernatural, in its various manifestations Lady Macbeth, sleep-walks. How does Macbeth relate to an owl and king Duncan to a falcon? So how can an owl kill a falcon? Banquo is dead but Macbeth’s imagination is taking over to make him think that he’s a ghost sitting there. The witches’ apparitions, that they say and do are in Macbeths favour. The armed head: Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth Beware Macduff. The bloody child: None of woman born shall harm Macbeth. The crowned child: Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him. Later on in the play the supernatural turn against him. The witches can stop people sleeping. The witches can predict the future. The supernatural for example the owls are presented as deadlines, crickets and beetles mean death or evil. At the start of the play act 1 scene 1 where the witches hover through the fog and filthy air. The witches don’t really hover it’s the words that do the moving and the other factor that makes this work is that the audience believes in witches and the supernatural. In act 5 when Malcolm comes to attack the Scottish castle, they use branches from Birnam wood, as a camouflage to disguise the numbers of the English army and that goes with the witches’ apparitions. The witches knew this would happen but they only told Macbeth only a part of it, but when he thought about it, he thought they would never happen. With this camouflage Macbeth will probably be scared. It would have been staged by Macbeth and six or seven soldiers with branches in front of him. Supernatural means something that you can’t prove, things to do with spirits. The supernatural characters are evil. They are the witches and ghosts. The witches connect Macbeth to the force of evil. Where the place? Upon the heath. There to meet with Macbeth. The witches are old women that have supernatural powers, they speak in opposites and they rhyme when they talk compared to the other characters they will be welcome and unwelcome. They cast spells on Macbeth and Banquo to stop them sleeping. Like with lady Macbeth to sleepwalking and Macbeth seeing things for example seeing the knife above his head when he is about to assassinate King Duncan. The witches connect to Macbeth through his mind as his so called ‘conscience’ but in the play anyone who works with the witches, has no conscience. Macbeth believes in them but Banquo thinks they are imperfect speakers. Banquo also says that he cannot sleep because he has nightmares. I would not sleep; merciful powers, restrain in me the cursed thoughts. When they get the three predictions Macbeth gets very good ones and Banquo’s were ok but confusing because they speak in opposites, lesser than Macbeth yet much greater. Not so happy yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings though thou shall be none. The ghosts appear after Macbeth sends out his murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance. The murderers kill Banquo with twenty gashes on his head but Fleance escapes. In the banqueting scene, Banquo is a ghost pictured with twenty gashes on his head, but he probably only had about five or six gashes and only Macbeth could see him. Were the graced person of our Banquo present, who may I rather challenge for unkindness. Than pity for mischance. But it was all his imagination, Shakespeare would have shown it by having someone backstage, saying the lines of Banquo and the audience would think they were hearing Banquo the ghost too. They appear because Macbeth’s imagination was taking over his mind, and all it seemed that all he would think about was the witches and him being king. Because once he killed Duncan he wanted to carry on killing. And he killed Banquo and tried to kill Fleance because the witches said, Banquo would have got kings but not been one himself. I think that Macbeth has a lot of interaction with the witches, as he believes that they are good, he wants to know what they talk about and that they know the future, with the predictions and the apparitions. But most of the other characters think its something ill or sick going on with the witches and that they are bad things. So they don’t want to try and connect with them because bad things may happen. Lady Macbeth doesn’t see any of the witches or ghosts but she tries to link up with the supernatural spirits, through the light and dark, so she can be powerful with Macbeth, to be the King and Queen of Scotland. She links up to them by sleep-walking in the dark and she kept seeing the blood on her hands from King Duncan’s death. She couldn’t get the blood off and she walked with a candle, rich people did this because candles were very expensive then, just in case she woke up. What need we fear? Who knows it, when none can call all our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him? Will these hands ne’er be clean? I think Shakespeare puts the supernatural in the play to make it more realistic, in the times he was writing plays and to make them more exciting to watch and listen to. It would be very boring without the supernatural – the witches and ghosts because the play sounds better with weird things happening because the audience tries to figure out what has happened or what is about to happen and what they are trying to say. At the globe the supernatural was probably staged as something freaky happening. But the words would have described the things happening with little actions and the audience having their imaginations take over making them think about what is happening. The play without the supernatural would be something like: a soldier who likes power and has a sidekick, does very well in a battle, gets a higher ranking and lives the rest of his life this way. The witches make him think about being king so he wouldn’t have had the thought and he wouldn’t have killed King Duncan and had all those hallucinations, Banquo wouldn’t have been killed because in the three predictions they might not have said Banquo would have kings and they would have carried on being friends. It would have been a play that anyone could make up and would be quite bad. So having the supernatural improves the play and makes it very good.

