Differences Between Beowulf and Achilles Essay

Beowulf and Achilles are different in many ways; one of which is their character. Beowulf is a great warrior and leader who fought to protect his soldiers and to make places more peaceful. He also perfectly embodies the values of loyalty, pride, and courtesy. Achilles, on the other hand, is not as heroic as Beowulf, even thought he was also a great warrior and had superhuman strength, he mostly fought for revenge, social position, and power. He was driven by a thirst for glory. Beowulf went on journeys because he wanted to show people that he is a reliable leader and that he can fight pretty much anyone from monsters to dragons and all the other kind of creatures. He also wanted to show people how brave and protective he was. Like the story of his fight with Grendel shows everyone how smart he is about certain things and how he is not afraid of doing anything. The part of the story where Beowulf killed the sea monster shows that he is a reliable warrior and that he gets his job done no matter what he has to do. As I stated earlier, Achilles mostly fought for social position and power, and the death of his best friend Patroclus, didn’t make Achilles more deliberative or self-reflective, wrath, pride, and bloodlust still consumed him. Achilles would also sacrifice everything just so that his name would be remembered. Which shows that the only that he mostly cares about was himself and what people thought of him. In my opinion Beowulf is more courageous because he would do just about anything to protect his people and that he is not afraid of anything. He also does that so people would find him as a reliable leader and wouldn’t be afraid to be his followers. I also think that he is more like a true epic hero because unlike Achilles, Beowulf isn’t selfish and he doesn’t seek for power or glory. He was a great warrior even though he didn’t become a king for many years. Beowulf was also more reliable than Achilles, because Beowulf cared about everyone, not just himself unlike Achilles.

Integrated research essay Essay

Introduction Families in the twenty first century go through very many challenges. There are so many issues that are affecting this unit. Divorce is one of the factors that are really affecting this unit. Divorce can be defined as dissolution of the marriage when the partners are still alive. Since the twentieth century, there has been an increase in divorce rates in the society. This has been very prevalent in the developed countries rather than in the developing ones. Such countries include the South Korea, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. Single parent families have become widely accepted. This has affected how people view divorce and its rate. There are various reasons that people give to explain why they opt for divorce. Other people site unfaithfulness or financial issues as a reason for divorce. A law court has to certify the divorce and also determine the terms therein. Such a thing includes issues after and before the divorce is carried out. Many spouses usually fail to agree on these terms. Such conflicts need to be solved amicably though this is hard. There are times when couples divorce just because they are incompatible. Some spouses claim to have differences that are irreconcilable that lead to divorce. Research shows that Muslims show minimal divorce rates compared to other religions. Divorce is not something that has started recently. It began very long time ago. It was even allowed by the Athenians though it was not common in the Roman culture. Divorce in general posses a challenge to many families. When a family goes through divorce, it experiences many things. There are issues dealing with allocation of assets. Matters dealing with responsibilities and taking care of children become a hard nut to crack for the parties. Relation of divorce to my own family of origin story In my family of origin, there is a story that is quite related to divorce. There is a story that goes- once upon a time there lived a man called Flamz. The man had a wife called Staiz. The two stayed together for some time but later on divorced. They had four daughters from the marriage. Staiz left the children with Flamz. Later own the daughters also got married and also divorced one after another. This story was used to explain why divorce is so common in my family. My parents are divorced and I have witnessed my two brothers also divorce. So divorce as a topic is quite related to my family of origin stories. This shows that family background can really influence a persons’ decision on divorce. Loss When a family goes through divorce, the partners automatically experience loss. There are always feelings of grief. When this loss of a loved one through divorce occurs, the parties are mostly not prepared to deal with it. This is because in most occasions it is a new thing. It is something that they have never gone through in life. When people get married, they always expect a bright future. When divorce occurs it is really traumatic even if the parties had gone through it before. The feelings of grief have to be there and the parties should not just feel normal in relation to this loss. This loss of a husband or a wife normally brings memories to the spouses that are bitter- sweet. It is normal for a partner to go through the grief feeling and this helps him or her to come back to normal. There are times when this loss makes people to be so depressed. It is healthy for such people to seek help from counselors if the depression takes a long time due to loss of a partner. This loss can make a person to be drained physically. Some people lack appetite and fail to control their emotions. Divorce can make a person experience grief due to the loss. After the people divorcing most of them even lack interest in sex, they can feel very lonely and even lack interest in doing any work. The individuals just criticize themselves. They ponder over what they did or did not do. These people need to accept that the divorce has occurred. This helps them come to a reality of the loss through divorce. The people should allow themselves to go through the pain of the loss. It cannot be avoided. Partners need to learn to function without the other person. The first reaction to loss in divorce is denial. People just think that the other person is just having some issues and he or she will probably come back to his or her senses. A person just imagines that the other party will just come back. People assume that the other party is going through a mid life crisis. The next point is where the earlier issues that existed in marriage begin to surface. There are anger feelings on how one was treated. This shows that the person is going through a healing process. The other stage is bargaining and a person feels like promising that he or she will improve or change in the areas that they were short. There is then depression and acceptance. Identity Many people normally wonder whether they can regain their identity after going through a divorce. Sometimes the marriage terminates when some partners have gone through so much emotional abuse. Other people even go through physical abuse. In the midst of this emotional turmoil, many people fail to find their real identity. Many people who go through divorce feel that they are just not themselves. They feel that they have just lost their sanity. Many people at this time of stress reach out to friends and relatives to help them come back to themselves. They just feel useless and not themselves. Most ladies who go through divorce feel that they have lost their respectable identity in the society. They even neglect their personal hygiene and good grooming. Such partners always need to come back to themselves very fast because more often than not they have children and other responsibilities to take care of. People lose their vigor and the strength to go on in life or to do anything. The parties just have to pull themselves back to normal. Many men and women who go through divorce feel they have lost themselves completely. Psychologists always help such people to come back to their self esteem and to regain their self worth.

Data Collection and analysis of data Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Data Collection and analysis of data - Essay Example by Canbaz et al (2002) the risk of having chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus, coronary heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and osteoporosis rises at the proportion of elderly people increases. It is also stated that chronic disease cause medical, social and psychological problems which limit the activities of elderly people in the community and decrease their quality of life. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that leads to elevated blood glucose and glycosuria which can be result in significant problems among older people who are often predisposed to skin trauma and malnourished (Dunning, 2005). According to Kennie (1993) diabetes mellitus is an extremely common condition in elderly people and it is estimated that the disease is prevalent among 18.7 percent of women between the ages of 65 to 74 years to 29.9 percent 65 to 85 years. It is further stated that over 98 percent of diabetes in the age group is of the Type II or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NID DM) variety. The medical fraternity has progressed over the preventive care provided to the elderly people with regard to diabetes mellitus; technology being used to screen the diabetes patient, there is conflicting evidence on the efficacy of treatment in reducing the progression is lacking for an elderly population. The preventive cares for the diabetes include strenuous sessions of medication which may reduce the incidence of microvascular complications, which is very rare among the elderly people. The preventive treatment includes insulin injections, change in life style, dietary habits, undesired levels of monitoring or supervision to ensure safe compliance and an increased risk of hypoglycaemia and other drug side effects. Apart from this the patient has to prevent himself from getting any injury as it may lead to further added complications to the treatment. In this age of development and globalization, when nations come together to discuss the implications of new diseases

Engaging migrants in the uk in the uptake of hepititis B screening and Essay

Engaging migrants in the uk in the uptake of hepititis B screening and treatment - Essay Example Most governments are characterised by focusing their resources towards control and prevention of the spread of HIV without paying close attention to hepatitis B. Once a person contracts HIV, the life of that individual is not threatened. This is because there are ways of managing the virus and the individual’s life can be prolonged through the use of antiretroviral drugs. These antiretroviral drugs help keep the HIV levels in the body down, enabling the person to live a normal life free of any complications (ACHORD, 2009: 104). The same cannot be said of a hepatitis B victim because there are no drugs available to mitigate the effects of the virus in the body, especially on the liver (ZUCKERMAN & MUSHAHWAR, 2004: 159). The fact that the hepatitis B virus can be spread faster than the HIV and that hepatitis B’s probability of killing its victim is high makes it a necessary requirement that governments adopt more stringent measures in curbing the spread of the virus. Spre ad of the hepatitis B virus can largely be attributed to immigrants who come from regions of the world where there is a high prevalence of the risk of contracting the virus. In the context of this paper, focus is going to be drawn onto immigrants of African origin. The fact hepatitis B affects a majority of people at their most productive age irrespective of their racial, ethnic or religious background is a cause for serious concern. Hepatitis B, as HIV, cuts across all cultural boundaries and its impact, on the health of nation’s population and economies is going to greater lengths than that caused by HIV if not properly mitigated (SHERMAN, 2012: 178). The migration of Africans to the UK has been on the increase from the 1990s with the annual estimates according to the LFS (Labour Force Survey) being at around 30,000 people (OECD, 2010: 88). The majority of these immigrants originate from the West and Central Africa regions of the continent. Migration from other regions of t he continent, especially South and East Africa, were noticeable in 2000. All of these figures represent the immigrants who came to Britain and never left. Most of the African immigrants to the UK are asylum seekers especially from sub-Saharan Africa because this region has experienced wars, civil conflicts and political unrest. Examples of these countries are Chad, Central African Republic, the Congo basin and Mali (OECD, 2010: 85). A common characteristic of African asylum seekers is that they come from Britain’s former colonies and the bulk of these applications come from Southern and Eastern Africa. Examples of these countries are Somalia, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Congo and DR Congo and Nigeria. Migration for asylum purposes has been on the decline, and a new emerging trend is now being witnessed where the majority of migration is work related. The bulk of these immigrant workers is African doctors and nurses with the rest of the immigrant population being accounted for by depen dants and students. The majority of these immigrants live in the Southern and Eastern regions of the UK with people from Eastern and Southern Africa being more geographically widespread than other Africans. The demographics of Africans living in the UK present a situation where their interaction with the rest of the white population is high. If they were carriers of the hepatitis virus, their likelihood of spreading the virus to the rest of the population

Concerning the American Language by Mark Twain Essay

Concerning the American Language by Mark Twain - Essay Example Although the history shows that the American language came from the English language, it is still unfair to consider the English language as the correct language and the American language is incorrect. According to the author’s point of view, there is no point of comparison since American language evolved from English language and developed its own identity as proven by 250 years of existence as the English language spread in the American region. As it spread, the meanings, pronunciation and other words also change. The language evolution was greatly affected by geographical locations and culture of people in certain regions. Despite of the changes in the language, the New England is still somehow heavily influenced by the England itself. The Yankees are the small population about four million people residing in the New York area. This was the region where the Englishmen planted English language in the American region. Although time has passed by, English dictionary like Webst er’s dictionary still calls the language as English language instead of American language. The basis for the language is still English language that causes the dilemma to the identity of the American language which is the very soul of the American people.

