Sunday, November 3, 2019
From E Business Support to Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1
From E Business Support to Strategy - Essay Example The internet, intranet, mobile networks and other types of digital expertise have made a functional value chain with customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and traders synchronized in the new age of web marketing. The apparatus and pillars of e-business strategies consist of online advertising, receipt of payments over the Internet, on-line dealings and auction transactions over the Internet. E-business strategies vary for small and medium scale businesses. E-business strategies also create profits from current channel integrity maintenance, paid marketing deals, franchisees and subscriptions. (E-business Strategy, n.d.) E-business strategies use information and communications technology to enhance businesses. E-business is more concretely defined as the transformation that takes place in business processes due to the application of technologies and new ideas to deliver additional and improved customer value. (Andam, 2003, p.7). The introduction of the internet and other network and web technologies has made companies rely more and more on e-business strategies. An up-to-date e-business strategy generally consists of effective and efficient management of the supply chain to guarantee enhanced coordination between the wholesalers and the dealers of different products. This means to synchronize the entire supply chain starting from the source up till the ultimate delivery of the products. The value chain framework also involves the value shop and value network. Service providers like hospitals or consulting firms create value through the value shop process while, the brokering or intermediary actions (like banking and telephone companies) are carried out through value network management (Torbay, Osterwalder and Pigneur, 2001, p. 6). E-business strategies are also used to enhance customer services and build better customer relationship management to ensure the utmost level of customer satisfaction.
Friday, November 1, 2019
Marijuana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Marijuana - Essay Example Now, with better research and newly developed technology, scientists have found that all natural supplements are healthier for treatment of certain illnesses. Medicinal application marijuana, for instance, has many benefits and some doctors prescribe marijuana to patients with diseases ranging from Alzheimer to HIV, to help with treatments. The common people could also use it to control their stress or become less depressed, which makes life a lot simpler and easier to handle when time gets rough. Even though marijuana portrays many medicinal benefits, it should not only be used for medical purposes but should also be regulated like alcohol (which is toxic) and tobacco, whose consumption is in some cases worse than using marijuana. There are currently big debates going on in Congress and all over the world, on whether to legalize marijuana or not. This occurs at a time when most of the Americans have at least tried marijuana, or are using it to help them overcome stress. The drug is also an ââ¬Ëall-naturalââ¬â¢ plant that can be grown anywhere in the world; it has a high demand, and its supply is high. Drug lords and its growers however started adding chemicals that cause users to become addicted to their product and after a while of use, the consumers start using stronger drugs. That is why marijuana is called a gateway drug. If the bill in Congress passes for marijuana, the Food and Drug Administration will supervise the product. It will be offered, for everyone to buy, at the pharmacy. Gangs and drug dealers will not sell it on the streets, due to the vast drop in prices from the legalization of marijuana, and its consequential easy access to the public. Right now, if there were no marijuana in the streets, people would have no other choice but to use worse drugs, like cocaine, or crystal meth; those types of drugs that can affect a personââ¬â¢s health physically, mentally, and they become desperate to obtain these drugs at any necessary means. In S audi Arabia for instance, the people do not accept drugs socially or religiously. However, I feel that if the government looked into the positive effects of marijuana, there would be a change in the view of marijuana among the citizens of Saudi Arabia. If everyone smoked a little of it every day, the euphoria feeling would overcome all other emotions and there would be fewer problems, and less crimes. People will become more relaxed, and better able to communicate with each other respectfully. It would also develop an environment where people love each other; everyone would have less stress, and become mellower and the world would become a more peaceful place. More research should however be done to test the pros and cons of marijuana, then the government should weigh out the results. As a democracy, the United States of America should allow its people to vote on whether to legalize it or not. In my opinion, I believe that whether Congress will legalize it or not, it will take the n ext five years for them to reach a final decision. I however do not think it is necessary to prolong the debate on whether to legalize it or not. This issue should be resolved soon because it could change peopleââ¬â¢s lives in the United States, even people who have never tried this drug. In conclusion, marijuana is a useful and helpful drug that Americans need in their lives. It has both medicinal and social value that promises benefits to the society. Its
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
BHS 427 Health Care Finance (Module 2CBT) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
BHS 427 Health Care Finance (Module 2CBT) - Essay Example b. The second alternative is for R Squared to try to reduce the variable cost per scan by improving operational efficiency or replacing experienced staff with relatively inexperienced employees (but ensuring the same quality of work). If variable cost can be reduced to $1,100, the breakeven volume will be 113 and target profit of $10,000 will be achievable (refer to following calculations). .. Since R Squared must charge $200 less than the community price of $2,100 to get the contract, the second alternative may be pursued. 5. Approximately how many patients will have to be scanned for General Hospital to make a profit of $20,000 per month Let, V = Variable cost per scan = $1,200 F = Fixed cost = $90,000 NI = Targeted net income = $20,000 Pi = Internally set price paid by charge payers = $1,200 Pe = Externally set fixed price = $1,500 CO = Proportion of cost payers = 30% CH = Proportion of charge payers = 45% FP = Proportion of fixed-price payers = 25% The required patient volume is calculated using the following formula: Volume = [(1 - CO) F + NI] / [(CH x Pi) + (FP x Pe) - (1 - CO) V] Volume = [(1 - 0.3) x 90,000 + 20,000] / [(0.45 x 1,200) + (0.25 x 1,500) - (1 - 0.3) x 1,200] Volume = [63,000 + 20,000] / [540 + 375 - 840] Volume = 83,000 / 75 Volume = 1,106 patients Hence, out of total 1,318 patients (482 in-patient and 836 out-patient) per month, 1,106 patients will have to be scanned for General Hospital to make a profit of $20,000 per
Monday, October 28, 2019
The Social Construction of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender Essay Example for Free
The Social Construction of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender Essay Socialization is the unequal distribution of power, wealth, income and social status between individuals and groups. This distribution is not random, it is patterned and structured. Three important axes of global inequality are gender, race and ethnicity, and class. These inequalities are on a global scale and are found in virtually all societies. It wasnt until relatively recently, however, that a caste system developed to include race and ethnicity among class and gender. Since imperialism and the conquest of the Americas, a number of social changes have occurred, and, as a result, the dominant groups today are not only higher in the social order, in terms of rank, but they are considered better as well. According to Winant, there are two main concepts of race, race as an ideological concept, and race as an objective condition. Barbara Fields, one of the main supporters and activists for the race as an ideological concept theory, explains the concept of race as [a] concept [that] arose to meet an ideological need; its original effectiveness lay in its ability to reconcile freedom and slavery. Remember, Africans werent the only slaves, Asians, for example, were slaves too. This created a distinction between the white slave owners and all other races, and this was acceptable because their slaves were lower than them, according to Fields theory, so it was okay to enslave other humans. Winant says that, Sociopolitical circumstances change over historical time, racially defined groups? [achieve] mobility or [remain] mired in poverty, and so on. If race is considered an objective condition it doesnt allow for the reconceptualization of race, one simply is ones race. Most early theories of race took this stance and Stephen Jay Gould, as recently as 1981, has made similar claims. However, it is impossible to support such a theory on a number of grounds. First, its been scientifically proven that there are more genetic differences between a single race then there are between different races. Second, it doesnt allow for any change ? certain races will always be lower than other races. There are social beliefs which are present today that place social stigmas on people who are affiliated with certain ethnicitys. Yen Le Espiritu puts forth the argument that The exercise of political-economic domination by racial elites always involves attempts to objectify the subordinate group by branding subordinate groups as alternatively inferior, threatening, or praiseworthy. An example that is taking place today is that cosmetic surgery being performed on Asian-American women, as Eugena Kaw points out in her article. In particular they are making changes to their eyes and noses to look more ideal. Is that okay though? Should one groups sense of ideal be forced upon another group? Many of the Asian-American women surveyed said their reason for undergoing cosmetic surgery was to form their own personal form of beauty. But why then did these women all undergo similar surgeries to ? correct how they look? Class is the one social construction that has existed since the beginning of history. There have always been those who oppress and those who are oppressed, from the serfs and lords of the middle ages to the bourgeois and proletariat of today (According to Marx). The distinction of class today is different than its been in the past though. It used to be based on your heritage, but today it is based on capital, the more you have the higher and better you are. Many people feel that cultures that veil women, such as Muslims, make them suffer psychological and socioeconomic consequences. Homa Hoodfar discusses how the west equates veils with ignorance and oppression in her article. But throughout historic time and place, there has been a clear division of labour in the allocation of economic tasks between men and women. This division has always been partly justified in terms of? biological differences. However, many feminists argue that we learn, through culturally specific socialization, how to be masculine and feminine and to assume the identities of men and women. Due to that fact that many societies proclaim masculine characteristics to be more socially ? useful and generally ? more important than feminine ones, a social structure often results where there are highly unequal gender relations. Even if women attain social/political rights equal to those of men its unlikely that all the sources of oppression of women will be removed. How is that fair?! We are more biased today than ever before, at least there was some justification during the middle ages for why women couldnt be knights. But today mental capacity should be the major basis in the workplace. Why are women so under represented in government? Why do they get paid less than 80% of what men get paid to do the same job? Why are women discriminated against today? Essentially, the social constructs of race, gender, ethnicity, and class are all the same thing. They all are ways to divide people and put certain people on top. Not unlike capitalism where someone is on top and others are on the bottom (its also not surprising that the way we view the four social constructs changed around the time that capitalism was being developed). Now that we have this whole in group out group view of society, can we ever go back to being color blind? Can we go back to people being distinguished based on who their allegiances are to or their character? The way we view the social constructs of society need to change. Peoples arbitrary biases shouldnt prevent someone from getting a job! Its ludicrous to assume that because of the color of ones skin, or ones sex that someone is worse and lower than you. The very fact that there are still people today who see the white mans burden shows how backwards we really are, even in todays modern society. We need to stop segregating each and every individual as a collective of whites, blacks, men, women, Jews, Christians, etc. and start living as Americans because thats the only way that social progress will ever be made.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Why Education is Important :: Education
