Say no to Racism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Say no to Racism - Research Paper Example Racism takes several forms ranging from verbal to non-verbal. Verbally, irritating words are used against individual’s f the minority race. Non-verbal racism is the most common. It may involve denial to access certain facilities such as restaurants as well as job access based on racial background. Non-verbal discrimination is evident in particular attitudes and character that not only undermines a certain race but also denies them expected favours. Reverse racism is another form that has evolved in 21st century. As a result of activists fighting against discrimination against blacks, the white’s rights have been neglected. Internalised racism refers to discrimination among members in the same race based on minute differences in their physical appearance. For instance, among the blacks, lighter skins might be preferred to darker skinned individuals. Historically people were grouped into different races based on their skin colour that lived differently. This historical contexts as well as existing myths made individuals believe that some races are superior to others. Conservative people maintain this perspective and resist to global efforts of turning the world into a global village. Equalityhumanrights.com, (2015). What forms does racial discrimination take? | Equality and Human Rights Commission. [online] Available at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/your-rights/equal-rights/race/what-is-race-discrimination/what-forms-does-racial-discrimination-take [Accessed 26 Jan. 2015]. Nittle, N. (2015). Four Different Forms of Racism. [online] About.com News & Issues. Available at: http://racerelations.about.com/od/understandingrac1/tp/Four-Different-Forms-Of-Racism.htm [Accessed 26 Jan.

Ethics Choice in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Ethics Choice in the Workplace Essay Ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes one of key point to evaluation business value. â€Å"In today’s highly interconnected, global, and transparent world, corporations are finding that social responsibility is essential to fundamental business strategy† (Trevino Nelson, 2010, page 332). The main purpose of this paper is to offer readers an overview and concept about the role of ethics and social responsibility in food industry. Besides that, some ethical problems of organizations, stakeholder perspective on the firm and some recommendations are listed. Ethics Choice in the Workplace Regarding to corporate ethics and CSR are exposed, both consumers and governments are focusing their attention on corporate social responsibility practices (Maloni Brown, 2006). Ferrell, Geoffrey Ferrell (2011, p.38) stated, â€Å"business ethics as the principles and standards that determine acceptable conduct in business organizations†. The behavior of acceptability is confirmed by many stakeholders of organizations such as customers, suppliers, employees, government regulators, owners as well as community. Ethics and social responsibilities are influent to business strategy and setting in recently. White (2012) claimed social responsibilities manage on decision making from top level to bottom line of firms. Ethics and Social Responsibilities are being evaluated as a key successful factor to measure organization outcomes. Ethics Issues in Business In order to identify certain situations that affected by various environmental and individual factors as ethical or unethical decision (Bommer, Gravander Tuttle,1987). The identification is impacted by bias, principles, concepts and definitions of social group or community. These standards are different from geographies, races, languages, time, etc. According to Ferell et all, 2011, ethics is related to organizations’ culture, financial status and business objective. Plenty of ethical issues in business can be classified into their relative behavior as abusive and intimidating behavior, conflicts of interest, fairness and honesty, communications, and business associations. Abusive and Intimidating Behavior Actions in working environment caused other people physical threats, being annoying, harshness, or even though bypassing some individual opinions. Abusive can be considered as a distraction or disruption of the workplace (Ferell et all, 2011). Intensity of voice, situation of speaking and used words are factors to be determined to abusive or un-abusive. Conflicts of interest This kind of conflicts occurs quite frequently in reality. For instance, managers could make decisions either to reinforce their power or enhance benefit to shareholders. A CEO will keep confidential a bad financial status to board of director sometimes. The conflict is often among employees because they use the same resources. Un-transparency of gifts may effect to outcome decisions to be an illegal or un-ethical behavior. Fairness and Honesty Fairness and honesty is the most important of business ethics and create general values of decision makers (Ferell et all, 2011). For instance, some newspapers claimed there are some exceed ingredients in power milk caused harmfulness to children health 2 years ago. In addition, Microsoft window software is still being cracked very popularly in China and Vietnam in particular even though people knew these products are protected by copyright law. Communications Communication is one of effective tools to bring product ideas and images to consumers. However, some organizations transferred to community incorrect information about their products. Under-weight or over-weight harmful of ingredients, food safety and hygiene are the most of improper announcement in advertising and labels. Furthermore, there is lack of information to compare differences or similarities between products (Ferell et all, 2011). For example, many people does not know how differentiated among Uniliver’s detergents: OMO, Viso, and Suff. Business Relations This ethical behavior is relevant to business relations to customers, suppliers, bosses vs. their staff and others in their workplace that create to ethical concerns. Managers take advantages on legitimate and authority roles to supervise their staff. Sometime they play Lording games to reinforce their power (Mintzberg, 1985). In reality, commission and gifts are used very popularly on Sales and Marketing. In Vietnam, gifts are considered as traditional requirement on national holidays. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Corporate Social Responsibility â€Å"means that organizations should take responsibility for their impact on society and the environment† (Castka Balzarova, 2007, p.297). Every organization should build and adopt their owned CSR plans. There are four dimensions or four faces of social responsibility: economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic (which sometimes call voluntary, altruistic or humanitarian) (Ferell et all, 2011) and (Geoffrey, 2001). Economic Responsibilities. Business organizations are groups to conduct goods or service to satisfy consumers as well as create jobs for community (Geoffrey, 2001). Firms should pay fair to workers, look for new resources, technical innovation and celebrate a friendly and fairly working environment. Therefore, economic responsibility â€Å"is to be profitable for principles by delivering a good quality product at a fair price is due to customers† (Geoffrey, 2001, p. 3). Novak (1996, p. 139-145) defined seven economic responsibilities. There are to (1) satisfy customers with goods and services of real value, (2) make a reasonable return on the funds entrusted to the business corporation by its investors, (3) create new wealth which reduce poorness as their wages rises, (4) create new jobs to enhance worker incomes, (5) defeat envy by generating people values and creations that can improve their conditions, (6) promote ingenuity and invention, (7) diversify the interest s of the republic. Legal responsibi lities. Legal behavior is obeying the law by playing rules and policies of the game. The business laws are passed by the society and community. The laws tell organizations what should or should not be done. However, the laws often provide a minimum level or a floor of moral that â€Å"might be followed involuntarily out of fear of punishment rather than voluntarily out of internal moral conviction† (Geoffrey, 2001, p. 4). Ethical responsibilities. Ethical duties overcome limitations of legal responsibilities. They include moral, doing what is right, just, fair and avoiding harm to society and community even if preventing harm caused by others (Smith Quelch, 1993). This behavior shows how wealth the organization affects non-economic aspects of society, such as benefit to employees, how closely working environment is, as well as natural environment. Altruistic responsibilities This kind of responsibilities display in the forms of voluntary service, association and giving, offer over of legal of society floor principles. Over the half of century, business increasingly has been judged not only by its economic and its ethical performance, but also by its social contributions (Geoffrey, 2001). Conclusion By understanding deeply Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, businesses can adopt not only get higher profit or outcomes but also be interested to society, community and natural environment. For the time being, we can expect to hear more about social responsibility and much of what of our companies do to give a hand to build our society around us.

Titan:The Uprising :: essays research papers

CHAPTER 1 From the Darkness The cool, dense air boasted over the horizon at dusk. I stand there†¦Face to the boundless horizon of the terrain before me. Blood, Bullets, Bodies lie cold†¦still on the ground, each containing a past. I stood there with my AR in hand, I stepped forward, knocking all pebbles around my feet, leading my few men towards what seemed to be certain death. We all were a bit edgy now. After a week of fighting and adrenaline, the body seemed due to failure. No one could predict what had happened in the past few days. Of course, command stuck me with Ten young and inexperienced recruit’s, mind you that’s all there was left. All veterans were wiped out. Our people have been fighting for freedom from the dreaded Collective for years. It seemed as if it was a lost cause. Maybe it still is. Who knows what’s ahead for my men and I. My men and I have grown weary, all our suites were battered, most of the armor missing, or gone entirely. Faces were cut and bruised, some of them considered serious. No time for that now. Ammunition was in short supply. We finished all the remaining rations we had. We were hungry, cold at night, and without Enhanced Sensors. We were blind to what was coming†¦ â€Å"Setup camp here for the night!† I said with a stern voice. The recruit’s looked for their spots for the night. I however would not. Someone has to guard these kids. I sure as hell wasn’t going to let them guard me. A couple hours passed, it was now dark. The air grew ever more cold. I knew by the cold temperatures someone wasn’t going to make it through the night. They all seemed to stare at me, with a scared look in their eyes. Wishing that they were home, before they were all destroyed. All remaining people are now nomads. Cast into the wind, Seeking shelter wherever possible. The few fighting for our world, I included, only go where the enemy lie. You could say we’re the last hope for this planet, this planet seemed so destined to be Collective property. It was pitch black, I had been crouching on my knees for awhile now. All I could hear is deep shivering breaths from my men. The silence soon left. Out of my eyesight I heard footsteps. As I reached for my AR nervously, The steps grew closer and so close it seem like they should have passed already.

Does Increased Carbon Dioxide Emissions Cause Global Warming? Essay

The warming of the Earth’s atmosphere is one of the most important environmental issues in the world today. The volatile climate and changes of heat in the atmosphere are connected with an increase of large amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It is often talked about that the primary reason why the global warming situation is increasing is due to the increase of the amount of greenhouse gases present in the Earth’s atmosphere, primarily the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. The increased carbon dioxide amount in the atmosphere that causes global warming is a cause of concern for many people because of its potential dangerous effects to the Earth and the environment. However, there are opposing arguments against this claim, and they refute that it is not accurate to mainly attribute the problem of global warming to the increasing carbon dioxide emission caused by the activities of humans. Audience My audience will be the one’s opposing the claim that carbon dioxide emissions cause global warming. The one’s opposing this claim believes that global warming is natural and the greenhouse gases do not cause global warming. That is true to some extent; however, if we did not build all of the industrial plants after the Industrial Revolution, which produces all of the carbon dioxide emissions global warming would not be as bad. To many scientists global warming refers to the observation that the Earth is warming, without any indication of what might be causing the warming of the atmosphere. This definition indicates that global warming can be due to various factors, and one of these reasons includes the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect, meanwhile, is a warming near the surface of the Earth that results whe... ...make our planet the only planet known to be habitable. I was able to use this book to better improve my reader’s knowledge of global warming and the effects of global warming. "What is Global Warming? - National Wildlife Federation." Home - National Wildlife Federation. National Wildlife Federation, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2011. . This article defines global warming and talks about how it is happening now. The article also goes in depth of how global warming is caused by humans and the effects that global warming are causing. Another thing the article talks about is what we can do to solve the problem of global warming. This article helped me by explaining the reasons of global warming and also by telling me ways that the global warming issue can be fixed. Another reason the article helped was by explaining the different causes of global warming.

