Starbucks and Its Brand Image in the Market Free Essay Example, 2750 words

The company has its largest customer base in Germany with its first in-house production. These companies for their implementation of globally effective strategy relied on its set of principles and guidelines which included a selection of partner having the similar mindset and shared the same view for the product and the market prospect. There are many luxury car brands, such as Toyota Motor Corporation's Lexus line and BMW, promoted their certified pre-owned vehicle programs under which they reconditioned the used cars, and presented the product with a new warranty date, and they offered the product with the same appeal which they opt for their new products which convinced their prospective customers in paying little more in such hardship just for the sake of fulfilling their dreams of having that unique range of products. . Louis Vuitton, yet another designer brand which is owned by France s LVMH Moet Hennessy insisted lately on promoting its junior leather goods and other items a t Neiman Marcus department stores (Buss, 2002). the major challenges faced by such branded firms offering luxury goods to their customers look on factors for sustainability such as brand loyalty, evaluation of performance on the basis of objectives of the tasks, and also considers the customers experience regarding their products (Parasuraman Grewal. We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks and Its Brand Image in the Market or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

Short Story Chapter 1 - 1082 Words

Leomon withdrew his sword. Tail Red matched his movements, reaching behind her back and sliding out two gleaming, scarlet blades. â€Å"Lion guy!† she whimpered. â€Å"I don’t want to do this! You have to stop me!† Robin opened her mouth to speak, maybe even blow another command seal on - something, anything - but the skeleton was already there with a pistol in her face. A quick blast of wind magic redirected the bullet. â€Å"Souji Mitsuka,† he said, striking back with a gust of his own, shoving Robin to the floor, â€Å"I’m sure that was his plan already. Now quiet.† Something about the invocation of the name caused Tail Red to clam up. The red weapons clattered and clashed against Leomon’s Beast Sword, sparks flying from the intensity of every strike.†¦show more content†¦But Leomon seemed like such a classic good guy. They hadn’t had a lot of time to interact, but he had been kind and gentle and seemed so adverse to conflict (Skullduggery hit her with something so quickly she couldn’t even see it and took advantage of her confusion to sneak in another pistol shot, grazing her shoulder) that she hated to see him at war like this. She admired him, and pitied him. She had to stick with him. And as his Master it was her job to save him. â€Å"Rally Spectrum!† Leomon caught one of Tail Red’s swords in his fist. He yanked her in close and smashed his head into her face, knocking her backwards. He reached around, wrapping his thick arms around the mast, and pulled with all his might. The wood warped and snapped, and suddenly he tore the whole thing out of the ground, the mainsail becoming a giant’s club in his arms. â€Å"Lo siento por el barco!† he said. Amaro Pargo wept openly. He brought down the bludgeon on Tail Red. She met the mast with twin blades and roasted them with jets of fire, smashing the club into burning splinters. Everywhere the wreckage went became a pyre. Now that Robin looked, some of the other ships were on fire as well. Most of the ships were on fire. Alright, all of the ships were on fire. Not that this was anything new to Robin. Stupid pirates always making things so flammable. Robin was forced into a stack ofShow MoreRelatedShort Story : A Short Chapter : Chapter 11430 Words   |  6 Pagesher eyes, which were unable to see his in the darkness, then he checked to see Torins hand placed against her small waist more in reassurance than in having to hold her close to the wall. Once they reached the top landing, Duncan pulled the short braided rope attached to an old bronze ships bell. The clang rang off the stone walls which echoed loud enough to surly raise the dead at the very least to alert the household as was the intent. Duncan stepped back to let the door swing outward, whichRead MoreShort Story : A Short Chapter : Chapter 12137 Words   |  9 Pagesbrothers got in and went back to the motel. â€Å"Fay gets the bed,† Sam was about to protest when Dean quickly shut him up. â€Å"She stabbed a ghost in the eye twice, killed him, made friends with a ghost, and saved both our asses,† Fay just grabbed her black shorts and tank then walked into the bathroom. Stripping down, she turned on the hot water, letting the warmed rinse off the dirt and grime from the asylum. Turning off the water, she grabbed her toothbrush. As she got out the toothpaste there was a knockRead MoreShort Story Chapter 11517 Words   |  7 PagesWith a loud screech and a grinding of metal, the thick steel door swung open revealing a dark, damp tunnel that led downward. Quickly, Axus rushed down the narrow path to another door. This entrance was much like the first, but the outside was not coated in a thin film of rust , like the one before it. Axus jammed his thumb into the green button next to the door, and spun around as the opening behind him started to close. The bright lights from the city above were extinguished as the door slowly creakedRead MoreChapter 1 Short Story892 Words   |  4 PagesAs the A-Shift crew began their chores, the Klaxon sounded. Heart racing, Johnny dropped the sheets he’d gathered from the bunks and slid into the squad. Leading the engine out of the station, Roy glanced at Johnny who appeared to be made out of stone, he was so still and tense. You okay? he asked, his voice just loud enough to be heard above the wail of the siren as he steered the squad through traffic. Yeah, think so, John replied, as he pointed out where to turn with a slight tremble hardlyRead MoreShort Story : Chapter 11516 Words   |  7 PagesThe only sound that they heard was the crash of the half table and chairs. The three were now staring at the shimmering light from the other side. Lincoln noted that in the next move, it would begin to take out their kitchen bench. That would be a little more than inconvenient. However, just as he waiting for the inevitable shift away, the tube suddenly telescoped back up and into the channel, disappearing from view. At the same time, they heard the familiar hiss of all the cell doors opening. WhoeverRead MoreShort Story Chapter 11186 Words   |  5 PagesSteve came back a few minutes later, empty handed. Wow, Cap, you took an awfully long time to get popcorn, said Clint as he heard him walking in. ...And you didnt even get the popcorn, Natasha added, eyeing him suspiciously. Steve sighed, looking around warily before leading the team into a bathroom, which would be less likely the be monitored, ignoring Clints innuendos. Weve got a lead on Tony from Fury. He just called me, giving me the address before telling me that SHIELD needed toRead MoreChapter 1 Short Story955 Words   |  4 PagesThe lawyer squinted through the dark as Hyde thought. Contemplative, then shocked, then having reached some inner resolve, Hyde sighed and thrust out a hand for the clove. â€Å"According to Lanyon, about your pulse points should suffice-- might I help?† Utterson reached forward but quickly withdrew at a glare from Hyde and cast a nervous glance about them. â€Å"Here,† announced Hyde. He returned the garlic to Utterson’s pocket and made for the gates. â€Å"It won’t take long.† Utterson stared after him for aRead MoreChapter 1 Short Story789 Words   |  4 PagesEnough was enough! thought Mr Jewel. How dare this young whippersnapper keep asking him questions? So, from his pocket, he grasped the watch on its chain and swung it in the air. So, now who is in control, you fool? he sneered, as he dangled the watch. ‘I am! I am in control,’ snarled Lord Fox. Then much to Mr Jewel’s surprise, Lord Fox snatched the watch out of his grasp, and before he knew it, the watch was being dangled in front of his eyes. ‘What the†¦?’ Imagine you are inside a painting†¦Read MoreShort Story : Chapter 11321 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Yes, Captain I am fine with that.† â€Å"Okay, you are dismissed, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate, come straight to me.† â€Å"Don’t worry Captain if I have any questions I am sure Warren here will help me out.† He said with a dazzling smile and the first words I heard him speak. His country drawl hung deep in his words when he spoke. He clearly didn’t live around here his whole life. With that I got to my feet and left the Captain’s office and headed for my desk. He followedRead MoreShort Story Chapter 11266 Words   |  6 Pagesfright. Drakes smirk grew as he noticed this. You dont have a choice. As soon as those words made their way into the dead air he bolted towards the other boy. Shadow pushed Jace behind him and braced for the incoming attack, and not like other stories, this one hit its mark. He winced, and noted the body behind him. Activating the pipes in his calves he dashed towards a clearing only to take a fireball to the back. Come back and fight me coward! Drake was catching up fast. Shadow struggled