Many students around the world today focus mainly one thing while they are in school; Career and income, but how do you achieve that? How does one get the career they want and the income they yearn? The answer is education several countries are known for their exceptional performance in academics and the pressure related to their education. Among those countries are China, India and Japan. These three countries share a lot in common; exceptionally bright students and a very rigorous education system that showers students with pressure from parents to perform exceptional in school. Anita Desai, who is the author of Studies in the Park, shows us how the much education is important in India. Studies in the Park is about a young man named Suno. Suno is ready to apply for college, but before he goes into college, he must pass the entrance exams for his college. Suno undergoes pressure from his parents to study hard and pass the entrance exams. Suno is always reminded from his pare nts that he expects good results from him and he should just be studying. Suno starts to get fed up with all the talks and his loud home, so he tries and find a new place to go and study; The Park. At the park he meets other students who are just like him; tired of all the noise at home and fed up from their parents nagging at them to study. Anita Desaiââ¬â¢s Studies in the Park undoubtedly connects with the importance of education worldwide, pressure placed on students for education and the pressure for incentives offered for education globally. Many students are constantly faced with the same problem everyday: Education. Desai showed emphasis on the pressure that students from India face and how expectations rise every year. Desaiââ¬â¢s story may have been a replica of her very own young life because she focused on oneââ¬â¢s own belief in education and the freedom to choose for oneââ¬â¢s own future career. Firstly, Students that are living in highly populated countries understand the importance of education far greater than students that are living in countries with extra amenities and a lot of neighborhoods. In Desaiââ¬â¢s Studies in the Park, the main character Suno was always told by his parents that education was thought that Sunoââ¬â¢s parents had is very similar to Obamaââ¬â¢s thoughts.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Terrorism: United Nations and Armored Car
Terrorism Gabriel Quinteros This essay, will discuss terrorism, this issue is one of the biggest issues facing the world today. This essay will talk about the effects this have around the countries it happen. What cause this, what it me or start the terrorism. In this essay will start discussion about the causes of Terrorism; it happens in the worker class were the leader or director, oppress them and make the workers revel against they that oppress them.The worker class will be passient to see if this change, but sometimes they keep oppressing them so they tired of their leader oppress them they revel and make a big group call it is call terrorism. This normally happens on undeveloped countries or no developed countries. In the developed counties there doesnââ¬â¢t happens this because there is no oppression so this never happens or start. Terrorism is affects nearly every undeveloped country in the world. We will discuss effects.One of the main effects is the killing of people th ey (the terrorist) always take prisoners because they know they can trade them for gold or , other thing they need or want, like to leave them alone, bring some transport (normally helicopters or an armored car so they can escape. Every time they donââ¬â¢t get what they want they start killing people. They just say like in 10 minutes if you donââ¬â¢t bring us what we want we will start killing people for every minute we want.So the police that is around normally gave them what they want the terrorist killing innocent people that was in the wrong place at the wrong moment. Also this makes a big effect in other countries around the country it happen. When a country has terrorism makes the country develops slowly because more presidents or important people are not thinking for improving the country just to solve the problem. The way for stopping terrorism or to try not to make people start it, is easy just donââ¬â¢t treat the employees like slaves.One of the ways of stopping t errorism is to try to give them what they need in terms of treatment. When the act of terrorism start the only way to stop it is to kill the terrorist because they will never want to give up, itââ¬â¢s a feeling that make them keep doing bad things. Conclusion: From my point of view, it is a bad issue but it can be stop or not started. It affects countries like Colombia, and it have come since all years. The terrorism happens in big scales and small scales. And is normally the same and created by the same reason.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Effects of advertising Essay
Advertisements are everywhere, traveling by all ways possible, infiltrating the privacy that every person holds important to themselves and their family. American Marketing Association defines advertising as ââ¬Å"the non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media.â⬠Today, with the development of the technology and the diversity of the mass media, advertising has influenced us pervasively in our daily life. Advertising has been applied in most of fields in society such as economical advertisings, educational advertisings, political advertisings, and healthy advertisings, etc. Advertising is used to promote goods, services, images, and anything else that advertisers want to publicize. It is becoming a major part of mass media. We may view it positively; at other times we may just skip or ignore it. In order to attract audience, advertisers use various techniques on their advertisement to make people aware of the firmââ¬â¢s products, services, or brands. Although the methods used by advertisers are infinitely, they have a common goal to persuade those who may become their customers to buy their products. An excellent advertisement will create a deep impression on its potential customers through particular techniques. They deliver their advertisement through TV, radio, magazines and newspapers, internet, billboards, and other multi-media means. By advertising, individuals or companies are able to get more extra profits from their products, promote their products, and gain the most important purpose ââ¬â to sell. In many cases, there are some negative effects ââ¬â some annoying hindrances in our daily lives. It makes our nerves, distorts the truth, and adds to the cost of the product. Advertising is designed for one purpose ââ¬â to sell. To achieve this goal, advertisers are willing to stretch and distort the truth, just to convince people to buy their products. For example, an advertiserà may convince buyers to purchase their products by stating those have been tested and found superior. In reality, the products are not better than any other ââ¬â the tests themselves doubtlessly conducted by the promoting company ââ¬â conducted to ensure at least something is superior about the product, even if it is only the color. These advertisements are worded carefully so that they are telling the ââ¬Å"literal truthâ⬠ââ¬â the truth is exactly what the words say, although people misinterpret the message by using conversational logic as something different ââ¬â something better. By using ingenious tactics like these, the populace is deceived into buying a product that may not do what is required, or a product that a buyer may have never needed. That is why advertising is not good for our society. First, I would like to discuss about the negative effects to children and youth. One of the most corrupt forms of advertising comes from cigarette companies. According to some investigator, ââ¬Å"Cigarette advertisements are degrading not only because the products behind them are proven to be a health hazard, but also because the advertisements are focused toward younger generations.â⬠Many advertisements use young, attractive, healthy looking models when advertising for a brand of cigarettes or beer. Company promotions have led people to affiliate certain products with feelings of happiness or euphoria. There is no doubt that people smoke the most heavily advertised brands of cigarettes. ââ¬Å"Tobacco advertising increases young peopleââ¬â¢s risk of smoking by using themes that appeal to them, such as fun times, action, and being popular and attractive.â⬠(Family Education 1). Advertisings that supply the Surgeon Generalââ¬â¢s warning along with the main body of the message are blatantly contradictive. These advertisings prove that there are many forms of advertising without any morals, and that companies will go to great lengths to have their name and image promoted regardless of the results. The nationââ¬â¢s companies have put themselves before the children. Similar to the case of cigarette companies, Ph.D. Henry Saffer show that spending money to advertise alcohol contributes to increase the rate of students drinking. Alcohol remains popular with American college students, as indicated by the Core Institute Survey (1998). In 1997, 84.2% of college students reported drinking alcohol, an increase of 2% over the prior year. For comparison, there were similar increases in the prevalence of tobacco and marijuana use. Moderate to heavy drinking also increased with corresponding reductions in abstention and light drinking. Nationwide, students reported consuming an average of 5.64 drinks per week in 1997, up about 7% over 1996. The Core Institute also reported that 45.5% of students had consumed five or more drinks in one sitting in the previous 2 weeks. More than 21% of the students reported three or more episodes of this kind of high-risk drinking in the previous 2 weeks. Finally, more than 90% of American college students reported that drinking is a central part of campus social life. (Henry Saffer, Ph.D., Alcohol Advertising and Youth, pg. 173) According to Competitive Media Reporting, more than $1.2 billion was spent in 1998 on alcohol advertising in measured media (i.e., print media, outdoor advertising, radio and television). An additional two-thirds billion dollars was spent on other forms of promotion, including sponsorships, couponing and direct mail. Alcohol advertising had decreased from 1987 to 1996 by 34%, in real terms. However, since 1997, alcohol advertising has been increasing. Part of the recent increase includes the use of cable television by spirits advertisers. (Henry Saffer, Ph.D., Alcohol Advertising and Youth, pg. 173) Second, advertisements can change or impact an individualââ¬â¢s behavior, attitude, expectations, or relationships. The more advertising that a person watches the more that they are influenced by it. The more that they are influenced by advertising the less important their relationships become. Consequently, the behaviors that we display and the influences on our physical environment are directly affected by the amount of advertisements that we see. In the world of advertising, lovers are things and things are lovers (Kilbourne, Canââ¬â¢t Buy My Love: How advertising changes the way we think and feel, pg. 77). Sadly, advertising promotes a corrupt and bankrupt concept of relationships (Kilbourne, Canââ¬â¢t Buy My Love: How advertising changes the way we think and feel, pg. 77). It is unavoidable and extremely damaging to our relationships and especially families. With the divorce rate and domesticà violence rate at the highest it has ever been, it is necessary to evaluate the influences of advertising to our relationships. It has become more and more difficult to relate to our partners in a manner that isnââ¬â¢t objectifying and exploitative. These are images that are forced into our heads and we may have very little control over. Moreover, advertising creates images of what is appropriate behavior in a relationship, using products. That behavior is not always one that is idealistic for real life relationships and generally can be very damaging to intimate and personal relationships. Advertising plays a part in dictating our expectations of our mate, ranging from money and clothing to behavior and attitude. Therefore, when messages and images are repeatedly presented to us they inevitably have an impact on our relationships. Our intimate relationships have been trivialized and our relationships with products have become more important. Another negative effect is that some advertisings use