Border security issues (week 8) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Border security issues (week 8) - Essay Example Human smuggling involves transporting illegal immigrants across the border. The difference is that in human trafficking, people are forced to migrate, but in human smuggling, the illegal immigrant gets transported after exchanging a sum of money or any other expensive items (United Nations, 2012). The other difference is that in human trafficking, as noted in the first paragraph is that the relationship between the trafficker and the victim continues, but in human smuggling, the relationship between the smuggler and illegal immigrant ends once the person reaches their destination. However, there are those cases when a smuggled illegal immigrant ends up becoming a victim of human trafficking if the relationship continues with the smuggler, in which case it now becomes human trafficking case not human smuggling. The two illegal activities involve transporting illegal immigrants into another state. Therefore, they are likely to be eliminated or reduced using similar strategies. Some of the short-term strategies of reducing or eliminating human trafficking and smuggling involve identifying those policies that are likely to reduce them (The OAS Anti-Trafficking in Persons Section, 2005). It is also easier to broaden awareness and understanding to the people in Amexica, detailing how the problem affects them. The long-term strategies are likely to take time before they are implemented effectively. Some of the long-term strategies involve implementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC). The other long-term strategy is to effectively implement the UNTOC through its protocol to prevent, suppress and punish the trafficked people. An inclusive international approach is also necessary in the country where people get trafficked from that is Mexico and the count ry of destination such as United States. United

Extended definition paper on Urbanization and the environment in Essay

Extended definition paper on Urbanization and the environment in arizona - Essay Example In being overburdened with several problems related to development, cities have to suffer from severe crisis situations. This paper will examine issues relative to urbanization and the environment in the state of Arizona. The city of Phoenix in Arizona will be analyzed in this context because it is amongst the world’s most swiftly urbanizing arid region. In being a region that is growing and developing rapidly, the Phoenix area faces immense risks of high levels of environmental, economic and social impacts, primarily because of the growth induced urban heat island (UHI) effects that characterize urbanization. Researchers have found in comparing the Phoenix region’s yearly minimum high temperatures with similar rural settings that the urban areas in the region have demonstrated much higher UHI effects, which obviously matches with the speed with which urbanization is increasing in the region. Urban development has also provided an excellent means to examine the significance of socio-ecological relationships. The speedy urbanization process in Phoenix and other parts of Arizona have impacted the diversity of plant species and composition of the community at regional levels. Diversity of plant species and their density is a factor of abiotic sorting characterized in non urban desert areas but certainly not in urban areas. Resea rchers have found that plant species are richer in deserts than in urban areas such as Phoenix in Arizona. A comprehensive perspective is created because of the complex and diverse relationship amongst environmental change and urbanization. There are varied interactions and interconnections in the conceptual framework dealing with this issue in terms of interactions between urbanization and the political, economic, cultural, social and biophysical aspects associated with environmental change. Cross temporal and cross spatial approaches have to be adopted in carrying out comparative studies.

An Analysis of the Animal Rights Debate from an Ethics Perspective Essay

An Analysis of the Animal Rights Debate from an Ethics Perspective - Essay Example Roger Scruton’s â€Å"The Moral Status of Animals† follows a similar line of argument that defends all life forms on the face of the earth and reveals his intense convictions in ideological and environmental thought. Singer’s comprehensive analysis brings to light many aspects of what Richard D. Ryder has termed ‘speciesism’. Drawing comparisons to the liberations movements of the sixties and the debate around the concept of equality among human beings, Singer emphasizes on the need to take animals too into consideration in such debates. He attacks the norm that animals can be excluded from the debate on equal rights because they lack the moral, rational powers than humans possess. Singer points out that there exists an essential difference among human beings based on race, gender and demographical specifics, but the equal rights theorists overcome this by stressing on the basic human qualities. The equal rights theories also highlight the individual differences among human beings on which the concept of personal rights is based. Singer uses a systematic analytical strategy to break down these arguments one by one. Singer alludes to the publication of Mary Wollstonecraft’s monumental treatise, Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792 and how â€Å"they were satirized in an anonymous publication entitled A Vindication of the Rights of Brutes†, actually written by Thomas Taylor, a Cambridge philosopher. Taylor refuted Wollstonecraft’s by trivializing her demands for the equal treatment of women on moral, philosophical and social realms by proposing that in fact one should go another step further and treat dogs, cats and horses in the similar manner. This argument was an absurd one at that time, and Taylor’s attempt was to prove that Wollstonecraft’s arguments regarding the rights of women were also absurd, as it questioned a specific order in nature. Singer’s overview of Taylor’s argument

Game theory about north Korea Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Game theory about north Korea - Research Paper Example With North Korea’s (DPRK) both allies, the Soviet Union and China, recognizing the ROK government, DPRK expected similar recognition from ROK’s allies, the US and Japan, which was not granted, thereby leaving DPRK the only remaining Stalinist regime with only China backing it. Diplomatically isolated and economically down, DPRK saw the necessity to engage with the US – the nuclear umbrella of South Korea (Kim, 1998, p. 12-13), by extraordinarily exploiting its nuclear issue to gain US attention and diplomatic engagement in the 1990s (Barry, 1998, p. 95; Kim, 1998, p. 12), as North Korea sees the US’s recognition of DPRK as an independent state strategic to improve North Korea’s diplomatic and economic external relations and to allow it to obtain trade, aid and investments it badly needed to subsist and progress, yet defying US values to get into the north (Barry, 1998, p. 106). If conventional wisdom maintains that today, deterrence is the sole legitimate purpose of having nuclear weapons (Dadley & Martin, 2009, par. 3), the possession of nuclear weapons in poor states such as Iraq, North Korea, Pakistan, India, and Israel on the other hand is being utilized to define and empower the state (Bracken, 2003, sec. 2, par. 4). For example, â€Å"North Korea seeks nuclear weapons as part of a philosophy of self-reliance and a search for respect† (Bracken, 2003, sec. 2, par. 7). Thus, for North Korea†¦ possession of nuclear weapons is a diplomatic tool for seeking direct negotiations with the US† (Haruki, 2006, sec. 2, par. 5). Having lost the nuclear umbrella, it must have decided that nuclear weapons would have to constitute the pillar of national defense. Nuclear weapons, which would be aimed at South Korea, were seen as indispensable to make up for the inability to maintain the balance in conventional weapons due to economic collapse. When North Korea blocked the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and then withdrew from the Nuclear

