Energy Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Energy Security - Research Paper Example However, there should be development of alternative ‘clean’ energy sources, which do not rely on fossil fuels and which have a tolerable environmental effect in order to meet the raising global demands for energy and to allow for the depletion of fossil fuel supplies in the future (332). For effectively use of renewable sources, there is a need of consistent ways of storing energy for example, rechargeable batteries and high-temperature superconductivity as well as developments in hydrogen storage (Dresselhaus and Thomas, 333). Due to high demands, the strained global energy systems has caused high prices hence increasing global anxiety over the world’s ability to meet energy needs. It is evident that there is a challenge trying to administer the growing complexity of an energy-interdependent world while on the other hand trying to meet environmental, security, and economic goals. This necessitates a more advanced energy policymaking approach one that fully values the complex nature of energy security, the need to manage the trade-offs inherent in energy policy decision-making, and the interdependencies of global markets (Verrastro and Ladislaw, 95). On the other hand, each energy source has some adverse effects. Fossil fuels processes emit carbon dioxide, and perhaps other contaminants, such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and ash. There is production of radioactive fission products in the nuclear plants. While dams and large lakes are needed for hydroelectric plants, large areas are necessary f or solar and wind energy although they are limited geographically. Then again, geothermal sources are restricted to very few locations and those methods using small temperature gradients need very large heat-exchanger areas because of the low thermal efficiencies in the earth or oceans (Dresselhaus and Thomas, 332). One of the alternative energy supplies that the globe can rely on is solar

Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Obesity - Essay Example Advances in technology and processes in the last decade for transforming health food (e.g. corn and potatoes) have improved output in food manufacturing. One critical author identifies the manufacturing processes of infusing unnatural flavors into the common potato as a means of enhancing taste for customers. Schlosser offers, â€Å"taste is a method of differentiating food which is good for us from foods that are not† (Schlosser, 122). Thus, the food manufacturing industries recognize that their products are more likely to sell if different artificial flavors are infused into relatively common health agriculture. With more efficiency in these design and process systems, companies are able to add these flavors, consisting of unhealthy artificial ingredients and added fats, at a much cheaper price with faster distribution to retail shelves and fast food restaurants. Such changes in cheaper and more efficient product modification are a marketing tactic which creates a perceived better quality of food over the unmodified health agriculture, such as with the potato processing example. Businesses have learned that such additions of flavor and added fats provide much better profit margins and, in the process, longer shelf and freezer life of these enhanced products over the original agricultural output. It is because of the cheaper production processes and the higher profit by essentially fooling consumers into believing modified foods are a better alternative that enhanced and unhealthy products continue to flood many different food markets. There is also a significant over-reliance on economic models in the food system that leads to obesity problems in the United States. Food producers and agricultural industries do not have the ability to perform their systems autonomous of broader macro-economic conditions. Rising gasoline prices, higher increases in base salaries for manufacturing workers, rising costs of insurance, and other economic circumstances contin ue to raise the price of healthy agricultural output. The Consumer Price Index, a measure of consumer incomes as compared to product pricing, estimates that food inflation will continue at a pace of approximately 2.5 to 3.5 percent through the end of 2012 (Bloomberg, 1). In 2011, it was estimated that food inflation increased by 0.4 percent each month, representing a total food inflation in 2011 at 4.8 percent (Hauser, 1). In total, this represents an increase of approximately 8.3 percent in just two years. These inflationary costs are dictated by all of the aforementioned economic conditions that do not allow businesses to create healthy agricultural output without influence of multiple economic situations. What happens in this over-reliance is that fast food and other processed foods that are able to be distributed at a lower cost actually become more appealing to the strapped consumer in terms of price (Stacey, 1). As one example, the McDonald’s Extra Value Menu priced at $1 significantly outperforms the pricing of healthy grocery store substitutes by nearly 300 percent (or more). The costs of producing a home-cooked meal using health products, such as starches, proteins and vitamin rich vegetables are highly superior to the cheaper and much less healthy fast food alternative. This is why

History Of Reggae Music

History Of Reggae Music Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rock steady Reggae is based on a rhythmic style characterized by accents on the off beat, known as the skank. Reggae is normally slower than ska but faster than rock steady. Reggae usually accents the second and fourth beat in each bar, with the rhythm guitar also either emphasizing the third beat or holding the chord on the second beat until the fourth is played. It is mainly this third beat, its speed and the use of complex bass lines that differentiated reggae from rock steady, although later styles incorporated these innovations separately. The unprecedented explosion of creativity in Jamaica after that time is yet unexplained. Of course the whole population still sings Gospel on Sunday, and in this poor country, all the music that one can hear on the dance floors and the sound systems stays the main form of culture. Singers, DJs and producers are leaders and teachers. Like in Brazil and Africa (of which reggae takes most of its inspiration), the whole country is vibrating with music 24hours. Nevertheless, this passion for sound and beat dont explain it all. More is to come. The frantic side of the first reggae tunes disappears and in the beginning of the 70s, the One Drop style (that is commonly called Roots Reggae) starts to settle. This irresistible style with its fundamental simplicity, originality and essentiality, goes back to the African roots. Albums are always more creative and hundreds of fantastic artists take on the stage: Burning Spear, Jimmy Cliff Reggae is the heartbeat of Jamaica a brand of reggae music as strongly identified with the island as RB is with Detroit or jazz with new reggae Orleans. Its a major factor in the Jamaican economy, at no time better demonstrated than during Reggae Sunsplash and Reggae Sumfest (enormous annual reggae festivals), when almost one-quarter million visitors arrive from overseas to dance and sway in delirious union to the soulful, syncopated beat on the tiny island. In life outside music, ambiguity is not necessarily a positive attribute it is often a sign of indecision and, in politics, a lack of firm direction but in the world of sound, ambiguity becomes a virtue by offering many different possibility to proceed. Through music, in fact, even suffering can be pleasurable (Barenboim, 2009). According to Barenboim, music as just to escape of their problems, they use music like as a guide to do things and to do this things with pleasure and maybe better. The music, when you listen to it even if you are in bad mood and you do not feel good you can feel satisfied. Your favorite music can inspire you to do things on a good way. We connect reggae music to travel. Caribbean country, Jamaica is also very popular destination for many people. Thanks to combination of natural and cultural diversity, the country has turned into successful tourist destination. Jamaica is famous with its beaches, favorable climate and friendly local inhabitants. The people who like to travel to place like this are the reggae fans, fans of Bob Marley and all the Rastafarians. Bob Marley is one of the most popular musicians in the world, and number one in this kind of music. The reason all these people travel to Jamaica is maybe because they can find some kind of escape from their job, life and problems by getting high and listening music. Jamaicans just like Holland are with open mind about the Marijuana plants and smoking of weed. Thats and reggae music are the main reasons so many people to visit Jamaica. Connections between reggae and Jamaican culture are many. Jamaicans are deeply linked with reggae music and with the Rastafarians they all believe in one god called JAH. We can also relate reggae culture with Jamaicans because of the colors green, yellow and red. Jamaicans are Latinos and they like to have dread-locks which are so usual for them. Music semiology (semiotics), the semiology of music, is the study of signs as they pertain to music on a variety of levels. Following Roman Jakobson, V. Kofi Agawu adopts the idea of musical semiosis being introversive or extroversive-that is, musical signs within a text and without. Topics or various musical conventions such as horn calls, dance forms, and styles. This means the music itself has variety of levels or with another words different style. Every style is unique by itself and has something different and something not ordinary which makes him unique. The thing which makes the reggae music unique is the way of singing and how the performers are singing about good things with slow and calm sounds which makes you relax and chill. With that music the people can escape from their everyday life and to feel better. You can not feel any kind of aggression like from some another kind of music all what you can feel pleasure and happiness. That is why two of the most popular reggae songs like no woman no cry.. And ..everything gonna be all right.. Give us message which reggae fans like at most typically for that kind of music. This message refers to happiness, no worries, no stress. Reggae Aesthetics By definition the musical aesthetics is concentrated on the quality and study of the beauty and enjoyment of music. Aesthetics is a sub-discipline of philosophy. It is often thought that music has the ability to affect our emotions, intellect, and psychology; lyrics can assuage our loneliness or incite our passions. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetics_of_music ) Anyone seriously interested in understanding contemporary Jamaican live and literature must encounter reggae as a cultural phenomenon that has engaged the spiritual, political, social, erotic, and racial dynamic of Jamaican society. ÂÂ  Understanding reggaes role in the word today is to understanding the complexity and reality of the popular culture in the late twentieth century. Reggae is a good way to examine the cultural, political and social development of Caribbean society. It is important to show that reggae influences Caribbean literature and represents complex aesthetic force. Reggae artists are known as one of the most astute poets and polemicists always striving to unshackle themselves from the capitalist colonial powers of the day. Reggae Development The music industry is always changing due to the interests of the listeners and the influences of many kinds of music genres and creativities. The same with how music evolves into different style because of collaboration of different styles of music. It is repeating how ska and rocksteady developed into reggae; musicians are creating different style of reggae and spreading the beats and rhythm through the whole world. These are some highlights of the development of reggae music: Inner Circle: Pioneer of Jamaican reggae into US television Inner Circle is a Jamaican reggae group. The group was formed in 1968 by the brothers Ian and Roger Lewis in Jamaica. With Jacob Miller as their frontman and lead singer the band was one of the most popular in Jamaica during the 70s, and one of few reggae bands that performed live. They are responsible for the 1987 song Bad Boys, which serves as the theme song for Fox Networks long-running television program COPS. However, at first they covered soul and hits from the United States, and then also a few reggae songs, predominantly from Bob Marley. Come back hits such as Sweat A La La Long UB 40: British Pop Reggae Band in 1978 More than any other artists of their time, Britains UB40 have proven the power of pop-influenced reggae music. With worldwide sales topping 30 million albums during their career, the UB40 story demonstrates just how far people can go by staying true to their roots. UB40 grew up in the heart of Birmingham, one of Englands most ethnically diverse cities. The summer of 1978 saw the eight band members drawn together by their love of the Jamaican reggae vibes. UB40s breakthrough in America arrived in the form of 1983s Labor Of Love, and its single Red, Red Wine. The song topped the British singles charts in 1983 and five years later landed UB40 with their first #1 smash hit in the U.S.of Autumn 1984. They were touring America and Canada in the first half of 1985, the group celebrated another hit single in July 1985 with I Got You Babe. Peter Andre: One hit wonder from the down under Peter became the first Australian male artist to debut at No. 1 in the UK, with Flava. Peter scooped two awards at the year end Smash Hits Poll Winners Party. Soon followed a total of 3 Top Five hits, including two No.1 hits in the UK and a total of 11 top ten hits worldwide. Peters most successful release to date, came with the release of Mysterious Girl which sold over 2 million copies worldwide, making it the highest selling single of 1996. Flava and I feel You followed consecutively, both debuting at number 1. Big Mountain: American mainstream reggae in mid 90s Much like UB40, American reggae band Big Mountain brought a very commercialized version of Jamaican Music to the American mainstream when their cover of Peter Frampton Baby, I Love Your Way reached the Top Ten in early 1994. To the bands credit, though, their three albums contain reggae roots music combined with only several RB-ish covers, and the lineup includes two Jamaicans with excellent credentials: rhythm guitarist Tony Chin and drummer Santa Davis, both of whom played with the Peter Tosh band and the Soul Syndicate. Shaggy: The most commercial reggae genre in the 90s was dancehall reggae Emerging in the early 90s, Shaggy was the biggest crossover success in dancehall reggae. Not only did he become the genres most commercially potent artist in the international market, he was also more than just a typical flash in the pan, managing to sustain a career over the course of several highly popular albums. Perhaps in part because he wasnt based in he never really needed to have it both ways: virtually ignoring the hardcore dancehall crowd, his music was unabashedly geared toward good times, a friendly persona, and catchy party anthems. He wasnt shy about lifting hooks wholesale from pop hits of the past, a chart-ready blueprint similar to that of hip-hop stars like Puff Daddy, but he also had fairly eclectic tastes, giving his records a musical variety lacking from other dancehall stars. As a result, he became one of the scant few reggae artists to top the album and pop singles charts in America, not to mention numerous other countries where hes had even greater success. Sean Paul: The rise of Dance Hall into Rap Hip Hop Reggae Paul released his debut single, Baby Girl, with producer Jeremy Harding in 1996; it proved a significant success, leading to further Jamaican hits like Nah Get No Bly (One More Try), Deport Them, Excite Me, Infiltrate, and Hackle Mi. In 1999, Sean Paul started to make inroads to American audiences; he was first commissioned to collaborate with fellow dancehall hitmaker Mr. Vegas on a production for rapper DMX; titled Here Comes the Boom, the song was included in director Hype Williams film Belly. Also that year, Paul scored a Top Ten hit on the Billboard rap charts with Hot Gal Today. Unfortunately, Paul had a very public falling out with Mr. Vegas over the packaging of the latters remix of Hot Gal Today; still, it didnt slow Pauls career momentum, as he played the Summer Jam 2000 in New York City, the center of his American popularity. That fall, Paul released his first album on VP Records; the sprawling Stage One collected many of Pauls previous hit singles and compilation cuts, pl us a few brand-new tracks. 2002s Dutty Rock and 2005s The Trinity were extremely successful. Both albums peaked in the Top Ten of the album chart and featured a handful of mainstream smashes. Daddy Yankee: Reggae Ton Pioneer and Entrepreneur In the early 1990s, hip hop was overshadowed by Spanish reggae coming in from Panama and rather than make a decision for one type of music over another, Yankee and like-minded friends began to rap over the popular dancehall music, creating a new musical fusion that over time was named reggaeton. While hip hop and rap were still underground movements in Puerto Rico, there was one club where the new fusion was welcome called The Noise. Yankee started hanging out with the rappers and DJs at the club, and there he met the DJ/producer Playero, who gave him his start, featuring the budding artist on the 1992 album Playero 37, and who helped him with his full-length debut album, No Mercy, that was released in 1995. No Mercy did not receive much recognition, and Yankee continued recording as a guest artist on several other albums. Gasolina made it to the top of Billboards Hot 100 and even today may well be the single that non-Latinos associate with reggaeton, the albums phenomenal success within the Latino community was Lo Que Paso, Paso. Hermeneutics of Reggae Hermeneutics is the study of interpretation theory, and can be either the art of interpretation, or the theory and practice of interpretation. In sociology, hermeneutics means the interpretation and understanding of social events by analyzing their meanings to the human participants and their culture. It enjoyed prominence during the sixties and seventies, and differs from other interpretative schools of sociology in that it emphasizes the importance of the context as well as the form of any given social behavior. The central principle of hermeneutics is that it is only possible to grasp the meaning of an action or statement by relating it to the whole discourse or world-view from which it originates: for instance, why would people dance along to reggae music while he would probably not familiar with reggae. Roger Savage, author of Hermeneutics and Music said that peoples roles of judgment and imagination play both in our experiences of music and its critical interpretation, and reevaluates our current understandings of musics transformative power. There fore Reggae has been created and always related as music with beats of happiness. The message in the music itself is about leaving the worries behind and enjoys the life in a relaxing way. This beats and message has been delivered through the whole world in so many years before. It is not anymore related to Jamaica or Caribbean but it is now own by the world. Bob Marley, Marijuana leaf and the Jamaican flag colors are just becoming a symbol of the Reggae history and knowledge to where it came from. Reggae is interpreted as the music of happiness. The experiences of reggae music and the party scenes have been created, especially through the 90s when dancehall reggae was born and developed to it is today. People always like to feel happy. Reggae is infectiously inviting people to dance along the beat and become a guilty pleasure for some people. Reggae is not anymore about third world country and culture, not about marijuana smokers, not about Rastafarian anymore. Wherever the reggae beats are played, class, race and nationality are no longer exist.