Tire City Case

Tire City, Inc. Analysis As a lender, I would have no problem giving a loan to Tire City, Inc to help finance their growth for the following reasons. The first thing that is apparent is the annual revenue growth. It is expected to steadily increase by 5% in the coming years. This means that Tire City has strong operating cash flows to fund its day-to-day operations. Additionally, Tire City, Inc has improved in total asset turnover over the years, suggesting that they are indeed growing their revenue in proportion to sales. Also, their net margin, gross margin, and return on equity have stayed constant over the years.It is good that there has been no significant decrease in these ratios. Furthermore, their noteworthy sales growth from ’93-’97 suggests they are finding ways to bring in more money such as increasing their prices. Another thing to be considered is the inventory turnover and payables period. It could be a concern that the inventory turnover period is at almo st 60 days; however, the payables period has been decreasing over the past few years, which means that Tire City is able to pay off some of their debt to creditors more frequently.Also, the company’s current ratio has been improving with only a slight drop in 1996. This proves the company has liquidity and is having no problem generating cash. Plus, it is apparent that the company has more assets than equity as the years move forward, meaning that they are trying to lower their financial leverage and their level of risk as they continue to grow. All things considered, I would be comfortable loaning funds to Tire City, Inc to finance their growth for it seems they have the resources necessary to pay back this loan in the future.

My philosophy of pedagogy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My philosophy of pedagogy - Essay Example When I came to USA, the first thing I wanted to learn was driving. I did not know driving because in Saudi Arabia, women are denied the right to drive. So I was very excited to learn how to drive. I received the training from my husband, Anees. Anees started from the basics because I was the beginner. I learned the functions of different tools and parts of the car. In the beginning, Anees would take me to lonely paths so that I would not be distracted by traffic and would be able to fully concentrate upon driving. Besides, this also allowed me escape possible accidents. Anees taught me the use of gears and break. I learned the meaning of the letter on each gear. Letter D means drive, letter P means parking, letter N means nothing, and the letter R means turn back. Once he thought I had gained sufficient control over the car, Anees took me to the roadside and told me the significance of traffic signals. I found it all a bit confusing in the beginning, but the anxiety receded as I prac ticed more. Â  The hardest part was driving on the highway. Cars rushing past me freaked me out. I was not very used to fast driving. But once I made it to my destination, it inculcated a feeling of confidence in me. I kept driving ever since and today, I have my own driving license and can dive independently. I am very grateful to my husband for his sincere help. Â  I always believed that I could be a very good teacher. I polished my husband’s creative writing skills. First, I taught him how to write.... Once he thought I had gained sufficient control over the car, Anees took me to the roadside and told me the significance of traffic signals. I found it all a bit confusing in the beginning, but the anxiety receded as I practiced more. The hardest part was driving on the highway. Cars rushing past me freaked me out. I was not very used to fast driving. But once I made it to my destination, it inculcated a feeling of confidence in me. I kept driving ever since and today, I have my own driving license and can dive independently. I am very grateful to my husband for his sincere help. I always believed that I could be a very good teacher. I polished my husband’s creative writing skills. I secured my Bachelor degree in English language from the Spring International Language Center. I was senior to my husband, and my essay writing skills were far better than his. Owing to the fact that men in our country are weak in expressing their emotions, my husband found it difficult to write a good essay. Therefore, I resolved to assist him with essay writing. I started with the basics. First, I taught him how to write an introduction in the American style. I told him that he ought to begin with a hook. I told him that it is important to write a hook to gain the attention of readers. Then, I told him to write a thesis statement to give the readers a fair idea of the content of the body of the essay. I told him that the body of an essay elaborates on what has been said in the thesis statement. Writing the topic sentence for each new paragraph was a bit confusing for Anees, but he started to develop better topic sentences as he practiced more. I suggested Anees to use different kinds of

Effectiveness of Business Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Effectiveness of Business Communication - Essay Example Planning a business message is the first step in ensuring that the organization’s goals and objectives are achieved. Prior planning prevents failure and, therefore, planning before- hand the intended purpose of the business message is very helpful (Courtland & Thill, 2008). To ensure that one gets the right message across, research has to be done or carried out. This is with the intention of finding out if the organization is capable of carrying out or handling the intended message. If members of the organization agree with the intended message, it is okay to carry on. If the intended message does not augur well with some of the members of the organization, it is important that whoever is in charge goes back to the drawing board to re-evaluate the proposal. When the research is being carried out, the intended audience should have a say in the matter. This is to prevent little or no satisfaction from members of the group after the message has been put across. After the intended message’s information has been analysed and gathered, it is tantamount that it, the information, be organized orderly (Courtland & Thill, 2008). This is so that it may support the intended message completely. The next stage is the writing stage. This is where the information being planned is adapted. It should be adapted to the intended audience with consideration to their needs (Courtland & Thill, 2007). Communicating to the audience in a polite manner is the best way to go about this. Adopting a ‘don’t care’ mentality is not how to go about this because the audience may not be responsive. The message should be written in a manner that suggests or oozes positivity because the intended audience is much connected to the business as much as the person writing the message. It should also be unbiased. This suggests that the language used to communicate the message should not be for a specific group of people rather, should cover everyone in the organization. The use of a good tone when writing the message is also needed. Good tone use in a message could indicate that the writer is appreciative of the audience intended. If the tone comes off as being harsh, the audience mi ght think they are unappreciated and, therefore, may not be as productive as they ought to be (Courtland & Thill, 2007). Feeling appreciated in any job description means that one may consider putting in extra effort just to be acknowledged. This means that the organization may benefit tremendously from the extra and hard work. The words chosen when drafting a business message could also be very helpful in communication. Strong and positive words may help the message have a very strong impact and can come off as being coherent (Courtland & Thill, 2007). Addressing the audience in a manner to suggest that they are slow may take the seriousness out of the message. They may also not take it very lightly to the fact that they are being thought of as being slow. The completion of the message is the third, final stage. This stage involves other