Marketing Mix Analysis of iPad Essay Example for Free

Marketing Mix Analysis of iPad Essay Executive Summary Managing and developing marketing mix appropriately is extremely important to firms marketing and success. In order to marketing product successfully, the right product must be exhibited to right people at the right place, right price and right time. If a firm can manage the marketing mix successfully, as a result, it can be a source of competitive advantage for firms. Each element of the marketing mix should be analyzed and if necessary, adapted to ensure that the right balance is achieved to give the product or service the very best chance of success in the market place. Apple is a successful company and its previous product iPod has a high market share in the global market due to its brand perception and image as s high quality innovative brand. In 2010, Apple launched an innovative product – â€Å"iPad† in US, which is a tablet computer with touch screen. Even in the first launching date iPad had been sold 0.3 million units. The product no doubt is getting support of Apple’s brand image and it has changed the way to consumer lifestyle. That is why iPad is thought as a revolutionary who will arouse a wave to electronic industry. Apple’s iPad delivered the value to the customer via marketing mix tools called the 4Ps: * Product looks good and works well. * Right price. * Right place at the right time. * Successful promotion helps to a larger output. Apple followed this by innovation and introducing new products in the market to satisfy consumer’s needs and wants. The current author here will use the theories, concepts of marketing mix to analysis the iPad. The remainder of this essay is structured into five parts. It begins by defining marketing mix and its evolution. Second, it analyse the company, iPad, its competitor and consumer. Third, it illuminates the marketing mix by analysing iPad. Finally it ends with the overall assessment and conclusion. Contents 1.Introduction and Definition3 1.1Definition of Marketing3 1.2Definition of Customer Value and Value Proposition3 1.3Definition of Marketing Mix4 2.Description of Apple iPad4 2.1Brief Introduction of Apple4 2.2Introduction of iPad5 2.3Brief Consumer Profile6 2.4Brief Competitor Profile7 3.Marketing Mix Analysis of iPad7 3.1Product7 3.2Price10 3.3Place12 3.4Promotion14 4.Assessment of Overall Value Delivered16 5.Conclusion16 6.References18 1. Introduction and Definition 2.1 Definition of Marketing â€Å"Marketing is the process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others and forging relationships with customers.† (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009). This definition recognizes the importance of creating a long term relationship with customers and identifies the importance of satisfying customer wants. 2.2 Definition of Customer Value and Value Proposition Customer value is the difference between the values that the customer gains from owning and using a product and the costs of obtaining the product. Put it simply, customer value is created when the perceptions of benefits received from a transaction exceed the costs of ownership. The same idea can be expressed as a ratio (Chiristopher, 1996): Customer value = Perceptions of benefits The definition of customer value proposition is a well defined and persuasive marketing statement related to a specific product or service that details the reasons why a consumer would benefit from purchasing it. A value proposition is the definition of a firms promise to create and deliver customer value (Chapelet and Tovstiga, 1998). Fig 1.2.1 A model of value creation and the marketing process source: Adapted from Kotler Brown Burton Deans Armstrong, (2010), â€Å"Marketing† 8th Edition Figure 1.2.1 shows a typical model of value creation and the marketing process. Put it simple, marketing is a process cycle which consists of 5 simple steps as below: i. Customer buys or potential customer is contacted to understand the marketplace. ii. Finding out how the customer liked the product or what is needed. iii. Analysing these data and creating a plan that includes goals, strategy and its marketing mix. iv. Implement the plan that delivers value to customer which results in the customer’s buying the product and creating customer delight. v. Repeating the cycle starting with step (i) to step (iv) to make a better product sold with a better plan and continuously keeping this cycle going. Hence, create profits and customer equity. 2.3 Definition of Marketing Mix The concept of the Marketing Mix was first created by Neil H. Borden in his article called â€Å"The concept of the Marketing Mix† in 1964. In his article he explained the importance of a market to try to â€Å"mix ingredients† in their process in the market in order to be successful. E. Jerome McCarthy later grouped these ingredients into the four categories that are known as the 4Ps of marketing (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). Product What does the customer want from the product/service? Price What is the value of the product or service to the buyer? Place Where do buyers look for the product or service? Promotion Where and when can get across the marketing messages to target market? 2. Description of Apple iPad 3.4 Brief Introduction of Apple Apple Inc., founded in 1976, is an American multinational corporation which is best-known for its hardware and software products. The hardware products are: Macintosh, iPod, iPhone and iPad. One example of the famous software of Apple is iTunes, a proprietary media player application that works with iTunes store and allows customers to download music and offers other features of consumer electronics. Fortune magazine named Apple as the most admired company in the US in 2008, and in the world from 2008 to 2012. 3.5 Introduction of iPad On January 27, 2010, Apple introduced the much-anticipated media tablet, the iPad (As shown in Fig2.2.1). Fig 2.2.1 Introduction of iPad (source: www.apple.com) The iPad measure 9.7 inch wide screen display with multi touch screen with 1024 x 768 resolutions which is lighter and thinner than any other notebooks or laptops. Its internal 25 watt-hour battery can run up to 10 hours of video, 140 hours of audio playback and one month on standby as Apple claims. Steve Jobs stated that, with the introduction of the iPad, Apple had opened a market for a new class of mobile devices. (As shown in Fig 2.2.2) Fig2.2.2 Apple iPad First Hands-on (source: http://www.ipadforums.net) 3.6 Brief Consumer Profile Consumer market can be defined as â€Å"all the individuals and households who buy or acquire goods and services for personal consumption† and consumer buying behavior can be defined as â€Å"the buying behavior of final consumers, individuals and households who buy goods and services for personal consumption† (Kotler, 2009). Table 2.3.1 shows the analysis of market segmentation for iPad. SEGMENTATION BASE| SELECTEDSEGMENTATION VARIABLES| Geographic Segmentation| Region| West Malaysia, east Malaysia| City size| Major metropolitan areas, cities| Density of area| Urban| Climate| Hot, humid, rainy| Demographic Segmentation| Age| 18-34, 35-49, 50-64| Sex| Male, female| Married status| Single, married, divorced, living together| Income| RM40,000 and over| Education| College, college graduate, postgraduate| Occupation| Professional, white-collar| Psychological| Needs| Sense of self-worth, fashionable| Personality| Extroverts, novelty-seeker, aggressives| Perception| Low-risk| Learning-involvement| High-involvement| Attitudes| Possitive attitude| Psychographic| Lifestyle| Couch-potatoes, outdoor enthusiasts, status-seekers| Cultures| Malay, Chinese, Indian, and other foreigners| Religion| Muslim, buddhism, hinduism, christian, catholic, and others| Social| Middle, upper| Family| Bachelors, young married, full nesters, empty nesters| Use-Rated Segmentation| Usage rate| Heavy users, medium users| Awareness status| Aware, interested, enthusiastic| Brand loyalty| Strong| Use-Situation Segmentation| Time| Leisure, work, morning, night| Objective| Personal, fun, achievement| Location| Home, work, mega mall, restaurant| Person| Self, family members, friends, peers| Benefit Segmentation| Convenience, social acceptance, easy e-book reading, value-for-the-money, service| Table 2.3.1 Market segmentation for iPad From analysis above can see that most of Apple’s users are high-end clients who have the strong purchasing power, easily accept new technology and they are very loyal to Apple. 3.7 Brief Competitor Profile Apple iPad bring threats and impact to PC industry in some way. On one hand, the hot-sell of iPad attracts many PC manufacturers set foot in this field. So the other tablet computers will be the biggest competitor, such as Blackberry’s playbook, this is a tablet computer which located in business person, and it will also attract public’s eyes because of its vast multimedia function. On the other hand, the price advantage of netbook is also a challenge to iPad. After all compared with traditional computer, iPad may not a necessity. To some business and professional people, they will choose the traditional notebook rather than iPad. 3. Marketing Mix Analysis of iPad According to the information that searches from magazines and internet, the author knows many information of iPad. The author here will use the theories, concepts of marketing mix to analysis the iPad. 4.8 Product â€Å"Product means the goods-and-services combination the company offers to the target market. â€Å" (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009). The iPad bridges the gap between smart phone and laptop, it offers equivalent range of features and functions that a computer does. It has internet capabilities running on both Wi-Fi and 3G. Some of the features are discussed previously. Fig 3.1.1 shows its tech specs. Access to Apple Apps Store which has over 300,000 applications and to iTunes are attractive features of iPad. Fig 3.1.1 Tech Specs for Apple iPad (source: http://www.apple.com) Value delivered to customer: 1) Convenient to Carry and Easy to Use Compared to functionalities and performance, it is surprised that iPad weighs only 1.5 pounds. It is very thin and sleek measuring only 0.5 