Eastern Medicine A Healing System - 1443 Words

Blackman 2 Eastern Medicine is a healing system that has been carefully developed all throughout China over the course of thousands of years, resulting in various forms of therapy. There are many focuses and principles in these methods, such as enhancing the body’s capacities and bolstering the body’s immunities for restoring and sustaining health. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a great emphasis on natural remedies; staying grounded to earth by exploring the body s interactions with all aspects pertaining to life; involving the composition of earthly elements such as seasons, colors, water, wood, fire, music, and many more. They have systemically discovered that health is the balance of harmony and function within the mind, body, and spirit, creating forms of treatment to minimize the obstruction of flow within ones health. Alternative medicine is effective through numerous complex diseases, chronic pains, and emotional pains. Unorthodox means of treatment comes in several, diverse treatments that all differ, yet prove to be effectual and offer a distinctive experience and outcome from the familiar modern medicine and healing. An extremely familiar method of TCM is acupuncture, which is commonly practiced in the United States, relieving body and emotional pains. Acupuncture is a natural healing process that improves the body and its functions by using sterile, fine needles to stimulate specific anatomic sites. To further this effect, placing heat, pressure,Show MoreRelatedThe Difference Between Eastern and Western Medicine1823 Words   |  7 Pagestechnology to treat, and towards the idea of whole body healing incorporating spirituality and the church, the support of caring doctors, and most importantly our personal health and the role we play in helping ourselves heal. Eastern and Western medicine are significantly different, with the main approach in the East being the goal of maintaining harmony, yet in the West, medicine is approached by separating the disease from the human. While the Eastern culture medical advancements were catalyzed by theRead MoreAlternative Healing Therapies Versus Western Medicine Essay1186 Words   |  5 PagesAlternative Healing Therapies versus Western Medicine â€Å"A feeble body makes a feeble mind. I do not know what doctors cure us of, but I know this: they infect us with very deadly diseases, cowardice, timidity, credulity, the fear of death. What matter if they make the dead walk, we have no need of corpses; they fail to give us men, and it is men we need.† Jean-Jacques Rousseau - 18th Century Philosopher I feel that all options should be investigated when it comesRead MoreHealthcare Model: Acupuncture1762 Words   |  7 Pageseverything came out of the Enlightenment and was expressed as a germ model. The European mind could then find, define, analyze and kill the germ therefore healing the person. In fact, the whole idea of vaccination came out of this model, and changed the health of society (James, 1992). In the East, however, thousands of years of traditional medicine look at disease in a different way more of the human body being out of balance with itself as well as the organism being whole. If there is a problem withRead MoreIs Acupuncture Really Effective? Essay1200 Words   |  5 PagesAcupuncture is the science of healing with needles through energy channels; it has a rich history and is now used around the world. The real question is, is acupuncture effective? How can we simply prove that sticking needles into a person’s body is actually taking away their pain or disease? How do we go from believing completely in Western Medicine to believing in Eastern Medicine? Although acupuncture is an Eastern form of healing, it has gained much credibility and respect in the West. The originRead MoreEastern Cultures : Healing Powers : The Western Cultures Greatest Asset1617 Words   |  7 PagesThe Eastern Cultures’ Healing Powers: The Western Cultures’ Greatest Asset Quick Fix culture and the Attitude Adjustment Culture The Western Culture focuses on two method of healing: chemically engineered compounds and surgical procedures. For instance in the United States, individuals have the option of antidepressants with or without the aid of cognitive therapy (depression article). Most individuals choose the quick approach due to its alluring quick fix scheme. These contrasts differentlyRead MoreThe Importance Of Transcultural Nursing1664 Words   |  7 Pageswith as many different ethnicities as possible, facilitating comfort that allows for medical healing). In this paper, I will discuss why cultural competency is necessary, albeit, vital in the field of medicine. Keywords: transcultural nursing, medicine, cultural competency, nursing Cultural Competency in Medicine Cultural competency is a vast concept, and is especially important in medicine. Since Mesopotamia split into seven fragments we now call continents, the human being has branchedRead MoreProfessional Communication Cultural Sensitivity Essay1554 Words   |  7 Pagescare to people† (Barker, 2009, p. 498). The importance of cultural diversity in healthcare allows for the delivery of appropriate cultural autonomy. Showing respect for others will lead to trust between nurse and patient which in turn improves healing and health. The purpose of this paper is to educate the advance practice nurse (APN) about Navajo culture as well as how to effectively communicate holistic care to the Navajo Indian population. Recently while at work, Tara, who works in the registrationRead MoreDistinction between the Western and Eastern Ways of Healing1649 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent ways to make sense of sickness and different approaches to healing. Discuss in relation to social historical research on the changes in healing medical practices The main distinction between the Western and Eastern ways of healing (or in fact that of many other cultures that are not Western) consist of the Mind-Body distinction where many ancient healing practices, such as the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, emphasize connection between the mind and body insisting thatRead MoreCultural and Professional Heritage1103 Words   |  5 Pagesherbal medicines. Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Herbal medicines, and Yoga are some other health tradition used in treating diseases. Indigenous or traditional medical practitioners continue to practice throughout the country. The two main forms of traditional medicine practiced are the ayurvedic (meaning science of life) system, which deals with causes, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment based on all aspects of well-being (mental, physical, and spiritual), and the unani (so-called Galenic medicine) herbalRead MoreDifferent Cultures And Religions Of The Field Of Nursing1687 Words   |  7 Pages Western health care workers are more familiar with, and the nurse should be willing to learn about the method that a person of a different culture may wish to use. There are also some alternative therapies that can be used in conjunction with American medicine and are encouraged by health care providers to more effectively treat a patient’s condition. These different cultures and methods will be discussed and show how the nurse can effectively manage the care of a patient wishing for an alternative therapy

Features Of Space Expansion - 1333 Words

Feature Space Expansion Firstly the feature space would be increased in dimension, by the addition of new features. Due to the analysis done on feature production, it was noted that by generalising feature production and consumption (in the neural network), a lot of time could be saved in the long run. This meant when the feature space was to be expanded, it would be important to create the feature production in a scalable manner. Neural Network Expansion Secondly, the neural network would be extended from a simple input-output neural network to one with a variable number of inputs, layers, and hidden neurons. The addition of more layers would allow more complex planes to partition the feature space - as sometimes simple planes cannot adequately classify data. For example, consider the classification of a data-set similar to the output of a XOR gate. Consider four input data-points of (0, 0), (0, 1), (1, 0), and (1, 1), with respective outputs 0,1,1,0, where 1 represents positive classification, and 0 represents negative classification. This provides an example of a classification which has very high error when classified without a hidden layer. This is because a linear combination of the input coefficients can only define a partition which is a straight line. Any linear partition of these inputs can at most correctly classify three of four data-points. This is because the data-points are linearly inseparable. However, with a more complex neural network, such as one withShow MoreRelatedComputer Hardware Essay797 Words   |  4 Pagesbest performance, otherwise the system will recongnize the lower number of ram.  · Expansion Slots and Adapter Cards Navigate to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0SgO8e8HmU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp8vL70Jap4 View the video: Expansion Slots  · Where do you usually find expansion slots in the system unit? Built into the motherboard  · What kind of cards can be installed in the PCI slots? Expansion cards  · What types of slots might your PC motherboard have? Pci, agp, amr, cnr, isaRead MoreIdeals And Controversies Of National Park Expansion990 Words   |  4 PagesIdeals and Controversies of National Park Expansion Since the early 1920s to the 1970s, there has been a debate regarding the perceptions and standards by which national parks should be established and limiting the expansion of national parks, limiting access for people living in urban areas and threatening open spaces due to urban sprawl and over population. Gradually traditional perceptions gave way to the preservationists’ viewpoints which redefined and gradually expanded federal definition ofRead MorePolice Licensing And Regulatory Department Of The Singapore Police Force1136 Words   |  5 Pagessecurity check point after the passengers receive their boarding passes, and it separates the passengers from the non-passengers. It is one of the most important security features, as right after this check point, the passengers have to go through the customs, and it officially shows that they are leaving the country. Other security features includes the final check at the arrival. At the arrival hall, there were two separate lanes to the exit, one for the passengers with nothing to declare and the otherRead MoreLibrary Support Activities : The Friends Of The Library1101 Words   |  5 Pages ââ€"  Library support activities – The Friends of the Library (FOLL) and Library Foundation will have a dedicated space to be used as storage and workspace. With the increased storage, FOLL will have dedicated space to sort and store books donated for their annual sales. FOLL will be able to hold their book sales in the Library’s Program space or on the Green in front of the Library in nice weather instead of renting the Meeting House down the street for their sales. This will bring more communityRead MoreRomanesque And Gothic Architecture As 90821 - Mckenzie Henare1352 Words   |  6 Pagesthirteenth and nineteenth centuries. Growth in agriculture was caused by the unproductive land being bought and developed into land that could produce masses of income. Swamps were drained and forests and bushland cut down to increase space for business, buildings and expansion of society. The order of the Cistercians is highly known as the influence that encouraged barren lands to be cultivated, it was the monks that fulfilled these orders. Advancements in agricultural tools replace manual labour, suchRead MoreCase Study : Happy Buns Restaurant936 Words   |  4 Pagesrestaurant would be viable in the market to fetch profits. In most cases evaluating and coming up with the best decision of a place with optimum factors for a business relocation or expansion is normally a hectic thing. Finding a place especially for a restaurant like this, with ample parking space, adequate market, low taxes, proper security and cost effective calls for effective decision making. This is normally laid through assumed certainty of some provocations. Year after year a well-managedRead MoreEvaluating The Performance And Primark s Position1309 Words   |  6 Pagessee that there is an almost 4% drop in gross margin percentage, which indicates that their profitability is shrinking significantly. Simultaneously the inventory turnover has steadily decreased. This could be due to having more sq. feet of selling space available. It should however be kept in mind that for the year 2016 Primark still has to face currency losses. As the CEO stated â€Å"if the current euro weakness against sterling and the US dollar persists , this will have an impact on the group’s operatingRead MoreApplication Of A Personal Computer1152 Words   |  5 Pageson the newegg website. This case has many benefits over the leading full form factor cases. In addition to the following specifications: Steel case, motherboard type of ATX, five 5.25† drives, five 3.5† drives, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, 1394a, and seven expansion slots; the enhance High Air Flow structure will ensure high performance. The Rosewill power supply was the recommended power supply to accompany this case; it is a 750-Watt power supply with a silent fan. With it’s various connectors (24pin mainRead MoreWinsome Manufacturing Company: A New Storage Unit Project Charter698 Words   |  3 PagesAs more and more people are crunched in terms of space, storage spaces have become a premium. But buying storage units is a costly expense; also there is always the fear that the unit may be robbed. Having an exterior storage unit that can easily ac commodate seasonal equipment (such as bikes and other sports equipment; furniture not in use and papers for long-term storage) can be of great value to consumers. For our company, it marks the expansion of our plastics line into larger and more revenue-generatingRead MoreSubsection : Scale Invariant Feature Transform ( SIFT )1047 Words   |  5 Pages\subsection{Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT)} SIFT~\citep{SIFT} provides a set of features of an object that are are robust against object scaling and rotations. The SIFT algorithm consists of four main steps, which are discussed in the following subsections. \subsubsection{Scale-space Extrema Detection} The first step aims to identify those locations and scales that are identifiable from different views of the same object. Various techniques can then be used to detect stable keypoint locations