MAGE genes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MAGE genes - Essay Example Although no MAGE homologous sequences have been identified in Caenorhabditis elegans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Schizosaccharomyces pombe, MAGE sequences have been found in several vegetal species, including Arabidopsis thaliana. A database screening was performed to identify all of the recorded members of both classes of human MAGE genes. This report provided an overview of the MAGE family and proposed a general nomenclature for all of the MAGE genes identified thus far. The MAGE-D genes were particularly well conserved between man and mouse, suggesting that they exert important functions. In addition, the genomic structure of the MAGE-D genes indicates that one of them corresponds to the founder member of the family, and that all of the other MAGE genes are retrogenes derived from that common ancestral gene. MAGE-A1 belongs to a group of germline-specific genes that rely primarily on DNA methylation for repression in somatic tissues. In many types of tumors, the promoter of these genes becomes demethylated and transcription becomes activated. MAGE-A1 acts as a transcriptional repressor. MAGE -A1, the first characterized cancer-germline gene, belongs to a family of twelve genes located on the X chromosome in region q28 (5,6). Genes of the MAGE family have their entire coding sequences located in the last exon, which shows 64 to 85% identity with that of MAGE 1 (De Plaen et al., 1994). (An exception is MAGE D2, 300470). The coding sequences predict the main structural features of all MAGE proteins, in contrast, the promoters and first exons of the MAGE genes show considerable variability, possibly enabling the same function to be expressed under different transcriptional controls. In their annotation of the DNA sequence of the human X chromosome and the predicted proteome, Ross et al. (2005) noted that the MAGE domain was present in 32 genes. In comparison, only 4 other MAGE genes had been reported in the rest of the genome: MAGE F1 (609267) on chromosome 3, and MAGE L2 (605283), NDN (602117), and NDNL2 (608243) in the proximal portion of the long arm of chromosome 15. The MAGE gene products are members of the cancer-testis (CT) antigen group, which are characterized by their expression in a number of can cer types, while their expression in normal tissues is solely or predominantly in testis. This expression profile had led to the suggestion that the CT antigens are potential targets for tumor immunotherapy. Ross et al. (2005) stated that the X chromosome gene set they described contained 99 CT antigen genes, including novel members of the MAGE, GAGE, SSX, LAGE, CSAGE, and NXF families. Ross et al. (2005) predicted that approximately 10% of the genes on the X chromosome are of the CT antigen type. The remarkable enrichment for CT antigen genes on this chromosome relative to the rest of the genome may be indicative of a male advantage associated with these genes. Recessive alleles that are beneficial to males are expected to become fixed more rapidly on the X chromosome than on an autosome. If these alleles are detrimental to females, their expression could become restricted to male tissues as they rise to fixation. The CT antigen genes on the X chromosome are also notable for the ex pansion of various gene families by duplication. This degree of duplication is perhaps an indication of selection in males for increased copy number. In this

Business Plan (3Gen Informatics) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business Plan (3Gen Informatics) - Essay Example A business plan is often considered to be a crucial step for an entrepreneur intending to inaugurate new business venture or expand business unit to a newly located marketplace. The plan generally assists an entrepreneur towards performing various operations resulting in attaining superior competitive position in the respective industry. With this concern, this paper intends to prepare a realistic along with a practical business plan for the proposed business venture relating to computer sales and service. In order to increase the viability of the business plan concerning the above depicted business venture, the business plan s would encompass various aspects associated with the type of business. In this similar context, the plan would clearly depict the business including its offerings, sales and marketing strategies, information of management groups and their roles amid other relevant factors. Brief Overview of the Venture 3Gen Informatics is a proposed business organization which would deal with the business of computer sales and service. ... inclusive collection of selling computer systems including hardware, software and network trouble shooting for small, medium and large business industries. The services of the organization will be focused on designing and installing network systems, computer hardware along with software supports and training programs. The objective of 3Gen Informatics would be to provide individuals with wide range of services consisting of providing solutions to network problems, hardware and software upgrades, repairing hardware and many more. Thus, the initial investment will be less as the company will focus on services more rather than selling hardware components. Additionally, the company would also recruit five new members in order to accomplish its different computer sale and service related functions. Choice of Sources of Funds for Your Business with Justification Preparing an effective and valid financial plan can be duly considered as one of the major aspects for entrepreneurs to develop a n effective business plan. The financial forecast of the business plan would typically involve various major outlines of identifying different costs that are required to start and operate the overall process of the organization. An effective and authentic financial plan for a business involves various attributes such as balance sheet, cash flow and profit statement which aids in accomplishing feasible and profitable outcome from the business operations (Byrne, n.d.). In this regard, the initial investment for starting up a business would require greater initiatives from the owners or the partners. In relation to the proposed business venture, a projection of US$ 100,000 can be made in order to start up the venture including all required expenses. In this regard, a sum of US$ 60,000 would

