Do You Know If Milk Is an Acid or a Base

Its easy to get confused about whether milk is an acid or a base, especially when you consider that some people drink milk or take calcium to treat an acidic stomach. Actually, milk has a pH of around 6.5 to 6.7, which makes it slightly acidic. Some sources cite milk as being neutral since it is so close to the neutral pH of 7.0. However, milk contains lactic acid, which is a hydrogen donor or proton donor. If you test milk with litmus paper, youll get a neutral to a slightly acidic response. The pH of Milk Changes As milk sours, its acidity increases. Harmless Lactobacillus bacteria use the lactose in milk as an energy source. The bacteria combine with oxygen to produce lactic acid. Like other acids, lactic acid has a sour taste. Milk from mammalian species other than cattle has a comparable slightly acidic pH. The pH changes slightly depending on whether milk is skim, whole, or evaporated. Colostrum is more acidic than regular milk (less than 6.5 for cows milk).

Interpersonal Relationships And Self Esteem Essay

Interpersonal relationships are something people look for as a part of human nature. As it is the same with self-esteem, people respond to certain situations and act in a certain way based on how much self-esteem they have. In the article, Self-esteem and life satisfaction in adolescents—gender and age as potential moderators, Moksnes, defines â€Å"self-esteem as an individual’s set of thoughts and feeling about his or her own worth† (pg. 2). As humans, we look for ways to boost our self-confidence and a great way to do that is to spend time and depend on the relationships people have with one another. Relationships, whether it be friendships or romantic ones, go hand in hand with self-esteem. Interpersonal relationships and self-esteem have a cause and effect connection. There are different ways that relationships can affect self-esteem, and different ways self-esteem can affect relationships. People can cope with relationships and lack of self-esteem in ways t hat might not always be healthy. Many different influences also play a role in the correlation between relationships and self-esteem. By reviewing current studies on the subject of relationships and self-esteem, researchers are able to demonstrate the correlation between different relationships and self-confidence. The focus of this research is to determine how different types of relationships cause self-esteem to increase or decrease, as well as determine how self-esteem can make or break interpersonal relationships.Show MoreRelatedThe Case For People With Low Self Esteem Essay1595 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Given that people derive great satisfaction from interpersonal bonds and experience devastation when intimate relationships end, it may be hard to understand why some people voluntarily withdraw from relationships when things appear to be going well (Mearns, 1991). 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The purpose of this paper is to clearly explain why mobile, text based c ommunication is not only a great tool in the hands of its users despiteRead MoreThe Principles Of Interpersonal Communication Essay1538 Words   |  7 PagesCongratulations to you both on your recent marriage to each other. I am so excited that you are beginning your new relationship together. It s my understanding that you are looking for some advice on communication for your new journey together. I recently completed a class on interpersonal communication and learned a lot of different techniques that may be helpful. I would also like to share some of my own personal experiences as a communicator. 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Hopefully, my letter will help each of you become more active with your communication skills as you begin your new relationship journey together. Beginning a new relationship can be filled with excitement and with mixed feelings of uncerta inty. Despite the unknown, communication is necessary for developing a good healthy relationship throughRead MoreDear Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center,. I Have1409 Words   |  6 PagesDear Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center, I have been recently taking an interpersonal communication course and have discovered a great deal of information that I believe can be extremely beneficial to our agency’s communication effectiveness. I invite you all to think back to one of our previous meetings, do you recall any of the following? A lack of eye contact, a lack of enthusiasm, and frustrated looks on faces? How about an overall sense of discontent so much so that people are disengagedRead MoreInterpersonal Relationships Analysis1607 Words   |  7 PagesInterpersonal Relationships Analysis This comprehensive analysis determines the concepts, components, and elements of interpersonal relationships. The concept of attraction foundations shows four different stages of attraction beginning with social and interpersonal communication skills forming a bond between two people. The social environment promotes building of interpersonal relationships for both the professional and private environments. The unique exchanges between interpersonal relationships

The Rocking Horse Winner free essay sample

â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner† In the short story, â€Å"The Rocking-Horse Winner,† D. H. Lawrence portrays the main character, Paul, as someone who adopts an abnormal behavioral quirk and takes it to the ultimate extreme. He is the young son of a poor family in England whose members equate luck with money and money with love, consequently Paul has a distorted perception of what is required to be considered successful and also how to find affection. Much of Paul’s perception and consequent behavior can be attributed to his mother, who is a self absorbed spendthrift. Her general coldness and lack of interest imparts in Paul a desperation to find a way to provide her with the money she so obviously desires. He exhibits a great mount of luck in naming winning horses, which he attributes to his superstitious behavior. This abnormal behavior so consumes Paul that it leads to the end of his life in a failed attempt to gain his mother’s love. We will write a custom essay sample on The Rocking Horse Winner or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Paul’s determination to win, his hunger for his mother’s love and the abnormal, self-destructiveness behavior he exhibits are a direct result of his mother’s lack of emotion. Paul’s innocent determination to please his mother is what leads him down the path to his ultimate destruction. Paul’s mother first plants the seeds of this determination through her never-ending references to money, or lack thereof. Due to this repeated refrain, Paul imagines the house echoes his mother’s words by whispering: â€Å"There must be more money! † (Lawrence, page#). His mother attributes the family’s lack of money to their tendency to be unlucky – his father is unlucky at making money and she is unlucky for marrying him – rather than recognizing it is her own spendthrift ways which have put the family in their financial crisis. Paul asserts that he, however, is lucky because God, speaking to him through his rocking horse, has told him so. He attempts to prove this to his mother but feels he must keep his superstitious behavior of riding the rocking horse to determine horse race winners strictly confidential, fearing his mother will make him stop if she learns he is gambling. Only the boy’s uncle and the family gardener are aware that Paul is posting bets on horse races and he exhorts their help in setting up a fund for his mother’s disposal. This, he feels, will surely make her love him. Instead, she answers his question about her birthday present of unexpected money with a â€Å"voice cold and hard and absent† (Lawrence, page#). The money gets spent and Paul sees the fruits of his efforts throughout the house in the form of new furnishings and luxurious items. But still it is not enough. After Paul experiences the thrill of winning thousands of pounds by using the rocking horse as his guide, he then sets the impossible expectation for himself of keeping that luck flowing. He is unable to stop gambling, however, once started, and the thought of placing winning bets and continuing to make more money becomes the consuming factor in his life. His health begins to deteriorate and the voices in the house, rather than be appeased by the sudden availability of funds, increase in intensity, â€Å"like a chorus of frogs on a spring evening† (Lawrence, page#). Paul’s determination and anxiety at leaving the house, and his rocking horse, dictate his refusal to take the seaside holiday his mother has prescribed. He opts, instead, to mount his rocking horse one last time and stay upon its back until he receives the name of the winning horse in the all-important upcoming Derby race. It is apparent that Paul is not really determined to find, or keep, his luck, or to make more money, but instead is determined to do something which will make his mother exhibit love for him. Her attitude is such that she feels her children â€Å"had been thrust upon her and she could not love them† (Lawrence, page#). The existence of her children has created such apprehension that she strives to make up for this lack of love by being overly gentle with them and all the while her anxiety merely increases. Along with this anxiety regarding her emotionless relationship with her children is an additional concern – that of never having enough money to pay for all the things she wishes to buy. Because she dwells so often on her lack of financial resources, Paul’s mother has imbued in the boy the inclination to equate money with love. Consequently, Paul imagines that if only he can give his mother more money she will be able to demonstrate the love for him he so desperately craves. With enough money, Paul feels the house may finally stop it’s whispering, that the family’s creditors will be appeased, and that his mother will finally be happy. This, he imagines, would be the perfect birthday present for his mother. Paul sets a goal for himself of earning enough money from gambling to allow him to unequivocally buy his mother’s love. Unfortunately, Paul’s motivation becomes skewed and eventually forces him to go beyond merely making money for his mother; gambling becomes a compulsion, an obsession. His abnormal behavior becomes more than disturbing; in fact it develops into a self-destructive energy. It is no longer good enough to give his mother a lump sum of five thousand pounds for her birthday; he feels obligated, instead, to give her all that he has earned. His first inclination, to make the rest of his mother’s life worry-free by providing enough money that even she will be unable to spend it all in a short amount of time, soon begins to have additional, adverse effects. Paul’s plan backfires and â€Å"the voices in the house† suddenly go crazy â€Å"like a chorus of frogs on a spring evening† (Lawrence, page#). Paul’s luck seems to be running out and he goes into a frenzy when he finds himself unable to predict the next race’s winner. The boy feels he must push himself, and the rocking horse, harder and harder, faster and faster, until the name of the winning horse is revealed. In a frenzy now, Paul refuses to stop rocking the horse and he eventually does come up with a winning horse, Malabar, but it is his last opportunity to gamble. Paul falls sick and becomes unconscious. Before he dies, he tells his mother, â€Å"Mother, did I ever tell you? I am lucky! † (Lawrence, page#). Paul’s final hope, then, is that his mother will believe in his luck and show him some affection for proving this. The combination of Paul’s incredible determination, his hunger for his mother’s love and his resultant abnormal behavior are portrayed through third person narrative in D. H. Lawrence’s â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner†. The story affords an eerie depiction of the effect greed, along with a lack of genuine emotion, can have on a family. It also touches on the compulsive behavior of addictive gamblers and how debilitating a removal from the reality of life can be, as said by Paul’s uncle, â€Å"†¦poor devil, he’s best gone out a life where he rides his rocking horse to find a winner† (Lawrence, page#). But all of these negative aspects can be attributed originally to the manner in which the mother raised her children – to worship money and to not expect love and affection. If Paul’s mother had not been so possessed by greed, the tragic consequence of her son’s gambling addiction and subsequent death may never have occurred. When greed for money is used to replace love, tragedy is the end result.

