Natural Sciences Annotated Bibliography in CSE Format

Challenge C, Editor. 2009. The archaeology of rock-art. Cambridge (I-J): Cambridge university Press. 373 p. Dry. Christopher Chippendale Is an archaeologist from the United Kingdom. He currently holds the honored position of Reader In Archaeology at the university of Cambridge, UK. He Is world renown and highly respected In the fields of anthropology and archaeology for his Orlando works and studies on stone hinge, rock formations and rock art.The primary Intent of this title Is to Inform the deader on various forms of artistic expression our ancestral cultures left behind for us. This title establishes uncontested observations and methodologies for research and documentation of rock archaeology. This Is relevant to my theme for two primary reasons. Firstly, it provides a general timeline that establishes the first known discoveries of culture in the Neolithic period. Second, this title also provides well documented examples of cultural development throughout the Neolithic period tha t will support my topic.The entry that this title most related to is The History of Music by Morley, 201 3. Both authors use widely accepted methods for their research and dating methods, therefore no competitive views really exist between them. The primary difference is that this text deals with rock art and Morley focuses on musical instruments. Feminine G, Editor. 2001. Archaeology at the millennium. New York (NY): Springer Science. 494 p. Dry. Gary Feminine is an archaeologist from the united States.He is currently the Curator of Micronesian and Central American Anthropology for Chicago&s Field Museum of Natural History. Dry. Feminine is known for his work in the development of an archaeology survey, as well as his research in he Cacao Valley in southern Mexico. Dry. Feminine asserts that the purpose of this title is not to redefine accepted theories and facts in anthropology and archaeology, but to consolidate them all into a single reference source. This is a compilation of an thropological data and theories as it stood during the new millennium.This text will assist me in providing relevant archaeological findings and anthropological theories on the topic of the foundation of Neolithic cultural leisure. This text Is similar to Dry Hanks and Dry Lending 2009 title, Social complexity In prehistoric Eurasia. The primary difference is the scope of Dry. Feldman Is much broader In the exploration of a wide variety of topics, while Dry Hanks and Landlord provide a more detailed look at relevant finds In and around the Eurasian steppe. Brochette M. 2012. Multinational emergence of mobile pastoralist and monologue Institutional complexity across Eurasia.Current Anthropology. 53(1 1: 2-38 p. Dry. Michael Brochette Is one of the leading researchers In the world for bronze age central and eastern Eurasia. HIS focus is often towards the pastoral and migratory cultures and how they spread new technologies and customs. The famed silk road of the old world runs right ac ross the Eurasian steppe and is attributed by Dry. Affricate as a major conduit between the mixing of eastern and western cultures. I will show correlation between the density spread of new cultural identifications through the pastoral and nomadic tribes.I will differentiate the locations of early stationary agriculture from the pastoral communities so I can focus on the cultural development of each subject appropriately. Hanks and Lending echo many of the same notions on spreading culture through pastoralist. They also tend to focus on the fertile crescent and Persia more than Dry. Affricate. Additionally he is more focused on the pastoral immunities contributions to the domestication of crops and animals as oppose to the culture as a whole. Hanks B and Lending K. 2009.Social complexity in prehistoric Eurasia. Cambridge (I-J): Cambridge University Press. 412 p. Dry Hanks and Dry. Lending are Professors at the University of Pittsburgh, PA. Dry Lending is very well known for her expe rtise in ancient and eastern art across the Eurasian steppe. Dry. Hanks has a broader view of the societies themselves and how they developed into complex societies. This title will explore both the art and societies of ancient times in Eurasia. The claims here are in support of the correlation between art and the development of complex societies.This adds significant value to my topic as it attempts to define the catalyst for cultural development. I will also be able to align the theories postulated by Doctors Chippendale and Morley. Their titles also claim a clear correlation with cultural leisure and social domestication. The obvious difference between the three books is that Dry. Chippendale focuses on rock art, Dry. Morley on music and this title provides a broader overview. Morley l. 2013. The prehistory of music: human evolution, archaeology, and the origins of musicality. Oxford (I-J): Oxford University Press. 464 p.Dry. Lain Morley is a lecturer in paleontology's for the Un iversity of Oxford. He also tutors and lectures on the topics of the evolution of human cognition, human evolution, archaeology, anthropology, and cognitive and evolutionary anthropology. His primary focus for his research is the origins of human cognition and culture. This title attempts to show correlations between music and language in regards to our human ancestors. His belief is that language and music would have basically come into existence either at he same time or for the same reasons during different times.This claim supports my theory that a paradigm shift occurred when humans settled, permitting more leisure, and I believe the development of artistic and cultural identities. This entry also goes into great detail for the opposing arguments surrounding some controversial flutes. Dry. Chippendale focuses in a similar way on a different side of cultural development by exploring rock art. Dry. Chippendale has a more data focused reference and Dry. Morley is a mix of data and well establish references that support his hypothesis.

