Investigate the impact e-commerce has on SMEs (Small and Medium Essay

Investigate the impact e-commerce has on SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and explore the perceived benefits gained by operating online - Essay Example There are four major categories of e-commerce, namely, Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Peer-to-Peer (P2P) and Consumer-to-Business (C2B) (Rayport & Jaworski, 2003). In addition, there is also government involved in some instances, so that there are actually three parties in such cases. This makes the total number of categories equal to nine; however, it is often omitted due to rarity of such situations ever arising (Schniederjans & Cao, 2002). Quite clearly, electronic commerce enables a two-way communication between various ports involved in a financial transaction. The history of online business can be traced back to that of the invention of World Wide Web, although, it was the least important of all causes that operated behind the invention of the latter (Chan, Lee, Dillon & Chang, 2009). In fact, it was only when researchers were contemplating different areas where the new invention could prove to be beneficial, that the concept of introducing electronic commerce was paved (O’Regan, 2008). The Internet is a common platform for a large quantity of information. Not only has it helped to make communication faster and cheaper, but has also facilitated in building up of a large database including different hardware and software sourced in different networks. This was one of the primary features of Internet that attracted firms from all over the world to try their hand in e-commerce (Schniederjans & Cao, 2002). However, as its use became more and more popular among the firms and their customers, more benefits of using the technology started peeping out. Two of the key advantages of adopting electronic commerce in making financial transactions are – reduction in the cost of accomplishing transactions and enhancing productivity of the firms. Introduction to online technology has helped in lower recruitments and lower cost of maintenance indicating a reduced cost of

Slavery and sectionalism, between the North and South Essay Example for Free

Slavery and sectionalism, between the North and South Essay To what extent did the American Civil War succeed in removing the two main causes of conflict: slavery and sectionalism, between the North and South? The causes of the Civil War are a subject that have fascinated historians for generations, provoking many different interpretations. From my study I have found slavery and sectionalism to be the most important causes. In the short term, the war did not succeed in eradicating these causes of conflict and actually incited further problems, such as racism and violence. The Reconstruction period failed to achieve its main aims, which were to re-unite the two sections of North and South into the Union, and to help the Negro to infiltrate that country as a citizen, and not a slave. I also aim to show that these forces are still evident in American society today, and therefore bring the historical argument up to date. Sectionalism is a multi-faceted cause, and many historians have stressed different aspects of this sectionalism as the cause of conflict. Cultural and social historians emphasise the contrast between the civilisations and values of the two regions, whereas progressive historians stress the economic gulf between the North and South, and Marxist historians believe the class difference was the overriding cause of conflict. These views are valid as a detailed insight into particular areas of sectionalism, however their narrow viewpoint ignores other contributing factors. The most reliable view is provided by Kennet M Stampp, who demonstrates that sectionalism was a culmination of these factors which together were a major cause of conflict. He uses a variety of sources, both contemporary and secondary, to provide a balanced evaluation. This is juxtaposed to other historians who may have used a limited range of sources or been influenced by the predominant view of the time. Other historians, however, have singled out slavery to be the cause of the sectional crisis, and indeed the war. Northern historians such as James Ford Rhodes particularly uphold this view: of the American Civil War it may safely be asserted that there was a cause, slavery Slavery certainly was a huge force in America. In 1860, four million people were slaves with more that three million of these working in the South. Nonetheless, revisionist historians have argued that slavery was not the main cause of the Civil War. This could possibly have been due to a new influx of evidence, or a particular historical debate. However, recently, historians have criticised these accounts for failing to appreciate the moral urgency of the slavery issue, and have given renewed emphasis to slavery as the cause of the conflict. Despite these different interpretations, it was both the multi-faceted nature of sectionalism and slavery, which caused the Civil War. According to law, slavery was removed after the American Civil War with the Emancipation Proclamation of September 22 1862: All persons held as slaves within any state, or designated part of a state shall be forever free This however, did not free them from the racism and discrimination that their emancipation incited. The Southern image of the Negro was shaped by their slave past, and therefore the image had not changed despite the war. For example, Brogan says: the mind of the section is continuous with the past Cash and his book are themselves strong evidence of the continuation of these ideas, even one hundred and forty years later. Other historians are in accordance with this view: Southern bitterness ran deep People still believed that what they had fought for wasnt morally wrong and that Africans were meant to be slaves. Thus, as Cable writes the ex slave was not a freeman, only a free Negro. These ideas were furthered by evidence from sociologists, anthropologists and psychologists who presented what they regarded as convincing evidence of the innate racial traits of Negroes, indicating that they were intellectually inferior to whites. For example Dr J C Nott, a leading Southern ethnologist in the 1850s said: The Negro races stand at the lowest point in the scale of human beings. These ideas were also passed on through the government, for example Alexander H Stephens (vice President of the Confederacy) said: equality does not exist between blacks and whites. The one race is by nature inferior in many respects, physically and mentally to the other. Thus, white people were indoctrinated by superior, and who they believed to be trustworthy figures of the time. This contemporary evidence is extremely useful to the modern historian to understand how the belief of the inferiority of Negroes was continued, and indeed reinstated, after the war, hence causing the degradation of the blacks. Economic degradation of the Negro also strengthened the white mans belief in their innate inferiority. Emancipated Negroes were potential social and economic competitors, particularly owing to the rapidly rising population of the South; therefore white men felt that they had to keep them at the bottom of the caste and economic system. This was achieved through sharecropping. Useless land was given to blacks who could take a share of the crop. The planters could therefore bring land to production without paid labour, whilst at the same time giving the chance for the black man to work under his own supervision and to sell his share of the crop to eventually buy his own land. However the blacks received poor treatment, were often cheated out of their money and remained under the control of the whites. Hence in all but appearance this was the same as the old plantation and slavery had effectively not been removed. Derrick Murphy upholds this view: Sharecropping.. kept them [the Negroes] in a position of poverty and social inferiority. Indeed sharecropping continued into the 1940s in some areas of America, such as Alabama, therefore it was another eighty years before slavery was abolished in the farms. The black codes also endorsed this idea of the black remaining under whites control. For example, a leading Northern liberal, Carl Schurz, remarked that the codes embodied the idea that although individual whites could no longer have property of the individual blacks, the blacks at large belonged to the whites at large. This could be seen as a prejudiced evaluation as Schurz is a Northerner remarking on Southern principles. However, this viewpoint is supported by fact. The black codes prohibited Negroes serving on juries or testifying against white men, disallowed Negroes marrying whites and stated that the Negroes were not allowed to leave their place of work without permission. The codes therefore limited their freedom, and reduced them to a state of pre-war slavery. Schurzs analysis is indeed correct, that the Negroes were far from being emancipated as they still belonged to the whites. Whites disallowed blacks the right to better their position through education. Post war public education was only provisioned for whites, as they believed that the education of blacks was a waste of effort, or even dangerous (Degler). All over the South in 1865-7 any white person who attempted to instruct Negroes was subject to attacks and violence. Therefore the blacks were further denied rights, much the same as they were under slavery. Under the driving will of the Radical Republicans, the fourteenth and fifteenth Amendment of 1866 and 1869 were adopted to the Constitution. These allowed the blacks to be full citizens, and equal in rights and voting privileges with white men. This threat of possible black power to white supremacy caused an upsurge of hatred towards the blacks, and an outbreak of violence and intimidation at the ballot box. Groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, Knights of White Camelia, The White Brotherhood and The Pale Faces began to emerge. Their aim is shown in the official charge to the new recruits of the Ku Klux Klan in 1867: Our main and fundamental objective is the maintenance of the supremacy of the white race in this Republic. Therefore we can see that the emancipation of the slaves actually provoked worse reaction towards the Negroes, and made their life one filled with terror, which it had net been to the same extent before. However, there were also some positive moves towards equality of blacks in the Reconstruction period. Radical Republicans believed that all sons of Adam and Eve are equal in the eyes of God and therefore that it was morally wrong for Negroes to be discriminated against. They pushed for the Force Acts passed on May 31st 1870, and February 21st 1871. These said that force or intimidation used to prevent citizens from voting would be punished by fine or imprisonment. A third Force Act, the Ku Klux Klan Act of April 20th 1871, imposed heavier penalties on persons who shall conspire together, or go in disguise for the purpose of depriving any person or any class of person of the equal protection of the laws, or of equal privileges or immunities under the laws. They also pressed for a longer life span of the Freedmans Bureau, which provided food, clothing and medical care for refugees and Negroes. According to the original act, the bureaus work was to terminate within a year after the end of the war. However, through the work of the Congressional Committee on Reconstruction and the radicals, the Freedmens Bureau Bill was passed in February 1866, which indefinitely extended its life span. However the bureau was hated by most Southern men, and was subject to much criticism, for example that it was stirring up discontent among the Negroes and giving false hopes, or that the bureau employed corrupt and incompetent administrators who wasted federal money. Some of this is true, however a more trustworthy evaluation of the bureaus work is that of historian Kenneth M Stampp, who believed the bureau played a constructive role in the transformation of the Negro from slave to citizen and that the tradition that the bureau was rife with corruption and incompetence is an exaggeration. His evaluation can be regarded as more trustworthy owing to the fact that as a modern historian he is less likely to be influenced by past war views and the use of evidence as propaganda. More than likely much of this corruption will have been exaggerated by Southern propagandists to try and close the bureau down and stop any aid to the Negroes. Stampp also has a wider range of source material and t he value of hindsight to provide a more balanced argument. However, the bureau did not manage the complete transformation especially as Congress stopped its activities in 1869. Thus ended the one modest Federal effort to deal directly with some of the social and economic problems confronting the post-war South, as written by Stampp. The Radical Republicans began to decline, and were replaced with stalwarts, who were concerned with the maintaining the status quo. This meant that they were no longer concerned with the issue of Negroes, and that its crusade had lost vitality. Brognan writes, by the end of the mind 70s the Negro was seen, at best, as a bore and a nuisance. Thus, by the end of the Reconstruction Period, the Negro remained a lower caste, economically discriminated against, faced with violence, and in a position no better than that of the pre-war slavery period. Towards the end of the nineteenth century their position became worse as they faced segregation. I t began with a movement led by Mississippi Constitutional Convention of 1890, which insisted on poll taxes and literary tests to remove blacks from the voting registers. This initiated a period of segregation in hospitals, theatres, cemeteries, housing, prisons and even with water fountains. This was not helped by the fact that the North had begun to look at a Negro through Southern eyes. The post-war era may have united the Northern and Southern beliefs about the Negroes, however it caused a greater void between the two sections in other respects. The Civil War destroyed two thirds of Southern wealth, which was worsened by a population rise in the South, thus impoverishing the South. This was in direct juxtaposition with the North, who got economic benefits from the secession. It became easier for the North to go ahead with construction, for example of the transcontinental railway, without the South opposing it, and during the war years Northern wealth had grown by 50 percent. Thus, the war actually exacerbated the pre-war problems by creating an even greater economic gulf. Slavery had also hindered the training of artisans and craftsmen, and education remained a low priority for the south. Any educated Southerners would travel to the North to go to university, thus draining the South of its intelligence, and possible makers of wealth. This therefore maintained the divisions between the two sections of the country. The war also did not change the attitude of the two sections towards one another. If anything it strengthened them, and created patriotic ideas of either section: Four years of fighting for the preservation of their world, and their heritage, four years of measuring themselves against the Yankee had left the South more aware of their differences and of the line which divided what was South and what was not. Cash here provides a valuable and reliable view of the Southern viewpoint for an outsider. However, it is only a reliable view of the traditional Southern stance. Throughout his book it is interesting to note how revisionist ideas are not explored. This can be viewed in a positive manner however, in that we are given deep insight into one type of historical viewpoint, a view that many post-war Southerners would have held, one that evidently still exists today. This idea of Southern nationalism was deeply rooted in their fear of losing their traditions and therefore the status quo of the section. It was an unwillingness to change into a section like the North. They had their stereotypical views of the North, thus to change they felt they would incite moral and Physical ruin. Therefore it can be seen that not only was slavery still apparent in America after the Civil War, but also the divisions between the sections still existed. Thus the reconstruction had failed in most of its aims, and the Civil War had not succeeded in removing its causes on conflict. Even in todays society, one hundred and fifty years later, the causes behind the war are still evident in America. We can see that when the causes relate to the opinion, habits and traditions of the people they are extremely difficult to remove, and the mid set is often passed down through generations. The range of sources that I have used have all been unanimous in one aspect: they all acknowledge that the Civil War has been and will continue to be one of the most influential events that America has ever experienced, and that it is difficult to assess whether the divisions underlying the war will ever be fully removed from American society.