Estimated monetary value of modifying an existing Assignment

Estimated monetary value of modifying an existing application.contingency and management reserve budget plan - Assignment Example Contingency reserves incorporate the funds that are to handle the observed risks.On the other hand,management reserves are supposed to handle the risks that have not been identified.The contingency reserve is the amount of funds or any other financial resources that is allocated to a project above the amount that was originally designated This is used to reduce the risk of overruns. This also includes the specific amount of time which is quantified in man hours that is allocated above the first and the original version of time that was catering for all activities including overtime. The contingency reserve is determined at the beginning f a project though it is allocated during progress of a project when it is decided that the original allocations might not be fit.In the case of the question at hand, the contingency reserve is the amount above the original allocation. This is the amount that was calculated in the first part of this paper: $13,375. Management reserve budget plan.Manag ement reserve is basically an amount that is set aside for purposes of control of the management. It is different from the amount set aside for the completion of a project.This amount is held for the sake of any work that may additionally sprout out unexpectedly. Such an amount may be the one that can be held due to changes in the rates in the future completion of work.This amount is not used to cater for variation in costs. Setting out of the management reserve has no preset formula and can be a percentage of the actual total budget. Considering that the project at hand includes modification of an existing project, an amount that is not far off from the total labor cost can be set as the management reserve. I would personally set this amount to the one set it at the amount required to fix the software which is $3, 500. Assumptions for the reserves Owing to the fact that implementing and determining the reserve budgets is almost iterative, the ability of specifying the correct amoun t of the management reserve budget is not very clear. Additionally, implementation of budgeting that is probabilistic requires strong assumptions on costs requires very concise assumptions on the elements in the work breakdown structure. Such elements are like correlation and distribution properties. This part of this discussion will look at the various assumptions that have been considered in the determination of the budget reserves. These assumptions will be based on various models as described by various scholars as below. According to Goldberg and Weber (1-7), â€Å"risk analysis and cost management†

Philosophy of Justice in Plato's Republic Essay

Philosophy of Justice in Plato's Republic - Essay Example This phenomenon is reflected in the dialogue between Socrates and Thrasymachus, as the dialogue has been incorporated in a book I of Plato’s Republic. The view of Socrates on justice is in opposition to that of Thrasymachus, as revealed through the arguments developed by each of them. The evaluation of these arguments leads to the assumption that Socrates’ thoughts on justice are based on fairness and equality, a fact that ensures justice, in all its aspects. On the other hand, the view of Thrasymachus on justice follows a different direction, being able to result in social conflicts. It is probably for this reason that, in the end, Thrasymachus recognize the value of Socrates’ view on justice and accept his failure in understanding the actual role of individuals within the society, including their role in the promotion of justice. In accordance with Thrasymachus, ‘justice is nothing else but the interest of the most powerful’ (338c Plato’s Re public I). Thrasymachus defends the above definition by developing a series of arguments, as described below. At the first level, Thrasymachus states that the types of polities globally are many. There are countries based on monarchy, others are based on aristocracy and others are based on democracy (338d). ... Thus, justice, as based on the laws introduced by the most powerful, serves the interests of the latter; the above phenomenon, as Thrasymachus notes is common in all countries, no matter their polity. In regard to the above argument of Thrasymachus, Socrates notes that governors are also likely to introduce laws, which are in opposition with their interests; citizens are obliged to respect these laws, as also the laws serving the interests of governors (339e). In other words, citizens have to deal with two different types of laws: those that serve the interests of governors and those serving the interests of citizens. From this point of view, the view of Thrasymachus that justice is only the interest of the most powerful is proved to be invalid. In regard to the above, Thrasymachus supports that governors cannot introduce laws that are opposed to their interests. Rather they are expected to always promote their interests, making no mistakes in choosing laws that promote those interes ts (340d), exactly like those who are experts in a particular science or art. Those experts do not make mistakes since in this case, they would lose their power, has resulted from their role as experts (340d). In this context, as Thrasymachus notes, a true governor is not expected to make mistakes; therefore he promotes only his interests (341a). Socrates abjures the above argument referring to the example of a doctor, as used previously by Thrasymachus. Socrates notes that a doctor is a therapist; therefore, he has to take care of the health problems of ill people (341c).  

Case Study 10-1, Troon Golf Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

10-1, Troon Golf - Case Study Example The increasing difference in between IT cost and the purchase price forced the management to put in place TCO. At optimal level, the analysis of TCO supported the acquisition and planning decisions for the firm’s assets bringing a significant maintenance and operating cost over a significantly long usable life. Therefore, the use of TCO helped the firm in quantifying and measuring its costs. Further, it impacted commercial negotiations through the expansion of narrow confines of the IT prices to a large area of opportunities thus eventually allowing management to refresh its hardware at the optimal cost level. Some costs in the firm are purely variable while others are fixed thus displaying no correlation to levels of output. Expenses in the firm spiraled out due the fact that the firm had long-term plans that make it impossible to account for hybrid expenses occurring. Whenever a firm does not estimate accurately the step fixed costs, it is possible that the expenses spiral will be dramatic. Further still, the management of the firmed lacked enough experience and proper accounting skills thus estimation of costs was a problem until Cary Westmark intervened with a new idea. The firm should have decided to hire an independent consultant to ensure that costs are properly estimated. This is event since the firm’s support costs were seen to increase within the projected life of IT, which consequently led to the increase in the expenses. This means that were it not for the technology Vice President, Mr. Westmark, who introduced TCO, the expenses would have continued to increase thus lea ding the firm to a shut down position. Example of hidden cost will include damage to machines by a worker and time lost by a worker, which could have been as a result of supervisor responding to a injury-causing incident. The cost incurred when hiring and training either a temporary of a