Natural Family Planning Essay

To begin this essay I will first explain what Natural Family Planning is and I will then turn to take a look at the essay written by Joseph W. Koterski entitled Theological Reflections on Natural Family Planning. Natural Family Planning ‘is the general title for the scientific, natural and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancies. Methods of Natural Family Planning depend on the observation paid to the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. The main idea behind Natural Family Planning is that no methods of artificial contraception are used. Such methods of artificial contraception include drugs, devices or surgical procedures which are used to avoid pregnancy.   The first question Koterski asks is ‘Can the use of Natural Family Planning to avoid pregnancy be morally justi?ed? He then goes on to state that many discussions come to the conclusion that Natural Family Planning is acceptable providing one does not have a ‘contraceptive mentality. The writer agrees with this statement, however one finds themselves asking does the whole idea of Natural Family Planning not have a somewhat contraceptive mentality to it also? The article then puts across the idea that procreation is good within marriage however if a couple do have a contraceptive mentality it should be for a moral reason such as ‘spacing births a bit for the good of the mother’s health, or caring better for the sake of one’s existing children, or for the good of the marriage in a time of great pressures of some sort If these scenarios do come into a couples lives who use Natural Family Planning they are still remaining open to having children at the se times however they are just hoping they will not until these scenarios have sorted themselves out. It appears that throughout the article the writer continually relates back to the subject about having a contraceptive mentality. He says on a frequent basis that if the reason for a couple having a contraceptive mentality is morally for the right reasons then it is okay while still using Natural Family Planning. Compared to using contraception where the act itself is  morally objectionable whether the intentions are good or bad, there does not seem to be anything intrinsically objectionable to a couple deciding whether or not to have intercourse at a particular time during the womans menstrual cycle. If the couple have a good knowledge of Natural family Planning and are trying to avoid having more children then nothing should change about their actions during sexual relations apart from the time at which they have them and knowing when not to have intercourse. The author seems to be saying there is nothing wrong with this approach, however many a person would say this is having a contraceptive mentality. The writer then poses two questions aimed especially at those religious people who do not believe in intercourse unless between a couple for procreative reasons: 1. Are we morally required to have all the children possible for us, given  our current understanding of the natural rhythms of fertility? 2. Are we morally required to refrain from intercourse when we know  as a couple that we are infertile? These questions open up quite a strong argument for those sceptical about the idea that intercourse should only be for procreative purposes. These would possibly argue that sexual intercourse is also for unifying purposes between a couple and therefore this would prevent a couple from growing closer. John Murray also states that it is not the woman’s fault that she is naturally infertile therefore why should she have to abstain from intercourse: If you were naturally blind, you could not do anything further to make yourself blind. So: when a woman is naturally infertile [and knows it] she cannot do anything to make her acts of sexual intercourse infertile [due to her natural infertility] The point is not that she may not do so; she cannot do so. The facts and figures of the matter according to Jack Dominian are ‘currently ninety-nine percent of sexual activity is knowingly and deliberately non-procreative. Dominian then continues on with his argument  stating the majority ‘need only a few sexual acts to achieve their desired family size. It appears Dominion is saying therefore that contraceptive methods are the easiest way of controlling family size. The writings of Paul Quay S.J. Then continue on the essay. Quay mentions how estrus is a sign of fertility in the female species of animals and the male species can pick up on this. Humans are different however and the only way for us to know is by knowing how to ‘read the cycles of temperature and cervical fluid as signs of fertility and infertility. The article continues on to mention the whole symbolism around sexual intercourse. When a couple have intercourse it is almost like a language between them that only they can understand. Koterski uses Quays argument to say that the physical union of intercourse symbolises the union of persons in marriage. The whole idea of nakedness between a couple having intercourse is to symbolize their openness and vulnerability to one another. The whole point of this argument appears to be this is the reason why only when married should one engage in intercourse. If relating back to Natural Family Planning and not having a contraceptive menta lity ‘Traditionally the reason given is that sex is linked to procreation and that the fruit of this, children, need two parents to look after them and give them legitimacy and status. As we carry on through the document and take a look at the application of Quay’s understanding to Natural Family Planning we see how it states the Church should have as many children as possible. The task seems to be to ‘bring all of these who are naturally born to be reborn of the water and the Holy Spirit of the womb of the church by baptism. The document continues on to focus more towards the Church and how even though one may be born to Christian parents this does not mean one is a Christian. It is only through water and the Holy Spirit that we can be brought from this world of sin into the Christian community and the Church. It is only through God however that these children should be brought into this world and not as items of property, therefore conception should be one hundred per cent natural and not through in vitro fertilisation or any such procedures. The authors final few points are quite valid when he states the the infertile period for a couple who are using the method of Natural Family Planning is a period for the woman’s body to rest before releasing the next ovum. Natural family planning should also allow the woman’s body to rest during the natural spacing of pregnancies. In this sense by abstaining from intercourse it is an expression of love on the man’s behalf as he is caring for his wife. The main point the author is trying to get across is that some of the time, even though intercourse is a way of expressing love, abstinence can sometimes be for the greater good of the family and the relationship. To conclude, this essay states what Natural Family Planning is and the many different aspects to it. As with everything it has its pros and cons however if practised properly it allows a couple to do as the Church teaches and ‘make a decision about how many children to have in a wise and loving manner – trying to bear in mind various needs, such as health, their existing children, society’s needs, etc.’13 The whole idea about making Natural Family Planning successful is not to have a contraceptive mentality. This however is a mentality that the majority have and as stated by Jack Dominion ‘ninety-nine per cent of sexual activity is knowingly and deliberately non-procreative. Bibliography Dominian, Jack, ‘Masterbation and Premarital Sexual Intercourse’ , God Sex and Love (London: SCM Press, 1989), Koterski, Joseph W. Theological Reflections on Natural Family Planning, http://www.nvjournal.net/images/stories/SampleArticles/6.4.pdf Murray, John, Lecture notes. http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/what-is-nfp/

Marketing Management Case Analysis Essay

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Stalking Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stalking Behavior - Essay Example Stalking can cause mental and psychological distress to the victims, paralyze professional and social life, with repercussion on health and even raise the incidences of accident and injury. Violent staking behavior can lead to injury and deaths. Legal sanctions by it-self may not be effective in preventing stalking behavior completely. Often the victims is not able to perceive talking behavior, analyze the risk factors, or even acknowledge and cooperate with authorities to stop such behavior. Effective coordination among all including, legal, societal, educational, health care etc is required to counter the problem of stalking. Effective nursing can play an important role in preventing further incidence of stalking and recovery of the victims. Stalking as per the Law on Proscribing Stalking Behavior and Assisting Victims refers to any repetitive conduct, behavior or action where the victims feels stalked harassed or victimized. These can include lurking, following, observing, repeatedly trying to make contact with a person even without his/her consent, not accepting a refusal, harassing or targeting a persons, the persons partner, spouse or relative, silent phone calls, verbal abuse, violent acts against a persons, or anything that annoys, threatens, troubles or defames the persons reputations etc. It has been found that stalking behavior is not restricted to a particular gender but there are greater documented incidences of male stalkers. There are a numerous other behavior that a stalker may resort to. Stalking behavior can vary from mild to serious stalking. It is often difficult to perceive stalking behavior initially. Mild stalking behavior in most cases goes unnoticed. In many cases mild stalking behavior can become more serious over time. In most cases stalking behavior is misleading because stalkers appear harmless at first. Latter on this may transgress to persistent annoyance caused to the

Qualitative Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Qualitative Research Proposal - Essay Example This cost doesn’t account the high cost of  £27 billion due to medical expense increased during same time (4). The alarmingly current situation and it’s accelerated pace of growth has gathered massive attention to cure the menace before it gets beyond the control. There has been increased attention toward finding the reasoning behind constantly rising obesity. Exploring this would help in adjusting life style towards healthy lifestyle habits and saving country from menace before it becomes national curse. It would also be helpful, mainly, for mothers to develop healthy dietary habits in children since early age. Obesity is a measure of an excessive or abnormal fat buildup in a human body that may perhaps harm health. Obesity, measured through BMI (Body Mass Index) is a weight equal to or greater than 30; it is 5 BMI level higher than excessive weight level defined as overweight; as World Health Organization (WHO) defines (5). Citing reason of obesity, WHO states that it is an energy imbalance of calories consumed and expended by the body. It further states this imbalance is created for the reason of either excessive intake of high calorie food or less physical activity that leads to less calorie consumption (5). This research will maintain focus on first section of reason cited by WHO and would explore the impact of behavioral, socio-environmental and genetic aspects of an individual that lead to less consumed calorie than expended. Among large number of behavioral factors studied to date, this study will focus on behavioral factors that are specifically related to dietary habits. Behavioral Factors that lead to obesity has been broadly categorized into three domains in the study of 6; that are: first, excessive food taking; second, less physical activity that that leads to less calorie consumption in caparison with intake; third being excessive diet control