Saturn Motor Case Analysis

The case study, titled â€Å"Saturn Motor Corporation: Innovation in Channel Strategy†, provides an account of the corporation’s history, mission, marketing strategy, and its innovative channel strategy. A closer look at the corporation’s mission statement reveals that the company values customer satisfaction, and attempts to attain competitive efficiencies through the integration of people, technology, and business systems.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Saturn Motor Case Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Saturn Motor Corporation’s marketing strategy is premised on creating a brand through a single-minded focus on how its customers relate to the brand and the company behind it, rather than the product itself, with a view to developing a high level of awareness about the corporation’s products and services among its target market. The author of the case study then discusses Saturn’s innovative channel strategy to demonstrate how the company relates to its dealers or retailers. It is this strategy that forms the basis of the analysis. Analysis From the reading, it is clear that Saturn’s innovative channel marketing strategy is premised on maintaining customer satisfaction, enhancing brand loyalty, developing mutually beneficial distribution relationships with dealers or retailers, and segmenting the market across key geographical areas. It is also clear that the corporation depends on its innovative distributorship system to stay ahead of competition, while strengthening its brand image in its single-minded focus to have customers relate to the products and the company behind these products. Extant literature demonstrates that a company’s distribution channels embody a fundamental portfolio of resources that can be leveraged to not only achieve competitive efficiencies (Banta Corporation 1), but also customer satisfaction, loyalty and return behavior (Epitimehin 62). Consecutively, as has been suggested in the literature that the success of a particular product or service rides on the quality of the channel strategy (QDI Strategies, Inc para. 1), it can be argued that the success of the corporation rides on its channel’s ability to allow retailers the opportunity to make contributions to key decisions affecting them as well as customers.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moving on, it is important to analyze how Saturn has been able to maintain high customer satisfaction levels using its innovative channel strategy. Extant literature demonstrates that the channel strategy establishes a strong link between and among partners, leading to a powerful interlocking of strategies which enables the parent organization to have a considerable presence in the market (Vann 6). The interlocking of strategies between and among Saturn’s retailers can be observed in the way they market the brand as a single entity under the Saturn flagship, how they follow the regulations as set out by the Corporation, and how they set uniform performance standards against which they are to be judged. More importantly, the dealers are empowered by the parent company to devise and implement their own unique customer convenience systems and monthly order allotments to fit their individual sales and seasonal supplies. These attributes, as well as the level of dealer independence in decision making, provide the basis by which Saturn’s innovative channel strategy is able to achieve competitive advantage and enhance customer satisfaction. Extant literature demonstrates that â€Å"a thriving channel is a business imperative for any company that wants to scale† (Franklin 1). This author further posits that direct or indirect channels assist companies to reach a wider audience bas e. This attribute is well reflected in the case study in the way dealers of the automobile giant undertake market segmentation across geographical areas to reach a wider customer base. Indeed, dealers have succeeded in grouping customers into segments, each with its own buying behavior and orientation (Epitimehin 63). It is difficult for customers to switch from one dealer to another due to Saturn’s â€Å"no-haggle† policy, which requires that automobile prices be set at one base figure to enhance the image of the corporation’s dealers. Works Cited Banta Corporation 2004, Developing Effective Multi-Channel Marketing Strategies. Web.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Saturn Motor Case Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Epitimehin, Festus M. â€Å"Market Segmentation: A Tool for Improving Customer Satisfaction and Retention in Insurance Service Delivery.† Journal of Emerging T rends in Economics and Management Sciences. 2.1 (2011): 62-67. Web. Franklin, Jacqueline n.d., Channel Strategy and Marketing for the Rest of Us. Web. QDI Strategies, Inc n.d., Channel Marketing Strategies: Does your Channel Marketing Strategy have the Power to Succeed. Web. Vann, Graham 2007, The Evolution of Channel Marketing. Web. This case study on Saturn Motor Case Analysis was written and submitted by user Trey Love to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Anthem By Ayn Rand Essays - Philosophical Novels, American Atheists

Anthem By Ayn Rand Imagine a world where the individual has been repressed to the point that the word "I" no longer exists. Now, as hellish as that sounds, imagine that you are the only one who has the capability to break free from the iron fists that are choking you and your brothers. This is the life of Equality 7-2521, the principal character and narrator of Ayn Rand's Anthem. Anthem takes place in the dark ages of the future, in a totally collectivized world. This culture has regressed to conditions reminiscent of Ancient Greece and the European Dark Ages. In the midst of fear and subordination, one man stands alone. Equality 7-2521 is not like his brothers. He is able think, create and defy. This makes him extremely dangerous. He holds the threat of change in his hands and his government will stop at nothing to take it from him. Equality's society represses him because they are afraid of those that threaten the established order. One major catalyst for change is intelligence. Equality displays evidence of genius at a young age. "We, Equality 7-2521, were not happy...in the Home of the Students. It was not that the learning was too hard for us. It was...too easy" (Rand 16). In Equality's society, it is evil to be different from ones brothers, let alone to be better than they are. He is taught at an early age to be ashamed of his intellectual superiority. "This is a sin, to be born with a head which is too quick" (Rand 16). This device of suppression by means of shame was used in an attempt to stifle geniuses and, hence, pacify his society's fear of change. As Equality grew, he confirmed their fears. During his lifetime he made many revelations and discoveries. His most profound breakthrough was his re-invention of electricity. "We, Equality 7-2521, have discovered a new power of nature." (Rand 54). He produced a primitive light bulb. He wanted to use his invention to better his world. To the misfortune of his society, they loathed this new power. If they had accepted his ideas Equality would have been "...the literal and figurative bringer of light" (Gladstein 43). Unfortunately for Equality, as well as his society, his discovery met violent opposition and his brothers were not able to benefit from his intelligence. Genius has historically been repressed. Geniuses of our past have been ostracized, punished, and martyred for presenting ideas that eventually bettered their societies. Equality is no different. "Equality 7-2521 is a creator and inventor in the tradition of Galileo, Edison, and Einstein" (Gladstein 27). These real-life geniuses dared to violate their society's norms and eventually their ideas were accepted. Like in Equality's fictional culture, real-life societies have tended to ignore the ideas of solitary geniuses (McDonald 2). His ideas were swept aside violently, and his society remained unchanged. Self-interest leads to the defiance of unjust restrictions. Equality's government prohibits individual action. No one is allowed to do anything on their own. "...There is no transgression blacker than to think or do alone"(Rand 11). Equality's defiance of his government's laws set him apart from his brothers. The condition of the Palace of Corrective Detention is demonstrative of the unquestioning obedience of his brothers. "It is easy to escape...there are no guards...There is no reason to have guards, for men have never defied the Councils so far as to escape from whatever place they were ordered to be" (Rand 73). Unlike his brothers, Equality had the individual strength to disobey the laws of his government. By questioning authority he took an interest in himself and was liberated. "The noblest human purpose is to pursue enlightened self-interest and only those the follow that course can emerge as...champions..." (McDonald 2). Equality's government had tried to contain him from day one. Authorities cannot control him because he has an independent mind. "...This totally collectivized society has no power [over]...the individual..."(Branden 112). His self-interest allows him to act as independently as his surroundings would permit. Although he is enlightened by his self-interest, he is never free from the shackles of guilt his society has placed upon him. No matter how freethinking Equality is, his nature is still shaped by his society (Kelly 1). However this guilt did not stop him from acting independently and constantly challenging the laws of his culture. Creativity is a main staple needed in order for change to take place. Equality has somehow been able to escape the suppression of creativity that is so deeply ingrained in his culture. Equality is not the only