Aids Funding For Africa And Other Countries

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a serious problem besetting the whole world. However, there is no other region in the world that could equal the sheer number and severity of the AIDS problem in Africa. The situation of AIDS victims in the region makes Africa deserving of help from the more fortunate nations in the world that are not hit as badly as the Africans, such as the United States.There are basically three reasons underlying Africa’s need for funding from other states. First, the number of AIDS victims in Africa is staggering. This reason alone is sufficient to arouse from people a compulsion to help. Basic notions of humanity and compassion dictate that those who are better situated and are able to help provide whatever assistance they can to those in need.Second, the situation in Africa is getting worse, not only for those who are actually afflicted by the disease, but also for their children. There is a growing number of orphans in Africa who desperately need help because t hey lost their parents to AIDS.Third, Africa is in no shape to solve this problem on its own. Almost all its countries are weighed down by the disease; and they have no resources to fund research on, and treatment of, the disease.Main BodyThe African SituationAfrica is the region most badly hit by the AIDS phenomenon. Compared to the number of victims in the United States, which only reached a little over 1 million in the year 2003 (A Glance, 2006), the number in Sub-Saharan Africa reached about 25 million at the end of 2005.Worse, it is approximated that about 2.7 million more infections occurred during that year. The number of deaths in the region is also devastating, reaching a total of about 2 million in the same year. (Kanabus & Fredriksson-Bass, 2006).The prevalence rates of HIV vary among the countries in Africa. Some are very much higher than others.   Among the countries that have the lowest prevalence rate are Somalia and Senegal, which is under 1% of the adult populatio n.Another country with relatively low prevalence rate is Nigeria, despite its being the country with the highest population in Sub-Saharan Africa, with only 3.9% in 2005. However, numbers are creeping up in the said country, as already â€Å"around 2.9 million Nigerians are estimated to be living with HIV.†On the other side of the spectrum, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe registered the highest adult HIV prevalence rates, reaching 24.1%, 23.2%, 33.4% and 20.1%, repectively. (Kanabus & Fredriksson-Bass, 2006).AIDS OrphansAnother grave problem facing Africa today is the number of children who are being orphaned because of AIDS. Although the whole world shares the weight of the 15 million children below 18 who have lost a parent to AIDS, Africa is again the region most badly hit by the situation.Africa is home to more than 12 million of these orphaned children, and it is predicted that this number will reach approximately 15.7 million by the year 2010 in Sub-Saharan Af rica alone.The gravity of the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa, where â€Å"children who have been orphaned by AIDS comprise half or more of all orphans nationally,† is manifested in the mere number of children who have been orphaned in 2005. (AIDS Orphans).South Africa has the most number of AIDS orphans, with 1,200,000 of them in 2005, while Malawi has the lowest population of orphans, with only 550,000. It would be noted that this smallest population of orphans of 550,000 is still a lot, and this in no way implies that the problem is less pressing in Malawi. (AIDS Orphans).The biggest crisis involving AIDS orphans consist in the emotional impact of deaths of their parents on the children. Negative changes are sure to be experienced, such as emotional neglect and trauma, occurring long before they are actually orphaned.For example, studies in Uganda show that high levels of psychological distress, manifested by feelings of anxiety, depression and anger, are common children w ho have been orphaned by AIDS. More fundamentally, the loss of a parent can lead to the subsequent loss of basic needs, such as food, shelter and education.Foreign FundingThe situation in Africa can be improved through the support of other countries and world organizations, particularly in funding. Africa has no sufficient resources to support anti-AIDS campaign on its own. Money, infrastructures and human resources are needed to form an effective HIV prevention and treatment program in the region.Unfortunately, these factors are not sufficiently developed in Africa. Therefore, foreign funding plays an important role in helping Africa combat its problem of AIDS. (Kanabus & Fredriksson-Bass, 2006).Funding to low-income countries, such as Africa, is sourced from only four streams: donations from national governments, major multilateral funding organizations, the private sector and domestic spending. With the other streams being unavailable, donations from foreign governments remain th e only viable source of resources for Africa.The United States is one of the biggest providers of funds in the fight against AIIDS. The American initiative consists mainly of the PEPFAR, or the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, which is a five-year commitment to donate $15 million to regions that are heavily beset by the AIDS epidemic. (Funding the Fight).ConclusionAfrica is the country that is most hit by the AIDS epidemic. The devastating effects of the said disease have led to other problems such as the psychological trauma caused on children who have been orphaned because of AIDS, who are growing in number through the years.With Africa lacking in much-needed resources, foreign funding from rich countries, such as the United States, remain its only hope in dealing with, and combating this deadly disease.ReferencesA Glance at the HIV/AIDS Epidemic. (2006). Retrieved December 1, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/facts heets/At-A-Glance.htmAIDS Orphans. Retrieved December 1, 2006, from http://www.avert.org/aidsorphans.htmFunding the Fight Against AIDS. Retrieved December 1, 2006, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.avert.org/aidsmoney.htmKanabus, A. & Fredriksson-Bass, J. (2006). HIV & AIDS in Africa. Pembrey, G. Ed. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   December 1, 2006, from http://www.avert.org/aafrica.htma

Ch.8 9 Questions Answers Essay Example

Ch.8 9 Questions Answers Essay Example Ch.8 9 Questions Answers Paper Ch.8 9 Questions Answers Paper A fault is. Faults are fractures in Earth where movement has occurred An earthquakes epicenter is. Is the location on the surface directly above the focus When an earthquake occurs, energy radiates in all directions from its source, which is called Focus. The point within Earth where the earthquake starts is called the focus Earthquakes are usually associated with. Earthquakes are usually associated with large fractures in Earths crust and mantle called faults What causes earthquakes? Earthquake occur due to the release of built-up energy Most earthquakes are produced by the rapid release of which kind of energy stored in rock subjected to great forces? Elastic energy stored in rocks During an earthquake, the ground surface. Can move in any direction The adjustments of material that follow a major earthquake often generate smaller earthquake called Aftershock Major earthquakes are sometimes preceded by smaller earthquakes called Foreshocks The slow continuous movement that occurs along some fault zones is referred to as Creep The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 occurred along what fault? San Andreas Fault Which seismic waves travel most rapidly? P waves travel most rapidly. What is true about P waves? P waves are push-pull waves-they push and pull the rocks in the direction the waves travel. Overall, which seismic waves are the most destructive? The surface waves are the most destructive, because surface waves move in an up-down, side to side motion. What is the minimum number of seismic stations that is needed to determine the location of an earthquakes epicenter? Three An earthquakes magnitude is a measure of the size of the size of the seismic waves or the amount of energy released at the source of the earthquake What instrument records earthquake waves? Seismographs How much of an increase in wave amplitude is seen from an earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale compared to one measuring 4.4? 10 times greater A succession of ocean waves set in motion by a submarine earthquake is called a(n). Tsunami In areas where unconsolidated sediments are saturated with water, earthquakes can turn stable soil into a fluid through a process.. Liquidfaction Violent shaking from an earthquake can cause soil and rocks on slopes to fail and cause a. Landslides Why do earthquakes often cause damaging fires? The fires started when gas and electrical lines were cut. Long-range earthquake forecasts are based on the idea that earthquakes are.. Repetitive What layers of Earth make up the lithosphere? Crust and uppermost mantle Through which Earth layer are S waves NOT transmitted? Outer core, because it is liquid Earths core is made of an alloy of. Iron-nickel alloy Wegeners continental drift hypothesis stated that all the continents once joined together to form. A single supercontinent The supercontinent in the continental drift hypothesis was called. Pangaea In the plate tectonics theory, the lithosphere is divided into Plates and plates can be made up of both continental and oceanic lithosphere. A tectonic plate consists of Crust and uppermost mantle A divergent boundary at two oceanic plates can result in a. Rift valley What type of boundary occurs where two plates move together, causing one plate to descend into the mantle beneath the other plate? Convergent boundaries Give an example of a transform fault boundary? San Andreas Fault New ocean crust is formed at Divergent boundaries What occurs when divergence occurs between two oceanic plates? This process results in upwelling of material from the mantle to create new seafloor (seafloor spreading) The Himalayas in South Asia are an example of what type of plate boundary? Continental (convergent boundary) Volcanic island arcs are associated with what type of plate boundary? Oceanic (convergent boundaries)