A Financial Ratio Quarterly Trend Analysis of Kia Motors Research Paper

A Financial Ratio Quarterly Trend Analysis of Kia Motors - Research Paper Example This report represents a financial trend analysis of the company over four (4) quarters ending December 31, 2010. It also looks at a comparison of the performance of Kia Motors with the industry for the year ended December 31, 2010 and provides a SWOT analysis of the company. In addition to that the report at the ethical guidelines under which the company operates and makes recommendations to potential stakeholders. 2.0 Financial Ratio Computation & Analysis Financial ratios are used to determine the financial health of a business. The table in the Appendix below provides information on five categories of ratios which will be used to assess the financial health of KIA Motors Corporation. 2.1 Trend Analysis The table in the Appendix shows the quarterly trends for various ratios for the year ended December 31, 2010 in order liquidity asset utilization, profitability, Debt and market. 2.1.1 Liquidity ratios Liquidity ratios indicate the amount of funds the company has on hand to pay its debts as they fall due. The current ratio includes inventory which is not very liquid while the quick ratio does not. The table in the Appendix indicates that the current ratio for the 3 quarters range between 0.73 and 0.76 which is below 1. The quick ratio which does not include inventory ranges between 0.56 and 0.59. An acceptable current and quick ratio is 1.5 and 0.8 respectively (BPP Media Learning 2009). Other ratios such as working capital and current liabilities to inventory also indicates a worrying picture for Kia Motors in terms of the company’s ability to pay its debts as they become due. 2.1.2 Asset Utilization Asset utilization ratios indicate how efficiently the assets in the company’s operations have been utilized. The ratios in the Appendix show an inventory turnover rate of between 6 and 8 times for each quarter and a turnover of approximately 27 ti mes for the year. The asset turnover is a measure of how well the assets Kia Motors are being used to generate revenue (BPP 2009). The quarterly asset turnover rate ranged from 0.39 to 0.49 with the annual rate being the cum1.66. These rates show high and moderate efficiency levels respectively in the use of Kia Motors assets. 2.1.3 Profitability Ratios Profitability ratios are a combination of the effects of liquidity, asset management and debt on operating results (Brigham and Ehrhardt 2005). The ratios indicated in the Appendix as profitability ratios include profit margin which indicates the net profit percentage earned on sales of between 2% and 13% per quarter. The trends indicate vast improvements in the 2nd quarter of an 8% increase, up from 2%. The quarterly return on assets (ROA) for Kia Motors range from 1% to 5% per quarter and 13% for the year ended December 31, 2010. In the 2nd quarter there was a 2% increase over the 1st quarter while quarters 3 and 4 showed increases of 1%. The company’s returns on equity (ROE) increased from 2% in quarter 1 to 7%, *% and 11% in quarters 2, 3 and 4 respectively, ending with a return for the year of 26%. This is considered favorable for shareholders. 2.1.4 Debt Utilization Ratios Debt ratios provide an indication of the level of financial risk in the companies

Hermes financial analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hermes financial analysis - Essay Example Gucci and Louis Vuitton are seen to embrace modern fashion more than traditional garment and accessory designs. This creates a distinctive advantage for Hermes. The current paper focuses upon analysing the financial ratios. The ratios have been constructed on the basis of the information procured from the company’s financial statements. The analysis reveals whether the company is in a suitable financial position to expand and enhance their activities (Hermes annual report, 2013). The share price of Hermes has been depicting an upward rising trend. Share price can be considered to be an essential indicator of the financial health of a company, the same reason due to which share prices of Hermes has been included in the current study. The company has been seen to invest in profitable expansion and growth projects since the last five years. This has facilitated Hermes to maintain a significantly high share prices, as compared with other close competitors of the firm, especially during the crisis period. During the crisis period many retail firms were seen to face issues with asset management and maintaining adequate cash reserves, as support from external financial institutions was limited. However, the strong operating policies and the adequate financial stability of Hermes had facilitated the company to maintain continuity of operations without being dependent on external finance. The sales volume of Hermes had also not been affected majorly. All such factors facilitated maintaining adequate returns to shareholders and maintain rising share prices. In the following sections of the current paper, in depth analysis has been conducted in respect of the financial condition of the firm, considering the financial years 2012 and 2013. This is expected to give more insight regarding the reasons behind the company’s ability to maintain high share prices. Gross profit ratio measures the amount of profits earned by the company

Traffic Rage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Traffic Rage - Essay Example always on the look out for people who create disturbance and scenes on the road and in essence hinder the smooth running of vehicles on the pathways. However traffic rage is a wholly different phenomenon which deals with congestion of traffic on the roads when the traffic is caught up in a deadlock for hours and hours at a stretch. Traffic rage, similar to road rage brings in frustration, tension and all sorts of problems that the motorists usually face in such a situation. Traffic rage is essentially linked with the problem that a person is going through while he is unable to control his temper and anger in the wake of knowing that the vehicles behind him and in front of him are stuck in the same quagmire and he cannot do anything about it. This non-control of emotions and feelings and making them public in a physical or verbal sense is a direct example of what traffic rage can literally be like. An important factor here is to understand that the traffic rage does not lay courtesy the vehicle under question or objects that leads to it in the first place, rather it is due to the state of affairs of the person who undertakes the act of traffic rage which quintessentially governs the whole state of mind that he is in, forced or unforced. Furthermore, it also accounts to the person’s non-understanding nature and lack of thinking and eventually acting ability which leads him to flow with the emotions and feelings that he just fails to control the sa me and thus end up in problems at a later stage. On a more personal note, my traffic rage stems from the fact that I was getting late for work on that particular morning and there was just so much traffic that I knew for sure that I would end up being late at the office. I just could not make myself to understand the situation at hand and kept on continuing criticizing the government’s and law enforcement agencies’ state of affairs. I was constantly bickering within my car which everyone around (in their cars) could

The Curriculum and Instruction Case Analysis Assignment

The Curriculum and Instruction Case Analysis - Assignment Example The Principal is far more than the physical head of a school or a person with abundance of knowledge. He is also the role model and a great leader cum visionary, who propels his entire family of teachers and students towards success. In today's world of extreme competition and marketing strategies to attain that sharp edge over the others, Principals, as the head of the institution have a greater role to play. It includes living up to the expected standard of the school, while also catering to the current demands of the market; all this while obliging and adhering to the rules and guidelines prescribed by statutory bodies and boards of education in the area concerned. The case study on GATE is one such example of the number of responsibilities and decision-making abilities that must be realised by the Principal. Assuming that I am the Principal of Monet Middle School located at La Solana, I would deal with the problem, in a tactful and with a more open perspective and outlook. Since the issue deals not only with the educational point of view, but with a broader issue like heterogeneous ethnic backgrounds and the pressure to categorise students, it needs great amount of confidence and strength to chalk out a pathway to satisfy a large number of the people involved, take great care not to hurt the sentiments of the diverse population, and yet adhere to principles and codes of conduct. The case study says that the school has about 23% of the students attaining their education through the Voluntary Ethnic Enrolment Program (VEEP), about 53% of the students consisted of those qualifying for the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program and about 5% of the students have been recognised as those with special needs that requires them to attend the Special Education Program. With such diversified population, it is indeed an uphill task to bring and bind all of them together. The Tracking System that segregated the students was initially implemented in the school and then, it was done away with great difficulty but with immense conviction. It brought about great changes for the better and also raised the normal standard of education and results. Most importantly, it bridged the gap between students emerging from various backgrounds and with different levels of intellectual quotients. As the Principal, I am now faced with a challenge---the school board has passed an ordinance that calls for the implementation of the tracking syste