Future of the New York Times Free Essays

The Future of the New York Times In my opinion there should not be a â€Å"trade-off between the company philosophy and the core goals of sustainability, profitability, and growth†. The goal of any company and organization is to survive. Companies and organizations create mission statements and set forth goals. We will write a custom essay sample on Future of the New York Times or any similar topic only for you Order Now Pearce and Robinson (2013) states â€Å"the unique purpose that sets a company apart from others of its type and identifies the scope of its operations in product, market, and technology terms† (pg. 3). The mission statement or philosophy that is a distinguishing factor of differences between companies, helping to set for the company’s operations and ethics for their products, as well as for their place in the market, as well as in the community. With the New York Times, the message given (mission) is to deliver responsive and accurate â€Å"journalism† to their customers, as well as to areas outside of New York. The New York Times has lived up to its mission, by adhering to its ideals; the New York Times has foregone being profitable, as well as sacrificing growth. In the article we read,† The constancy of their commitment to high-cost journalism has put the Sulzberger family in an increasingly contrarian position†¦the Sulzberger’s have subsidized the Times in valuing good journalism and the prestige it confers over profits and the wealth it creates†¦for much of its history, the Times barely broke even† (Bianco, 2005, p. 65). How a company image is portrayed to the world is a crucial factor and element of their values, ethical standards, mission and goals. The New York Times, without the Sulzberger’s wealth, would have failed years ago with its current stated mission and goals. The New York Times needs to take a step back and examine where they started, where they have been, where they are now and where they want to go, as well at taking a good look at today’s world and begin to benchmark their competitors and creating a new vision for the New York Times. The Sulzberger’s and Bill Keller are giving the impression that they are endeavoring to changes in order and moving away from their belief â€Å"that quality journalism pays in the long run† (Bianco, 2005), it’s hard to change 100 plus years of business strategy. In all companies, not just the New York Times, the image portrayed is important and may also determine a company’s credibility, as well as its future. The value system, including its mission and goals will set the direction of the company. The ethic’s which are portrayed daily need to be consistent with the direction that the company has set from the top (President CEO and Board of Directors) on down to each and every employee. Years of hard work in preserving a company’s image and place in the community can be lost in a single failure or lack of foresight. References Bianco, A. , Rossant, J. , Gard, L. (2005). The future of the new york times. Businessweek, 3916, 64-72. Pearce, J. A. , Robinson, R. B. (2013). Strategic How to cite Future of the New York Times, Papers

Traditional Role of a Management Accountant- Case Study

Question: Describe the traditional role of a management accountant. Answer: A.) Bean counter is a term used in the literature to describe the traditional role of a management accountant.(Feeney Pierce, 2007) It was used to characterise the role of a management accountant as one which focuses on two areas: firstly supporting the decision making of the top management and secondly control of costs and monitoring of financial activities. However, the role of a management accountant has evolved to great lengths and the fact that they have to be involved in the day to day operations of a company has become a necessity. A management accountant might not necessarily provide technical help to a plant manager but there are certain areas such as inventory management, costing and sustainability initiatives where a management accountant does come into the picture. A management accountant is best placed to act as an interface between the management and the stake holders to provide necessary communications regarding the sustainability initiatives undertaken by the company .(Collins, et al., 2012) B.) If there is a net cash outflow towards investing activities it means that the cash could have been used for a variety of purposes such as buying of plant, property and equipment or investment in an associate or a subsidiary company. If following are the cases Wayne should not be dismayed by this since these are activities in order to boost the revenues or to increase the profits. However, outflow in investing activities could also lead from loss in an investment made and if that is the reason then it is reason enough for Wayne to be dismayed and would need investigation on his part as to whether to continue or to discontinue with the investment. C.) Yes as an accounting student the advice to the doctor would be that he can complain to the company about the annual report and the financial statements being too lengthy and difficult to understand. As an investor the doctor is among the most important stake holder user group who are the users of the financial statements. It is imperative that the company does not provide too much immaterial information in their financial statements. There is no clear guidelines in accounting standards worldwide as to what falls under material matter on financial statements but a general consensus is that any information which would influence the user of the financial statements is to be considered as material.(Brennan Gray, 2006) The International Standards Accounting Board(ISAB) also lays down that too much information on the financial statements distorts the useful information.(Ernst and Young, 2009) When the companies provide too much information in financial reports they run the risk of inf ormation overload wherein useful information will tend to get distorted affecting the decision making as well.(Alayemi, et al., 2015) From the above mentioned discussion it is clear than as an investor the doctor has every reason to be felt dismayed by the reporting style of the company and has valid grounds to get his claims addressed by the management. Yes, Luigi and Gina Cicello would need the services of an accountant. If they are exploring the option of leasing premises for opening their outlet they would need to decide whether they want to go for an operating lease or a financial lease. Both the leases come with their own merits and demerits and based on their requirements an accountant can best guide them as to which lease option would be the best fit for their requirement. An accountant would also help them determine how much rate of interest they should pay on the lease. Apart from that Luigi and Gina Cicello would need to decide whether they want to use the option of debt to start their business. An accountant can help them prepare their projected cash flows and profitability and help them decide whether they would be able to service the debt and if the debt option gives them the leverage of reducing their WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital). For the following ratio questions, simple rule has been observed. If the denominator increases, ratio will go down. If numerator goes up, ratio will increase and if none of the items change or change in the same manner ratio will remain un affected. The transaction will bring down the profit margin as profit margin given by profit/sales. Profit remains same whereas sales increase. The earnings per share shall remain unchanged. The dividend is a part of the earnings per share. Dividend pay-out will increase. Dividend pay-out is the ratio of earnings paid to shareholders as dividend. Dividend yield shall remain unchanged. Tax liability is a provision which would have already been accounted for in the current or non-liability section of the balance sheet. Quick ratio shall decrease. As the inventories will increase and trade payables will increase quick assets wont increase but current liabilities will increase. Quick ratio is given by Current Assets less inventories divided by current liabilities. Current ratio shall remain unchanged if inventory is sold at cost. Since current ratio given by current assets to current liabilities. Sale of inventory for cash will mean current assets remain unchanged since both cash and inventory are part of current assets. Writing off a bad debt against allowance for doubtful debt wont affect the current ratio as allowance for a doubtful debt would be a non-current liability item on the balance sheet. Collection of an accounts receivable will increase the accounts receivable turnover. Accounts receivable given by Net credit sales/Accounts receivables. Collection of an account decreases the denominator, hence ratio increases. Selling inventory on credit will increase the inventory turnover. Since Inventory turnover is given by Cost of goods sold/Average Inventory. Now cost of goods sold increases and hence the ratio increases. 10.) Issuing additional shares for cash will decrease the debt ratio. As it will lead to more equity in the capital structure, consequently the debt ratio will come down. References Alayemi, S. A., Adeoye, E. T. Oyeleye, O. A., 2015. Materiality concept and accounting information. Sky Journal of Business Administration and Management, 3(4), pp. 20-24. Brennan, N. Gray, S., 2006. The impact of materiality : accountings best kept secret. Asian Academy of Management Journal of Accounting and Financw, pp. 1-31. Collins, E., Lawrence, S., Roper, J. Haar, J., 2012. Sustainability and the role of the Management Accountants. Research Executive Summary Series, 7(14). Ernst and Young, 2009. Improving disclosure effectiveness, s.l.: Ernst and Young. Feeney, O. Pierce, B., 2007. Todays management accountant honest bean counter and savvy business advisor?. Accountancy Ireland, pp. 16-21.

The Importance of Open and Honest Communication Essay Example

The Importance of Open and Honest Communication Paper Name: Instructor: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Open and Honest Communication specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Open and Honest Communication specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Open and Honest Communication specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Importance of Open and Honest Communication Introduction Open and honest communication is vital while interacting with other people, and especially with those people who have special meaning such as families and close friends. It is important that the truth be upheld as much as possible in order to avoid difficult situations that are brought about by telling direct lies or simply altering the truth. The incidences described in these two stories present two men who had earlier opportunities to reveal the truth to those close to them but did not do so, leading to difficult situations later on because of their silence. My Kid’s Dog In this story, the aspect of open and honest communication reveals itself. In this case, the persona should have informed his family about his problem with the dog. It would be better to inform someone about an issue that makes you uncomfortable rather than hurting silently. We can establish that the persona realizes the importance of open and honest communication rather partially than fully. The issue of burying the dog without his family’s knowledge disturbs his conscience and he finally decides to open up. However, he still harbors his problem of being uncomfortable around dogs. The situation could now repeat itself if the family decide to replace Scruffy with another dog. Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot The man in this story remembers how, while still alive, he suspected his wife of being unfaithful but could not confront her because he did not have enough evidence against her. However, now back to life in form of a parrot, he understands that his wife is now a widow looking for another partner and that he has to accept his wife’s decisions. The man now realizes the importance of having an open and honest relationship in marriage. Judging by how he feels, we can tell that he is in regret. It dawns on him that he should have spoken his mind when he had the chance in the previous life. He realizes that it would have been better if he had opened his heart and let his wife know of his problem. However, it is now too late and he cannot change reality. In regret, he looks across from within his cage, sees the blue skies with other birds enjoying the air, and wishes that he too could break out of the cage and fly. Conclusion In conclusion, both the men in these two stories were not honest in their communication with their loved ones but unlike the man in the first story who had several chances to tell the truth, the man in the second story needed evidence to justify his claims. Both of these men also chose to be dishonest in order to maintain a good relationship with their loved ones. Indeed, the two stories have a similar message over open and honest communication. It is important that we always express our honest opinion and decision about the things that face us daily in life to avoid difficult situations in the future.