Legislative Intervention in Law of Negligence MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Legislative Intervention in Law of Negligence. Answer: Introduction: The issue in the present case is if Kate and Brent Smyth have a cause of action against Rocky Tours in view of the fact that it has been clearly stated in the terms and conditions of Rocky Tours that the company cannot be held liable in any way regarding any death, personal loss or injury that may be suffered by the consumers at any time when they are on their tour. It has also been stated in the terms and conditions that the provisions of Australian consumer law will not be applicable to any tour that has been purchased through Rocky Tours. In this context, the law provides that the consumer guarantees provided by the Australian Consumer Law cannot be included, limited or restricted by the suppliers and manufacturers. And in the same way, they cannot avoid their obligations by making the consumers agreed that the law of another country will be applicable in case of the contract between the parties are regarding any dispute between them. Therefore the law provides that a supplier cannot tell the consumers that a particular consumer guarantee does not exist or it may be excluded or it may not have a particular effect. In the same way, it has been provided by the Australian Consumer Law that the consumers cannot surrender their rights even if they agree that the consumer guarantees will not be applicable in case of a particular contract (Deakin, Johnston and Markesinis, 2003). For example, in case of no refund signs, the law provides that the signs according to which it has been mentioned that no refunds will be made, are unlawful. Due to the reason that they imply that it will not be possible for the consumers under any circumstances to get a refund, even if there is a major problem present with the goods or services. Due to the same reason, the signs which mention that there shall be 'no refunds on sale items' or 'exchange or credit note only in case of return of sale items' are also unlawful (Kujinga, 2009).). A special provision is present in the Australian Consumer Law in section 64, and it deals with recreational service providers. This provision provides that, according to the Competition and Consumer Act, 2010 and some fair trading legislations of states and territories, the suppliers of recreational services are allowed to exclude, limit or restrict their liability when they do not fulfill the consumer guarantee. According to which they should provide these services with due care and skill and they should be fit for a particular purpose and should be provided within a reasonable time. The suppliers can restrict their liability in case of death or personal injury which includes illness, both mental and physical but not in case of property loss (Tomasic, Bottomley and McQueen, 2002). Under these circumstances, it becomes important to note what is guaranteed by the consumer guarantees under the ACL. The effect of the consumer guarantees mentioned in the ACL is that a guarantee is automatically provided by the suppliers and manufacturers regarding certain goods and services sold by them to the consumers. These rights are present, irrespective of any warranty that has been given by the manufacturer or the supplier. For this purpose, a supplier includes traders, retailers and the service providers, who sell goods or services to a consumer in context of trade or commerce. Similarly, a manufacturer can be described as a person who makes or puts together goods or who has its name on the goods (Gardiner and McGlone, 1998). Therefore the term manufacturer also includes the importer, if there is no office of the maker in Australia. In view of the above-mentioned provisions, a guarantee is provided by a supplier and the manufacturers that the goods shall be of acceptable quality, matching description and the goods will also match samples or demonstration model. It is also guaranteed by a supplier that the goods purchased by the consumer will have a clear title, will be fit for a disclosed purpose and do not have undisclosed securities and the goods will come with the right of the consumer to undisturbed possession. While supplying services to a consumer, it is guaranteed by the supplier that the services will be provided to the consumers with due care and skill, the services will be fit for the specified purpose and (when no time limit has been described), the services will be provided within a reasonable time. Similarly, a manufacturer provides a guarantee to the consumers regarding the availability of repairs and spare parts and also guarantees that any express warranties related with the goods will be honored (McDonald, 2005). Generally, the consumer guarantees are applicable in case of goods and services that have been purchased after 1 January, 2011 by a consumer. It needs to be mentioned that the consumer guarantees are applicable to any type of goods or services with the value of $40,000, and also in case of the goods or services that cost more than $40,000, but that are generally used for personal or domestic purposes. Similarly, the law provides that in case of return on a trailer, the cost is irrelevant. The law further provides that in case the goods or services do not fulfill a guarantee, a right has been provided to the consumers against the suppliers and in certain cases, these are manufacturer, will be required to provide a remedy, and attempt to put right the deficiency or the fault or the failure to fulfill an obligation. When only a minor problem is present with the good or service, it is available to the supplier to choose between providing repair or to offer a replacement or refund to the consumer. On the other hand, when major failure is present with the goods or services, it is available to the consumer to reject the goods or services and either to ask for a refund or replacement or to seek compensation for any drop in value of such goods or services. The consumer protection agencies can also take action against the supplier or the manufacturer on behalf of the affected consumers if the supplier or the manufacturers had failed to fulfill the obligations that have been prescribed for them under the consumer guarantees. In the present case, the law provides that Brent has the right to remedy because the services provided by Rocky Tours did not meet and consumer guarantee, which requires that the services should have been provided with due care and skill. It needs to be mentioned that the consumer guarantees are applicable in case of major as well as minor problems. However, the type of remedy, and we should provide a remedy depends on the problem and the fact that which consumer guarantee has not been fulfilled. It needs to be noted that the recipients of gifts also have the same rights as enjoyed by a consumer who was purchase the goods directly. For example in the present case, Brent can claim compensation from Rocky Tours as the services were not provided with reasonable care and skill and the services were not fit for the particular purpose. In the present case, while booking the tour, Brent had clearly told Rocky Tours that he was concerned regarding the liberal part of the tour as his wife Kat e cannot swim. However, he was told by Rocky Tours that the river part of the tour will be a leisurely cruise on the river in Canada, and certainly it will be fit for Brent and Kate Smith, who were in their late 50s. Brent had booked the tour after getting this reassurance and paid $12,000 for the tour. However, on the ninth day of the tour,, which was the river cruise, the tour guides told them that they will have to get into rafts and travel down the rapids. When Brent told the tour guides that his wife cannot swim and they do not want to go into rafts, they were told that as they were in the wilderness and it was the only way to reach the river, they will have to get in the rafts. However, Brent and Kate's raft overturned, and as Kate could not swim, she drowned. On the other hand, Rocky Tours one to evade their liability in view of the terms and conditions that have been accepted by Brent on their website. According to the legal provisions mentioned above, it is clear that Rocky Tours cannot exclude their liabilities for death or personal loss or injury suffered by the consumers while they are on the holiday. Due to the reason that the statutory consumer guarantees that has been provided by the Australian consumer law cannot be excluded by a party to the contract. At the same time, even if Rocky Tours were providing a recreational service, but before entering into the contract, Brent had clearly told the company that his wife Kate does not know swimming before they were not willing for the river part of the tour. But the company had told them that it will be an eight hours cruise on the river and most suitable for them. But in reality they are made to go in the rafts. References Deakin, S., Johnston A and Markesinis B (2003) Markesinis and Deakin's Tort Law, Oxford University Press Gardiner D and McGlone, F., (1998) Outline of Torts (2nd ed,), Butterworths Kujinga, B. (2009). "Reasonable Care And Skill The Modern Scope Of The Auditor's Duty". GAA Accounting McDonald, B. (2005). "Legislative Intervention in the Law of Negligence: The Common Law, Statutory Interpretation and Tort Reform in Australia". Sydney Law Review. 27 Tomasic, R., Bottomley, S., McQueen, R., (2002) Audits and Auditors, Corporations Law in Australia, Federation Press

Locke and Hobbes Essay Example For Students

Locke and Hobbes Essay The formation of government is one of the central themes for both Hobbes and Locke. Whether or not men naturally form a government, or must form a government, is based on mans basic nature. According to Hobbes, a government must be formed to preserve life and prevent loss of property. According to Locke, a government arises to protect life and property. Governments are born of inequality and formed to administer equality. Hobbes goes into a lot of detail concerning mans interactions with one another including ways in which man can seek to live together in Peace, and Unity (page 69). However, Hobbes focuses on the interactions of man seeking the same goal. In any system of limited resources, Competition of Riches, Honour, Command, or other power enclineth to Contention, Enmity, and War: Because the way of one Competitor, to attaining of his desire, is to kill, subdue, supplant, or repell the other (page 70). #9;Hobbes also deals with the qualities which man possess, and how they affect a mans basic nature. Man who is charismatic leads others to confide in him. Charisma combined with military ability causes men to follow others as leaders. Those who think of themselves as leaders, the ;quot;Men that have a strong opinion of their own wisdome in matter of government, are disposed to Ambition;quot; (page 72). ;#9;According to Hobbes ;quot;Nature hath made men so equall, in the faculties of body, and mind; as that though there bee found one man sometimes manifestly stronger in body, or of quicker mind then another; yet when all is reckoned together, the difference between man, and man, is not so considerable;quot; (page 86-87). Furthermore man tend to see himself as wisest in matters, whether or not others may do things better, and that there is no great sign of equal distribution, ;quot;than that every man is contended with his share;quot; (page 87). Hobbes and Locke consider the formation of government from mans own nature, whether or not government is formed because man is a social animal or if government is formed to preserve society. According to Locke, man must not quot;think that all government in the world is the product only of force and violence, and that men live together by no other rules but that of beastsquot; (page 1). quot;To understand political power right, and derive it from its original, we must consider what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of naturequot; (page 3). #9;Unlike Hobbes, whose laws of nature have to deal with mans preserving of his own life, Locke chooses to apply the term to the idea of reason, by saying that if man reasons about the fundamental concerns that government arises to protect life and property, man can come to certain natural concl usions about how they should be protected. ;#9;One of Lockes central themes is the distribution of property. In a state of natural abundance quot;all the fruits it naturally produces, and beasts it feeds, belong to mankind in commonquot; (page 18). In this situation the only thing man naturally owns is quot;his own person. This no body has any right to but himselfquot; (page 18). Therefore, man is in a way equal, however it is an imperfect equality. quot;Whatsoever then he removes out of the state that nature hath provided, and left it in, he hath mixed his labour with and joined to it something that is his own, and thereby makes it his propertyquot; (page 18). Therefore, everything belongs to mankind in general, until a man decides to take it upon himself to acquire something from its pure state in nature, and since he has to work to achieve this, the fruits of the labor are his. Renaissance Essay Questions#9;Locke also believes that if somebody takes more than he can use, and it spoils, or if somebody takes more land than he can cultivate, or if somebody allows crops to whither without being picked, they are committing crimes against humanity. However if somebody takes an acre of land, and by planting on it and harvesting the crop produces the same amount of food that can naturally be found in ten acres, they are in fact giving to mankind. As long as there is plenty of land left to take quot;he that leaves as much as another can make use of, does as good as take nothing at allquot; (page 21). It is human nature to quarrel, however according to Hobbes quot;in the nature of man, we find three principall causes of quarrel. First, Competition; Secondly, Diffidence; Thirdly, Gloryquot; (page 88). Men fight for their own gain, to protect themselves, and to acquire a reputation as warriors. Hobbes points out the basic nature of mans interactions with each other, however Hobbes is not saying that man is fundamentally evil, but rather, ;quot;The desires, and other Passions of man, are in themselves no Sin;quot; (page 89). They are merely natural parts of man, and should be understood as such. Locke also focuses on the nature of crime and justice. Mankind ;quot;may not unless it be to do justice to an offender, take away, or impair the life, or what tends to the preservation of the life, the liberty, health, limb or goods of another;quot; (page 5). Locke also holds that ;quot;if any one in the state of nature may punish another for any evil he has done, every one may do so;quot; (page 5). Furthermore, when one man does injury against another, ;quot;he who hath received any damage, has besides the right of punishment common to him with other men, a particular right to seek reparation from him that has done it. And any other person who finds it just, may also join with him that is injured, and assist him in recovering from the offender, so much as may make satisfaction for the harm he has suffered;quot; (page 6). ;#9;According to Hobbes, in a situation without government to moderate them, ;quot;The notions of right and Wrong, Justice and Injustice have there no place;quot; (page 90). Man is by nature inclined to take as much as he can for his own preservation at the cost of other men. Therefore, man must create government, and therefore, peace, because of the fear of death and loss of property. Hobbes compares the laws of nature versus human law by defining the laws of nature as those things that are fundamentally part of us and dictate our behavior and actions when there is no human law to do so. Human laws are imposed by men who recognize their own natures and freely give up some of their rights so that others will do the same. Any stable society of civilized men must come to this point, or fall into destruction from within. As for Lockes state of quot;perfect equalityquot;, quot;all men are naturally in that state, and remain so, till by their own consents they make themselves members of some political societyquot; (page 10). When that happens, men give up some of their free rights for others of protection and guarantees of safety and property, and thus a government is born. In conclusion, although a government should protect life and prevent loss of property, these protections are not guaranteed. Competition and crime is still a problem even though a government exists. Even today, throughout the world, inequalities still exist. Although governments exist there is still no guarantee of equality or that every life and all property will be protected.