The Character of Zanni in Commedia dellArte Essay Example

The Character of Zanni in Commedia dellArte Essay Example The Character of Zanni in Commedia dellArte Paper The Character of Zanni in Commedia dellArte Paper that belongs to someone else. Zanni stands with an arched back, with his knees bent and apart and his feet spread out. The support knee is bent with the other leg extended, toe pointed. The character changes feet repeatedly while talking or listening within the same position and without its head bobbing up and down. The elbows are bent and the arms half-lifted. There are six types of Zanni walk: 1) little Zanni walk: this is a development of the basic stance, foot changing but taking a small step forward on each shift, 2) Big Zanni walk: a curved lumbar is first achieved by sticking chest forward and the backside up, 3) Zanni running: a swift movement with legs kicked alternately to the front with pointed toes, 4) Zanni jubilant: a skipping movement on the toes with the centre of gravity going from side-to-side, 5) Vain Zanni: steps are a smaller version of the big walk, with hands resting on belt, 6) Solider Zanni: hold a stick cupped in one hand and inclined over shoulder like a rifle. Zanni’s movements are dynamic and exaggerated. Their gestures/actions are always urgent. They appear nervous; talk a lot and their head moves constantly. The nose defines the rhythm of his body since it is the center of his actions. The hands are very expressive and constantly used to illustrate what he is saying. While delivering their dialogues, they speak open-mouthed and loud. Bibliography: * Commedia Stock Characters Zanni. Â  Shane Arts Home Page. N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Aug. 2013. http://shane-arts. com/Commedia-Zanni. htm

Encouraging affective organisational commitment in Thai part-time Essay - 1

Encouraging affective organisational commitment in Thai part-time employees at Thai restaurants in UK - Essay Example y on the quality of food and beverages served, the level of hospitality coupled with cosiness of the customers and corresponding general environment of the restaurant. Therefore, the prevailing case study has been appropriately chosen for carrying out research on the customer loyalty at the Thai Square restaurants (Gratton & Jones, 2010, pp234-267). The research topic is purely analytical and the corresponding case study is most appropriate for analysis of the prevailing analytical issues within Thai Square Restaurants. Analytical method mainly entails description of the customer loyalty, which encompasses diverse theories regarding the subject matter and its corresponding applicability within the context of the real life scenario (Hartley, 2004, pp323-333). The analytical method applied within the case study is flexible and supports both the qualitative and quantitative analysis. The underlying case study method fosters studying the data that has been gathered via questionnaire survey (Gratton & Jones, 2010, pp234-267). Thus, analytical reasoning in regard to the underlying research is most appropriate for the existing case study approach. Case study method is mostly employed in the assessment of diverse matters associating to the social science, human and organizational behaviour coupled with the psychological studies (Hartley, 2004, pp323-333). The method utilized within the case study is analytical and mainly entail gathering data from diverse sources utilizing techniques encompassing questionnaire method, telephonic interviews, main and individual interviews. These methods are the fundamental sources of data gathering whilst secondary sources mainly entail information within diverse books, journals and corresponding website publications (Gratton & Jones, 2010, pp234-267). Diverse approaches was utilized in the study of the collected information are mainly categorized into qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques and encompasses statistical

International marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International marketing - Assignment Example 4. Assessing current and future trends that will affect the organization and some of those changes that would have an effect on the organization. Macro environmental analysis can also be termed as remote or general environment analysis. This is because of how it affects around all organizations, and how strategic managers have no influence or have little influence over the environment (Stead, Garner, and Starik, 2004, p.56). Macro environmental managers’ main focus should be the need to evaluate variables that will play a major role as the market drivers for the future of the organization (Lowe and Doole, 2005, p.54). This means that managers need to focus on the factors that will have the greatest influence on the market for many years to come. When these factors have been spotted, it is very vital to make sure one assess their impacts on the market process, after that the company needs to evaluate the different drivers, if they are favourable or unfavourable to their chosen market or product. The global macro environmental analysis has a great influence on the development of individual national condition, but this means that each country has its own unique set of macro environmental conditions that are related to the country’s history and development (Stonehouse and Campbell, 2004, p.144). The main purpose of macro environment analysis in the global market is to identify similarities and differences between countries. The company chosen was Toyota Motors Corporation, a motor car corporation in Japan, and the country of choice is Japan. Toyota Motors Corporation is based in Japan (New York Times, 2012). Rivalry and conflict that arises from the departmental intra-firm environment is a problem, but can be controlled within the management...Therefore, Toyota decided to withdraw its support for the formula one racing competition, and in turn focus its attention on its vehicle manufacturing (UKessays.co.uk, 2003). With the global economic recovery, T oyota has continued to increase its output in the global market; with many countries experiencing growth in their economies, this provided Toyota with a chance to develop new products in new markets. For example, Toyota aims to occupy more than 10% of the Indian car market by the end of 2015. Social factors These are factors related to the society. Business can’t grow without the society, reasons being that the society is part of it. Social factors include demography, population growth, and company image (UKessays.co.uk, 2003). Any change in the social factors greatly affects the demand and supply in an organization. Socio-cultural factors have had an effect on Toyota in one way or the other. Toyota have led in product quality had they have achieved a good image in many societies, through social activities in different locations worldwide. For example, the Toyota project in Kirloskar Group for the drinking water for the Karnataka peoples (a state in South India). These social activities and projects have solved the social problems for the locals. Consequently, Toyota has earned respect and cooperation from the local people, and created a good image for them (powerfulwords, 2003).

Group Insurance Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Group Insurance Environment - Essay Example Some of the programs offered include preventive services, emergency services, alcohol and substance abuse, mental health services, pregnancy and maternity care, and emergency services. Dental care is provided through Delta Dental. This depends on the choice of network by the employee. In this case, the employee may visit any dentist of choice but the maximum benefits are available when the employee chooses Delta provider (AMB 6). Vision care benefits provide eye coverage. However, one is required to use Vision Service Plan (VSP) (AMB 7). 2) Identify the following benefits as either a form of â€Å"Group Insurance† or â€Å"Self-Funding† Benefits: Retirement Plans, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP), and Stock Grants. Apart from the security benefits of today, AMB assists employees to plan for their future by allowing employees to save toward their retirement. Employees contributions are automatically deducted their paycheck on a pretax basis (AMB 4). AMB also provides Employee-Assistance Program (EAP) to all eligible employees and their eligible dependants, free of charge. This includes confidential counseling and referral services for issues that may affect employees’ personal life or even job performance (AMB 5). They help in areas like marital problems, emotional or stress related issues, drug abuse, child and elder care, financial assistance, and legal matters. AMB also provides voluntary benefits in terms of education and training programs in support of professional development of employees. They provide employees with tuition fees, seminar reimbursement programs and conferences. AMB arranges for flexible spending accounts (FSAs). This allows employees to pay their care expenses with pretax dollars. When employees enroll in FAS, the amount they select is deducted from their paycheck on a pretax basis. Federally mandated benefits in AMB’s plan includes paying less in taxes