Corporate Financial Internal Controls

Corporate Financial Internal Controls Whether a business is privately or publicly owned, regulated under a number of United States Government compliance laws, corporations should follow due diligence and incorporate internal controls to ensure accountability in their financial reports. Management is the first line of defense in maintaining the truthfulness in finance of the company. Managers must be alert to the accounting system that is at hand, without this first line awareness, rudimentary protection of the company financial reports would be at risk.In being in the trenches, so to speak, managers need to know the features of the accounting systems that are in use at the company and its controls ( Noordin, 1997). Some of these features include having reliable personnel with clear responsibilities, separation of duties, proper authorization, adequate documentation and cost benefit analysis ( Noordin, 1997). Record keeping is absolutely an essential in conducting business, whether the company is enterprise or small busin ess, records are the core of maintaining accountability in day-to-day activities.English: Figure 16: Set-up and roles within the ex...Having effective internal control techniques is important in keeping the company books "under control," and companies are including the specific controls that are employed in their annual reports, this is considered a good corporate governance practice (Willis, et al, 2000). Even the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) do not require the publishing of the internal controls in the annual report of the company. Over the last ten years, auditors and preparers have reached agreement on some of the routine internal control items to be included in the annual reports (Willis, et al, 2000). These reports now include the following topics within the body of the published works: Financial statement presentation; Purpose, nature and components of the company's internal controls; role of the internal audit, role of th e audit committee, role of the independent auditor...

Questionnaire report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Questionnaire report - Essay Example The data will be coded using statistical methods. The data will be tabulated into different categories and the total number of respondents in favour of a certain idea is recorded. These figures will then be calculated as a percentage of the total sum of the whole participants. This helps the researcher to interpret the findings on the basis of the responses that have been given by the participants in the study. b) Delivering the actual questionnaire to the respondents is quite a challenging task. First of all, this exercise is time consuming given that you have to walk around to identify the people you can involve in your study. You also have to talk to the people first before administering the questionnaire in order to obtain their consent so that they can participate in the study. The researcher needs to explain a couple of things to the participants before collecting the required data from them. The other challenging task is related to identification of the sample to be included in the study. Overall, the whole task is tedious and time consuming. c) Basically, sampling of individuals should be representative of the population being studied (Higginbottom, 2004). In this case, probability sampling would be used. This is a sampling technique where the samples are gathered in such a way that all the individuals in the population are given equal chances of being selected and this probability can be accurately determined (Davies, 2007). The main advantage of using random sampling for this research is that it is fairly easily to manage which can lead to accurate results. All the subjects involved in the population stand equal chances of being included in the study. Therefore, the selected sample is likely to be a representation of the whole population. Given such a scenario, it can be noted that the results that are going to be obtained from this particular study are

GLOBAL MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

GLOBAL MARKETING - Essay Example A good example of a firm practicing internalization as a result of globalization is KFC Limited (Kentucky fried Chicken) which has opened eateries in Europe, Asia and Africa yet its home country is USA. Key drivers of globalization have been linked to internalization with regards to marketing in that they might have positive and negative effects on marketing. Some of the key drivers of globalization are as presented by Daniel Traca in his article(International Trade) are, lower transport and communication costs, development of international institutions and political decisions towards deregulation and liberation of trade and FDI(Foreign Direct Investment) regulations. Lower transport and communication costs have especially propelled marketing standards by firms. This has led to healthier marketing competition and reduced monopoly by some major firms. It has also widened their market base and resulted into increased revenues. Customer services and goods delivery has also improved due to this. Daniel Traca outlines that the development of international institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and regional trade agreements between continental blocks and countries has greatly lead to internalization benefits by major firms. Though some regulations and rules that are governed by WTO have added towards marketing internalization, some are restrictive and are not favourable to all participants. Regional trade agreements have also lead to better products and services by firms in these regions. This is as a result of favourable marketing conditions such as reduced taxes, large market sizes and setting up of Export Processing Zones that foster growth of trade and marketing. Political decisions towards deregulation and liberation of trade and FDI regulations have resulted into better marketing standards. This has enabled firms to directly market themselves globally by getting involved in community programs

Factors of Civic Disengagement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Factors of Civic Disengagement - Essay Example However, changes in social structures, economic needs, and order of priorities altered several social obligations. As what Robert Putnam (2000) pointed out, residential mobility, economic hard times, and busyness are prime factors of civic disengagement. To best suit the fluidity of lifestyle of today’s Americans, â€Å"thin, single-stranded... are replacing dense, multi stranded, well-exercised bonds† (Putnam, 2000, p. 184). These bonds are more informal which suit the kind of life they lead. One would say that American civic engagement is slowly declining but this is of course, because of several logical and valid reasons. In the striving economic situation and the frequent rise of price for basic commodities, working individuals are not to blame for disengaging from social activities; however, this is not to approve of it but rather, a more considerate point to address the growing economic needs of the family. On the other hand, Putnam (2000) contends that however th ese busy people work for better financial situation, â€Å"economic good fortune has not guaranteed continued civic engagement† (p. 194); busyness does not excuse them of disengaging from civic life. Another factor is residential mobility (p. 204). The Americans’ mobility largely depends on economy; where employment opportunity is dense, they would be willing to relocate.

Events Surrounding The Resignation Of Margaret Thatcher Sociology Essay

Events Surrounding The Resignation Of Margaret Thatcher Sociology Essay Margaret Thatchers legacy towers over modern day British Politics and History. She earned her place in the history books as the longest serving PM of the 20th century with three back to back election wins under her belt and since, emerging politicians have been said to have been creations of the Thatcher era with both William Hague and Tony Blaire being hailed as sons of Thatcherism by journalist Andrew Rawnsley. 1.1.2 Aims This report investigates and concludes as to how the Iron Ladies resignation and downfall was reported in the UK and Welsh newspapers, and pays particular attention and focus as to how this shaped the nations views at the time and now, looking back retrospectively. This report researches as to why Margaret Thatcher was a Marmite politician who evoked such strong responses, in both past and present throughout society and also looks into how the events of the past and media reaction has shaped her legacy left in Britain today. 1.1.3 Method Through both primary and secondary research, this report acts as a historical study into the events surrounding the resignation of Margaret Thatcher and the public response to it by examining how her resignation was reported in the Newspapers and other media resources at the time. 1.1.4 Results Conclusions Conclusions have also been obtained through oral interviews with people who were alive at the time and remember the events to obtain first hand public opinion and to analyse the impact of the transition from Thatcher to the Blaire era on people at the time. In addition to this I collected and collated public opinion about the popularity of Margaret Thatcher throughout her time as Prime Minister resulting in a conclusion as to what her legacy is in Britain today. 2. Introduction 2.1.1 Background and Context for the Study Many people remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard that Margaret Thatcher had stepped down as Prime Minister and what their reaction and feeling toward the news was. Margaret Thatcher always sparks a diverse, sometimes controversial opinion whether it is an expression of fondness or one of extreme aversion which is why her legacy is highly disputed. Media interest on the 10th anniversary of her demise from power was high, so much so that many newspapers ran opinion polls and features allowing people to comment about their reaction to her fall from power and resignation, and such polls were concrete evidence as to Mrs Thatchers ability to continue to evoke strong opinions even a decade after she had ceased to be Prime Minister. These polls are examined later on in the report and help to draw a conclusion of the legacy that she has left on Britain today. This report analyses the Origins of Thatchers departure from number 10 and gauges public opinion on what has now become widely known as the Thatcher era and as a result of it Thatcherism. 2.2.1 Outline of aims and methodology This study explores and discuss the reasons that led to the seismic political moment when Margaret Thatchers resigned as Prime Minister on 22nd November, 1990. This historical report looks into both the medias and public opinion, which has been examined through interviews and media archive footage, both at the time and reflective articles and discussions that have been recorded to date. 2.3.1 Primary research undertaken I have conducted the research through both primary and secondary resources including interviews with people who were alive and remember the resignation first hand, newspaper articles, podcasts, opinion polls and internet sites. Through formulating central questions relating to key topics I have conducted oral interviews with people who were both alive and have strong memories and opinions regarding Thatchers demise. I conducted the interviews this way and asked specific questions to enable me to systematically collate opinions of living peoples testimony about their own experiences. 3.1.1 Literature Review When studying the events of November 1990, it is clear that there is no one origin to the fall of Thatcher from power. In Kevin Jeffries book, Finest and darkest Hours, he says that For the Historian, the events of November 1990 present something of a mystery. A PM with a strong parliamentary majority and in good health, enjoying the considerable advantages of patronage and access to the media, was virtually impregnable. (Jeffries, Atlantic Books, 2002) To her supporters, she was a ground-breaking Prime Minister who positively re-shaped Britains economy and tamed the trade unions. In alliance with US presidents Reagan and Bush, she helped bring about the end of the Cold War. But her 11-year stint in office was also a time tainted by social unrest, industrial trouble and rising unemployment and her critics claim British society is still feeling the effect of her divisive economic policies and the culture of greed and selfishness they allegedly promoted. Existing accounts have noted that there was no single, overriding cause of Thatchers downfall and that various factors played their part in Novembers events. 3.1.1 Key Themes Seeing as there is no one clear reason to her downfall and resignation, there are several key themes and topics which must be addressed when discussing Margaret Thatcher. I have investigated these within both historical and narrative fictional texts in which I have then cross referenced with my own research to enable me to come up with a balanced and well supported conclusion. Below, I have highlighted key themes that are explored in recognized academic discussion of the resignation of Margaret Thatcher by leading authors and commentators of the field. 3.1.2 Divisions over Europe Iconic of the Thatcher years, was the ever running saga as to whether Britain should join the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). Mrs Thatcher relentlessly rejected any steps toward stronger political links which she believed would lead to an identikit European personality, and weaken nationality and tradition of member states. *** Therefore it is fair to say that Europe, ultimately, played a part in ending the Thatcher premiership. 3.1.3 Poll Tax Margaret Thatcher had always been a long standing critic of the British Taxation system which is proven in her memoirs, where shy says that she always disliked rates intensely (Jefferys, Atlantic Books, 2002). The conservative government, under Thatcher then bought in the community charge to replace the long standing tax system that dated back nearly 100 years -Rates which resulted in every adult paying a flat rate charge. The introduction of the Community Charge was met with great unrest and discontent for Thatcherism and opposition groups formed. One Journalist, quoted in the Economist dubbed the system as a A fatheaded, boneheaded, dunderheaded, blunderheaded, muttonheaded, knuckleheaded, chuckleheaded, puddingheaded, jobernowled wash- out of a cock-up. (The Economist, 3 Dec 1994) which could be seen as a representation of the peoples views at the time of its introduction due to the March and Riot of 1990 in opposition to the new system. The riot was a fatal blow for not only the poll tax but also the Margaret Thatcher and before the new year, Thatcher had stepped down as Britains Prime Minister. 3.1.4 Thatcherite Economics Thatchers market-led policies saw the sale of 20 state-owned companies including British Telecom. She did haul the country out of the economic doldrums where the UK was known as the sick man of Europe but at what cost? Her deregulation of the banking industry ultimately led to this current recession via the credit crunch Monetarism came to be used to describe what people thought of as Thatcherism. In simple terms, it is the recognition of the importance of money and money supply in an economy. The belief in free markets and individual wealth creation undermined the fabric of society encouraging selfishness and an increase in inequality. Thatcherite beliefs include a support for a form of trickle down economics the idea if the rich get richer everyone benefits. 3.1.5 Trade Unions Strikes were a regular occurrence and crippled the country. The three-day week was introduced under Edward Heath. And Callaghans Labour government in 1978 oversaw the strikes of the Winter of Discontent. On election, Thatcher used the situation as an excuse to crush the unions. She simply refused to listen to the workers representatives. Her economic policies helped weaken the unions. Methodology The reason in which I conducted research through The methodology section should provide a rationale for the method of research employed and for choice of sources used, together with an explanation of any tools (e.g. questionnaires; SPSS) involved and the respective criteria of evaluation applied to these. Samples of such tools (in blank form or with consolidated data) will probably need to be included in an appendix. It is not necessary to include a narrative description of the research process, although case studies (e.g. observation sessions) need to be well documented. Results As predicted, my results show the expected diversity of opinion. The results and conclusions sections should describe, explain and discuss what the research undertaken has revealed and why it is significant. This is best achieved by comparison with the ideas of opinion leaders previously presented. These ideas will be variously supported, illustrated, qualified and challenged by what you have discovered. Discussion/Conclusions With public opinion turning decisively against her, she was forced to resign from office in November 1990 after a struggle for leadership within the Conservative Party Many United Kingdom citizens remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard that Margaret Thatcher had resigned and what their reaction was. She brings out strong responses in people. Some people credit her with rescuing the British economy from the stagnation of the 1970s and admire her committed radicalism on social issues; others see her as authoritarian, egotistical and responsible for the dismantling of the Welfare State. Britain was widely seen as the sick man of Europe in the 1970s, and some argued that it would be the first developed nation to return to the status of a developing country. In the 1990s, Britain emerged with a comparatively healthy economy, at least by previous standards. A clear illustration of the divisions of opinion over Thatchers leadership can be found in recent television polls: Thatcher appears at Number 16 in the 2002 List of 100 Greatest Britons (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public), she also appears at Number 3 in the 2003 List of 100 Worst Britons (sponsored by Channel Four and also voted for by the public), narrowly missing out on the top spot, which went to Tony Blair. Recommendations It might be appropriate to end with recommendations, suggesting how the present study could be extended or repeated in a different format, or how related fields might be explored from a similar standpoint. This section, though, cannot be used to excuse failings in the study which should have been avoided. Transcripts or summaries of interviews, copies of original documents, tables of statistics, maps, etc. should be included in separate appendices at the end. The reader can be referred to these in the text, which may also include extracts from the same (e.g. an exchange from an interview) Bibliography References Evans, EJ (2004). Thatcher and Thatcherism (Making of the Contemporary World) . London: Routledge Holmes, M (1989). Thatcherism: Scope and Limits: Palgrave Macmillan. 1-182 Jefferys, K (2002). Finest and Darkest Hours: The Decisive Events in British Politics, from Churchill to Blair. London: Atlantic Books. p233-258 Marwick, A (2003). British Society Since 1945: The Penguin Social History of Britain : Penguin Morgan, K (2002). Britain since 1945: The Peoples Peace. UK: Oxford University Press. BBC.. 1990: Thatcher quits as prime minister. Available: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/22/newsid_2549000/2549189.stm. Last accessed 21 April 2010. BBC. 1990: Tearful farewell from Iron Lady. Available: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/28/newsid_2527000/2527953.stm. Last accessed 21 April 2010. Essential Margaret Thatcher. Available: http://www.margaretthatcher.org/essential/default.asp. Last accessed 16 April 2010 BBC News. (1990). BBC News: Thatcher resigns as Prime Minister. Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTDS23DY670. Last accessed 18 March 2010.