Poetry Analysis Essay Example for Free

Poetry Analysis Essay The poetry of Judith Wright conveys a strong sense of ? Australian Identity. This is evident though Wrights strong connection to the sea, using descriptions and personifications of the sea. Wrights ? Australian Identity is firmly established through poetry with her use of ideas that have become synonymous with the Australian stereotype: what people recognise as being uniquely ? Australian. This includes the description of the stereotypical Australian beach scene and the attitudes shown by the surfer and even the surf in the poem: characteristics recognised as ? typically Australian. These features of her poetry have established Wright as a truly ? Australian poet. The surf, grey-wolf sea sitting on the whitened pebbles and shells are images that are recognised as Australian and part of the Australian identity. The surfer too is instantly recognisable as typical Aussie character. He is described as brown and he has muscle ? he is the stereotype of the bronzed, muscular surfer. The use of these ideas that have become typically Australian show Judith Wright as an Australian poet which in turn reflects the Australian identity. Judith Wright has a strong connection to the Australian beach, and the ideas she conveys through her poetry are very much steeped in nature. This link to the Australian sea immediately distinguishes Wright as an Australian poet. The Australian connection to the sea and surf is reflected in the repetition of muscle to describe both the surfer and the wave expresses the surfers connection to the wave and to nature. This connection is further emphasised by the personification of the wave through long muscle of water. The bond of both the surfer and Wright to the sea defines Wright as Australian and reflects Australians strong links to the sea. ?Australian traits are not shown only by Wright herself, but by characters in her poems. In The Surfer, Wright uses assonance (those and foam) to describe the wave. This has the effect of creating a long and lazy piece of sound imagery for the reader. The laconic nature of the wave is the same as the typical Australian ? laid back spirit giving Wrights poetry an Australian flavour and such contribute greatly to Wrights recognition as being an Australian poet.

G4S Is The Biggest Security Company In UK Marketing Essay

G4S Is The Biggest Security Company In UK Marketing Essay 1) Introduction: G4S is not just the biggest security company of the UK,s now it is the one of the biggest company of the world.G4S took strong start in 2007 and organic turnover growth of 7.5% in the first six months of 2007. Nick Buckles, Chief Executive Officer of G4S said in 2007 the firm had a enjoyed a good start to the year with strong performances across all regions and services, despite the waning strength of the US dollar. firm also reported cash flow generation of  £97.7m and profit margins of 6.2%à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ up 0.3% on the same period last year. We hope the strong momentum achieved so far this year to continue into the second half, Buckles said. The first half of 2007 also saw G4S employing 500,000 people for the first time. The company maintained its strong margin performance and good growth record. 2) Mission: Mission of Create awareness about the safe handling of securities and detention of property to our customers and prospective users nationwide, projecting confidence through experience and varied offer of services as a result of our corporate culture of research and development. 3) Vision: Remain one of the leading security solutions and expertise through the delivery of outsourcing services world-class cash management and comprehensive security, focusing on customer needs and investing in recruitment and development of our best people in the industry, we will provide innovative services in each of our businesses. 4) Objective: Our overall goal is to become recognized by the skilled execution and superior services to our customers. This means meet with the specific objectives, which are: Absolute confidence in our employees Permanent customer satisfaction Reasonable profitability of our operations Values: Loyalty Commitment Competitiveness Discipline Responsibility The G4S family is committed to its corporate vision and to be supported through fair, transparent and participatory engagement. Serving in this way we fulfill the duties to our shareholders, employees, family members, providers, state and community. 5) Competitive Landscape Demand often depends on the income of consumers or the profitability of business customers, because many technology products and services are expensive. The profitability of individual companies is driven by their ability to develop and market new products. Large companies often have advantages in access to capital and marketing. Small companies can compete successfully if they have expertise in a particular field of knowledge. The industry is capital-intensive: average annual revenue per worker is more than $300,000. Top G4S plc Competitors Companies Location Prose r Compaà ±Ãƒ ­a de Seguridad, S.A.gu Madrid,  Spain Securitas AB Stockholm,  Sweden UTC Fire Security Farmington,  CT Boca Raton,  FL Richmond,  VA Nashville,  TN Hunt Valley,  MD Boca Raton,  FL Carmel,  IN Solna,  Sweden London,  England Tokyo,  Japan Stakeholders: Customers , employees and their representative , investor, industries bodies Government and legislator and experts are all the stakeholders of g4s and engaged with each other. 6) G4S (PLC) has a total of 4 major shareholders. Together they account for 20.07% of the total shares in issue. Major share holders Amount %Holding Harris associates LP 85,35,700 6.04 Prudential Corporation 71,384,444 5.06 Blackrock Inc 70,570,646 5.00 Legal General group plc 56,54,546 3.97 Direct holder Nick Buckles 1798,467 0.13 Trevor Dighton 1,226,819 0.087 Grahame Gibson 1,206,8542 0.086 Executive Directors Share Holding Nick Buckles 1798,467 (Chief Executive) Trevor Dighton 1,226,819 (Chief Financial Officer) Grahame Gibson 1,206,8542 (Chief Operating Officer) 7) SWOT Analysis: 7.1) Strength: Diversity   is a source of strength for G4S in the UK and Ireland and one that gives us a key competitive advantage.It wants to build an inclusive working environment in which people can thrive and reach their full potential regardless of race, sex, religion or beliefs, disability, marital or civil partnership status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Company policies and practices are written to ensure that people understand what is required, the importance of complying and the consequences of not doing so. Company also have a telephone helpline which allows disclosures to be made in confidence. As a security company, with a clear weighting towards traditionally male-dominated occupations, face challenges in driving the diversity and inclusion agenda .Company open up opportunities for people with disabilities and health conditions to work at more than 1,000 sites operated by Trillium and provided with security services by G4S. However, there is still much to be done to raise awareness of the business benefits of diversity, and to implement strategies to harness these benefits. Therefore at the end of 2010, the role of Group Head of Diversity and Talent was created to develop and implement a diversity strategy across G4S globally. 7.2) Weakness: Worlds biggest security company: fell 3.4 per cent in the wake of its full-year results on concerns that organic revenue improvement was slowing. Nick Buckles: eyeing expansion into Brazil EDITORS CHOICE Russia in dogfight for India contract Mar-11 Aerospace and defence deals down Feb-21 Thales paints gloomy picture amid big loss Feb-20 Nick Buckles, chief executive, said that over the coming year the FTSE 100 group would continue to diversify beyond traditional and low-margin manned guarding. He said G4S had increasingly provided clients with technology such as identity management, biometrics and sophisticated digital video monitoring in part because it can help them keep costs down. Pre-tax profits at G4S, which guards nuclear weapons establishments, manages prisons and clears landmines, rose from  £262.7m to  £302.8m in the year to December 31 on sales of  £7.01bn ( £5.93bn). The group benefited from the weakness of sterling and, assuming currencies had been constant, sales improved 7.4 per cent. A relatively strong performance in new markets across Asia, Africa and South America helped offset weakness in continental Europe and North America. Mr Buckles, who expects G4S to spend between  £100m and  £150m on acquisitions this year, said he was eyeing expansion into Brazil. Earnings per share were 14.4p (11.1p). The board recommended a final dividend of 4.16p, giving a total for the year of 7.18p (6.43p). The shares closed down 9.4p at 269.2p. 7.3) Oppurtunity: 24th February 2010: G4S, the worlds leading international security solutions group, has unveiled a promising young Filipino athlete as the newest member of its global sports team, G4S 4teen. After an extensive search Charly Suarez, a talented 21 year-old featherweight boxer from Davao city, has been selected to join the unique sporting initiative and complete the line-up of young sporting hopefuls in G4Ss inspirational programme. World class boxers after G4S recognised qualities and values in the sport that sit close to their own, a comprehensive selection process was run in conjunction with the Filipino Boxing Federation. As a young Olympic sportsman with huge potential, Suarez was selected from a shortlist of young talented boxers as a perfect match for the aspirational sports programme. With an impressive list of achievements already to his name, including a recent Gold medal at the South East Asian Games in Laos, the 21 year-old has demonstrated determination, courage, and tenaci ty in becoming a top amateur boxer in The Philippines characteristics that are integral to the G4S 4teen programme. 7.4) Threat: Retail crime-the threat: Almost one in ten retail employees has committed a crime against their employer in the last 12 months reveals G4S Over 160,000 retail employees have consumed produce without paying for it in the last year. Over 28,000 retail employees have stolen goods when in transit. New research published by G4S Secure Solutions (UK) (G4S) reveals almost one-in-ten (224,000) retail employees have committed a crime against their employer in the last 12 months. The most common crime committed by retail employees was consuming produce without paying for it, with over 160,000 workers secretly stealing food. Over 56,000 retail employees admit to outright theft from their employer in the last 12 months, removing items from a store in which they were working without paying for them. G4S warns that unsecured vehicle loading bays prove an attractive target for retail employees looking to remove goods without permission. Its research shows that over 28,000 retail employees have admitted to stealing goods when in transit to a shop, or between a storage area and the shop floor. The diversion of goods in the supply chain, from the distributor or manufacturer, before they reach the shop floor is a major problem for retailers with significant revenues lost each year as a result of merchandise being stolen. Retailers mitigate against the threat from within and minimises losses from employee shrinkage. Strategy: The underlying focus of G4S strategy is to add value to the core services that it is already provide by taking a greater role not just in specialist security areas, but in total outsourcing of the management of environments where security and safety is key. By this G4S becomes a partner with its customers and takes greater responsibility for managing entire aspects of their business which are not core to them, and where G4S can add value through its security and segment expertise. For example: high-security facility outsourcing   cash cycle management   ATM network management and servicing   risk management and consultancy   prison design and management   offender management programmes. Strategy implementation: Security remains at the core of offer it is an area in which company have extensive expertise across the Group and is fundamental to our service proposition. In recent years, added expertise to businesses in key areas and sectors such as events, risk assessment and consulting, ports, aviation, oil and gas, bid capability and project management skills. This enables to focus on creating customer propositions tailored for specific industry sectors which demonstrate expertise in these areas. At the same time, Company is building relationships at a senior level within our customer organisations which should ultimately gain a larger share of customer commitment and spend on secure outsourcing solutions.