inches. This lightweight iPad is very useful for business trip, making it easy to transport as compared to a laptop. Not only it is easier to carry it around, but also be able to use it to check e-mails, show videos and photos to people instantly whenever required with its long battery life, which at 10 hours is 2-5 times longer than a notebook (As shown in Fig 3.1.2). Fig 3.1.2 E-mail and photo function for iPad (source: http://www.cnbeta.com) 2) Easy for E-Book Reading One benefit that can’t miss is the iBooks Application. Customer can download the favorite e-books to iPad and read while traveling (As shown in Fig 3.1.3). Fig 3.1.3 E-books on Apple iPad (source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Retrieving books to read on ibooks application on iPad is simply easy. Browse through the e-bookshelf on the iPad, choose one title wish to read and click, the book opens in front. Customer can view the book in portrait or landscape, and the way the pages flip is awesome flip it with finger and looks just like a real book. 3) Excellent Service for Customer What’s more, the service of iPad is very nice. Apple has its own key service iTunes. Customer can get this value to enjoy the all kinds of internet resources such as music, video and applications (As shown in Fig 3.1.4). Fig 3.1.4 iTunes on Apple iPad (source: http://www.ipadforums.net guardian.co.uk guardia guardia) The iTunes online store makes it incredibly easy to purchase songs and load them onto the devices. When customer wants to watch or listen, they neither need to search from the CDs nor television channels. What they need to do is just opening the iTunes, all they want is in iTunes, it let the media browse much faster, it is easier to sort. 4.9 Price â€Å"Price is the amount of money customers have to pay to obtain the product. â€Å" (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009). The iPad is priced starting from $499 for 16 GB storage to $829 for 64GB storage and 3G connectivity. In detail, tab 3.2.1 shows the price of iPad selling in Malaysia. iPad| 16G| 32G| 64G| Wi-Fi| RM 1, 549.00| RM 1, 849.00| RM 2, 149.00| Wi-Fi + 3G| RM 1, 999.00| RM 2, 299.00| RM 2, 599.00| Tab 3.2.1 Selling price of iPad (source: http://www.apple.com guardian.co.uk guardia guardia) Value delivered to customer: 1) Eco-friendly Device for Environment Protection The iPad is made of recyclable glass and Aluminum and the packaging material is recyclable the packing is efficiently done. It is not using Arsenic, PVC, bromine fire, Mercury as the company has restricted the use of harmful chemicals. With such price, customers are not buying the fashionable device only, more importantly, they are making contribution to environment protection. Fig 3.2.1 shows how green is the iPad. Fig3.2.1 How green is the iPad (source: http://sortable.com) 2) Flexible Price as Actual Needs The iPad price varies according to its storage capacity and the internet access capacity, which leads to reducing the initial cost on the first ever tablets based on customer’s actually needs and application (As shown in Fig3.2.2). Fig3.2.2 Price and configuration of the iPad (source: http://www.apple.com) 3) Cost Saving with Maxis Bundled Package It is available on Maxis bundled packages with a 24-month contract based on different types of iPad internet plan (As shown in Fig 3.2.3). By doing so, the price of iPad has been dropped down from RM450 to RM950. The plan is much more attractive not only for those who can’t afford to pay for the high price, but also for some of the SME to extend their business. Fig 3.2.3 Maxis iPad Bundled Packages (source: http://www.maxis.com.my) 4.10 Place â€Å"Place includes company activities that make the product available to target consumers. â€Å" (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009). Apple started selling the iPad not only from its official websites, but also retail outlets and Apple Store. Value delivered to customer 1) Easy Walk-in Location for Purchase The iPad can be purchased from Apple Store, Apple Premium Reseller and Apple Authorized Reseller located in Malaysia. All shops are conveniently located and beautifully designed, identified by the large backlit Apple logo, such as in most famous shopping mall like Sunway Primary, One Utama, KLCC and Mid Valley in Selangor, even in Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak. The value is so easy for customer to come and have a journey on iPad (As shown in Fig 3.3.1). Fig 3.3.1 Apple shops in Malaysia In each shop, customer will be able to find dedicated Apple-trained and Apple-certified Mac experts who can come up with the right solution for you. 2) Time-Saving Online Order Apple iPad are also available on internet for the customers on Apple’s website. Online purchase is the easiest and time saving way for most of them (As shown in Fig 3.3.2). Fig3.3.2 Online Apple store for iPad (source: http://www.apple.com) On the website, the Apple explains the number of features and benefits of iPad. This adds the value to the consumers as convenience is a value that people appreciate and for which they will pay more than the actual price. 3) Golden Service for Apple Loyalty When customer are on the go, the Apple Store app is the best way to research, personalize and buy products from Apple and get the most out of customer’s visits to the Apple Retail Store for Apple loyal fans. Fig 3.3.3 shows what can do with the Apple Store app on the iPhone or iPod touch from search to pay. Fig3.3.3 Apple store apps for iPhone and iPod Touch (source: http://www.apple.com) 4.11 Promotion â€Å"Promotion means activities that communicate the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it. â€Å" (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009) Apple Company had been promoting the iPad with the help of social media campaigns and multi-channel media strategy. Value delivered to customer: 1) Multiple Channel for Better Understanding of iPad The online promotion by Apple on Facebook, YouTube and other related websites approaches to the consumers added more value to the decision of consumers of buying iPad. Same like in stores all the information is available online for customers. Customers can download brochure from its website for their convenience. When Apple announced the idea of iPad, most fans write blogs and share through internet. Customer will see them and many videos about iPad, some of them are made by Apple and some are made by other people. These blogs and videos are shared by many other people through many ways (As shown in Fig 3.4.1). Fig3.4.1 Video sharing about iPad (source: http://www.9to5iPad.com/) 2) Custom Engraving of iPad Apple had offered free iPad engraving from its online store, allowing customers to add a personal touch to the tablet in time for the holiday seasons (As shown in Fig 3.4.2). Customers are given the option to engrave up to 2 lines of free text on the back of an iPad after selecting an iPad model and any desired accessories from the online store. Fig 3.4.2 Website about iPad engraving (Source: http://store.apple.com/) 3) Free Delivery for On-line Purchase When purchasing the iPad online from Apple’s official website, customer will get the value of free delivery. Just wait for 3-4 business days, the product will be arrived on hand safely. 4. Assessment of Overall Value Delivered Apple has always placed a major emphasis on the marketing and the brand awareness of its products. The iPad’s advantage is that they offer several different features in one product. Converging all the new technology into one product is the route apple is seeking. It’s making life easier for their consumers by being able to conduct many applications in the one product. Apple’s iPad followed all the 4P’s of marketing mix to deliver the high level of value to the customers. The company has manufactured an iPad using strong in-built applications. The gadget permits people to work and entertain anytime anywhere, as a value of experiencing its easy and convenient use. It provides value to customers through a huge number of features which helps in saving time and energy. Adding more to customer value the price of iPad is competitive and flexible in the market as discussed above. It advertised on T.V., newspapers, magazine, radios and also on internet, which makes people have clearer understanding in various channel. It provides value by available at all the apple stores and website. From the iPad’s 4P’s analysis, we can easily see the difference of it, and can answer the question â€Å"why people buy it which seems unnecessary product.† Apple iPad satisfy their needs and this delivers the value as a product and service in terms of features, style performance, durability, quality, reliability and design to the customer. 5. Conclusion Apple iPad is a new product which has made a dent in the history of tablet business domain and the first successful product. This has also ignited the demand for new and improved tablets from Apple and other competitors. Apple has used the 4P’s of marketing in a very efficient and proper manner, so that added the value to the customer’s decisions of purchasing iPad. When Apple introduced iPad, they intended to come across the consumer’s wants and demands which would satisfy to their lifestyles. Apple in future which demands more innovative products and the company still need to adapt to expected changes in iPad which they have already started in their new iPad 2. With their experience, they are able to continue strengthen its position in the industry. 6. References 1. Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong. (2009). Principles of Marketing. (7th Edition). Australia. Pearson. 2. Kotler Brown Burton Deans Armstrong. (2010). Marketing (8th Edition). Australia. Pearson. 3. Borden, N. H. (1964). â€Å"The concept of the Marketing Mix†. Journal of Advertising Research. Vol II 4. APDGT YAMAMOTO. â€Å"Understanding Customer Value Concept: Key To Success†. pp. 547-552. 5. Chapelet, B. and Tovstiga, G. (1998), â€Å"Development of a research methodology for accessing a firm’s business process-related technologies†, International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 15 Nos  ½, pp. 10-30. 6. Apple Annual Reports, 2010 7. www.apple.com 8. www.maxis.com.my