How effective is the use of first person narrative in The Yellow Wallpaper Essay Example

How effective is the use of first person narrative in The Yellow Wallpaper Paper The yellow wallpaper is a story dominated by the protagonist, as she is isolated from the world and society except for the servant girl Jennie and her husband John. The advantages of using first person narrative in this article are the strong emotional and mental link with the protagonist, which can be portrayed much more effectively than any other perspective of the story. Also the point of view on Johns and the other characters, however few, actions and comments are biased to the protagonists thoughts and feelings. The protagonist also has a closer relationship with the audience than if it were in another perspective and the reader had more segregation from the main character. The first person perspective allow the protagonist to collude with the reader, this collusion would not be possible with third person perspective and second person perspective could only give another persons view of the events and with this story they would have had to have been a fly on the wall. The protagonist can make the reader sympathize with her in a way which can portray her as the victim of isolation with the only mental stimulus being the maddening, encompassing visage of the faded and tattered wallpaper that invades her thoughts and cognitions overwhelmingly to such an extent that it destroys all sense reality in her mind. I never saw so much expression in a thing before, and we all know how much expression they have, this quote show her collusion with the reader and the conversing of her, at this stage, fascination with the paper. We will write a custom essay sample on How effective is the use of first person narrative in The Yellow Wallpaper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How effective is the use of first person narrative in The Yellow Wallpaper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How effective is the use of first person narrative in The Yellow Wallpaper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The protagonist can get the reader involved by sharing secrets that he [John] hates to have me write a word but she still secretly journalises the events until the last couple of days when she seems to be writing the events as the happen, as if part of her obsession is to document her discoveries of the encapsulating wallpaper that enthrals her. A biased opinion can be given by the first person narrative, this opinion shows John to be acting against the will of the protagonist, but because of her social place at the time it was seen as wrong for her to question him so she puts her views on paper you see he does not believe I am sick! And what is one to do? The story cannot portray Johns reasons for her confinement or his banning of writing and any mental exercise. The first person view can show the deterioration of the protagonists mental state as she slides into delusion. At the beginning of the text she admits that there is something wrong I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous condition. But later on she shows here blatant derangement This bed will not move! I tried to lift it and push it until I was lame, and then I got so angry I bit off a little piece at the corner but it hurt my teeth this shows her unthinking and irrational nature, she noticed earlier on that the bed is nailed to the floor. The language of the text alters showing her slowly shifting mental state. The story begins with normal language typical of the era that it was written in but it slowly becomes more erratic and obsessive. The language also becomes more darkly descriptive as her perception changes: It [the wallpaper] sticks horribly and the pattern just enjoys it! All those strangled heads and bulbous eyes and waddling fungus growths just shriek with derision this is a much less bright and colourful portrayal of her environment than before. Before she presents the paper as One of those sprawling, flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin. this is a less obsessive and much brighter view of the paper. This story of The Yellow Wallpaper would not have the same powerful effect on the reader if it were written from another point of view. The protagonist could not collude with the audience, she could not ask rhetorical questions and she could not make the reader involved with her defiant, secret acts of writing. The reader could not feel as if they were hiding with her and the reader could not be persuaded to take her side on the issues arising from the paper and her confinement. The whole script would be a hollow and boring case study of a seemingly mad woman if it was not told by her, she brings life to the story. The protagonist could not ask but what is one to do? with the same half asking the audience. I think that the effectiveness of the first person perspective in the Yellow Wallpaper is much more involving for the reader and it makes the story seem more real than any other way of writing.

Depletion of Ozone Layer

Depletion of Ozone Layer Free Online Research Papers Ozone is one of the vital components of the atmosphere. It is a tri-atomic oxygen and along with mono-atomic oxygen is more pre-dominant in the upper atmosphere where ozone shields the earth from the suns ultraviolet radiation and water vapor molecules are split by sunlight into hydrogen gas and oxygen atoms.Ozone evolves from oxygen.Although ozone represents oxygen in many respects, ozone and oxygen have their own individual characteristics. Ozone is 1.5 times as dense as oxygen. At -112 degree celsius, ozone condenses to a dark blue liquid. It freezes at -251 degree celsius. On the other hand, oxygen is a pale blue gas liquid below -103 degree celsius. It becomes solid at about -210 degree celsius. Ozone becomes solid at about -218 degree celsius. It is 1.1 times heavier than air. Ozone is a simple molecule composed of three oxygen atoms. It is present to a variable extent in the earths atmosphere. It is actually found in the stratosphere, the upper layer of the atmosphere. the world wide layer of ozone is of great significance to every living form on planet earth. It functions mainly as a shield, protecting all forms of life from the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun. It has the capacity to absorb ultraviolet radiation emitted by the mighty sun to a wavelength of about three hundred twenty nanometers. Three hundred nanometers is equivalent to three hundred twenty times ten raised to negative nine in meters. Ultraviolet wavelength of two hundred to three hundred nanometers, known as ultraviolet-B (UV-B), are more or less totally absorbed by the ozone layer. The ozone, an efficvient absorber and filter, also transmits visible light. Ultraviolet radiation is characterized by high quantum energy. This is the reason why its power in other chemical reaction is stronger compared to that of infrared radiation. Due to its quantum energy, the boilogical effects of ultraviolet radiation are strong. If ultraviolet radiation penetrates rhe earths surface, it would act as a strong sterilizer and may result in the destruction of various life forms. Indeed, the effects of this radiation are detrimental to living things. But there is the ozone layer which serves as a vital and efficient protective shield of life on earth. The ozone facilitates the maintenance of a more uniform surface temperature. It allows light rays from the sun to pass through. But it does not allow the generated heat rays to escape. It really does play a serious role in regulating the earths temperature. With a uniform temperature, the ecosystem is kept in balance with nature. The mutual interdependence among organisms is kept in accordance with the laws of nature. Research Papers on Depletion of Ozone LayerAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andMind TravelThe Spring and AutumnGenetic EngineeringThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2The Effects of Illegal ImmigrationCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Write about childhood and adolescence and your classmate sharing their Essay

Write about childhood and adolescence and your classmate sharing their story - Essay Example All those years that I have passed gave me some bitterness because with the passage of time, I lost many people who were close to me. I have heard people saying that the transformation from childhood to teenage or adolescence appears very charming and attractive because as adolescents, people get a chance to enjoy more liberty, empowerment and independence, however, this was not the case with me. My mother was there to take care of me as a single parent, so she appeared more domineering and controlling giving very less liberty to me considering me wrong most of the times. Therefore, turning a teenager was a sad experience for me. I was dislocated, having less confidence and enjoying very little liberty. My mother has good income so she allows getting anything with money, but she is not accommodative as a friend due to which, I really feel that I have nobody close to me to whom I can share everything that I feel. This has dragged me to seclusion and lonesomeness. As a teenager, when I started realizing everything around me, I turned to my raw self for assistance, as there was no loving experienced guidance for me, just strict controlling cautions from my mother. I wanted to have friends with whom I could hang out and have fun, but I was never allowed. I was just allowed to study and that was all. Therefore, I consider my childhood better than my adolescence. One of my classmates shared her experience of turning to adulthood with me. She informed me that as a child, she enjoyed the care of her father and mother who cared for all her siblings along with her. However, when she grew young and got married, she had to undergo extreme pressure from her family. She was supposed to take care of her parents, her siblings and also her children. As a young person, she was under immense pressure and she was very upset. She was not ready to let go of her parents as she regarded them not as her parents, but her children for whom, she

The influence of the Enlightenment and Postmodernism on Work Essay

The influence of the Enlightenment and Postmodernism on Work - Essay Example According to my research, postmodernism is clearly influencing numerous businesses and organizations that operate in the digital world (David 2010). This is evident in companies that are utilizing post modernism technology in their day-today operations. Remarkably, this is a major step in conserving the ecosystem, making work easier, and improving medical care. However, postmodern changes pose a major challenge to businesses and organizations. This is evident in my research on how several companies are also using internet connectivity. For example, the internet is been used to make work easier worldwide. The use of social media such as Facebook indicates the work simplicity that result from postmodernism whereby I relay information to workmates through these sites (Astradur 2009). Moreover, I can hold meetings with people at work without attending the meeting by the use of video conferencing technology. Modernism and Financial Times Hi-tech advancements are been embraced largely by the serious media in online activities. My research has revealed the dramatic changes in media especially the financial times and the times. The Financial time plan to eliminate a number of editorial jobs and replace them with a few jobs as a focus on post modernism by this the financial time will have shifted from news to a more fast networked business. However, this will have a large number of employees jobless. Financial times have shifted from then modern way of printing newspapers to a more flexible and fast means the online news and services. Only job cutting will act as a source of revenue to ensure that it will continue existing in the post modernized era although is not enough to keep it running in the post modernized era. ... This is evident in my research on how several companies are also using internet connectivity. For example, the internet is been used to make work easier worldwide. The use of social media such as Facebook indicates the work simplicity that result from postmodernism whereby I relay information to workmates through these sites (Astradur 2009). Moreover, I can hold meetings with people at work without attending the meeting by the use of video conferencing technology. Modernism and Financial Times Hi-tech advancements are been embraced largely by the serious media in online activities. My research has revealed the dramatic changes in media especially the financial times and the times. The Financial time plan to eliminate a number of editorial jobs and replace them with a few jobs as a focus on post modernism by this the financial time will have shifted from news to a more fast networked business. However, this will have a large number of employees jobless. Financial times have shifted fr om then modern way of printing newspapers to a more flexible and fast means the online news and services. Only job cutting will act as a source of revenue to ensure that it will continue existing in the post modernized era although is not enough to keep it running in the post modernized era. Financial Time Modernism Challenges The financial time is also facing a challenge of competitors where its only competitors are the new entrants the Google and twitter. However, these competitors are a major challenge to the financial times since their cost of production and operation is low. The Financial time has to find other ways of earning revenue other than the advertising way (Yuenan 2013). This is because of the deflating advertisements due to major