The Elevator And Escalator Industry In Sri Lanka Economics Essay

The Elevator And Escalator Industry In Sri Lanka Economics Essay I am employed at ETA MELCO ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD for the past one year and Im currently working as the Human Resource Executive. My company is a fully owned subsidiary of ETE MELCO Elevator Co. L.L.C. and has its head office in Dubai, U.A.E. which belongs to the ETA STAR GROUP OF COMPANIES. We represent Mitsubishi Elevators and Escalators in Sri Lanka and our activities cover the marketing, supply, installation and maintenance of all types of Mitsubishi Elevators, Escalators, Moving Walks and Vertical transportation equipment. Mitsubishi Escalators and Elevators has earned a reputation as one of the most advanced Elevator and Escalator manufactures in the world, offering firsts in technology. Let analyze in detail the Elevator and Escalator Industry in Sri Lanka and the market my company belongs in relation to the economic context. About the Group Company ETA STAR Group was established in the early 1973 and is involved with expertise ranging from Civil Construction to Electro Mechanical, Facilities Management and Elevator Engineering. Today the ETA STAR group involves in activities that cover 16 broad industry verticals. Namely: Construction and Engineering, Trading, Shipping, Manufacturing and Assembly, Facilities Management, Auto Mobile, Real Estate, Retail, Services, Travel and Leisure, Health Care, Aviation, Learning and Education, Insurance, Hospitality, Oil and Natural Gas. The group has a network of 140 entities and offices in 22 countries. As a group we provide employment to over 72000 people. All group companies are guided through the group companys vision, Quality is our single-minded pursuit in the application of new technologies. In our wide ranging diversity, we innovate continuously as we strive to provide complete satisfaction to our customers and shareholders. We have emerged as one of the largest corporate houses duri ng the last 37 years of operations achieving excellence. A look at the Industry The Elevator and Escalator industry in Sri Lanka is highly depended on the construction industry. The construction industry in Sri Lanka comprises of building, highway, bridge, water supply and drainage, irrigation and land drainage, dredging and reclamation and other constructions. According to the annual survey carried out by construction industries, the total value of estimated work done by all types of construction activities in Sri Lanka was Rs. 56,496 million in 2007. The building construction sector was the highest contributor to the total value of work done contributing 64.1%. This contribution to the building construction sector was made by the private and public sector. The second largest contributor to the total value of work done in the construction industry was the highway construction amounting to 25.2% of the total value of work done. The highest value of work done was reported from Colombo district amounting to 37.2% of the total output. Hambanthota and Kaluthara Dist ricts contributed 11.3% and 6.2% accordingly. Jafna District reported the lowest value of work done amounting to 0.3% of the total output. A detail breakup constriction industry for the year 2007 is as follows: Source: Annual Survey of Construction Industries 2008 To evaluate on the industry of Elevator and Escalator lets analyze the detail break up of the building construction industry. Source: Annual Survey of Construction Industries 2008 Elevators and Escalators are mainly used in Sri Lanka for high and medium rise buildings that has being developed for residential apartments, hotels, shopping complexes and hospital buildings. The demand for elevator is based on the infra structure development in the above mentioned areas. Based on the interview I had with the Sales Manager he told me that the demand for elevators and escalators have being 238, 243, 219 and 171 for the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. This clearly helps us to understand the sudden drop in the demand for elevators was due to the economic crisis that affected the constriction industry in our country in the mid 2008 and 2009. The estimated annual demand for elevators for the year 2010 is predicted to be 260 units. However the rapid development in the northern and southern province in the country after the 30 years of civil was is contributing favorably to the elevator and escalator market in Sri Lanka as many infra structure development programmes are presently taking place. Many of these projects are government owned. Population growth on the other hand too contributes immensely to the building construction industries. Due to scare resources such as land developers are compelled to put up high rise apartment buildings and complexes. Today even in the rural sector there are plans to up such building. Tourist industry too positively contributes to the elevator and escalator market as we need to develop many hotels and hotel apartments to keep up to the demand. Sri Lanka tourist board is presently focusing on areas such as Trincomalee and Puthalam in order to promote Dolphin, Wale watching and Surfing. Also areas such as Hambanthota, Jaffna, Baticalo are given preference. The Health care sector too in Sri Lanka gives high priority to the elevators and this is seeing as a sector that has been having a continual growth over the last decade. Overview of the Organization Taking into account the initial success achieved in the U.A.E. market in the early 1980s the ETA MELCO Elevator Co. L.L.C. set up branch office in Sri Lanka in the name ETA MELCO ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD and 20 other countries. The Sri Lankan construction industry proved to be during very well in the early 1980s and this influenced the management to set up operations in Sri Lanka to provide vertical transportation facilities as there was a huge demand for products such as elevators, escalators and moving walks and other related products for high rising buildings, hotels, hospitals, commercial buildings, residential apartments etc. These products are supplied by Mitsubishi Corporation. Popularly known as the Elevator People of Sri Lanka we have grown to be the biggest elevator specialist in the region enjoying a very high market share. We as a company are singularly focus on growth by keeping up with modern technological changes and advances. We have a fully fledge research and development team in Japan that keeps us updated with trends that suites the industry tomorrow. The phrase that brands our products, Quality in Motion is not just a catchy slogan but a statement of fact. We are driven by the continual evolution of technological improvement. The professionals of our company and through out the worlds practice Quality in Motion everyday. We not only pay emphasis to operational efficiency but also safety and comfort. We are embodied by our mantra Number one for Quality to ensure we exceed out customer requirements. The policies of Mitsubishi Electric has made all these possible while fostering the values necessary to harmonize our products and activities with the environment and local communities. These will vary based on customers requirement for capacity, speed, purpose, number of persons, number of stops (floors) etc. Refer appendix for more details on our product range. Market Share The industry leader in the Sri Lankan Elevator market is ETA MELCO ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD the agent for Mitsubishi Elevators in the country. We import Mitsubishi Elevators and Escalators under the HS code 84281010 Lifts and skip hoists. According to the import statistics details obtained from Data One Company our sales team analyzed the market share for the year 2009 based on the number of units ETA MELCO (Mitsubishi) secured as against its competitors. The data is as follows: With reference to the analysis carried out it could be said with much certainly that this industry belongs to the Oligopoly (Imperfect) Market Structure as it has a relatively small number of large firms. They sell differentiated products and comprise of significant entry barriers. Thus we have a few key industry players like Otis, Sanyo, Sigma, Dipra, Schindler, Johnson, Kone and Local Fabrications who deal with Elevators and Escalators in Sri Lanka. Hence we export only three types of products Elevators, Escalators and Moving Walks. We are the only local company that exports these products from Mitsubishi we have better access to architects, clients, contractors, government authorities and other developers due to the good name we maintain in safety, comfort, efficiency and superior quality. Nevertheless this industry is highly competitive as all the few players on average have to meet a demand of 175 200 elevators for a year. This leads to sever competition. We have to keep a breast of the ever changing technological advances and we need to convince our customer base on the modern products and modifications needed to existing products from time to time to avoid our products being modernized or serviced by out competitor companies. Taking in to account the over all market in to consideration ETA MELCO has grown from strength to strength enjoying the highest market share in this segment when compared to its competitors. The company has to now focus on promoting vertical transportation products such as Elevators, Escalators and Moving walkers by moving in to the northern and southern geographical areas of the country to remain as the market leader as many developments are taking place. The product alone is a luxury item and today the demand for Home elevators our becoming popular. The company also has it focus in coming up with more customized products to cater to the market. In Sri Lanka alone we have Home Elevators. Market Structures My findings indicate that this organization belongs to the Oligopoly (Imperfect) market structure since it highlights the following characteristics; Major industry players amounts to 9 competitors while there are few other mushroom companies that deals with maintenance of elevators and escalators. The firm is relatively large compared to the overall market and has a substantial degree of market control. In short there are small numbers of large firms. Firms in oligopolistic industries produce either identical or differentiated products. Identical product oligopolies also knows as perfect oligopolies produce tend to process raw materials or intermediate goods that are used as inputs in other industries. Notable examples are petroleum, steel and aluminum. On the other hand elevator and escalator falls into differentiated product oligopolies also knows as imperfect oligopolies focuses on consumer goods (mostly luxury) to satisfy the wide variety of consumer needs and wants. Barriers to entry prevail as the firm attain and retain market control. Patents, brand names, recognition, resource ownership, start-up cost, decreasing average cost are the most common barriers and the make it extremely difficult or impossible for potential firms to enter the industry. Oligopolistic firms are diverse and they posses several behavioral tendencies. The following behavioral characteristics were highlighted in my findings: Interdependency among firms as it takes in to account relative size and market control. This means that the actions of one firm will depend and make an influence on the actions of another firm. The firm keeps a close eye on the activities of the other firms in the industry. As a result the decisions made by one firm invariably affect others and are invariably affected by others. Thus a firms success will not only depend on its own action but also those of the competitor. A Rigid price strategy is followed by the firm that helps to keep the price relatively constant as the firm prefers to compete in other ways that does not involve changing the price. This is mainly because if price decreases the competitor will try to match the same and will not take in to consideration the increases in prices as the firms do not gain much from price changes. As the firm does not gain much from price competition they tend to follow non-price methods of competition which includes entry barriers, product differentiation and advertising, continuous improvement in quality, after sale services, effective distribution, guarantees as the firms objective is to get more buyers and simultaneously increase the market share while holding the line on price. Taking all firms in the industry I wish to emphasize that the firms operate in cooperation through collusion in an oligopoly market. The factories of the companies that manufacture elevator and escalators secretly agree on prices, production and other aspects in the market and behave like they are operating as one firm a monopoly. A formal method of collusion is cartel which is found among international produces. Operating in an Oligopoly (imperfect) market brings in two important advantages to the firm. It could be elaborated as follows: The firm tends to be a prime source for innovations that promotes advances in technology and economic growth. This leads to higher living standards. These firms have the motive and opportunity for innovation. Interdependent competition results in motive and access to abundant resuorses bring about opportunity. The firm is in a position to enjoy economies of scale as it leads to a reduction in the cost of production and prices. The firm can mass produce at a low average cost. Elevators and escalators will be more significantly expensive if they were produced by a large number of small firms that small number of large firms. Graphical Illustration of the Market Equilibrium A kinked demand curve is used to illustrate the short run production activity of an oligopolistic firm. To explain the price rigidity in an oligopolistic firm the kinked demand curve is used. The kink of the demand curve exists at the current quantity (Qpm) and current price (Ppm). This is because competitor firms will not match the increases in price as it will loose its customer base and market share. It is evident that a small increase in price will lead to a relatively large decrease in quantity demanded. Similarly any price decreases will be matched by competitor firms and the firms is unlikely to gain customers or market share. If a firm is to gain a small increase in quantity demanded a large decrease in price needs to take place. (This is not feasible to many firms) Conclusion With reference to my study on my organization ETA MELCO ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD I could state that we fall into Imperfect Oligopoly Market Structure. Hence I will use the following findings to justify my answer; There are small numbers of large firms (09 major industry players) in the elevator and escalator industry. The company sells a range of differentiated products to suit customer, client, architect, developers requirements and specifications taking in to account type of building, type of elevator/escalator, number of stops (floors), travel speed, capacity, and usage thus falling in to imperfect oligopoly without any doubt. Significant barriers to entry prevail due to brand name, recognition, start up cost, decreasing average cost, patent and resource ownership. Interdependency among firms exists. A rigid price structure is followed to keep price relatively constant. As any decrease in price will lead towards the same action from competitor thus affecting the companies customer base and market share. Also any price increases will lead to a reduction in quantity demanded thus affecting the customer base and market share. Due to the above reason the company follows non-price methods of competitions by promoting its brand image and reputation, quality products, customized products, guarantees, cost effective after sales services and product differentiation. The firm balances competition among others through cooperation. We can identify collusion as a method used in the elevator/escalator industry. Price cartels are experienced in the factories that produce elevator/ escalators. The company is heavily involved in innovations that promote advances in technology and economic growth. The main factory of the company enjoys economies of scale through mass production thus leading to low average cost. Finally giving all reasons, arguments and justification above like to conclude that ETA MELCO ENGINEERIN (PTE) LTD is operating in an Imperfect Oligopolistic Market Structure.