Anaximander Essays

Anaximander Essays Anaximander Essay Anaximander Essay Anaximander, a Milesian philosopher, was the first great influencer of Greek thought. He traveled, and presented his discoveries from the outside world to Greece. He is sometimes credited with the discovery of the gnomon, a type of sundial telling hours of the day, equinoxes, and solstices; however, it was most likely a transplanted invention from the Babylonians. He is also said to have constructed a celestial globe mapping the heavens. Anaximander can be considered the first geographer and although his maps suffered massive criticism from later philosophers, he completed a map of the world based on his own travels to Sparta and the Black Sea, and upon conversations with merchants and travelers. Anaximander also created a model of the universe using a geometric structure and basing measurements on multiples of three. He conjectured that the heavenly bodies were seen when fire showed through vents in the heavens. By using this single supposition, he was able to explain phenomena such as eclipses by a single occurrence: the blockage of heavenly vents. He can be considered the first metaphysician because he rationalized and hypothesized about the Aperion as the Arche. Unlike Thales, Anaximander speculated that the Aperion differed from the elementals and reasoned instead that since it was the fundamental source of all things and surrounded the heavens and worlds, it could not be any one of those things or possess their characteristics. This is why the earth does not move in space, because the Aperion has an equal relation to the extremes and there is no reason for it to move. According to Anaximander, the Aperion must be spatially unlimited because it environs the universe. As an unlimited material, if the Aperion possessed a definite set of characteristics, it would obliterate everything with opposing characteristics. It must perpetually be in motion for change to occur in the world. It is ageless and eternal, because if there was a time when the Aperion was not, then it must have come from something other than itself, and as the inspiration for the creation of all things, this would be impossible. Anaximander explains the existence of the world not through traditional divinities and mythology, but rather by elements separating off from the Aperion. He found explanations for the world that were logical and uncomplicated. Anaximander taught that either of any two opposites can overwhelm the other, but share equal influence, although they are constantly in conflict. When one gains greater power, it will eventually pay the penalty to the other, keeping the world in balance. Heraclitus was the dark, riddling philosopher who expounded the theories of eternal change. Heraclitus was very critical of past philosophers and peers. The former he condemned for valuing learning over insight, while the latter he denounced for being unreceptive to unfamiliar concepts, not caring for truth, misusing their senses and intelligence, and erratically following tradition and authority. Heraclitus was the first philosopher to connect human values to philosophy. He transcended physical theories in order to discover principled appliances and metaphysical fundamentals. He went beyond the Milesian philosophers study of the material foundation of the world to the rhythm of nature affecting the Logos. However, he did not believe, as Anaximander did, that opposites were in a universal unrest, but rather that they existed in a law like flux and transformational uniformity. For example, the sea water, which is most polluted for humans, but most pure for the sea creatures; it gives both death and life in different respects. He viewed conflict as a necessity in life, but not as an impediment to living. He stated that it is the inevitable law of nature for things that are hot to become cold and that since they are already hot, they cannot become hot. The potential for both extremes always exists within the same object. Heraclitus associated Logos with fire, the dramatic, violent, hot element of gradual change. However he also believed that fire, water, and earth were constantly changing into one another. This idea of constant motion of the elements reflects Anaximanders. He uses the example of a river: if the river stops flowing and changing it fails to remain a river, and becomes a lake. Just so, if the Kosmos ever stopped changing it would lose its identity and fail to exist as we know it. The existence of Logos keeps the world in order. Thus, he presents his idea of the Logos not only as elemental, but also relating to justice, law, and God. He criticized people for looking at the world as made of individual parts instead of looking at all the separate parts as they relate to the whole which they all come from. By fully grasping what the whole is, we can see the way individual things interact within it. Heraclitus put much emphasis on logic and relying upon the senses. He said that most people live in a private dream world, and while they are physically all in the same reality, they are not conscious of it. He disvalues things taught in favor of things learned for oneself through experience. He particularly valued knowledge gained through sight, but he warned that when the soul is barbaric, the persons reception will be skewed. The highest virtue that Heraclitus extols is that of understanding. Although only divinities can have complete insight into nature, is a virtue humans must work toward. He uses the Logos as fire to argue morals. Souls are made of fire, and to die is to be extinguished or become wet. He warns against drinking to excess because it moistens the soul; much the same, when a person is sick, it indicates that their soul is moist. Greeks believed it valiant to die in battle, with a fiery soul. Thus it was shameful to die of disease because the soul would remain impure. Heraclitus stated that the Logos was a wholesome cosmic fire and the fieriest soul was the wise soul. He warned that it was the individuals character and actions that determined his or her fate, rather than gods from any mystery religion. Parmenides was the first philosopher to combine the analytical logic with philosophy. He branched off from the theories of Anaximander, Heraclitus, and Pythagoras. Like Heraclitus, he emphasized the importance of learning the truth about existence and nature, except he believed the way to reach that understanding was through reason separate from the senses, because humans tend to deem whatever seems to be as unconditional reality. This principle led to forms of rationalism and influenced Platos writing. Expounding upon Pythagorean thought, Parmenides found explanations for the universe that were mathematical and logical. He also uses verse to present his philosophy, reiterating Greek tradition and thought. He plays up the images of chariots and wise steeds, referencing Achilles in Homers Iliad, he alludes to Hesiods work when describing Chaos, and although he doesnt use the term god, Parmenides employs Anaximanders Justice and opposition in his tale. In the poem, Parmenides presents three possibilities for reality and the state of the universe. The first way is to believe that everything is, the second is to believe that nothing is, and the third is to believe that everything is and is not. The way of Objective Truth is both unswerving and coherent, the Unthinkable Way is consistent but incoherent, and the way of Subjective Belief is incomprehensible and incoherent. (The first and second ways are both enlightened, but should not carry the same merit. ) Humans often fail to see the first way as feasible because they rely upon their senses. Parmenides argued that if something can be conceived, that on some level of existence it exists because it has properties that can be described. This is why the second way is incorrect. By talking about nothing, it is described with certain attributes and, itself, becomes something. There are benefits to the way of Subjective Belief, in looking at the universe and truth objectively. The fallacy comes when people on this path try to understand themselves or their immediate surroundings. The Kosmos does exist independently, but not to the omission of all other potential Kosmoi. The objective truth is that conceivably all Kosmoi are similarly existent, therefore Parmenides concludes that the Plenum is continuous, undivided, imperishable, timeless, motionless, and unchanging, which is utterly divergent from Heraclitus view of an ever-changing Aperion. Parmenides view of the world can be compared to a block of marble. It is possible to create anything out of that block until it is changed and one chunk is carved off. The possibility to create any number of designs is immediately eliminated. Therefore, since it is possible for every imaginable universe to exist, the Plenum can never change. It is also contingent on properties of time rather than space. Parmenides Plenum was made up from two opposites: fire which gives light and translucent, and night which is dark and dense. Much as Anaximander described it, Parmenides world was made from these two elements separating off in a type of vortex, and combining with each other; however they can never become one another. In Platos Meno, Socrates shows his idea of virtue and knowledge by questioning Meno, a high-class, educated man, and an uneducated slave. He begins speaking as if he knows nothing about virtue, and asks Meno to explain it to him. However, he quickly tears apart Menos confidence. He tries to discover what virtue is, because until one knows what something is, one cannot know its qualities, and it cannot be taught. Socrates eventually brings Meno to the conclusion that virtue is knowledge or temperance. Then Socrates defines teaching as remembering knowledge from previous lives. He questions a slave-boy in geometry much in the same style that he questioned Meno, first utterly bewildering him before leading him to the answer. The slave would have had no education, but was able to discover the truth by answering questions, and thus must have been remembering that particular truth. They determine that virtue is knowledge, and knowledge can be taught. Thus, divulging knowledge to a person is the same as divulging virtue. By teaching that virtue is beneficial, and supposing that a person would not choose to do something detrimental to them, then knowing that something is a virtue they will choose it, and since they are choosing virtue, they must be virtuous. Consequently, to teach virtue is simply to teach that virtue is knowledge. Therefore, Socrates teaches Meno virtue in the dialogue. However he contradicts this by saying that the slave discovered some true opinion, not knowledge, and Socrates did not teach him because he was not paid as teachers must be. Therefore virtue cannot be knowledge because virtue cannot be taught. He offers four ways in which humans may acquire virtue: teaching, practice, nature, or some alternative way. An alternative to virtue being knowledge is that it is true opinion, which cannot be taught. If it is not taught then it must be a divine gift.

Bananas Are Radioactive (So Are Many Ordinary Objects)

Bananas Are Radioactive (So Are Many Ordinary Objects) You may have read about everyday objects setting off radiation alarms at border crossings between the US and Canada and Mexico. Newsweek has an article describing how medical radiation treatments (e.g., bone scans) may lead to traveling delays when they trigger radiation sensors. When the sensors are tripped, border officials conduct more intensive inspections to make sure you arent carrying nuclear weapons. There are other ways to set off the alarms. Do you carry kitty litter in your car to help provide traction in icy weather or to absorb oil? Its slightly radioactive. Do you have tile or granite in your vehicle for a home improvement project? It has a relatively high radiation signature. Do you have a lot of bananas? They are also slightly radioactive. Key Takeaways: Bananas Are Radioactive Bananas are slightly radioactive due to the presence of a natural isotope of potassium. Potassium is a key mineral in the fruit.Many other common materials are also radioactive, including potatoes, bricks, and cat litter.For the most part, these substances do not present a health risk. However, they can set off radiation sensors at ports of entry and their radioactivity is detectable using a Geiger counter. Its pretty easy to understand why tile, granite, and kitty litter are radioactive. They contain low levels of minerals that naturally decay. Bananas are radioactive for a similar reason. The fruit contains high levels of potassium. Radioactive K-40 has an isotopic abundance of 0.01% and a half-life of 1.25 billion years. The average banana contains around 450 mg of potassium and will experience about 14 decays each second. Its no big deal. You already have potassium in your body, 0.01% as K-40. You are fine. Your body can handle low levels of radioactivity. The element is essential for proper nutrition. If you have a banana in your car for your lunch you arent going to set off a Geiger counter. If you carry a produce truck full of them, you might encounter some problems. Ditto for a truck of potatoes or potassium fertilizer.The point here is that radiation is all around you. If you do an internet search, youll note significant concern (panic?) over bananas being radioactive. Are they radioactive? Barely. If you set a banana on a detector you wont hear mad clicking. It wont glow in the dark when you turn out the lights. There is a perception that radiation is bad, bad, bad. Its just a part of life. Bricks are radioactive. Anything containing carbon (you) is slightly radioactive. Bananas are radioactive and its no big thing. Well... except maybe to Homeland Security.

Administrative Procedures OFF2373 Major Assignment A The Workplace and Essay

Administrative Procedures OFF2373 Major Assignment A The Workplace and You - Essay Example Employee involvement encompasses the process of making employees work not only with their brains and bodies but also with their hearts. The purpose of constructing the workplace is to establish and maintain appropriate physical working conditions and to improve the quality of work life. Establishing an effective work environment begins with identifying the physical environment and the resources needed to perform the work effectively. Congenial environmental conditions will develop the health and safety of the workers. Similarly, safe work practice leads to better performance, motivation, and higher productivity in the organization. Background noise disrupts the concentration of employees and also affects people’s health by increasing the general stress level. Therefore, to avoid interference with work, the sound level should not be higher than 55 decibels,. The screen size, brightness, contrast and color combination should be adjusted by the operator on behalf of the employees. The best viewing distance from the eye to the computer monitor is 15 to 40 inches. The chair height should be easy to adjust within a range of 15-20 inches above the floor. The space of seat pan should be 16 to 19 inches wide and the seat depth should be 15 to18 inches. The ideal angle between the seat pan and seat back should be 85 to 135 degree adjustable. Providing effective break and rest schedule for workers is important for tapping the best out of the working environment. The break or rest schedule should vary according to the physical and psychological demands of the employees involved in specific assignments. The report is submitted to infrom all people