Alzheimers Disease Essay -- Alzheimers Disease Essays

Alzheimer's Disease If we accept that the brain's ability to "fill in the blanks" about each experience we have, then we can conclude that our past is indeed partially our own brain's creature. However, there are still some norms created by people that define certain experiences as normal and others as not. What happens when a person starts to behave ab-normally? How is his/her brain filling the blanks in a different manner? To discuss this subject we would discuss the most common form of dementia among old people, the Alzheimer's disease. Dementia is a brain disorder, a loss of intellectual function (thinking, remembering, reasoning), which substantially affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. Alzheimer's disease (AD), a form of progressive, irreversible dementia with no known cause or cure, first described in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer, causes damage to the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. The consequences of the disease in terms of the patient's lifestyle are often times confused with the natural syndromes of aging. However, AD is not a normal part of aging. The processes which occur in an AD patient are still extensively researched. Nerve cells in the regions controlling the above mentioned faculties are lost and certain neurotransmitters' performance is damaged. The two most affected types of brain cells by AD are neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. While some neuritic plaques are commonly found in brains of elderly people, they appear in excessive numbers in the cerebral cortex of Alzheimer patients. Neurofibrillary tangles are twisted remnants of a protein called tau, found inside brain cells and crucial for maintaining proper cell structur... ...involves destruction of brain cells as supposed to pure aging. This provokes the question of the extent to which yourself, everything you associate as being your personality, your memories, your knowledge, is vulnerable and how everything that defines a "self" could be destroyed. References 1) Alzheimer's Society information sheet http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web3/www.alzheinmers.org.uk 2) About Alzheimer's Disease – Symptoms, Risk factors, etc. http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web3/www.ahaf.org/alzdis 3) Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet. http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web3/www.alzheimers.org/pubs 4) Alzheimer's Association http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web3/www.alz.org 5) Neurology Forum http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web3/www.neurologychannel.com/alzheimers<br>

A Journey: Analisys

A Journey A Life is all abort accepting how our lives have turned out. Sometimes life makes us wonder whether we have made the right decisions or not. All the decisions life throws at us is only to make us stronger as a person. After we have made a big decision all of us come do doubt whether we have chosen the right thing to do. This mental journey of self-assessment is what the protagonist, Mary, experiences in the short story â€Å"A Journey† by Colm Toibin from 2006 Mary has had a hard life, she has seen how hard can be, she has a clinically depressed son, and a paralyzed husband and during the long drive back from the hospital whith her son in the back seat, she think about how her life has turned out to be. The story is told by a limited third person narrator, and seen from the mother, Mary’s point of view. By observing Mary’s thoughts, it becomes easy to see how much her choices in life has meant to her and how much she still think about them. Especially when it comes to the son’s diseases – it is something she is very concerned with. Her main concern is whether she and her husband had something to do with his condition. â€Å"Were they to blame, she and Seamus, and in what way, for the fact that their twenty-year-old son whom she was driving home from the hospital had spent the last seven months there suffering from silence, as she called it; the doctors called it depression†[1] Mary searches her memory to find answers to the many questions she had build op in her mind though the years. Through a number of flashbacks she is trying to find some clues as to what could be the cause of her and David's condition. It is questions like whether Mary and Seamus perhaps gas spent to little time at home while Mrs. Redmond babysat David, and whether hey should not have sold the old shop. Mary and Davis’s relationship is tens; Mary is trying to break the ice between them by asking David for a cigarette. The relationship between them develops throughout the journey from the hospital. Even though Mary has made some wrong decisions in life, she does not complain about it, but she tries to repair her relationship with her son. Mary is stopped in her life as she stops the car, and she is now trying to change things, starting with the relationship with his son. This goes hand in hand with the poem Lucinda Matlock by Edgar Lee Masters' from 1916. In the poem the speaker also talks about how she has lived her life, and how there has been good times and bad times. She has enjoyed her life, but she has still lost eight of her twelve children. Lucinda argues that you have to take charge of your life and take the good times with the bad. As she finishes her poem, â€Å"it takes life to love life†[2] When she decides to stop the car, she finally makes a breakthrough in their communication. Mary is not only using this mental journey to think about her son, but also about her life with her husband, whom she thought she knew. Once again she thinks back on her life with Seamus and thinks about all the happy times they had together. Seamus is much like David, he does not give her any attention. The thoughts Mary deals with in regards to her son and husband are very well illustrated in Andrew Sean Greer's The Story of a Marriage from 2008. â€Å"We think we know the ones we love [†¦] But what we love turns out to be a poor translation a translation we ourselves have made, from a language we barely know†[3] She feels that they ignore her and do not appreciate her, not only by her by husband, but also by her son. Mary is moving one step closer to taking her fate into her own hands. Finally it dawns on Mary, that no matter how many downs you have in life, it will still be her life. And when her life has not come to an end yet, she is forced to take her life into her own hands and decide whether she will live life with two people who do not show their love for her or whether she will take a decision to live a life alone. We as readers do not know the ultimate ending to the short story, as it is an open ending. It is up to the reader to decide how it should end. B Flashback is one way for the author to tell whether an episode has happened in the past that has significance for the present. It gives us as readers a better understanding of why Mary thinks like she does. The flashbacks in â€Å"A Journey† are not very long, but despite that they give away a lot of information. Some of Mary’s flashback shows a life with happiness, but some of them do also show a life with difficultness. The first flashback, we get in the short story is when you get an insight into David's childhood from Mary's point of view. Because we see it from Mary's point of view we need to make our own impressions. The flashbacks deals with the important things in her life, most of them are a contrast to how her life has become. The Flashback is about her dead mother in her father's old shop, the rather pleasant experience of taking care of here father on his deathbed, and joyous occasions with her son and husband. Some of the flashback shows a life with happiness, but some of them do also show a life with difficultness. An example of a one of the positive flashback could be when she imagined the time where her father bought a house to her and Seamus. This flashback shows us that she had a wonderful life with Seamus before he got sick â€Å"She pictured as well their first sighting of the old two-story house beside the school that her father had bought for them when they got married. She remembered the atmosphere inside the house the day they went to look at it [†¦]†[4] All the flashback, we get in the story come on the trip home from the hospital with her son. She sees herself in him and want him to get out of his little shell, so he can experience the wonderful world we actually live in. She knows how it feels to live a hard life. She got over her mother's death, so he need to get over his father's illness – If it is the reason why he is so mentally closed. ———————– [1] P. 1 L 30-33 [2] p 6 l. 22 Text 2 [3] P 7. L 1-3 text 3 [4] P 2. L 55