Marketing Report Virgin Media Marketing Essay

Marketing Report Virgin Media Marketing Essay The aim of this research is to disclose the challenges and progress being made by Virgin and the marketing process and other crucial means leading to their progress. In order to complete this analysis, the adoption of strategic planning and marketing tool is crucial. Additional research for this report was completed through visiting Virgins online resources, which include historical archives, annual reports, strategies, operations etc. The aforementioned sources or documents provide background information, which acts as the basis for Virgins current position and against strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT analysis). Further analysis includes market segmentation, environmental analysis, target market and launching strategies. The first phase of this marketing report is to conduct a situation analysis that reveals the present state of the organization and its opportunities in the market. However, disclosing the history of the organization in view is crucial. The focus of the report thus would be on virgin media groups especially the mobile or telephony sector alongside the HD-TV or (3d TV) and broadband connection in the United Kingdom. Introduction Kotler and Kevin (2006) defined marketing as the science and art of selecting the right market, and then attracting and retaining customers making use of different techniques and making the customers happy. The marketing is not an easy concept of management. People believe it just as selling of goods, but it has the important role of satisfying the customers by giving them their needs and wants (Drysdale, 1999). This suggests that marketing is a tool, which involves the process of identifying the need of the product/ service in the market, and designing the product accordingly to fit into the market, using different strategies of sales and promotions. Successful marketing strategy is one, which makes increased returns from existing customers (Wilson et al., 2002). Marketing Process It is the process of marketing that makes the success or failure of the business. For below figure describes important characteristics associated with the marketing. Virgin media focuses on characteristics such as social, technological, political, and demographic factors for its marketing and promotional activities. Virgin also targets customers based on products in an appreciable manner by introducing 3D TVs into the market. This might act as the USP for the organization. Source: Kotler and Kevin (2006) Figure: Important factors of marketing strategy Company Background /Mission Statement The history of Virgin dates back to 1970 when Sir Richard Branson, the founder of the Company started with a student magazine and then the company expanded to several sectors; ranging from music labels, travel, drinks, financial services, media, music, transportation, telephony, media and services and fitness (virgin.com). Virgin has developed more than 300 branded companies globally. Global branded revenues as of 2009 accrued to around  £11.5 billion. A merger between Richard Bransons Virgin Mobile in 1993, and cable operator NTL, which metamorphosed into Virgin Media Inc on February 6, 2007, established media. External Marketing Audit Macro environment -Virgin Media Marketing is depicted by Brassington Pettit (2003, p.8-9) and Brassington Pettit (2007,p.2-3) as composed of conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas , goods and services. Brassington Pettit (2007, p.2-3; Armstrong 2009,p.7-9) specifically submitted that marketing involves; identifying, planning, anticipating, and satisfying customer demands or specification with profit in mind. It thus involves exchanging or stimulating of ideas and the processing of such ideas. It could also be depicted as the creation of awareness for products, which stems from designing products, conducting market research, launching strategies, ensuring availability and service. Marketing thus can be depicted as a demand management activity. The marketing scope however takes place in an environment which takes into consideration basic themes in marketing and customer relationship management (Brassington Pettit 2003, p.9-11). The macro environment audit examines ranges of issues that affect the organization from the environmental perspective. This is represented by PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological analysis (Drummond et al 1999, p.24). Despite the global economic recession, the innovation and launch of products have remained constant. The particular segment of Virgin media; the television and telephony sector which provides distribution of television programming , broadband and fixed line telephone services to consumers on Virgin Medias cable network accounted for over 84.5% of total revenue in the first half of 2010. Micro Environment Market Analysis With the new development of TV 3D and the proposed increase of the network offering a downstream speed of 100Mbps and an upstream speed of probably 10Mbps by the end of 2010. The cable TV, telephony and broadband sector however of Virgin media is envisaging spending up to 30% of  £40mthan last year as compared to  £170m this year. Appendix 1 further explains the current position of Virgin Media. The launching of 3D by Virgin media ahead of other major competitors like BSkyB which is available for domestic use demonstrates the innovative intent of the company. In this era of globalization, technologies become the particular part in our life. One of the significant parts of people daily-life is communication. That makes telecommunication infiltrate into customer lifestyle. Virgin Media, despite the so many innovative and early market entry cases with its product remains a loss prone company. Competitors such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4,BT Group and Talk Talk through their collaboration which seeks to deliver internet access and video on demand programming accessible to the Freeview digital TV box. Competitor Analysis The present position of Virgin Media in the market, as an innovative and early launcher of products .In 2010 , Virgin media has successfully completed a portfolio of voice, data and internet solutions to leading businesses alongside public organizations and service providers in the United Kingdom (Barnet 2010). The focus of this report however would be on the 3D revolution. With the new converged TV and broadband set -top box gaining more demand, Virgin Media would launch TiVo at the end of the year. From this perspective, Virgin media submits that in the first three months of the year and recorded around 200 views million views of video- on -demand content. TV channels have benefitted from this video-on- demand strategy, for instance, Channel 4s 4oD realized up to 19 million views through Virgin Media (Guardian.co.uk). The BBC iPlayer however stands as another medium through which more than 50 million views of content in the first quarter. The competitive advantage of BSkyB cannot be ignored. The battle for the 3D market is on, as Virgin Media has beaten BSkyB to launch the first commercial 3D Television service to the United Kingdom customers and further to other European companies starting from 1st October, 2010 (Virgin Media press release, 2010). The latest of strategies employed by BSkyB is the unveiling of the service known as 3D Movies on Demand, which allows customers access to 3D versions of films with a loop of preview programming. The positive of all this submission is that over 1.2 million households that have a V plus or V HD receiver and 3D glasses would be able to benefit from the 3D rental services. Customer Analysis The number of subscribers in the United Kingdom is increasing continually especially with the introduction of internet, broadband and lately 3D TV video on demand. Cable Products and Services Virgin media offers cable broadband internet, television and fixed line telephone services to residential customers in the United Kingdom. Virgin media offers its customers several packages and multiple services (Virgin media annual report 2009). Broadband Internet Virgin media has over 3.8 million subscribers, with several upgrades made to the network in the first half of 2010. As the first provider to offer download speeds of up to 50Mbps to over 12 million homes across the United Kingdom, with the current upgrade of up to 100 Mbps, Virgin media ranks one of the first companies in the United Kingdom to provide a further download speeds up to 200 Mbps (Halliday 2010). The broadband internet service has been credited as one of the successful sectors of Virgin Media with intense marketing and customer relationship management services (Virgin media annual report 2009). Television Virgin media operates in different aspects from the TV; Cable Television, Free TV service, Virgin TV on Demand (VOD) , High Definition Television, and Digital Video Recorders. The new 3D TV revolution leads to the examination of the internal market and the position of the media sector of the company. Internal Marketing Audit Operating results Virgin media has held a solid presence in the market with a combination of different sectors as disclosed above. From the perspective of Gilligan Wilson, (2009, p. 73-75) is concerned with strengths and weaknesses , organizational performance and structure, operations and resources , marketing objectives ,marketing strategy, information systems , control systems, functional efficiency, inter functional efficiency, cost effectiveness analysis. Fig 1 : The place of the marketing auditing in the overall management auditing Source: Gilligan Wilson, 2009, p. 79 Internal auditing assesses the extent to which an organization, its structure, and resources interact with the environment and they have the means of operating efficiently within certain constraints that the environment presents Gilligan Wilson, (2009, p.80). Five stages of auditing as disclosed by Gilligan Wilson, (2009, p.82) involves; defining the market, determining the performance, determining differences in competitive programmes, profile the strategies of the competitors and determining the strategic planning structure. Strategic Issue Analysis Investing in a particular business, demands a marketing research or audit. Following the corporations aim, which is to be the leader in entertainment communication, according to Virgin Media website, it provides a wide range of products to serve consumers wants and needs by focusing on entertainment and 3D technology with design and suitable for customers lifestyle. There are main three category of product, which is divided by usage and customers lifestyle as following: Daily life tool, Communication Entertainment, and Style Statement. Firstly, daily life tool is the mobile phone which is produced for customers who want just only basis of communication which could be linked with the mobile telephony business. The strategic concern here is the launch of the 3D TV, which is supposed to boost the Virgin Media Inc. Considering the modernity, and new customer or coverage of this new product. Certain things need to be taken into consideration; segmentation process which covers the consumer behaviour, social influences, personal influences and psychological influences (Drummond et al, 1999, p.51-59). SWOT Analysis Strengths Wide-range of products Environmentally friendly Strong partnership Reasonable price Early launcher or early market entry Weaknesses Accumulated deficit Wide range of Media products without any specialization Weak Brand identity Limited expansion of coverage Opportunities Christmas and New Year/Seasonal period sales Expanding of signal, broadband coverage with the TV. Increasing in On-line purchase Technology flood trend Threats More entrants into the market Strong competitors Negative media reports Marketing / Strategic Objective With the new 3D TV on demand in place, the entire marketing objective of Virgin Media is to consolidate its profit in the market through innovation and launching of new products (Virgin Media). At the beginning of this strategy, the strategic objective is to stimulate existing customers and potential customers to purchase the product (3D TV on demand). This plan takes issues such as services, after service, customer relations management and promotion, quality products and service delivery are crucial. However, it is crucial to drive total sales unit by attracting customer with a great deal. This can be achieved by applying Ansoffs Growth Strategies (Wood, 2007), to decide which area might be suitable for this plan, the decision is made by choosing market penetration. This penetration strategy of Virgin may help it in the long-term. The company will be able to penetrate well into the market segments left untouched. This will lead the organization towards a better position in the market. The company uses its different segment of products to penetrate simultaneously into the different market segments. Virgin strictly follows the marketing concept to sell its products all acros s. Their focus is on branding the products for increased sales. Furthermore, customer relationship management has become an important factor for Virgin, as the performance outcomes are categorized as customer loyalty, profitability, customer satisfaction and the market share (George A. Day Robin Wensley, 1988). Marketing Strategies Virgin should make use of segmentation strategy of market, based on the 4Ps of marketing (Kotler, 2006). They should select their two products 3D TVs for entertainment and the TV for transfer of information etc. Firstly, the 3D TV shall be sold to users who want just the comfort of the 3D entertainment. While the second type of TVs are for those looking for different applications on their TV for the transfer of information or use of the internet (Style Statement). Those who make purchase just for entertainment include children and homemakers, shall be targeted for the first type of product. Some people, who are professional by nature, and are more involved in the information transfer, shall be targeted for second type of product. The product chosen for discussion in the below sections is TV. Product Virgin Media produces a variety of products to serve any market segmentation with wide-range of prices depending on what features fit in customers needs. The customers have many choices to purchase other HD TVs or TVs with multimedia benefits, which are suitable for their lifestyle. According to the Product/segment analysis grid, Wood (2007), there are three categories for Virgin media TV. Their product (TV) is aimed to wide range of market segment. Thus, the company can achieve economies of scale by selling its products all across. Considering the products by using Product Life-Cycle Marketing Strategies, Kotler et al (2009), it has some products extinct from the market but it has also the products which resurrection to the market as well. Price The impact of the economy crisis, slow down the purchasing power and customer spending behaviour, during gift-giving holiday as Christmas and New Year are the special occasions for European. However, the pricing of their TVs is fit to the market today. The products range from HD TVs to the simple TVs for wide range of genera. Thus, the company here focuses on earning revenues from low involvement TVs by achieving economies of scale, while good margin on high involvement TVs. The information from Mintel mention that the average amount spent on gift for family and friends this Christmas was 370 pounds (Mintel 2007). This simply implies that for a product such as the 3D TV videos on demand, the price would be much affordable for subscribers and it would focus on a particular class of the society at first, which are the high earners and early technology adopters. (See Appendix 2). Place One of the marketing mix elements that would be the key success factor for any business is distribution channel. The channel, which could approach to the customer directly, should be the suitable way to increase profit in short term. Virgin thus makes use of the retailers distributed worldwide, to sell its products. From this fact, it leads the marketing department to choose direct marketing in term of e-marketing to be the channel and also using the existing channel that distribute product to retailer and the retailer sells to customers which means the company is using dual distribution for this marketing plan and selective distribution. The competitive advantage of online marketing is lower costs and prices. According to the accumulated deficit of the company, the department desire to lighten the load of companys expenditure by developing the website to sell the product. Promotion Just like the place, there should be multiple ways of communicating the benefits and awareness of the new product. Promotion could be through the following ways; Internet marketing, magazine, television to mention but a few (Appendix 3). The company uses promotion strategy as advertisements and various promotional plans randomly for selling its TVs. Virgin gains competitive advantage against its competitors due to its wide range of quality products. Continuous research and development by the company helps it to introduce new products into the market. These products, with big brand attached to it, sells in the market to gain revenues. Additionally, the long lasting existence of the company shows its expertise and experience in the industry. The company thus has linked with large number of retailers indirectly, to distribute the products directly to its end consumers. The company does not stand up with high pricing. Their pricing strategy is worth the brand value they have achieved. They stand well in the market with strong base. Thus, it suggests their pricing fit for upper-middle class of people. Marketing- An approach to success Marketing in itself is not an easy phenomenon. It varies from one geographic location to the other. For Virgin, the company analyses well the different approaches for selling its products at different places. For example, for selling its products in US, the products should be trendy and luxurious. The products shall be sold showing their fade. However, for countries such as India, China and Malaysia, the company shall use promotional strategies using the local cultural approach. The company offers huge discounts during cultural timings in these countries. This raises the sales of their products. Company also uses traditional means of representing their products as cost effective and as value to price. For this, Virgin promotes its products to grab the attention of both, end consumers and organizations. Selling to end consumer focuses on the benefits attached with the product for home use. However, for organizations, benefits on bulk purchase, benefits on using various range of products etc. is laid. This increases the probability of Virgins products acceptable all across. References Armstrong,G, Kotler, P,Harker, M,Brennan,R. (2009) Marketing and Introduction, Pearson Education Limited. Barnet, E. (2010) Virgin beats Sky to 3D service launch; accessed 29th September, 2010 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8029425/Virgin-beats-Sky-to-3D-service-launch.html Drummond, G , Ensor, J Ashford, R.(1999) Strategic Marketing :planning and control; Oxford:Elsevier. Drysdale, L. (1999) Marketing or Market Orientation: Whats the Difference, Prime Focus The Professional Journal for Australian Primary School Leaders April pp28-29 George A. Day Robin Wensley (1988), Assessing Advantage: A Framework for Diagnosing Competitive Superiority. A Journal of Marketing, Vol. 52, pp. 1-20. Giligan, C Wilson,M.S .(2009) Strategic Marketing Planning, Oxford ,UK: Elsevier. Halliday, J . (2010) Virgin Media steps up battle over broadband speed advertising, accessed 1st October ,2010 ; http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/02/virgin-media-broadband-speed-advertising Kotler, P. et al (2009) Marketing Management, London: Pearson Education Limited. Mintel, (2007), Christmas Shopping Habits 2009 report, Accessed 29th September, 2010: http://www.academic.mintel.com Philip Kotler, Kevin lane Keller (2006), Marketing Management, Prentice Hall, 12th edition, ISBN 0-13-145757-8, p. 6 Virgin Media press release (2010) accessed 1st October, 2010; http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406p=irol-newsArticleID=1449279highlight= Virgin Media First Quarter 2010 Results ( 2010) accessed 1st October, 2010; http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406p=irol-newsArticleID=1418909highlight= Virgin Media on Demand , accessed 1st October, 2010; http://www.virginmedia.com/tvradio/ondemand/ Virgin Media brings 3D TV to UK living rooms ; accessed 1st October, 2010; http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/features/virgin-media-3d.php Virgin media annual report 2009; accessed 30th September, 2010 ; http://investors.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=135485p=irol-reportsAnnualVirginMedia Wilson, H., Daniel, E., MacDonald, M. (2002), Factors for success in CRM systems. Journal of Marketing Management. Vol. 18, No.1, pp. 193-219 Wood, M.B. (2007), Essential Guide to Marketing Planning, London, Prentice Hall. Zack Investment research online archive ; accessed 1st October, 2010, http://www.stockresearchwiki.com/Ticker/VMED/ Appendix A