Treatment and Support for Transgender Children

Treatment and Support for Transgender Children Jill Seale Transgender children and adolescents face many obstacles in todays society that others do not; however, these obstacles are socially constructed and can be mitigated, and in some cases even negated, when the child or teen is afforded an affirming environment and the appropriate social and medical interventions. These factors are crucial to the welfare of transgender children and ideally would be available to them as early in their lives as possible. Kohlbergs Theory of Gender Constancy (as cited in Bernal Coolhart, 2012) states that children begin developing their gender identity in their preschool years. It is therefore unsurprising that the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the organization that is responsible for drafting the standards of care by which all trans people are treated by medical and psychiatric professionals, has found that signs pointing to Gender Dysphoria have been observed in children as young as two years old (2012). Gender Dysphoria, previously known as Gender Identity Disorder, is the state of feeling dissonance between ones gender assigned at birth and ones self-perceived or experienced gender. The number of children and youth who are being diagnosed and treated for this condition is growing, and according to Bernal Coolhart (2012), research and treatment protocols are showing that early intervention is effective in improving the lives of these children. In early childhood, one of the biggest decisions families will have to face is whether or not to allow their gender non-conforming child to begin socially transitioning into their preferred gender. In Kuvalanka, Weiner, and Mahans (2014) study, in which five mothers of transgender girls between the ages of eight and eleven years old were interviewed, it was shown that all five of the children were happier, more outgoing, and had a more confident demeanor after being allowed to express their self-perceived gender. At the point in her social transition in which she was allowed to express herself as a girl at home but had to pretend to be a boy in public, Lilly, a nine year old at the time, was described by her teacher as being â€Å"very quiet and shy (p.363).† Her mother, however, reported that at home she was happy and vibrant (Kuvalanka et al., 2014). Ehrensaft (2012) explains Lillys behavior at school as being what she calls the â€Å"false gender self,† that is, â₠¬Å"the face a child puts on for the world [either consciously or subconsciously] based on the expectations of the external environment and the childs interpretations and internalizations of either appropriate or adaptive gender behaviors (p.342).† When the girls in the study were allowed to express their â€Å"true gender self,† the positive effects went even further than just changes in attitude; their mothers reported that the childrens friendships and participation in school also improved (Kuvalanka et al., 2014). With the support of their families, these girls were able to go on to lead relatively normal childhoods. However, many children maintain this false gender self for years, sometimes into adulthood, with no parental support and no outlet to express their true self. Parental support has been shown to be extremely important in the quality of life of transgender children and teens. Simons, Schrager, Clark, Belzer, and Olsons (2013) study on the effects of parental support on the mental health of transgender adolescents shows that parental support correlates positively with higher life satisfaction, lower perceived burden of being trans, and fewer depressive symptoms. The study surveyed transgender youth between the ages of 12 and 24, excluding those who had not yet decided to pursue hormone replacement therapy, on their quality of life and the level of parental support they were receiving (Simons et al., 2013). Their quality of life was measured as their life satisfaction and their perceived burden of being trans, and their level of parental support was determined using the family subscale o f the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Simons et al., 2013). This includes questions such as, â€Å"I get the emotional help and support I need from my [parents]† and â€Å"I can talk about my problems with my [parents] (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, and Farley, 1988, p. 35).† It was also shown that greater depressive symptoms were associated with a greater perceived burden and that life satisfaction negatively correlated with perceived burden (Simons et al, 2013). What this study shows is that without parental support, transgender youth face a litany of hardships because of their gender identity that most children do not. Parental support is even more important when we consider the fact that many of the necessary medical and therapeutic interventions transgender children and adolescents need become much more difficult, if not impossible, for them to attain without the resources and support of their parents. Arguably the most important of these, and undoubtedly the most difficult to obtain without parental support, is the medicine used to delay the effects of puberty, known as puberty blockers. According to Bernal Coolhart (2012), many transgender people describe puberty as â€Å"extremely distressing, as changes in their bodies feel like betrayals to their sense of self (p. 292). † Puberty blockers allow the child to stall their natal puberty so that they can further explore their gender identity without fear of experiencing this potentially traumatic and permanently life-altering event. Even after being allowed to socially transition, one girl in the Kuvalanka et al. (2014) study, Nicole, experienced suicidal urges and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when her natal puberty began; however, the diagnosis was removed after she began taking puberty blockers. According to her mother, Nicole is now â€Å"doing very well and her issues are only those of a normal middle school girl (Kuvalanka et al., 2014, p. 364).† A study by Cohen-Kettenis, Schagen, Steensma, de Vries, and Delemarre-van de Waal (2011) that followed a transgender man from age 13 to age 35, who at the age of 13 had received puberty blockers, showed that puberty suppression can be a safe and effective treatment for transgender adolescents. They found that puberty blockers make certain gender affirming surgeries unnecessary, because many of them involve correcting the effects of natal puberty; they also made other surgeries less invasive, should the person decide they are necessary for them in the future (Cohen-Kettenis et al., 2011). According to Cohen-Kettenis et al. (2011), â€Å"unfavorable post operative outcomes seem to be associated with a late rather than an early start of gender reassignment (p.844).† One possible side effect, as noted by Bernal Coolhart (2012) is that cognitive development may be delayed as long as puberty is being delayed, however Cohen-Kettenis et al. (2011) found that the puberty blockers can be stopped at any time and the adolescents natal puberty, including their cognitive development, will commence. The research presented shows that with family support and positive, early intervention, transgender children and adolescents lives can be improved; however, there is a dearth of research on transgender people in general, and on children and adolescents in particular. That is why this paper will propose a study to be performed to learn more about this under served population. Cohen Kettenis et al. (2011) showed that puberty blockers can be an effective intervention for transgender adolescents, but because their study was longitudinal and limited to one transgender man it was unable to make conclusions that could be generalized to the larger transgender population; also, it was unable to measure the effects of puberty blockers against a control group of transgender adolescents who are not receiving puberty blockers. Therefore, the question this research will be attempting to answer is this: How do puberty blockers affect the quality of life of transgender adolescents? The study will measure quality of life by the subjects reported life satisfaction (to include their satisfaction with their social lives) as well as their academic and/or professional achievement. The hypothesis of this study is that taking puberty blockers will positively correlate with higher quality of life. References Bernal, A. T., Coolhart, D. (2012). Treatment and Ethical Considerations with Transgender Children and Youth in Family Therapy.Journal of Family Psychotherapy,23(4), 287-303. Cohen-Kettenis, P. T., Schagen, S. E., Steensma, T. D., de Vries, A. L., Delemarre-van de Waal, H. A. (2011). Puberty Suppression in a Gender-Dysphoric Adolescent: A 22-year Follow-Up.Archives of sexual behavior,40(4), 843-847. Coleman, E., Bockting, W., Botzer, M., Cohen-Kettenis, P., DeCuypere, G., Feldman, J., Zucker, K. (2012). Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender-Nonconforming People, Version 7. International Journal of Transgenderism,13(4), 165-232. Ehrensaft, D. (2012). From Gender Identity Disorder to Gender Identity Creativity: True Gender Self Child Therapy.Journal of Homosexuality,59(3), 337-356. Kuvalanka, K. A., Weiner, J. L., Mahan, D. (2014). Child, Family, and Community Transformations: Findings from Interviews with Mothers of Transgender Girls.Journal of GLBT Family Studies,10(4), 354-379. Simons, L., Schrager, S. M., Clark, L. F., Belzer, M., Olson, J. (2013). Parental Support and Mental Health among Transgender Adolescents.Journal of Adolescent Health,53(6), 791-793. Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., Farley, G. K. (1988). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.Journal of personality assessment,52(1), 30-41.