Achilles :: essays research papers

In the modern world, people, as a society, have always given themselves a goal or goals that they would like to attain at some point during their lifetime. Many people seek to attain riches, love, happiness or high stature within society. When we people set that goal, we tend to mold our lifestyles around it. As people work throughout their lives to achieve this ultimate goal, it becomes apparent to others what it is we are working so hard for. Just as this pattern is evident in modern society, it can also be seen in the times of Homer, particularly in the great Greek epic, the Iliad. This distinct pattern can be seen in Achilles, one of the most vital characters in the story. Achilles, being the ultimate most powerful warrior of all time, wishes for nothing in his life but to be the most glorious man alive, mortal or immortal. It is this profound desire for glory and honor, that in the end leads to his demise. Achilles speech, given while he is distraught over the death of his close st friend Patroklos, is an excellent example of Achilles’ desire (Iliad, 18.79). Patroklos is slayed by Hektor, the Trojans greatest warrior and Achilles’ main rival. Hektor, takes the armor (given to him by Achilles’) off of his dead body, and puts it on himself. Hektor is described as “riding around in all its glory';. After word of Patroklos’ death, the Achaians are intensely dejected. To show just how disheartened the Greeks are, Homer describes the men as lamenting. “(Then sighing heavily)… my dear companion has perished, Patroklos, whom I loved beyond all other companions, as well as my own life…Thetis spoke to him, letting tears fall'; (377, Iliad, 18.78). It can be sensed that, although in deep mourning for his lost friend, Achilles is just as well upset because he sensed a slight degree of failure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  “Now, since I am not going back to the beloved land of my fathers, since I was no light of safety to Patroklos, nor to my other companions…';(378, Iliad, 18.101). This failure in the sense that, Achilles being the greatest warrior in all the land able to kill hordes of men at will, was incapable of saving the person that mattered the most to him. This insecurity is the source of Achilles “duty'; to exact revenge upon Hektor, the assassin of Patroklos. Achilles makes the decision to kill Hektor in spite of the fact that his fate will be to die.

Lessons to Sick Leave Essay

NOTE: This material is also available as a role-play (Exercise 29, Sick Leave). Instructors are advised to use either the role-play or the case, but not both because they overlap considerably. Choosing whether to use the role-play or case materials depends on your goals for the class and the level of sophistication and cross-cultural experience of the students. For homogeneous classes with little previous cross-cultural experience, one option is to use the case to teach the cross-cultural nuances of American-Japanese negotiations and to follow this with Exercise 28 (500 English Sentences), a role-play with many similar lessons to Sick Leave. Objectives This case is written from the perspective of Kelly, a 22 year old Canadian Assistant English teacher working in Japan. The root of the conflict in this case is a deep cross-cultural misunderstanding that has transformed into a much larger incident involving important intangible factors such as saving face and maintaining principles. Specific learning objectives include: 1. To understand how two parties have framed a conflict very differently in a cross-cultural setting. 2. To explore the differences between positions and interests in a cross-cultural negotiation. 3. To understand a conflict where the intangible factors are much more important than the tangible factors. Changes from 4th Edition There are no substantive changes from the Fourth Edition. Operational Needs Time Required 45-60 minutes for the case discussion. Special Materials None. Recommended Reading Assignments to Accompany This Case Reader: 5.1 (Brett), 5.2 (Salacuse), 5.3 (Senger), 5.4 (Koh). Text: Chapter 16 Case Overview On the surface, this case is very straightforward. Kelly, a 22 year old Canadian working as an Assistant English teacher in Japan, is sick with the flu, misses 2 days of work, and wants to claim these as legitimate sick days as described in her contract. Her supervisor, Mr. Higashi, insists that she take these days as part of her paid vacation days because that is the Japanese way. The sick leave conflict is symptomatic, however, of a much deeper conflict that Kelly and the other Assistant English teachers have with Mr. Higashi and the other Japanese English teachers. Dynamics underlying this conflict include face saving, adapting to a different culture, the meaning of contracts in different cultures, and the influence of reference groups on behavior. Background Preparation Students and the instructor should be familiar with cultural and business differences between Japan and North America. Dated, yet still appropriate, is Howard Van Zandt’s How to Negotiate in Japan, from the Harvard Business Review of Nov/Dec 1970, more current is Smart Bargaining by John Graham and Yoshihiro Sano, The Influence of Japanese Culture on Business Relationships and Negotiations by Naoko Oikawa and John Tanner Jr., International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior, chapter on Negotiating with Foreigners by Nancy J. Adler, and Cultural Approaches to Negotiations: Understanding the Japanese by Brian Hawrysh and Judith Zaichkowsky. Teaching Strategy Kelly frames this negotiation as a right to have the sick leave, which is written into her contract. Mr. Higashi frames this negotiation much broader and wants Kelly to â€Å"fit in† at work and to be treated the same as Japanese workers. This situation is very representative of the types of conflict that occur in cross-cultural negotiations between Americans (rights based, contract as enforceable) and Japanese (relationship based, contract as beginning). On the surface, this is a very straightforward situation: will Kelly get her contractually guaranteed sick leave benefits or not? The cultural differences, however, make this a high stakes negotiation for both parties, in which the importance of the intangible factors far outweighs that of the tangible factors. Proceed by using the following questions to discuss the case: 1. What should Kelly do? Should she call CLAIR, or discuss this further with Mr. Higashi? 2. What is this dispute about for Kelly? For Mr. Higashi? In these types of conflicts is a compromise possible? 3. What are the tangible factors in this situation? What are the intangible factors in the negotiation? Is saving face more important to Kelly or Mr. Higashi? Why? Which are more important, the tangible or intangible factors? Is this true for both Kelly and Mr. Higashi? The discussion should conclude with a good summary about Japanese and North American negotiation styles and culture. When negotiating in Japan it is often important to give in for the sake of peace and harmony, or relationships may be harmed beyond repair. Deciding how to negotiate cross-culturally remains a challenge for every negotiator that negotiates across a border. One of the best pieces discussing this was written by Stephen Weiss (â€Å"Negotiating With ‘Romans’: A Range of Culturally-Responsive Strategies,† Sloan Management Review, 35, No. 1, pp. 51-61; No. 2, pp. 1-16) and a summary of this work makes a nice conclusion to the class. Final Note Although this exercise has been modified somewhat it is based on an actual situation that occurred in Japan (names and location have been changed). In the actual incident, â€Å"Kelly† received her sick leave but the relationship was seriously harmed and work became more and more uncomfortable. Kelly decided not to renew her contract, and left Japan at the end of the school year.