the sexual content to attract the attention of consumers. Consistently, studies have demonstrated that sexual appeals attract attention to the advertising, typically without a corresponding advantage for brand information processing. Sexual content may be eye-catching and entertaining, but it may not be communicative and might distract the viewer from the message. Reichert, Heckler, and Jackson (2001) claim that when sexual stimulus is used in advertising, viewersââ¬â¢ perceptual and processing resources are directed toward the sexual information in the ad rather than toward the brand. Therefore, they will not have a perspicacious decision to buy the products. Recently days, on the television, some company try to develop the crazy adverting project that use womenââ¬â¢s belly to advertise. They make some small advertising boards and they paste them on the belly of women and then they ask them to wear short skirt and bikini, after that they will go around some public locations. In this case, it is very stupid that it can promote the womenââ¬â¢s body not the products. Finally, use sexual content to advertise is one of the negative effects of advertising that is worse in the society. Throughout history politicians have used various methods, such as persuasive speeches, political advertising and political rallies, to achieve their ââ¬Å"primary goal, the winning votesâ⬠. But according to the results of theà research made by Won Ho Chang (Professor and Director of the Stephenonson Research Center at the University of Missouriââ¬â¢s School of Journalism), Jae-Jin Park (Public Relation Specialist with LG Corporation in Seoul, Korea) and Sung Wook Shim (graduate student in the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri) in 1998 ââ¬Å"over the years, politicians have found that it is most advantageous to use political advertising to persuade votersâ⬠. For example, the majority of presidential campaigns depend on television advertising. Clinton spent $12 million of his $30.9 million limit on television commercials in the middle of the primaries, $42.4 million during reconvention, and $44 million on television ads in the general election. A total of $98.4 million was used on television commercials. In my opinion, it is not good for the citizens and will influence on the result of voting. The voters will receive much positive information of the politicians and they will be distracting the purpose of vote. Moreover, by using an effective political advertising, a politician can win the other politicians even though he is not as good as the others, and it is unfair to them. There are no a commission to check the information of political advertising that is wring or wrong; therefore, the voters will have no chance to predict what the politicians will do for them. Some politician just tries to get votes by any ways, and when they win they forget what they promise. In short, advertising in voting is not a good method and it also makes some disadvantage to both the politicians and the voters. The last problem is that some activities in our society are wrapped by the advertisings. On the streets of our city, many advertising billboards are built to advertise for some products and it makes he city become uncivilized. On the television, there are many programs of advertising that trouble the audiences. For example, when people are attracted by a wonderful program, some adverting programs are run and distract them. More over, on the Internet, now people get many difficulties to check their e-mail in the inbox because they have seen many advertising letter from some company in their inbox. In short, some of advertisings are now obstructing the process of some activities in our society. Advertising has a strong influence over social behaviors, attitudes, andà expectations of individuals involved in intimate relationships between men and women Companies spend millions of dollars on advertising every year. The companies are very aware of the effect of advertisement on the community. Companies would not spend millions of dollars on advertising if it had little or no effect on the public. We all know that advertising provides a general service of informing us about products. But, does it also unnecessarily affect our behavior, relationships, and environment? How can we avoid the negative effects of advertising, especially in our relationships? Nowadays, in order to promote the products, many companies abuse so much of the advertising. In this case, they do not pay enough attention to the quality and the value of the products. Therefore, although advertising can bring them the profit and promotion from selling their products, they have to consider some bad effects of them on the society. References Family Education Network ââ¬Å"Cigarettes ââ¬â Donââ¬â¢t Believe the Hypeâ⬠cited in 18/12/2004 at www.familyeducation.com Henry Saffer, Ph.D., Alcohol Advertising and Youth, National Bureau of Economic Research, 365 Fifth Avenue, 5th floor, New York, New York 10016-4309 Kilbourne, Jean (1999). Canââ¬â¢t Buy My Love: How advertising changes the way we think and feel. New York: Touchstone. Andrea Dworkin, Pornography: Men Possessing Women (New York: Phime, 1989) Reichert, T., Heckler, S.E. & Jackson, S. 2001, the effects of sexual social marketing appeals on cognitive processing and persuasion. Journal of Advertising, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 13-27. Won Ho Chang, Jae-Jin Park, and Sung Wook Shim. ââ¬Å"Effectiveness of Negative Political Advertising.â⬠Cited in 21/12/2004 at http://www.scripps.ohiou.edu/wjmcr/vol02
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Overview of the Republic of Malta
Overview of the Republic of Malta Malta, officially called the Republic of Malta, is an island nation located in southern Europe. The Malta archipelago is located in the Mediterranean Sea, about 93 km south of the island of Sicily and 288 km east of Tunisia. Malta is known as one of the worlds smallest and most densely populated countries, with an area of just 122 square miles (316 sq km) and a population of over 400,000- giving it a population density of about 3,347 persons per square mile or 1,292 people per square kilometer. Population: 408,333 (July 2011 estimate)Capital: VallettaLand Area: 122 square miles (316 sq km)Coastline: 122.3 miles (196.8 km)Highest Point: TaDmerjrek at 830 feet (253 m) History Archaeological records show that Maltas history dates back to ancient times and was one of the worlds oldest civilizations. Early in its history, Malta became an important trading settlement because of its central location in the Mediterranean, and the Phoenicians and later the Carthaginians built forts on the island. In 218 B.C.E., Malta became a part of the Roman Empire during the second Punic War. The island remained a part of the Roman Empire until 533 C.E. when it became a part of the Byzantine Empire. In 870, control of Malta passed to the Arabs, who remained on the island until 1090 when they were driven out by a band of Norman adventurers. This led to it becoming a part of Sicily for over 400 years, during which time it was sold to several feudal lords from lands that would eventually come to belong to Germany, France, and Spain. According to the U.S. Department of State, in 1522, Suleiman II forced the Knights of St. John from Rhodes and they spread out in various locations throughout Europe. In 1530, they were granted rule over the Maltese islands by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and for over 250 years the Knights of Malta controlled the islands. During their time on the islands, the Knights of Malta built several towns, palaces, and churches. In 1565, the Ottomans attempted to siege Malta- known as the Great Siege- but the Knights were able to defeat them. By the late 1700s, however, the power of the Knights began to decline and in 1798 they surrendered to Napoleon. For two years after Napoleon took over Malta, the population attempted to resist French rule and in 1800, with the support of the British, the French were forced out of the islands. In 1814, Malta became a part of the British Empire. During the British occupation of Malta, several military fortresses were built and the islands became the headquarters of the British Mediterranean Fleet. During World War II, Malta was invaded several times by Germany and Italy but it was able to survive and on August 15, 1942, five ships broke through a Nazi blockade to deliver food and supplies to Malta. This fleet of ships became known as the Santa Marija Convoy. In 1942, Malta was awarded the George Cross by King George VI. In September 1943 Malta was home to the surrender of the Italian fleet and as a result, September 8 is recognized as Victory Day in Malta to mark the end of WWII in Malta and commemorate the victory in the 1565 Great Siege. On September 21, 1964, Malta gained its independence and it officially became the Republic of Malta on December 13, 1974. Government Today Malta is still governed as a republic with an executive branch made up of a chief of state (the president) and a head of government (the prime minister). Maltas legislative branch is comprised of a unicameral House of Representatives, while its judicial branch is made up of the Constitutional Court, Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal. Malta has no administrative subdivisions and the entire country is administered directly from its capital, Valletta. There are however several local councils that administer orders from Valletta. Economics and Land Use Malta has a relatively small economy and it is reliant on international trade because, according to the CIA World Factbook, it produces only about 20% of its food needs, has little fresh water and has few energy sources. Its main agricultural products are potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, flowers, green peppers, pork, milk, poultry, and eggs. Tourism is also a major part of Maltas economy and other industries in the country include electronics, shipbuilding and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, as well as aviation, financial and information technology services. Geography and Climate Malta is an archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean with two main islands - Gozo and Malta. Its total area is very small at only 122 square miles (316 sq km), but the overall topography of the islands varies. There are for example many rocky coastal cliffs, but the center of the islands is dominated by low, flat plains. The highest point on Malta is TaDmerjrek at 830 feet (253 m). The largest city in Malta is Birkirkara. The climate of Malta is Mediterranean and as such it has mild, rainy winters and warm to hot, dry summers. Valletta has an average January low temperature of 48ÃÅ¡F (9ÃÅ¡C) and an average July high temperature of 86ÃÅ¡F (30ÃÅ¡C). References Central Intelligence Agency. (26 April 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - Malta.Infoplease.com. (n.d.). Malta: History, Geography, Government, and Culture.United States Department of State. (23 November 2010). Malta.ï » ¿Wikipedia.com. (30 April 2011). Malta.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Discussion Questions for In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Discussion Questions for In Cold Blood by Truman Capote In Cold Blood by Truman Capote is a nonfictionà novel that tells the story of the murder of a Kansas family in 1959. Use these book club discussion questions on In Cold Blood to discuss Capotes literary masterpiece. Spoiler Warning: These questions reveal important details about In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Finish the book before reading on. Book Club Discussion Questions How does Capote build suspense despite the fact that readers know the ultimate outcome from the beginning of In Cold Blood?ââ¬â¹In what ways is In Cold Blood like a fiction novel? How does Capote report the facts and allow different voices to speak without using a journalistic style?In Cold Blood starts with details about the Clutter familys last day alive. Did any of the details particularly stick out to you? Did Capote make you feel attached to the family by sharing these details?Were there any other characters you empathized with because of small details Capote wrote about them? Bobby Rupp? Alvin Dewey?Why do you think Capote split the narrative into three sections? Why do you think he did not describe how the murders happened until Dick and Perry were caught and gave their confessions?Did you feel sympathy for Dick or Perry at any point?How did Capote humanize the killers? Were you surprised by how likable they could seem despite the brutality of their crime and unremorsefulne ss to the end? Capote seems to paint Perry in a more sympathetic light than Dick. He seems sensitive and even kind at points; however, by the end, you find out that Perry committed all four murders. Did that surprise you? Did you sympathize with Dick more than Perry at any point? Or did you not buy any of the kind characterizations?Do you think Dick and Perry were sane? Did the psychiatric analysis of them and descriptions of other cold-blooded killers surprise you? Scare you? Make you think differently about violent crime or the death penalty?Rate In Cold Blood by Truman Capote on a scale of one to five.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Grow Your Blog With A WordPress Editorial Calendar Plugin