Term Paper on Computer Games

Intelligence and Dexterity are beneficial gift that God has endowed us. Hence, Man has the ability to tinker with nature. It is factual and concluded. We have the greatest opportunity to manipulate things like: The Development of Medicine; Swift Transportation; Rapid Communications and the Aggrandizement of Technology. One of this is COMPUTER GAMES. Computer Games is one of the vital issues in our society to be focused on. Why? Because they say that Computer Games are one of the vices that the teenagers are been addicted, attached with.They could spend all day just to play various online or downloaded games. Seemingly, it is there cravings for them to be satisfied. Just like there days wouldn’t complete if not played just even one game. According to Surveys, Computer Games has indeed a great effect on everybody. Because, we can visualize myriad teenagers seated in front of computer set playing, enjoying, and cussing with each other. YES, CUSSING. When been fond of it, teenager s are gradually adapting the nature of a maniac player. Now, they know how to use vulgar words to express their feelings, a volcano that would about to erupt.Another thing is that, we can no longer more to see youth who plays basketball, volleyball and the rest of the Sports Games that can really helped a lot in our health and physical attributes. That’s why they also added that Computer Games is gradually defeating sports. This is why the Government should take its action to give remedy to this epidemic issue concerns our youth of today. Today, parents still worry about the effects of violent computer games and of course it also remains a popular topic for the media.However, with a growing number of children and teens spending excessive time playing computer games, perhaps parents should be more worried about teenagers addicted to computer games than the effects of violent Computer Games. An examination of the literature reveals that those who study video game addiction some times disagree on the proportion of children and teenagers addicted to computer games. However, the majority of studies suggest that approximately 5 to 10% of youth who play computer games become addicted.Compared to other psychological difficulties (such as depression and anxiety), teenage computer game addiction is obviously a relatively new problem faced by families. As such, parents may lack accurate and/or helpful information on the signs of computer game addiction, the risk factors for video game addiction, and strategies for helping teenagers addicted to computer games after the problem develops. BACKGROUND The debate on whether Computer Games have social effects and cause violence among the players, especially children, can be traced back to 1976 when a video game entitled Death Race was released on the market.The main aim of the game was to run over screaming gremlins using a car which would then turn into tombstones. The pace of the game was pedestrian and the gremlins res embled human figures. There was a public outcry over this video game and eventually its production ceased. There were other violent Computer Games that were produced later in 1993, such as Night Trap and Mortal Combat, that were followed by public outcry. In the same year, a board was established in the United States to look into Computer Games and rate them according to their content (Siwek, 2007).The board is known as the entertainment software rating board (ESRB). The other video game that attracted media attention was Rapelay, produced in 2006 (Siwek, 2007). The video game required players to rape and stalk a woman and her two girls. Such Computer Games are said to cause behavioral change among children. There are several incidents that are linked to Computer Games, such as the massacre at Columbine High School that claimed 13 lives. Laws have been enacted to ban or control the sale of Computer Games.For example, on the 27th of June 2007, the Supreme Court of the United States o verturned the law in California that banned the sale of Computer Games to minors (Siwek, 2007). The court ruled that the law violated the freedom of speech even though the state has an obligation to protect kids from harm. Another aspect that should be noted regarding Computer Games is that boys spend more time playing than girls. Not many girls are interested in playing Computer Games, hence they are not affected as much as boys of a similar age (Anderson & Bushman, 2001).The Drawbacks of Children Playing Computer Games Most of the negative effects as a result of playing Computer Games among children can be blamed on the violent scenes contained in these games. When a child spends an extended amount of time playing such Computer Games, they becomes socially isolated. This means that a child does not have enough time to interact with other members of society (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). The child who spends many hours a day playing Computer Games will have no time to meet and make ne w friends. They may in turn become more depressed and lonelier in their homes.Children will also spend little time on other activities such as sports, reading, and doing homework. The child becomes socially inactive since they do not get involved in social activities. Some Computer Games teach children wrong values (Gunter, 1998). Most of the children who spend much of their time playing Computer Games are likely to perform poorly in school. A solid number of Computer Games are addictive. Rather than studying or completing homework, a child spends time playing Computer Games. As a result, poor performance will be seen at schools. Computer Games reduce a child’s imaginative thinking as well.This means that a child who ends up spending most of their time playing Computer Games does not get a chance to think creatively or independently. Imaginative thinking is crucial in developing a child’s creativity. By fostering isolation, Computer Games may also affect a childâ€℠¢s health. Since they do not get enough bodily exercise, children who spend the majority of their time playing Computer Games are likely to suffer from video-induced seizures, obesity and skeletal, muscular and postural disorders like tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, among others.Computer Games promote children to associate happiness and pleasure with the capability to cause pain to others. They develop the feeling that in order to be happy, one has to make other people suffer. Children who play Computer Games tend to develop selfish behavior (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). Computer Games teach the player to be dependent and since the child is left alone while playing the game, they can develop selfish behavior. A certain study that was done at the Minneapolis-based national institute for media indicated that kids can get addicted to Computer Games and exhibit social phobias.The interactive quality of Computer Games is quite different from passively viewing movies or television. The games allow players to be active participants in the script. The players who are able to benefit from acts of violence are then able to proceed to the next level (Sherry, 2001). As a negative result of playing Computer Games, violence in children has shown an increase. â€Å"Anderson and Dill found that males who were high in aggression and irritability, showed the strongest association between video game play and aggressive behavior (Lillian Bensely & Juliet Van Eenwyk, 2001)†.There are many incidents of violent behavior among children who play violent Computer Games worldwide (Gunter, 1998). One of the high-profile incidents is the Columbine High School massacre that was caused by 17 year-old Dylan Klebold, and 18 year-old Harris Eric. The massacre happened on the 20th of April, 1999, at Columbine High School, located in Jefferson County. 12 pupils and a teacher were killed by two pupils. It was later revealed that the two shooters in the massacre were frequent players of w eapon-based combat games.It was also noted that the two shooters used to play Wolfeinstein 3D and Doom, games which are violent. After the incident, many newspaper articles claimed that the key cause of that incident was violent Computer Games. Another incident occurred in April, 2000 when Jose Rabadan, a sixteen year-old Spaniard, killed his parents and his sister using a katana sword, claiming that he was Squall Leonhart, the main character in the video game titled ‘Final Fantasy V111,’ on a mission to avenge. This was a consequence of playing the game too much and fantasizing about what he saw in the video game (Williams, & Marko, 2005).In 1997, there was the case of a thirteen year-old Wilson Noah, who was killed by his friend using a kitchen knife. The mother of the deceased claimed that Noah was stabbed because of the obsession his friend had with the video game known as Mortal Combat. She alleged that the child who killed Noah was obsessed with the game, and thou ght he was one of the characters in the game named ‘Cyrax’. In the game, Cyrax is using a finishing move whereby he grabs the opponent and stabs him in the chest. It was alleged that this was the move that motivated the killing of that child.There are many other incidents that were caused by the effects of playing Computer Games. A report that was compiled by the FBI in the year 2006 showed that the playing of Computer Games among children was one of the behavioral traits linked to school shootings. The report outlined several factors behind school shootings of which playing violent Computer Games was the most obvious (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). According to Gentile and Anderson, playing Computer Games increases the aggressive behavior of the player, since the acts of violence are continually repeated during the game (Gentile, & Anderson, 2003).