Chapmans Version of The Odyssey and the Iliad Essay -- John Keats Epi

Chapman's Version of The Odyssey and the Iliad This poem is an expression of how the poet John Keats felt after rediscovering Homer's "The Odyssey and the Iliad" when he read Chapman's English translation of this Greek classic. To express this he uses the form of a sonnet, with fourteen lines, every set of two lines rhyming. The first four lines are one long sentence consisting mainly as metaphors to summarize his full meaning in whole. "Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold, and many goodly states and kingdoms seen". This can be understood only in a "literary" and not a "literal" sense. I say this because he was relatively poor and probably had traveled very little when he wrote this poem at age 21.* But we know that he had a strong passion for literature. * John Keats is trying to tell us that he has traveled and explored the rich realms of literature. "Round many western islands I have been which bards in fealty to Apollo hold". Keats is using "western Islands" to cause us to think of ever new vistas of constant discovery. Keats is stressin...

investigation into jazz :: essays research papers

Written investigation into the contexts and musical influences on the jazz style. Summary of HND seminar on History of Jazz. On the 10th March, we were given a seminar by the HND students on ‘The Development of Jazz Music and Dance. My aim in this written investigation is to summarise the information given to me. Development through African music The earliest form of Jazz, began in African music. While most West African culture was erased when people were transported into slavery, some core possession and spirit based beliefs remained. People began to develop rhythms by using polyrhythmic drums, dance and clapping. This was carried from the work place to the Christian Church House. Church began to become more of a music lesson, than a spiritual, calm place to pray. This was the earliest sign of ‘Gospel’ churches. The rhythms developed here became known by Western listeners as syncopation. Development of the Blues. Blues lyrics are simple rhyming couplets. The first line is repeated followed by a second to complete the three lines of poetry. The story is always about a subject upon which the performer has strong feelings. This is the example we were given: ‘while you’re livin’ in your mansion – You don’t know what hard times mean while you’re livin’ in your mansion – you don’t know what hard times mean Poor workin’ man’s wife is stravin’ – your wife is livin’ is like a queen.’ We were also given another example which was Natural Blues by Moby. Merging of cultures. By the end of the civil was in 1865, the abolition of slavery meant that many black musicians earned their living by playing music. The musicians would play European tunes adding their own rhythms and melodies. Tunes were therefore ‘jazzed’ or ‘ragged’. The merging of black and white music traditions began the birth of jazz. New Orleans is considered to be the birth place of jazz. The French section of the city housed black creoles originally from the West Indies, were influenced by the European rule. The black creoles were trained in European music and often played in chamber ensembles and so on. The American part of the city housed newly freed American Blacks who were greatly disadvantaged and generally uneducated. To occupy themselves they would play the music of gospel, blues and worked on songs played passed on by ear. A new racial segregation law introduced in 1894, forced Creoles and American Blacks to live together in one section of the city.