Grow Your Blog With A WordPress Editorial Calendar Plugin Do you have a WordPress blog? Is your blog growing? If the answer is no, there may be a simple reason why â⬠¦and it is as simple as installing a WordPressà editorial calendar plugin. I am sure that youve heard of an editorial calendar, but you may be missing the key to using it as a tool for growing your blog.à Bloggers are discovering this secret to blog growth, and for you, it may only be a click away. Many bloggers have found the secret to blog growth. Have you? #editorialcalendar What Is An Editorial Calendar? Before we get too far, let me review what an editorial calendar is. Skip this part if youve heard it before. An editorial calendar is basically a place where you can see all of your content in a single place. A good editorial calendar will give you a birds-eye-view of your entire content publishing plan, and allows you to visualize your marketing strategy at a glance. It is generally visible as a monthly or weekly calendar. A few of its key benefits include: Providing a canvas for blog post ideas and key topics. A management platform for editorial tasks and team members. A visual publishing schedule that helps you maintain consistency. Drag-and-drop simplicity for adjusting your schedule. A visualized view of your content plan. A platform for promoting your post across many channels. Its easy to see why the prospect of an editorial calendar is pretty alluring for any blogger who is looking to get their content more organized. In the coming year, businesses are set to spend more time and money on content marketing than ever before, and it is easy to see why.à Many companies that blog generate 67% more leads than companies that dont1. Companies that blog generate 67% more leads than companies that dont. #editorialcalendarNot only can an editorial calendar help you grow your blog, it can also help you grow your bottom line. Why You Need An Editorial Calendar For Your WordPress Blog Neil Patel, blogger over at Quick Sprout, has listed the editorial calendar as one of the top 10 growth strategies for small business bloggers, and he has good reason to do so. In recent surveys, at least 61% of consumers say they feel better about, and are more likely to buy from, a company that delivers custom content 1. Content marketing is a smart investment for any business, and that means that we need to protect our investment as much as we can.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 89
Summary - Essay Example The author argues that in order to improve communication relationships with people in a particular organization, it is vital to combine critical inquiry, dialogue, and discussion, which in turn will provide a clear insight of the information being disseminated (Senge 13-15). In this book, the author centers his discussion on the significance of ââ¬Å"systemâ⬠thoughts, which he perceives as indispensable for required qualities that strengthen long-term institutional change. For instance, he views an organization as systematically grounded partly in a holographic truth where each one represents the image of the organization as a whole. A system view permits a reader to look beyond the surface of events to the fundamental structures of attitudes and behavior in order to obtain an advantage for constructive change that was not accessible via a concentration on specific occasions. The author calls for the application of system maps or diagrams that depict the core aspects of systems and how they fuse or connect (Senge 41). Basing on the organizational theory, an organization or institution has the ability to understand and gain insight from experiences by observation, analysis, experimentation, and the willingness to examine failures and success. In this concept, an organization or institution learn through individuals who act as mediators for them. In addition, individuals also learn from organizations or are controlled by the organizationââ¬â¢s learning system. The author clearly illustrates this notion by labeling organizations with the best opportunities to succeed. The author argues that organizations that regularly communicate, generate, and control their intellectual assets as organizations, allow people to frequently expand their capacity to initiate the results they really desire. Moreover, such organizations nurture expansive and new thinking patterns, where collective aspiration is
Friday, October 18, 2019
Analysis of the Affordable Care Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Analysis of the Affordable Care Act - Essay Example Republicans, on the other hand, provided an alternative where employees would buy instead of employers. A stalemate arose and the bill did not pass. Obama introduced the bill again in 2009 and it stipulated a plan that would achieve the needed healthcare plan for the sake of meeting the main ideals of the organization. Universal care was one of the stated goals to assist in pushing the bill into an Act through the two houses (Barr, 2011). Opposition to the bill was overwhelming from Republicans and protests were initiated to fight against its discussion. Voting, however, made the Democrats win by 60-39 vote thereby ending the debate on the bill in December 2009 (McDonough, 2011). Nonetheless, President Obama signed it into an Act on March 2010. Many termed it as the best overhaul of the healthcare system after Medicaid and Medicare (Jacobs & Skocpol, 2010). More people were insured and subsidies lowered costs by 76% for citizens who qualified for subsidies. Insurance companies now had more clients to cater for, but the law was on guard to protect them. More were eligible to Medicaid. The Act reduced the number of uninsured by 32 million, and only 23 million would be uninsured after 2019 (McDonough, 2011). Implementation process was expensive as more people would have to get into the system and the taxpayers had to give more to meet these expenses. Complications also arose as a result of the individual mandate when it comes to the filing of taxes because of the exemption fee offered to those who can afford health coverage (Jacobs & Skocpol, 2010). Options are man but the pricing will differ amongst private companies, and that makes it difficult to equate healthcare everywhere. The tiered healthcare system would only equate healthcare to money, which is damning for the poor. Medicare payments are more for doctors than other payments, making healthcare costlier for the poor (Feldman, 2011). Partisan disagreements in the Congress have made it
First econ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
First econ - Essay Example The term opportunity cost in the study of economics is used to refer to the cost associated with the next best option given up (Siebert 163). This means that while making a decision of whether to buy or consumer product A or product B, individuals end up facing a cost when they give up the benefits that they may have gained from consuming product A if they had forgone product A and consumed product B. These costs can include both monetary as well as psychological costs. I experience the application of opportunity cost in my daily life when I have to choose between two things at the same time. For example: I face the issue of opportunity cost when I have to select between studies and my favorite sports of cricket. If I study I face the cost of enjoying the most favorite sport in my life and the physical and health benefits that I may derive from playing sports. On the other hand if I play sports, I give up the benefits of scoring high grades at my educational institute and even may en d up failing which will result in monetary losses. The concept of demand and supply in the study of economics state that when the price for a particular good as well as service is high, it is most likely less in demand and when the price of a particular good or service is high it is most likely more in supply and vice-versa. I have experienced the application of the concept of demand and supply in relation to my hobby of playing cricket. When the prices of cricket bats are on the lower side I am most likely going to buy them but when I go to buy them there are very few bats that may seem attractive, while when the prices are higher I see more and more cricket bats on the shelves and they attract me a lot but I fail to purchase them since they are highly prices. Various economic concepts apply to our daily lives. The concept of opportunity cost is applied in my life when I have to select between studying and
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Poetry explication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Poetry explication - Essay Example War will not be without death or defeat. And the poem describes how sorrowful it is, that even if there is victory in war, there is no victory over death. For in war, there is violence and in violence there is death. The tone of the poem expresses sorrow and regret. Although the drums beat in victory, the drums also beats sorrow for the passing of the honorable men who sacrificed their very lives in order to gain victory in war. It is but sad for their families and comrades. Although everyone knows how difficult war can be in the end, there are still people willing to sacrifice themselves for the victory of their party. And with this, although there is victory, the family and friends of the passing comrades will always be a shadow of defeat. Yes, they are honored. Yes, the party thanks them for their sacrifice and their hand in victory. But never can they be brought back by the honor that is being given to them. The speaker of the poem tells the sad story of how he witnessed the fune ral procession of the war veterans. He is particularly struck by the fall of the father and son. With this, he begins to question the war, its purpose and its victory. He begins to lose his will to fight and his thirst for victory. He does not feel the passion soldiers feel when they begin fighting, but he feels the burden of guilt that he is still alive when there are a lot of his friends and comrades that have fallen. He feels the sorrow of the families who lost brothers, fathers and sons. And with this, he creates a picture of unfulfillment is disillusion from the war. Although they have gained the victory that they have fought hard for some time, he only felt the pain of being left while so many of his comrades are dead. Although there are drumbeats indicating victory, the drumbeats for him represent the loss that he has seen, felt and encountered during the period of war. He cannot move on so easily, and he cannot rejoice over their victory because all he sees is death all arou nd him. The picture created in the poem, where the moon shines over the procession indicates a sorrowful event despite a victorious winning. It shows that despite the victory, behind the pounding of drums indicating expressions of honor for the dead, there is still a darkness that covers the entire army. Yes, after darkness, there is light, but in this scenario, the speaker cannot find the hope of coming day but he wallows in the darkness of the bright yet ghastly moon. The moon represents how things may seem bright but it is only illuminated by the sun, when one cannot see the sun. In war, the death of the soldiers may be shown as honorable deaths, but it is a dark event, only illuminated by the thoughts of the entire army celebrating success. With the moon shining, the speaker begins to really that even if it is only illuminated by the absent sun, it is still steadfast and strong. With this, he begins to realize what he can for the dead and dying. He begins to let them go, and off er them the only gift he can give them with their deaths, that is his love and the thoughts of being able to gain victory. This indicates how soldiers can still move on while they see comrades die beside them. They gain strength with their deaths, pushing for victory, pushing for the win. Their comradesââ¬â¢ death is like the moon, it gives them the strength as the moon gives the nighttime some illumination. War will never be without sorrow. It is the twin sister of war. Death is always part of the war, and the only way the soldiers will be able to