Story Conflicts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Story Conflicts - Essay Example As a result, she becomes fat, and no body knows why. This shows her concern about society, but she does not want to compromise with her desires. Listening her mother and eating little in public shows her concern about what people think of her. She hates seeing her relatives' reaction when they talk to her. She wishes to be liked by everyone. But usually, when she is alone, desire to eat takes her over and she eat the things which results in increase in fat. At her school she meets a girl, who helps her to reduce her weight. After tremendous struggle with her hunger and dieting, she achieves thin body. Now everyone likes her and she get married. When she becomes pregnant, her hunger takes over, and she starts eating secretly again. After child's birth also she continues eating lot and again become fat as before. This proves that a person may change their thinking for little time, but soon comes back to original life. She maintained her dieting for some years but soon came back to the life of lie, showing one thing and doing something else. She is self centered woman. She never felt any responsibility towards her parents, and now also she is not listening to her husband, who loves her a lot. She does not like to stay with people who interrupt her in doing what she wants, whoever they are. Other story is about a soldier, who returns home years after the war over. His situation is totally different from girl in previous story. After returning back, he compares every situation at hometown with that before going for war. The entire Situation is same except now he dislike many things amongst them. Previously he used to lie about his life at war. He used to attribute himself to the things other had gone through. Previously he used to say or do any thing to please girls, but now he thinks it is not worth saying lie anymore. He feels that he lost every thing, and him self. And this is because of lies he said to everyone. "Krebs acquired the nausea in regard to experience that is the result of untruth or exaggeration, and when he occasionally met another man who had really been a soldier and the talked a few minutes in the dressing room at a dance he fell into the easy pose of the old soldier among other soldiers: that he had been badly, sickeningly frightened all the time. In this way he lost everything." Now he wants simple and straightforward life without any type of complications. Now he wants truth in his life. He wish to get rid of the entire situation created because his untruth and exaggeration about his life and war. Now he does not want any consequences. He believes that things can get good again if he start things what are worth doing. His parents want him to set his aim and settle down to work. His sister wants him to participate in her daily activities. Unlike previous, now he wants to satisfy his parent's and sister's expectation and become good son and brother. Conclusion These two

University Hospital Consultation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

University Hospital Consultation - Case Study Example The industry is characterized by uncertainties in the regulatory atmosphere, digital transformation, continued scientific transformation and influenced by the global economic changes from depression to a recovering economy. The success of the university hospital is dependent on its structuring, effectivity, and management. The approach focuses on organization, management, and effective control of operations to ensure success. The strategy implies that the set strategies are well managed and measured at the end of every quota to evaluate the level of efficiency in meeting the hospital`s mission, vision, and objectives. The actions of the strategy can be examined as identifying the hospital`s functions in relation to the purpose, long run goals, objectives and allocating the available resources in to meet the health care consumer needs. Other crucial factors in the strategy include a unifying and coherent process in management process decision making, adoption of contemporary technology and application of the science in telemedicine. The hospital`s mission statement, is performance and efficiency based is a critical pillar in emphasize of the companies key fundamentals of ensuring high-quality service delivery to counter the competition faced (Grant 2008). Most players in the industry focus on keeping up with current technological changes in medicine. The key values emphasized in the mission statement focuses on optimizing on technological advancement to ensure efficiency and satisfaction. The objective of the hospital is to ensure an efficient system that caters for all social classes of the society and at the same time ensure optimization of profit. The values are directed towards capitalizing on the university institution`s pool of skilled individuals-students and staff- to enhance research Significance and spearhead a campaign to develop world cure for cancer. The vision and mission statement that is centered on efficiency and

High preformance work system in HRM (humen resource management)enhance Essay

High preformance work system in HRM (humen resource management)enhance the effectiveness of the orgnization - Essay Example Also, more involvement in the organization makes the employees more empowered leading to a more committed workforce which in turn affects the productivity and effectiveness of the organization. According to Kling (1995), training, which is the second component of HPWS makes the company more adaptable to changes and enables it to improve the quality of output that leads to the increase in profitability. The third component, incentives, motivates employees to come with "outcomes that are beneficial to themselves and the organization as a whole" (Brown 2006). This results in a more productive workforce and a more effective organization. There are also specific reasons why HPWS can enhance the firm's HRM, effectiveness, productivity, and profitability. There were studies that linked HPWS with 14.8% growth in productivity, 12.2% improvement in workforce innovation and 7.7% reduction in employee turnover (FAS). These increases in the significant aspects of the organization can have substan tial effects that enhance the organization's status. One specific reason is workplace participation. Since HPWS allows workers to participate in the decision making, a culture of decentralization and responsibility will be present in the workplace (Kling 1995). This can create job rotation and cross training that result in more job satisfaction, reduced absenteeism and employee turnover. Also, decentralization will allow more employee involvement. This is a good thing because better decisions will be made since the employees have direct involvement with the issues at the workplace, so they know exactly what to do (Kling 1995). Together with the knowledge of the management and the experience of the employees, the organization can come up with better decisions. There are also evidences that prove HPWS as successful in enhancing the organizations' productivity, effectiveness, and profitability. In 1995, Huselid and Becker conducted a study that would assess the strategic impacts of HPW S. They estimated that one standard deviation change in the firm's HPWS will lead to an increase in the firm's market value of $38,000-$73,000 per employee. On the other hand, a study by Scotti, et al., (2007) found out that for every one standard deviation increase in HPWS in the healthcare sector, the organization will show a 0.29 standard deviation in customer satisfaction. The study also found out that there is a strong relationship between employee perceptions and quality customer service. There is also a study by Bartel in 1994, as cited by Kling (1995), that concluded that training with HPWS increases a firm's productivity by 9 percent. In relation to this, Kling also reviewed a study by Holzer in 1993 that doubling the training will decrease scraps in production by 7%. Another one by Tyson and Levine (1993) concluded that employee participation and involvement is positively correlated with productivity. Cooke (1994), as cited by Kling (1995), found out that establishments in crease its value-added by 5% to 25% if the employees have incentive pay. According to FAS, the University of Limerick and University of Kansas, USA conducted a study and concluded that HPWS "can make a significant contribution to profitability, productivity and staff retention". The study found out that firms with progressive

National Assemblies of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

National Assemblies of Kuwait - Essay Example The opposition lobbied for a parliament, by petitioning the government in 1950s, via the leadership of Ahmad al-Khatib and his movement, National Culture Club. 1967 elections were marred by irregularities on the part of the government, which necessitated the need for fresh elections. As such, new election was held in 1971, yielding an acquiescent assembly with just four members of the opposition, excluding the leader of opposition, Al-Khatib. The assembly proved a major opposing force for the amir administration. The fourth assembly elections occurred in 1975 giving birth to an assembly that passionately opposed the government than its predecessor. Unhappy with the opposition of the assembly, amir dissolved it in 1976 issuing new ultimatums for press and public conventions. The fifth assembly existed between 1981 and 1985. It also produced an active opposition like the previous assemblies. However, divisions over constitutional changes among other issues led to the demise of the assembly fueled by intense religious opposition determination. The sixth assembly election was held in 1985, in which the government reviewed its Islamists support by encouraging Beduin contenders to bar Islamists. Unlike before, the government gave the nationalists room to participate, which saw the revival of Al-Khatib. Al-Khatib and three other nationalists emerged victorious in the elections. Following its vehement opposition to the government and determination to remove corrupt ministers from office, the sixth a ssembly also faced the possibility dissolution. Seeing that the assembly had dug too much into the ruling family, amir suspended the assembly. The assembly was eventually dissolved following violence experienced in 1985. However, the assembly remained influential opposition symbol even after its closure and limited scope. Of all the assemblies, the 1981-1985 assembly seemed more interesting. Apart from being vociferous like its predecessors, the assembly was far

High preformance work system in HRM (humen resource management)enhance Essay

High preformance work system in HRM (humen resource management)enhance the effectiveness of the orgnization - Essay Example Also, more involvement in the organization makes the employees more empowered leading to a more committed workforce which in turn affects the productivity and effectiveness of the organization. According to Kling (1995), training, which is the second component of HPWS makes the company more adaptable to changes and enables it to improve the quality of output that leads to the increase in profitability. The third component, incentives, motivates employees to come with "outcomes that are beneficial to themselves and the organization as a whole" (Brown 2006). This results in a more productive workforce and a more effective organization. There are also specific reasons why HPWS can enhance the firm's HRM, effectiveness, productivity, and profitability. There were studies that linked HPWS with 14.8% growth in productivity, 12.2% improvement in workforce innovation and 7.7% reduction in employee turnover (FAS). These increases in the significant aspects of the organization can have substan tial effects that enhance the organization's status. One specific reason is workplace participation. Since HPWS allows workers to participate in the decision making, a culture of decentralization and responsibility will be present in the workplace (Kling 1995). This can create job rotation and cross training that result in more job satisfaction, reduced absenteeism and employee turnover. Also, decentralization will allow more employee involvement. This is a good thing because better decisions will be made since the employees have direct involvement with the issues at the workplace, so they know exactly what to do (Kling 1995). Together with the knowledge of the management and the experience of the employees, the organization can come up with better decisions. There are also evidences that prove HPWS as successful in enhancing the organizations' productivity, effectiveness, and profitability. In 1995, Huselid and Becker conducted a study that would assess the strategic impacts of HPW S. They estimated that one standard deviation change in the firm's HPWS will lead to an increase in the firm's market value of $38,000-$73,000 per employee. On the other hand, a study by Scotti, et al., (2007) found out that for every one standard deviation increase in HPWS in the healthcare sector, the organization will show a 0.29 standard deviation in customer satisfaction. The study also found out that there is a strong relationship between employee perceptions and quality customer service. There is also a study by Bartel in 1994, as cited by Kling (1995), that concluded that training with HPWS increases a firm's productivity by 9 percent. In relation to this, Kling also reviewed a study by Holzer in 1993 that doubling the training will decrease scraps in production by 7%. Another one by Tyson and Levine (1993) concluded that employee participation and involvement is positively correlated with productivity. Cooke (1994), as cited by Kling (1995), found out that establishments in crease its value-added by 5% to 25% if the employees have incentive pay. According to FAS, the University of Limerick and University of Kansas, USA conducted a study and concluded that HPWS "can make a significant contribution to profitability, productivity and staff retention". The study found out that firms with progressive