Memoirs are Not Completely True Essay -- Memoir Literature

Memoirs are a Challenging Sources for Attaining the Truth Memoirs have become an increasingly popular genre of literature. In light of not only their popularity but their influence on the audiences who read them, it is important for readers to consider the various motivations and influences that shape the narrative and the details of these stories. This is especially true of memoirs that are intended to educate the public on the instances of human rights abuse, in situations when the general public may know little else about the subject. When such a book is published with the intention of informing the public and galvanizing support for human rights, the author may have even more of an obligation to stick to the facts than he or she would if the purpose of the book were solely entertainment. This concern will be of particular interest to the readers of the Dean’s Book selection for fall 2006, The Aquariums of Pyongyang, a memoir written by a North Korean defector with the intention of exposing the human rights abuse in the North Korean government’s systematic use of enforced hard labor camps on its people. This memoir and others like it are extremely effective in spreading awareness of human rights violations. At the same time, however, the reader must be aware of numerous factors that shape and complicate the story that is told. According to Kay Schaffer, author of â€Å"Conjunctions: Life Narratives in the Field of Human Rights,† there is a growing market in America for books marketed as memoirs. Writers such as Dave Eggers, author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and David Sedaris, author of numerous short story collections that are based on his life experiences, have helped propel the memoir genr... ...(Fall 2000): 543-559. 05 March U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. â€Å"Hidden Gulag, The: Exposing North Korea’s Prison Camps.† Ed. Richard Hawk. 2003. 16 Feb Walker, Barbara. â€Å"On Reading Soviet Memoirs: A History of the ‘Contemporaries’ Genre as an Institution of Russian Intelligentsia Culture from the 1790’s to the 1970’s.† Russian Review. 59.3 (July 2000): 327-352. 05 March Watson, Jinx Stapleton. â€Å"Reading Memoir to Make Sense of Sensitive Histories: Civil Rights Movement (USA), Apartheid South Africa & Cultural Revolution (China).† 22 Feb Wyatt, Edward. â€Å"Live on 'Oprah,' a Memoirist Is Kicked Out of the Book Club.† The New York Times. 27 January 2006: A1. 05 March com>

Culture and Cognition Essay

Culture may be defined as a combination of different traits of a social group. These traits or ways of life can be language, arts, sciences, thoughts, spirituality, social activities, interactions, and many more (â€Å"Definition†, n. d. ). The world has many peoples and thus many cultures, thus each has their own beliefs, traditions, and customs. Another characteristic of a certain culture may be cognition. Because of human diversity in traditions and customs, there is also diversity in intelligence. According to Cole, Gay, Glick, and Sharp (as cited in Sternberg, 2004), certain behaviors may be smart in one culture but plainly stupid in another (1971). Culture and Intelligence According to Robert Sternberg in his article entitled â€Å"Culture and Intelligence†, intelligence cannot be fully measured, developed, and conceptualized when it is outside the cultural context. This creates an impression that intelligence is a norm and being a deviant from that norm would mean less intelligence (2004, p. 1). An example given by Sternberg about intelligence tests shows an evidence of his argument. Any intelligence test created in one culture may not be valid in another culture. Sternberg also constructed models in order to determine if the culture has a significant effect on intelligence. On the third model, the dimensions of intelligence are the same as with the other models. However, the instruments used are different from the other models. The measurement process was therefore derived from the culture being studied and not from outside it. As this is done, the psychological meanings of the scores of the assessments change from one culture to another. Culture and Cognition Intelligence is just one of the cognitive characteristics of man. Culture, as well as social systems has a role in developing the people’s system of thought. This is according to Richard Nisbett, Incheol Choi, Laiping Peng, and Ara Norenzayan, when they studied the difference between easterners and westerners in terms of cognitive processes (2001). They stated that east Asians are holistic in their cognitive processes, focusing on an entire field and its causality. On the other hand, westerners such as Americans are analytic because they pay more attention on the object and the categories, making use of rules such as formal logic. The authors of this article suggest that the origin of these differences is traceable to different social systems (p. 291). They were able to conclude that there is still a very great difference between cultures. It is because of the circumstances brought about by these cultures that one process will always be different from another. Furthermore, the norms or the normative standards for though will differ across cultures (p. 306). The influence of culture has many implications in cognition. This insight may change the very definition of intelligence as related to different social systems. This also has a great effect in cognitive assessment since one measuring tool may not be appropriate for all cultures. Although international communication is already established, this information would give more understanding to people as to how others with different cultures are different to them in terms of learning styles, perception, and other aspects of cognition. It would also change the perception on people who are considered as intellectually inferior since intelligence no longer focuses on a dominant or normative standard set by those perceived as superior. References â€Å"Definition of Culture†, (n. d. ). Roshan Culture Heritage Institute. Retrieved 24 May 2010 from http://www. roshan-institute. org/templates/System/details. asp? id=39783&PID =474552. Nisbett, R. E. , Peng, K. , Choi, I. , & Norenzayan, A. (2001). â€Å"Culture and Systems of Thought: Holistic versus Analytic Cognition†. Psychological Review. 108(2), pp. 291-310. Sternberg, R. (2004). â€Å"Culture and Intelligence†. American Psychologist. 59(5), pp. 325- 338.

Portable Concepts

Portable Concepts It is possible to single out several portable concepts that are discussed in the readings. First of all, one can mention the article The Grand Tour written by Evan Osnos who examines such an issue as cultural stereotypes. In this case, the very word stereotype can be described as a popular and widespread idea or a statement that has been accepted by people without any rigorous verification.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Portable Concepts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, in the article, Evan Osnos describes the experiences of Chinese tourists; it is believed that that these people will prefer only traditional Chinese cuisine. However, in many cases, they simply go to McDonalds which often appeals to them; so, this stereotype is not confirmed. In their turn, the visitors from China were not accustomed to the idea that shop assistants cannot do several things at a time since they are accustomed to this f orm of behavior. This is one of the details that can be identified. Apart from that, Evan Osnos explores another important concept in the article; in particular, one should speak about such a notion as culture shock. This term can be described as the inability of a person to adjust to a different culture, including the behavioral norms, the standards of living, or values adopted in a different society. These experiences are familiar to many people who did not have an opportunity to travel for a long time; for example, one can mention people who are coming from China since they are not used to traveling though Western countries. This notion is useful for describing the experiences of immigrants who may not easily cope with culture shock. These readings can throw light on other portable concepts, for instance one can speak about such a term as Americanness which is discussed by Judith Hamera and Alfred Bendixen. This notion can be defined as the distinct peculiarities of American iden tity or the experiences of people who live in the United States. This notion is important for the study of American culture, its history, and development; more importantly, this reading suggests that travelling and search for novelty are critical elements of Americanness. Moreover, one can argue that the concept of Americanness is important for studying the relations between American people and the representatives of other cultures. Furthermore, one can also discuss such a notion as travel writing which is closely discussed by Anthony Bourdain in the introduction to the book The Best American Travel Writing. Overall, this term can be applied to every literary works that explores the experiences of people who are confronted with a different culture, way of life, or traditions. It is possible to say that travel writing can be a helpful tool for understanding the similarities and differences between cultures.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if w e can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, it is possible to examine such a term a term as cultural identity that plays an important part in each of these readings. However, one should first consider the essay by Judith Hamera and Alfred Bendixen. Overall, this notion is used to denote a set of experiences, attitudes, and assumptions that are familiar to representatives of various cultures. Certainly, it is difficult to speak about the fixed cultural identity, but this notion can still be helpful for explaining the interactions between the representatives of different cultures. These are the main portable concepts that can be distinguished.