Marketing management- next Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Marketing management- next - Article Example It is a British retailer marketing clothing, footwear, accessories and home products. In India the growth of retail business is at its budding stage. Organized retail business has a grasp of nearly 7% in Indian Market and there is umpteen opportunity for its development. Off late big brands and fashion houses are aiming towards the Indian market. Due to the immense cross culture factor or globalization, trends from across the globe are getting accepted by far and large. Even in India, people are getting influenced by various other cultures and the Indian crowd is happily embracing it. Apparently growth of retail business in Indian market is at its best. Under such circumstances, it would be the accurate time for Next to hit the Indian market. Even though it has three branches in India, it should start eyeing other locations in India. Not many people are aware of Next plc, so Next should keep in mind of having phenomenal launch in India. Lot of retail chains are getting established in India. Indian players like Future Group, RPG Group, reliance Retail, and global players like Wal-Mart, Metro etc are having their presence in India. Still the organized retail sector in India is not very big. Hence Next can enter into Indian market and it has lot of potential to grow with its wide product range. I have considered area of study to be clothing. There is lot of competition in apparel industry because people have started becoming more brand conscious in clothing segment. Hence it is very important to position yourself well in such an industry. B - PLC Stage PLC (Product Life Cycle) is the course of productââ¬â¢s sales and profits over its lifetime. It involves five distinct stages. Product Development Introduction Growth Maturity Decline Clothing is a necessity for every human being. In a country like India the scope for branded product (in clothing) is very high. India is a country which is fast developing and the purchasing power of people in India is increasing. So the share of wallet for branded apparels is surely increasing. That is the reason why all big names in the clothing segment exist in India. But the entry of these companies has happened recently and they have still not captured the market. Next in India is at introduction stage. As it has entered the Indian market recently and at the moment has only three stores in India. As far as Bostonââ¬â¢s Matrix is concerned ââ¬Å"nextâ⬠has low market share but the market they are in has high growth. So ââ¬Å"nextâ⬠is in the question mark quadrant. C - Target Market India is one of the emerging markets and it is becoming more and more important buyer in our global economy. India has a nice percentage of world total population so if not right now, in few years, India will be one of the most important buyers in the world (sayeconomy.com). Hence it is very important to choose the right segment in Indian market to succeed. ââ¬Å"Nextâ⬠has three stores in India (Two store s at Delhi/Gurgaon and one store at Mumbai). This clearly shows that the segment they have targeted is the urban/metro segment. The purchasing power of people in these area is comparatively more than those who stay in small cities and villages. ââ¬Å"Nextâ⬠has also targeted the middle class and upper middle class. When you sell products which are luxurious item and not necessarily necessities, then an organization usually target middle class and
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Poetry explication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Poetry explication - Essay Example War will not be without death or defeat. And the poem describes how sorrowful it is, that even if there is victory in war, there is no victory over death. For in war, there is violence and in violence there is death. The tone of the poem expresses sorrow and regret. Although the drums beat in victory, the drums also beats sorrow for the passing of the honorable men who sacrificed their very lives in order to gain victory in war. It is but sad for their families and comrades. Although everyone knows how difficult war can be in the end, there are still people willing to sacrifice themselves for the victory of their party. And with this, although there is victory, the family and friends of the passing comrades will always be a shadow of defeat. Yes, they are honored. Yes, the party thanks them for their sacrifice and their hand in victory. But never can they be brought back by the honor that is being given to them. The speaker of the poem tells the sad story of how he witnessed the fune ral procession of the war veterans. He is particularly struck by the fall of the father and son. With this, he begins to question the war, its purpose and its victory. He begins to lose his will to fight and his thirst for victory. He does not feel the passion soldiers feel when they begin fighting, but he feels the burden of guilt that he is still alive when there are a lot of his friends and comrades that have fallen. He feels the sorrow of the families who lost brothers, fathers and sons. And with this, he creates a picture of unfulfillment is disillusion from the war. Although they have gained the victory that they have fought hard for some time, he only felt the pain of being left while so many of his comrades are dead. Although there are drumbeats indicating victory, the drumbeats for him represent the loss that he has seen, felt and encountered during the period of war. He cannot move on so easily, and he cannot rejoice over their victory because all he sees is death all arou nd him. The picture created in the poem, where the moon shines over the procession indicates a sorrowful event despite a victorious winning. It shows that despite the victory, behind the pounding of drums indicating expressions of honor for the dead, there is still a darkness that covers the entire army. Yes, after darkness, there is light, but in this scenario, the speaker cannot find the hope of coming day but he wallows in the darkness of the bright yet ghastly moon. The moon represents how things may seem bright but it is only illuminated by the sun, when one cannot see the sun. In war, the death of the soldiers may be shown as honorable deaths, but it is a dark event, only illuminated by the thoughts of the entire army celebrating success. With the moon shining, the speaker begins to really that even if it is only illuminated by the absent sun, it is still steadfast and strong. With this, he begins to realize what he can for the dead and dying. He begins to let them go, and off er them the only gift he can give them with their deaths, that is his love and the thoughts of being able to gain victory. This indicates how soldiers can still move on while they see comrades die beside them. They gain strength with their deaths, pushing for victory, pushing for the win. Their comradesââ¬â¢ death is like the moon, it gives them the strength as the moon gives the nighttime some illumination. War will never be without sorrow. It is the twin sister of war. Death is always part of the war, and the only way the soldiers will be able to
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Training and Career Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Training and Career Management - Essay Example The competition in the market for skilled workforce has greatly augmented. There are certain key sought after skills that are highly desirable by different sectors, however availing the benefits of such skills often becomes challenging (Eraut, n.d.). Retaining and attract employee talent pool: There is a huge competition prevailing in the market to retain as well as to attract employee talent pool. Consequently, to enhance workplace desirability, providing the scope for learning by the employers plays a vital role (Eraut, n.d.). Workforce diversity along with changing demographics: Diverse workforce and altering demographics act as a key force affecting workplace learning as age, gender and ethnicity of the employees are evolving (American Society for Training and Development, 2008). Funding issues related to training and development: Providing proper training and development is a key constituent for enhancing workplace learning. However, keeping aside adequate funding has always remained a major concern for a number of companies especially during financial uncertainty (Eraut, n.d.). Providing training to the employees can greatly help the companies to deal with these forces. The requirement of skilled employees can be fulfilled by providing proper training to the employees especially the new comers along with the existing one. The aspect of training possesses the ability to increase the overall productivity of the companies. The proper guidance and training can definitely help in retaining and attracting employees. Training can also facilitate to enhance knowledge sharing and comprehend the significance of the forces for the companies which in turn would enable them to determine the strategies to handle different compelling forces (Eraut, n.d.). A company that is dominant in its product market mainly emphasizes the development of various strategies. The company primarily concentrates on increasing its market share. The training
Monday, October 14, 2019
The Stuxnet Virus Essay Example for Free
The Stuxnet Virus Essay Historic data shows that Iran accounted for almost sixty percent of the early infections. According to Siemens, 15 of its customers were identified as having detected the worm on their systems as of Sept. 14. Stuxnet used stolen digital certificates from Realtek Semiconductor and JMicron Technology to legitimately slip through and hide. The certificates also helped keep Stuxnet under the radar. 1. 1 Why are all the fingers pointing to the United States and Israel? Most cyber security experts who have researched this complex attack call it a joint U. S. Israeli operation, which may have also included Germany and Great Britain. It is also a well known fact which, incidentally, has not been denied by either the US. or Israel, that Israeli intelligence tested aspects of the worm using centrifuges identical to Irans at Israelââ¬â¢s Dimona complex. Even Siemens the German company cooperated with Idaho National Laboratories in the US to identify the vulnerabilities of computer controllers that the company sells to operate industrial machinery around the world. Not too long afterwards, those very vulnerabilities were exploited by Stuxnet. . Why a Cyber Attack? Cyber warfare requires intellect not military might and a country does not have to be a military superpower to wage a cyber attack. Cyber attack tracks are much easier to cover and are easily attributable to another entity. While cyber attacks are only recently been declared by our military and political leadership as acts of war, compared to an actual physical military attack on another country life can go on as usual for most of the citizens on both sides of the conflict without the slightest idea that their country is at war. It does not cost billions of dollars to run or manage and is hardly a long-term commitment of hundreds of thousands of troops and the logistics to support them and their equipment at the front lines. In case of Iran, a cyber attack was the most viable option available to global powers because the Iranian regime did not hesitate to make threats against the United States and Israel should it have been attacked militarily to make it stop trying to produce nuclear weapons. 2. 1 What exactly is Stuxnet designed to do? Graphic: Courtesy of The New York Times, January 15, 2011 Stuxnet is the first malware of its type designed to cross over the cyber ââ¬â industrial divide and attacking critical infrastructure like power stations and electricity grids. On 26 September 2010, Irans state news agency reported that computers at its Bushehr nuclear power plant had been infected. The New York Times article, Israeli Test on Worm called Crucial in Iran Nuclear Delay, describes the complex function of Stuxnet in very simple terms: ââ¬Å"One part of the program is designed to lie dormant for long periods, and then speed up the machines so that the spinning rotors in the centrifuges wobble and then destroy themselves. Another part, called a ââ¬Å"man in the middleâ⬠in the computer world, sends out those false sensor signals to make the system believe everything is running smoothly. That prevents a safety system from kicking in, which would shut down the plant before it could self-destruct. â⬠The same article further quotes Ralph Langer, widely credited for having solved Stuxnet, as saying: ââ¬Å"Code analysis makes it clear hat Stuxnet is not about sending a message or proving a concept,â⬠and later saying ââ¬Å"It is about destroying its targets with utmost determination in military style. â⬠Stuxnet was designed to seek out its target, cripple it beyond repair without causing any collateral damage; stay lurking in the shadows to continue to strike, all without leaving any conclusive evidence of who sent it on its mission in the first place. Needless to say, it succeeded in its mission. 2. 2 How effective was Stuxnet and why? To sit remotely, thousands of miles away and receive an email update from your smart malware that it has disabled your enemyââ¬â¢s commercial power grid says something about the power and effectiveness of this new weapon of cyber warfare. By most accounts and estimates damage from the Stuxnet virus has apparently set back the Iranian nuclear program by at least two years. This makes the virus as effective as a military strike, perhaps even more; all this without loss of life, collateral damage, or risk of a full-blown war. 3. History and future of nation state cyber warfare According to the Council on Foreign Relations, although few countries beyond the well-known players like China, Russia, and Israel and a handful of others have historically possessed the capability to launch a full scale cyber attack along the lines of the Stuxnet attack, over one hundred countries have begun to organize cyber warfare units. (Masters, 2011, sec. 2) Across the world, countries are either engaged in cyber battles with their arch enemies or gearing up to bolster their defenses against cyber warfare.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Religion Essays State of the Church and the world Charlemagne lived