Draft of Song of Solomon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Draft of Song of Solomon - Essay Example It is about enslavement and the people who tried to escape slavery and try to find their roots back in Africa. In this book the protagonist is Milkman, a young man brought up in a wealthy family but with parents who do not love each other anymore. This is shown when Milkman’s father hits Ruth. Milkman complains to his friend guitar that certain things are making him angry and getting to him. He says, â€Å"I don’t know, guitar. Things seem to be getting to me, you know?†(Morrison, 152).Macon loves money and he loves property. His money has made him oblivious to other people’s problems. He wants his son to be just like him and surely Milkman behaves just like his father. He’s wealthy background makes him oblivious of the black oppression. Furthermore, he has money to spend on women thus treats them with little disregard. This paper is going to discuss how Milkman overcame this lifestyle to become a fully transformed man. Milkman is flawed and this is enhanced by the amount of money his father has. As a matter of fact it is the wealthy background that gives milkman his attitude. Just like his father, milkman is obsessed with money and tends to reason like a white man.Milkman believes in the power of money to gain him freedom and power in life. This is because he uses money to get the things he needs like buying alcohol, women and having a good time, thus he only believes I the power of money. In line with this thinking, he becomes a rude, mean and a dangerous person. His dangerous personality is witnessed when he hits his father for hitting his mother. We see him complain to his friend Guitar ,â€Å"Your daddy slapped your mama, right?†, â€Å"Right.Right.† (Morrison,152).However, he is not dangerous in a bad way like in being violent and murderous. He is just a man who likes to have control of situations and want things to happen his way. Milkman is also a womanizer a trait he enjoyed with guitar his poor friend. He has money and money buys him

Barriers Of Enterprise System Information Technology Essay

Barriers Of Enterprise System Information Technology Essay This report focuses on the impact of Enterprise System on ALDI supermarket. ERP systems are costly and complex. They require heavy investments and experts. This research examines key dimensions of implementation of Enterprise system within ALDI supermarket. The components of Enterprise System Software: ERP, CRM AND SCM and its benefits to ALDI supermarket are identified and discussed. Although enterprise system benefits ALDI in many ways, there are some disadvantages and barriers to implement it. These barriers and risks are identified and possible solutions are suggested. INTRODUCTION TO ALDI ALDI (Albrecht Discount) is a discount supermarket chain which is based on Germany and is one of the cheapest and smartest ways to buy groceries. ALDI was established in 1913 and the chain is made up of two separate groups, ALDI North and ALDI south. By the early 1990s the company operated an estimated 3,000 stores in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. Today, ALDIs rapidly growing network has more than 7,000 stores and serves millions of people across three continents. Aldi has taken this retail concept, which features low overhead and scanty selection, to its extreme. Unlike other supermarket chains, which continuously increase their product offerings and selling space, Aldi holds selection at its stores to about 500 items. The bulk of these items are packaged grocery or dry goods. ALDI claims Simplicity, consistency and responsibility have always been our three defining core values. As an expanding discount retailer, our actions have international influence in different markets and along the supply chain. ALDI has a different strategy of doing business and saving money. ALDI stores are usually small, from 8,000 to 15,000 square feet. ALDIs outlets also used to bypass expensive barcode scanners that are used by other stores to inventory and price products. Instead, a stockperson would simply post a sign with the price nearby. Price lists were memorised by the cashier but with the demanding information technology, ALDI has now started to use barcode scanners. Each product that ALDI sales have 4 barcodes which makes it quicker to scan and increases the productivity of the cashier (this has been inspected in one of the ALDI store in seven sisters, London). ALDI has also decided not to sell fresh meat which again saves company money as it can avoid steep refrigeration costs as well as the high wages the meat-cutters unions demand. ALDI also has a strategy to keep labour cost low in different ways. ALDI charges four cents per bag to their customers and the customers must bag their own groceries. Customers can rent a shopping trolley for 25 cents and they get their quarter back when they bring the shopping trolley to the front of the store. By doing this, ALDI does not have to pay someone to collect the trolley in the parking lot or replace stolen ones. ALDI also keeps the telephone numbers of their stores unlisted so that employees dont waste time answering the phone. Aldi-style austerity holds labour costs to an estimated four percent of store sales, compared to ten percent to 12 percent for most supermarkets. ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE Enterprise software services a larger amount of users and needs, typically through the use of a network and multiple points of processing and clients. Enterprise software provides services which are typically business-oriented tools such as online shopping and online payment processing, interactive product catalogue, automated billing systems, security, content management, IT service management, customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, business intelligence, Human Resource management, manufacturing, application integration etc. It is normally multi-tiered client/server. In the past, companies were used to compete based on one or two competitive performance objectives such as price and quality. However, present markets demand both price and quality in addition to greater flexibility and responsiveness. Information systems such as Enterprise resource planning (ERP) have gained ground in providing support for achieving an integrated supply chain. Firms around the world have been implementing ERP systems since the 1990s to have a uniform information system in their respective organisations and to re-engineer their business processes. There are three main components of Enterprise System Software. They are: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Supply Chain Management (SCM) ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) ERP uses internet technologies to integrate the flow of information from internal business functions as well as information from customers and suppliers such as manufacturing, finance, procurement and distribution. The system uses a relational database management system, within client/server network architecture, to capture valuable management data. ERP systems offer companies the following three major benefits: Business process automation Timely access to management information Improvement in the supply chain via the use of e-communication and e- commerce. ERP links all areas of a company including order management, manufacturing, human resources, financial systems, and distribution with external suppliers and customers into a tightly integrated system with shared data and visibility. It is not a good move to just plan resources required to run the enterprise; they need to be managed as well. An organisation must access itself, to see if it is ready for ERP. It must determine if it is ready for the competitive business environment and then strengthen its position for future changes. ERP software helps companys operations after they are integrated into the system with the help of experts. In addition, in order for them to be efficient, they have to be used by experienced personnel so it can sometimes be very costly. There are number of ERP softwares such as: SAP R/3, ORACLE, IFS APPLICATION, SAGE MAS 500, CANIAS ERP, SAS etc of which SAP R/3 is the most popular and is used by most of the organisation. BENEFITS of ERP ERP software can help ALDI supermarket in following ways: End user service delivery: ERP software has the features and functions that enable end-user services: innovative support for ALIDs business roles that help to extend the reach of human resource processes to all stakeholders. It also boosts productivity and efficiency and reduces many transactions and processes once handled by HR staff. Reduce operating costs: ERP software can help ALDI supermarket to reduce cost such as inventory cost, production cost, marketing cost etc. with ERP software, ALDI can improve coordination across functional departments and increase efficiency of doing business. Support strategic planning: Strategic planning defines business target and set of goals and objectives. It assesses plan and design coordination strategies and logically connects these strategies to needs, assets and outcomes. Part of ERP software systems are designed to support resource planning portion of strategic planning. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT Business in todays world is customer driven. In the past, price and quality were the key factors to successful business but now, customer satisfaction and flexibility have also become equally important. Customer Relationship management is very important to a business successfully. The better the customer relationship is, the easier it gets to conduct business and generate revenue. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software helps to understand customer needs and allows ALDI supermarket to design customer-specific levels of service and also increases value per customer and customer retention. CRM softwares can be categorised into four different types: outsourced solutions, off-the shelf solution, bespoke software and managed solutions. It might be very costly and time consuming at times to implement CRM software however it can benefit ALDI in many ways: Based on previous records, it can increase sales through better timing by anticipating customer needs Can identify needs by understanding customer requirements Can identify which customers are profitable and which are not Can improve profitability by focussing on most profitable customers. BENEFITS OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT Customer Relationship Management (CRM) helps to build profitable and lasting customer relationship by providing the insight and analysis needed to anticipate customer needs. CRM provides the following: Flexibility to create unique customer experience: CRM software helps end-to-end business processes to address an array of marketing, sales, and service situations. The CRM software easily adapts and extends to create a more distinctive customer experience. Drives organisation to more consistent interactions across all channels: CRM software can help ALDI to make the most of every customer interaction that is consistent and relevant, with real-time information about the complete history, value and profitability of each customer across the entire customer life cycle. Enables end-to-end process within the industry value chain: CRM software can help ALDI drive customer value, loyalty across the entire value chain. CRM can turn the vision of customer-driven growth into reality with the best in class front office functionality that complements industry-specific processes. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Supply chain management can be defined as the management of a distribution channel across organisations. It is the design, planning, execution and monitoring of all supply chain activities. Supply chain management can benefit ALDI supermarket to plan smoothly and execute related operations to achieve long-term profitability and maintain a solid competitive edge. BENEFITS OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Improve supply chain network: with supply chain management, ALDI can monitor the status of all activities across all suppliers, production plants and distribution centres. SCM enables an effective way of tracking and managing all related processes, from ordering through manufacturing and shipping of end product to customers. Minimized Delays: Delays in supply chain can result in poor relationship, unsuccessful business and eventually loss of business. With supply chain management software, all activities from start to finish can be coordinated with higher level of on-time delivery across the board. Enhanced collaboration: Supply chain softwares can bridge the gap between departed business software at remote locations to improve collaboration among supply chain partners. All participants can dynamically share vital information such as demand reports, forecasts, inventory levels etc. in real time. Reduced Costs: Supply chain software can help ALDI supermarket reduce overhead expenses in many ways. It can improve inventory management and facilitate successful implementation of on-time stock models. It also helps ALDI to make effective demand plans, so production and sales level can be set to the maximum. It can also help improve relationships with distributors which can cut the cost in ordering products in volume. BARRIERS IN IMPLEMENTING ENTERPRISE SYSTEM SOFTWARE Though enterprise system softwares have many benefits, these benefits can sometimes be matched with high level risk because of its complexity. According to Soh (el al 2000), some companies even terminate the implementation of enterprise system software regarding time, cost and disruption caused and sometimes limited benefits once the system becomes operational. There may be some barriers while trying to adjust the enterprise software and barriers cause decrease in organisational performance instead of improvement. Organisational change is one of the most important barriers encountered in transition of new systems. Some of the barriers involved during implementation of enterprise system software are: Structural Barriers, Technological Barriers, Intellectual and Socio emotional Barriers and Cost Barrier. STRUCTURAL BARRIERS It is very important to understand the organisational structure existent in the organisation before implementing enterprise system software to prevent possible knowledge integration problems that could exist. The main structural barrier is that organisational structural limits the interaction among the different functional areas. The level of efficiency reached in the implementing enterprise system software depends upon how the organisational structure aligns with the nature of the tasks performed by members. Ross and Vitales (2000) found that the majority of the firms surveyed perceived enterprise system software implementation to be extremely disruptive. Enterprise software implementation may only succeed when the organisation is able to re-structure itself, and not just overlay the new management information system on the old organisational structure. Hammer (1999) argues that the ERP implementation is an integrative mechanism that connects diverse departments establishing integra ted processes. TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIER The IS people within the information systems department who are the founders of the pervious system might have problems to understand and maintain the new enterprise software easily. This is when the technological barrier emerges. The IS people may not be able to provide good support the new enterprise software users because they had not internalised the routines necessary to support the new enterprise software. The second technological barrier could be the parallel use of legacy systems. According to Mileton-Kelly (2004), the new systems may quickly become legacy systems as they might not meet the full requirements of the users and may not be able to fully support business evolution. Furthermore, most of the legacy systems do not use a relational database management system (RDBMS); they still use proprietary flat file system. The reason for this is because there is no central ownership of data or information items in use by companies. This problem could be solved with the use of legacy systems for validation reasons only. Since ERP modules, processes or reports were validated, users only will have access to the ERP environment for their day to day work. This solution reduces the amount of work in terms of duplication of efforts. Moreover, users will focus only in the ERP system; this means a reduction of the comparisons with the legacy systems, an increment of the users productivity, and a possibility to integrate user knowledge in the ERP system. INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIO-EMOTIONAL BARRIERS The intellectual dimension is related with the learning and knowledge of users, and the socio-emotional dimension considers the feelings and the willingness to improve skills of the users. The main barriers involved in these dimensions could be: knowledge transfer between the legacy system and the new ERP system, and between consultants and ERP users. According to Ko, Kirsch, and king (2005), not much is known about knowledge transfer from consultants to ERP users, in which the knowledge structure of the participants is asymmetric. The consultant primarily possesses technical knowledge, whereas their clients and future ERP users primarily possess business knowledge. Hence, the knowledge initially possessed by the consultant must be integrated and embodied in the knowledge of the ERP users. This might remove barriers and also allows both parties to minimize disagreements and enhance their ability to work together for effectively transferring knowledge. The concern about users preferri ng old procedures and not adopting to the new ERP environment could be prevailing. Users may not be resisting to the change, but they might be trying to make sense of the change. This approach is related with the socio-emotional dimension because users need to justify that these changes are better from them. User training could be a key requirement for ERP implementation. Those organisations which invested in training had successfully overcome socio-emotional barriers involved with the ERP implementation. The individual knowledge barrier could be overcome by the identification and definition of new procedures and functions to shift the user perspective from the individual level to the organisational level. This means that to reach the knowledge integration process across the organisation, there may be a need to map the existing knowledge into the ERP functionality. This new vision helps to reduce the perception of the new ERP system. Pan et al. (2001) also suggests that ERP team members must instigate a process of relationship building through increased information sharing and social interaction among users. This behaviour promotes the structural integration to improve knowledge integration through users willingness to share information and ideas in the form of political transparency or process de-layering. COST BARRIER Although Enterprise system software can benefit ALDI in many different ways, it is very costly and hard to implement. ALDIs main strategy is to sell cheap products and use less technology. They sell the products cheap as they save money on technology but if they use technology, they might not be able to sell the products so cheap which is going to bring another competition among other supermarkets and is against ALDIs current strategy. CONCLUSION In the report, a brief history and introduction to ALDI supermarket was discussed. ALDI is a supermarket which was established in 1913 at Germany. Today, ALDI has more than 7000 stores and serves millions of customers across three continents. ALDIs business strategies were studied by visiting ALDIs local store and conversation with managers of ALDI. An overview of Enterprise Software and its components: Enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management and supply chain management were discussed. Benefits of using ERP, CRM and SCM were identified and it was discussed how ALDI would benefit by using these enterprise system software. Finally, barriers and risks of using enterprise system software were identified and solutions to those barriers were discussed.