Role of Ecotourism in Sustainable Development

Role of Ecotourism in Sustainable Development Nowadays in developing countries, ecotourism is used as an excellent tool for promoting sustainable development. It is very beneficial for local communities creating environmental, economic and social benefits. Ecotourism is carried out by many tourism planners and marketers nowadays. The important aspect involved in ecotourism is its proper planning and implementation. In the case of improper planning it converts all the economic gains into social and environmental disasters. Ecotourism has gained popularity developed into a worldwide phenomenon showing no signs of slowing down. Even though it is not a universal remedy for attaining sustainable development, its potential towards promoting sustainable development deserves considerable attention. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of ecotourism in attaining sustainable development in Costa Rica. Ecotourism The concept of ecotourism was well identified in 1960s by Hetzer who contributed to this by identifying four principles of ecotourism. They are minimizing environmental impacts, respecting host cultures, maximizing benefits to local communities maximizing tourist satisfaction. Ecotourism is an integration of social, environmental and economical benefits meeting both human and environmental needs. One of the major causes for the evolution of ecotourism is the dissatisfaction with mass tourism creating over development, pollution and foreign investment. According to International Ecotourism Society (2004) Ecotourism is a Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people. Sustainable Development The term sustainable development received international recognition in 1980s. In 1987, Bruntland commission defined sustainable development as Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. It is a combination of social, economical and environmental development. Ecotourism Sustainable Development It is nothing but sustainable tourism. In 1995 World Trade Organization stated in Agenda 21 that Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. Sustainable tourism involves a number of principles in it. Sustainable development is not the only goal of ecotourism, but sustainable development is very important for achieving the goal of ecotourism. About Costa Rica Costa Rica which means Rich Cost is a country in South America bordered by Nicaragua in north, Panamma in south, Caribbean Sea in east and Pacific Ocean in west. The government is constitutionally democratic. It constitutionally abolished its army permanently in 1949 becoming military neutral. It was ranked first among the Americas for Environmental Performance Index in 2010. Total area 19,653 sq.m Water percentage 0.7 Population 4,253,897 GDP (nominal) $29.318 billion It contains 5% of the worlds biodiversity. Around 25% of the countrys land area is covered by protected national parks and protected areas. About 24 national parks are found in Costa Rica. The Monteverde cloud forest reserve is a home for about 2000 plant species, over 400 birds, over 100 species of mammals and numerous orchids. Growth of ecotourism in Costa Rica Costa Rica earned reputation as a premier ecotourism destination in the world also considered as ecotourisms post child. Some of the factors that influenced ecotourism in Costa Rica are pleasant climate, excellent national park, best public health care system, best public education, highest literacy rate in Latin America etc. It is also blessed with abundant natural resources such as beaches, mangroves, mountains, caves, waterfalls, volcanoes and tropical rainforests which is one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world containing 5% of entire planets biodiversity. In a short period Costa Rica has reached high level of maturity in ecotourism creating both beneficial effects and detrimental consequences on sustainable development. It is considered as a model in implementing ecotourism in many other areas. Economic impacts Globalization plays an important role in global economic decision making. As globalization and unbridled economic competition continue to dominate the global agenda, the travel agents who came up with the idea of ecotourism were now looking for new markets and not the ways to save the world. Because of this issue, many protected regions of Costa Rica are increasingly integrated into the global economy. Park entry fees and other form of revenues increase the value of protected land rather than the revenue obtained from deforestation. Ecotourism also earns foreign exchange to developing countries by bringing tourists from north ( from developed countries). A survey states that in early 1990s Costa Rica was the leading overseas ecotourism destination for U.S travellers, but only 20% of its revenue went to the local community and the remaining was paid to the tour operators, tickets on foreign owned airlines, to import products that appeal foreign tourists. A certain percentage of profits can be recycled to the local community development through legislation so that revenue leakage is reduced. In general, the employment opportunities of the people living near to ecotourism destinations is based on the tourists. In Costa Rica, people living near to Monteverde cloud forest reserve is an excellent example who have gained great economic values with this. Contrast to the previous point, Osa peninsula a ecotourism spot in Costa Rica has made its inhabitants even more poorer than before over attraction by ecotourists which created profit to outsiders. Marketing in general is used to elaborate a buisness scale. In Costa Rica in regions where outsiders dominate, marketing is used es an efficient tool by the local community to elaborate their buisness. Fake marketing is also done in some regions which is of no environmental responsibility. Since ecotourism is a seasonal activity, it can fluctuate over time to time and the local community cannot entirely depend on this for their earnings which leads to economic discomfort. Outsiders took over many regions in Costa Rica which have become distorted and the prices have increased drastically so that many Costa Ricans have been priced out of land and home ownership. Social impacts Even though the local communities are not traditionally involved in ecotourism planning and implementation, it becomes essential for them to get involved in different phases of it for their own benefits. Also the local communities are very familiar with the local resources, it makes them essential to involve in decision making. Stakeholder participation and community involvement are very important in decision making process since they have the greatest stake in the outcome of any ecotourism project. The culture of the local community plays an important role in ecotourism. For a sustainable ecotourism, cultural structures of the local community must be well understood so that the disintegration of the local communities can also be avoided. In Costa Rica, people in many rural areas did not support ecotourism instead they felt it as a threat to their cultural dynamics. Ecotourism brings many advantages to the local community if they integrate themselves with it otherwise it can lead to commofication resulting in erosion of culture and community cohesion. Ecotourism provides some employment opportunities to the local community such as hotel servicing, crafting, government agency staff, tour operators etc. In Costa Rica local community people are trained in the areas of park maintanance, habitat restoration, management etc in order to incorporate them in protected area management. Govrnment should provide some subsidies and intensives to local poor people to own a buisness. Many innovative and resposible locally owned ecotourism projects fail due to insufficient investments and their competition with large foreign companies. The goal of ecotourism is that the profits from ecotourism must be reinvested into the local community to meet their basic needs. Additional revenues are channeled into programmes which directly benefit the local people in their health and education. When people get focused to ecotourism getting support from their community, they will devote their time and energy to it, understanting that the success of ecotourism is directly linked to their individual capacity to achieve greater standards of life. Environmental impacts National parks in Costa Rica are the backbone of its ecotourism industry contributing much to the countrys tourism industry as a whole. In 1960s Costa Ricas first strictly protected area was established, after that four national parks were offically created in 1970s to preserve its biodiversity. There are 30 and above national parks and more than 230 protected areas in costa Rica. Cost Rica forms a variety of ecosystem with 850 bird species, 1260 tree species, 1200 orchid species, 270 mammal species, 361 species of reptiles and amphibians and more than 35,000 species of insects. The creation of parks and protected areas protect natural species, but it resulted in deforestation. National parks form the crucial part of ecotourism in Costa Rica which was increasing since 1980s and attained maturity at the end of 1990s. Even ecotourism earnings have contuined to increase, the Costa Rican government is not properly funding to the parks and protected areas leading to dependancy on foreign donations much. Other than national parks and protected areas, private reserves have emerged as another important way to protect Costa Ricas natural resources and biodiversity. About 68 reserves were found in Costa Rica in which more than 40 involves in ecotourism in which La Selva, Rara Avis, Monteverde cloud forest reserve are some of those in it. Monteverde forest reserve recieves nearly 50,000 visitors per year which contains most important population of quetzal, an endangered bird species. Private reserves serve as an intimation to the government that ecotourism has good earning potential and it can be economically viable when sufficient resources are invested. Ecotourism projects results in natural degradations when the natural areas are overcroweded with visitors. Solid waste generation, pollution, habitat destructions, forest degradations and trail erosion results in increase of local carrying capacities. The negative effects of ecoourism can be minimized by emphasising low- impact construction, controlling the number of visitors, taking care in interacting with local flora and fauna. A balance between development and conservation should be created in order to avoid the degradation of natural environment. Education is often cited as on of the most crucial element for every individual as well as for a society. Environmental education contributes much for ecotourism. Knowledgable tour guides can provide a quality environmental education. Local guides have more advantage over foreign guides since they have more knowledge about local ecologic, natural history and local culture. Lack of experienced and knowledgable trail guides is one of the major problems with ecotourism in Costa Rica. Creating educated public understanding the importance of ecotourism in Costa Rica will help the countries benefit for long run.

Essay --

Another major principle of Islamic is fairness. In Islamic banking, fairness is highlighted through its operations which the dubious terms and condition transactions are not engaged with Islamic banks. Terms and conditions needed in a transaction are disclosed in the agreement. In addition, everyone in the transaction can make informed decision which are not misled or cheated. Besides, according to article for WIBC on Islamic Banking and Finance, there is a clear division between the allowed and forbidden of the activities. For example, transactions involving alcohol, gambling, armaments, pork related products, and other socially detrimental activities should be avoided in Islamic Finance. In Islamic banking, there are still five main concepts which are profit and sharing, Wadiah, Musharakah, Murabaha and Ijarah. Profit and loss principle is actually based on mudarabah principle. Under this principle, profits will be shared between owner of capital (financier) and the entrepreneur on the basis of contractual agreement. However, financier will lost it money invest if the business fail. This means that, income from the money invest by financier is not guarantee. For wadiah, refund of the principal is guarantee by the bank. Depositor under this principle might receive a share on profit of the bank’s business. Wadiah is safekeeping as their principal is guarantee in full of demand although the profit of investment by bank is not guarantee. Musharakah is a joint enterprise or partnership business which both parties will manage the business together. Under this principle, ratio of profit or loss pre-determined basic. After a certain periods, a party can terminate the joint venture gradually. Murabaha is another principle of Islamic ban... ...e in financial resources. The principle of Islamic is Syariah, it is developed through four main Islamic juristic schools which is Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi and Hanbali. However, Quran and Sunna is the two main sources which the Shariah derived from. In Islamic finance, there are three major principles. Firstly, the prohibition of usury or interest (riba). In the words of Maulana Maudoodi, page 139, Riba can be defined as the stationary increase on the capital which collected against a fixed period. This means that interest is consider as riba if the amount loaned is going doubled and re-doubled and it is given as consumption needs instead of productive needs. One of the examples of riba is rental income. According to Chapter 2, Verse 275 of the Qu’ran, involve in trade activities although is sound like soft of riba but actually is encouraged by Islam but not for riba.

Harley Metamorphosis :: essays research papers

In the course of the past 100 years the world had undergone a great metamorphosis. Two world wars and astronomical leaps and bounds in technology have changed our lives forever. But one thing remains unchanged; Harley-Davidson is still the undisputed leader in manufacturing and selling motorcycles. Created in 1903 in the Davidson’s backyard a new company rose and established itself as a force within the internal combustion transportation industry. It is not surprising that Harley has been around for 100 years, all one needs to point to is their mission statement. According to their 2001 annual report, Harley-Davidson’s mission statement is as follows, â€Å"We fulfill dreams through the experiences of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles, branded products and services in selected market segments.† Through their strong mission to serve their customers, Harley Davidson has amassed numerous strengths that keep the company as a leading innovator in the motorcycle industry. One of these strengths is buyer loyalty. According to the case, â€Å"more than 92% of its motorcycle customers intend to repurchase.† This is especially important because it shows that customers are satisfied when they buy a bike from Harley-Davidson. With brand loyalty recognized, Harley created H.O.G (Harley Owners Group) organization which now stands at 660,000 members worldwide and allows Harley enthusiasts to gather and share their love of Harley Davidson motorcycles together. Some of the other major strengths are their 500+ international retail outlets, being the leading seller of domestic motorcycles for the past 17 years, as well as having their own financial organization which has financed more than 86,000 Harley’s and continues to see increased income year after year. Along with any companies strengths are threats that could be problematic. Harley’s major threats include new companies penetrating their market and strategic alliances. In November of 2001, Kawasaki & Suzuki formed a strategic alliance which made them just a power as Harley’s #2 competitor, Honda. Also in 1999, Polaris entered into the motorcycle market. Although small now, Polaris has major name recognition and in the future could be a major threat to Harley’s United States market. Other threats right now include the decline in motorcycle riding in Europe. Stricter laws are partly to blame because there are fewer riders on the road and consequently lower sales. If the decline continues Harley may want to reconsider their position in the European market.

Similarities Between Hurston’s Novels, Seraph on the Suwanee and Their Eyes Were Watching God :: Compare Comparison Essays

Similarities Between Hurston’s Novels, Seraph on the Suwanee and Their Eyes Were Watching God Seraph – page 153 So, calling soothingly to Earl, Jim started from the south border of the sink hole and began to pick along to where Earl stood braced between two great cypress trees. Earl’s face was cold and unrecognizing. Jim caught hold to vines and shrubs to keep from slipping off the precarious footing into the water, and said nice things to Earl and kept going. He was a good half way along the dangerous route when Earl stepped forth and leveled the rifle and took aim. Eyes – page 184 He steadied himself against the jam of the door and Janie thought to run into him and grab his arm, but she saw the quick motion of taking aim and heard the click. Saw the ferocious look in his eyes and went mad with fear as she had done in the water that time. She threw up the barrel of the rifle in frenzied hope and fear. Hope that he’d see it and run, desperate fear for her life. But if Tea Cake could have counted costs he would not have been there with the pistol in his hands. No knowledge of fear nor rifles nor anything else was there. He paid no more attention to the pointing gun than if it were Janie’s dog finger. She saw him stiffen himself all over as he leveled and took aim. The fiend in him must kill and Janie was the only thing living he saw. Ms. Hurston’s two books Seraph on the Suwanee and Their Eyes Were Watching God are remarkably similar in many aspects, and I believe that these two passages exemplify that likeness. These two scenes take place just before a person is shot, Tea Cake in Eyes, and earl in Seraph. Janie kills (shoots) Tea Cake because he contracted rabies during the hurricane by a dog, and Earl was killed (shot) by several of the townsmen because he tried to rape Lucy Ann. Both Tea Cake and Earl were rendered mad and lost all humanity due to their circumstances. Both men needed help long before someone realized they could possibly be a danger to themselves or others. Both men were killed for attacking a woman, even though they clearly could not control themselves. Jim and Janie both try to help, but ultimately fail.