Cult of Hera Essay Example for Free

Cult of Hera Essay Cult of Hera Olympia Hera, queen of the gods, also known as the goddess of the sky, women, and marriage. She has many cults in Greece and is highly worshipped. I am going to focus on her oldest cult, which resides in Olympia. The cult was constructed around 600 BC, in fact it is the oldest temple in Greece. The style of the temple is peripteral hexastyle with six columns on the front and back and sixteen on both sides comprising pronaos, calla and optistodomos. The columns are a little over 15 feet. Originally these columns were made of wood and were gradually replaced by stone. The temple was thought in earlier times to have been dedicated to Zeus and Hera. When the temple of Zeus was completed it was officially only the cult of Hera. There is still an image of Zeus in her temple. In the cella there is Hera seated on a throne and Zeus is standing beside her wearing a beard and an helmet on his head. Only the head of Hera remains. There is also an image of Athena with an helmet on her head as ell as Zeus, carrying a spear and shield. The image of Hesperides was removed out the cult by the Eleans. The people of Megara built a treasury and dedicated offerings in it. The offerings were cedar white figurines inlaid with gold, represented Herakles fight with Acheloos. Other items important to the ancient Greek, such as, Iphitus bronze disk and a carved ivory chest hidden by cypselos, were believe to have been stored in the temple. In later years the cult housed the famous Hermes of Praxiteles. The cult stood for almost a thousand years, until about 300 A. D. References JSTOR: The annual of the British school, Vol. 90 Gate to Greece: Guide to Greece: Peloponnese: Olympia Temple of Hera Heraion Cult of Hera 1: Ancient Greek religion

Gender and the Media Essay Example for Free

Gender and the Media Essay Socialisation is the way an identity is defined throughout life for a person. Children are seen a blank slate that is going to have a personality and roles set by the environment he lives in. A child generally has an idea on what gender they are by the time they are 2 years old. A boy will portray himself with the colour blue, would be very hyperactive and tend to bully girls. Females would be more mature, refer themselves to the colour pink and socialise with other girls, this is called primary socialisation. Personalities are defined through interactions with people that are close to them, there societys values and they learn the attributes of their sex at a young age and they know what is expected of them as a certain sex. The person is reinforced by social praise and punishment so the person can learn from mistakes and good deeds. Media has played a massive part on how socialisation as occurred to an individual. I am directly concerned with how the media affects young women within todays society, particularly through the use of gender stereotyping within young womens magazines, mainly through articles and advertisements. Here, the ideas and beliefs already created by the media are useful to advertisers because they are socially accepted ideologies. They know that they will influence women. It has been stated in the past that it is these media interpretations of The Perfect Woman that have been the cause for so many women becoming increasingly pressured into looking good and so dieting, keeping fit etc. This can, in extreme cases lead to serious psychological diseases such as anorexia and bulimia, where one of the main causes has been identified as social pressure. Society affects how people perceive themselves, Body Image awareness still exists in our society. Many people living on our society are influenced by the media and the fashion industry. Both are equally responsible for the increased number of people suffering from eating disorders. Fashion industries tend to only feature whose figures vary from eight to ten. Their androgynous waif-like figures are presented as representative of the everyday woman. In doing so the average woman in the street is forced to measure herself against an unrealistic ideal. Most models are above average height, have naturally lithe bodies and are aged between sixteen and thirty. Their image is constructed and manipulated by a predominately male homosexual industry which appears reluctant to show women as curvaceous individuals. Celebrities themselves fall foul of the dominant media representation of women. When society thinks of a family we automatically think of the nuclear family in which there is a mum, dad and often two or three children. This type is seen as the statistical norm until the 1980s where it was considered abnormal to deviate from this ideal family type and there were characteristics that came with this which were seen as socially acceptable. Children were seen as the outcome of a loving heterosexual couple and each person i. e. the mum and dad should have distinctive roles within the family. The mother should be concerned with motherhood and household chores. The father should protect the family and be a disciplinary role model, as well as their main role being defined as the breadwinner, this meaning they often bring in the most money. The mother should be the housekeeper who attians the house and looks after the children as they grow up. A young male would grow up learning the princilpes of the father and the young female would grow up adobting the mather principles. Post modernism shows that gender is the main topic in an individuals life as events that have occurred are directly linked to a individuals gender. Post modernism gives the individual more choice and that is the basis of post modernism, choice! The individual is more independent on their life choices; such old life ambitions of marriage and children are not compulsory but are a option that some people may seek. Unlike pre modernism and modernity where marriage and kids are ultimate goals and people automatically assume that this is the right path to follow. This gives way to new events that once were either not existent or unethical such as unisex and inter-racial marriages. It shows a deterioration of religion and supernatural belief, which leaves great division among people in identity and lifestyles. People are now working more flexible times, fashion has changed in such away that people can wear what they want, food is more oriental and music comes in a wide variety. Identity has separated into many huge groups such as social classes, ethnic group, age and gender. This leads to unrest to certain groups that want change as people now have a sense of spreading opinion and arguing their rights. Certain groups such as feminists, Marxist ideology and ageist rights. As choice and individual opinion now can be widely credited it gives chance for concern to be broadcasted such as the feminist supporters wanting females to be treated as equals among men. The first wave of feminism gave people the ideology in 1928 when they got the vote, which provoked the idea of gaining more such as the 2nd wave of feminism in the 1960s when women burned the bras, this caused great reasoning between the two gender differences. Karl Marx however says that society not the individual is the important issue as that eventually the working class will soon rule society. This radical change has brought in new changes such as the new man that is a unique gender that of a masculine and unemotional male, the new man focuses on his physical appearance and pays attention to diet, personality and self image, he is more emotional and doesnt fit in with a patriarchy idea. As post modernism has totally effected todays society it shows how an individual can make all the differences and how self concern and freedom is the new ideal but this idea could change and evidence suggests that it could lead to pre modernism of the old age as though it is a long term cycle of a society but critics say this is the final situation of society and the end solution is total equality among genders, races and age. This idea of choice could lead in any direction depending on current affairs within society yet time is not a important issue as this process could last a log time.