Free Essays on The Story Of Virgil

Virgil was born on October 15, 70 B.C.E., in Northern Italy in a small village near Mantua - probably but not certainly the modern Pietole. Virgil was no Roman but a Gaul - the village was situated in what was then called Gallia Cisalpina - Gaul this side of the Alps. Publius Vergilius Maro, or Virgil, grew up to be hailed as the greatest Roman poet. And although his work has influenced Western literature for two millennia, little is known about the man himself. His father was a prosperous landowner, described variously as a "potter" and a "courier", who could afford a thorough education for the future poet. This Virgil received. He attended school at Cremona and Mediolanum (Milan), then went to Rome, where he studied mathematics, medicine and rhetoric, and finally completed his studies in Naples. He entered literary circles as an "Alexandrian," the name given to a group of poets who sought inspiration in the sophisticated work of third-century Greek poets, also known as Alexandrians . In 49 BC Virgil became a Roman citizen. Lucretius influenced his way of thinking, but his early poems were written in the tradition of Theocritus. After the battle of Philippi in 42 B.C.E. Virgil’s property in Cisalpine Gaul, or else his father's, was confiscated for veterans. According to some sources it was afterwards restored at the command of Octavian (later styled Augustus). In the following years Virgil spent most of his time in Campania and Sicily, but he also had a house in Rome. During the reign of emperor Augustus, Virgil became a member of his court circle and was advanced by a minister, Maecenas, patron of the arts and close friend to the poet Horace. Maecenas was twice left in virtual control of Rome when the emperor was away. He gave Virgil a house near Naples. Between 42 and 37 B.C.E. Virgil composed pastoral poems known as BUCOLIC or ECLOGUES ('rustic poems' and 'selections'), spent years on the GEORGICS (literally, 'pertaining to... Free Essays on The Story Of Virgil Free Essays on The Story Of Virgil Virgil was born on October 15, 70 B.C.E., in Northern Italy in a small village near Mantua - probably but not certainly the modern Pietole. Virgil was no Roman but a Gaul - the village was situated in what was then called Gallia Cisalpina - Gaul this side of the Alps. Publius Vergilius Maro, or Virgil, grew up to be hailed as the greatest Roman poet. And although his work has influenced Western literature for two millennia, little is known about the man himself. His father was a prosperous landowner, described variously as a "potter" and a "courier", who could afford a thorough education for the future poet. This Virgil received. He attended school at Cremona and Mediolanum (Milan), then went to Rome, where he studied mathematics, medicine and rhetoric, and finally completed his studies in Naples. He entered literary circles as an "Alexandrian," the name given to a group of poets who sought inspiration in the sophisticated work of third-century Greek poets, also known as Alexandrians . In 49 BC Virgil became a Roman citizen. Lucretius influenced his way of thinking, but his early poems were written in the tradition of Theocritus. After the battle of Philippi in 42 B.C.E. Virgil’s property in Cisalpine Gaul, or else his father's, was confiscated for veterans. According to some sources it was afterwards restored at the command of Octavian (later styled Augustus). In the following years Virgil spent most of his time in Campania and Sicily, but he also had a house in Rome. During the reign of emperor Augustus, Virgil became a member of his court circle and was advanced by a minister, Maecenas, patron of the arts and close friend to the poet Horace. Maecenas was twice left in virtual control of Rome when the emperor was away. He gave Virgil a house near Naples. Between 42 and 37 B.C.E. Virgil composed pastoral poems known as BUCOLIC or ECLOGUES ('rustic poems' and 'selections'), spent years on the GEORGICS (literally, 'pertaining to...

Saturated Definition - Chemistry Glossary

Saturated Definition - Chemistry Glossary The terms saturated and saturation may have different meanings in chemistry, depending on the context in which they are used. Here are the three most common definitions: Saturated Definition #1 This chemistry definition refers to a saturated compound. A saturated substance is one in which the atoms are linked by single bonds. A fully saturated compound contains no double or triple bonds. Alternatively, if a molecule contains double or triple bonds, it is considered to be unsaturated. Example: ethane (C2H6) is a saturated hydrocarbon that has no double or triple bonds, while ethylene has a CC double bond and ethyne has a carbon-carbon triple bond. An organometallic complex is said to be unsaturated if it has fewer than 18 valence electrons and is therefore exposed to oxidative coordinate or addition of another ligand. Saturated Definition #2 This definition refers to a saturated solution. In this context, saturated refers to a point of maximum concentration, in which no more solute may be dissolved in a solvent. Saturation, in this context, depends on temperature and pressure. Usually, raising the temperature allows a solution to dissolve more solute. Example: When you grow crystals from an aqueous (water) solution, you dissolve as much solute into the water as you can, to the point where no more will dissolve. This produces a saturated solution. Saturated Definition #3 Although not a technical chemistry definition, saturated may mean thoroughly soaked with as much water or other solvent as possible. Example: If a protocol asks you to completely saturate a filter paper with solution, this means to thoroughly wet it. If an atmosphere is at its highest humidity level for a given temperature, it is saturated with water vapor.

Future of Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Future of Journalism - Essay Example People involved are a crucial factor for a continuous success of the collaborative blog and growing number of members on Daily Kos. Kos believes that future of journalism must be close to people, involving her in a more active way. People not only need to get information, they need to bringing and to discuss about it. Journalist must allow a person to count his histories about what occurs in its communities because nobody knows better and understand what happens. People have valuable information and they are possible to become into collaborator. The media must be near the people of active form, its interest is not only to absorb the information but to contribute with its information and to educate the others. Media need to "create tools that would allow greater engagement and discussion between editors, writers, and readers" (Moulitsas, 2009, para. 2) Journalists, reporters, editors and media professionals need to involve the people to achieve credibility and they are going to be more recognized and respected. Kos said "people become part of this collaborative media world" (Lopez, 2009, Podcast) Lopez, Eugenia, (2009, April 08). Moulitsas speaks about the future of journalism. X Press. Journalism Department - San Francisco State University. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/news/012959.html

Ways of knowing are a check on our instinctive judgments. To what Essay

Ways of knowing are a check on our instinctive judgments. To what extent do you agree with this statement - Essay Example Next, a discussion of intuition as a way of knowing will discussed followed by a discussion of how the other ways of knowing reinforce and control our instinctive judgment; that it, their benefits as well as their flaws in shaping instinctive judgment. These will be discussed through their application in the various areas of knowledge. By the end of the essay, I hope to conclude that ways of knowing are a check on our instinctive judgments. The first word that needs explaining is â€Å"instinctive.† Going by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word instinctive is derived from â€Å"instinct† and refers to â€Å"natural tendency for people and animals to behave in a particular way using the knowledge and abilities they were born with rather than thought or training.†2 One may have an instinct for fear, business or anything else. It is also a feeling that makes one do or believe that something is true, even though it is not based on facts or reason; in other words, intuition. In this case, instinctive judgment is equated to intuition. What we get from this definition is that one judges something without having to reason or give facts; it is a strong feeling that something is going to happen but we cannot be able to explain why. For example, women do have maternal instincts such that when something is going to happen to their child, they know it before hand or they can feel it but cannot explain what exactly is going to happen. Another case is when one is about to have an accident such as plane crash; one can feel it or there is a strong inner voice which tells you something bad is going to happen and you can act based on this instinct. As such, it is a way of knowing and justifying that knowledge even if it is not through conscious reasoning. If that something does happen, then we can prove our instincts right. In this sense, other ways of knowing such as reasoning act as verifiers to what we already know. This

Miracles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Miracles - Essay Example is not irrational to accept the testimony of witnesses who had nothing to gain from their testimony, of the occurrence of Christs resurrection" Scalia told the audience. "What is irrational is to reject ... without any investigation of the possibility of miracles†¦ ("Belief in Miracles Should," 2001) It is interesting to note the legal perspective that Justice Scalia engages and to wonder what the writer’s of the New Testament, especially in the area of the many miracles preformed, had intended further audiences to glean from such things. Is it a sense of absolute fact, a sense of complete incredulity, or is it a sense of hope? Take the example of Lazarus (John 11:38-44), perhaps the most famous miracle next to Christ’s own Transfiguration, Resurrection and Ascension. In a way Lazarus foreshadowed these events and even Christ’s remarks afterward bring some light for the reason behind any miracle. Before raising Lazarus from the dead, Christ speaks the following words to Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ sisters: (25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? After Christ speaks the words, â€Å"Lazarus, Come Forth† and Lazarus rises many that were there were converted by the sight and became believers in Christ. Others, went to the Pharisees and told them who replied with a sense of jealous competition that they needed to stop him. â€Å"(48) If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him.† They did not, however, say they did not believe in his miracles. (33) And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; (34) And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. (35) And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. (36) And he charged

Learning and Development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Learning and Development - Coursework Example Another issue is the challenge of providing expert training from a centralized resource. There is need to centralize and diversify training programs from the headquarters to the branch offices. This will cut down on costs of training and effectiveness at the branch offices. Another issue facing the Ventura organization is the need to deliver training against very tight timetables. This is because when anew client is acquired there is a need to deliver the requirements needed by the customer in a timely manner without the client experiencing any level of uncertainty as relates to service provision according to Harrison (2009, p. 29) By allowing employees to attend conferences that focus on topics of relevance to their position and the organization and ensuring that the organization have the employee make a presentation to other staff as a way of promoting the individuals learning experience and as a way of enhancing the organization. This should act as some form of off-the-job learning. By selecting the best of these opportunities and coming up with critical incident notes for staff to learn from and apply in their daily work life. For example a case of a client complaint that was handled effectively. By writing a brief summary of the incident and identifying the employees actions that led to a successful resolution and then sharing the notes with the employee involved and with others as appropriate. Alternately, if the situation was not handled well, it is again important to write a brief description of the incident plus identifying areas for improvement. Fieldtrips can be seen as an off-the-job activity. It is important to do a follow up the field trip by having staff share and explain to the rest what they have learned and how they can apply that learning to the organization. There are several tools can be made available to employees to help them perform better in their jobs. These tools can range from; manuals, procedural guidelines,