Technological Momentum and Education

Hughes presents a case for talking about technological momentum as a point between two opposite ideas; social constructivism and technological determinism. This raises questions as to what exactly the relationship is between technological momentum and soft determinism. Both ideas deal with the effect society has on technology and the effect that technology has on society. I will argue that while both ideas seem to be the same, there are important distinctions to make between the two. One is that Hughes’s idea of technological momentum is time dependent.So it is sensitive to society, culture, and the changes that occur to a technological system as it matures. On the other hand, soft determinism doesn’t distinguish between when a system will tend to be affected most by society, and when that technological system will have the most influence on society. In his essay, Thomas Hughes presents a case for technological momentum. The idea of technological momentum lies between t he extremes of social constructivism and technological determinism. Social constructivism is when social or cultural forces determine technological change.Technological determinism, on the other hand, is the idea that technical forces determine social and cultural changes (Smith, 102). Within his essay Hughes points out how technological systems evolve during their lifetime to fall under either of these extremes. According to Hughes, the maturity of the system often times dictates its influence on society and the impression the society itself can have on the technological system. One might point out that the idea of technological momentum is similar to the idea of soft determinism.The soft view of determinism is the belief that technological changes drives social change, but social pressures also influence it. Both of the ideas use the view that technology effects society, and that society effects technology. The ideas of technological momentum and soft determinism are very similar in the ways that they view the relationship between society and technology, as both state that social development shapes and is shaped by technology (Smith, 102). However there are important distinctions between the two that prove that they are indeed different.One important distinction to make between technological momentum and soft determinism is that Hughes’s technological momentum is time dependent and takes into account the multitude of changes that a technological system undergoes during its lifetime. Hughes emphasizes that a young or less complex system will be influenced more by society than influence society, which maintains the social constructivist’s view that it is primarily society that influences technology and technological change within the system.Ultimately, technological momentum and soft determinism are not two concepts referring to the same idea because of the emphasis Hughes puts on time and the maturity of the technological system, and how that pl ays a role in whether it’s technologically deterministic or socially constructed. In his essay Technological Momentum, Hughes uses examples of various technological systems to help support his claims. His example for a system that both shaped and was shaped by society is EBASCO. The Electric Bond and Share Company (EBASCO) was an American electric utility holding company of the 1920’s.EBASCO provided financial, management, and engineering construction services for the utility companies. There are multiple instances of social construction within EBASCO’s history. Hughes begins illustrating the social constructivism side of the spectrum by showing the technological forces that helped shape the EBASCO system. â€Å"The spread of alternating (polyphase) current after 1900, for instance, greatly affected, even determined, the history of the early utilities that had used direct current, for these had to change their generators and related equipment to alternating cur rent or fail in the face of competition. Smith, 106-107)† This example demonstrates how EBASCO was technologically influenced by society. If the new alternating current technology hadn’t been gaining popularity at the time, EBASCO wouldn’t have been forced to change their equipment to keep up with the competition. Not only did external technological forces shape EBASCO’s technical core, but economic ones did as well. Hughes points out the political forces that shaped the EBASCO system during its evolution. â€Å"Small urban utilities became regional ones and then faced new political or regulatory forces as state governments took over jurisdiction from the cities.Regulations also caused technical changes (Smith, 107). † This political influence shaped the EBASCO system as well. As the state governments took over they implemented guidelines that pushed for changes within the EBASCO system if they wished to stay in business. In addition to political an d technical influences, Hughes uses an example of geographical forces playing a role in EBASCO’s development. He states â€Å"As the regional utilities of the EBASCO system expanded, the confronted geographical realities as they sought cooling water, hydroelectric sites, and mine-mouth locations (Smith, 107). Hughes would say that these geographical issues played a role in EBASCO’s development as they had to discover a way to work around some forms of geography and while learning the most efficient means to utilize the other. Hughes would say that from a social constructivists’ standpoint, these technological, economic, political, and geographic forces all, with varying levels of intensity, influenced the EBASCO system during its development. While all of these social components did influence EBASO over time, Hughes claims that â€Å"the interaction of technological systems and society is not symmetrical over time (Smith, 108). Here, Hughes emphasizes his clai m that as a system becomes larger and more complex, it gathers momentum and becomes less shaped by and more the shaper of its environment. By the 1920’s the EBASCO system was now a large technological system with capital investment, customers, and influence on local, state, and federal governments. The company also largely interacted with many industries and communities. Hughes claims that these various components added to the momentum of the EBASCO system. Hughes also uses an example of another technological system in his essay to show the role of technological determinism.As merchant ships began to be replaced by submarines during World War I, the United States attempted to increase its supply of nitrogen compounds. They selected a process that required large amounts of electricity so the government had to construct a hydroelectric dam and power station. However, before the nitrogen-fixing facilities being built near the dam were completed, the war ended. Now, the supply of synthetic nitrogen compounds exceeded the demand. The U. S. government was left not only with process facilities but also a very large dam and power plant (Smith, pg 110).In 1933, however, a hydroelectric, flood-control, soil- reclamation, and regional development project sponsored by Senator George Norris and the Roosevelt administration and presided over by the Tennessee Valley Authority became created. The technological momentum of the dam had carried over from WWI to the New Deal (Smith, pg 111). Hughes views this process of creating a technological system and observing it go beyond its original purpose and going on to shape the society in which it resides as a prime example of technological determinism.Hughes sums up the technological determinism present in the hydroelectric dam example by stating that â€Å"this durable artifact acted over time like a magnetic field attracting plans and projects suited to its characteristics. Systems of artifacts are not neutral forces; they tend to shape the environment in particular ways (Smith, pg 111). † In his essay, Hughes has some claims about when social constructivism would be the dominant influence and when technological determinism would be the stronger influence.Hughes’s idea of technological momentum can be described as a spectrum that determines the way a technological system is manipulated. On one end you have social constructivism. On this end Hughes claims that younger developing systems tend to be on this end of the spectrum because they are more open to sociocultural influence. On the other end of the spectrum lies technological determinism. Hughes claims that technological systems that are technologically deterministic tend to be the more mature systems because they are older and prove to be more independent of outside influences and therefore more deterministic in nature.By defining technological momentum as being time dependent Hughes maintains that the concept of technological moment um avoids the â€Å"extremism of both technological determinism and social construction by presenting a more complex, flexible, time-dependent, and persuasive explanation of technological change (Smith, 104). † One objection to my claim might be the fact that just because soft determinism doesn’t explicitly address time doesn’t mean that it doesn’t consider time because it would be difficult for a technological system to be socially constructed and technologically deterministic at the same time.My response would be that while it may be assumed that only one action can be done at a given time, it is not specifically stated in the description. The idea of technological momentum looks at time within the context of the maturity of the technological system. Soft determinism looks solely at whether a system can be both socially constructed and technologically deterministic, but not how this may change overtime due to the maturity of the system and the momentum it has gained.In conclusion, Hughes explains his idea of technological momentum by placing it on a spectrum with social constructivism on one end and technological determinism on the other. Technol ogical momentum is related to soft determinism because of the effect society has on society and the effect that technology has on that society. However, it is important to make an important distinction regarding time. Hughes’s technological determinism is time dependent so it is sensitive to society, culture, and the changes that occur to a technological system as it matures.

Texas Education

Improving Education in Texas United States is known for their freedom of opportunity for education. Our education system has given us a wide variety in choices to what we want to achieve and earn our degree in. Our government has also given us the opportunity to achieve these goals for those who struggle to afford the education with such as loans and grants. So what is such the problem that students really struggle with? It has been recorded that only a little over 50 percent of students who start a four-year degree plan earns their degree in six, and where Texas it is even less.As a student myself, I face the struggles that college students face to complete school. Texas has been known for their excessive number of dropouts. In my opinion, Texas can improve the number of dropouts by understanding the real life struggles of a student that they face to balance their time and labor to manage the expenses for school. As a student myself, I have encounter many students that has either do wngrade their level of education or could not complete school. The many of the few reasons was that they did not have the time or just couldn’t afford the expenses.And the source of reason why student’s did not have the time were because they busy having to work hoping they’ll be able to afford the education. A student I’ve known, that is having to delay his completion in his four-year degree plan was because he is having to spend more hours at work to afford the expenses he has to pay at home. And because the amount of money he makes, he has been ineligible for financial aid. Therefore, school on top was way out of his budget, now he has to continue focusing on building capitol in able to afford and complete school.Although government is providing and offering many opportunities to afford school, we still struggle to find ways to keep students not only to start school, but also to complete school. So far in what I have been impressed by the government is the requirements students must meet in order to be eligible to receive financial aid. Students are required a specific passing rate and GPA to continue receiving money from the government to complete school. Therefore, students are enforced to focus and attend school. If government continues to maintain this strategy, we can see an improvement in he number of dropouts and failure in Texas. Money has seemed to be the source of reasons students struggle with to improve their education. Many of those completing their degrees in universities have to be left with thousand of dollars in debt. It is a fear for many of us to complete and leaving school having to pay unaffordable amounts of debt. This takes back to students struggling to work and afford school at the same time. When students have to spend constant hours to afford their expenses, where is the time they will have to focus and complete school.We can feel discouraged when checking the price for books and school bills. And the r eason why some students may conflict in making the correct amount of money, is because many were not able to afford the proper education to earn the degree for a better paying job. If Texas can create more programs for student’s being able to afford school without stressing the idea of putting out more time and money from their pockets, then I do not see why students would not engage. What government needs to do is create a different path in education where it can be more suitable for every student therefore creating an improvement in education.Kristen Indriago and Nancy Druart in their article Money Isn’t The Only Answer to School Woes, explained that even if we provide some of the best schools in the community, it does not mean it is suitable for a student to achieve in. â€Å"The best thing we can do as a state to meet the needs of every student is create a competitive, flexible education system that equalizes education opportunities regardless of socioeconomic sta tus†, Indriago and Druart stated. Although they have stated strong points in their article for creating the needs of every student, I disagree on the idea of ignoring the socioeconomic status.It is because of our economic status that troubles our students to stay in school. If we can focus on the status of those struggled we can create a better education opportunity. Texas is a national leader state, and to improve our higher education is an image we must focus on. Due to our excessive number of dropouts, we must pay attention to the source of reasons. As a student myself, I have encounter many problems to why students trouble in school. Some of the key reasons has been balancing and affording the time and expenses.If the government and school boards take a harder look at why student’s struggle to complete school we can see an improvement. With the condition of searching for improvement, Texas can provide and promote more cost efficient and time consumable programs for those students that face these conflicts. Therefore, in my opinion Texas can begin seeing progress. Works Cited Indriago, Kristen, and Nancy Druart. â€Å"Money Isn't the Only Answer to School Woes. † Statesman. N. p. , 24 Feb. 2013. Web. Spellings, Margaret. â€Å"Texas Higher Education Could Be Improved. † Statesman. N. p. , 27 Nov. 2012. Web.