The Importance of Cover Design Professionals

The Importance of Cover Design Professionals "The importance of hiring a cover design professional": An interview with Rachel Lawston The range of freelancer talent available for independent authors today is astonishing. Designer Rachel Lawston, who we interview today, is a perfect example of that. After working in-house for Penguin Random House, she is now freelance and works both for big publishers (HarperCollins) and indie authors. But is it really worth it, for an independent author with a limited budget to invest in such a talented professional for the cover design? We, at Reedsy, firmly believe it is.As we discuss in the interview, many covers out there look very similar. Self-published books are still very much stigmatised by certain spheres of the publishing industry, and that is mainly due to the quality of the books’ production (i.e. the cover, because that is the first thing you see). Rachel shares her views on that, and more, in this very insightful interview.Hi Rachel, great to have you here. You’re one of our best childrens and YA designers on Reedsy. And you’ve worked both in-hou se and as a freelancer. How did you get started in book design?Wow thank you so much, that is very kind of you to say! My first role in publishing was an assistant designer position at Walker Books. I was very lucky as I was trained by some very talented and wonderful people there and their books are so creative.You’ve worked in-house for Penguin Random House for over 3 years, and have now gone freelance. What do you reckon is the proportion of designers/editors who have done just that in the past few years? Gosh that is a tough question to answer – I honestly don’t know. I have noticed a lot of excitement and interest over the growth of new media, and different ways of working, perhaps that has caused more people to go freelance?You work both for big publishers, independent ones, and indie authors. Are there any differences in the way you approach things with these different clients? What’s your typical way of working with an indie author? I always treat every book with the same level of respect and careful attention that it needs to become the best it can be, regardless of whether it is a big publisher, independent or an indie author. Some books need more time than others, but that it is the nature of book design. Publishers and independent authors have their own very individual working styles and demands which make them exciting and a pleasure to work with.One of the nicest things about working with indie authors, is that they often take an active role in the creative process. I really enjoy working in collaboration with indie authors because the experience is so different to working with a publisher. For instance, I don’t think I can ever really explain the feeling of immense satisfaction I feel when I design a book cover for an indie author. When you directly work for an author, you witness their journey.When working with an indie author I always design a package around their individual book/series, with the their object ives and their budget in mind. If the author is based near to me, I always try to meet them (often in a bookshop!) so that we can discuss ideas, outline their aims and how they want to publish their book.I really like this sentence on your Reedsy profile: â€Å"You’ll have all the benefits of my experience, understanding of brand management, post-production and project management†. Do you think that when working with indie authors, designers have to be more than just graphic artists?Thank you! I feel it is important to support my authors as much as I am able. My experience means that I am able to offer these services.I think that the â€Å"you need an editor† message has really sunk in for most (serious) indie authors out there. However, many of them are still trying to make cuts on cover design and interior layout. Is it really worth it for an indie author with a limited budget to invest in a proper graphic design professional?Gosh, that is a tough question! I always feel very mean when I tell people about the importance of hiring a design professional, as I realise not everyone has the budget to do so.I believe that an eye-catching, well-crafted, well-designed cover increases the value of a book to readers and booksellers. A book cover should receive as much careful attention as it needs to become the best it can be, just like the text within.A professional designer will ensure you’re completely happy with your book before it goes to press because your book matters to them, and their final design reflects that.I do understand that some authors may not have the budget to pay the full fee for my services, which is why I create packages around each individual author, to suit their objectives and their budget.We discussed this in our last interview with a designer: Stewart Williams, and I’d love to have your thoughts on it: do you think there is a lack of originality in book covers out there? Are publishers/authors afraid to tr y new things in terms of design?I definitely agree with Stewarts comment â€Å"I think there’s only a small window of time in which you can emulate an idea and still be successful. The rest of the time you’ve got to try something different. It is a risk, and although people have to take risks, they usually don’t want to be the first one.†I think it’s very important to be the first rather than the second! The last thing an author wants, if for their book to be lost amongst similar looking books!Do you prefer working directly with the author (and the author only), or working under the structure of a traditional publisher and interacting with the author, the editorial team, the marketing department, etc.?I love variety. One of the best things about being a freelancer is the diversity of work. I enjoy working with both indie authors and publishers equally!How do you see the future of children’s book publishing? Is it print books, apps, both? I s ee apps and ebooks as another format – like a hardback or paperback. I think there will always be print books.And how do you see the future of graphic design within children’s book publishing? Will designers also be formatters, app developers, or even publishers?I actually know a couple of designers who already work as publishers! One of the best things about being a designer in children’s publishing is that you are such valued part of the team.Thanks so much for taking this time for us!Follow Reedsy and Rachel on TwitterLearn more about book cover design, book layout design, typography or illustration on Reedsy. Click on our design links!Check out our Facebook page for daily posts, images, and videos on self-publishing and book marketing!How do you see the future of children’s books? Do you agree that covers out there, in general, look too similar? Do you think it is worth investing in professional cover design? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

JDBC essays

JDBC essays The term client/server came into existence during the early 1980s when networking personal computers became popular. The basic concept behind the model is that there is one machine that request a service and one machine that provides a service. The machine making the request is known as the client and the one providing the service is the server. Before the client/server model was introduced there were two main distributed system models being commonly used but both were showing their age in the modern computing The first of these was the mainframe architecture. This had a powerful central host computer that carried out all the processing. To use the system the user connected to the mainframe via a dummy terminal. However as the industry moved towards the use of Graphical User Interfaces this model started to falter as incorporating them was very difficult. The second type is the file sharing architecture. In this model the server sends the requested file to the terminal where it can be used. This means that it uses the terminals resources taking a lot of strain off the server. However it does have problems if the amount of data being transferred is high and it can also lead to problems with data consistency because two people can call the file at the same time both make different edits and then both save. The person who saves the file first will lose all there changes once the second person saves. The number of simultaneous users was also very limiting. Only 12 people could connect at one time before performance became a significant problem The client/server model differs from these models because it uses a database server instead of a file server. The old mainframes are often used as the server in this system. This allows a user to query the files without downloading the whole files thus cuts down the amount of traffic that goes across the network. The Database Management system also ensures that referential integrity is...

Beehive extract potential prostate cancer treatment Essay

Beehive extract potential prostate cancer treatment - Essay Example As a means of determining the side effects of the propolis on the cells, researchers did various experiments by using the traditional and the modern ways. Their aim was to discover the effects of the beehive extract on the initial stages of the prostrate malignancy. As a means of proving that CAPE can stop the spread of cancer, the researchers at the university used mice infected with tumors. They discovered that when CAPE is given to the mice, it inhibits the growth of tumors. Control experiments were also conducted since the researchers ceased giving the compound to the mice. The outcome showed the tumor continued growing after they had stopped giving CAPE to the mice. They also discovered that, the beehive extracts can only stop the growing of tumor, but they do not eliminate the cancer (Jones, Kokontis & Chuu). More studies were carried out to confirm that CAPE is effective. One of these studies was done at the National Research Institutes based in Taiwan. In the research, many l ines of cancer were used, and the beehive compound successfully slowed the growth. Even if, the lowest concentration of CAPE was used, it was still be useful in inhibiting the enlargement tumor. The research outcomes also showed that the compound could also hinder the prostrate tumors growth in human beings. If a mice grafted with the human prostrated tumor is given CAPE for six weeks, the amount of prostrate tumor can decrease by half. When the mice stop taking the component, the tumor grows like before. In order to know how CAPE works on the cells to slow them down, the researchers at Taiwan invented a way of measuring the alterations of proteins under certain conditions using the Western blots. They found out that CAPE stops tumor growth by suppressing the protein actions on p70s6 kinase and Akt tracks, which can activate cell growth. Even though, human beings were the focus of the study, mice are mammals and all mammals’ cells have the same characteristics. Hence, the com pound can also work on human beings (Jones, Kokontis & Chuu). For effective treatment of prostrate cancer, CAPE together with other treatments is instrumental. For instance, since the compound cannot kill the tumor cells, it works with chemotherapy, which can kill the cells, while CAPE stops further growth of the cells. However, a need arises to conduct more studies concerning the use of the beehive extracts before using it on human beings. Many people have used the compound to treat other diseases, but they dot not know how they work and hence, before bringing it into pharmacies, researchers have to approve it (Jones, Kokontis & Chuu). The beehive extract prevents prostrate cancer by triggering the apoptosis process. The treatment of prostrate cancer through chemotherapy and radiotherapy is widely known. Nevertheless, these methods are not very effective since they kill cells resulting into damaging of the body immune system. Experimental outcomes show that propolis inhibit mutatio ns that are caused by chemical carcinogen. Propolis on Hep-2 cells hinders the proliferation of cells. This can induce cells apoptosis to certain extends (Farooqui & Farooqui 248). Additionally, propolis affects cycle of cells at a phase called G1 to S phase transition. Its effects are equally apparent at the transition phase of S phase to the

Macro Economics Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Macro Economics Paper - Essay Example The Governor additionally states that other economies around the globe will most likely have a reduction in their GDP’s as well. He also observes that the Chinese economic growth has also been moderated with the monetary conditions within the Asian continent becoming softer. Mr. Stevens also asserts that that the prices for various commodities within the globe have reduced in the recent past despite the fact that most are currently on the rise once more reaching record high values (Stevens, 2012). Therefore, in accordance to the Governor’s sentiments, this paper tries to evaluate whether the monetary decisions made by the Reserve Bank’s Board concerning the weakening economic state in the globe are appropriate to the country and within its mandate. Economic Concepts/ Theories To Be Applied Under the law on the Reserve Bank that was enacted in the year 1959, they are charged with the duty of formulating the country’s monetary policies (Graziani, 2003). This actually involves the act of taking actions so that the interest rates which affects the economic activities in the country. It can be done through ensuring that money is available in the country’s overnight cash markets because they affect other variables like the country’s GDP along with the levels of prices (Arnold, 2008). The law of 1959 additionally stipulates that the country’s goals in their monetary policies will be aimed at employment their whole labor force, ensuring the country’s currency remains stable, the prosperity in the welfare of the citizens financially (Bell, 2004). However, in order to ensure that the country’s currency remains stable their central bank has implemented policies that are aimed at controlling the rates of inflation in the country (Mankiw, 2011). The Australian central bank uses a monetary policy that is referred to as inflation targeting which involves their maintenance of stable but low rates of inflation. This policy has widely been utilized within the country with the belief that it will assist in creating a sounder basis for greater economic growth during the long run periods (Bell, 2004). The country’s Reserve Bank should adopt several policies that range from concepts monitoring their economic growths, business cycles, inflation along with monetary policies and their financial policy regulation. They should also keenly observe the trends within the international economy since they help in showing the direction that capital is currently flowing in (Knoop, 2009). In ensuring that the country’s economy grows, the Reserve Bank should utilize increases in their per capita’s to ensure that they grow in the long run periods. It is for this reason that some countries around the globe are termed as being more successful than others while others grow at similar rates (King, 2011). In evaluating the growth the country is experiencing, the board of the Reserve Bank should ex amine their investment rates, their population’s growth along with technological changes being experienced (Australia, CCH, 2011). The figures to be utilized can be found through the use of models like the neoclassical along with endogenous models for growth. In monitoring the business cycle within Australia to ensure their economic gr

The African and Chinese legal systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The African and Chinese legal systems - Essay Example Although, laws are culture specific and effectivity of laws still has to originate between man and the natural law. No amount of positive laws will prosper if the self controlled order is not put into consideration. Human beings as intelligent as ever could not be presumed to have no culture. As human beings, they have their own way of settling conflict amount themselves which are born out of human experience. In both Africa and Chinese laws they have their history to look back. Various events in their history shapes the present Leal legal system under which they operate. They have their historical cultures to look back that point’s evidence to their existence and them the manner they settle conflicts among themselves. The Western denial or branding on African and Chinese laws could not contradict the existence of internally developed wisdom of each culture. Each group of people in the world has its own way of doing things. For other culture not respect another’s cultur e would be me missing the very point of existence. Perhaps the law must have something to do as well with geographical locations because how these people behave socially or individually is also a function of geographical location, where they could be found on earth.