Religion Essays State of the Church and the world Charlemagne lived State of the Church and the world Charlemagne lived During the reign of Charlemagne was an era of almost continuous warfare. The church was objected by the people he ruled. He successfully concluded the conquest of all German speaking tribes and he expanded his kingdom in all direction. He also Christianized it. The word in which Charlemagne lived was experiencing a continuous war and the people were pagans. He tried to overcome the war which at last came to an end. He also tried to convert people to Christianity. (Einhard 58) Charlemagne was the first Holy Roman Emperor. This title symbolized the cooperation between church and state that ensured the Roman popes authority over the Western Church and the Frankish emperors authority over much of Christianized Western Europe. Under Charlemagne, King of the Franks, the influence of the Catholic Church had been strongly reinforced. A new relationship between the Frankish kings and the popes was started by Pepin, Charlemagnes father, and Boniface, the popes legate. Their early program of church reform was greatly expanded by Charlemagne. Pepin had also given his protection to the popes when Rome was threatened by invaders, and Charlemagne continued the tradition. This situation resulted in a new interdependence between church and state. Charlemagne exerted great influence on the clergy and on church practice, and offered security to them. (Friedrich 87) However, despite the general respect for Charlemagne, controversies were still rife during this era. The ninth century eventually became a pivotal epoch in terms of the influence of religion upon government and the development of Medieval Christendom, only tenuously resolved by Charlemagne. The collapse of Charlemagnes Empire, the onset of the Viking invasions proved politically divisive in terms of governance and there were also many doctrinal controversies inherent to Christianity of the period to further tear apart Christians. The Archbishop of Rheims, Hincmar took a very strong stand against the absolutist stance of papal monarchy or kingly rulelike Charlemagne, he attempted to strike a balance between the two authorial needs of Rome and kings. (Einhard 42) Through his efforts to spread Christianity and stop the war he made sure that there was a connection between the state and the church. This changed peopleââ¬â¢s beliefs and attitude towards the church. By the time Charlemagne died his state and the church had a strong connection thus strengthening the peopleââ¬â¢s faith. You can get expert help with your essays right now. Find out more Life of Charlemagne Charlemagne was the son of Pippin III (the Short), who officially put an end to the Merovingian line of kings when he negotiated with the pope to be crowned King of the Franks, Bertrada was his Mother. When Pippin died, the kingdom of Francia was divided between Charlemagne and his brother Carloman. Charles proved himself a capable leader from early on, but his brother was less so, and their relationship was tense until Carlomans death in 771. The greatest of medieval kings was born in 742, at a place unknown. He was of German blood and speech, and shared some characteristics of his people- strength of body, courage of spirit, pride of race, and a crude simplicity many centuries apart from the urbane polish of the modern French. He had little book learning; read only a few books- but good ones; tried in his old age to learn writing, but never quite succeeded; yet he could speak old Teutonic and literary Latin, and understood Greek. (Friedrich 47) When Charlemagne took the throne in 771, he immediately implemented two policies. The first policy was one of expansion. Charlemagnes goal was to unite all Germanic people into one kingdom. The second policy was religious in that Charlemagne wanted to convert all of the Frankish kingdom, and those lands he conquered, to Christianity. As a result, Charlemagnes reign was marked by almost continual warfare. (Donald 58) Charlemagne being the sole rule of the government of Francia, he expanded his territory through conquest. He conquered the Lombards in northern Italy, acquired Bavaria, and campaigned in Spain and Hungary. Charles used harsh measures in subduing the Saxons and virtually exterminating the Avars of present-day Austria and Hungary. Though he had essentially amassed an empire, Charlemagne did not style himself emperor, but called himself the King of the Franks and Lombards. After he conquered Lombards and became the king, Charlemagne started construction of a palace in Aachen. Unsuccessful siege of Saragossa, Spain, is followed by an ambush of Charlemagnes retreating army by the Basques at Roncesvalles. Charlemagnes most serious defeat took place when he failed to take Saragossa, retreated across the Pyrenees, and was ambushed by Basques. (Donald 59) Two years later he received from Pope Hadrian II an urgent appeal for aid against the Lombard Desiderius, who was invading the Papal States. Charlemagne besieged and took Pavia, assumed the crown of Lombardy, confirmed the Donation of Pepin and accepted the role of protector of the Church in all her temporal powers. Charlemagne made a pilgrimage to Rome and his son Pippin was proclaimed King of Italy; he then met Alcuin, who agrees to come to Charlemagnes court. (Friedrich 64) Charlemagne launched his educational plan by ordering bishops and abbots to open schools near their churches and monasteries. Charlemagne took control of Bavaria; bringing all the territory of the Germanic tribes into one political unit he conducted a series of campaigns against the Avars in present-day Austria and Hungary. The Avars were eventually destroyed as a cultural entity. Construction on the cathedral in Aachen began and Pope Leo III was attacked in the streets of Rome and flew to Charlemagne for protection. The king had him conducted safely back to Rome. Charlemagne went to Rome to oversee a synod where Leo clears himself of the charges laid on him by his enemies. At Christmas mass, Leo crowned Charlemagne Emperor. In 813, Charlemagne called Louis the Pious, Charlemagnes sole surviving legitimate son to his court to inherit all of the lands that Charlemagne had conquered and controlled. However, like his grandfather before him (and just as his father would have done if any of Louis brothers had lived); Louis divided the lands among his sons according to the tradition. Charlemagne died in January 814. His achievements stand among the most significant of the early middle Ages, and although the empire he built (called the Carolingian Empire after him) would not long outlast his son Louis, his consolidation of lands marked a watershed in the development of Europe. Contribution of Charlemagneââ¬â¢s to the medieval church During the reign of Charlemagne, from 768 to 814 A.D., the growth of the Church in the west gained increasing power over its eastern counterparts. Charlemagne, the son of Pepin the Short, was indoctrinated with the Christian religion early in his life, and as a result he grew to become the leading proponent of Christian belief throughout the west. He continued the role of papal protector in Italy and his fathers policy of territorial conquest in the north. After defeating King Desiderius and the Lombards in 774 he crowned himself King of the Lombards. He began to increase the size of his kingdom by forcibly converting pagans into Christianity. His most difficult conquest was converting the Saxons into loyal Christian citizens. Thus, after thirty-three years of war the Saxons accepted Charlemagnes terms and renounced their religion and customs and adopted those of Christianity, while those that refused were relocated throughout Gaul and Germany. In 800 A.D. on Christmas day Pope Leo I II, who was imprisoned by the Roman aristocracy a year earlier but escaped to the protection of Charlemagne who then restored him as pope, crowned Charlemagne emperor. (Donald 77) Charlemagne made important reforms in the Catholic liturgy; he brought Anglo-Saxon traditions of humanism into Europe, and was the foremost scholar of the Carolingian Renaissance. He encouraged the use of ââ¬Å"Carolingian minusculeâ⬠. He built the beautiful basilica at Aix-la-Chapelle, which he adorned with gold and silver and lamps, and with rails and doors of solid brass. He had the columns and marbles for this structure brought from Rome and Ravenna, for he could not find such as were suitable elsewhere. He was a constant worshipper at this church as long as his health permitted, going morning and evening, even after nightfall, besides attending mass; and he took care that all the services there conducted should be administered with the utmost possible propriety, very often warning the sextons not to let any improper or unclean thing be brought into the building or remain in it. He provided it with a great number of sacred vessels of gold and silver and with such a quantity of clerical robes that not even the doorkeepers who fill the humblest office in the church were obliged to wear their everyday clothes when in the exercise of their duties. He was at great pains to improve the church reading and psalmody, fo r he was well skilled in both although he neither read in public nor sang, except in a low tone and with others. (Friedrich 70) Charlemagne also was a devoted Christian. He supported the Church, giving liberally at his own expense as well as that of the state to support the Church and fighting to protect the Pope and the Roman Catholic Churchs property in Italy. On Christmas Day in 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne Emperor and Augustus. This could have created conflict since the emperor of the Byzantine Empire already possessed this title, but Charlemagne quickly sent gifts and envoys to appease his usurpation. He was very forward in succoring the poor, and in that gratuitous generosity he not only gave support in his own country and kingdom, but when he discovered that there were Christians living in poverty in Syria, Egypt, and Africa, at Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Carthage, he had compassion on their wants, and used to send money over the seas to them. Charlemagne zealously strove to make friends with the kings beyond seas so as to get help and relief to the Christians living under their rule. (Claster 96) He cherished the Church of St. Peter the Apostle at Rome above all other holy and sacred places, and heaped its treasury with a vast wealth of gold, silver, and precious stones. He sent great and countless gifts to the popes; and throughout his whole reign his wish was to re-establish the ancient authority of the city of Rome under his care and by his influence, and to defend and protect the Church of St. Peter, and to beautify and enrich it out of his own store above all other churches. Although he held it in such veneration, he only repaired to Rome to pay his vows and make his supplications four times during the whole forty-seven years that he reigned. Charlemagne was so beloved by the Carolingian people he ruled, because he showed compassion towards the peoples he conquered, seldom manifest during the era. Emperor Charlemagne demonstrated an administrative balance between the needs of the governing state and the demands of the powerful Christian church. He embodied the perfect balance between Christian and secular demands in ruling empire. (Friedrich 87) Through Alcuin he caused corrected copies of the Scripture to be placed in the churches, and earned great credit for his improvement of the much depraved text of the Latin Vulgate. Education, for aspirants to the priesthood at least, was furthered by the royal order of 787 to all bishops and abbots to keep open in their cathedrals and monasteries schools for the study of the seven liberal arts and the interpretation of Scriptures. (Fichtenau 35) When Charlemagne accepted Christianity, he helped Christianity in numerous ways. Christians were no longer persecuted for their faith, and the Emperor gave many gifts to Christian leaders. With the acceptance of Christianity, the faith was able to spread throughout. With the emperor converted, Christianity became apart of the government. Children were taught Christian beliefs and these were passed down through generation. (Donald 96) He believed that the church and state