Bilingual Education Curriculum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bilingual Education Curriculum - Essay Example It is then necessary to lay down the reasons why despite several convincing arguments on the effectiveness of bilingual education, the arguments and debates continue. And to shed light on the cloudy controversy, Crawford (1998) presented the ten misconceptions or common fallacies about bilingual education as follows: 1. English is losing ground to other languages in the United States. More of a panic view than an empirical one, Crawford (1998) acknowledged that there are more world languages spoken in the US now more than ever but quantitative, he argued and not a qualitative change from earlier periods. He pointedly added the concentrations of non-English language speakers common in the 19th century provided for by laws authorizing native language instruction in several states and territories. Children in big cities and rural areas attended bilingual and non-English schools with a diversity of French, Norwegian, Czech or Cherokee while "English survived without any help from government such as official-language legislation," (Crawford, 1998). 2. Newcomers to the United States are learning English more slowly now than in previous generations. Another unfounded belief, Crawford (1998) argued that recent immigrants "appear to be acquiring English more rapidly than ever before" while minority language speakers grow, bilinguals fluent in both native and English language "is growing even faster. Waggoner (1995) reported that between 1980 and 1990, the number of immigrants who spoke non-English languages at home increased by 59%, while the portion of this population that spoke English very well rose by 93% . Likewise, Crawford (1998) added that only 3 percent of US residents reported speaking English less (as compared to well and very well) while only a very insignificant portion spoke no English at all. Also, Veltman (1998) found that about 3 in 4 Hispanic immigrants were reportedly able to speak English on a daily basis after 15 years of residency, and that 70 percent of their children became monolingual English speakers 3. The best way to learn a language is through total immersion. Rodriguez (1982) and de la Pea (1991) were often cited to have "succeeded in school without a special program and acquired a very high level of English literacy," (Krashen, 1997) but it was found out, both had substantial advantages. Rodriguez grew up in an English-Speaking neighborhood in Sacramento, California instrumental in his informal immersion from classmates while de la Pea had the bilingual education advantage in Mexico until fifth grade, and was placed two grades backwards in his schooling in the United States. Crawford (1998) further argued "there is no credible evidence to support the "time on task" theory of language learning-- the claim that the more children are exposed to English, the more English they will learn" emphasizing quality over quantity of exposure while Krashen (1996) pointed out that second language input must also be comprehensible to promote second language acquisition. Crawford (1998) adde d that children left alone to learn on their own in an all-English classroom setting with little or without help via native lessons, English learning will be of little use. And that native instruction will make learning

Tall tales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Tall tales - Essay Example cted that there will be similar increase in the demands for the implementation of healthy and natural environment, that is based on green and healthy environment. To maintain equilibrium between the two dominant factors i.e. to mange the concentration of population, and at parallel to cater for their environmental needs the Japanese construction company Takenaka has evolved a design proposal for constructing Sky City 1000, ‘a super high-rise, huge multilevel city with a height of a kilometer’. The design concept of Sky City 1000was introduced in 1989, and the concept has gained worldwide popularity, and many urban developers and planners are looking forward towards the success of the plan, ‘lot of expectations are around, planners are highly optimistic about the success’. As the 21st century is in progress, there are increasing expectations for the implementation and execution of the plan. Sky City 1000 is based on total floor area of 2000 acres, and has an elevation of 1,000 meters, the structure of the Sky City 1000 comprises of 14 concave dish-shaped, aerial bases called Space Plateaus piled one upon the other, and viewed as perfect super high-rise city. The structure has been conceptualized to adjust and support residences, offices, commercial facilities, schools, theaters. The tower has the capacity to offer accommodation to 35000 people, and more than hundred thousand people as employees will perform their respective task. Different systems have been employed by the construction authority to ensure the safety and protection of the city, and in this regard latest security focused technologies have been used to maintain the comfortable state of the city, and offer maximum possible cover to residents. The technology employed by Takenaka has attracted many investors and commercial giants. The concept of Sky City 1000 was launched by Takenaka with the cooperation of Shizuo Harada of ESCO Co Ltd. The Sky City 100 is innovative and modernized version of

Learning and Development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Learning and Development - Coursework Example Another issue is the challenge of providing expert training from a centralized resource. There is need to centralize and diversify training programs from the headquarters to the branch offices. This will cut down on costs of training and effectiveness at the branch offices. Another issue facing the Ventura organization is the need to deliver training against very tight timetables. This is because when anew client is acquired there is a need to deliver the requirements needed by the customer in a timely manner without the client experiencing any level of uncertainty as relates to service provision according to Harrison (2009, p. 29) By allowing employees to attend conferences that focus on topics of relevance to their position and the organization and ensuring that the organization have the employee make a presentation to other staff as a way of promoting the individuals learning experience and as a way of enhancing the organization. This should act as some form of off-the-job learning. By selecting the best of these opportunities and coming up with critical incident notes for staff to learn from and apply in their daily work life. For example a case of a client complaint that was handled effectively. By writing a brief summary of the incident and identifying the employees actions that led to a successful resolution and then sharing the notes with the employee involved and with others as appropriate. Alternately, if the situation was not handled well, it is again important to write a brief description of the incident plus identifying areas for improvement. Fieldtrips can be seen as an off-the-job activity. It is important to do a follow up the field trip by having staff share and explain to the rest what they have learned and how they can apply that learning to the organization. There are several tools can be made available to employees to help them perform better in their jobs. These tools can range from; manuals, procedural guidelines,

Tall tales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Tall tales - Essay Example cted that there will be similar increase in the demands for the implementation of healthy and natural environment, that is based on green and healthy environment. To maintain equilibrium between the two dominant factors i.e. to mange the concentration of population, and at parallel to cater for their environmental needs the Japanese construction company Takenaka has evolved a design proposal for constructing Sky City 1000, ‘a super high-rise, huge multilevel city with a height of a kilometer’. The design concept of Sky City 1000was introduced in 1989, and the concept has gained worldwide popularity, and many urban developers and planners are looking forward towards the success of the plan, ‘lot of expectations are around, planners are highly optimistic about the success’. As the 21st century is in progress, there are increasing expectations for the implementation and execution of the plan. Sky City 1000 is based on total floor area of 2000 acres, and has an elevation of 1,000 meters, the structure of the Sky City 1000 comprises of 14 concave dish-shaped, aerial bases called Space Plateaus piled one upon the other, and viewed as perfect super high-rise city. The structure has been conceptualized to adjust and support residences, offices, commercial facilities, schools, theaters. The tower has the capacity to offer accommodation to 35000 people, and more than hundred thousand people as employees will perform their respective task. Different systems have been employed by the construction authority to ensure the safety and protection of the city, and in this regard latest security focused technologies have been used to maintain the comfortable state of the city, and offer maximum possible cover to residents. The technology employed by Takenaka has attracted many investors and commercial giants. The concept of Sky City 1000 was launched by Takenaka with the cooperation of Shizuo Harada of ESCO Co Ltd. The Sky City 100 is innovative and modernized version of

U.S. Secret Service Essay Example for Free

U.S. Secret Service Essay United States of America, have many service within the government to protect themselves, the people, or our president. The one service I we hear about but rarely know will be the, secret services. We rarely know anything about them just that they make good money and put there life in danger. The following I will be information you about: education required, qualifications, training, and salary of a member of secret services. Education required for them each position has different entry level qualifications and education requirements. It would depend on what they want to be and the position they want. Each position has different requirements and education levels. Members also have to have certain qualification. For example they must be a United States citizen, must pass a medical exam – vision, hearing, cardiovascular, mobility of extremities, pass a drug screening, must pass a report writing test , pass an extensive background investigation, must pass a polygraph examination, must pass an in-depth interview, must pass an entrance exam, must be able to obtain a Top Secret clearance and must be over age 21 years and under age 37 years. There is no expectation of any of these they are all must, if they do not pass one of these qualifications then they will not be eligible to work in secret services. If they pass all these they must get training which is three month training program at the, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. The is only two training campuses one is in Artesia, New Mexico, and in Glynco, Georgia. After done with that training they go another three months for specialized instruction training, which is located in Laurel, Maryland at the James J. Rowley Training Center. After completing this process and being hired they would make, $43,200 to $73,354 per year, as starting officers. This information is report in 2009 by the, United States Secret Service. The United States Secret Service is something we hear about at time and know rarely about. I wanted to inform myself and learn things about how they get to their level and what they do. As I was reading I see that they have to work for their position, it is not given to them they have to put all there effort in their job. I saw their job is to protect the president and vice president, their families, former presidents, presidential candidates and other U.S. or foreign visiting political figures. They go under cover on criminal cases that relate to the nation’s financial security form credit card fraud, computer fraud, and bank fraud. Secret Services does two thing basically they do investigations and protect the people that are important to our society at the moment and after. As well they were founded in 1865 and are one of the most elite law enforcement organizations in the world. Their main headquartered is in Washington, D.C with 150 offices over the United State. They must stay untied in order to complete there job.