Friends Essay -- essays papers

Friends Friends are a necessity in every child’s life. They are there to comfort, to laugh with, and to create wonderful memories. All of a sudden a child grows up and gets thrown into college. His or her friends go to other colleges, and they both realize that they aren’t going to have those close friendships anymore. It has happened many times before, and it will happen many times again. What one needs to know is that college isn’t a place to mope around; it is a place to rejoice and meet new people. College is a place where one develops skills in meeting new people and creating new friendships. This skill is not just learned and then lost. It is a skill that can be used anywhere and any time thought life. The hardest part is to get the ball rolling and start meeting new people. College is not a difficult place to meet people. They are everywhere; in dorms, in classrooms, and simply walking around outside. Although this is a perfect atmosphere for meeting people, some may still have difficulty. The greatest challenge about meeting people is not only the hoping that...

Case analysis of Big Pharma’s Marketing Tactics Essay

Understanding Big Pharma: The US Pharmaceutical industry is the 2nd most profitable industry in the country. The nature of the industry follows an oligopoly form; with the big players yield much influence, hence lending to its name, â€Å"Big Pharma†. By 2010, Big Pharma has a staggering 526 lobbyists and gives an estimated $19 billion worth of gifts to physicians annually. Understanding Business ethics: The definition of ethics is given by as follows, â€Å"Ethics are moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity.† (Lawrence & Webber, 2008) Basically, they are the issues of identifying right and wrong in our daily life, serving as a moral compass. Then what are business ethics? Business ethics is the application of general ethical ideas towards business behavior (Lawrence & Webber, 2008). Due to the diversity in the modern world, different organizations and industries have different perspectives towards business ethics. Hence, with respect to business ethics, this report will review the application and implication in Big Pharma’s marketing tactics. Understanding the stakeholders of Pharmaceutical industry: 1. Consumers. They will be directly affected by the marketing practices by Big Pharma, as the immediate users of its products. Usually, consumers have a strong voice in determining the companies’ profits. However, it is different in the pharmaceutical landscape, due to their expertise in its product knowledge. As such, consumers are often at the losing end. 2. Community With the pharmaceutical being a burgeoning industry in the society, concerns from public will naturally grow. Based on a recent poll, public perceptions towards Big Pharma are largely negative, indicating their low level of trustworthiness. Consumers, which form part of the community, can also be represented through interest groups or watchdogs. 3. Industry representatives In the case of Big Pharma, it is common to find lobbyists working on their behalf to safeguard their business interests, specifically towards the government. By gathering a huge lobbying force, Big Pharma has consolidated their influence within and beyond the industry. A testament of their effectiveness would be their repeated ability to defeat attempts to restrict drug marketing. 4. Government & Regulators The pharmaceutical industry is one that can potentially affect the lives of general public, thus the government has taken a heightened interest in it. Therefore, they have tried to balance the interest of the society by having an agency, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates the legality of drugs produced. On a legislative level, the government also attempts to tighten the business conducts by Big Pharma by passing bills and laws. 5. Media The range of media tools in today’s world can serve as a double-edged sword for Big Pharma. At one end, the controversial marketing practices by Big Pharma provides fodder for magazines and newspaper for reporting purposes, contributing to a negative public image. On the other end, Big Pharma has regularly tapped into media to advertise their products such as the TV advertisements by Novartis to market Lamisil, an overrated drug. 6. Intermediaries This consists of medical students and physicians, which is seen as the â€Å"middleman† in the pharmaceutical industry. Hence, they form a crucial link between Big Pharma and its consumers. It is no surprise that Big Pharma would spend a great deal of time and money on them. In other words, getting a tight grip on them would mean business to Big Pharma indirectly. 7. Stockholders & Investors The primary concern of stockholders is the profitability of their respective companies. At times, they are also concerned with its’ reputation. Since the marketing practices by Big Pharma have been a contentious issue, this is an aspect that they might want to exercise their opinions. 8. Employees At one glance, the employees working for Big Pharma do not seem to be influential stakeholders, as they do not have much say in the running of the company. However, an ethical dilemma might happen if their ethical principles do not fall in line with those of Big Pharma. This will possibly result in the scenario of whistle blowing. Ethical issue #1: Direct to consumer (DTC) marketing: â€Å"Salesmanship v Science?† As with any business organization, the primary objective of Big Pharma is to maximize profits based on their product offerings. However, here lies an ethical question, â€Å"To what extent should Big Pharma achieve their business objectives at the expense of its consumers?† The answers to this question are definitely debatable, however an answer is certain, that various business models in different industries would have opposing measurement scales in this regard. In the case of pharmaceutical industry, it is very costly to produce an approved drug for sale. Firstly, much of R&D expenditure dollars will be wasted in the early stages of research, as it is not easy to find the cure for medical ailments immediately. Secondly, the formulated drug has to go through clinical trials before the regulatory agencies (i.e.: FDA) decide to approve it, which can be a lengthy process. Hence, the only way for companies to recoup their expenditure is through an aggressive brand of marketing of the approved drugs, with Big Pharma leading the way. Then, what are acceptable marketing practices by Big Pharma that is acceptable within ethical reasoning? The nature of this industry is that it holds a noble responsibility to inform and educate its consumers about the kind of drugs that will contribute to the health of mankind. Therefore, marketing is more than maximizing profits, as consumers lack expert knowledge on drugs. Presently, the marketing tactics by Big Pharma is disappointing by ethical standards. Take the Novartis TV advertisements for its drug; Lamisil, for instance. Despite the hype in its advertisement, the focus was not on the intended use of the product. In fact, the drug is used to treat toenail fungus, a non-serious ailment. Therefore, it is surprising to note that the product was 4th best selling drug in its shelves, thus showing a lack of understanding on the consumer’s part. This shows the miscommunication between Big Pharma and its consumers. Furthermore, Big Pharma aggressive marketing escalates this situation. This can be explained by their belief that spending more marketing dollars will generate more revenue to cover its expenditure. This is definitely not fair and ethical to its consumers, who should make an informed decision when purchasing a product, especially a drug. Therefore, taking into consideration the business model of Big Pharma, the general rule is that DTC marketing, consumers should always make known the imperatives of the drug (e.g.: users, side effects) first, above anything else. This point is also supported by s3(9) Singapore Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (SAPI) code of marketing practices, which states, â€Å"†¦all such information should be accurate, fair and not misleading†. In doing so, it will avoid the current scenario where Big Pharma has caused a knowledge handicap on its consumers, an ethical misconduct. Ethical issue #2: Intermediaries outreach: More than just promotional tools and gifts? Another avenue for Big Pharma to maximize its profits is through its spokespersons of their product offerings; the intermediaries. Hence, it is important to maintain a close relationship with them. But, how should Big Pharma conduct when it comes to giving gifts to this group of stakeholders? On the surface, the promotional tools such as pens and notepads given to medical students do not seem excessive in value. However, by doing this on a constant basis, it can be seen as a marketing ploy by Big Pharma to slowly pressure them into gaining acceptance. The readily acceptance of the gifts is due to the overarching monetary influence of Big Pharma has upon the industry. This ingrains the wrong ethical values in them, as they might perceive that accepting gifts from Big Pharma is an industry norm. As reflected in the case, this has a profound effect on them as many who go on to become physicians have cultivated an industry-wide behavior of accepting larger and controversial gifts from Big Pharma, leading to more ethical debates. Through making more inroads with the impact of its gifts, it slowly allows Big Pharma to exert more influence on them and it becomes harder for physicians to say no to them. As such, physicians are faced with an ethical dilemma, which is the conflict of interest between self-interests and patient’s welfare. The job of physicians should be prescribing the most appropriate medicines to the best interest of its patients. However, this line of opinion has been blurred by the influence Big Pharma has over them, thus at times physicians have no choice but to prescribe the medicines based on its links with Big Pharma. This ethical dilemma can be well reflected in the case of Pfizer, where physicians were induced by lavish sponsorship for personal expenditures to prescribe Neurontin for the cure of maladies, which was not approved by FDA. Henceforth, if physicians were to adopt the approach of whistle blowing, they might face the possibility of losing the financial incentives they have been receiving, and this can be a rude awakening for them. Based on business grounds, the need for Big Pharma to reach out to the intermediaries is understandable and