JPMorgan Finance Group Essay

1. Why do you think JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch were selected to underwrite and book-run all $23.3 billion in financings (all debt, common stock, and convertible), instead of sharing the underwriting with additional firms? JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch had positive reputations after they both ranked highly in convertibles and common stock underwriting. These trustworthy banks had well-established ties to FCX. Also, these two firms agreed to issue a bridge loan to FCX prior to the acquisition. 2. What was the role of the leveraged finance group at JPMorgan and why was its involvement important to the acquisition? The leveraged finance group was responsible for the analysis behind making the bridge financing commitment to FCX. This was important to the acquisition because the bridge loan enabled FCX to show Phelps Dodge that they were committed to financing them. 3. Describe the forms of risk that an investment bank must consider in relation to acquisition and underwriting transactions. Describe what it means for a firm to set aside capital when it completes underwriting transactions. Capital Risk-financial risk a bank takes on when it agrees to finance an acquisition. Reputation Risk-comes from associating the investment firm with the company for which it is raising capital for or funding. When a bank sets aside capital when completing underwriting transactions it is usually cash invested in risk-free securities to hedge their risk. 4. Describe the role and importance of credit rating agencies in the Freeport-McMoRan transaction. Which group within an investment bank has the primary responsibility to work with companies regarding rating agency considerations? The credit rating agencies were important because they were needed to secure the highest possible ratings on the upcoming bond offerings. This determines how much a bank can borrow and at what cost. The debt capital markets group works with the credit rating agencies. 5. Describe the role of equity research at JPMorgan in the transaction. How has the role of equity research changed since 2003? Equity research groups provide investment ideas to the institutional salespeople who take these ideas to portfolio managers. Equity research analyst provided the institutional sales force an overview of the equity and convertible offerings. Then, a presentation was done by the FCX’s sales team to explain the acquisition of Phelps Dodge and gave information to convince employees of the acquisition. The role of equity research has changed since 2003  because now analysts are able to give investment opinions. 6. Who are the clients of the institutional sales team at JPMorgan? What is meant by a â€Å"limit order,† and what is its impact on the sales function? Describe the role of an Equity Capital Markets Syndicate group. The clients of the institutional sales team are portfolio managers of large assets. A limit order is the highest price in whi ch is willing to pay for stock in the primary stock market. Its impact on the sales function is that firms have to set a good limit order so that the price of the newly issued stock is neither too high nor too low. The role of an equity capital markets syndicate group is to track investor’s worries and concerns and their feedback about the transaction. This group helps the firm properly price stock and convertibles to better keep investors happy. 7. Assume the following fees were paid: M&A fee of 0.5 percent of the transaction value; debt fees of 0.75 percent on all debt and loan financing; equity fees of 3 percent on all equity and convertible financing. Calculate the estimated total fees for both JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch. Indicate whether you think these fees were justified and support your views. These fees represent paying for risk and also for commissions. These fees are justified because of the long process of acquiring another business and what goes into this process to make sure that it is done without error. A lot of equity research is done prior to the investment and credit rating companies need to be paid too. These fees are valid because it took so many groups within JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch, and FCX to make an informed decision to acquire Phelps Dodge. This totals 4.25% in fees for both JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch.

French Conjunction Tant Que Doesnt Need Subjunctive

French Conjunction Tant Que Doesnt Need Subjunctive Tant que is a conjunctive phrase (locution conjonctive) that, unlike many other conjunctive phrases, does not need the subjunctive. It means as / so much as or as long as / while / since, depending on the context. Tant que is a phrase that communicates certainty and intensifies quantity, frequency, degree and the like. Thus, there is really no reason for the subjective subjunctive. Tant que tu es ici, tu peux maider. As long as / Since youre here, you can help me.Jai tant lu que jai mal aux yeux. I read so much that my eyes hurt.Il a tant manger, quil est malade. He ate so much that hes sick.Tant que tu es la, cherche mes lunettes. As long as / since youre here, look for my glasses.Tu peux rester tant que tu veux. You can stay as long as you want. Tant Que vs. Autant Que Do not confuse tant que  with autant que,  another conjunctive phrase that seems similar but is really more about equalizing and comparisons. It, too, is an adaptable and widely used phrase in French that has a number of possible meanings in English: as far as, as / so much as or as long as / while. So while tant que is about intensity, autant que is about balance. Autant que communicates conjecture and doubt, so the verb following it should be in the subjunctive, indicated in bold below: Autant que je me souvienne... As far as I remember...Autant que je vous le dise tout de suite. I may as well tell you right now. Other French Conjunctive Phrases A conjunctive phrase is a group of two or more words that function as a conjunction that links clauses. French conjunctive phrases end in que, and many, but not all, are subordinating conjunctions, rather than coordinating conjunctions, that require a subjunctive verb. One asterisk below indicates those that take the subjunctive. condition que*  Ã‚  provided thatafin que*  Ã‚  so thatainsi que  Ã‚  just as, so asalors que  Ã‚  while, whereasautant que* as far as / as much as / while mesure que  Ã‚  as (progressively) moins que**  Ã‚  unlessaprà ¨s que  Ã‚  after, when supposer que*  Ã‚  assuming thatau cas oà ¹Ã‚  Ã‚  in caseaussità ´t que  Ã‚  as soon asavant que**  Ã‚  beforebien que*  Ã‚  althoughdans lhypothà ¨se oà ¹Ã‚  Ã‚  in the event thatde crainte que**  Ã‚  for fear thatde faà §on que*  Ã‚  in such a way thatde manià ¨re que*  Ã‚  so thatde mà ªme que  Ã‚  just asde peur que**  for fear thatdepuis que  Ã‚  sincede sorte que*  Ã‚  so that, in such a way thatdà ¨s que  Ã‚  as soon asen admettant que*  Ã‚  assuming thaten attendant que*  Ã‚  while, untilencore que*  Ã‚  even thoughjusqu ce que*  Ã‚  untilparce que  Ã‚  becausependant que  Ã‚  whilepour que*  Ã‚  so thatpourvu que*  Ã‚  provided thatquand bien mà ªme  Ã‚  even though/ifquoi que*  Ã‚  whatever, no matter whatsans que**  Ã‚  withoutsità ´t que  Ã‚  as soon assupposà © que*  Ã‚  supposingtandis que  Ã‚  while, whereastant que  Ã‚  Ã‚  as long asvu que  Ã‚  seeing as/that *These conjunctions must be followed by the  subjunctive.**These conjunctions require the  subjunctive  as well as the  ne explà ©tif, a more formal negation that uses ne without pas. Additional Resources Tant Que vs. Autant QueFrench ConjunctionsThe SubjunctivatorQuiz: Subjunctive or indicative?

What You Should Know About Ronald Reagans Radio Career

What You Should Know About Ronald Reagan's Radio Career Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. President was many things - including a radio broadcaster. More specifically, he was a sportscaster for several stations between 1932 and 1937 including WOC-AM and WHO-AM. You may not have heard the details, so here are some highlights: WOC - AM 1420 in Davenport was the First commercial radio station west of the Mississippi River and [in 1932] first to hire Ronald Reagan.WOC, needed an announcer to broadcast University of Iowa games. Reagans first assignment - for $5 and bus fare - was the University of Iowas homecoming game against Minnesota. (RonaldReagan.com)After WOC consolidated with WHO in Des Moines...WHO, an NBC affiliate gave Reagan national media exposure. (Reagan.utexas.edu.)  Dutch (a childhood nickname because of his Dutch boy haircut) gained national media exposure recreating Chicago Cubs baseball games from the studio.  One of his responsibilities was to give accounts of Chicago Cubs baseball games via telegraph. During one game between the Cubs and their arch rivals the St. Louis Cardinals that was tied 0-0 in the 9th inning, the telegraph went dead: An often repeated tale of Reagans radio days recounts how he delivered play-by-play broadcasts of Chicago Cubs baseball games he had never seen. Hi s flawless recitations were based solely on telegraph accounts of games in progress. (PBS.org) Once in 1934, during the ninth inning of a Cubs - St. Louis Cardinals game, the wire went dead. Reagan smoothly improvised a fictional play-by-play (in which hitters on both teams gained a superhuman ability to foul off pitches) until the wire was restored. (Wikepedia.org)  Reagan said: â€Å"There were several other stations broadcasting that game and I knew I’d lose my audience if I told them we’d lost our telegraph connections so I took a chance. I had (Billy) Jurges hit another foul. Then I had him foul one that only missed being a home run by a foot. I had him foul one back in the stands and took up some time describing the two lads that got in a fight over the ball. I kept on having him foul balls until I was setting a record for a ballplayer hitting successive foul balls and I was getting more than a little scared. Just then my operator started typing. When he passed me the paper I started to giggle - it said: ‘Jurges popped out on the first ball pitched .’† (intellecualconservative.com)   Did you know that less than six months after President Ronald Reagan left the office he attended an All-Star Game and did some more broadcasting? (BaseballAlmanac.com)  His political career started through the presidency of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). He gained political stature through radio broadcasts and speaking tours sponsored by the General Electric company.