Informed Opinion Outline

It is a career/Job choice selected by the person performing the Job It has the potential for large financial profit It is highly regulated and safer than illegal prostitution It generates tax revenue for the counties that allow it Personal Opinion: Women should have the right to work in this field safely, and without harsh punishment for a service that is elsewhere considered to be profitable and respected. Support and Statistics: Buzzed. Mom's Hillary Reinsert reports In How I was a Prostitute, without ever reeking a law; an unnamed woman reported â€Å"The first thing I have to say is that I was not abused, I don't drink or do drugs and I don't come from a troubled home-my parents Just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. † â€Å"l became a working girl because I really love having sex and I like the money' According the CDC In Nevada; women have to undergo weekly pap smear as well required HIVE screenings and condoms are also mandatory.In in article from Family Plann ing Perspectives It sates that a study conducted In the US on the Prevalence of the HIVE Infection among female prostitutes Zero out of the 35 restitution from southern Nevada were positive for HIVE and 25 percent out of the 59 from Newark, New Jersey (where prostitution Is Illegal) were positive.In the Article â€Å"Novena's Legal Brothels Make Workers Feel Safer† In the New York Times Written by Barbara G Brent (University of Alas Vegas Professor In the Department of Sociology) she writes that â€Å"In legal Brothels, employees report that they feel safe, are free to come and go, and are bound only by their contract† † Workers report that they felt Largely safe because the police, employers and co- workers were there to protect them† By summarize Buzzed.

Caffeine and its effects on the human body Essay

Over 90% of Americans consume caffeine every day of the year. Caffeine is the ingredient that makes the public crave coffee, soda, chocolate and many other caffeine-carrying products. Americans consume about 45 million pounds of caffeine each year. In the United States, coffee drinkers drink an average of 2.6 cups per day. Total caffeine intake for coffee drinkers was 363.5 mg per day – this includes caffeine from coffee and other sources like soft drinks, food and drugs. Non-coffee drinkers get plenty of caffeine as well: former coffee drinkers get about 107 mg per day and people who have never had coffee get about 91 mg per day. Many facts are known about caffeine, such as its composition, effect on the human body, and origin; however, there are many long term effects that are currently being studied in order to discover how harmful this substance truly is. [Caffeine- Neuroscience for Kids] Caffeine occurs naturally from the coffee tree indigenous to Ethiopia, and it may have been used as early as 850 AD in Upper Egypt, though it is considered a legend. Coffee is the seed of a cherry from the tree of the genus Coffea. The tree yields about one kilogram of coffee per year. There are over 25 different species of coffee, the three main ones being Robusta, Libaria, and Arabica. The Ethiopians mixed crushed dried coffee beans with rolled fat balls used as food on journeys. Its cultivation and use as a beverage occurred in Arabia. By the early 16th century, the beverage was well-established in the Islamic world. Through cultural diffusion, coffee was a fashionable drug of the 17th and 18th centuries. From thereon, coffee’s popularity grew tremendously. America owes its present day coffee habits to the Boston tea party of 1773, which made coffee’s availability easier. [Owen, Daniel] Caffeine is an organic substance medically known as trimethylxanthine, and its chemical formula is C8H10N4O2. Caffeine is an alkaloid. There are numerous alkaloids. These compounds have different biochemical effects, and are present in different ratios in different plant sources. These compounds are very similar and differ only by the presence of methyl groups in two positions of the chemical structure. They are easily oxidized to uric acid and other methyluric acids, which are also similar in chemical structure  .Pure caffeine is odorless and has a bitter taste. This chemical is a useful cardiac stimulant and mild diuretic substance, or increases urine production. Many people take advantage of its energizing sensation; hence, it has become the world’s most widely used drug. Caffeine increases dopamine levels, like cocaine and heroin but to a lower extent. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in specific parts of the brain that can activate pleasure sensations. Because caffeine be longs to the xanthine chemical group, it interferes with the production of adenosine in the brain. Xanthenes are yellow crystalline organic compounds that are soluble in ether and are used as a fungicide and in organic synthesis. Adenosine is a naturally occurring xanthine used as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Adenosine binding to the brain causes slowing down of the nerve cells and drowsiness. Caffeine is very similar to adenosine, since they are from the xanthine chemical group. Caffeine interferes with the binding of adenosine because nerve cells recognize the intruding caffeine as adenosine. When caffeine binds to the receptors, nerve cells speed up. Caffeine causes the brain’s blood vessels to constrict because it blocks the adenosine’s ability to open them up. When the caffeine blocks the adenosine, neurons start firing at an accelerated pace. Henceforth, the brain’s signals help to other body parts, causing them to react. The pituitary gland reacts to the signals of excessive neural activity and sees it as an emergency. It then releases hormones that stimulate the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands then produce adrenaline thought out the body, Adrenaline is a hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress and it stimulates autonomic nerve action. Adrenaline causes: dilation of the pupils, expansion of respiratory tubes, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, tightening of muscles in order to make them ready for action, a release of sugar by the liver into the bloodstream for extra sugar, and increase blood flow to muscles. The euphoric feeling induced by caffeine makes the chemical addictive to its consumers. [â€Å"Caffeine,† Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2004] Caffeine, like any other drug, is addictive. The long term effects of caffeine are unhealthy as they change the natural chemistry of the brain, primarily sleep. Adenosine is important to deep sleep because it causes proper reactions in the brain during sleep, yet caffeine interrupts its  function. The half-life of caffeine in a human body is about six hours long, meaning that for six hours the consumer’s body and brain will be in an accelerated state. This can tire the body, especially the heart, which has to keep up in speed to pump the necessary blood throughout the body. After months of use, a person who consumes caffeine may develop a dependency on the drug because his/her body has grown accustomed to being stimulated by the foreign substance. Withdrawal symptoms are common among caffeine consumers, which is a body’s way to ask for caffeine. Headaches, stomach cramps, irritation, and depression are common symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. These symptoms can occur within 24 hours after the last dose of caffeine. In huge doses, caffeine is lethal. A fatal dose of caffeine has been calculated to be more than 10 grams (about 170 mg/kg body weight) – this is the same as drinking 80 to 100 cups of coffee in rapid succession. Like many other chemicals, caffeine is deadly in large doses. [Caffeine- Neuroscience for Kids] There are many harmful effects which caffeine is blamed for, but there is no solid proof of most of the accusations. Pediatricians and Nutritionists argue that caffeine is harmful to developing individuals, mainly children and adolescents. They think that by using caffeine, the developing individuals are upsetting the normal and natural balances of neurochemistry. Withdrawal shows that there has been a disturbance in the brain since the brain rewires itself to crave the caffeine. In addition, a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine found the effects of caffeine on pregnant women. The equivalent of one to three cups of coffee increases the risk of miscarriage of pregnant women by 30%. Consumption of three to five cups increases the risk by 40%. The study was directed by Dr. Sven Cnattilgils involved 562 women between six to twelve weeks of pregnancy. After the publication of the study in 2002, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the March of Dime, which finds r esearch on birth defects, have advised pregnant women to avoid caffeine. There were several other studies made with regard to infertility in women between 1987 and 1990 by the Centers for Disease Control and Harvard University. They found that caffeine had little or no influence in infertility. Caffeine has also been linked to calcium loss in bones, yet its effects are not strong enough to be  considered dangerous by the FDA. Aside from the negative aspects of caffeine, the drug is used in prescription and nonprescription drugs because it boosts their power. Aspirin and other painkillers contain caffeine to improve its effectiveness. Furthermore, a study by the Journal of the American Medical association suggests that consuming caffeine may help prevent Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’ disease is a progressive nervous disease happening most often after the age of 50, associated with the destruction of brain cells that produce dopamine and characterized by weakness, muscular tremor, slowing of movement, and partial facial paralysis. Apparently, caffeine reduces the neurotransmitters, such as glutamate, which can kill neurons under certain conditions the same way it reduces adenosine. Caffeine also increases the levels of dopamine in the body, which are destroyed by Parkinson’s disease. Caffeine can also be used to treat asthma attacks as it stimulates the production of adrenaline, causing the respiratory muscles to expand. [Cherniske, Stephen & Weinberg,B.A] In summary, caffeine is the world’s most widely used drug for a reason. It triggers pleasure areas in the brain that cause its user feelings of elation. However, using caffeine in excess or for a prolonged amount of time can be hazardous to health by causing problems such as birth defects, miscarriages, and the body’s dependence. Though there are no concrete studies on the neurological effects of caffeine, many doctors and scientists agree that caffeine is not as safe as it appears. They recommend that consumers be careful of how much caffeine they are using or possibly abusing, since health is too precious to ignore.