reasonable, but the morality and monetary values of such gifts has come into question. While gifts such as sponsorships and free lunches appear to be normal, there are several others that involve serious allegations of ethical misconduct such as improper payments and kickbacks. Clearly, this is not in line with the marketing practices set by SAPI. As stated in section 6(1), â€Å"no gifts or financial inducement should be offered to healthcare professions for the purpose of sales promotions†. It also states the following as well, â€Å"Payments in cash or cash equivalents must not be offered to healthcare professionals either directly or indirectly†. Looking at the outreach conducted by Big Pharma, it is clear that their intention is to leverage on their financial power to exert undue influence upon the intermediaries for its own business gains. Therefore, this aspect of outreach should be curb to provide a fair state of mind for the intermediaries in order for them to make an equitable decision for their patients, not losing the high level of trust and integrity that is placed upon them. Ethical issue #3: Violation of legal principles and responsibilities The pharmaceutical industry has been plagued with the issue of violating its legal obligations, but does such acts constitute an unethical business behavior? In order to understand this, it is important to consider the relationship between laws and ethics. Laws are attempts made by the government to formally regulate the proper behavior in different spectrum of life. (Lawrence & Webber, 2008) Whereas ethics are guidelines to what is right and wrong. As such, ethics cannot be laws and it merely offers to cover the aspect the laws do not explicitly apply. The following is a non-exhaustive list of examples on how Big Pharma has flout its legal responsibilities, as stated by the case: * Medicaid program: lists false wholesale prices in order to obtain more dollars for its drugs from the U.S government * Illegally promoting drugs that are not ready for approval for public consumption through its physicians * Alleged cases of covering up the negative results from clinical trials for various drugs such as Paxil and Avandia. * Questionable marketing of drugs which involves giving improper payments and bribes * Repeated offences of the abovementioned and other similar crimes From the given examples, three inferences can be drawn with regards to ethical reasoning. Firstly, it can be inferred that the motivations by Big Pharma to commit such white-collar crimes is purely based on business grounds, leveraging on this to gain excessive profits. It is hard to give an alternative explanation to this, as all of these crimes committed by Big Pharma seem to have a strong business element to it. Secondly, it is apparent these crimes will adversely affect two of its most important group of stakeholders; consumers and intermediaries. The severity of these crimes is lethal, especially the non-disclosure of vital information of drugs by Big Pharma at the expense of generating sales revenue. This is scandalous and places the consumers’ health at stake. Last, but not least, it is clear that Big Pharma is intentionally flouting its legal responsibilities, which is the most blatant of all. This allows Big Pharma to achieve its business objectives and the fine that they received as a result, is a small price to pay. This can be seen by their willingness (i.e.: Pfizer, Schering-Plough) to pay up the fines. Therefore, from an ethical perspective, the breaking of law by Big Pharma does not justify its means to the end of generating profits when they are constantly putting their business interests first as opposed to those of its consumers and other stakeholders. Assessment of Big Pharma’s marketing tactics with business ethics The general idea of Big Pharma’s marketing tactics is that it has aligned its marketing tactics to be profit-centric and the rest of the key performance indicators (KPI) such as consumer satisfaction and quality control matters for little. Due to the overwhelming influence Big Pharma has upon the industry; they often ignore the primary interests of their stakeholders, specifically consumers and intermediaries. Their disregard for the law as well as the interests of the stakeholders has placed themselves in a negative light in the eyes of the public, which is why most people called Big Pharma as a group of pharmaceutical companies that is shifty and greedy. Such reputation does not make good PR headlines yet the marketing practices by Big Pharma has generate tons of profits for them, which possibly explains their nonchalance about it. However, a word of caution is the power of consumers should not be underestimated and it is not known how long more they will tolerate such aggressive marketing tactics. As such, Big Pharma is potentially facing a consumer backlash and might affect their profits. As the saying goes, â€Å"Short-term gain, long-term pain†. In conclusion, with reference to the application and implication of Big Pharma’s marketing tactics, they exhibit poor business ethics and do not actively inculcate ethical values into their marketing practices and channels since they believe it is pointless to do anything that does not generate revenues and profits in return immediately. References: 1. Lawrence & Webber (2008), Business & Society (12th edition), McGraw Hill International Edition, Page 27 (Stakeholders), 90 (Ethics & Business Ethics), 107 (Whistle-blowing), 117-119 (Marketing Ethics), 130-131 (Ethics & Laws) 2. SAPI code of marketing practices, http://www.sapi.org.sg/mktg.htm, accessed from Feb 6 2012. 3. â€Å"Drugs: Why drugs costs so much?† MedicineNet, http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18892, accessed from Feb 6 2012. 4. â€Å"Big Pharma Spends More on Advertising Than Research and Development, Study Finds.† Science Daily (January 2008), http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080105140107.htm, accessed from Feb 6 2012. 5. â€Å"Pharmaceutical Fraud: How Big Pharma’s Marketing and Profits Come before Consumer Safety and Wellness.† Naturalnews. http://www.naturalnews.com/z020345.html, accessed from Feb 7 2012. 6. â€Å"Pfizer Broke the Law by Promoting Dugs for Unapproved Uses,† Bloomberg (November 2009), http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a4yV1nYxCGoA, accessed from Feb 7 2012 7. Pharmaceutical industry, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_industry, accessed from Feb 8 2012. 8. Pharmaceutical marketing, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_marketing, accessed from Feb 8 2012.

Free Essays on I Never Learned Their Names

The Unpublished Ellison In the short story â€Å"I Never Learned Their Names† has many layers, and multiple meanings to people in different situations. This Ellison story relates to his â€Å"childhood, and his early examples of his lifelong fascination with American identity.† As I read the story I was confused about the exact underlying meanings. This is because I hadn’t looked into the story as it related to his early life. However when read again I began to see three main underlying meanings. The Underlying meanings are the personal issues that Ellison dealt with in his life, the journeys that Ellison took and cultures society in which he was living in. The first underlying meaning that I came across in the story â€Å"I Never Learned Their Names† was the personal issues that Ellison dealt with in his life. The main two issues that I saw Ellison dealing with was that he was a black man when racism was a major part of the life style, and also his problem that he had with money. Ralph being a black person was the first personal issue that I noticed. In the second paragraph of this story he writes that his buddy â€Å"got quite a kick out of having a Negro for a buddy. Why should it matter if somebody has a black friend, white friend, or a cream colored friend? A friend is a friend and you shouldn’t get a kick out of the color of there skin, but the personality in which they have. However, when Ellison was traveling it didn’t matter and Morrie had a lot of courage to be friends with Ellison. The second personal issue that I felt that Ellison had to deal with was his lack of money, which also derives from his childhood. His mother passed away and he and his brother were left with little money. In the story he has been traveling around trying to find work, so that he could get money to get an education. He had been many places and was on his way to Alabama hoping to find work. He and his friend Morrie got food from people on the... Free Essays on I Never Learned Their Names Free Essays on I Never Learned Their Names The Unpublished Ellison In the short story â€Å"I Never Learned Their Names† has many layers, and multiple meanings to people in different situations. This Ellison story relates to his â€Å"childhood, and his early examples of his lifelong fascination with American identity.† As I read the story I was confused about the exact underlying meanings. This is because I hadn’t looked into the story as it related to his early life. However when read again I began to see three main underlying meanings. The Underlying meanings are the personal issues that Ellison dealt with in his life, the journeys that Ellison took and cultures society in which he was living in. The first underlying meaning that I came across in the story â€Å"I Never Learned Their Names† was the personal issues that Ellison dealt with in his life. The main two issues that I saw Ellison dealing with was that he was a black man when racism was a major part of the life style, and also his problem that he had with money. Ralph being a black person was the first personal issue that I noticed. In the second paragraph of this story he writes that his buddy â€Å"got quite a kick out of having a Negro for a buddy. Why should it matter if somebody has a black friend, white friend, or a cream colored friend? A friend is a friend and you shouldn’t get a kick out of the color of there skin, but the personality in which they have. However, when Ellison was traveling it didn’t matter and Morrie had a lot of courage to be friends with Ellison. The second personal issue that I felt that Ellison had to deal with was his lack of money, which also derives from his childhood. His mother passed away and he and his brother were left with little money. In the story he has been traveling around trying to find work, so that he could get money to get an education. He had been many places and was on his way to Alabama hoping to find work. He and his friend Morrie got food from people on the...