To What Extent was Guatemalas Civil War Caused by US Policy

To What Extent was Guatemalas Civil War Caused by US Policy Spanning decades from the late 1950s to the 1990s, the Civil War in Guatemala represented one of the longest conflicts in Latin America. During this time; over tens of thousands of refugees fled the country; over a million were made homeless as over four hundred indigenous villages were destroyed; and ultimately over two hundred thousand people were killed or have disappeared.[1] The root of this conflict lay in the ridiculously imbalanced distribution of wealth that had existed within Guatemala for centuries. This misdistribution was born out the combination of a revolutionary international atmosphere, alongside years of economic hardship caused by the governing elites. To what extent each of these factors caused the Civil War will be assessed throughout this essay. Predeceasing the Civil War, the Elites possessed the vast majority of the land in Guatemala. As a result, they exercised a significant amount of power and control over the society. To further the abuses in wealth distrib ution, the U.S. owned substantial amounts of land in Guatemala, and viewed the country as pure potential profit[2]. What is so fascinating in my opinion; are the diverse opinions regarding the roots of the issues. Two major narratives emerged as a result from the conflict. The first master narrative tells the tale of the indigenous Mayan population being brutally oppressed over centuries by European and American powers. The continuums of colonial tradition lead to mass abuses of human rights which lead the oppressed population to look towards supporting insurgent groups. This narrative brings to light the voices of the people and state and can be viewed through the vast literature which creates its own Testimonio genre. The second and opposite narrative regards the more recent role that the United States has played in Guatemala. In particular, with regards to the involvement that the CIA had in supporting the Guatemalan government in order to eradicate the leftist forces within the country. Ultimately, the argument stands that the United States was a significant factor in causing the Guatemalan Civil war.   It stands as one of the reasons why Guatemala had such a poor economic infrastructure. Moreover, this infrastructure provided the dissent that led to the creation of insurgent groups which so threatened U.S. political ideology. This threat enabled the U.S. to intervene and turn a civil war into an international conflict. In the context of Latin America, the testimonio was a crucially important form of literature that represented the first master narrative mentioned.   John Beverley in the book The Real Thing: Testimonial Discourse and Latin America describes testimonio as: a noveltold in the first person by a narrative who is also a real protagonist or witness of the event he or she recounts[3]. Testimonios are accounts in which the author uses their experience as an agent of collective memory or identity. Through these first-hand accounts, readers can ascertain a certain truth derived from a situation of oppression that can challenge and even correct so called official history. Beatriz Manz is an example of a testimonio author. Alongside Manz, other famous works of Testimonio surrounding Guatemala exist; the most notable being Me llamo Rigoberta Menchà º y asà ­ me nacià ³ la conciencia. Menchà ºs story narrates the tortures faced by a poor Quichà © peasant family, who had to migrate every ye ar to large coffee plantations in order to survive. The story tells how her family were mistreated; she herself did not attend school, and her brothers died of malnutrition. The main argument Menchà º has is that the economic hardships within the country lead to her gross mistreatment. Following the accusation that her family was involved in the guerrilla movement, one of her brothers was arrested, tortured and killed in 1979; her father was killed by security forces and her mother died after being tortured and raped. Menchà º tells a heart wrenching story that brought the Guatemalan struggle to the forefront of international interests, however it is not without its flaws. One of the central issues with regards to testimonio is the authenticity and veracity of the voice. Sklodowska cautions it would be naive to assume a direct homology between text and history. The discourse of a witness cannot be a reflection of his or her experience, but rather a refraction determined by the vic issitudes of memory, intention, ideology.[4] This is something that American anthropologist David Stoll assesses in his book, Menchà º and the Story of All Poor Guatemalans. Stoll makes the bold statement that the events described in Menchà ºs testament are exaggerated in an effort to amass support for the guerrilla movement. Testimonios represent the fine balance between fiction and history; emotion and fact. In the eyes of Menchà º, the U.S. played a crucial role in promulgating the civil war. Stolls criticisms could be undermined by the fact that his stance is from a Western point of view, which disregards the nature in which history has been testimonial in Mayan culture for centuries .[5] In this sense, Menchà º wasnt attempting to tell a completely accurate story of her family, if not relay the struggles of her people. Her story has since contributed to the greater good by bringing to light the vast abuses of human rights that the Guatemalans faced for decades.[6] This economic hardship that Menchà º describes can be traced back centuries to initial American involvement. Chairman Henry Kissinger oversaw the creation of The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America in a hope to establish a consensus for Central American administration.   Described as well-informed laymen who took a six-month odyssey into the terra incognita[7] of Central America; the commission members intricately analyzed the political, economic and social problems of Guatemala. The conclusion was reached that inevitable U.S. intervention was favorable. However, like a Gordian knot, the report never successfully resolved the tension between U.S. security interests in the area and the admitted need for radical change in many Central American societies. I take issue with regards to the vernacular used throughout the report, as the U.S. seems to absolve itself of any responsibility for causing the very problems that the report encompasses, and implies it has moral responsibility to fix these issues. For instance, the report accounts the negative long-lasting Spanish colonial legacy in Central America, yet only briefly describes the significant influence of the United States in the centuries predeceasing the Guatemalan crisis. The semi-feudal system established by Spain over three centuries ago set a precedent for an inability of indigenous peoples to self-govern and integrate into the colonial political system. Whilst this is a valid point for assessing the development of the turmoil within Guatemala, the U.S certainly did not take as much of a back seat as the report would have us believe implementing a passive Good Neighbor Policy which sought to see all neighboring countries stable, orderly and prosperous[8].   Focusing on two instances in the early 20th Century; Colombia and Nicaragua for instance, it becomes evident that America did not take as passive an approach to Latin America as the report would have us believ e.   Active American involvement in Central America can span back to The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 in which America planned to protect Latin American states from European expansionism. Substantiated by the Roosevelt Corollary in 1904, the doctrine created a precedent for the justification of intervention on account of political ideology.[9] The commission report serves as an example of this policy being enacted as it claims that U.S. intervention during the early 20th Century was focused on promoting the stability and solvency of local governments so as to keep other nations out.[10] Intervention in Guatemala, for instance can be seen as pre-emptive interventionalism hoping to fix the wrongdoings in Latin America. In Roosevelts State of Union Address, the use of international police power was therefore excused as a justification for involvement in Latin America.[11] Moreover, Guatemala was of upmost economic importance to the U.S., which historically had wanted to create an economic hegemony in Latin America in order to diminish European Imperial expansion.[12]   This pseudo American Imperialism makes it evident that U.S. expansionism was deeply rooted in a sense of Manifest Destiny.   The Banana Wars that shaped U.S. Foreign Policy towards Latin America and American military involvement across the continent as a whole, stand as symbols of this economic relationship that the U.S hoped to establish. Joseph Freeman and Scott Nearing place American financial imperialism within a Marxist context. The Colombian uprisings against U.S. canal rights in the Panama Canal resulted in American military involvement[13]. This perfectly exemplifies the argument in which military force was used to broker economic expansion. The Panama Canal sets a sinister precedent which would then see future U.S. military involvement in Guatemala decades later. The report was written with a post-Vietnam/post Iraq cynicism, which could result in why rhetoric of a civilising mission was used to justify aggressive exploitative expansionism. The rebellions in Nicaragua stood as inspiration for Guatemalans during the 60s and 70s as they hoped they could utilize similar tactics in order to regain control of their country. Insurgent groups formed in Guatemala as a result, as described by Manz; The growth of social movements in Guatemala took place in the turbulent context of Central America in the late 1970s and early 1980sâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ Social upheavals and indiscriminate repression both were escalating throughout the region.[14] These mounting social problems combined with shrinking political options proved to be a volatile combination that finally erupted into armed confrontation.[15] From the standpoint of the Guatemalans; the Sandinista guerilla movement had proven successful in the catalysis of the Nicaraguan Revolution in 1979. Manz describes the revolutionary atmosphere that surrounded Guatemala, and notes that the Guatemalan insurgents and many supporters thought that if victory had already taken place in Nicaragua and seemed possible in El Salvador, why not in Guatemala?[16] As mentioned, the peak of the Guatemalan civil war occurred at a very similar time to the peak of the Cold War. This meant that the U.S. turned its focus on to its southern neighbors as they turned to communism. The consequences of this meant that ordinary local conflict would soon have an international audience as Guatemala would become another battle ground in the Cold War. Arguably motivated out of fear; the U.S. provided immense military and economic aid to Guatemala; much of the fighting took place at the height of the Cold War and the combatants were well aware of U.S. support for the Guatemalan military.[17] As stated by Kissinger, the U.S. was concerned of the intrusion into Central America by aggressive external powers[18]. The fear that Cuban or Soviet backing would support the insurgent groups, led to the U.S. providing tacit support to the Guatemalan Government. This U.S. support gave the Guatemalan government both a military and political upper hand, whilst intrinsically tying the corrupt ruling elite to external American influence. This cascade of events that followed U.S. intervention in to Guatemala placed the country firmly within a Cold War context; where ideology played a substantial role in rallying support by even the indigenous peoples; who believed they too, were fighting for justice. However, was this intervention completely necessary, and did it exacerbate and prolong the civil war? The report briefly touches on this notion, which a disagreement with regards to the conditionality of U.S. intervention. Should there be a link between U.S. support and improvements in Latin Americas execrable human rights record. Such a notion implies awareness for the deterioration of the human rights that America was c ausing, however, they feared a Marxist-Leninist victory in El Salvador, and therefore this notion was consequently ignored. The report believes that in order to fight an expanding army of communist guerrillas, U.S. must continue to provide support to the armed forces. A peace agreement is long overdue in Guatemala. Following almost three decades of armed conflict and brutal injustice; Guatemala is owed a transformed society with democratic leadership, increased rights for the abused Mayan people, end to the U.S. military backing, constitutional reform, and an improvement of the socio-economic and socio-political issues. Whilst in my opinion, the main forces behind the war in Guatemala were the economic oppression and daily violence which led to the creation of the insurgent groups that so threatened the American political status quo. The economic oppression was inflicted primarily by the governing elite, however, as a sole factor this could not have led to a war of such gross magnitude. America played a significant role. The years of colonial oppression implemented by America into their southern neighbours had an underrated lasting economic consequence. By default, the U.S. had a much larger responsibility in causing the Guatemalan Civil war than is initially apparent. Such destructive and protracted conflict could not have amassed had it not been for the influence of the international community. Guatemala today has still not recovered. The lives of millions have been shattered, and America should be owed a much larger blame than any other country. Bibliography Berryman, P. The Religious Roots of Rebellion, (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1984) Beverley, J., The Real Thing (Our Rigoberta), (Modern Language Quarterly 57:2:1986) CIA The World Factbook, 20 Nov. 2008, Central Intelligence Agency, 1 Dec. 2008 Grandin, G. The Last Colonial Massacre(The University of Chicago Press, 2004) Kissinger, H. The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, (Macmillan, 1984) LeoGrande, W.M, Our own Backyard, The United State in Central America 1977-1992(The University of orth Carolina Press, 1998) Levenson-Estrada, D. Trade Unionists Against Terror (The University of North Carolina Press, 1994) Manz, B. and N. Aryeh, Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) McClintock, M. Roosevelt, T. Theodore Roosevelts Annual Address to Congress (December 6th 1904) accessed via http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=truedoc=56page=transcript Smith, R. The United States and the Latin American Sphere of Influence, (Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, 1981) [1]CIA The World Factbook Guatemala, CIA The World Factbook, 20 Nov. 2008, Central Intelligence Agency, 1 Dec. 2008 [2] B. Manz; A. Neier, Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004), 16-17. [3], G. M. Gugelberger, T he Real Thing: Testimonial Discourse and Latin America, (Duke University Press, 1996), p.34 [4], G. M. Gugelberger, T he Real Thing: Testimonial Discourse and Latin America, (Duke University Press, 1996), p.34 [5]J. Beverley, The Real Thing (Our Rigoberta), (Modern Language Quarterly 57:2:1986), p.129-235 [7] H. A. Kissinger, The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, (Macmillan, 1984), p.1 [8] H. A Kissinger, The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, (Macmillan, 1984), p.34 [9] J. Monroe, The Monroe Doctrine, December U.S. Department of State. Retrieved November 2, 2011. [10] H. A Kissinger, The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, (Macmillan, 1984), p.34 [11] T. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelts Annual Address to Congress (December 6th 1904) accessed via http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=truedoc=56page=transcript [12] R. F. Smith,The United States and the Latin American Sphere of Influence, (Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, 1981), p. 10 [13] R. F. Smith,The United States and the Latin American Sphere of Influence, (Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, 1981), p. 10 [14]B. Manz; A. Neier, Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) p. 96 [15] B. Manz; A. Neier, Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) p. 46 [16] B. Manz,; A. Neier, , Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) p. 96 [17] B. Manz; A. Neier, , Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) p. 224 [18] H. A. Kissinger, The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, (Macmillan, 1984), p.36