Exchange Risks Essay Example for Free

Exchange Risks Essay The challenging issues in international business within the 20th and 21st century are currency and exchange rate risks. In the late 20th century, for instances, it has been clear that exchange rate risks considerations are critical for business survival. The economics crisis in the U. S. and most of European countries has displayed how the value of currencies in international business settings could alter the faith of millions of people, brought some to welfare and others to poverty. Concerning the business strategy into Brazilian market, the plan to strengthen market in the country is greatly influenced by economical factors such as the inflation figure of Brazil and the global economics crisis. The inflation figure is important since it influence the purchasing power of Brazilian. The global economic crisis also influences the country’s exchange rate of Brazilian currency that further influence the pricing of Bimbo bread products. In the light of this involvement, companies need to perform foreign currency risks assessments regarding the business activities. Most companies generally apply some of the financial tools that would protect them from foreign currency risk exposure, like futures, forward contract, etc. Recommendation The first analysis that Bimbo may take in expanding into foreign market is the country risk analysis. This is important factor for Bimbo since retail industry is low concentrated industry in which many local bread providers. In addition, country risk analysis also helps Bimbo in assessing whether a country has a set of policy that benefits business or vice versa. The figure 1 suggests that the more attractive a country is in terms of FDI index, the more likely that Bimbo must immediately presents in the country. Based on the FDI Index, we assess that Bimbo has performed suitable investment in Brazil. Since a country risk is only one factor in deciding a foreign direct investment, Bimbo must perform the next step that is to define marketing objectives to guide the company in assessing their productivity in foreign market. Figure 1 Top 25 Countries in term of FDI Confidence Index Source: A. T. Kearney Challenges of Grupo Bimbo in the U. S Choose the Suitable Entry Strategy In terms of market entry, there are many ways of entering a foreign market; each has its own economic and legal implications. Some entry strategies that multinational companies usually take are joint venture and foreign direct investment. Joint venture is a type of foreign market penetration strategy has a considerably large investment risk but this method consists of an opportunity to learn and create a greater presence in the targeted markets. Companies prefer to perform this type of market entry strategy when dealing with countries whose government put considerable restrictions on foreign ownership (Quick MBA, 2007). In case of Bimbo, the company may conduct joint marketing, for example, with local retailer named Lojas Americanas, a Brazil leading department store chain. This method provides Bimbo with the capability to learn the Brazilian retail market since at that time Customers’ Preferences Other risks in conducting international expansion are cultural issues. This factor then accumulates into becoming customers’ preferences. According to various studies in the field, culture is often an underestimated factor in managing corporate businesses. These studies also revealed that those companies that failed to place culture as an important business consideration often find themselves in a disappointing circumstance. Business investments that cost millions of US dollars could go down the drain due to such failure (Kwintessential, 2007). For instances, the Brazilian and U. S. customers consider the quality of product as the most important factor when deciding to buy merchandises. The other factors are price, value added and packaging. Today, however, realizing the global environment we are living in, companies are becoming increasingly cultural sensitive. There are various examples of corporations that hired people from various backgrounds and discover a synergy within their cooperation. In terms of Bimbo, in order to cope with cultural issues, the company also makes some cultural adjustment such as the use of advertisement media. If in the U. S. , the company spends many television advertising, in the Brazil, Bimbo takes many radio advertisings since many Brazilian housewives listen to the radio more often then watching television. Reference: Ball, Donald A. et al. (2002). International Business the Challenge of Global Competition. McGraw Hill Holt, David H and Wigginton, Karen W. (2002). International Management. Thomson Kotler, Philip. (2000). Marketing Management. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc Kwintessential. (2007). Cultural Sensitivity in Business. Retrieved October 10, 2008 from http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/cultural-services/articles/cultural-sensitivity. html Quick MBA. (2007). Foreign Market Entry Modes. Retrieved October 10, 2008 from http://www. quickmba. com/strategy/global/marketentry/.

Asian Paints Marketing Strategy

Asian Paints Marketing Strategy Asian Paints is Indias largest paint company and ranked among the top ten Decorative coatings companies in the world with a turnover of INR 66.80 billion. Asian Paints along with its subsidiaries have operations in 17 countries across the world with 23 paint manufacturing facilities, servicing consumers in 65 countries through Berger International, SCIB Paints Egypt, Asian Paints, Apco Coatings and Taubmans. Asian Paints aims to become one of the top five Decorative coatings companies world-wide by leveraging its expertise in the higher growth emerging markets. Simultaneously, the company intends to build long term value in the Industrial coatings business through alliances with established global partners. With Economic performance as objective the organization now has to develop short-term goals to reach the overall objective. These Goals are usually functional target such as production, Sales, new market develop, new product development and technology up gradation, once the goal are determined the strategies can be evolved to meet the goals. The organization is now on the way to achieve the overall objective of Economic (i) Customer Asset : The settings up Asian paints colour world, a chain of state art paint shop, is a major step towards building customer asset. At the same time company is focusing more in rural areas than urban area and continuing to provide good and quality service to the customer. (ii) Technology asset : Asian paint is one of first Indian company to go hi-tech. Asian paint has always kept its competitor at bay by constantly re-innovating its business process and system. (iii) Employee Asset : Asian paint always praise its employee for its success in the market. Company always considers employee as a biggest factor of its success. (iv) Dealer vendor relationship : Asian paint always maintain a close relationship with its dealers because company think that they play a major role in Asian paint recent success. (v) Brand Asset : Although it is operating in the commodity market but still Asian paint is investing heavily in branding. Gattu- Asian paint official mascot is very popular in India. Divisional objective: Asian paint has following division that are as follows: Decorative segment Asian paint is the leader in this segment. It is ahead that its competitor Nerolac and Berger in Decorative segment company still have certain objective for this sector that to increase it sales and to acquire maximum position in the market share in Indian paint market. Objective for decorative segment : To expanding its range in the economy segment. To strengthen its position in the emulsion segment in both exterior and interior emulsion. To continue its strategy of pricing aggression and increase it sales and to gain the market share along with a good operating margin. To focus on the rural market as company believes as it as been its objective since the beginning. To focus more on adcampaign for enhancement of their sales in urban as well as rural market. Industrial segment Asian paint second line of production deals with the industrial coating. The constraint in these segment is that it is not as successful as the decorative segment. In these sector it has to face a stiff competition from its nearest competitor Nerolac and Berger Paints. Objective for Industrial segment : To build new infrastructure in the country for Industrial coating to increase the production capacity. To develop the quality of the product with a higher technological up gradation. To increase the sales of the Industrial coating with the help of proper Ad. campaign programme. Automotive segment : Automotive is the third segment of the Asian paint. It is a product which company target for the automobile market in India as well as abroad. Objective of automotive segment : To put emphasis on continuous improvement in quality and productivity. To put emphasis on detect prevention To reduce variation and wastage in the supply chain Marketing Objective: Asian paints the leader in Indian paint Industry has a very strong marketing division. With more than 35% market share Asian paint is still growing in leaps and bounce to achieve higher targets. It is changing fundamentally with two objective in mind a huge ramp in the market share and better growth over the next three years. Previously company used to function as undifferentiated organization. But now they have divided it into three section each. And each section has its own independent support system, targets and performance parameter. Company marketing objectives are as follows: Asian paint is highly accepted in the urban sector and now the company is trying to access the rural market with low price product like Utsav targeting every customer of all income level. To increase its sales in the urban sector Asian paints today have 30 colour world located in different cities of India where any body can have the real taste of the colour. Online marketing has become an integrated part of the company and company is trying install a strong integrated for online marketing. Asian paints international unit, which have a dedicated marketing team is also targeting for a rapid growth in overseal market. Asian paint is following unlque strategy of marketing in the rural areas by using their official mascot. According to the company it feels that picture are more dominant than name. Asian paint website Asian paints com provides several information regarding the product and various other information that is being required by customer and dea Volumes and Profits : Indian paint industry is less than  ½ of the size of the Chinese paint industry by volume and less than 1/5 of the size of the US paint Industry by volume. In terms of Per capita consumption, the Indian paint industry lags behind the Pakistan and Sri Lankan markets also. Product : Paint Asian paint details with product that is (i) Decorative (ii) Industrial (iii)Automative. The product that this project will deal with will exclusively be decorative pains. Decorative Paints includes the following categories of product EXTERIOR WALLS : Asian Paints offers a range of emulsion paints for your exterior walls such as ACE, Apex, Apex Ultima, Apex Duracast and more, based on the specific demand of surface area. Interior Walls Distempers Distempers offer strong performance to the interior wall surface in terms of protection and adhesion. Tractor Acrylic Distemper, with better durability, is one of the best performing distemper made by Asian Paints. Emulsions Interior emulsions are advanced water based paints with better quality and shade range. Adhesion to wall surface, anti fungal properties and durability is more in emulsions. Enamels Enamels is a premium brand from Asian Paints, it is superior in terms of performance and gives that Perfect Finish for the walls. Competitors : In terms of gross sales we can rank the competitors of Asian paints as : Nerolac paints Berger Paints ICI Paints. In industry they are recognized as trailing firms. But with their high growth in the industry the competitors can touch or even overtake Asian paints, for that the three main competitors have different strategies. Initially one common strategy must be their mind is to increase the market share. Market Size: The market size of the Indian paints sector has been pegged at Rs 170 bn in value terms and is very fragmented. The per capita consumption of paints in India stands at 0.5 kg per annum as compared to 1.6 kgs in China and 22 kgs in the developed economies. Indias share in the world paint market is just 0.6%. The unorganised sector controls around 35% of the paint market, with the organised sector accounting for the balance. In the unorganised segment, there are about 2,000 units having small and medium sized paints manufacturing plants. Top organised players include Asian Paints (30% market share), Kansai Nerolac (20% market share), Berger Paints (19% market share) and ICI (12% market share). Decoratives: Major segments in decoratives include exterior wall paints, interior wall paints, wood finishes and enamel and ancillary products such as primers, putties etc. Decorative paints account for over 75% of the overall paint market in India. Asian Paints is the market leader in this segment. Demand for decorative paints arises from household painting, architectural and other display purposes. Demand in the festive season (September-December) is significant, as compared to other periods. This segment is price sensitive and is a higher margin business as compared to industrial segment. Industrial: Three main segments of the industrial sector include automotive coatings, powder coatings and protective coatings. Kansai Nerolac is the market leader in this segment. User industries for industrial paints include automobiles engineering and consumer durables. The industrial paints segment is far more technology intensive than the decorative segment. Customer Retention Asian Paints Limited, Indias largest paint company, has a reputation for professionalism and fast-track growth. Customers are at the core of all Asian Paints business activities. A simple but unbeatable concept of going where the customer is drives all its major initiatives. The company has an enviable reputation in the corporate world for professionalism, fast-track growth and customer-centricity. The Key Challenges addressed by the company are: A Fresh Approach to the Customer Experience  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Develop a direct link to the customer Standardize sales delivery processes used by Asian Paints Institute an online ordering and accounting system for providers Implement a real-time reporting system for employees and business partner   Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Intermediary Retention Industry is characterized by the presence of intermediaries who have a very high influencing power on the purchase decisions of the consumer, especially in the urban areas. Using these intermediaries for initiating demand: The intermediaries (the painters, contractors, designers, decorators etc.) are used as a marketing arm of the company Occupy part of the intermediary space and try to sideline other intermediaries: Asian Paints has opened a service arm, which provides the services provided by the existing intermediaries in the market. Being present in different seditions of the value delivery system and having a strong brand equity in the Paints market would give AP the credibility to operate a strong service arm. The service based strategy of AP could have two different approaches AP could try to reduce the power of the intermediary by increasing the Pull for the product. The role of the influencer could be drastically reduced by increasing the power of the end-consumer. AP can achieve this by establishing a strong brand name for its brands.