Design, conduct and report on interviews with parents. (Pedagogy and Essay

Design, conduct and report on interviews with parents. (Pedagogy and play) - Essay Example The early years of children, the period of immaturity, is an important time to develop behaviors (Bateson, 2005). And through play many key skills and desired behaviors can be developed. With the effective utilization of play, many social skills and problem-solving strategies can be nurture(Smith, 1986).However, in past, the influence of the play and its role in child development and growth was not understood (Bruner et al, 1976). In the following I will present my findings about the perceptions of parents regarding play and its pedagogical value. I interviewed two ladies. First is Mrs, Hubert , a housewife and mother of Nany a 5 year old girl. Second lady is Ms.Tina mother of Ted –a 4 year old boy. 2. Overall views about play Both of the parents viewed play as a ‘natural’ need of the children. Their views matched that play helps in better growth and development of the body and mind. One parent, Nany’s mother, said that play involves such a diversified proc esses which help in naturally acquiring many key skills including ‘imagination, creativity, better expression and interpersonal skills’. Their views about play are well developed. Many researchers like Moyles( 1994), Glickman( 1981) similar kind of expression about play. In their opinion play is an informal way of developing children’s skills and behavior. . 3. The value of play in child growth and development Ms. Tina , mother of 5 year old Ted, said that there must be a balance between study and play. Her point of view is that, if child get more involved in play, her studies would suffer. As she emphasized ‘balance’ is the key word On the other hand, Nany’s mother, Mrs Hubert , is of the view that play till the age of 5 or 6 year is more important than studying at school. She said that play will teach them a lot in a natural environment. For instance , she said that playing in teams or pairs teach them tolerance and teamwork. There is a slig ht difference in the point of view of Mrs. Hubert and Ms.Tina. The former values play more that study. This difference is rooted in the difference of life style. Ms. Tina is a working lady where as Mrs. Hubert is a house wife. However, both the ladies agree to the following points about the value of the play. 3.1. Develop Mutual Respect Both the parents pointed out that games help in treat each other with respect and understanding others view point. An Innate demand of play is co-existence. Bateson (2005) has said that play samples whole life and children learn and practice behaviors adaptive to that environment. 3.2. Principled Life Both the parents agree that children learn to follow the rules and principles in playing games. This makes them more principled and disciplined. â€Å"Perhaps socially responsible†, Ms Tina said, â€Å"you don’t have force them to follow your opinions, likes or dislikes, just offer them ‘rules of game ’ and life will be easyà ¢â‚¬ . This concept of play as preparation for life was presented by Groos in 1898(Play Theories, 2008). Thus play will teach them the thing that will make them more law abiding and more responsible citizen. 3.3. Fostering Freedom and Responsibility Ladies are agree that play fosters sense of responsibility in children. As they learn to respect each other and follow the ‘rules of game’, they become more responsible. Mrs. Hubert put it in this way: you

Evening News Essay Example for Free

Evening News Essay News is information or a presentation about current events and is reported by a variety of means such as newspapers, periodicals, radio, television and websites on the Internet. The reporting of news falls into the field of journalism, which are typically written or broadcast in news style. Most news is investigated and presented by journalists and can be distributed to various sites via news agencies. On the other hand, according to a web encyclopedia, â€Å"Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author.†(par. 1). A blog is a mixture of a persons experiences in life and what is happening on the Web. It is like a kind of a personal diary-cum-guide site. There are unique types of people, thus, there are as many unique types of blogs as well. In another case, a blog is also a web site that contains dated entries in reverse chronological order (most recent first) about a particular topic. Functioning as an online newsletter, blogs can be written by one person or a group of contributors. Entries contain commentary and links to other Web sites, and images as well as a search facility is also included. Most blogs also invite feedback and comments from visitors and Internet newsgroup discussions, which tend to be more question-and-answer oriented. People have already maintained blogs before but it only gained momentum in 1999 when automated published systems were introduced. Nowadays, thousands of people use web site blog hosting services to simplify and accelerate the publishing process. The template-based software makes it easy to create an online blog and continuously allows you to add entries. Similarly like news, a blog   is a form of media. However, news is considered a traditional media while blog is connoted as internet type of media. It is a platform to communicate what anyone may wish to let anyone know within reach of an internet connection. In traditional media, you are first defined by your medium. There is some constraint on how the contents are delivered physically or digitally which is determined by your medium. According to Maverick blog article, â€Å"There is a cost versus time versus interest versus access series of constraints that determines who your audience is, how you reach them and what they expect of you. Over time, those constraints have evolved our media into very defined roles†(par. 3). Blogs are different. There is no cost constraint. It costs nothing to create a blog. There are time constraints, but much less than traditional media. Bloggers are not pressured   to publish or create an article on a schedule. Blogging is basically personal and this is where the paths of blogging and traditional media diverge. Traditional media is business, thus it has become exclusively corporate while blogging remains almost exclusively personal. However, some bloggers have started to make money from their blogs but what they put in their blogs is all up to them which gives them satisfaction.   Members of traditional media are employees. They get hired for a specific job and they have to do that job. They get hired by a corporation that is most likely public, which means that their employers are concerned in getting their stock price up above all else. Thus, they write news and articles that is dictated by subjects perceived to make more money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In comparison to mainstream media, blog gives anyone the freedom to write about anything. They can write opinion. They can report facts. They can ask questions. They can write any topics they want. Individual Web surfers post their own eclectic and varied thoughts. Still, others such as known political parties, religious and professional groups, businesses, and media organizations have created their own blog sites too. A report by Snow states that, â€Å"audience for blogs in general is more than 3.5 million strong, and growing. One group that surveys political blogs believes between 20,000 and 25,000 people are regularly talking about political topics on Weblogs. These days people from every corner of the country are finding each other on screen. The impact of all this dialogue is hard to gauge, but it is clearly shaping politics and media coverage†(par. 16-18). Wright also presented that â€Å"Blogging grew from the ground up as a grassroots effort. What started as a few people conversing about common interests via real-time Internet postings has become a continuous conversation among millions of   bloggers and readers. With millions of bloggers expressing their thoughts, experiences, and information they’ve learned in their fields of interest, this medium has become a worldwide forum†(3). Another interesting development of blog in comparison to traditional media is that even news agencies have created their own section termed newsblogs. Auty argues that â€Å"newsblogs supplement and work alongside traditional news media by filtering and reporting news. She praises the growth of personal diaries and eyewitness accounts (such as those that sprung up after 9/ 11) but overall sees blogs as being a new way of distributing and collecting the news rather than a new source of news itself†(341). The rapid pace of technology is changing the nature of blogs as well. The popularity of digital audio players such as the iPod has spurred the growth of blogs with audio content. People can download a wide range of audio files like music and listen to them at their convenience using a PC or a portable media player. The rapid adoption in the use of cell phones with built-in digital cameras and wireless Internet connections is also changing the face and pace of blogging. Bloggers armed with these tools can snap a picture, writes a short caption and then post it on a moblog or mobile log, regardless of time and place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, with these conveniences brought about by blogging and the personal satisfaction they give on people, it is not surprising that future generations will no longer subscribe to traditional media. As Wright argues, â€Å"blogs have the power to create businesses, change the course of political history, and transform the way the mainstream or traditional media looks at itself.†(2). BIBLIOGRAPHY Auty, Caroline(Editor). Politics and Government in the Age of the Internet. Bradford, , UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2005. p 341. Blogging Vs. Traditional Media. Blog Maverick Website. May 13, 2006. 27 Oct. 2006http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/05/13/ Snow, Kate. The Power of the Blog. ABC News website. Sept. 26, 2004. 27 Oct. 2006http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2004/story?id=123452page=2 Webopedia. The No. 1 Online Encyclopedia dedicated to Computer Technology. 26 Oct. 2006http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/b/blog.html Wright, Jeremy. Blog Marketing. Blacklick, OH, USA: McGraw-Hill Companies, The, 2005. p 2-3.