Butler Lumber Essay

After thorough review and analysis of Butler Lumber’s financial reports, I believe that it is in the best interest of Northrup National Bank to not only approve the requested $465,000 loan, but look to increase the loan amount. A review of the 5 C’s will show in more detail the decision to approve this loan: 1. Capacity/Cash Flow: Butler runs a lean operation that has allowed them to have success due to competitive pricing. They have met their financing needs by increasing their debt (notes payable) in order to keep up with the demand. However, their borrowing had led conjunctly to an increase in sales. Net sales have increased 59% over the 1988-1990 timeline and have been projected to increase by another 34% in 1991. From 1988-1990, for every $1000 borrowed, net sales increased by $4,278.96. By utilizing leverage, they have been able maintain their free cash flow and maintain their current ratio over 1.0. Although Free Cash Flow and current ratio have dropped over the past year, Butler has made large investments which have proven able to give a higher return, which will have significant payoff in the long run. By doing this, they will continue to have the ability to pay interest to debtholders, repay debtholders, and buy short-term investments. As business continues to grow, debt obligations will decrease and their current ratio will be back on the rise. (See Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2). Based on this analysis, I believe the estimate for the loans requirements is light. I believe it would be in the best interest to pursue rolling the $247,000 owed to Suburban National Bank onto this line of credit. With the increased projection in sales, you are also seeing an increase in cost of goods sold. However, that number could be dramatically reduced if Butler had the appropriate capital or credit line to take advantage of the 2% discount for payments made within 10 days of the invoice date. If total cost of goods sold will be roughly $2 million in 1991, you could reduce that by over $40,000.00 simply by taking advantage of the 2% discount. Having quick access to capital will allow Butler to run their business more efficiently. 2. Capital: Butler has a good level of net worth compared to total assets. This has been continuously increasing from 1988-1990 and will be even higher in 1991. The reason for this is going back to their use of leverage. They increased notes payable from nothing to $247,000 in the three year span. By doing this they have been able to increase total assets at a much faster pace than their borrowing. Butler will be able to continue to increase its capital ratio with their new line of credit. Even with an increase in liabilities, Butler should have no problem repaying their debts, even if there were to be an economic downturn. They hold very little long term debt, so even with a decrease in sales they should be able to meet their financial obligations. They have equity in their plants and land and could utilize that if need be. Also, they have the ability to weather a crisis because of the amount of business that they have in home improvements. If there is a housing boom, people will lo ok to build new houses, where as if there is a backup in the housing market, people will stay in their house and do improvements. 3. Collateral: With rolling the almost $250,000.00 loan into this line of credit, and pursuing the increase in the total line of credit, I believe that this loans should be secured. I would keep the loans secured by the assets of the company and do not see the need to pursue personal collateral. We know that Mr. Butler currently has objections to using collateral, but if we can show him how having a large credit limit would be able to have a substantial positive impact to his bottom line, he should be comfortable with putting up company collateral and nothing personal. I would secure this using the company’s property as well as their inventory. At the end of the first quarter of 1991, Butler’s inventory was valued at $556,000 and its property at another $162,000. Because it would be such a large line that could help Butler Lumber, it needs to be understood that when working with that level of volume, some sort of collateral needs to be put up. We will be able to show how taking advantage of the 2 net 30 option, you can decrease cost of goods sold and increase net income with no strategic changes to business. Using this collateral would be a good way to recover some of the funds to reduce the loss if the company were to go bankrupt. However, when evaluating the performance of the company, it is believed that this company should be able to continue to produce strong results regardless of the economy and that the securitizing of the loan is an added safety precaution due to the increase size of this line of credit. 4. Conditions: The first thing that needs to be determined is the limit on the credit line. It was originally requested to obtain a limit of $465,000. However, it is recommended that we, as part of the approval process, refinance the current $247,000 loan to Suburban National Bank. If there were to be an issue, we do not want there to be a conflict on who needs to be paid first. Mr. Butler has had a working relationship with Suburban National Bank, but we do not see this to be an issue due to the fact they are capping him at $250,000. It is recommended that the limit exceed $750,000.00 but be no greater than $1,000,000.00. There needs to be enough capital infusion that they can meet all needs, take advantage of supplier discounts, and take advantage of short term opportunities. However, we do not want to exceed $1,000,000.00 because we do not want the company to become overly aggressive and invest more an inventory then can be sold, leaving them overleveraged and at bigger risk of de fault due to economic downturns. Next, we need to determine an appropriate interest rate for this line of credit. Based on economic outlook, it would be in the best interest of Northrup to make this a fixed loan based on the prime rate of interest. From February of 1989 to January of 1991, the prime rate of interest has dropped almost 2% and we believe it is going to be downward trending for the next three to four years before going back up (See Exhibit 3). Therefore, we believe we should do a prime plus 1% loan, giving an interest rate of 10%. As rates continue to drop, the value of this loan will continue to increase. If at any point we fear that this loan maybe paid off through an outside bank refinance, we can look to restructure this line of credit to a lower rate. Because this is a lower rate, we can pursue adding the balance of the loan to payoff the obligation of buying out Henry Stark. This is at roughly a $70,000 balance, which is secured by land and buildings with an 11% interest rate. This will lower Butler’s current debt obligations and will result in an increase in profit. Because this business appears to be in a growth phase, controls operations costs effectively, and has the ability to weather economic crisis better than others, this would be a good company to invest in. Next, we need to determine the duration of this line of credit. We need to clearly state that this will be reviewed every two to three years to revisit creditworthiness as well as ability to repay. If need be, the limit could be lowered. However, if the company continues to grow we can also evaluate the possibility of a credit limit increase. When determining fees, we need to realize that this is a competitive situation and they should be somewhat minimal. The commitment fee should be .50% per year. This falls right in line with the average. We will keep the closing fees at .25% in order to ensure they are on the low end and we can keep his business. We want to establish a working relationship with Mr. Butler so that we will be his only source of borrowing. We will not put a prepayment fee on this line of credit, but should continue to keep his business with reviews and potential changes and increases every two to three years. We also need to negotiate in appropriate covenants into this loan agreement. This will carry forward the reps and warrants that we have Mr. Butler sign. By adding the following covenants, we will be able mitigate risk for the bank and allow us to detect any signs for potential default early, allowing us time to evaluate our next steps before it is too late. The following covenants should be documented: * Notification of borrowing outside of our bank * Detailed description of usage of loan proceeds * Quarterly Financial Reporting sent to Northrup * Maintain ethical and legal responsibilities * Notification of any major business impacts such as mergers, acquisitions, and business model changes. By installing these conditions, it will allow us to properly forecast and negative business impacts and allow us to make appropriate modifications. We believe that because over 55% of Butler’s business is in home improvement, economic downturns should not impact them as much as other businesses. Also, by now being able to take advantage of the 2 net 30 discount, the company will be able to instantly lower expenses and increase net income. 5. Character: The character of Mark Butler is strong and it is believed that he would be a conscientious borrower. He is an extremely hard worker and takes a lot of pride in his business. He knows the business inside and out and possesses sound judgment. He is well respected by his peers. All of this things make him a strong candidate for lending, because it appears that he will do everything in his power in order to pay this loan back and on time. This includes tapping into personal equity form his home, his life insurance policy, or the interest that his wife has in a separate property.