The Effects of Industrialization on Norway’s Economy, Environment and P

The Effects of Industrialization on Norway’s Economy, Environment and Population Up until the beginning of the twentieth century, Norwegians were primarily fisherman and farmers. The fishing industry has been the basis of life and culture in Norway for hundreds of years. The fishing industry is still very important in Norway, however the discovery of oil in the North Sea has had a huge impact on the Norwegian economy and culture. Oil discoveries in the North Sea have made Norway a wealthy nation. Since the discovery of oil, Norway has become a highly industrialized country. Today, Norway has become very modern and technologically advanced. Industrialization is defined as, â€Å" To develop industry in (a country or society, for example)†. [30] The industry that is primarily being developed in Norway is oil. This industrialization has not only effected Norway’s economy but also its population and environment. Industry has brought a lot of jobs to Norway and many Norwegians are moving to Norway’s urban areas to be close to these jobs. More than 90,000 people work in the oil industry today. Around 20,000 are shift workers on the oil and gas platforms in the North and Norwegian Seas, Norway’s two main oil and gas-producing areas.[29] Unemployment in Norway is at an all time low. Immigration to Norway has increased because of the many job opportunities that the oil industry has brought to Norway. In my paper I will talk about the many ways in which industrialization has impacted Norway’s economy, population and environment. I think this is relevant to the class because it will entail discussions on immigration, economy, and population. Norway’s population grew more rapidly during the 19th century than during any oth... ...l obal+%2Bwarming+%2Bnorway&oq=&url=http%3A//www.dieoff.org/page129.htm&ti =The+Carbon+Bomb%3A+Climate+Change+and+the+Fate+of+the+Northern+Boreal+F orests&top=1486 [23] Greenpeace .org http://www.greenpeace.org/~climate/ [24] UDI http://www.udi.no/zengelsk/3834/index.html [25] A Place in the World Edited by Doreen Massey and Pat Jess [26] Away.com http://away.com/frames/lp.tcl?type=history&lp_region_id=310&page_id=01&page_locat ion= [27] Conde Nast Traveler http://www.concierge.com/run/concierge/OverviewDetail?geo_uid=5142 [28] Contemporary Review Magazine, May 1997 http://www.britannica.com/bcom/magazine/article/0,5744,239651,00.html?query=epz%2 0manufacturing [29] ODIN http://odin.dep.no/odin/engelsk/norway/economy/032005-990443/index-dok000-b-n-a.html [30] Dictionary.com http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=industrialization