How to choose a minor in college

How to choose a minor in college The best minors for your English major Learn about the best minors from our list and decide whether you want to pair Spanish with psychology or linguistics. Psychology Study psychology for a better understanding of the human nature. You can either be a fiction lover or a math fan, but if you dedicate yourself to learning about people’s thinking, you will soon realize you can write a novel psychological enough to win the Nobel prize! Besides, you will be able to embrace different cultures and their mental attitudes apart from the capacity to analyze fictional characters and why students procrastinate on a daily basis. There is a reason we want psychology to be our minor, and that’s not because writing tasks are not that complicated (they actually are). After you get a psychology degree, life suddenly seems to be more diverse, and that’s only the beginning. Humanities If you have a passion for writing that can’t be quelled and can discuss the word origins for hours, then welcome to the humanities league. You will be able to pursue the history of the language and immerse into literary art like a pro, dealing with concepts and forms that have been developed by writers through the centuries. Not a far cry from history, humanities would be a perfect choice for anyone remotely interested in language issues and will certainly add to your understanding of linguistics, if you make enough effort. Besides, you can always get a bonus for being an expert in word definitions and fictional concepts. Foreign language Let’s be honest – foreign language means amazing job opportunities, and hey, who wouldn’t be glad to receive a promotion? If you are learning a second language, however, do not forget to do your research and track the statistics – Chinese still occupies the first place along with Spanish, and you can find many people traveling to Spain for the same reason. If you are too lazy to choose a minor right away, we recommend you reading short stories in another language so that you practice and enrich your vocabulary daily. As they say, learning is one of the pleasures of life if you know how to do it. Suddenly, the world has more color to it and we should say being bilingual does not hurt! History History is kind of associated with humanities, but you will be surprised how much there is to know about the current state of affairs. You may have read Pride and Prejudice, but do you know it was quite revolutionary for its time? Sometimes, you just need history to learn about cause and effect and the consequences of big political decisions on the world arena. What is more, you can add that to your minor list and still be able to attend your major course, since history surveys along topic classes. Journalism For people who know they want to write and just can’t help it, this course should be amazing. You have to remember, however, that fantasy is no longer something you can indulge in once you become a news manager – hello, truth! So, prepare yourself for the change of the subject: instead of your own thoughts and opinions (though they still may be present in blog), you will have to give way to politicians, government leaders and political representatives. Boring? It can be, especially if you are taught the standards of the creative writing, but then, you also gain a lot of experience and spend the majority of your time with the like-minded people. Interviewing celebrities is also included, which can be considered a bonus in some ways. Don’t be afraid to explore the new horizons with a minor!

Financial Systems & Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Financial Systems & Auditing - Essay Example Ledger stores information needed for preparation of financial statements and final accounts. Books of original entry, also known as prime entry books where transactions are initially recorded, such books include sales journal, sales returns journals, purchases journal, purchase returns journal, cash book and general journal. Accounting or bookkeeping assumes vital and helpful role by creating the information for giving responses to numerous questions confronted by the users of accounting information. It gives information how great or terrible the budgetary state of the business is which products or activities have been productive (Singhvi & Bodhanwala, 2006:262). Bookkeeping is vital for a business entity because of the following reasons: - iii) As the business continues to grow, there is an expanded volume of business results in a huge number of transactions, and no business person is able to remember everything. With the help of accounting records, there is no need to remember various transactions (Demski, 2007:33). Apart from the cash flow statement the other accounts are always set on an accruals basis. This basis of accounting requires that the non-cash transactions be reflected in the financial statements for the period in which their effects are encountered and not in the one in which cash or money is actually received or paid. The accounts are often prepared on a going concern basis. This implies that the accounts are made on the assumption that the  organization  will continue to operate indefinitely or for the foreseeable future. The business has no intention to curtail their operation significantly. This concept helps a business to get long-term sources of finance or loans. It also shows the financial stability to the shareholders that will affect the prices of stock (Kolitz et al 2009:507). Because of many different ways of applying concepts, each entity must select the approach that gives the most reliable picture of the entity

Italy Country Profile Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Italy Country Profile - Assignment Example . . Italy is a magic. Explore it† (â€Å"Beautiful Italy,† n.d.). With this notion, it can be perceived that Italy must be a paragon of a paradise in the contemporary perspective. The concept of this paper has been created as to depict the PEST-C aspects of the country, including the Hofstede's perspectives of analyzing the culture of Italy as compared to Canada, and depicting the feasible business venture in the country. Lastly, a conclusive remark will be inscribed. 2. PEST-C Aspects Political/Legal. When it comes to dealing with weak pecuniary locus of the country, Italy has announced to cut its budget amounting to â‚ ¬26bn from the period span 2012-14. In accordance with the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index 2011, the country is placed at 69th among 183 nations (â€Å"Italy Country Profile,† 2012, p. 4). In the context of European Union, Italy is deemed as having the highest aggregate tax rate. In accordance with Paying Taxes 2 012, the nation’s aggregate tax rate was 68.5%, which is notably above the average of EU of 43.4%. Such taxes may comprise of profit and labor impositions. Dismally, the nation’s aggregate piracy rate is 49% that has eventuated to procure detrimental losses of â‚ ¬1.87bn; such piracy issues are associated to business and entertainment softwares (â€Å"Italy Country Profile,† 2012, p. 5). ... Furthermore, non-performing loans, such as substandard, restructured, bad, and past-due loans. In accordance with the International Monetary Fund, these loans have incremented to 11% in 2011 from about 6% in 2008. The debt turmoil has become the triggering factor for organizations to be exposed to short-term debts, which are dependent to the lending institutions. Otherwise stated, organizations are doomed to fail because of the potential risks of high interest rates and be liquidated. The worst case is that forty percent of these organizations are exposed to interest rates that are payable within a period of less than twelve months (â€Å"Italy Country Profile,† 2012, pp. 4-5). Social/Cultural. It is significant to consider the demographic profile of a country when it comes to depicting the generality of its social aspects. Therein, cultural aspects will be delved as well in the light of fathoming the demographic facets. In accordance with the CIA World Factbook, the average l ife expectancy of Italy last 2012 was at 81.86 years--comprising of men ages 79.24 years and women 84.63 years (â€Å"Italy Country Profile, 2012, p. 5). That record is notably one of the highest in the world. In the light of macroeconomics, the nation’s aggregate workforce is mitigating (â€Å"Country Intelligence: Italy,† 2012, p. 16) and such a situation will deem as detrimental. In fact, Italy’s unemployment rate was about 8.40% in 2011, which was considerably higher than that of the developed countries. This implicates that Italy’s work environment may be the cause of weakening social aspects that will lead to impact the economy of the country. As a matter of fact, Italy’s employment rate of 56.9% was lower compared to that of the EU average of 64.2% (â€Å"Italy

How institutional and cultural issues impact International HRM Essay

How institutional and cultural issues impact International HRM - Essay Example This essay will provide an analysis on the literature available on International Human Resource Management and how companies deal with the challenges of globalisation and of managing employees of different culture. International human resource management is an important emerging phenomenon in international business. There is a sudden growth of interest over this due to the rapid growth of industrialisation and globalisation. Globalisation has revolutionized the way organisations function; it has been enhanced by continuous technological advancement, the Internet and Information Technology. Organisations have to expand both as an organisation and as a business. Businesses, which have been internationalized because of intense globalisation, have to introduce more new products and services. Competition dictates these companies to be always changing and innovative. The importance of borders between different countries is reduced, and similar events and phenomena in countries throughout t he world are more easily linked. The identities of cross-border structures are strengthened, and the power of organisations operating only within the nation state is weakened. International human resource management has its origin in the 1980s, as a reaction against the more functional approach embodied in personnel management. McKern stated that during the early years of the post-war development of the modern international corporation, organisational structures evolved slowly in response to geographical and market diversity. It was easy for management to change structures incrementally. But now changes in the organisation are based on complex environmental factors. International HRM was born. Guest (1990 as cited in Cray and Mallory, 1998) says that ‘the apparent novelty of HRM lies in the claim that by making full use of its human resources a firm will gain competitive advantage’. HRM Paradigms Human resource management is the strategic and coherent approach to the ma nagement of an organisation’s most valued asset – the people. Due to the emergence of various forces in globalisation, organisations and businesses have become global as a result of technological innovations, and the introduction of more development in communications and transportation. There are two paradigms focusing on HRM. The universalist paradigm, which is dominant in the United States and widely used elsewhere, assumes that the purpose of the study of HRM is to improve the way human resources are managed strategically within organisations (Harris et al., 2003). In contrast, the contextual paradigm searches for an overall understanding of what is contextually unique and why. Many management researchers find the universalist paradigm ironically excluding much of the work of HR specialists in such areas as compliance, equal opportunities, trade union relationships and dealing with local government. This paradigm is not helpful in regions like Europe, where signific ant HR legislation and policy is enacted at European Union level (e.g. freedom of movement, employment and remuneration, equal treatment) as well as those of particular countries or sectors (Brewster et al, 1996, qtd. in Harris et al, 2003). HRM is now considered the determinant factor in the success or failure of international business. The success of global business depends most importantly on the quality of management in an organisation. There is a shortage of international management talent that constrains implementation of global strategies (Scullion and Paauwe, 2004). There is a lot of challenge placed on the manager in managing an organisation of different culture. Along this line of thought is the concept on comparative human resource mana