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy :: Psychology, Depression, Mental Disorder

Introduction This essay aims to critically evaluate one therapeutic intervention in psychology, named, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It begins with defining CBT and discussing the underlying principles and concepts of this approach. Some examples of treating psychological disorders by employing a CBT approach in children and adolescents will be made and then, It will move on to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this therapeutic intervention. The review will be finished by a conclusion regarding employing such approach. What is CBT? Modern CBT has been influenced by two major therapeutic approaches: firstly, ‘Behaviour Therapy’ as developed by Wolpe and others in 1950s and 1960s; and secondly, ‘Cognitive Therapy’ which was developed by A.T. Beck in the 1960s. As defined by Emery & Tracy (1987), CBT is â€Å"a series of strategies that relieve psychological suffering by correcting distorted and maladaptive thinking. The therapy is based on a theory of psychopathology that recognises the reciprocal interrelationship among the cognitive, behavioural, somatic and emotional systems†. Although CBT is often referred to as a unitary treatment, it is actually a diverse collection of complex and subtle interventions that must each be mastered and understood from the social learning perspective (Reinecke, Dattilio, & Freeman, 2003). According to Graham (2005), CBT aims to change a patient’s unhealthy behaviour through examining assumptions behind the thought patterns (cognitive restruction) and also through using behaviour therapy techniques. In CBT, therapist and patient work with each other to identify the thoughts that may cause distress, and the therapist employs behavioural therapy techniques to modify the resulting behaviour. It aims to address patients’ certain fundamental core beliefs (schemas) that lead to negative influences on their behaviour and functioning (Rufer et al, 2000). CBT is the treatment option for some mental disorders, such as depression, dissociative identity disorder, eating disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, hypochondriasis, insomnia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and panic disorder without agoraphobia (Clark, 1986). In contrast, as Flannery-Schroeder & Kendall (2000) describe, CBT is an inappropriate treatment option for some patients. Patients with significant cognitive impairments (for example patients with traumatic brain injury or organic brain disease) and individuals who are not willing to take an active role in the therapy and treatment process are not desirable candidates. Principles of CBT: The cognitive principle: the core idea of the cognitive element of CBT is based on looking at different interpretations which people make of events (Graham, 2005). It basically highlights that when two people react differently in a situation, it is because they feel and see the event differently and gives different ‘meaning’ to it.

The Blooding :: essays papers

The Blooding As centeral as the environmentalist issue is to the&lsquo blooding&rsquo is more about a boys painful search for identity. Col&rsquos search for his own identity is a bigger issue it the blooding as he is a very confused teenage boy, who is torn between the community of Cornwall and the greenies. Col was brought up being very protected by his mother. As Col was brought up his mother made sure he had the best of everything. She would knit him all his clothes, like the city children wore and this made him an outsider as the other children in Cornwall would tease him for his clothing, his mother, as she is Irish and a Catholic who goes to church. Col came from a family which was normal for the community of Cornwall. His father worked as a tree logger and in the mill, as his father had and his father had and so on. Col had been horn in hope that he would follow his family foot steps and keep the tradition in the family going, by working in the mill. Col lead a double life - with the gang and the forest. Col would go into the forest and would stay in a special which was called The Palace for hours. His grandfather has shown him this special place in the forest. This Palace was the originally place of the settlement, that Col&rsquos great grand father had been at until a land slide had landed on his great grandfather. The settlement people them moved on, to a new place, which is Cornwall. Which he had visited nearly every day. This also made Col an outsider to the rest of the kids in Cornwall. The thing that transformed Col from an outsider was when he had a fight with Scott (who was the best fighter), and he won the fight. A copper called Golden Gloves, who is the best fighter in Cornwall then asked Col if he wanted him to train him. After the fight Col was accepted by the other boys and was no longer an outsider but a friend on the other kids in Cornwall. Then the greenies arrived to Cornwall, challenging the mills and the logging of the forest. Col has mixed emotions towards this issue.&lsquo Anyway I thought the old was right about the greenies, but I secretly agreed with the greenies about the trees&rsquo. (p.7) This quote shows how Col is confused about what he thinks and wants to think what other people do, but he know that he thinks differently. Col does not want to

What Integrity Means

The term â€Å"integrity† is considered polysemantic meaning it has a number of different meanings. Integrity is the most important terms used in virtue ethics, music, philosophy, for example. Integrity is used in the scientific and technological fields. Therefore, this term is often puzzling and perplexing. Often, people use integrity as a synonym to â€Å"moral† trying to show that person is acting with integrity. However, researchers noted that â€Å"people of integrity† may act immorally, even if they are unaware of their immoral actions. Firstly, modern world suggests that any person is subjected to many conflicting desires and situations. Thus, integrity is defined as the ability to make reasonable and valid judgments, conclusions about the importance and necessity of particular commitments. Integrity suggests that a person should act out of the strongest desire and with deliberation to choose between more or less desirable actions. In other words, integrity always suggests discriminating between important desires. For example, a student may discard studying preferring go to the party. In such situation student is not a person of integrity as higher order desire was endorsed over fun. Person of integrity realizes the importance of first-order desires and he won’t fall victim to conflicting desires. Further, integrity is defined as ability to resist genuine temptation meaning that a person is ready successful integrate the self. Secondly, in computer and related sciences integrity means that computer database is able to maintain power and resist to errors, integrity of defense systems suggests that system isn’t breached. Thirdly, in music, musical work has integrity if its musical structure is provided with completeness which is coordinated and has related music ideas. Simply saying, integrity in music means that music piece is whole, intact and pure. Fourthly, Integrity is associated with geography. Then, people may think of integrity of wilderness region, different existing ecosystems, art kinds and forms, and even people may think of computerized integrity. Integrity is applied mostly to the objects and it suggests the qualities of purity and wholeness an object. These meanings are often applied to people. Speaking about regions, integrity means that a region isn’t corrupted by negative effects of development and its advances. Region of integrity suggests wilderness and uncorrupted or virgin. Finally, intellectual, professional and artistic integrity are often spoken about. Nevertheless, integrity has found its application mostly in philosophy meaning human’s general character. In philosophy, when a person acts with integrity on a particular occasion it means that integrity is explained as broader feature of person’ character. There is a claim that person should possess integrity. Integrity suggests that a person is in harmony with himself, that he acts either morally or immorally. It means that integrity is applied equally to people things because integrity suggests a way to keep the self uncorrupted. Integrity is often associated with commitment, and some researchers stress that the term ‘commitment’ is used to cover intentions and promises of human expectations and, what is more important, human trusts. It means that any person may be committed to different kinds of things at the same time. Such person is integrated person. Summing up, integrity is found in many aspects of human’s life. Integrity is defined as personal virtues meaning that person’s ability to take care of the self shows whether a person is integrated. Moreover, persons of integrity treat equally other people’s matters. Abilities to overcome temptation and to subordinate first-order and second-order desires are considered the keys for a person to be considered of integrity.