Levi Strauss

Levi Strauss Levi Strauss condition studie Inquiry 1) What environmen tal variables contributed to the 1998 position of Levi ? Levi Strauss is the worlds best-known jeans brand, however its rigid to see much chance of the association regaining its former glory without a substantial overhaul. Iconic or not, what kind of outlook lies in store for a association which derives encircling 85% of its annual revenues from selling pants? And only really two sorts of pants at that, which are also sold by just about every other clothing manufacturer on the planet. Either Levi Strauss needs to diversify substantially, and bolt on other brands or more likely needs to sacrifice its lenghty cherished however out-of-date independence and become part of someone elses larger multi-brand portfolio. These years of struggle against a vast array of competitors have merely added to the gradual erosion of the brand. The development of value path Signature has helped, nevertheless despite doubling in amount during 2004, its contribution has steadily decreased ever since. In the late 1990s, Levis became a victim of their own success. As well involved in corporate restructuring, the corporation effectively ignore a seismic shift in the youth market. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Levis 501 jeans had managed to dominate the market for everyday clothing as a result of high quality manufacturing and smart marketing. There were many kinds of jeans, went the accepted perception, however Levis was the brand to which all others aspired. A brilliant marketing campaign, chiefly in Europe, reinforced the brands hip status. However in the late 1990s, Levis jeans suddenly became a victim of its own success. They were seen by the advanced generation of teenagers as the jeans my Dad wears, and that lay them completely gone of fashion. Fashions in divide came and went nevertheless Levis failed to respond, leaving the market wide open for competitors The companys biggest mistake, arguably, was to ignore the baggy divide, which rode in on the back of the mid-1990s grunge movement, and remained the leading fashion style for the rest of that decade. While Levis stuck rigidly with the 16-inch straight-leg divide that appealed to the instantly ageing market who had rediscovered the brand in the 1980s, still the least hip of US retailers began selling extreme-cut. Millers Outpost, Tommy Jeans, JNCO and much JC Penney and Sears were selling jeans with legs as wide as 23 or 40-inches. The fashion-conscious teenage market began buying their jeans from other manufacturers, while a advanced breed of retailers, led by The Gap, captured the middle ground. Protecting their premium status, Levis refused to chase the market and strictly adhered to their long-established policy of only selling through specialist outlets and avoiding discount stores including Wal-Mart. Although this held the brands perceived value it also restricted sales to only encircling half of the US retail market. Worse still, later that decade the market as a whole began moving away from denim altogether as combat and cargo pants became the advanced fashion Charles Boisson Leaf 3 Interrogation 2) How could a sensitive and informative Marketing Facts System (MIS) have helped Levis to identify these environmental variable and form outlook strategies ? THE Demand FOR MARKETING SUPPORT In 1986, Levis relaunched the 501 with the Launderette and Bath commercials. The tremendous success of these executions and the campaign that developed from them has been well documented. All of the commercials featured the 501 jean and most stated 501 specifically in the end frame. The advertising success was not restricted to the 501 alone. There was a halo effect on the whole Levis range. However naturally the 501 took on a dominant share of Levis business. This dominance was intended. The 501 was positioned as definitive. It is an anti-fit jean which is fair for most mankind, and, in a sense, 501 for most human beings took fit outside of the purchasing equation. Despite this, there were (and still are) a significant number of mankind who, for reasons of personal physique or style, did not consider the 501 as the correctly fit for them. Moreover, a brief for range advertising can often lead to creative cul-de-sacs: a row of products and an invitation to the consumer to create his or her own choice etc. Consequently, although the objective of the advertising was not to establish individual fit identities, we did specify that each execution should feature one fit only and would talk about the benefits of that fit. Across a range of executions we aimed to establish a sense of the multiplicity of the fits, thereby addressing the key objective. Fit adverting Fit messages also pose a strategic and creative challenge. Human beings choose different jeans fits for reasons both of personal physique and contemporary fashion. If advertising addresses one motivation, it struggles to communicate the other. And the more obvious creative solutions tend not to be challenging or motivating. Charles Boisson Sheet 5 For example, a tight fit can be communicated by showing a thin person and a loose fit by showing a fatter person. Nevertheless the latter expression clearly does miniature for loose fit. And what of the mankind who wear loose fit for style rather than physical reasons? Alternatively, a fit message can be conveyed by showing the overall style or fashion of the wearers of different fits. For example, a punk in tight jeans and a hip-hop fan in loose jeans. However youth fashion cannot easily be compartmentalised into discrete tribes with conveniently different jeans fits. Moreover, young mankind quite naturally recoil from any cynical attempt by advertisers to mirror their own street-level cultures. And, as with the above, what