Discussion 1 Week 6 Corporate-level Strategies Assignment

Discussion 1 Week 6 Corporate-level Strategies - Assignment Example The merger could increase tendencies for dependencies between the corporate partners. As such, two examples which would illustrate the manner in which each company would avoid risks of dependency are as follows: (1) one company could replicate a successfully implemented business model in new market segments within the industry (Hill and Jones); and (2) the corporate partner could differentiate its products (or services) by focusing on core competencies which appeal to their clientele. For instance, offering exemplary customer service through acknowledging loyal clients by name recognition or provision of perks and freebies. 2. From e-Activity, determine the fundamental drawbacks associated with horizontal integration. Suggest another corporate-level strategy that could redefine the Southwest business model and thus allow the company to increase its competitive advantage within a changing industry environment. Provide a rationale to support your response. The fundamental drawbacks associated with horizontal integration include being exposed to coming into conflict with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for potential violations of anti-trust laws which undermine fair competition. In addition, customers’ interests and purchasing power could also be jeopardized if major companies within the industry engage in horizontal integration and control or dictate market prices. As such, another corporate-level strategy that could redefine the Southwest business model and allow the company to increase its competitive advantage within the changing airlines industry is the application of vertical integration. Southwest could look into improving scheduling (queuing of airline routes to facilitate speed in the number and volume of flights). The strategy would assist in minimizing costs, as well as improving customer satisfaction through speed within which services

Love your enemy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Love your enemy - Essay Example I was on my way to school and came across a group of young men sited on a bench talking animatedly. As I was passing by, one of them shouted offensively at me, making it seem like everyone of my kind was part of the ISIS militia group. The recent killings and beheadings in Syria and the Arab world were making it difficult for ethnical compatibility especially in the United States, which has suffered in the hands of terror groups. The society has turned to condemning anyone looking like a Muslim making them feel unwelcome. Before passing by this group of guys, I had not realized that which was happening in the Middle East was having a ripple effect across the world. I ignored them and walked away without giving it a second thought. However, I remembered that a friend of mine had told me of a similar incident and this all started to add up. We were an enemy even if we were not related to ISIS’s actions in any way. We were labeled terrorists even if people had no evidence to thei r claims. Examining why most of the people were joining such radical groups, I realized it was partly because of what the society was doing to innocent people. The labeling theory was taking shape at the expense of the togetherness expected within the society. Despite the religious animosity across many parts of the world, it is quite simple to make good use of the situation at hand, and this implies having to deal with clouded emotions with sobriety. It will not be easy, but it is worthwhile. If the society did this often, the religious wars and crimes in the neighborhood would be minimized. Like the Holy Book commands, it is critical to be a witness of fair dealings even when people hate you for it. Despite one’s religion, it is easy to extend an olive branch to the other party and feel happy for doing such. I learned that my reactions after this incident would determine whether I could look at my enemies and consider them as my friends. The brewing hatred is

Network Security Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Network Security - Annotated Bibliography Example Jackson’s book takes a very specific approach to computer network security at all levels. It examines the importance of network security in organizations and the importance of protecting data. It further analyses the security requirements of an organization and how to meet the desired customer satisfaction by proving them with solutions that make economic sense and those that help protect their data. The classification of data into several states; confidential, normal priority and critical, gives more light to the importance of having secure networks. The book does for a fact live up to the state of being a comprehensive reference to all issues related to auditing and network security. It covers all key areas around network security and those relevant to information security. By and large this is a reliable source and a current source. It has been published in recent years, precisely 2010, and as such the content is still within the valid bounds. This is because the information technology sector changes so fast and if the book was written any earlier the content therein could be to a large extent obsolete. The book further examines and projects the future of networking and specifically security in networks which gives it an edge over the past publications. The book by Jackson is based on facts and reports directly about network security. The research put into the book is objective and for this reason the author has greatly minimized the personal accounts of the subject and opinion. It has well documented facts on security breaches from the world’s largest security devices manufacturers, for example, VeriSign. The author is highly certified person with specific certifications in CISCO equipment. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has authored many whitepapers and initiate innovations of his own under CISCO systems. The source fits perfectly into the research and contains very relevant material to the course work. It is a specific source and does not explore the network security field as a general subject but rather squarely focuses on the nitty-gritty of securing computer networks. It helped narrow down my understanding of network security by providing me direction and grounds to be open minded and a lso recognize facts from fiction in network engineering. Harrington, Jan. Network security: A Practical approach. Massachusetts: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 2005. Print. Probably this is the most incisive and educative book about networking security that has been written. In this book Harrington tears a part skills based network security and provides practical examples of network scenarios with security breaches. The constant reference to past security threats to known multinational companies serves as a vivid image of how critical this field is. Harrington gets into the mind of network security professionals and brings out the important role and task of network professionals, in the process she outlines the routine maintenance tasks and schedules necessary and that are required for network administrators. The book is a comprehensive resource for anyone who implements or plans to dive into network security field, including the practitioners and managers. The dual perspective on secu rity: how you need to act in the network inside and how hackers and crackers view your network and want to get inside gives a solid understanding of the subject. Further, readers get hands-on technical advice they need to make it through the field without hustle. The Practical approach used in writing this book makes it a bit subjective since the author writes from his own experiences. However, these experiences have been supported by facts and history information on the subject of network security. The author is also a credible source and has been referenced in numerous books. Harrington has written more than 30 books and has been writing about computers since 1984. She has taught

Love your enemy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Love your enemy - Essay Example I was on my way to school and came across a group of young men sited on a bench talking animatedly. As I was passing by, one of them shouted offensively at me, making it seem like everyone of my kind was part of the ISIS militia group. The recent killings and beheadings in Syria and the Arab world were making it difficult for ethnical compatibility especially in the United States, which has suffered in the hands of terror groups. The society has turned to condemning anyone looking like a Muslim making them feel unwelcome. Before passing by this group of guys, I had not realized that which was happening in the Middle East was having a ripple effect across the world. I ignored them and walked away without giving it a second thought. However, I remembered that a friend of mine had told me of a similar incident and this all started to add up. We were an enemy even if we were not related to ISIS’s actions in any way. We were labeled terrorists even if people had no evidence to thei r claims. Examining why most of the people were joining such radical groups, I realized it was partly because of what the society was doing to innocent people. The labeling theory was taking shape at the expense of the togetherness expected within the society. Despite the religious animosity across many parts of the world, it is quite simple to make good use of the situation at hand, and this implies having to deal with clouded emotions with sobriety. It will not be easy, but it is worthwhile. If the society did this often, the religious wars and crimes in the neighborhood would be minimized. Like the Holy Book commands, it is critical to be a witness of fair dealings even when people hate you for it. Despite one’s religion, it is easy to extend an olive branch to the other party and feel happy for doing such. I learned that my reactions after this incident would determine whether I could look at my enemies and consider them as my friends. The brewing hatred is

Into the World Essay Example for Free

Into the World Essay Into the world shows changes in an individual’s life through their personal experiences. One individual will go through many barriers and obstacles to achieve the change. The prescribed text, Educating Rita by Willy Russell and the related text, ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ by JC Burke explores different and similar pathways to how the characters in those texts change through their new experiences. In the prescribed text ‘Educating Rita’ by Willy Russell is about a 26 years old woman, hairdresser Rita who starts seeks motivation in education to motivate her and move into a higher educated class leaving her working class behind. Russell uses extended metaphors and imageries throughout the play ‘window’ this symbolises as the physical barrier for the relationship between Rita and Frank and into the world. The colloquial language is a barrier for Rita at the start of the play when she enters Frank’s room ‘I’m comin’ in, aren’t I? which shows Rita’s education level isn’t that high. Also, Rita’s misunderstanding interpreted when Frank’s makes references to literature texts ‘Howard’s end’ Rita’s respond that it sounds ‘filthy’. Rita comes back from ‘summer’ break to the city of London; she becomes more mature as she meets her new flatmate Trish who gave her motivation to reach her goal to have a brighter future. In the related text ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ by JC Burke is about a family after a brutal car accident their life’s was like chaos and many things in the family fell apart. Tom Brennan adopts a new way of looking at life through the use of first person narrative and visual imagery â€Å"everything I thought I knew about who I was and who the Brennan’s were changed forever† implies Tom’s innocence to alter his feeling of grief towards his recklessness brother Daniel because of the trouble Daniel make in the town. His family decided to move into a different town, Coghill implies a change in community dynamics through the use of colloquial language.