â€Å"Although heightened physiological arousal (e. g. , heart rate, blood pressure, skin conductance) can be beneficial in ce rtain situations, physiological arousal produced by violent media (or by other sources), can be linked to an increase in aggressive behavior, especially when that arousal can be erroneously attributed to another provoking event, rather than to the violent media. Repetition of an act has been considered an effective teaching method, reinforcing learners patterns (Barlett, Harris, & Bruey, 2007). †The games encourage the players to role play or identify with their favorite character (Gentile & Anderson, 2003). The increase in physical bullying in many schools can also be linked to the popularity of Computer Games that contain violent content. A study done in 2008, indicated that about 60% or more of middle school boys ended up striking or beating somebody after playing at least one mature-rated video game. The research also showed that about 39% of boys who never played violent Computer Games were not involved in any form of violence.When playing Computer Games, players are rewa rded for simulating violence. This enhances the learning of violent behavior among the children who find pleasure in violent Computer Games. When violence is rewarded while playing Computer Games, players tend to develop aggressive behavior. As noted earlier, Computer Games desensitize players to real-life violence. The exposure to Computer Games causes a reduction in P300 amplitudes that are contained in the brain. The child will later experience aggressive behavior and desensitization to violence (Bartholow, Bushman & Sestir, 2006).After children experience violence while playing Computer Games, they are likely to develop a fear of becoming victims of violent acts. According to the report compiled by six leading national medical associations in 2000, children do not trust their fellow children and hence will develop violent, self-protective measures. The exposure to cruel Computer Games also leads to reduced empathy among the players. From a survey conducted by Jeanne Funk in 2004 , Computer Games are the only media linked or associated with low empathy.Empathy is described as the capacity or ability to understand other people’s feelings. The level of empathy plays a noteworthy role in evaluating a person’s morals. Empathy also controls aggressive behavior among individuals, especially children (Bartholow, Bushman & Sestir, 2006). After lacking empathy as a consequence of violent Computer Games, these children are likely to be violent. Repetition of actions when one is playing a video game affects the subconscious mind, hence a behavioral script is developed. A sound example of a behavioral script is that developed by drivers.It urges the driver to first get into a car, fasten their safety belt and then start the car. Similarly, Computer Games induce a child to develop a behavioral script that urges them to respond violently to a certain situation (Gunter, 1998). Playing Computer Games teaches children that violence is an acceptable way of solvi ng their conflicts. Those who play Computer Games, especially games with violent content, do not develop the belief that using non-violence means can solve a problem. They tend to be less forgiving when compared to those children who play non-violent Computer Games (Sherry, 2001).Children tend to confuse real-world violence with video game violence. After fantasizing about the violence in Computer Games, children are likely to fight in schools and in the streets. New Computer Games allow a lot of physical interaction with the players. Some Computer Games train players on how to be a killer. For example, in 1996, the Marine Corps in the United States authorized the release of Doom 11, which was a violent video game. The game was previously used to train marine soldiers. Such games can train children to be high-profile killers.Most Computer Games have portrayed a negative attitude towards women. Violence against women is likely to increase in a child who plays brutal Computer Games (G unter, 1998). Counter Arguments In any life situation and with any sort of problem, there are those who disagree with the majority. Likewise, there are researchers who present various counter arguments to support the idea that Computer Games can be beneficial for children. The first counter argument against the side effects of Computer Games is the fact that children are not isolated as they have online gaming communities.Children who are unable to associate with others do not feel isolated since they are left to play Computer Games. For example, a child who is not physically fit to play with others can turn to Computer Games during their free time to reduce boredom. It has been noted that violent juvenile crimes have been decreasing in the recent years, yet the popularity of Computer Games has been increasing. For the period 1995 to 2008, the rate of arrest of juvenile murderers decreased by 71. 9%, while the overall arrest cases concerning juvenile violence decreased by 49%.In the same period, the sale of cruel Computer Games increased by almost 4 times compared to the years before. From these statistics, one can conclude that there is no direct correlation between violent juvenile crimes and Computer Games. There has been no scientifically proven link between violent behavior among children and Computer Games. Most of the surveys carried out on Computer Games are affected by design flows. The surveys are done within a short duration of time and do not follow kids for any considerable period of time. After a short observation, conclusions are then drawn.The other counter argument against Computer Games is that children learn real life-skills when playing Computer Games. Players of brutal Computer Games are able to learn how to regulate their emotions when playing (Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007). The level of control developed while playing Computer Games in terms of directing actions and pace are prudent ways of regulating the emotional state of childre n. The perception of being in control of actions minimizes emotional and stressful responses to events. Aggressive and angry feelings can be relieved by playing Computer Games.When a child plays Computer Games, it is one of the best ways of relieving aggression and depression. Many children play Computer Games to relieve anger while others play Computer Games to relax their bodies. Children are given healthy and safe opportunities to virtually explore the rules and consequences of violent behavior when they play Computer Games (Bartholow, Bushman & Sestir, 2006). After playing Computer Games, especially ones that contain violence, children are able to develop ways of escaping violence. The form of violence can be affected by Computer Games, but does not necessarily lead to the occurrence of violence.Through the challenges faced while playing some Computer Games, children are able to learn how to avoid violence, or how to escape from violence. Those who hold the view that Computer Ga mes do not have negative effects on children indicate that Computer Games do not lead a child to violence, but instead, violent children are the ones who are interested in Computer Games (Anderson, Gentile & Buckley, 2007). Conclusion The argument about whether Computer Games have negative or positive effects on children is broad, and depends on one’s philosophical views.â€Å"Most of the research projects that have been conducted on the authentic effects of media brutality on behavior of children have included small, often unrepresentative samples and unique examples of media violence (Dietz, 1998)†. This paper has compiled some of the negative effects of Computer Games among children. Some of the negative effects include children feeling isolated from society, becoming more violent and aggressive, as well as lacking communicative skills. When playing Computer Games, children spend extended periods of time by themselves and do not have much interaction with other chil dren, except for the virtual ones.As a result, children who play Computer Games do not develop effective communication skills with others, since hours, if not all their spare time is spent on Computer Games. There has also been a rise in violence among children who play Computer Games, the Columbine High School massacre being one such example. Injuries and fighting at home and outdoors have risen because of children playing brutal Computer Games (Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007). Some researchers however argue that Computer Games can and do have positive effects on children.They point out that children are not isolated, as they develop online gaming communities. Children are also able to learn real-life skills while playing Computer Games, as well as, learn how to escape violence. However, what both sides agree upon is that parents should guide their children on the outcomes of playing Computer Games. Personally, I think that Computer Games can be allowed when selected with cauti on and are not played frequently. As long as virtual reality does not replace a child’s real-life communication, Computer Games can become a great option for a child’s leisure.