should be as close as possible. With this belief came the distortion of the Christian faith. In order to please all of his subjects, Charlemagne combined pagan worship with Christianity. However, though Constantineââ¬â¢s conversion is questionable when it comes to his true acceptance of the faith, he puts all his power into advancing the cause of the Church of Christ. (Eginhard and Monk 87) With the church and state so closely intertwined, the empire became stronger. A council of 300 bishops was formed called the Council of Nicea. This council dealt with controversy about the divinity of Jesus. This council made an official statement claiming Jesus divinity, and because the church and state were so closely connected, he fought for Christianity which led people to call him ââ¬Å"the strong right hand of Godâ⬠. (Claster 36) Through his devotion to fought for the church this brought about the spread of Christianity to many people leading to the growth of church. Charlemagne took advantage of Christianityââ¬â¢s moral and ethical standards, and he made laws in favor of the spreading of the faith. Also, after Charlemagne became Emperor he came up with two policies for success. The first policy was expansion, and with Charlemagneââ¬â¢s military experience this was not difficult to achieve. The second policy was the conversion of all his lands to Christianity. (Capitol Hill) With this policy, the Christian faith spread rapidly throughout the lands, and many were converted. (Donald 58) In both Constantineââ¬â¢s and Charlemagneââ¬â¢s causes the spread Christianity is what made their empire successful. And with the close relationship between the church and state, the spread of Christianity was not a difficulty task. (Eginhard and Monk 39) Charlemagneââ¬â¢s Legacy to church todayNo layman has exercised so great an influence on the history of the Church as Charlemagne; though his influence was, properly speaking, merely that of extension, organization and consolidation. Personally he probably did not reach far beyond a tolerably accurate fulfillment of the precepts of the Church. His character has, no doubt, been much embellished by the legendary poetry of the Church. His want of chastity, and disregard of the marriage-vow, must be freely admitted. Practically the Church was to him, not only the visible representative of Christ on earth, but also an organ of civilization, an instrument of government; and he was sometimes unscrupulous enough in the use of this instrument, as, for instance, when he compelled the Saxons, by force and with unexampled cruelty, to receive baptism. Nevertheless he contributed perhaps more than any one else to make the Church a power in the history of the race, and enabled it to form during the middle ages a much-needed and highly beneficial counterpoise to the military despotism of feudalism. (Eginhard and Monk 45) His relation to the Church is strikingly characterized by a total absence of any distinction between spiritual and temporal power. Both were identical to him; and as he unquestionably was the holder of the one he necessarily came to consider himself as holder of the other too. Without paying the least regard to the Pope, whom, under other circumstances, he was not unwilling to recognize as the representative of the Church, he condemned at the synod of Frankfort (794) the decrees of the second council of Nicaea concerning image-worship. He was liberal to the Church, Churches and monasteries received enormous endowments everywhere. The first business he took in hand after conquering a new territory was the formation of dioceses, the building of churches, the foundation of missionary-stations, etc. But of this church, made great and rich by his liberality, he demanded absolute obedience. The metropolitans received the pallium from the Pope, but only with his consent; and the bishops he chose and appointed himself alone. He would have been very much surprised if any one had intimated to him what, a century later on, was preached from the roofs that there was within the Church a spiritual power to which even the emperor owed obedience. Church and State were one to him. His idea of government was theocratic, with the distinction, though, that, in his case, it was not the Church, which had absorbed the State, but the State, which identified itself with the Church. (Eginhard and Monk 47) Nothing shows more plainly than the circle of great men, which gathered around Charlemagne that the principal problem, which he expected the Church to solve, had a general civilizing bearing. All the great men of his age were connected, either as teachers or as pupils, with that school which he had founded in his palace, and which became the fertile germ of the medieval university. All these men were theologians, but not exclusively: on the contrary, their greatness was their many-sidedness. They had studied grammar, rhetoric, philosophy, classical literature, canon law, etc. They were poets, philosophers, statesmen, practical administrators, etc. They were exactly what Charlemagne wanted, men whom he could send out as legates to see how the counts were doing in the marches, or could settle as bishops in a diocese to take care, not only of the Church proper, but also of the school and the court. for, according to his ideas, the Church was an institution with many worldly duties of e ducation and jurisdiction; and consequently it became, under his hands, an institution with many worldly interests of property and ambition.(Eginhard and Monk 53) Through Charlemagneââ¬â¢s personality and devotion to Christianity, this led to growth and spread of Christian faith throughout the world. The church began from the medieval ages up to date. Christian faith, which started during the time of Charlemagne when he was ignited since his infancy, made a great contribution to the church today. (Claster 69) Work Cited Claster. J.N, (1982), the medieval experience 300-1400, New York and London, New York University Press Donald, B. (1965), the age of Charlemagne, London, Elek books Einhard, (1960), the life of Charlemagne, New York, University of Michigan Press Eginhard and Monk, (1926), early lives of Charlemagne, London, London: Chatto and Windus Fichtenau, H. (1978), the Carolingian empire, Toronto, University of Toronto Friedrich, H. (1975), Charlemagne and his world, London, Weidenfeld and Nicolson http://www.gwleibniz.com/britannica_pages/Charlemagne/Charlemgne.html http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/036100.html http://www.historymedren.about.com/od/charlemagnestudy guide/p/sg facts.html http://www.historymedren.about.com/od/charlemagnestudguied/p/sg biography.htmldat
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Amerigo Vespucci :: essays research papers
AMERIGO VESPUCCI (or VESPUCIO) (ves-puteh'-ee), Italian navigator, born in Florence, Italy, 9 March, 1451; died in Seville, Spain, 22 Feb., 1512. He was of a wealthy family of merchants, and received his education from his uncle, Giorgi Antonio Vespucci, a Dominican friar, a friend and colleague of Savonarola. He engaged in business, first in Florence and afterward in Seville, where he met Columbus, perhaps as early as 1493, and where in 1497 he equipped the fleet with which that navigator sailed on his third voyage. He had previously, in 1496, had charge of fitting out a fleet for the Spanish government. Amerigo sailed from Spain in 1499 in an expedition that visited the neighborhood of Cape Paria and several hundred miles of coast, and returned in June, 1500. In May, 1501, he entered the service of Emanuel, of Portugal, and participated in an expedition that visited the coast of. Brazil. hi May, 1503, he commanded a caravel in a squadron that sailed for the discovery of Malacca, but parted company from the rest, and finally made his way to the coast of Brazil, where he discovered the bay of All Saints, remained there two months, then ran 260 leagues farther south, where he built a fort, somewhere near Cape Frio, and, leaving a colony there, returned to Lisbon in June, 1504. Early in 1505 he obtained from King Ferdinand of Spain letters of naturalization, and on 22 March, 1508, was appointed pilot-major of the kingdom, an office that he held until his death, taking charge of the preparation of a general description of coasts and accounts of new discoveries, and also superintending the construction of charts and the examination of pilots. The controversy as to whether Vespucci took precedence both of the (Jabots and of Columbus in the discovery of the mainland of America has been for centuries a matter of dispute. None of the original letters of Amerigo bearing on the subject are extant, except in translations, and these differ greatly among themselves and contain inconsistencies of fact and date. It is not even known in what language the letters were written. An account by Amerigo of his voyage of 1499, said to have been written 18 July, 1500, was published by Bandini in 1745. A letter of his to Lorenzo Piero de Medici, a cousin of Lorenzo the Magnificent, describing the voyage of 1501, was published in various editions, some in Latin, others in German, and in 1789 a new text, in Italian, was discovered by Bartolozzi.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Human Services Essay
The book, ââ¬Å"Men are from Mars, Women are from Venusâ⬠by John Gray, generally, explores the claim that men and women are different and it is this difference that makes relationships fail and/or succeed. Using an allegorical backdrop, he presented his hypothesis by narrating how men originally was from Mars, where, they value success, titles and positions and how women originally was from Venus, where they value relationships, communication and empathy. At a particular point, lives on both planets became meaningless until a Martian glimpsed a Venetian and the Venetians felt loved and cherished, thus, they fitted the gap missing in their lives and opted to live on earth. This story was carefully enhanced as each personality is explored, taking into account their background, their reactions, feelings, expectations as well as coping mechanisms. I can see how positive Gray is, in pursuing his claim, presenting the facts, examples as well as possibilities of the situation. I can also say that most of his concepts are true ââ¬â that women are indeed very ââ¬Å"emotionalâ⬠and that men are very ââ¬Å"logicalâ⬠. On the other hand, this will only be applicable for couples who are willing to make a relationship work. I do not think this will work effectively in a relationship where, letââ¬â¢s say, the man does not understand how a woman think or where a man does not know that women are like ââ¬Å"tidesâ⬠. I think in the end, women are still going to give ââ¬â that they will still be ââ¬Å"trappedâ⬠in such situation where they have no choice but to give and obliged to understand men. In a way, I donââ¬â¢t like the idea that men fill in the void the women feel when they encounter their down moments. I donââ¬â¢t like the idea that a Venetian is in need of a Martian. Perhaps, Iââ¬â¢m just in a rebellious state that I feel that way but I never liked the idea that a woman canââ¬â¢t live without a man in her life. I believe that women are able and are very capable to sustain a living. Such that if a woman is being beaten by her husband, or if a woman is being abused, or if a man validates his vices as a coping mechanism when he is in his cave, the woman has every right to fight back or even leave her husband. She shouldnââ¬â¢t disregard her needs as a woman just because she is waiting for her husband to come out of his cave or have his rubber band pulled back. She shouldnââ¬â¢t let anybody step over her boundaries just because she is naturally, understanding. In the field of human services, the information about men and women will greatly help in dealing with people. Itââ¬â¢s hard to separately discuss how acting out, catharsis and repression is related to concepts mentioned in the book so I will be citing possible examples instead. In cases of teenage drug abuse, it is important to trace how it started, or particularly, why it did. Getting these people to talk, be it a man or a woman is never easy. For one, their current coping mechanism may be a result of continuous nurturing of repressed emotions. While time is a big element in these types of situation, using Grayââ¬â¢s concepts teach us to allow them space until they are ready to discuss their issues. Force rarely works in these scenarios, nor is immediate rehabilitation. For youngsters, parentsââ¬â¢ participation in this process is very crucial as children may have repressed emotions that need attention. Parents should be educated on ââ¬Å"how to listenâ⬠while children will have to be ââ¬Å"advisedâ⬠on how to ââ¬Å"acceptâ⬠or ââ¬Å"communicate. â⬠For adults, oneââ¬â¢s behavior or treatment greatly matters. Grayââ¬â¢s notes on how to motivate a man or a woman, or encourage them to talk will help in these types of scenarios. In child abuse or rape cases, they say itââ¬â¢s far easier to assign a woman to interview the victims. This is true, because women in