Evaluation Task-Centered and Crisis Intervention Theories

Evaluation Task-Centered and Crisis Intervention Theories Select a social work intervention, evaluate its theoretical roots and influences and compare it to at least one other approach. Describe briefly how you would apply your chosen approach in work with a service user or carer group and evaluate its effectiveness. Use at least one piece of research to inform your evaluation. You will need to demonstrate the ability to detect, understand and evaluate potential for discrimination generally with particular emphasis on two specific areas. This paper will evaluate the theoretical roots and influences of two psychological social work intervention theories task-centred and crisis intervention. They will be applied to practice with a children and family setting. The potential for each intervention to discriminate on the grounds of age and race will be demonstrated and evaluated. Both theories will be contrasted and evaluated in terms of their strengths, weaknesses and effectiveness, by use of informed literature and research. Theories can provide social workers with a safe base to explore situations and understand complex human behaviour (Coulshed and Orme 2006). Used wisely, they can promote effective, anti-oppressive practice (Wilson 2008). Theory underpins the social work degree (Coulshed and Orme) and the growing emphasis on evidence-based practice ensures theory is at the heart of the profession (Corby 2006). The most significant theory within social work is Freuds psychodynamic theory (Daniel 2008). Payne (2007:80) goes say far as to suggest that psychodynamic work is social work. It was the original theory social workers drew upon to understand complex human behaviour (Coulshed and Orme 2006). It is also the theory from which many others have been developed or as Payne (2005) suggests, opposed. For these reasons, it can be difficult to understand other theories without knowledge of psychodynamic (QUOTE, QUOTE). Psychodynamic is a major underpinning base of crisis intervention, more specifically, ego psychology, developmental psychology, and cognitive behavioural approaches and systems theory (McGinnis 2009). These theories provide an understanding of the particular psychological characteristic of people in such situations (Beckett 2006, p110). By contrast, task-centred was established within social work. Stemming specifically, from Reid and Shynes (1969) research into the profession (McColgan (Lindsay ed.) 2010). Reid and Shyne claim the roots and influences of task-centred were not derived or borrowed from any other discipline (Parker and Bradley, 2010; Watson and West, 2006). Therefore, Trevithick (2005) suggests task-centred should be referred to as a work or practice, rather than an approach. However, many writers contest this, including Doel (2009) and Marsh (2008) who assert association lies with behavioural and problem-solving approaches to social work. On reflection there are stark similarities between problem-solving tool and behavioural. Crisis intervention was developed by Caplan from Lindeman and Caplans work into loss and grief (QUOTE). It is not a single model in the way that task-centred casework is a single model, but rather a group of models for short-term work with people at points of acute crisis (Beckett 2006, p110). A crisis is a precipitating hazardous event which is meaningful or threatening to oneself (Payne 2005:104). Crises are often caused by sudden loss or change (McGinnis 2010:39). However, it is not the event that defines a crisis, but rather the service users perception and emotional interpretation (Parker and Bradley 2010). What may present a crisis for one may be considered a challenge for another because people have different life experiences, cultural backgrounds, coping strategies and levels of resilience. Crises can be predicable, as in Eriksons psychosocial model (which views developmental conflicts as part of the life course), or unpredictable crises which cannot be foreseen for instance, a natural disaster, ill health and poverty or even a burglary (Hamer 2006) (ONLINE). Crises reduce the psychological coping ability by challenging the homeostasis (normal equilibrium) (Thompson 1991). When ones usual coping resources are unsuccessful in responding to their problem and they cannot adopt alternative internal strategies or find another way to cope, they are likely to find themselves in crisis (Hamer 2006). Caplan argued, that people act as self-regulating systems (Trevithick 2005:267), in that they strive to retain homeostasis. He believed that in addition to the occasional crises caused by unpredicted events people experience developmental crisis throughout the life course. He further argued that preventative work, offered at the time of such developmental crises, might be effective in reducing symptoms of psychiatric illness (Wilson et al. 2008: 361). Unsuccessfully resolved crises can lead to psychologically incapacitating experiences such as regression, mental illness, feelings of hopefulness and inadequacy, or destructive action (Wilson et al. 2008:362). Equally, crises can stir up repressed feelings (Coulshed and Orme 2006). For example, a marriage breakdown may reactivate repressed feelings of rejection and loss from being taken into care as a child. This can add to the sense of feeling overwhelmed and overburdened (a double dose) (Coulshed and Orme 2006:135). While this may provide the opportunity to address a repressed event, the more unresolved crises one has, the more vulnerable they are to future crises (Hamer 2006). Similarly, if unhelpful coping mechanisms are employed during a crisis, this has the potential to create another crisis (Watson and West 2006). Crises produce biological stress responses whereby the fight or flight mechanism is activated. CHINESE MODEL This energy can be fuelled into developing new coping strategies and resilience for now and the future (Thompson 1991, p20). Thompson (1991:10 citing Caplan 1961) uses to his three stage model to understand the characteristics of a crisis. The impact stage is short-lived and characterised by stress and confusion where the event can appear unreal. The second is the recoil stage. This is characterised by disorganisation and intensity of emotion. For example, emotions can be directed externally (anger), internally (guilt) or both concurrently. There may be psychical symptoms as well such as, fatigue, headaches (and) stomach disorder. The final stage is adjustment and adaption. Crises take on average four to eight weeks to resolve and it is during this final period that a crisis can be resolved as a breakthrough or breakdown (Thompson 1991:10). If unhelpful coping mechanisms are used during this stage, they have the potential to create another crisis (Watson and West 2006). As such, skilled crisis intervention during this time can lead to a breakthrough (Thompson 1991:10). For application to practice, Roberts 2000 cited in Wilson et al 2008:366 Uses a seven stage model: Assess risk safety of service user Establish rapport and appropriate communication Identify and define major problems Deal with feelings and provide support Explore possible alternative responses Formulate action plan Provide follow up service IN APP: Try to find trigger but dont get lost in it What is happening to them? How do they normally cope internally/externally? Do they use just psychological or social and community resources to good effect? Opp to help back to homeo but also to improve Min danger enhance risk Mobilise support system advocate Calm, reassure, rapport, interest Develop new techs of coping thro counselling Remember person open for limited period Get SU to set goals give beginning and sense of control Short term incremental to build confidence and new learning Dont set up for failure If using the example given above, the situation does not constitute a crisis, but rather a series of/or large problem, task-centred can be utilised to address these. Task-centred practice involves five structured steps which are essential to its effectiveness (HOWE BOOK): The first step is for the social worker to understand the problems faced, the methods used to respond to the problem and the preferred situation. These are defined and expressed by the service user (Thompson, 2005). Anna expresses she is feeling low since the recent birth of her son, she is worried she does not have the natural mothering ability and cannot remember the last time she last had an adult conversation. She doesnt know where to turn for help. The social worker explores cultural and structural XXXXX it becomes clear that Anna cannot tell her family how she is feeling because it is frowned upon by her culture. She would love to feel happy and in control again. Using feminist perspectiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Her cultureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Ageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. During the next stage the social worker encourages Anna to prioritise which parts of the problems she would like to work on first. With support she breaks the problem down in manageable chunks. This process helps Anna to see that her problem is not insurmountable; it gives her hope and a focus. It is essential during this time that the social worker remains empathetic and builds Anna hopes. The following stage is based upon negotiation in partnership. Together, Anna and social worker agree a maximum of three problems for desired change. Each goal must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound (Doel AND WHO YEAR p36) to ensure Anna is not set for failure. The first of task might be for Anna will visit the local Childrens Centre next week to find out what services they offer. The second step could be attending a session as the Childrens Centre. A timeline for the tasks (usually 12 weekly sessions), together with agreement of who will complete which tasks will form a written contract, signed by both parties. The agreed contract is implemented and monitored until evaluation or termination. This allows for flexibility should this be required (such as extension of time or reorganisation of problems). Anti-oppressive practice lies at its core of task-centred and the values of social work practice are integrated. Partnership working promotes social justice and seeks to reduce the power imbalance between worker and service user. Thompson (2007, p50) agrees stating user involvement and partnership working are part of a political commitment to promoting social justice, social inclusion and equality. These aspects are further supported by the British Association of Codes of Practice, Codes of Ethics for Social Work (DATE) (24 October 2010). The promotion of choice for service users by their own identification of the problem and prioritisation of their goals empowers. It also views the service as an expert in their situation. The nature of breaking down problems (often considered insurmountable) builds a sense of hope for service users to overcome them (QUOTE) The simplicity of the model means it is easy to understand and apply and enables service user to use it for future problem solving (Doel and Marsh 1995). This builds resilience and empowers service users. The model recognises and builds upon service users strengths because it considers they have the personal resources to solve their problems with limited support. This empowers by enabling service users to take control and ownership (McColgan, (Lindsay ed.) 2010). A contract provides transparency and clarity. It places the focus on the problem, rather than the individual. It also allows for flexibility for the level or duration of support to be increased or goals to be reorganised. Because the model is time-limited it decreases the risk of dependency and creates motivation to respond to tasks (Doel AND WHO, DATE, p36). The successful completion of tasks, lead to personal growth of the service user, in terms of confidence and self-esteem for now and for the future. For the worker and agency it offers a time and cost effective intervention. It also saves on future resources by building service users to solve their own problems in the future. A note of caution is that it would be oppressive and ineffective if used with service users with limited cognitive functioning (such as poor mental health, learning disability or dementia). The model is also incompatible where there are complex underlying issues because it cannot address them. Additionally, it may not consider structural oppression such as class, poverty, ill health, gender or racial oppression. Because of the nature of partnership, service users need to be willing to participate for the model to be effective (Trevithick 2005). A written, signed contract may encourage a power imbalance between social worker and service user, placing the social worker as the expert. Marsh (Davies ed. 2008) warns that while task-centred practice may be the most popular theory among social work students, perhaps owing to its simplicity. The quality of its application is often undermined. Many believing they are carrying out task-centred practice work, when actually they are not. PAGE 121 BBB In applying crisis intervention the social worker must establish a rapport with Anna using skills of empathy and active listening, while also assessing the risk of harm to Anna and her child (Mc Ginnis 2010). Importance should also be given to the non-verbal communication of the service user. Anna should be supported in exploring the problem (the objective facts) and her emotional response to the problem (the subjective) (Beckett 2006). The social worker can assist by asking sensitive open questions (to ensure it remains Annas story) and responding by showing acceptance. McGinnis (2010, p45) claims showing acceptance is key to effective relationship building. It can also promote anti-oppressive practice and social justice by not judging the service user. The information collected should focus upon the here and now, although the past should be acknowledged. The social worker should find out the attempts Anna has made to respond to her problem, while at the same time reassuring Anna. McGinnis (2010:45) suggests achieving reassurance by gently reframe(ing) the clients perception of self and events into a more realistic understanding of the situation. Therefore, the social worker could say I imagine you feel isolated; It sounds as if you have had a lot to cope with one you own. Empathy should be shown the entire intervention by the social worker, by use of lexis and non-verbal communication. If the service user is assessed as being in crisis the social worker can explain the concept of crisis intervention and agree the nature of the work to be carried out. Arguably crisis intervention is also anti-oppressive. It seeks to effect positive change in behaviour now and for the future, through the building of resilience and coping mechanisms. It can also release service users from their past by addressing repressed issues. All of which results in empowerment of service user.   Integrates with codes of practice WHAT CODES Active listening and empathy Crisis intervention provides a safe structure of intervention for social worker, service user and use by voluntary agencies in addition to statutory. QUOTE The time limited nature is anti-oppressive because it reduces the risk of dependency for the service user. Additionally, it provides an economical intervention for the social worker and agency. This is supported by research undertaken by the NCHà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (QUOTE) Factors such as individual culture, values, gender, race, class and age can be taken into account because the service user is the expert and defines their own experience. (QUOTE) Crisis intervention can be applied to many situations, namely, predictable crises in line with Eriksons ego psychology model and unpredictable crises. (QUOTE) Conversely, there are many criticisms. The service user must be committed to working with the social worker to effect change (QUOTE) The very nature of the word crisis can lead to the theory being used inappropriatelyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. sw may assume su in crisis due to event There is an imbalance in the power dynamic between social worker and service user because of the vulnerable nature of the service due to the crises. Moreover, the social work is considered the expert. This can leave room for unethical behaviour on the social workers part (QUOTE) As crisis is short-lived, many social work agencies may not be able to respond fast enough to take full advantage of this window (Wilson et al. 2008). KEYWORD the brevity of the intervention may not be long enough to resolve a service users issues fully (QUOTE) Research suggests that people respond to crises differently and at varying speeds, due to age, culture and cognitive impairments. Thus the model may need to be adapted to suit the service user and the situation, although, adaptation may render it unsafe for practice (Wilson et al 2008). The theory involves active listening and empathy on behalf of the social worker. As the intervention involves use of active listening and empathy on behalf of the social worker, this may provoke many emotions. The social worker must remain empathetic and professional with an awareness of self. Crisis intervention is also criticised as being Eurocentric. Ignoring different traditions and cultures and being concerned simply with fixing the problem as quickly as possible (Wilson et al. 2008). This can lead to oppressive practice. In conclusion Psychodynamic as discussed, was the theory of the day. It provided according to Howe (2009), complex, inefficient, open-ended intervention. In comparison, task-centred offered an effective, simply structured, easy to understand, time-limited approach, which dealt with the here and now (Howe, 2009). Reid and Shynes concluded through their research, that short-term intervention was effective (Trevithick 2005), and that problem-solving was more likely to be successful if a deadline was in place (Marsh Davies ed. 2008). SUMMARY While both interventions are suitable for differing situations, there are several similarities. Both are individualistic-reformist in that neither truly addresses social change. Both have the potential to oppress and discriminate, but this can be overcome if assessments are sensitive to anti-oppressive practice (Wilson et al. 2008:366). They are both time-limited. Payne (2005:105) quoting James and Gilliland (2001) purports there are three crisis intervention models: The equilibrium model Caplans (1965) original approach. Individuals are seen as experiencing disequilibrium. The focus is upon return them to equilibrium enabling them to respond effectively to their problems. Secondly, The cognitive model Associated with Roberts (2000) Ego psychology developed by Erikson, views the course of life as a series milestones through which conflicts occur. Developmental psychology considers early experiences shape personalities in adulthood. (Daniel ed-Davies 2008); cognitive behavioural approaches and systems theory (McGinnis 2009:37). 3.3 Strengths (pay attention to AOP and values) Time limited reduces risk of dependency In line with codes of practice WHAT CODES SU more open to help and change at a time of crisis (for a limited period)