Cognitive Therapy for Mood Disorders: Analysis

Cognitive Therapy for Mood Disorders: Analysis Cognitive therapy is a highly effective treatment for mood disorders. Discuss. As Karasu noted in 1982, there has historically been a polarization of the field of treatment of all psychological conditions; on the one hand, there is a camp which touts psychotherapy as the most effective and superior form of treatment, and on the other, there are those who champion the cause of pharmacotherapy as the most effective treatment.[1] In Karasu’s words, this separation between the two disciplines is likely to be â€Å"symptomatic of the post-Cartesian mind-body dichotomy at the core of modern medicine.† Statements about the effectiveness of the one or the other, which is often held to be thus the superior of the two, should be viewed through this lens. Before we can address the question of whether or not cognitive therapy is a highly effective treatment for mood disorders, we need to be clear about what we mean by â€Å"cognitive therapy† and â€Å"mood disorders†. Mood disorders are typically taken to cover a range of depressive disorders which include both unipolar depression and bipolar disorder, and which might range from full-blown major depression through to the display of some depressive symptoms. According to Blackburn et al., citing Beck’s (1967, 1976) cognitive theory of depression, someone who is depressed will view themselves as a â€Å"loser† and will interpret all their experiences in terms of their own inadequacies. They will anticipate that their present difficulties will continue indefinitely and, blaming themselves, they will become increasingly self-critical. As well as this negative view of the self, the world and the future, they will also make â€Å"logical systematic errors†, which will lead them to draw erroneous conclusions about their experiences. Such errors might include personalization, over-generalization, magnification and minimization. They will also have â€Å"dysfunctional basic premises† or â€Å"idiosyncratic schemas†, which help them to sieve, categorize and act upon information that they receive from their experiences of the world around them..[2] The aim of cognitive therapy is to change these negative schemas through the use of a variety of cognitive and behavioural techniques. The approach is problem-oriented and time-limited, typically lasting about 12 weeks.[1] The most frequently reported forms of cognitive therapy in the literature are cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). Other techniques include psychoeducation, psychodynamic focal therapies and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Throughout this paper, the terms cognitive therapy and psychotherapy are used interchangeably. Among these different cognitive therapy techniques, CBT is the one most often considered in the literature, and it is widely reported to be effective, but how do we decide if something is highly effective or not? To decide how effective a treatment is, we need to consider the available evidence. What follows is not a full and systematic review of the literature, which is beyond the scope of this paper, but rather, a look at some of the available evidence to date on the subject and an outline of the key issues. In it, I propose that the evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive therapy as a treatment for depression is not unequivocal and that a more integrated approach would be more beneficial. Writing in 1981, Blackburn et al. cite a study by Rush et al. (1977), which was one of the earlier studies comparing cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy, and which showed that cognitive therapy was superior to the drug imipramine in outpatients with unipolar depression in both level of response and rate of premature treatment termination.[2] They attempted to replicate that study, but comparing a range of drugs with cognitive therapy, rather than just imipramine, and they also tested a combination of both cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy. They found cognitive therapy to be only minimally more effective than the drugs in a group of mildly to moderately depressed hospital outpatients, but significantly more so than drugs alone in general practice, both alone and in combination with drugs. In both groups, using a combination of cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy produced the greatest effect of all.[1] However, as the researchers do note, they used no objective method to assess patients’ compliance with the pharmacotherapy regimen.[2] In their study of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and assertion training (AT) groups for patients with depression and comorbid personality disorders, Ball et al. found CBT alone to produce a significant improvement in all the outcomes measured, including at follow-up.[3] However, the group that received a combination of CBT and AT showed only minimal improvement on the social competence and anxiety measures[4], and only two of the four measures that were significant immediately after the treatment were still significant at follow-up.[5] In short, the presence of a comorbid personality disorder appeared to impede the response to CBT and AT and the outcomes at follow-up.[6] Since depressed patients have high rates of comorbid personality disorders[7], these results have significant implications for the use of cognitive therapy in combination with other forms of non-pharmacotherapy for the treatment of depression. The use of a much briefer CBT protocol in this study (15 hours over five weeks), which as Ball et al. note is about half that in most studies in the CBT outcomes literature, should be noted. If briefer protocols like this can produce appreciable long-term improvements in the prognosis of depression, then this is likely to be more cost-effective than the longer protocols typically employed.[8] However, since the study was uncontrolled, there may well be other explanations for the results. Clearly more studies, particularly randomised controlled trials (RCTs), of cognitive therapy in this under-researched group are needed. In their recent review of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy treatments for mood and anxiety disorders, Otto et al. noted that in terms of acute outcomes, both CBT and pharmacological treatments have repeatedly been shown to be efficacious and in most cases to offer an approximately equal effect, though there are some suggestions that CBT is more tolerable and especially more cost-effective.[1] CBT has, however, consistently shown a strong relapse-prevention effect, in direct contrast to pharmacotherapy, which often requires ongoing treatment to prevent relapse.[2] It has been suggested that pharmacotherapy and cognitive therapy have differential effects, the former on symptom formation and affective distress, and the latter on interpersonal relations and social adjustment, each activated and sustained on a different time schedule, the pharmacological treatments sooner and over a shorter duration and the psychotherapeutic treatments later and over a longer duration.[3] There is some evidence that CBT and pharmacotherapy may produce similar limbic and cortical changes in the brain, but also that they target different primary sites.[4] There is, moreover, some evidence of complementary modes of action among patients who fail on one form of treatment but gain benefit from the other.[5] Such complementarity favours a more integrated approach to the treatment of depression that combines the beneficial effects of both pharmacotherapy and cognitive therapy, but is there any evidence that such an approach does indeed work? In their 1986 review of the evidence for the effectiveness of combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for the treatment of depression, Conte et al. found a combination of the two approaches to be more effective than either of the treatments alone, though the apparently additive effect was not a strong one. Conte et al. highlight a number of possible explanations for the observed effect, including the high drop-out rates in the studies they considered, making generalization difficult, the differential response to pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy dependent on whether the diagnosis was endogenous or situational, questions about whether it is either ethical or even practically possible to have a placebo in psychotherapy trials, and the low power of their own overall approach to their review.[1] Conte et al. also suggest that whilst their results might support the additive model, they might also be explained if some patients benefit more from one treatment and some more from the other. [2] The non-standard nature of diagnoses, therapies, training and experience of therapists also makes comparisons and generalizations difficult, if not impossible.[3],[4] In 1997, Thase et al. suggested that their mega-analysis comparing psychotherapy with psychotherapy-pharmacotherapy combinations provided evidence of the superiority of a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy over psychotherapy alone for the more severely-depressed outpatients, both in terms of overall recovery rates and a shorter time to recovery.[5] However, none of the patients older than 60 received psychotherapy and none with non-recurrent depression were in the combination group.[6] The less seriously depressed patients treated with interpersonal therapy (IPT) or CBT alone achieved results comparable to those in the combination group.[7] As it is, this evidence for the effectiveness of a combined approach is ambiguous. There are further problems with this study, though. Comorbid patients were excluded[8] – and as has been noted earlier, comorbidity is typically associated with poorer outcomes – and a disproportionately large number of the patients had recurrent depression, so if the combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy is more effective in this sub-group, this will lend a skew to the picture suggesting effectiveness in all severely-depressed patients.[9] Finally, inasmuch as this is a mega-analysis, the non-standard nature of diagnoses, therapies, training and experience of therapists highlighted earlier makes generalizations very difficult, a problem noted by the authors of this study also.[1] In their 2004 review, Pampallona et al. concluded that a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy produced a greater improvement in depression scores than pharmacotherapy alone.[2] Pampallona et al. note that the addition of psychotherapy does appear to reduce the degree of non-response and increase adherence, but they question whether this is because psychotherapy has a genuine therapeutic effect or whether it is merely enhancing compliance with the pharmacological regimen, and suggest further studies with an improved range of outcome measures, including patient satisfaction, well-being and social functioning.[3] In their 2005 review, however, Otto et al. found that acute outcome studies with depressed outpatients provided only limited support for the theory that a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy is more efficacious than either approach alone. They did find higher rates of treatment response, but the differences were small and not statistically significant.[4] Adding psychotherapy to the acute phase of a pharmacological treatment regimen was found to offer a comparable efficacy to a long-term pharmacological regimen in helping to prevent more than one relapse.[5] Otto et al. did find that adding CBT to a pharmacological course of treatment improved medication adherence, reduced the impact of psychosocial stressors such as negative life events and anxiety comorbidity, prevented or limited the severity of prodromal episodes, and directly improved outcomes in bipolar disorder.[6] The evidence, then, for the effectiveness of cognitive therapy as a treatment for depression is not unequivocal. It does appear to improve outcomes, but it is unclear whether to a greater or approximately equivalent extent to pharmacological approaches to treatment. Whilst the evidence for adopting a combined approach is also not clear-cut, since the vast majority of people with depression experience multiple episodes over their lifetime, and are especially prone to relapses shortly after their first episode[1], and in light of both the possibly complementary mode of action of cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy and the possibly harmful effects of long-term anti-depressant use, a more effective long-term strategy might involve the integration of both approaches. This might involve a drugs-based regimen in the earlier stages of depression, to treat symptoms and affective distress, and cognitive therapy throughout, to treat the interpersonal and social dimensions of depression, enhan ce compliance to the drugs-based regimen and treat and prevent relapses. Vos et al. modeled the impact of adopting a longer-term maintenance strategy on the burden of major depression, and suggested that this could avert half the depression occurring in the five years after an episode.[2] A combined strategy would appear therefore to show some promise in reducing the quite significant disease burden placed by depression on society and improving the lives of those who suffer from it. Further robust controlled trials are clearly needed to assess the effectiveness of cognitive therapy, both alone and in combination with pharmacotherapy, as a part of an integrated long-term strategy. References Ball, J., Kearney, B., Wilhelm, K., Dewhurst-Savellis, J. Barton, B. (2000) ‘Cognitive behaviour therapy and assertion training groups for patients with depression and comorbid personality disorders’, Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 28, 1, 71-85 Blackburn, I. M., Bishop, S., Glen, A. I. M., Whalley, L. J. Christie, J. E. (1981) ‘The Efficacy of Cognitive Therapy in Depression: A Treatment Trial Using Cognitive Therapy and Pharmacotherapy, each Alone and in Combination’, Brit J Psychiatry 139, 181-189 Conte, H., Plutchik, R., Wild, K. V. Karasu, T. (1986) ‘Combined Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Depression: A Systematic Analysis of the Evidence’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 43, 471-479 Karasu, T. (1982) ‘Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy: Toward an Integrative Model’, Am J Psychiatry 139, 9, 1102-1113 Klein, D. F. (2000) ‘Flawed Meta-Analyses Comparing Psychotherapy with Pharmacotherapy’, Am J Psychiatr 157, 1204-1211 Otto, M. W., Smits, J. A. J. Reese, H. E. (2005) ‘Combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for mood and anxiety disorders in adults: Review and analysis’, Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 12, 1, 72-86 Pampallona, S., Bollini, P., Tibaldi, G., Kupelnick, B. Munizza, C. (2004) ‘Combined Pharmacotherapy and Psychological Treatment for Depression: A Systematic Review’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 61, 7, 714-719 Thase, M. E., Greenhouse, J. B., Frank, E., Reynolds, C. F., Pilkonis, P., Hurley, K., Grochocinski, V. Kupfer, D. J. (1997) ‘Treatment of Major Depression With Psychotherapy or Psychotherapy-Pharmacotherapy Combinations’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 54, 1009-1015 Vos, T., Haby, M., Barendregt, J. J., Kruijshaar, M., Corry, J. Andrews, G. (2004) ‘The Burden of Major Depression Avoidable by Longer-term Treatment Strategies’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 61, 11, 1097-1103 1 Footnotes [1] Karasu, T. (1982) ‘Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy: Toward an Integrative Model’, Am J Psychiatry 139, 9, 1102 [2] Blackburn, I. M., Bishop, S., Glen, A. I. M., Whalley, L. J. Christie, J. E. (1981) ‘The Efficacy of Cognitive Therapy in Depression: A Treatment Trial Using Cognitive Therapy and Pharmacotherapy, each Alone and in Combination’, Brit J Psychiatry 139, 181 [1] Blackburn, I. M., Bishop, S., Glen, A. I. M., Whalley, L. J. Christie, J. E. (1981) ‘The Efficacy of Cognitive Therapy in Depression: A Treatment Trial Using Cognitive Therapy and Pharmacotherapy, each Alone and in Combination’, Brit J Psychiatry 139, 181 [2] Blackburn et al., 182 [1] Blackburn, I. M., Bishop, S., Glen, A. I. M., Whalley, L. J. Christie, J. E. (1981) ‘The Efficacy of Cognitive Therapy in Depression: A Treatment Trial Using Cognitive Therapy and Pharmacotherapy, each Alone and in Combination’, Brit J Psychiatry 139, 188 [2] Blackburn et al., 188 [3] Ball, J., Kearney, B., Wilhelm, K., Dewhurst-Savellis, J. Barton, B. (2000) ‘Cognitive behaviour therapy and assertion training groups for patients with depression and comorbid personality disorders’, Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 28, 1, 77 [4] Ball et al., 80 [5] Ball et al., 81 [6] Ball et al., 82 [7] Ball et al., 73 [8] Ball et al., 81,82 [1] Otto, M. W., Smits, J. A. J. Reese, H. E. (2005) ‘Combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for mood and anxiety disorders in adults: Review and analysis’, Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 12, 1, 73 [2] Otto et al., 73 [3] Karasu, T. (1982) ‘Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy: Toward an Integrative Model’, Am J Psychiatry 139, 9, 1111 [4] Otto et al., 74 [5] Otto et al., 74-75 [1] Conte, H., Plutchik, R., Wild, K. V. Karasu, T. (1986) ‘Combined Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Depression: A Systematic Analysis of the Evidence’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 43, 477-478 [2] Conte et al., 478 [3] Conte et al., 478 [4] Klein, D. F. (2000) ‘Flawed Meta-Analyses Comparing Psychotherapy with Pharmacotherapy’, Am J Psychiatr 157, 1204 [5] Thase, M. E., Greenhouse, J. B., Frank, E., Reynolds, C. F., Pilkonis, P., Hurley, K., Grochocinski, V. Kupfer, D. J. (1997) ‘Treatment of Major Depression With Psychotherapy or Psychotherapy-Pharmacotherapy Combinations’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 54, 1012-1013 [6] Thase et al., 1012-1013 [7] Thase et al., 1013 [8] Thase et al., 1014 [9] Thase et al., 1014 [1] Thase, M. E., Greenhouse, J. B., Frank, E., Reynolds, C. F., Pilkonis, P., Hurley, K., Grochocinski, V. Kupfer, D. J. (1997) ‘Treatment of Major Depression With Psychotherapy or Psychotherapy-Pharmacotherapy Combinations’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 54, 1014 [2] Pampallona, S., Bollini, P., Tibaldi, G., Kupelnick, B. Munizza, C. (2004) ‘Combined Pharmacotherapy and Psychological Treatment for Depression: A Systematic Review’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 61, 7, 718 [3] Pampallona et al., 718 [4] Otto, M. W., Smits, J. A. J. Reese, H. E. (2005) ‘Combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for mood and anxiety disorders in adults: Review and analysis’, Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 12, 1, 73 [5] Otto et al., 75 [6] Otto et al., 76 [1] Vos, T., Haby, M., Barendregt, J. J., Kruijshaar, M., Corry, J. Andrews, G. (2004) ‘The Burden of Major Depression Avoidable by Longer-term Treatment Strategies’, Arch Gen Psychiatry 61, 11, 1102 [2] Vos et al., 1101-1102