Memories and Androids †What Is It To Be Human Essay

Memories and Androids – What Is It To Be Human Essay Free Online Research Papers Memories and Androids What Is It To Be Human Essay Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner deals with the effects of memories on a person or even an android. The memories an android collects can give it a past, a personality. What were once mindless automatons have become personable creatures that feel and sense in the same manner that real humans do. Harrison Ford’s character Rick Deckard is a retired Blade Runner, a hunter who tracks and kills renegade androids. With six deadly Nexus 6 androids loose on Earth, Deckard is called upon to eliminate them. In the dystopian future of Blade Runner, android technology has advanced to the point where there is no physical distinction between androids and real humans. Since observing physical appearance is eliminated, the Blade Runners must use another method, the Voight-Kampff Empathy Test. The test is designed to elicit an emotional response that can only be formed from a genuine past of the person being tested. In a future where animals and livestock are scarce, statements involving morality are used. Some examples are, â€Å"Its your birthday. Someone gives you a calfskin wallet.† â€Å"Youre watching television. Suddenly you realize theres a wasp crawling on your arm.† â€Å"The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun beating its legs trying to turn itself over but it cant, not without your help† Other statements deal purely with life experience, some thing that Replicants do not have. â€Å"Youre reading a magazine. You come across a full-page nude photo of a girl. You show it to your husband. He likes it so much he hangs it on your bedroom wall.† The Replicants have difficulty answering these questions because they simply are not capable of knowing how to react to such statements. Even though killing is wrong, one would still bat away or even squash the wasp on one’s arm. As technologically advanced as they are, without the years of previous experience that a real human has, they cannot pass the Voight-Kampff test. However, one new Replicant has an advantage over the older rogue Replicants. The Replicant Rachael has been given the memories of a niece of Eldon Tyrell. Tyrell is resident evil genius at Tyrell Corporation, the world’s dominant android production company. She has a definitive edge over the others. It takes Deckard nearly one hundred questions before he can determine her true nature. The older models would only take twenty to thirty questions. The central question the film poses is, â€Å"What is it to be human?† Are the only real humans those born naturally from a mother father? Can something artificially produced have the same qualities and abilities as a regular human? Tyrell states that even the older models can exhibit some learned abilities from their four years of existence. Even though they have superhuman strength and abilities, the Replicants have a short, preset lifespan. â€Å"The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long,† Tyrell says. Giving them memories from the moment they are created gives them a head start. The once definitive line between human and nonhuman begins to blur in Deckard’s eyes. After Rachael comes to him for help, he at first dismisses her but eventually begins to sympathize with her. Rachael starts to become more and more human and Deckard becomes more and more empathetic towards the Replicants. Rachael both looks and acts more human. She is less curt and cries when she is rejected by Deckard. While in Deckard’s apartment, she lets her hair down and after crying has dark circles around her eyes. She looses the appearance of perfectly applied makeup. Deckard originally retired because he was burnt out, tired of the killing. His return to the job has only made him dislike killing even more and grow more empathetic toward the Replicants. He says he feels bad about shooting a female Replicant in the back while she was running away. He doesn’t want to do it, but it’s his job so he must continue until all of the loose Replicants are killed. The Replicants further show their inexperience and lack of memories. Rutger Hauer plays Roy, Deckard’s Replicant nemesis. Roy is a battle hardened combat model Nexus 6 android. He has most certainly seen fellow combatants die. As members of his renegade group are killed, he becomes increasing agitated and distraught over their deaths. Roy was once the calm, cool leader of the group, but by the end of the film becomes a ball of emotional rage. Also, Roy and another excaped Replicant, Pris, fall in love. Even though they look older, their romance plays out as a pair of inexperienced teenagers on a first date. They kiss awkwardly and are quite coy with each other in front of J.F. Sebastian, a genetic designer they had taken up refuge with. When Roy tries to tell Pris that two their companions have been killed, he has difficulty expressing the grief that he obviously feels. His body language is contorted and confused. The way he acts makes him seem very artificial altho ugh what he feels is genuine. Roy’s emotions finally come to a head in his final confrontation with Deckard. They play a delicate game of cat and mouse through a series of abandoned buildings and end up on a rain soaked roof. His only thoughts have been to keep the group safe and to kill that which is threatening the group, Deckard. When Roy has a proverbial opportunity of a lifetime, Deckard’s life in Roy’s hands, he has a change of heart. Roy chooses to spare Deckard’s life. He can empathize with the man that was hunting him. He can now see both himself and Deckard not as individuals, but as pawns in a greater game. Roy, a pawn of the Tyrell Corporation, and Deckard, a man doing his job for the police force. He has emotionally matured from demanding, â€Å"I want more life, fucker,† from Tyrell, to a selfless contemplative being. Roy, and the rest of the Nexus 6 androids, didn’t need to rise the level that was considered human. They were already there. After his years of killing, Roy realizes that he is no better than the humans that both control him and he despises. He realizes that he must loose his hate and forgive that which cannot be corrected. In a sense, he becomes more human than human, he becomes enlightened as to what he and humanity really are. His memories and experiences have taught him that he is what he is and shouldn’t be limited by the fact that he is artificial. Research Papers on Memories and Androids - What Is It To Be Human EssayStandardized TestingThe Spring and AutumnGenetic EngineeringHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayResearch Process Part OneCapital PunishmentIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyMind Travel

How did the abolitionists proposals and methods differ from those of Essay

How did the abolitionists proposals and methods differ from those of earlier antislavery movements - Essay Example This research will begin with the analysis of the difference between abolitionists’ proposals & earlier antislavery movements. The abolitionist method was focused on making slavery a moral issue. The anti-slavery movement was widely unorganized before 1833. A wide array of societies were scattered such as Pennsylvania Abolition Society and New York City Manumission Society. This movement was supported by the Federal Government. To great extent, the antislavery movement was successful though it faced strict opposition from abolitionists. Liberty Party and Foreign and American Anti-Slavery Society were established to carry forward such antislavery movement. There were great expectations from both political parties such as Whigs and Democrats. The abolitionist movement was more of a religious movement that originated from Protestantism. The earlier antislavery movement was totally based on republican values of equality and liberty. Abolitionists’ proposal was inclined towa rds viewing slavery as a sin and the slave owners as sinners. The abolitionist method had acquired higher energy from Second Great Awakening. As per the abolitionist proposal, the act of slavery is considered to be moral sin in Christianity. Hence such act needed immediate abolition instead of consuming more time as in case of earlier antislavery movement. Hostility was witnessed in North and South due to the abolitionist movement. Slavery was highly intense in North and South. These regions were already subjected to antislavery movement. Slaves were sold in South and mainly blacks were influenced to exhibit slavery. The new law being passed with the support of abolitionist movement attempted to give freedom to many slaves. Northern slavery was on the verge of being abolished and so there was hostility observed in those regions. African Americans were observed as the most powerful critics in context of slavery. Immediate abolitionism in the 1830s raised opposition from South and Nor th.

Are there any economic reasons for continuing EU agriculture support Essay

Are there any economic reasons for continuing EU agriculture support as opposed to leaving agriculture to the mercy of market forces - Essay Example The EU supports a particular model of agriculture that meets the food concerns of its citizens, safeguards the environment, and allows farmers to live decently. The essay discusses possible economic reasons of continued EU agricultural support as opposed to leaving agriculture to the mercy of market forces. The EU plays a critical role in ensuring adequate food supply within Europe. Without food security, Europe would be dangerously dependent on the fluctuating rate of imports(Baldwin & Wyplosz, 2012, p. 422). The agricultural sector needs the stability provided by the CAP in order to ensure maximum production of food reserves. If left to the market forces, farmers would not find it easy investing in the improvements towards productivity, environmental protection and food safety(El-Agraa, 2011, p. 290). The Common Agricultural Policy ensures the Europeans have a stable supply of food at reasonable prices. With the ever increasing impact of global warming on the quantity of harvests, it is important to protect the local food supplies. Without the support of the Common Agricultural Policy, all the 27 EU nations would have developed their competing support systems, creating a chaotic single market(Nello, 2011, p. 368). The EU works towards protecting the rural communities that are constantly under threat. The average farmers’ income is only half the average wage of the EU. It is no surprise that the rate of agricultural employment fell by about 25 percent over the last decade(Dearden, 2005, p. 86). About 60% of the EU population live in the countryside and cover 90% of the Union’s territory. The countryside is one of the greatest interests of the EU since farmers need help in protecting the environment, as well as their way of life. Currently, the CAP offers adequate training to farmers, and assistance to new farmers starting up(Pelkmans,

Americas Equality is our Shared Reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Americas Equality is our Shared Reality - Essay Example Without these equalities, there could be no freedom. Fuchs clarifies the unique relationship we have with freedom and equality when he testifies, "Liberty was grounded in what they called the equality of every person under God, a belief asserted in the Declaration of Independence". Equality is not a myth; it is an idea and concept that our law, culture, and freedom is rooted in. It is a reality that we continue to struggle to attain and vigilantly guard to preserve as much today as we did in 1776. Jefferson's immortal words, "all men are created equal", were meant to be an ideal to aspire to, and that ideal is as real today as it was then. They were not stated as an accurate reflection of the current state of affairs in 1776. Jefferson did not imply that there was absolute equality and that all men would forever be treated fairly. He was keenly aware of the injustices facing the infant Nation as well as he understood the long road that lie ahead towards true liberty. Jefferson, a slaveholder all his life, was against the institution of slavery and looked forward to the day of its abolishment. As if looking into the future with crystal clear vision, Jefferson understood the grave issues at stake for America and the looming threat of violence and destruction if the people failed to accept his words. Writing of the necessity of a movement toward eventual emancipation, he writes in his Autobiography, in the year 1820, It was found that the public mind would not yet bear the proposition, nor will it bear it even at this day. Yet the day is not distant when it must bear and adopt it, or worse will follow. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free []. The reality of Jefferson's notion of equality is further evidenced by the slow, yet steady, progress America has made towards these concepts. When drastically altering our culture, laws, and society, change must necessarily proceed at a deliberate pace. While for many change has not come quick enough, we can view America's commitment to Jefferson's words and the reality of the idea by comparing 1776 to today. When the Declaration of Independence was written, there was an entrenched system of slavery that affected a single race. Women were not allowed to own property and only a minority of the population were allowed to vote. The issue of the displaced Native Americans still loomed in the future. Sixty years after the revolution for equality, women were granted the right to own property. Every generation since then has seen more equality affecting more people than their parents had witnessed. The next generation saw these immortal words reaffirmed at Gettysburg, P.A., when Lincoln proclaimed that America was, "[] conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal". Equality was no myth to Lincoln as he tackled the difficult task of freeing the slaves and playing out the prediction that Jefferson had made forty years earlier. Ensuing years would be graced with the monumental Fourteenth Amendment, which once again framed Jefferson's words as it reads, "[] nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal

Human Genome Project Essay Example for Free

Human Genome Project Essay One of the most challenging questions that have been left unanswered to this date is that regarding human evolution and geography. From the sociological point of view, it has long been known that specific populations can be differentiated from each other based on their religious backgrounds. On the other hand, forensic science employs language in grouping human population. In the field of human genetics, there is currently credible information that facilitates the understanding of how the entire human population evolved through time. The recent completion of the Human Genome Project resulted in the generation of the actual deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence of a human cell, with the hope that every disease could be associated to a particular gene in the sequence. Alongside this discovery, other genetic features have been uncovered in the DNA sequence, including small nucleotide polymorphisms which serve as signatures to specific biological phenomenon. In Olson’s chapter entitled â€Å"God’s people: A genetic history of the Jews,† the evolution of this population was described in terms of selection, environmental factors, adaptation and migration (Olson 107). The chapter supported this description with reports generated from haplotype reconstruction and tracing of Aaron’s Y chromosome. Through DNA sequencing analyses, it is now possible to reconstruct the origins and migrations of specific populations based on the presence or absence of genetic markers in the human genome sequence. The most interesting part of the chapter is that genetic changes in the Samaritan population can be correlated to their historical account, including the time when these individuals were under persecution by the Roman government. This historical event resulted in a significant decrease in their population size. In response to the change in population size, the Samaritans underwent what is genetically termed inbreeding, which is simply the action of consanguinity. Despite common notions that consanguinity results in serious health risks, this population survived through thousands of years. One major observation among the Samaritans is that these individuals physically appear similar and this is mainly due to inbreeding. Interestingly, the expected medical diseases that are commonly brought about by intermarriages did not develop in the next generations and this may be due to the selection against these defective genotypes. Another process that could be associated with this scenario is the bottleneck effect, which selectively retains the beneficial genes to the next generation. Today, it has been estimated that approximately 13 million Jews are living in the Middle East. The contemporary Jews are technically grouped into Ashkenazi or non-Ashkenazi, based on their ancestry through regions around Europe. These individuals are a good population to follow in terms of genetic history, since this population carries a natural history of migration and evolution through time. The non-Ashkenazi Jews are considered as the highly migratory subpopulation, resulting in a diverse culture. On the other hand, the Ashkenazi Jews generally remained in the same region, thus preserving their genetic makeup. This geographical history thus resulted in the identification of specific genetic mutations and diseases that are inherently observed among members of this population. The chapter also attempted to describe the effect of founding mutations, which are initial mutations that have occurred early in time during the migratory and settling era of the population. The subsequent generations of this population resulted in the presence of the same diseases and mutations, the most possible explanation for this is that these formerly de novo mutations have been fixed in the genome sequence of the offspring. It should be understood that genetic mutations occur in germ cells, as well as in somatic cells, and these have the propensity to be passed on to the next generation through the genetic laws of independent assortment and segregation. The analysis of sequences derived from mitochondrial DNA have also revealed that the founder mutations reported among the Jews were transmitted through a matrilineal route (Behar 2062). Using mitochondrial DNA tracking, genetic analysis can generate estimations of the time of fixation of a specific genetic mutation in this population. The continuous geographical changes of the members of this population further exert its impact on the genetic fixation and phenotypic frequencies of these mutations, resulting in the current genetic conditions of this group. The genetic pool of the Jews thus reflects a microenvironment wherein genetic changes, alongside environmental effects and migration could be correlated with each other. There is still great debate with regards to the genetic history of the Jews. As Olson has indeed mentioned in his writing, all human beings are similar in the genetics aspect and being a Jew is simply based on how an individual feels about himself. This maybe true, yet in time there will still be more information that will be gathered from genetic assays on different populations around the world. The current information that has been established is that there are three founding mutations that have been identified in the Jews and each mutation reflects the origin or migratory pattern of each subgroup. However, the exact direction or genetic drift of each migratory pattern still needs to be further investigated. There is a need for a comprehensive genotyping of more individuals of each human population in order to fully understand the historical, as well as geographical account of human evolution and speciation. Each existing population must have been derived from an original group of individuals that existed in time. 2. The article entitled, â€Å"Jewish legacy inscribed on genes† authored by Karen Kaplan describes the account of Gregory Cochran regarding the genes of Jewish individuals (Kaplan 3). One of his claims is that Ashkenazi Jews are more prone to serious medical disorders due to the common mutations that afflict this specific population. One of the highly publicized medical disorders that commonly occur among Ashkenazi Jews is Tay-Sachs disease, a neurological childhood condition that leaves an individual disabled and complications result in difficulty of these individual’s to lead normal lives. Another common genetic disorder affecting Jews is Canavan disease, which involves the deterioration of the brain tissues, resulting in both morbidity and mortality in young Ashkenazi Jewish children. Niemann-Pick disease is another serious medical condition that is often reported among this specific human population and this disease is associated with the significant accumulation of fats in the particular organs such as the brain. Unfortunately, these aforementioned medical disorders result in mortality of an Ashkenazi Jew at a very young age. Another medical disorder that occurs frequently among Ashkenazi Jews is torsion dystonia, which is a movement disorder that involves changes in the tissue consistency of the brain. The accumulation of plaques in the brain results in the involuntary jerking and twisting of parts or even the entire body of the afflicted individual. Cochran claims that these common medical disorders affect Ashkenazi Jews in particular through a specific genetic makeup that still has yet to be uncovered. It is also of interest to know that these common disorders are of neurological origin, which means that the central nervous system of an individual is affected. Thus, these disorders can either affect the brain, the spinal cord, or any of the smaller neural cells that are connected or associated with the nervous system. In order for the public to better understand his claim, Cochran even compared this association to that of sickle cell anemia, which is a severe blood disorder that is commonly observed among African Americans. This genetic blood disorder results in the difficulty to transport oxygen to the rest of the parts of the body, as the red blood cells are distorted in shape, from the normal ovoid shape to that similar to a sickle. Comprehensive scientific research has established that a specific mutation is responsible for the generation of a sickle cell-shaped red blood cell, which in turn is commonly present in individuals of African American descent. Another claim of Gregory Cochran is that despite such serious medical disorders that commonly affect Ashkenazi Jews, a positive observation is also significantly present in this human population. Cochran claimed that Ashkenazi Jews are highly intelligent, as shown by intelligence quotient (IQ) scores of children of this ethnicity. He thus proposed that the predisposition of Ashkenazi Jews to mutations in gene associated with brain conditions also results in a high level of intelligence. Kaplan’s article further supports Cochran’s claim of intelligence and gene mutations with the historical accounts of how Jews lives through the centuries. The activities mainly involved migration, trading and other forms of business, all of which were highly successful. Kaplan supported Cochran’s claim by saying that these business transactions can only survive if the individuals involved were highly intelligent and since most of the activities were led by Ashkenazi Jews, then it is also likely that the intelligence â€Å"phenomenon† may have existed early on. Unfortunately, the claims of Cochran still need to be tested on a large population of Ashkenazi Jews before this can be proven and accepted. As Kaplan accounts in her Los Angeles Times article, the report of Cochran was an outright reject in the first journal that he and his collaborator, Harpending, submitted to. However, another journal that supports theories without substantial experimental evidence, Journal of Biosocial Science, published their claim. The claim of high intelligence among Ashkenazi Jews needs to undergo comprehensive investigation first before it can be fully accepted in the field of science. Similar to the genetic establishment of the neurological diseases that commonly affect Ashkenazi Jews, this claim was further strengthened after several years of scientific research in genetic laboratories. Patients positively diagnosed with the neurological disease were checked with regards to other clinical features. In addition, their DNA was extracted and the specific genes responsible for generating the disease were sequenced. In case a DNA mutation was identified in the genes, these were compared to other patients’ DNA sequences. Any other common features among thousands of patients were correlated and compared, thus resulting in what has now been established as a predisposition of the disease in this human population. It is thus important that the same meticulous type of investigation be conducted with regards to intelligence. However, the search for the answer to this claim may be more difficult because intelligence has been established to be influence by several factors. Scientists and psychologists have earlier established that the multi-factorial origin of intelligence makes any effort in tracing the source of intelligence to be ultimately difficult. Intelligence can not simply be generated through the genes because environmental factors can also affect an individual’s condition, including his mental state. There are a number of twin studies that have been conducted for several decades that employ the procedure of separating each of the twins are bringing each individual up in a different environment. Since the genetic makeup of twins is entirely the same, then any claims on intelligence genes can be validated in such experimental conditions. Unfortunately, twin studies have proven that a child who was brought up in an environment filled with violence and anger tend to be poorly developed in intelligence. On the other hand, the twin sibling who was raised in an environment that was filled with love and support grew up into a very intelligent and mature individual. It is thus difficult to prove Cochran’s claim that Ashkenazi Jews are far more intelligent than other human populations, because there are so many factors to consider before one can claim that a specific entity influences that state of thinking. Another issue that would emanate from such claim is that other cultures and ethnicities would perceive such proposal as a form of discrimination or indifference to other human populations. Claiming or even proving that a certain human population is highly intelligent does not help in the global cooperation between countries. In addition, the establishment of this claim will not save lives, just like the other efforts that employ genetic technologies in screening for specific mutations that would tie a particular phenotype to a particular genetic sequence. Proving the high levels of intelligence among Ashkenazi Jews will only spark anger and outrage from other cultures. It is thus good that Cochran feels that there is no need to prove his claim through the use of experimental evidence. It would also be safe and for the best of the rest of the world to leave Cochran along with his claim and let other people speculate on his unsupported claim. The application of genetic analysis on human population has been regarded as a novel and revolutionary addition to the methods in studying human evolution and speciation. The information that can be generated by this technology can be very sensitive and effective, yet there is still a need to employ human intervention and compassion with regards to which specific questions need to be addressed. Genetic analysis in connection to medical disorders can be very helpful in diagnostics and treatment, as well as for saving lives, but genetic screening other social factors such as intelligence will only spark bias among individuals around the world. Works Cited Behar, D. M., Metspalu, E. , Kivisild, T. , Rosset, S. , Tzur, S. , Hadid, Y. , Yudkovsky, G. , Rosengarten, D. , Pereira, L. , Amorim, A. , Kutuev, I. , Gurwitz, D. , Bonne-Tamir, B. , Villems, R. and Skorecki, K. â€Å"Counting the Founders: The Matrilineal Genetic Ancestry of the Jewish Diaspora. † PLoS ONE 3 (2008): 2062-2087. Kaplan, K. â€Å"Jewish Legacy Inscribed on Genes? † Los Angeles Times 18 April 2009. Olson, S. Mapping Human History: Genes, Race, and Our Common Origins. San Francisco: Harcourt Publishers, 2003.