Explain how the mechanicals bring humour into the play Essay

The mechanicals in A Midsummer Night’s Dream are the group of actors that bring most of the comedy to the play. This is done by the mechanicals resembling the more unintelligent group out of the four featured in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the book, the mechanicals are called the Clowns. This implies that they are always fooling around; never getting any work done and maybe making people laugh. Maybe Shakespeare called them the Clowns because they convey most of the humour towards the audience in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. However, the mechanicals play near the end of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a serious play; where they do not mess around as they do in the rest of the book. This might suggest that the name Shakespeare gave to the actors (Clowns) does not imply all that it is supposed to. From the start we establish that Bottom takes his role as a leader and we notice that others look up to him as if they are respecting his authority. One of the characters names (Bottom) sounds rude now, but back when the play was first performed the word bottom meant courageous. Nick Bottom comes across in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as thunderous, friendly, and a little over-confident. He comes across to the other actors in the mechanicals as dumb or dull, insecure and irritating (e. g. when Bottom wants to play all the parts in the play – ‘And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too! I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice’). Bottom also says that he will play every part in their play flawlessly, and that he can act every single part. Instead, when Bottom is rehearsing his part in the play, he messes everything up (pronouncing words wrong – ‘Odious’ instead of odorous) and he forgets lines. In the end, he just plays Pyramus. The way the mechanicals bring humour into A Midsummer Night’s Dream is mainly through Nick Bottom. Bottom is the fool in the play; always getting things wrong. Bottom comes across as a little dumb; maybe eccentric. He gets his words wrong, comes up with feeble ideas, and has a spell put on him by Puck. The spell transforms Bottom’s head into an ass’s head. I think it would convey more humour to A Midsummer Night’s Dream by having Bottom transform into an ass entirely. Near the end of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in act 5 scene 1, the mechanicals act out their play. Many things bring humour into A Midsummer Night’s Dream at this point. Peter Quince tells the audience that the lion is not a lion, but Snug the joiner. The audience would know that the lion is not a real lion, as it is just common sense. When Snug is playing the part of the lion, Snug doesn’t want to scare the audience so the actor roars as softly as he can. Snug also explains that he is not really a lion, but playing the part of a lion. This may mean that when the play was performed, being a lion was a disgrace, or an insult. The result of Snug explaining that he is not really a lion, but playing the part of, is that he will not be shamed after the play, or be booed by Theseus. After Snug is finished explaining the he is not a lion, he earns approval from Lysander, Theseus and Demetrius (the stage audience). Shakespeare uses language to create moods and atmosphere within the characters, and also make the characters think how they are feeling. The main mood created in of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is that of humour. He creates these moods by the descriptive writing he uses in his sentences. His sentences are well structured, and he chooses the places well where he makes the characters speak in prose and verse. For instance, when the mechanicals are talking casually together, they speak in verse; when acting out their play in front of the duke, they speak in prose. Some of the misunderstandings of the mechanicals are when Puck puts the spell on Bottom. Quince says ‘O monstrous! O strange! We are haunted! Pray, masters, fly, masters! Help! ‘ This shows that they are unsure of what to think of Bottom, and Bottom is oblivious to the fact that he has an asses head on him. Instead Bottom starts singing (to show that he id not afraid of what they are saying to him). This in turn wakes Titania up, who has had the love juice put on her eyes. As she wakes up, she instantly falls in love with Bottom. This is reminiscent of the fact that of A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s main mood it creates is that of humour and that it is mainly the mechanicals that are involved in, or create the humour.

Free Essays on Matchpaper

Matches: Made by an Illegal Alien Getting Paid a Dollar an Hour to Support His Family of 6 To a non-earth inhabitant, one might thinks it was a simple noisemaker. But upon closer inspection you would find that the puzzle like box opens and contains a very flammable material. The red coloration of the box might bring them to this conclusion or they may discover you can strike these sticks on the side and they combust. However I know it’s a box of matches, I know how the box opens and I know how to light them. The irony of the box is we humans store our flammable materials in flammable materials. Any Alien might think that funny, however and illegal alien probably wouldn’t care. All he cares about is making these match boxes so he can get his pay check and take care of his family. He might think its funny that the box says made in America, when in fact he knows the cardboard that they use to make the box is actually from China, the ink from Indonesia, and the matches from Mexico. It would make more sense to him if the box was in Spanish and read assemb led in America, or said globally produced. I would also like to point out the fact that the company that makes these boxes, Diamond Brands Incorporated clearly wasn’t thinking when they made the match striking design on the side. Diamond used a hexagon pattern when it would have made a little more sense for them to use a â€Å"Diamond† pattern. Are Americans really so stupid that they actually have to print, KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN, or is Diamond Brand Incorporated so worried that they will get sued if some small child gets a hold of these and sets his parents house on fire. If I was an outsider and had observed just how much Americans in particular love to sue any one or any company just because they were to stupid to put the matched in the cabinet where their kid couldn’t reach them, then I’d be pretty surprised. Well, what about 32 count printed on the front o... Free Essays on Matchpaper Free Essays on Matchpaper Matches: Made by an Illegal Alien Getting Paid a Dollar an Hour to Support His Family of 6 To a non-earth inhabitant, one might thinks it was a simple noisemaker. But upon closer inspection you would find that the puzzle like box opens and contains a very flammable material. The red coloration of the box might bring them to this conclusion or they may discover you can strike these sticks on the side and they combust. However I know it’s a box of matches, I know how the box opens and I know how to light them. The irony of the box is we humans store our flammable materials in flammable materials. Any Alien might think that funny, however and illegal alien probably wouldn’t care. All he cares about is making these match boxes so he can get his pay check and take care of his family. He might think its funny that the box says made in America, when in fact he knows the cardboard that they use to make the box is actually from China, the ink from Indonesia, and the matches from Mexico. It would make more sense to him if the box was in Spanish and read assemb led in America, or said globally produced. I would also like to point out the fact that the company that makes these boxes, Diamond Brands Incorporated clearly wasn’t thinking when they made the match striking design on the side. Diamond used a hexagon pattern when it would have made a little more sense for them to use a â€Å"Diamond† pattern. Are Americans really so stupid that they actually have to print, KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN, or is Diamond Brand Incorporated so worried that they will get sued if some small child gets a hold of these and sets his parents house on fire. If I was an outsider and had observed just how much Americans in particular love to sue any one or any company just because they were to stupid to put the matched in the cabinet where their kid couldn’t reach them, then I’d be pretty surprised. Well, what about 32 count printed on the front o...

Representations of Women in Gothic Literature Essays

Representations of Women in Gothic Literature Essays Representations of Women in Gothic Literature Paper Representations of Women in Gothic Literature Paper Throughout the gothic genre, women are seemingly created on two extreme ends of the spectrum as either feeble and innocent victims or vindictive and lascivious predators. The Romantic poetry of Keats encapsulates this dualistic approach to the representation of women because on one hand he does create powerless and vulnerable women, but in order to highlight the decadence of the seventeenth century period of enlightenment, he eradicates the cold-hearted rationalism associated with patriarchy through the emergence of the Femme Fatale. Stoker wrote his epistolary novel, Dracula, amid the fin de siecle, a time period that was strictly governed by the stringent standards of the patriarchal, Victorian society. From the outset, Stoker challenges the rigid gender boundaries of society by making an explicit link between vampirism and sex, as his female characters adopt unconventional roles that appear to place them in positions of power, and in the process subvert the expectations of the Victorian society. Carter’s Bloody Chamber, written during the rebellious feminist era of the 1970’s, is arguably the most transgressive of all of the gothic texts on the basis that she does indeed explore the victimisation of women, but only does so as a means of highlighting the juxtaposing triumph of the female resurgence, as Kathleen E.B Manley asserts that her female protagonists â€Å"oscillate between passivity and action†. From the outset, each writer implies that the passivity which is traditionally associated with femininity is a direct result of the oppression from the patriarchal society. Keats conveys this idea through the objectification of women which is present in Isabella, as he notes that the brother’s plan was to â€Å"coax her by degreesTo some high noble and his olive trees†. Evidently, Keats is making reference to a proposed arranged marriage, thus exploring the way in which Isabella is a commodity to her brothers, with no active fre