Luxury Brands Essay

ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE CONCEPT OF LUXURY: AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS Bernard Dubois, Groupe H. E. C. Gilles Laurent, Groupe H. E. C. Even though recent years have not been extremely favorable for the luxury industry (the ComitT Colbert which includes many prestigious French names – Chanel, Dior, Yves Saint-Laurent, etc†¦ – reports a 1. 5% increase in real terms for 1993), its growth rate, considered over a longer period, remains impressive. Colbert companies have more than doubled their sales over the last eight years (ComitT Colbert, 1991, 1993). In 1993, they achieved a global turnover of about USD 5. 5 billion. The Pacific Rim countries represented 28% of that amount (21. 6% in 1988), equally divided between Japan and the other Asian countries. Interestingly enough, however, such growth in demand has not been matched by an equivalent progress in consumer research and what was estimated by McKinsey (in 1990) to be a USD 60 billion market largely remains unexplored territory (McKinsey, 1991). Some studies obviously have been conducted and published in the past but they tended to focus on relatively narrow aspects. For example, the consumption habits of the affluent have been investigated regularly since Veblen’s seminal work (Veblen, 1899) and, today, anecdotal reports (Stanley, 1988, 1991) as well as in-depth monographies of specific segments such as upper class wasps (Hirschman, 1988) or nouveaux-riches (LaBarbera, 1988) are available. Limiting the investigation of the luxury market to the analysis of privileged consumers however would fail to recognize that, under the influence of diffusion strategies adopted by many luxury goods companies (for brands such as Dior or Yves Saint-Laurent, accessories may represent up to two thirds of their sales), today’s demand for luxury goods primarily consists of â€Å"ordinary† consumers who, from time to time, transform their desire to acquire a luxury item into reality. Similary, a few studies have been published on luxury brands, for instance on issues such as their relative positions in people’s mind (Dubois and Duquesne, 1993 ; Weber and Dubois, forthcoming) or their adopters’ characteristics (Andrus, Silver and Johnson, 1986) but many luxury goods (houses, diamonds, furniture, etc†¦ ) belong to product categories where branding is not a salient dimension, while, at the same time, a few brands (such as FabergT) which were in the past considered as luxury names seem to have lost their affiliation to the luxury world, usually because they have overdiffused their products. Finally, some research has also been published on the determinants of the acquisition of luxury products, emphasizing economic (Leibenstein, 1950 ; Mason, 1981) socio-demographic (Dubois and Laurent, 1993) or cultural aspects (Dubois and Duquesne, 1993 ; Mason 1993) but no overall conceptual scheme, model or theory has been developed yet. Paradoxically, one of the untapped research areas concerns the very nature of perceptions and attitudes attached to the word â€Å"luxury† itself. This is somewhat surprising because even casual conversations reveal that the word â€Å"luxury† evokes rather strong connotations among people. Some attach to it very positive feelings while others are quick to express their disdain, but few are left indifferent. The absence of research on the word â€Å"luxury† also is unfortunate because, in several product categories, the luxury adjective is used routinely to segment markets and to position products. In the car industry for example, both manufacturers and consumers clearly identify luxury models (Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Cadillac, etc†¦ ) usually advertised as such. The same holds true for such services as hotels or restaurants. The objective of this paper is to report on an exploratory analysis of the perceptions and attitudes attached to the word (and underlying concept of) â€Å"luxury†. It is hoped that the results presented below will stimulate further research in the area and eventually contribute to the development of a theory of luxury acquisition and consumption behavior. METHOD In order to explore the meanings attached to the word â€Å"luxury†, a two-step survey methodology was adopted. Other approaches such as semiotics could also have been used but were left less appropriate to explore, and to some extent, quantify consumers’ attitudes towards the luxury concept (Wargnier, 1985). First, in-depth interviews were conducted by a professional psychologist with sixteen consumers selected for their widely different (and complementary) profiles. Both males and females were equally represented in the panel and age varied from 17 to 70 years. Occupations were also strongly contrasted, ranging from sales rep to student and from opera singer to mechanic. All interviews were conducted at home, on a face-to-face basis, and taped. On the basis of results obtained from such qualitative research, a battery of attitudinal items was developed and administered to a sample of 440 French consumers. Although not randomly drawn, the sample was chosen according to quotas set in terms of sex, age and geographical location. Given the nature of the topic under investigation, it was decided to overrepresent female respondents and to underrepresent lower income categories. All interviews were conducted by professional interviewers on a face to face basis. Although the questionnaire included many questions about specific product categories such as perfumes, jewelry, etc†¦ only the results connected with qualitative research and the general attitudinal statements are reported in this paper. RESULTS www. acrwebsite. org/search/view-conference-proceedings. aspx? Id=11539 1/4 3/4/13 Attitudes Towards the Concept of Luxury: an Exploratory Analysis by Bernard Dubois and Gilles Laurent From the results obtained through qualitative research, several important themes emerge in relation to the concept of luxury. First, the world â€Å"luxury† itself is spontaneously associated with other terms such as (in decreasing order of frequency) : â€Å"upscale†, â€Å"quality†, â€Å"good taste†, â€Å"class†, but also â€Å"flashiness† and â€Å"bad taste†. All of these terms overlap in meaning to a certain extent but also have distinct connotations. For example, the key perceived difference between upscale and luxury products is that the former imply a relative position on an evaluative scale while the latter correspond to a self-contained entity. Upscale products also are naturally connected with material goods while the concept of luxury encapsulates symbolic and cultural values. During interviews, many respondents referred to abstracts concepts such as space, time, or freedom to convey their perceptions of luxury. The fact that both good taste and bad taste are associated with luxury, sometimes by the same people, clearly reveal the ambivalent nature of respondents’ feelings, a theme which has been recently investigated in the context of gift giving behavior (Sherry, McGrawth and Levy, 1993). Typical contrasts emerge on dimensions such as : essential/superfluous, decent/indecent, quality/gadget†¦ Given this ambivalence, it is not surprising to find that luxury items often provoke avoidance/attraction reactions. For many respondents, luxury products are desirable when contemplated at a distance, at a day-dreaming level : when a specific purchase is considered (sometimes â€Å"ruminated†), guilt feelings arise however and the buying act is experienced by many as a transgression, a not totally excusable attempt to break off daily routine and run away, at least temporarily. TABLE 1 (/volumes/ap01/01274t01. gif) (/volumes/ap01/01274t01. gif) ATTITUDINAL STATEMENTS ABOUT LUXURY (/volumes/ap01/01274t01. gif) At the same time, the luxury transgression can also be a regression, a trip back to one’s idealized childhood, when everything was warm and smooth. This would explain why the concept of luxury was felt by many to be relative and idiosyncratic. During interviews, a number of respondents spontaneously started to describe â€Å"their† luxury, as if they were talking about a secret garden, only known to them. The dual nature of luxury-a world in itself and a world for me-certainly accounts for a large proportion of the ambivalence of feelings. Without oversimplyfing too much, one could say that many negative feelings are attached to â€Å"others’ luxury†, while the positive ones are kept for â€Å"my† luxury. On the basis of such themes, a battery of 34 attitudinal items was developed, pretested and administered. The attitudinal statements as well as the overall frequencies are presented in Table 1 and discussed in the following sections. Overall results tend to confirm conclusions obtained from qualitative research about the ambivalent nature of respondents’ feelings. As far as the concept itself is concerned for example, a majority of respondents considers that luxury is synonymous with â€Å"good taste†, is â€Å"pleasant†, â€Å"not old-fashioned† and â€Å"useful† but also â€Å"flashy† and â€Å"too expensive for what it is. † When commenting on their personal rapport to luxury, most respondents express a positive attitude (â€Å"I like luxury,† â€Å"I’m interested in luxury,† â€Å"Luxury makes me dream,† â€Å"Luxury products make life more beautiful†) but also confess their relative lack of expertise (â€Å"I don’t know much about it,† â€Å"I could not talk about it for hours†) and infrequent purchase activity (â€Å"I almost never buy luxury products†). When asked (in a projective mode) to comment on others’ behavior, a vast majority subscribes to the hedonic motive (â€Å"One buys luxury goods primarily for one’s pleasure†) and refutes the snobbish argument, but more than 50% of those who express an opinion consider that â€Å"people who buy luxury products seek to imitate the rich† and, on issues like â€Å"people who buy luxury goods try to differentiate themselves from others† or â€Å"people who buy luxury products are refined people† the sample is totally divided. Similarly, one out of two respondents does not support the idea of a heavier tax but one out of three welcomes such a proposal! In order to improve our understanding of the underlying attitudinal structure, correlation and principal component analyses were performed. Rather than displaying the full 34 x 34 correlation matrix, not easy to read (1156 coefficients), we decided to attempt to graphically represent the underlying structure, even though we recognize that it is not always possible to completely eliminate arbitrariness in positioning the items on the resulting map. Figure 1 depicts the map obtained when only intercorrelations higher than 0. 4 are considered. To make it easier to read and to interpret, all items which imply a favorable predisposition towards luxury are positioned on the left side of the figure while â€Å"negative† statements appear on the right side. Coefficients between 0. 40 and 0. 50 are indicated by dotted lines while solid lines correspond to correlations above 0. 50. Obviously, all coefficients are statistically significant. It appears that the backbone of perceptions and attitudes evolves around the attraction-avoidance dimension mentioned previously. The two attitudinal statements â€Å"I like luxury† and â€Å"I’m not interested in luxury† exhibit a strong (negative) correlation, with an absolute value which is the highest one in the whole matrix. From such a map, a number of conclusions can be drawn : 1. – There are two basic reasons underlying the lack of interest in luxury. The first one is a negative perception of the luxury world, considered in an absolute, general and abstract sense. Those who adopt this perspective tend to describe luxury goods as useless, old-fashioned, too expensive and flashy. Since they fail to see much value in luxury items, they do not develop an appetite for them. 2. – The second reason is more linked to a perceived lack of fit between the individual and luxury. Those who feel this absence of connivence tend to explain it in terms of their own inexpertise, their uneasiness with luxury environments and an impression of artificiality when they wear their luxury items (in case they own some). All those factors logically result in a minimal involvement in both interest for luxury goods and acquisition behavior. 3. – Although not reported on the map, the correlations between, on the one hand, those two sets of items and, on the other hand, the group of three statements related to the perceived reasons why others buy luxury goods (located at the extreme right of the figure) are statistically significant, typically in the 0. 20 – 0. 40 range. Those who don’t feel at ease with luxury goods and admit their incompetence also tend to believe that â€Å"others† buy luxury items to imitate the rich or to differentiate themselves from the rest of the population. www. acrwebsite. org/search/view-conference-proceedings.aspx? Id=11539 2/4 3/4/13 Attitudes Towards the Concept of Luxury: an Exploratory Analysis by Bernard Dubois and Gilles Laurent Those who believe that luxury goods are too expensive and flashy have a similar perception of the behavior of â€Å"others. † But the factors underlying such perceptions are not the same for both groups. While the former find one more reason to deepen the gap which separates them from the world of luxury, it looks as if the latter have one more justification in support of their disdain of an environment perceived as sterile and futile. 4. – The two mechanisms underlying disinterest have their counterparts on the positive (left hand) side. Although not shown on the map, the correlation between â€Å"I like luxury† and â€Å"I could talk about it for hours† is highly significant (0. 32). People who like luxury also are people who feel knowledgeable about it, both in terms of expertise and familiarity (Alba and Hutchinson, 1987). The luxury world is â€Å"their† world and they move in it like a fish in water, as revealed by their strong opposition to the statement â€Å"I almost never buy luxury goods†. 5. – But the appetite for luxury goods can be also developed on a more abstract and symbolic dimension (upper left corner). Those who adopt this viewpoint see the luxury word as a source of fascination and enlightment. Luxury products make them dream and contribute, in their opinion, to a more beautiful life. This ethereal perception of luxury is also the most hedonic of all in nature, as revealed by the strong correlations obtained with the items related to pleasure. Luxury becomes a permanent source of inspiration and happiness, almost a goal for life, far beyond transient fads and fashions. All these facets of luxury are easily confirmed by the rotated factor structure. Applying the varimax procedure to the table of intercorrelations yields the matrix reproduced in Table 2. Ten factors were extracted explaining about 60% of the variance. While the last six correspond to specific items (or pairs of items) not directly linked with the core attitudinal structure but useful to illustrate such topics as price perceptions and their consequences (Factor 5), or the scarcity issue (Factor 6), the first four correspond rather closely to the structure discussed previously. Factor 1 expresses the lack of interest due to limited expertise and familiarity, while Factor 2 corresponds to the positive evaluation of luxury goods fostered by hedonistic motives. Factor 3 summarizes the negative perceptions attached to the behavior of others and Factor 4 corresponds to the mythical and symbolic values attached to the luxury â€Å"fairy tale†. Taken together, these four factors contribute to a better understanding of the underlying structure and can be helpful for someone interested in developing a short scale intended to measure attitudes toward the concept of luxury. As an illustration, the factorial structure of a subset of twelve items appears on Table 3 and is rather straightforward in its interpretation : While the first factor corresponds to perceptions related to the concept of â€Å"Luxury in general†, factor 2 expresses a more personal rapport to luxury, and the remaining two factors describe attitudes towards those who consume luxury items. CONCLUSIONS Despite the importance and growth of the luxury sector, the determinants of luxury acquisition and consumption have received very little attention in the consumer research literature. There is a distinct lack of systematic studies to model and test the processes whereby individuals develop an appetite for the world of luxury (or fail to do so). FIGURE 1 (/volumes/ap01/01276f01. gif) TABLE 2 (/volumes/ap01/01277t02. gif) (/volumes/ap01/01277t02. gif) FACTOR STRUCTURE (/volumes/ap01/01277t02. gif) Given its exploratory nature, the present research only represents a first step in the development of a model of luxury acquisition and consumption. Only the attitudes towards the concept in general have been investigated here. The dual nature of those attitudes has emerged as a major conclusion of both qualitative and quantitative data: The structure of people’s predispositions towards luxury, as a concept, are affected both by their perception of the luxury world in general and their perceived personal fit with such a world. Future studies could investigate: 1) the socio-demographic and psychographic elements associated with such predispositions; 2) the role of specific product categories in the development of attitudes towards luxury and 3) the evolution of these predispositions over time. A program of research on each of these topics is being conducted by the authors and its results will be reported in future contributions. TABLE 3 (/volumes/ap01/01278t03. gif) (/volumes/ap01/01278t03. gif) A TWELVE ITEM ATTITUDINAL SCALE ON THE CONCEPT OF LUXURY (/volumes/ap01/01278t03. gif) REFERENCES Alba, Joseph, W. and J. Wesley Hutchinson (1987), â€Å"Dimension of Consumer Expertise†, Journal of Consumer Research, 13, March, pp. 411-454. Andrus, David M. , Edward Silver and Dallas E. Johnson (1986), â€Å"Status Brand Management and Gift Purchase: A Discriminant Analysis†, The Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 3, Winter, pp. 5-13. ComitT Colbert (1993), Rapport 1992 – Perspective 1993, Paris : ComitT Colbert, and (1991), Rapport 1990 – Perspective 1991 – Paris : ComitT Colbert. Dubois, Bernard and Patrick Duquesne (1993), â€Å"Polarization Maps: A New Approach to Identifying and Assessing Competitive Position: The Case of Luxury Brands, Marketing and Research Today, vol. 21, n ¦ 2 (May), pp. 115-123 Dubois, Bernard and Patrick Duquesne (1993), â€Å"The Market For Luxury Goods: Income vs Culture†, European Journal of Marketing, vol. 23, n ¦1, pp. 35-44. www. acrwebsite. org/search/view-conference-proceedings. aspx? Id=11539 3/4 3/4/13 Attitudes Towards the Concept of Luxury: an Exploratory Analysis by Bernard Dubois and Gilles Laurent Dubois, Bernard and Gilles Laurent (1993), â€Å"Is There a Euro-Consummer For Luxury Goods? â€Å", in Fred Van Raaij and Gary Bamossy (Eds), European Advances in Consumer Research, vol. 1, Provo, UT, Association For Consumer Research, pp. 58-69. Hirschman Elizabeth (1988), â€Å"Upper Class Wasps as Consumers: A Humanistic Inquiry†, in Elizabeth Hirschmann (Ed), Research in Marketing, vol.3, pp. 115-147, JAI Press Inc. 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