Creating Morals in Victorian Short Stories Essay -- The House of Eld T

Creating Morals in Victorian Short Stories I have read recently several Victorian short stories I noticed that many had similar styles and contents. But the three stories that I found most interesting were: The Persons of the tale and The House of Eld both by R L Stevenson and The Superstitious Man’s Story by Thomas Hardy. In these three stories I found that they were linked by the use of a narrator to tell the story of what had happened to the main characters through their fear, heroism and morality. The House of Eld and The Persons of the Tale both have a moral to them. They are both written by the same author and although the moral in The House of Eld is shown at the end and The Persons of the Tale is a little harder to find both need to be worked out with great thought. The moral of the Persons of the Tale is that people although they are all different they are all needed in one way or another to complete life and the moral at the end of The House of Eld relates to the story. In the story the boy Jack thinks that everything will be perfect if he gets rid of the Sorcerer and therefore the gyve, but in fact in the process he kills his uncle, his father and his mother. The moral puts across the point that if you get rid of something important to your family you get rid of them too. R L Stevenson has written these short stories in the style of Aesop’s Fables, each with their own meaning and moral. He has done this in an updated version for their time to help the readers and listeners understand the meaning of life. In both the R L Stevenson stories there is a hero. In the House of Eld, the hero is Jack. He shows heroic characteristics like braveness, the will to win and determination. In the Perso... ...ting. This is scary in itself but the moral to the story scares the people more. It is telling people that if you get rid of something very important and something you have never lived without you will get rid of the most important things to you. This implies that if you reject God then you can lose everything important to you and your family. And finally in the Persons of the Tale the message that God has no favourites and that everyone is important teaches the Victorians to love each other as everyone is just as important as anybody else. Overall these three stories are enjoyable, thought provoking and educational for the readers and listeners. The authors have written with great language and techniques and have produced good short stories. They have considered the interests and views of readers in the Victorian times and they are enjoyable to read. Creating Morals in Victorian Short Stories Essay -- The House of Eld T Creating Morals in Victorian Short Stories I have read recently several Victorian short stories I noticed that many had similar styles and contents. But the three stories that I found most interesting were: The Persons of the tale and The House of Eld both by R L Stevenson and The Superstitious Man’s Story by Thomas Hardy. In these three stories I found that they were linked by the use of a narrator to tell the story of what had happened to the main characters through their fear, heroism and morality. The House of Eld and The Persons of the Tale both have a moral to them. They are both written by the same author and although the moral in The House of Eld is shown at the end and The Persons of the Tale is a little harder to find both need to be worked out with great thought. The moral of the Persons of the Tale is that people although they are all different they are all needed in one way or another to complete life and the moral at the end of The House of Eld relates to the story. In the story the boy Jack thinks that everything will be perfect if he gets rid of the Sorcerer and therefore the gyve, but in fact in the process he kills his uncle, his father and his mother. The moral puts across the point that if you get rid of something important to your family you get rid of them too. R L Stevenson has written these short stories in the style of Aesop’s Fables, each with their own meaning and moral. He has done this in an updated version for their time to help the readers and listeners understand the meaning of life. In both the R L Stevenson stories there is a hero. In the House of Eld, the hero is Jack. He shows heroic characteristics like braveness, the will to win and determination. In the Perso... ...ting. This is scary in itself but the moral to the story scares the people more. It is telling people that if you get rid of something very important and something you have never lived without you will get rid of the most important things to you. This implies that if you reject God then you can lose everything important to you and your family. And finally in the Persons of the Tale the message that God has no favourites and that everyone is important teaches the Victorians to love each other as everyone is just as important as anybody else. Overall these three stories are enjoyable, thought provoking and educational for the readers and listeners. The authors have written with great language and techniques and have produced good short stories. They have considered the interests and views of readers in the Victorian times and they are enjoyable to read.

The Validity of Cognitive Dissonance Theory Essay examples -- communic

Description of Theory The term dissonance refers to when one cognitive element is inconsistent with another cognitive element according to the lecture notes of Professor Soreno. Cognitive elements can be categorized in four groups called beliefs, attitudes, values, and perceptions of behavior. Beliefs can be defined as a perception that something exists or not. This perception can range from a central or peripheral type of belief. The more central a belief is, the harder it is to change that belief. An attitude describes the positive or negative feelings we have toward people, things, or ideas. Values are beliefs that are so important to a person, that they practically guide a person’s life. There are two types of values, instrumental and terminal. Perceptions of behavior simply refer to the interpretation of actions by another. For example, when someone waves at a person, in America, it is often perceived as a friendly gesture. When two of these cognitive elements are incongruent, it leads to diss onance, which can very in intensity. People often experience dissonance on a daily basis, but because it is so minute, it is not bothersome. The Cognitive Dissonance theory deals with these small occurrences, but for the sake of understanding, extreme examples help to explain the theory in better detail. According to Festinger, all of the cognitive elements held the same value in producing cognitive dissonance, but some scholars have challenged his theory. In the book, The Handbook of Motivation Science, the authors claim that attitude cognitive element holds a heavier value over the other elements by saying it can change the behavior of a person. They quote, â€Å"In experimental tests of the theory, knowledge about recent behavior is usua... ...s communication studies continue, there will be more tests and conclusions on the Cognitive Dissonance theory that will reveal more about human communication. After all, learning how we communicate with each other is how we are able to grow as a society. References Harmon-Jones, E. (2008). Cognitive Dissonance Theory. In J. Shah, W. Gardener, & V. Gardener, Handbook of Motivational Science (pp. 71-83). New York City: The Guilford Press. Helwig-Larson, M., & Collins, B. (1997, April 1). A Social Psychological Perspective on the Role of Knowledge about AIDS in AIDS Prevention. Current Directions in Psychological Science , Vol. 6 (No. 2). Lepper, M. R., & Greene, D. (1975). Turning Play into Work: Effects of Adult Surveillance and Extrinsic Rewards on Children's Intrinsic Motivation. Journal ol Personality and Social Psychology , Vol. 31, 479-486.

Lewis Binford Essay

Only child Mother from well to do family who lost $ Dad electrician laborer Josef lewis binford mother(Eoline Roberts Binford) was descended from Virginia Tidewater high society,by birth no money scout learning by doing skilled in construction laborer helped with field work later years enrolled 1948 Virinia Polytech instutte under athlete scholarship foot ball forestry biology Married Jean mock two children $ problems 1952 enrolled army GI Bill to Okinawa, where he worked with native Ryukyuan peoples. Dischared 1954 interest anthplogy UNC 1957 B. A. That turned his interests to archaeology. Under the tutelage of Joffre Coe, Binford gained valuable field experience, read the literature, and began to question the conceptual underpinnings of the discipline. Armed with the belief that archaeology could and should do far more than merely situate ancient cultures in time and space, and keen to bring it into the mainstream of anthropology, Binford went to the University of Michigan for graduate work. Influential in his education there were. White, Albert Spaulding (from whom Binford learned  analytical methods), and James Griffin, the quintessential culture historian, dean of eastern North American archaeology, and for Binford graduate adviser and symbol of all that was (and was wrong with) traditional archaeology (Sabloff, 1998, p. 13). Binford earned his M. A. in 1958 and Ph. D. in 1964 at Michigan, though Griffin did not last as his adviser. After teaching at Michigan for a year, Binford joined the University of Chicago anthropology faculty in 1961. Binford left Chicago four years later, still brash though unbowed despite having been denied  tenure. By then, at least, he had received his Ph. D. but only after Griffin was persuaded to resign from his dissertation committee (Binford, 1972, p. 11). It was the first overt breach of what was a long, acidic relationship. It was at Chicago that Binford launched what came to be called the â€Å"New Archaeology† (later, â€Å"Processual Archaeology†) with hi s landmark article â€Å"Archaeology as Anthropology† (1962). After travelling to several univ. and being fired from what he called the best uni In 1968 Binford was hired at the University of New Mexico, Still, Binford gave no quarter to postprocessualists In 1991 Binford retired from the University of New Mexico and accepted a faculty appointment at Southern 20 BIO G RA PHICAL MEMOIRS Methodist University in Dallas. There he could teach less and have more time to devote to a project he had started in the 1970s (previews of which appeared as Binford [1990, 1997]), which would become his last major book: Constructing Frames of Reference: An Analytical Method for Archaeological Theory Building Using Ethnographic and Environmental Data Sets (Binford, 2001).