Strangers to these Shores Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Evaluation Plan - Term Paper Example The first step in my evaluation plan will involve assessing the background and framework of the evaluation. This step as elucidated by Holden et al (2009) will involve comprehension of the environment, framework, and circumstances surrounding the evaluation of the planned change. For instance, I will establish the relationship between individuals and specific bodies to involve in implementing the change to ascertain their level of commitment. During this initial step in addition, I will assess the range of the evaluation in terms of estimation of resources required for executing the planned change such as the cost and human resource. The second step of my evaluation plan will involve an in-depth exploration and identification of stakeholders and their level of association (Holden et al, 2009). In reference to the unmet need and planned change, stakeholders to be considered at this stage include nurses, physicians, patients, the local community, governmental organizations, and non-gov ernmental organizations. The relationship between these stakeholders will have an immediate effect on the outcome of the planned change. Thirdly, I will engage identified stakeholders in terms of requesting them to participate in designing strategies aimed at the implementation of change, and make sure each one of them understand their specific roles and responsibilities (Holden et al, 2009). Fourthly, I will exhibit and put all the processes of the strategic plan into context in order for the stakeholders to understand (Holden et al, 2009). The fifth step will involve formulation of wide-ranging question for assessing the outcome of the planned change (2009). During this step, I will assess the practicability and achievability of the planned change. This will be followed by data collection by means of observation, direct interviews, and structured questionnaires to establish whether the objectives of

Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation Summary Essay Example for Free

Perceptual Maps in Marketing Simulation Summary Essay Perceptual maps help to improve a companys current product on the market by mapping consumer expectation of the product. The motorcycle company Thorr Motors perceptual maps were used to create a marketing plan to aid in maintaining a high brand image of their motorcycles. The Marketing Dictionary defines perceptual maps as a process by which consumers perceptions of an existing product are charted (n.d., para. 1). In this paper the three phases of the simulation, the situation, recommended solution, and results will be discussed. In addition there will be a discussion on relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or services and the impact of the product life cycle on marketing. Phase I (201)Sales of the Cruiser Thorr are decreasing. This is so because the Cruiser Thorrs target consumers are aging and their tastes have begun to outgrow the lifestyle that Cruiser Thorr symbolizes. In addition to this issue, younger consumers are more interested in lower priced motorcycles due to their lower personal disposable incomes and they do not indentify with Cruiser Thorrs lifestyle image. This scenario wanted to determine the Cruiser Thors position in the market by choosing four relevant parameters that will reflect the highest potential. For phase I the parameters that were chosen were lifestyle image, services offered, price, and quality engineering. Lifestyle image was chosen since the image for the Cruiser Thorr was being outgrown by the aging target audience and was not identifiable with younger consumers. Since the Cruiser Thorrs lifestyle image is set very high any vital information gathered will be highly useful to maintain that level of image so that it satisfies both an older and younger audience. Services offered was another parameter chosen because compared to their competitors the services offered by the Cruiser Thorr are limited. The more frills a product comes with, the more it may heighten the desire for it. The third parameter that was chosen was price. Price was chosen because for many consumers price is one of the most important factors in making a buying decision. Furthermore, it was stated earlier that younger consumers were more interested in lower priced motorcycles. Finding out how much is too much as well as how low can you go without diluting brand image will be important in determining the  appropriate price tag to spark consumer interest. The last parameter chosen was quality engineering. This was chosen because of the fact that the Cruiser Thorr will not be able to maintain a high brand image without this feature (University of Phoenix, 2004). The decision to use lifestyle image, services offered, price, and quality engineering were the appropriate parameters to use. The parameters that were chosen were fundamental to the perceptual map and gave the best perspective as opposed to the other options. Phase II The position of the Cruiser Thorr is determined by the perceptual map and this position has not helped sales. This scenario calls for the marketing manager to create a marketing plan that will either reposition the Cruiser Thorr or launch a new motorcycle. Upon researching threats and weaknesses of Thorr Motorcycles, the decision was made to launch a new motorcycle, the RRoth, which will grab the attention of younger consumers. With the new launch the marketing mix needed to be determined. The price for the new RRoth was set between $13,000 and $15,000. This price range was chosen because earlier surveys conducted showed that the younger consumers were more interested in lower priced motorcycles. The types of promotions chosen were sponsored events at Daytona, offering insurance and protection plans, free test rides, publicize through Hollywood films, and providing giveaway merchandise. These were all chosen because of the high amount of appeal these types of promotional methods would have on younger consumers. The places chosen to promote the RRoth were the internet (Manufacturers Web site), Dealers, and Distributors. These options were chosen because of the accessibility to younger consumers, especially the internet. The services chosen were training to dealers, customization options, and financial services. Training to dealers was chosen so that the dealers can provide detailed and accurate information about the products sold. Customization options were chosen because this would add to the cool and youthful image of the RRoth. Financial services were chosen because the younger consumers indicated an interest in financing options. Choosing to launch a new motorcycle turned out to be a good decision. The marketing mix options chosen were the most optimal for the formulation of a differentiation strategy. Phase III It has been a year since the marketing plan was implemented and it is now time to determine if the plans have or have not been a success. Consumer perceptions of the Cruiser Thorr and the RRoth have been surveyed and a perceptual map will show whether or not the marketing activities have been a success. The marketing manager has to interpret market research to plot brand attributes of Cruiser Thorr. In addition, attributes relevant to the RRoth need to be chosen and interpreted to create RRoths perceptual map. The Cruiser Thorr was rated in lifestyle image at 9 because initially this was rated very high. A nine would be most appropriate. For price a rate of 4 was chosen because consumers saw this particular motorcycle as pricey compared to other brands. A rating of 4 or 5 would be appropriate. Services offered are rated at a 7 because services for the Cruiser Thorr is limited compared to competitors but were revamped because of consumer response. A rating of 7 is most appropriate. Quality engineering was rated at 8 because consumers think that Cruiser Thorrs engine is the best. A rating of 8 is very appropriate. The RRoth was rated at a 7 for lifestyle image because like other Thorr motorcycles consumers are already considering it a status symbol. The rating chosen was the appropriate choice. Price was rated at 8 because the RRoth is cheaper than the Cruiser Thorr in order to target a younger consumer. An 8 rating is appropriate. Cool was chosen for the RRoth because of the younger audience and a rating of 8 was chosen. A rating of 8 was most appropriate. Relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or servicesDifferentiation of product is according to Investopedia a marketing process that showcases the differences between products (Investopedia, .n.d., para. 1). Positioning of products is the consumer perception of a product or service as compared to its competition (Lake, n.d., para. 1). The relationship is that in order for a company to be a leader in that particular industry not only do they have to differentiate themselves from  the competition, but they must also secure a position in the market that when consumers needs need to be met, that company will be number one on the list in consumers minds. The repositioning of the product in the simulation is what I had expected. It was expected because one of the main issues was the changing perceptions of the consumers and there was nothing wrong with the physical product. Tastes were changing but the product was still of high quality. Like many companies they offered a fresh new product and for Thorr Motorcycles this attracted younger consumers. But they did not totally scrap efforts on the Cruiser Thorr and worked on revamping the image. Product Life Cycle The impact the product life cycle has on marketing is that business need to plan their products around the product life cycle. Knowing where the product is on the cycle, marketing strategies can be adjusted to maintain profitability. A particular firms marketing mix usually must change during the product life cycle (Perreault et al, 2004, pg. 270). In the simulation the Cruiser Thorr was in the decline stage of the life cycle as their sales were declining rapidly. The declining sales were because the older audiences tastes were outgrowing the Cruiser Thorr and younger consumers were put off by the high price. Because Cruiser Thorr was in decline stage, a new motorcycle, the RRoth was introduced to the life cycle and aimed at a different target group to revamp sales and consumer perception. ConclusionThe perceptual map helped to determine consumer expectations for Thorr Motorcycles. Precise parameters were determined to hone in on exactly what they wanted and expected from the company. This ultimately is what enabled Thorr Motorcycles to reposition consumer perceptions back to where Thorr motors wanted. In this paper the three phases of the simulation, the situation, recommended solution, and results were discussed. In addition there was a discussion on relationship between differentiation and positioning of products or services and the impact of the product life cycle on marketing. References: Differentiation. (n.d.). Definition. Retrieved on February 16, 2008  from,http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/product_differentiation.aspLake, L. (n.d.). Product Positioning Definition. Retrieved on February 16, 2008 from,http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingglossary/g/prodpostdef.htmPerceptual mapping. (n.d.). Dictionary of Marketing Terms. Retrieved February 16,2008, from Answers.com Web site:http://www.answers.com/topic/perceptual-mappingPerreault, W.D., McCarthy, E.J. (2004). Basic Marketing: A Global-ManagerialApproach. McGraw-Hill CompaniesUniversity of Phoenix. (2006). General Marketing. Retrieved February 16, 2008, fromUniversity of Phoenix, Resource, Simulation, MKT421-Marketing Web site:https://mycampus.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/vendors/tata/UBAMsims/general_marketing/general_marketing_perceptual_maps_simulation.html