Indian writing in English :: essays research papers

Indian writing in English Raja Rammohan Ray was the first Indian to effectively express himself in black and white through English though he was initiated to the language when he was in his teens. Thereafter Vivekananda showed his perfect masterly over the language through his evocative prose, which made the west sit up and take notice of the greatness of Hinduism. Tagore also had written some poems in English. However, there is no denying the fact that Indian writings in English were extremely few far between. Jawaharlal Nehru and M.K. Gandhi were also great masters of the English language. Nehru’s Discovery of India, Glimpses of World History etc. are glaring testimony to not only his profound scholarship but also his absolute mastery over writing lucid prose in the foreign language. Gandhiji used the language in his writings with utmost precision and desterity. They were followed by the great triumvirate of Anand-Rao-Naryan, who were the first to make Indian writing in English popular among a sizable section of our English educated people. They primarily wrote fiction and their elegant styles soon caught the imagination of the common reader. Indian writing in English had finally arrived in 1930’s after a marginal existence for over a century. Mahatma Gandhi: Though Gandhi used his mother tongue, Gujarati, to write his famous autobiography, later translated into English by his secretary Mahadev Desai under the title The Story of My Experiments with Truth (1929), he used Hindi and English with masterly skill and use. As he lived through a eventful life among his people, who were attempting to liberate themselves from moral decadence, economic exploitation, and cultural subordination, Gandhi wrote, day and night, in and out of prisons, for his two journals, Young India and Harijan. Rabindranath Tagore: The national awakening in Asia found its expression first in the Indian literature, and its formost representative writer was Tagore (1861-1941). Tagore was the first Asian writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature (1913). Tagore represents a happy combination of the ancient Indian tradition and the new European consciousness. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his slim volume of poems entitled Gitanjali. Tagore gave Indian poetry a new type of lyric. Through his collection of stories entitled Galpa Guchchha, running into three volumes, Tagore set the pace of the modern short story in India. His famous novels, Gora and Ghare Baire reflect the genius of a supreme visionary.

Diversity :: Title VI, Public Organizations, Race Relations

Diversity is an increasingly important factor in organizational life as organizations world-wide become more diverse in terms of the gender, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, and other personal characteristics of their members. By the year 2000, the American workforce is likely to be gender-balanced, with only 58% of the workforce comprised of White, native born Americans (Jackson et al., 1995). Due to the increasing globalization of business requires employees from different cultures to work together in cross-national teams. Firms are being forced to form cross-functional, inter-departmental, cross-divisional, and inter-organizational alliances in order to make maximum use of scarce resources and thus increase their competitive advantage. People tend to think of diversity as simply demographic, a matter of color, gender, or age. However, groups can be disparate in many ways. Diversity is also based on informational differences, reflecting a person's education and experience, as well as on values or goals that can influence what one perceives to be the mission of something as small as a single meeting or as large as a whole company. Diversity among employees can create better performance when it comes to out-of-the-ordinary creative tasks such as product development or cracking new markets, and managers have been trying to increase diversity to achieve the benefits of innovation and fresh ideas. Informational diversity stirred constructive conflict, or debate, around the task at hand. That is, people deliberate about the best course of action. On the other hand, demographic diversity can sometimes whip up interpersonal conflict. This is the kind of conflict people should fear.

Configuring and Managing the DHCP Server Role Essay

Question 1 What is the name of the computer you are working from? W2K8xx Question 2 What is the default lease duration of a Wired subnet type? 6 days Question 3 What are three recommendations listed in Server Manager for managing the DHCP Server role? Increase fault tolerance Eliminate manual updates Allow remote Administraition Question 4 What is the name of the computer you are working fro W2K8yy Question 5 What IP addressing settings are currently configured? 10.10.1.101 Question 6 Is the computer currently configured for DHCP? How can you tell? No, it is stated in the cmd Question 7 What is the IP address of the DHCP server from which W2K8yy has obtained its IP address? 000.000.000.000 Question 8 If the answer to #7 was not the IP address of the W2K8xx computer, why might this have happened? It is not enabled Question 9 What nodes appear underneath the DHCP scope that you created in Exercise 3-1? Address pool address leases Question 10 What appears in the IP address text box? 192.168.11.1 Question 11 What value is configured in the DNS Servers: line? 172.16.2.3 172.16.4.5 Question 12 What value is configured in the DNS Servers: line? 172.16.2.3 172.16.4.5 Question 13 What is the default location for DHCP server backups? DHCP > backups Question 14 What IP address is configured on the W2K8yy computer? 172.16.227.55 Question 15 What appears in the IP address text box? 172.16.227.55 preferred Question 16 From which DHCP server are you receiving an IP address? From corexx computer Lab REview Questions Completion time 15 minutes 1.In your own words, describe what you learned by completing this lab. 2. You have installed the DHCP Server service on a computer running Windows Server 2008. You configure and activate a 10.0.0.0/24 scope; however, clients still are receiving a 169.254.x.x IP address. What should you do? 3. Configure the ip address so both are in the same format 3.You have configured a DHCP scope with an address range of 192.168.0.1 through 192.168.0.254. You have several servers and printers that use the IP address range of 192.168.0.1 through 192.168.0.20. With the least amount of administrative effort, how can you prevent duplicate IP addressing? Log which IP addresses go to what so that you dont assign the same one twice 4.You currently are using a DHCP server on your network. It assigns a default gateway scope option to clients. You use a router with a different IP address to replace a router on your network. The new router allows clients to connect to the Internet; however, clients cannot connect to the Internet using the new router. What should you do? That makes no sense you just told me the new router allows clients to connect to the internet