Cell Phones are a Necessity of Life Essay

Cell phones are not an advanced gadget on the scene. It was developed in 1947 in the form of a car mobile phone. The hypothesis of cellular phone was produced by Bell Laboratories with the permission of FCC (Federal Communication Commission), and had everything to do with broadcasting and sending a radio or television message out over the airwaves. There was a scientist who gave a advanced shape to the same accessory. Dr Martin Cooper, a former general manager in Motorola, made the basic call on a portable cell phone in nineteen seventy-three. The premier ever cell phone was very ample and bulky. It resembled a radio frequency accessory. The weight of Motorola’s introductory cell phone was 2 pounds. Presently, the structure of cell phones has evolved to match the style and comfort of the user. It is uncomplicated to tailor cell phones by choosing its features and functions for one’s comfort. There are phone covers that change the face and design of the contraption. Various accessories are available such as car chargers, belt clips, phone covers, data cables and etc. Cell phones emerged as a apparatus of luxury, but presently it plays a much bigger and considerable role. One can gather wireless Internet service through your cell phone, with web and email capability. A cell phone with a mini web browser can relief retrieve web emails and chat while you are on the move. A extraordinary kind of browser is used for surfing the net on a small cell phone screen. If internet use is a must, make sure that when buying a cell phone you make the choice for graphic browser capability instead of a text-based browser. In addition, if you think you will browse the wireless Internet often, you may desire to consider buying a cell phone with a larger than average display size. There are International websites that allow sending mails, without having a computer. All you need is a basic GPRS enabled mobile phone and you can access your mail on your cell phone anytime and anywhere. It seems that cell phones have become a bed-side essential for us today. It is no longer a device of entertainment. From local weather forecast in the morning to your  loved ones valuable night messages, it keeps you connected all the time. With cell phones becoming a gadget with all the modern technology, its theft is growing across the world. In a survey in the UK, a cell phone is stolen every three minutes. In the United States, the statistics are very analogous. By keeping a note on the IMES identification that each phone has, you can trace a phone. This is quite the tedious process. The IMES code is individual to each cell phone and when you lose your phone, you can refer the code to your network provider as well as handset provider and trace back the cell phone, or at least block the applications in the phone. The person who stole the cell phone can’t use it after the IMES code is blocked. Cell phones have become a very popular consumer electronic product. With the availability of internet connection, cell phone as broaden even deeper its options of uses. You must also note that GPS capability is a life saver for tracking cell phone users who are in emergency situations. Cell phone usage has become a necessity of life. People cannot live without their cell phone. What was once considered a luxury item in the early days, cell phones are a must have item at every waking moment.

Customer Satisfaction on Nokia Essay

Nokia has played a pioneering role in the growth of cellular technology in India, starting with the first-ever cellular call a decade ago, made on a Nokia mobile phone over a Nokia deployed network. Nokia started its India operations in 1995, and presently operates out of offices in New Delhi,Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad. The Indian operations comprise of the handsets business; R&D facilities in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai; a manufacturing plant in Chennai and a Design Studio inBangalore. Over the years, the company has grown manifold with its manpower strength increasing from 450 people in the year 2004 to over 15000 employees in March 2008 (including Nokia Siemens Networks). Today, India holds the distinction of being the second largest market for the company globally. With the global launch of Ovi, the company’s Internet services brand name, Nokia is renewing itself to be at the forefront of the convergence of internet and mobility. From being a product centric company, Nokia is now focusing to become solutions centric. The strategic shift is built on Nokia‘s bid to retain consumers and empower Nokia device owners to realize the full potential of the Internet. Nokia will build a suite of Internet based services like Nokia Maps, the Nokia Music Store and Nokia N-Gage around its Ovi brand. Infrastructure business Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of communications services. The company provides a complete, well-balanced product portfolio of mobile and fixed network infrastructure solutions and addresses the growing demand for services with 20,000 service professionals worldwide. Its operations in India include Sales & Marketing, Research & Development, Manufacturing and Global Networks Solutions Centre. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Nokia Siemens Networks has 47 offices and presence in over 170 locations across the country. R & D centers Nokia has three Research & Development centers in India, based in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai. These R&D hubs are staffed by engineers who are working on next-generation packet-switched mobile technologies and communications solutions to enhance corporate productivity. The Center in Bangalore, the biggest R&D site in the country comprises S60 Software Organization, Common Technologies, Next Generation now called Maemo Software, Productization and Software & Services. Design Studio Nokia has set up its first Design Studio in Bangalore in partnership with Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology. The first of its kind, the design studio will give Nokia designers and India‘s talented youth the opportunity to work together on new design ideas for India and the global markets. Manufacturing in India Nokia has set up its mobile device manufacturing facility in Chennai, India to meet the burgeoning demand for mobile devices in the country. The manufacturing facility is operational with an investment of USD 210 million and currently employs 8000 people. Nokia has recently announced fresh investments to the tune of US $ 75 million towards its manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur, Chennai for the year 2008. * To know about the customer satisfaction level associated with the Nokia product and the customer Expectation level. * To increase customer satisfaction and recapture the market share by fulfilling the customer needs. * To study the factors affecting the consumption pattern Need of the study To study the satisfaction level of consumers towards the Nokia Mobile at Kaliyappa nagar, Sivakasi. Scope 1.This study focus on Features, Appearances, Battery backup and Software compatibility of Nokia. 2. This study help Nokia to recognize the factor which is most satisfied and which factor have more dissatisfaction influencing the consumers to buy the Nokia   Mobile Customer’s satisfaction When we talk about customer satisfaction, we talk about creativity. Creativity allows us to handle or diffuse problems at hand or later on in the process of conducting the everyday business. We talk about how, or rather what, does the organization have to do to gain not only the sale but also the loyalty of the customer. We want to know the payoff of the transaction both in the short and long term. We want to know what our customers want. We want to know if our customers are satisfied. Satisfaction, of course, means that what we delivered to a customer met the customer‘s approval. We want to know if customers are delighted and willing to comeback, and so on. Fleiss and Feldman present examples of that delightful-ness in their writings. Fleiss has written about Ben and Jerry‘s ice cream and Feldman has discussed excellence in a cab ride.As important as delightfulness is, some of us minimize it, or even totally disregard it. Level 1 Expectations are very simple and take the form of assumptions, must have, or take it for granted. For example, I expect the airline to be able to take off, fly to my destination, and land safely. I expect to get the correct blood for my blood transfusion. And I expect the bank to deposit my money to my account and to keep a correct tally for me. Level2 Expectations are a step higher than that of level 1 and they require some form of satisfaction through meeting the requirements and/or specifications .For example, I expect to be treated courteously by all airline personnel. I went to the hospital expecting to have my hernia repaired, to be in some pain after it was done, to be out on the same day, and to receive a correct bill. And I went to the bank expecting the bank teller to be friendly, informative, and helpful with my transactions. Level 3 Expectations are much higher than for levels 1 and 2.Level 3 requires some kind of delightfulness or a service that is so good that it attracts me to it For example, an airline gives passengers traveling coach class the same superior food service that other airlines provide only for first-class passengers. In fact, I once took a flight where the flight attendants actually baked cookies for us right there on the plane. When I went to the hospital, I expected staff to treat me with respect and they carefully explained things to me. But I was surprised when they called me at home the next day to find out how I was doing. And at my house closing, the bank officer, representing the bank holding my mortgage, not only treated me with respect and answered all my questions about my new mortgage, but just before we shook hands to close the deal, he gave me a housewarming gift. Brand image Hide links within definitions Show links within definitions. Impression in the consumers’ mind of a brand’s total personality (real and imaginary qualities and shortcomings). Brand image is developed over time through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme, and is authenticated through the consumers’ direct experience. Brand Value Buyers who are considering a purchase scan their service options and develop a consideration set. Within the consideration set, they develop a hierarchy of brands based on their assessment of Price, Product or Service Features, and Brand Name. Typically, they choose the brand at the top of their hierarchy, if available. If a brand is consistently at the top of their hierarchy, the buyer will be loyal to that brand. We believe consumers try to optimize value within a product or service category. Consumers therefore assign utilities (worth) to price, each relevant performance attribute, and brand equity. Consumers then trade off performance attributes and brand equity against price in order to optimize value. The relationships between the individual values of price, performance attributes and brand equity is summative and equal to total brand value. The values each respondent places on price, performance attributes, and brand equity define their value equation for a product or service category. We can derive these values at the respondent level using modified trade-off exercises. A key advantage of the Brand Value Model is that it allows the calculation of utilities and importance‘s at the individual consumer level. This acknowledges the highly individual nature of the evaluation of products and services in many categories. Furthermore, it permits an exploration of value structures across existing consumer segments or the development of new segments based on the components of the value equation. We believe the total value of a brand in a particular product/service category is composed of three parts. One part is due to the physical and readily identifiable (and replicable) features of the brand that delivers specific, tangible benefits to the purchaser, thus impacting purchase choice. We call these the tangible product features. The second part is due to some perceived intrinsic value associated with the brand name due to such things as the image transferred to the purchaser, trust, longevity in the marketplace, social responsibility, consistent performance, and so forth (i.e. the intangibles), and impacting purchase choice. We refer to this as the brand’s equity. The third component is the price/cost of the product. Thus, the total value (or utility) of a product or service is a function of 1.) Its physical, tangible, deliverable features, 2.) its brand equity, and 3.) its price.