general, know how to empathize with the victims as well as understand the situation. Men, normally, try to put on their ââ¬Å"Mr. Fix It Personalityâ⬠to help a victim feel better ââ¬â which rarely works and usually pushes the victims into their own comfort zones ââ¬â choosing not to talk, instead. Grayââ¬â¢s notes on how to make people talk starts from the very basic ââ¬â being silent and being ready at any time to accommodate the victim. In dealing with the elderly or senior citizens, it will be very different. The provider has to understand that not only does gender matter here but also the psychosocial stage a person is in. Dealing with senior citizens do not constitute a relational aspect, some may even feel insulted if you try to look at it in that perspective. Grayââ¬â¢s ideas in considering the personââ¬â¢s culture (or background) and understanding the personââ¬â¢s individuality (gender and personality) will help in making such relationship fruitful and successful. Health services may seem very specific and require lesser attention or relational aspect. This is true. In a manner of speaking, health provided is based on the results of a test or exam conducted/surveyed on a specific community. On the other hand, some people may refuse to accept help or decline it outright; thinking that they donââ¬â¢t need it or their pride has been insulted. Thus, it is important for health providers to be relational, helping people understand the benefits of the help being provided so that it can be accepted more freely. Imagine, how you can convince a tribe or group to accept vaccine if they had been practicing herbal medicine all throughout their lives? Or how you can convince a community to take advantage of vaccines when their families have opted not to take them for the longest period of time? Although, I believe this is very rare, Grayââ¬â¢s concepts will help a person get acquainted with his/her patients by merely taking into account how men and women vary in reacting to various factors. Knowing that Gray focused on how to make relationships work, it becomes easier to apply his concepts to something general, such as human services ââ¬â where people deal with other people. Grayââ¬â¢s concepts may even be applied or associated to a group, for Martians did belong to one culture and Venetians belong to another, and very likely, together they share or may have built a different culture too. With this in mind, relating to others will become an everyday adventure, rather than a routinary assumption and prediction of behaviors. It will constitute facts and bases on how personalities can be so similar, yet so different.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Creative Technology entry in the US market. Political factors that can affect its operations Essay
Introduction There are various political factors that can affect the operation of the Creative Technology in the US market.Ã First the company will be required to comply with the various government regulations that affect the pricing and the entire production process. The company also needs to comply with the various tax systems that are present in the American economy ( Donici, Maha, Ignat & Maha,2012). Ã In addition the company is also required to comply with the various trading agreement of the companies that operate in the industry. The US government is also known to have to have minimum intervention on the business which will in turn help to ensure that the business is able to achieve its objective (Shaw, 2007). Ã The political stability currently enjoyed by the US government will also play a critical role in helping to ensure the company achieves its strategic growth objective in the US market. Domestic approach that might change Building a strong brand The company need first ensure that it concentrate on building a strong brand in the US market. Though building a strong brand the company can therefore be able to achieve to capture the interest of the consumer and therefore ensure the company achieves its strategic growth objectives. According to Ryan & Jones (2012) building a strong brand can help to create the necessary emotional connections with the target consumers. Most importantly building a strong brand will help the company to compete with some of the companies that are leading in the sale of the earphone in the US market. Adopting online sales and marketing Online sales and marketing is current becoming one of the most important factors that helps to ensure that various business survive in US domestic market ( Donici et al.,2012). There is therefore need for the company to adopt the online sales and marking strategies in order to ensure it reaches its target consumers. In this case the company needs to set up a website that has an accurate reflection of the company goals and objectives. Reference Ryan, D., & Jones, C. (2012). Understanding digital marketing: Marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page. DONICI, A., MAHA, A., IGNAT, I., & MAHA, L. (2012). E-Commerce across United States of America: Amazon.com. Economy Transdisciplinarity Cognition, 15(1), 252-258. Shaw, S. (2007). Airline marketing and management. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Good: Satisfaction Customer Satisfaction
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ââ¬Å"Customer Satisfaction is a business term of how the products and the services supplied by the company meet or surpass the customer expectation. It is the key performance indicator within the business.â⬠â⬠¦Berlin AsongWHY ORGANIZATIONS FOCUS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION? Businesses monitor customer satisfaction in order to determine how to increase their customer base, customer loyalty, revenue, profits, market share and survival. Although greater profit is the primary driver, exemplary businesses focus on the customer and his/her experience with the organization. They work to make their customers happy and see customer satisfaction as the key to survival and profit. Customer satisfaction in turn hinges on the quality and effects of their experiences and the goods or services they receive.NEED OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION The most important asset of any organization is its customers. Satisfied customers pay their bills promptly which greatly improves ca sh flow ââ¬â the lifeblood of any organization.BUSINESS TECNIQUES OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION One of the key customer satisfaction techniques is the need to provide front line employees with the ability to respond to customer situations quickly without the need to ââ¬Ëask for permissionââ¬â¢. Innovation drives customers' satisfaction. As customers' needs keep changing, an innovation-driven company is capacitated to exceed customers' expectations. To provide after sale services.Listen actively and carefully. Anticipate that the customer will be asking questions. They may be easy, they be hard. But encourage them anyway. If you cannot provide an answer, promise to find out the answer from someone who can. Be patient, look from the customer's point of view and work from there. This point of view will always give you the best outlook on the situation. Always keep a smile on your face when dealing with customers which can lead to customer satisfaction. This positive attitude can r ub off and turn a potentially negative situation into a positive experience.WHY MEASURE THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION? Customer satisfaction is tied directly to profitability. Well-established research by Bain & Company found that, for many companies, an increase of 5% in customer retention can increase profits by 25% to 95%. The same study found that it costs six to seven times more to gain a new customer than to keep an existing one.CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MEASUREMENT A basic and effective base line customer satisfaction survey program should focus on measuring customer perceptions of how will the company delivers on the critical success factors and dimensions of the business as defined byà the customers. Organizations need to retain existing customers while targeting non-customers. Measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace.Customer satisfaction is an abstract concept and the ac tual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other factors the customer, such as other products against which the customer can compare the organization's products.FOR EXAMPLE: Service Promptness Courtesy of Staff Responsiveness Understanding the customer problem, etc.The findings of the company performance should be analyzed both with all customers and by key segments of the customer population. The essential starting point for Customer Satisfaction Measurement (CMS) is exploratory research. Since satisfaction is about an organizationââ¬â¢s ability. To meet customer requirement one has to start by clarifying with customers exactly what those requirements are. This is done through explora tory research using focus groups or one to one depth interviews. Two main factors determine the accuracy of CMS. The first is the asking the right question and the second is the asking them to the right people sample of customers which accurately reflects the customer base.Three things decide the accuracy of a sample. They are: 1. It must be representative. 2. It must be randomly selected. 3. It must be adequate enough.NEED FOR MEASURING CUSTOMER SATISFACTIONââ¬Å"Customers are too good to loseà ââ¬â Lets keep them happy! ââ¬Å"Customer is the king.â⬠ââ¬Å"Marketing starts with the customer and ends the customerâ⬠. â⬠¦Peter Drucker. So no organization, small or big ignores the customers. ââ¬Å"Earth is not the center of universe but revolves around the Sunâ⬠. â⬠¦Copernicus. Similarly, we have come to believe that business firm is not the center of economic universe but revolves around the customer.REVIEW OF LITERATUREAbout customer satisfaction Cust omer satisfaction occurs when the experience obtained from transaction match expectation. Customer may forget experience that match expectation although, customers will generally notice and also remember those experience that deviated from expectation.Methodologies The Kano model is a theory of product development and customer satisfaction developed in the 1980s by Professor Noriaki Kano that classifies customer preferences into five categories: Attractive, One-Dimensional, Must-Be, Indifferent, Reverse. The Kano model offers some insight into the product attributes which are perceived to be important to customers. Kano also produced a methodology for mapping consumer responses to questionnaires onto his model.SERVQUAL or RATER is a service-quality framework that has been incorporated into customer-satisfaction surveys (e.g., the revised Norwegian Customer Satisfaction Barometer) to indicate the gap between customer expectations and experience. J.D. Power and Associates provides ano ther measure of customer satisfaction, known for its top-box approach and automotive industry rankings. J.D. Power and Associates' marketing research consists primarily of consumer surveys and is publicly known for the value of its product awards. Other research and consulting firms have customer satisfaction solutions as well.These include A.T. Kearney's Customerà Satisfaction Audit process, which incorporates the Stages of Excellence framework and which helps define a companyââ¬â¢s status against eight critically identified dimensions. For Business to Business (B2B) surveys there is the Info Quest box. This has been used internationally since 1989 on more than 110,000 surveys (Nov '09) with an average response rate of 72.74%. The box is targeted at ââ¬Å"the most importantâ⬠customers and avoids the need for a blanket survey.RESEARCH METHODOLOGYINTRODUCTION Research is an art of scientific investigation through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge. It is a mo ment from known to unknown. Research always starts with a question or a problem.à Its purpose is to find answers to questions through the application of the scientific method. It is a systematic and intensive study directed towards a more complete knowledge of the subject studied.ââ¬Å"My Research based on Descriptive Research.â⬠Descriptive research is also called Statistical Research. The main goal of this type of research is to describe the data and characteristics about what is being studied. The idea behind this type of research is to study frequencies, averages, and other statistical calculations. Although this research is highly accurate, it does not gather the causes behind a situation.Descriptive research is mainly done when a researcher wants to gain a better understanding of a topic for example, a frozen ready meals company learns that there is a growing demand for fresh ready meals but doesnââ¬â¢t know much about the area of fresh food and so has to carry out research in order to gain a better understanding. It is quantitative and uses surveys and panels and also the use of probability sampling.
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