Microsoft Apple Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Microsoft Apple Case - Essay Example Special tools were needed to get into the backs of the computers and it was expensive to fix anything wrong with the PC. Although Steve Jobs had a great plan and computers that were technologically advanced, his competitors soon caught up with him and produced cheaper PC's that ran smoothly and had more versatile programming. Question 2: Apple made some poor decisions as far as money goes and that had a great deal to do with the profit loss they experienced. Microsoft on the other hand invested their money in money market accounts, which with a return of 1 percent helped the company keep making money outside of its programming. Microsoft currently has more cash than any other non finance company and is now experiencing even bigger returns (Bass). Although Microsoft doesn't sell PC's it has made software that companies desire to put into their systems. In fact they have made the market need these products installed on their computers. Microsoft made operating systems that people wanted, they were easy to use, contained everything they needed and were all in one box. So not only does Microsoft have a steady cash flow from investments, it is also making gains on its Windows products as well.

Discussion board Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Discussion board - Assignment Example Women should be allowed to exercise equal rights and societal privileges as men in all spheres of life. They should also be enlightened to use their numbers to end gender discrimination. Title IX is a federal law in the United States of America that prohibits gender or sex discrimination in education and learning institutions. The law lies under the umbrella of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972. According to this law, no person in the US should be excluded from active participation, denied the benefits or discriminated on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity receiving federal assistance. The law forbids denial of university services such as financial assistance, admissions, counseling and academic advice plus housing among others to individuals on the basis of sex. According to Simon (2005), the department of education has been mandated by law to oversee the implementation and enforcement of this provision. The court handles complaints from the students who suffer discrimination and offers disciplinary actions against the offending institution. The department is also in a position to conduct assessments of compliance in an educational institu tion with the aim of enforcing the law even when no complaint has been raised. Although the establishment was well intended, some intended consequences arose. First, there was a shift of discrimination and inequality from the favor of men as was before to disfavor of the men. Secondly, the amount of funds being used to expand the women’s collegiate sports is far more than that being used on men. This is not right and does not amount to equality. Thirdly, the provision that athletes per gender in an institution be proportional to the students per gender does not take into account the aspect of free participation and revenue generation. Therefore, the unintended consequence is that the law discriminates against men as it tries to reduce

Famine (global issue) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Famine (global issue) - Research Paper Example Globally, a high number of people are faced with food problems, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Asia, Latin America and North America. Famine results free free-market processes that have restructured the global economy, dating back to the debt crisis of the early 1980s. Famine as a phenomenon has been ongoing for a while. Modern scholars define famine in terms of a short-term effect of supply and demand for agricultural goods. Famine is a global issue, although many people attribute it to the developing world. This paper focuses on famine as a problem facing the world in general. While many countries rarely face famines in these modern times, it still remains a disturbing, yet controversial issue. The argument that developing countries are faced with higher chances of famine strikes, the assumption that developing countries are immune is not true. History has demonstrated that famine can strike at any time to whichever country, without necessarily the country being economi cally struggling. Natural calamities such as floods, earthquakes and drought have been found to be the biggest contributors of memorable famines in the history of the calamity. By addressing the major factors causing famines and instances in which major famines happened in the world, the paper seeks to prove that famine is a global issue. ... Increase in global inflationary levels has seen a steady increase in general global food prices with time. Statistics reveal that increase in food prices has contributed significantly to the increase in global famine levels. In some cases, famine effects have been so devastating that it almost escalated into a crisis. An example of such a country is Haiti, where food prices rose at an average rate of 40 percent in less than a year, with rice prices doubling. Famine is caused by acute hunger, characterized by short-term problems of food security that develops to intensive levels (Digby, 102). Famine is one of the major challenges facing human beings in the modern day world, claiming lives of a lot of people in third world countries, most of which fall in the African continent, Asia and Latin America. The other challenges that have similar devastating effects to humanity in the world are diseases such as HIV/AIDs and cancer. Many people have perished in times of hunger due to starvatio n. Although still at high levels, the current rates of famine in the world have reduced significantly. Stringent measures have been put to ensure that occurrence of famine incidences such as those that faced the world in the 19th century are not experienced again. The UN has through the United Nations Food Development Program (UNFDP) tried to save people from such adverse situations. The Red Cross also carries such a program like the relief food program to provide food to the hunger stricken areas. Such organizations, operating globally, dedicated to ensuring that people have enough food during times of hunger, show that famine is a global issue. Effects

Future&Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Future&Innovation - Essay Example Packaged travel market by tour operators and online travel agency packages, 2000-2008 (US$B) 3 Figure 2: U.S. and U.K. total travel market and package travel share 2008 (US$B) 4 Figure 3: Forces affecting on Paradise Travels 7 Figure 4: The four P innovation space 9 Figure 5: Forces acting on Paradise Travels and the strategy to be adopted by the company to counter these forces 10 Figure 6: The process of innovation process for Paradise Travels 11 Figure 7: Framework for critical evaluation 14 Figure 8: Paradise Travels – location of high street shops 19 Figure 9: Adopting Shibata's problem solving model adapted to help solve Paradise Travels’ problems 21 Photo credit Cover page Image URL: http://www.wanderwoman.com/images/hiking_samaria_gorge.jpg Section 1: Industry Overview 1.1 Macroeconomic and environmental factors The impact of the global financial meltdown was also visible on the travel industry, and particularly on air travel and tour business. A large numbers of small players vanished from the tour operators’ radar during these years; more than 75 air travel and tour operators closed their shop within the past three years (Air Travel Insolvency Protection Advisory Committee, 2010, p.13). The industry is currently cruising through one of the most difficult times due to a number of macroeconomic and environmental factors. These are discussed as follows: 1.1.1 Environmental impact Eruption of the Eyjafjallajolkull volcano closed the UK airspace for six days and a considerable portion of EU airspace, causing flight delays and cancellations throughout the world (Air Travel Insolvency Protection Advisory Committee, 2010, p.6). This incident affected adversely on the consumer confidence as it was observed that immediately following the eruption, bookings dropped sharply (Air Travel Insolvency Protection Advisory Committee, 2010). 1.2 Issues faced by the industry Air Travel Insolvency Protection Advisory Committee (2010) listed some of the issues currently faced by the industry. These are discussed below: 1.2.1 Weak demand An offshoot of weak consumer confidence was seen directly on the weak demand it currently exerted on the industry. To regain consumer confidence is perhaps the most important issue the industry faced currently. 1.2.2 Weak sterling Once in their holiday destinations, weakness of Sterling had eroded the holiday makers spending powers; a trend noticed mostly in Eurozone holiday destinations. This affected adversely consumer perception as consumer expectations did not match the consumer experience. 1.2.3 Shifting away of holiday bookings Another alarming trend was shifting of bookings to traditional holiday destinati

The German Interior Minister Otto Schily announced that immigration Essay

The German Interior Minister Otto Schily announced that immigration rules would be relaxed to facilitate the entry of Indian sof - Essay Example Nevertheless, in the previous year German provided 10,000 green cards to technology professionals, among them being Indians. Though such an action would pose many security threats, German was ready to improve on their security so that no terrorist can pose as a soft ware expert to be issued with a visa. However, German portrays a good example of immigration and trade services globally, with host countries having to relax on some of the restrictive visa issues in order to gain a competitive advantage as other countries. However, one of the main issues that worry citizens in many of the hoist countries is likelihood of immigrants causing job shortage in the host country. Though India is a developing country, its successive growth in information technology and software is attributed to the fact that they outsource their services to multinational firms globally, but at a reliable cost. However, the United States remains the major country that receives a majority number of software expert ise from India. According to BBC news (2000), the United States had already proposed that it would increase the experts’ visas to 200,000, this shows that the rate of demand for the Indian software expertise is very high. Therefore, this third world country is has a comparative advantage in terms of software expertise. ... that has prevailed across the world, where countries mainly the developing countries have to contend with trade in services, as their skilled manpower is lured my developed countries, in the form of relaxed immigration rules and other incentives. Trade in services and immigration Trade and immigration are becoming connected since, for instance, trading in goods and services, and investing is expanding due to the low costs of globalization, transport, and availability of information. The result of this is an increased urge to study, work, and travel, or even to live abroad. When people move across borders and supply services in another country, this is regarded as trade. According to Pecoud (2007, p. 14), â€Å"trade and migration are interconnected in a globalized economy and that pressures towards liberalization may one day promote a narrow trade.† The increase of immigrants in developing countries has greatly increased with time. Immigration of skilled labor is encouraged by the developed countries and restrictive measures are minimized in order to enable these experts to venture into the country. Indeed, various benefits accrue to developed countries, with the major one being the use of immigrating human capital to advance their production capacity (Kuznar, n.d, p. 12). The immigration promotion of skilled labor is as a result of lack of a skilled workforce in these countries or the need to compete with other countries. If country A has more labor than country B, then it is only wise for country A to send labor to country B, via immigration, which is a direct method, or indirectly through exporting of goods. Thus, the movement of goods can substitute for the movement of people to various countries. In developed countries, prices of goods and services, as well as