Kfc and the Global Fast-Food Industry in 2003-2004

KFC and the Global Fast-Food Industry in 2003-2004 Course: MGT 710 [pic] 1. Executive Summary This paper analyzes the market situation of the major U. S. fast-food firms in Latin America in 2004 from the perspective of the KFC Corporation. By analyzing political, economic, cultural, logistical, and competitive forces, a potential strategy for KFC to successfully establish a strong position in Central and South America is proposed. Through a thorough analysis, it was determined that KFC should establish wholly-owned subsidiaries in Mexico and Brazil to manage operations in Central and South America, respectively. After a strong position is established in these countries, KFC should then open franchises in Central America, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and Chile. 2. Problem 1. Expanding into Latin America From 1993 to 2002, KFC dominated the chicken segment of the U. S. fast-food market. Their market share, however, decreased by 13. 4% over that 10 year period (Exhibit 4, 553). As the fast-food market matured, firms began to focus on globalization to continue growth. By early 2004, 56% of KFC’s restaurants were outside of the U. S. (558). Their initial focus was on Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean, where they established dominance among competitors. Their struggle was in expanding beyond those markets. In their attempt to expand into Central and South America, KFC was met with many challenges. Many Latin American markets had not adopted the fast-food concept and preferred a more leisurely dining experience. The intense competition with major U. S. fast-food chains made it very risky to enter a new market. The geographic distance from the corporate offices made it difficult to control standards and quality. To continue growth, KFC would have to develop a strategy to overcome these obstacles and expand into these markets. 2. Strengthening position in Central America KFC initially expanded into Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean due to geographic proximity and existing political and economic ties to the U. S. They were able to establish dominance in these markets because they had first-mover advantage and the local cultures accepted the fast-food concept. To further expand into Central America, KFC will have to develop a strategy to leverage their strong positions in Mexico and the Caribbean. They will have to consider factors such as the business model, global integration, national responsiveness, and mitigating risk. 3. Breaking into South America KFC had attempted to enter Brazil, with limited success. Political, economic, and cultural challenges had prevented KFC from gaining a foothold, and subsequently forced them to pull out of the market. Other countries in South America had little competitive presence, but had significant barriers to entry. In addition, the farther away the countries are from the corporate offices, the more expensive and logistically difficult the operation becomes. To enter these markets, KFC would have to carefully weigh its options to establish a presence and mitigate risk. 3. Analysis 1. Industry analysis 1. Basic economic characteristics Latin America is home to more than 550 million people. It has an aggregate GDP of more than $4 trillion. Figure 1 shows that Brazil and Mexico have the highest GDP. However, Argentina, Chile, and Costa Rica have the highest GDP per capita. [pic] Figure 1 – Latin America GDP (Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Latin_America) 2. Competition In general, Central America and Brazil are the markets most penetrated by the large U. S. fast-food chains. McDonald’s is the dominant competitor in Latin America, with 584 stores in Brazil, 261 stores in Mexico, and 203 stores in Argentina. KFC follows with 274 stores in Mexico and 134 stores in the Caribbean. Burger King operates 163 stores in Puerto Rico and 154 stores in Mexico. Wendy’s only operates 143 stores in all of Latin America (Exhibit 6, 559). To assess the competitive landscape, Porter’s Five Forces model can be used, as shown in Figure 2. For KFC, the highest levels of competitive rivalry are in Central America and Brazil. Most of South America, with the exception of Brazil, has relatively low penetration. The threat of new entrants is high within any market, as all of the major competitors are vying for the same markets. The threat of substitute products is also generally high, since fast-food chains must compete with established local restaurants that already cater to the local tastes and customs. The bargaining power of customers is medium in more developed countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina where customers are less price sensitive. In less developed Latin American countries, however, the bargaining power is high where most customers cannot afford high prices. The bargaining power of suppliers is medium in most countries where there aren’t a large amount of imports, but high in countries like Mexico and Brazil. [pic] Figure 2 – Porter's Five Forces (Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis) 3. Factors driving change As Latin American countries become more developed, they begin to adopt more global brands. As the internet penetrates these markets, users become exposed to global brands. Cultures begin to change as the world becomes a global market. While they do maintain local tastes and values, people begin to separate from traditions and become more modern. As economies become more developed, people begin to adopt the on-the-go lifestyle that we are accustomed to in the U. S. As countries like the U. S. drive globalization to foreign markets, trade barriers are often removed and countries begin to adopt foreign firms. 4. Relative strength of firms As previously stated, McDonald’s has the strongest position with 1,605 stores in Latin America. KFC follows with 650 stores, followed by Burger King and Wendy’s. McDonald’s is dominant in South America, while KFC controls Central America. 5. Rivals' next moves The most significant acquisition of note is McDonald’s purchase of Boston Market in 2000. Boston Market caters to the growing trend for healthy fast-food, as well as the casual, sit-down atmosphere that is popular in Latin America. While Boston Market does not have any presence in Latin America, McDonald’s could decide to leverage existing resources to expand there. 6. Critical success factors All franchise corporations are concerned with standards and consistency between units. While certain factors can differ from one region to the next, a general level of consistency is needed with regards to product quality and taste. It is critical that service and cleanliness are upheld to a high level of quality. Particularly in Latin American markets, the menus may need to be diversified and incorporate local flavors. With the great distance between Latin American markets and corporate headquarters, effectively executing logistics, distribution, and operations is critical to success. Effectively managing resources and keeping costs low will also be critical when entering new markets. With the political and economic events that may occur, the firm must be resilient to changes in the economy and trade regulations. Firms should seek to establish relationships with local governments in order to protect their interests abroad. 2. Strategic planning for foreign market entry 1. Identifying company's objective in foreign market entry The first step in developing KFC’s Latin American strategy is to identify the objectives for entering new markets. Some reasons to enter new markets would be to exploit an untapped market, obtain a competitive advantage, secure essential raw materials and distribution channels, and cutting costs by employing inexpensive labor. Currently, KFC has a large presence in Mexico and the Caribbean. This gives them a launching point to enter nearby markets. The nearby Central American countries have a relatively low presence from the large fast-food firms. The Central American region is home to approximately 40 million people. According to Figure 1, the Central American nations have a GDP of approximately $173 billion. This region has a considerably sized market, relatively low penetration, and proximity to KFC’s large presence in Mexico, making it ideal for entry. Brazil is the largest and most coveted market in Latin America. Unfortunately, McDonald’s has a large competitive advantage with 584 stores. KFC has failed in the past to enter this market, but the opportunity is still there. Establishing a position in this market would allow KFC to power investments in other South American markets. While they may not be able to dominate the market, it is a strategic location that would act as the locus for all South American operations. Argentina and Chile have $445B and $161B GDP, respectively, making them large attractive markets. They also have the highest GDP per capita in Latin America. While McDonald’s has a relatively strong position in these countries, there should still be opportunity for KFC to capitalize on. Other South American countries, such as Paraguay, and Uruguay, Have little competitive presence and a relatively low GDP. These countries may not have strategic value to the company. 2. Preliminary country screening After determining the objectives for each country, an analysis of advantages and attractiveness can be performed. To determine national competitive advantages, Porter’s diamond model is used, shown in Figure 3. Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile stand out as the most developed Latin American countries. This indicates that advanced factor endowments such as infrastructure, skilled labor, and technology should be readily available. Demand conditions should also be most favorable in the countries with the highest GDP, as an active economy tends to increase demand for on-the-go meals. The most significant supporting industry is the poultry industry. According to the USDA, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina have the largest poultry industries in the region. [pic] Figure 3 – National Competitive Advantage (Source: http://www. teagasc. ie/research/reports/foodprocessing/4984/eopr-4984. htm) 3. Risks in foreign markets In all Latin American countries, there is a high degree of political risk, due to the propensity of corruption and instability in governments. This is apparent even in the more developed Latin American countries. Many Latin American countries restrict the import of foreign goods, or give preferential treatment to adjacent countries. In addition, the distance from existing production and distribution channels imposes a great risk to the supply of goods to the more southern countries in the region. One of the main company factors is the shortage of skilled labor and high rate of turnover in Latin American markets. For KFC to succeed in any Latin American market, they will need to increase employee retention through training or benefits. 4. Capabilities, resources, and skills needed to succeed in foreign markets The key success factors were described in Section 3. 1. 6. It is important to note that the farther away the country is from existing trade channels, the more difficult it will be for KFC to control quality, standards, distribution, and logistics. Also, the less developed nations will be more susceptible to economic and political events that could devastate KFC’s interest in the market. 5. Fulfilling key success factors KFC’s key strength is their established dominance in Mexico. This position provides many financial and political benefits due to the NAFTA treaty. It also provides them with a strategic position to enter nearby Central American markets. They do not have established trade channels in most of South America, so it will be difficult for them to manage operations without a strong presence in at least one market. This is the main reason why Brazil is a key market to enter. Being that KFC is such a large company within an even larger conglomerate of fast-food chains, the firm should be able to withstand political or economic changes and a loss of revenue during the development stage. Overall, KFC fulfills the key success factors in Central America, but will need to establish a position in at least one major South American market in order to expand there. . Entering the target markets In determining how to enter the target markets, the level of global integration vs. national responsiveness should be assessed. Figure 4 shows the various strategies that can be employed given the appropriate level of integration and responsiveness. The markets in Latin America should be similar enough for KFC to keep menus, processes, and sta ndards consistent across all markets. Pricing and advertising may differ depending on the level of economic development and communications infrastructure in each nation. In addition, KFC would need to implement different business models depending on the proximity, size of the market, and cultural uniqueness. For this reason, KFC should implement a transnational strategy that would keep many aspects consistent, but some aspects unique between various markets. [pic] Figure 4 – Global Integration vs. National Responsiveness 7. Compare and rank targeted countries From the analysis performed, each Latin American market considered was ranked based on the variables discussed. By comparing GDP, geographic proximity, population, and relative penetration of competitors, Table 1 shows the countries scored and ranked. Economy |Competition |Proximity |Market size |Presence |Total | |Mexico |12 |12 |13 |12 |13 |62 | |Brazil |13 |13 |7 |13 |4 |50 | |Caribbean |5 |7 |11 |8 |12 |43 | |Puerto Rico |6 |11 |12 |2 |11 |42 | |Central America |3 |9 |10 |10 |9 |41 | |Colombia |10 |5 |8 |11 |6 |40 | |Argentina |11 |10 |3 |10 |4 |38 | |Venezuela |7 |8 |9 |6 |5 |35 | |C hile |9 |6 |4 |5 |8 |32 | |Peru |8 |3 |5 |7 |7 |30 | |Ecuador |4 |4 |6 |4 |10 |28 | |Paraguay |1 |2 |2 |3 |4 |12 | |Uruguay |2 |2 |1 |1 |4 |10 | |Table 1 – Results of market analysis 4. Recommendations 1. Markets to enter From the results of the analysis performed, KFC should operate company-owned units in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean where it already has a strong position. It should then open franchises in Central American markets to mitigate risk until a strong position can be established, at which point KFC should buy back the successful franchises. KFC should develop a wholly-owned subsidiary in Brazil and aggressively establish a strong foothold. This is not only one of the most attractive markets; it is also a critical strategic location to be the headquarters of South American operations. Once a strong position is established in Brazil, KFC should open franchises or joint-ventures in Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and Chile. Given the relatively low scores, KFC should not consider expanding further into Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, or Uruguay. Although KFC already has operations in Peru and Ecuador, they are not strategically valuable and should be closed or sold if they are not consistently profitable. 2. Strategy for entry 1. Corporate strategy At the corporate level, KFC should focus on developing wholly-owned subsidiaries to act as the regional headquarters in Mexico and Brazil. This would allow KFC to centralize control over standards, quality, process, and distribution within those regions. This tiered structure would lessen the burden on KFC’s U. S. corporate management and provide more specialized attention to those local markets. To offset regional events that may affect all of Latin America, KFC should also consider entering markets in Europe and Asia. If an economic catastrophe were to hit Brazil, for instance, markets in all nearby countries would be severely impacted as well. The Yum! Corporation should also consider strategies to expand its other brands into Latin America as well to leverage KFC’s success. The multibrand strategy that has been so successful in the U. S. may prove successful in Latin America as well. 2. Business strategy At the business level, KFC should develop aggressive marketing strategies in countries where competitors have a strong presence. In Brazil, for instance, KFC will have to fiercely battle McDonald’s to gain market share. In less developed countries, KFC should enter cautiously and focus on mitigating risk. KFC should leverage their strong global brand and target the younger generation. Through internet marketing, KFC should be able to reach the young, modern generation that has a higher acceptance for the fast-food model. KFC should implement a transnational strategy in Latin America. While quality, service, and products should remain consistent throughout Latin America, KFC should develop unique strategies for marketing, pricing, and business models in each region. KFC should launch company-owned stores in high growth markets and enter the rest with franchises or joint-ventures until a strong position is established. In high growth markets, company-owned businesses would allow fixed costs to be spread across multiple restaurants, subsequently allowing for lower prices and increased margins. Franchising would leverage the expertise of local entrepreneurs with understanding of the local customs, language, and marketing strategies. This would help to mitigate the risk of entering unknown markets. 3. Functional strategy Regional franchises should interface with the wholly-owned subsidiaries in Mexico and Brazil. These subsidiaries would control management, distribution, standards, quality assurance, and advertising for their associated franchises. The Central and South American subsidiaries should focus on developing close ties with the governments in their regions. They should lobby to remove trade barriers between nations in order to streamline distribution. They should also focus on developing ties with the local communities in order to gain acceptance from local culture. KFC should develop specialized marketing campaigns for each region, depending on the similarities in culture. They should focus on targeting the young, career-minded demographic through internet marketing. Depending on the lifestyle habits of those individuals, they should also target them through appropriate media advertising. 5. Conclusion KFC is one of the dominant players in the global fast-food industry. They have sufficient resources to launch an aggressive strategy into Latin America. By leveraging their strong position in Mexico, KFC can successfully establish a strong position in Central America. By outsourcing management of Central American firms to a wholly-owned subsidiary in Mexico, KFC will be able to streamline operations and maintain control over franchisees. Although it will be difficult, establishing a foothold in Brazil is KFC’s best strategic option for entering South America. By aggressively marketing the younger demographic, KFC should be able to gain a considerable market share, even though McDonald’s maintains the dominant position. Once they have been successful in Brazil and a wholly-owned subsidiary is established, KFC can then begin to expand further into South America. By implementing this general strategy and addressing the factors and risks discussed in the analysis, KFC should be able to gain substantial market share and continue to grow the firm.