of the human beings who do not choose fits for fashion reasons? We concluded that these more literal expressions of fit were not worth exploring and we directed the team to seek outside more lateral solutions. THE CREATIVE SOLUTION The creative team, conscious of the objectives of the advertising and the strategic and executional minefields to be avoided, came up with an innovative solution to the brief. They developed a range of executions each employing a black and white still from the respected photographer Bill Brandt to deal with one Red Tab fit message. They did not talk about fit in a literal path. Rather they implied the various fit messages. Moreover the images employed were not completely unrelated to fit. (They were not vegetables or fruit!) Rather all the executions focused on the human form, which is after all the basis of any fit choice. ADVERTISING EFFECT The poster campaign ran nationally for four weeks only in April 1993. Millward Brown tracking showed very high advertising recognition: over 40% of a sample of 17 to 29-year-olds recognised the posters. More importantly, spontaneous and prompted awareness of Red Tab rose from 35% to 45% and from 57% to 75% respectively. The percentage of respondents able to quote any non-501 fit number rose from 50% to 60%. We are unable to divulge actual sales data. SUMMARY The planners role does not only entail pointing the creative team in one particular direction; it can also involve illustrating to them the strategically unsound and creatively fruitless routes. In advertising non-501 Red Tab fits for the first date, Levi Strauss were entering a minefield. By identifying the best role for advertising and mapping gone the geography of that minefield, the planner was able to play a part in the development of advertising which maintained Levis best standards of creativity and effectiveness. CREATIVE BRIEF Why are we advertising? To raise awareness of the range of Levis Red Tab jeans by demonstrating that Levis produce different fits to compliment different body shapes and personal styles. Who are we talking to? Boys and girls, 15 to 19 years ancient. They are aware of Levis advertising and recognise that 501s are the original, definitive jeans. In circumstance, they may already own a pair of 501s, nevertheless find certain aspects of 501s either inconvenient (ie button fly) or uncomfortable. They are at the Charles Boisson Sheet 6 middle end of the market (early/late adopters) and are often insecure and lack confidence. They therefore demand to be reassured that they can acquire into the imagery associated with 501s, while having a pair of jeans that fits comfortably and flatters their individual shape. The campaign must employment as both posters and press. The campaign should avoid analysis of, or comparison with, 501s. This is not an opinion leader campaign, and is aimed at a younger, more mass-market consumer. Charles Boisson Leaf 7 Interrogation 3) Analyse the importance of the various marketing mix elements in the success :failure of Levi, how essential is design? Levis share of the denim market plummeted. In 1990, according to Tactical Retail Monitor, more than 48% of men chose Levis as their preferred choice of jeans. By 1998, this had tumbled to 25%, while Lee and Wrangler had risen from 22% to 32%, and private label brands including Gap from 3% to more than 20%. In sales terms the brand slipped from a 30% US market share to 14%. (Upmarket designer labels such as Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein got a great deal of publicity however never achieved more than enclosing 7% of the market). The percentage of teenage boys who thought Levis was a really cool brand had dropped from 21% in 1994 to just 7% by 1998. Levis position has, for the most part stabilised since then, nevertheless competition remains intense The Levis brand instantly houses distinct sub-brands. Chief amongst these is Levis Red Tab, which includes the legendary 501 button-fly design. (The number 501 was originally the products stock number, first adopted in 1890; the red fabric tab was first used in the back pocket from 1936). Levis Vintage features a broader range of classic retro designs. In pursuit of the youth market, the association has tried to turn back the tide with more extreme cuts, such as Levis Engineered Jeans, introduced in 2000 and supposedly designed ergonomically to fit the bodys contours. Some cuts are much pre-stained with oil. Another stylised fresh design launched in early 2003 as Levis Type One. These offered exaggerated versions of traditional features such as rivets, stitching and the tab, blown up in extent. However sales were slow to capture off, chiefly in the US, despite high profile marketing, including a Super Bowl ad (which the association later claimed admitted was unsatisfactory). They, al ong with another stylised border known as Silvertab, were replaced by the Levis Capital E path. Levis ICD, a partnership with Philips to market workwear with integrated electronic devices such as mobile phones, MP3 players etc, was withdrawn in 2002. The crowd also licenses gone the Levis brand to other manufacturers for branded T-shirts and accessories. Combined sales of the core brand improved in 2007, reaching almost $3.2bn. Levis is primarily a menswear brand, with just under three quarters of all pairs sold bought by men. After its many attempts to introduce more stylized or fashion-oriented designs had failed, the association agreed to abandon its premium positioning and chase the mass-market as well. A advanced design, Levi Strauss Signature, launched in July 2003, initially available exclusively through Wal-Mart. By the end of the year it had become apparent that the advanced border was the much-needed hit for which the association had been searching. The crowd rebranded the range as Signature by Levi Strauss, extended distribution to Target Stores and Kmart in 2004, and also introduced the range into selected mass-marketers in Australia (including Coles Myers Target and Kmart), Japan and other Asian markets. It was also launched in the UK (through Asda), France (through Carrefour), Germany (through Wal-Mart) and Switzerland (through Migros), nevertheless performed poorly and was withdrawn in 2007. Yet after a strong set off, sales of the Signature path have fallen steadily since 2005, declining fr om a peak of enclosing $410m that year to $260m in 2007. Dockers, first launched in the US in 1986, is the companys khaki-based casualwear path. It was launched as something of a reaction to inroads into the market by Gap and others, serving as a halfway mark between jeans and smarter dress pants. Dockers Slates, a sub-brand of dressier and more expensive trousers, was discontinued in 2004. Although it has been generally successful, Charles Boisson Sheet 8 Dockers remains very much the second string in the groups portfolio behind its jeans border. In 2004, Levi Strauss lay the Dockers brand up for sale in order to concentrate on its still struggling core business, however failed to attract a suitable buyer. Sales of the brand were reported at $1bn for 2003, however had fallen to enclosing $775m by 2005, with sales concentrated in the US. Since then it has repositioned itself as a wider casualwear brand, diversifying into shirts, sweaters and blazers, as well as a border of womens clothing. The unit was rewarded with an increase in revenues for 2006, its first for diverse years. For 2007, it generated sales were enclosing $915m. The collection also generates significant income from royalties on Dockers belts, footwear and other accessories manufactured by other companies under license. Levi Strauss has production facilities and customer assistance centres throughout the earth. Until comparatively recently the corporation maintained a policy of manufacturing its goods in the regions in which they are sold, however rising labour costs and declining sales made this increasingly unfeasible. Production in the US and Europe began to be farmed gone to cheaper regions in the late 1990s. Having already closed six of its US factories by 2003, the collection announced that the remaining four in North America would also be shuttered by early 2004. The collection supplies its products to encircling 60,000 retail outlets worldwide. It owns and operates encircling 200 of its own Levis or Dockers branded stores, and franchises encircling another 1,300. More than half of these stores are located in the Asia Pacific region. Otherwise sales are through department stores and national chains. There are three regional business units: Levi Strauss North America operates district subsidiaries in the US, Canada and Mexico, and accounts for almost 60% of revenues, or $2.5bn in 2007 (compared to a peak of $4.8bn in 1996). Levi Strauss EMEA is the second biggest market, however performance there took longer to recover than in other markets. Sales rose in 2007 for the first date in distinct years, finally returning above the $1.0bn barrier. Asia Pacific remains the smallest market for immediately, nevertheless has been the companys strongest performing region for distinct years. Sales rose by a further 6% in 2007 to $805m, with Japan contributing a small under half of all sales. Charles Boisson Sheet 9 Inquiry 4) As a strategic marketing consultant, advise Levi about what instantly it should immediately do ? It is every businesss objective to maximize their profits and lessen their expenses. Levis has invested on one of the most essential resource that a association could have its employees. Their corporate strategy has immediately been aligned with their human resource management which is valuing their employees due to high costs of recruiting and training fresh staff. It must be noted that losing an employee can be very expensive and high staff turnover can eventually ruin a business. The at the end object that businesses call for is for its competitors to benefit from the training, knowledge and training that it has built within its workforce. It is suggested that employers give their mankind the opportunity to create their own benefits decisions. This method, employees will capture a keener interest in their benefits. The traditional corporation benefits package often has a rigid one extent fits all approach; it fails to consider the varying needs of individual employees. In addition, the traditional corporation benefits package may sometimes be complicated and difficult to manage. Thus, it is greatly recommended that companies like Levi Strauss and Co. implement a flexible benefits package to assist reduce costs and provide a greater choice for their workforce. Furthermore, flexible benefits provide additional lifestyle choices along with traditional association benefits such as private healthcare and the corporation pension scheme which will allow employees to choose the benefits that they require which in turn will motivate them and create them more productive. It is also valuable that companies like Levi Strauss and Co. consider some of the following pointers: (1) ullet the main goals of the companys employee benefits programme, ullet the endure age that the association at the end reviewed their benefits scheme, ullet steps or initiatives undertaken to ensure that the companys benefits programme underpins their business strategy, ullet knowledge of employees regarding the benefits that the association offers and how they benefits from it, ullet issues like sickness and absence, healthcare and dental affliction, and (6) the extent of the relevance and significance of the recruitment and key staff in employers business and their industry.