Smells Like Fifth Symphony: A Dissertation On The Works Of Cobain And Beethoven

Musical legends Kurt Cobain and Ludwig Van Beethoven may have lived in different timelines, played different kinds of music and had different musical influences but their passion and the workmanship that they have rendered to perfect their craft is so commendable that their masterpieces are still considered as one of the pillars of the music industry of today. Kurt Cobain as Kurt Donald Cobain was born on February 20, 1967. On the other hand, Ludwig Van Beethoven was born on December 16, 1770. Both of them had families that had musical backgrounds, Cobain’s maternal uncle Chuck Fradenburg starred in a band called â€Å"The Beachcombers† while his Aunt Mari Earle played guitar and performed in bands throughout Grays Harbor County, and his great-uncle Delbert had a career as an Irish tenor; making an appearance in the 1930 film King of Jazz . On the other hand, Beethoven was a grandson of a musician named Lodewijk van Beethoven where he was named after as Lodewijk which was the Dutch cognate of Ludwig. His grandfather was employed as a bass singer at the court of the Elector of Cologne, rising to become Kapellmeister (music director). Moreover, his grandfather had one son, Johann van Beethoven who worked as a tenor in the same musical establishment, was also giving lessons on piano and violin for additional income . With those musical genes encrypted in their DNA, it was no wonder that both of them made a mark in the music industry with their compositions. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Kurt Cobain’s Smells like Teen Spirit both catapulted them to superstar’s status and fame to say the least. Even though the compositions of the two musical geniuses were 183 years apart, Smells like Teen Spirit was released on 1991 while Fifth Symphony was released on 1808, both had changed the way the music should be played in their various eras. The song â€Å"Smells like Teen Spirit† talked about teenage angst and not following the guidelines that the adults expect the teenagers to be. It was sort of a revolutionary anthem among teenagers at that time . On the contrary, experts believed that Beethoven’s â€Å"Fifth Symphony† was about fate knocking at the door or at the gate . Among the other differences of the two pieces was the key of the song, Teen Spirit was written in the key of F minor while Fifth Symphony was written in C minor. Furthermore, instrumentation was one of the major differences among the two pieces; Fifth Symphony used flutes, clarinets, horns among others while Teen Spirit used heavy guitar distortions and drums. However, tempo was one of the resemblances of the two compositions. They both had transition between slow notes and faster notes and vice versa. Furthermore, they also had distinctive notes played mostly throughout the song. One thing that could really connect the two musical geniuses was that Cobain loved to focus on the melodies of the songs and not the lyrics. Cobain said, why in the hell do journalists insist on coming up with a second-rate Freudian evaluation of my lyrics, when 90 percent of the time they've transcribed them incorrectly? With that kind of mentality, given the chance, Cobain’s musical idea could have worked well with the idea of Beethoven. It would like the mash-up between the classical music and rock music. For sure, the music industry would never be the same again.

Introduction to Consumer Behavior Essay

The totality of an individual’s thoughts and feelings about oneself Lifestyle How one lives, including the products one buys, how one uses them, what one thinks about them, and how one feels about them Situations and Consumer Decisions Consumer decisions result from perceived problems and opportunities. Consumer problems arise in specific situations and the nature of the situation influences the resulting consumer behavior Perception The nature of Perception- pg 278-279, Figure 8-1 Information Processing is a series of activities by which stimuli are perceived, transformed into information, and stored. Exposure- pg 279-283 Exposure Occurs when a stimulus is placed within a person’s relevant environment and comes within range of their sensory receptor nerves. Exposure provides consumers with the opportunity to pay attention to available information but in no way guarantees it. Types of Exposure 1) Selective Exposure The highly selective nature of consumer exposure is a major concern for marketers, since failure to gain exposure results in lost of communication and sales opportunities. Responses to Selective Exposure Product Placement: Branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows or new programs. Ex) Transformers’ and LFO’s Summer girls music video. Pop-up Ads Outdoor Display. Ex) M&M’ painted on concrete steps and money inside a security glass on the side of the street. 2) Voluntary Exposure Although consumers often avoid commercials and other marketing stimuli, sometimes they actively seek them out for various reasons including purchase goals, entertainment, and information. Responses to Voluntary Exposure Permission-Based Marketing The Privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them. Banner Ads. Ex) ads that pop up on the side or top of a website Real-time Chat Service. Ex) J Crew has a chat service Providing Highly Entertaining Materials. Ex) guy doing flips into jeans Attention- pg 283-284 Attention Occurs when the stimulus activates one or more sensory receptor nerves, and is the resulting sensations go to the brain for processing Most consumers are bombarded by a large number of messages or stimuli Consumer attention is selective Attention is determined by three factors: Stimulus Factors- pg 284-290 Physical characteristics of the stimulus itself Size Intensity Attractive Visuals Color and Movement Position Isolation Format Contrast and Expectations Interestingness Information Quantity Color and Size Color and Size attract attention A brightly colored package or display is more likely to received attention Larger stimuli are more likely to be noticed than smaller ones Position Is the placement of an object in physical space or time In retail stores, items that are easy to find or stand out are more likely to attract attention, such as end-caps and kiosks High impact zones in print ads in the U.S. tend to be toward the top left portion of the ad. Contrast and Expectations Consumers pay more attention to stimuli that contrast with their background Expectations drive perceptions of contrast. Ads that differ from expectations for a product category often motivate more attention Adaption Level Theory Suggests that if a stimulus doesn’t change over time we habituate to it and begin to notice it less. Individual Factors- pg 290-291 Characteristics which distinguish one individual from another. Example: Heineken Ad Motivation: A drive state created by consumer interest and needs Ability: The capacity of individuals to attend to and process information Situational Factors- pg 291 Include stimuli in the environment other than the focal stimulus and temporary characteristics of the individual that are induced by the environment Clutter: the density of stimuli in the environment â€Å"Less is More† Program Involvement: Interest in the program or editorial content surrounding the ads. Subliminal Stimuli- pg 293 Non-focused Attention Subliminal Stimuli A message presented so fast, softly or masked by other messages that one is aware of hearing (Progressive Ad) A subliminal as â€Å"hides† key persuasive information within the ad by making it so weak that it is difficult or impossible for someone to physically detect. Subliminal advertising has been the focus of intense study and public concern Interpretation- pg 293-294 The assignment of meaning to sensations Three aspects of interpretation: 1) It is generally a relative process rather than absolute, referred to as perceptual relativity 2) It tends to be subjective and open to a host of psychological biases 3) It can be a cognitive â€Å"thinking† process or an affective â€Å"emotional† process. Ex) Bud light Ad Interpretation is determined by three factors: 1) Individual Characteristics Traits: inherent physiological and psychological traits Learning and Knowledge The meanings attached to such â€Å"natural† things as time, space, relationships, and colors are learned and vary widely across cultures. Expectations Expectation Bias: Interpretations tend to be consistent with expectations 2) Situational Characteristics The situation provides a context within which the focal stimulus is interpreted The context clues present in the situation play a role in the consumer interpretation independent of the actual stimulus 3) Stimulus Characteristics Traits: specific traits of the stimulus such as size, shape, color, etc. Organization Proximity Closure Figure-Ground Changes Sensory Discrimination The physiological ability of an individual to distinguish between similar stimuli JND (Just Noticeable Difference) The minimum amount that one brand can differ from another (or from its previous version) with the difference still being noticed. Figure-ground- pg 299 Involves presenting the stimulus in such a way that it is perceived as the focal object to be attended to and all other stimuli are perceived as the background. Consumer Inferences Inferences: Knowledge and belief that are not based on explicit information in the environment. Quality Signals- pg 300 Price-perceived quality, Advertising intensity, Warranties, Country of origin, Brand, etc. Interpreting Images Missing Information and Ethical Concerns Price-perceived Quality Bottled water vs. tap water Country of Origin Wine, cars, TV’s, rugs, cologne Perception and Marketing Strategy Retail Strategy Brand Name and Logo Development Linguistic Consideration Branding Strategies Logo Design and Typographics Media Strategy Advertisements Package Design and Labeling Learning and Memory Nature of Learning and Memory- pg 318-319 Learning Any change in the content or organization of long-term memory or behavior Memory The total accumulation of prior learning experiences Difference between short-term and long-term memory- pg 319-321 Short-term Memory (STM) or working memory Is that portion of total memory that is currently activated or in use Long-term memory (LTM) Is that portion of total memory devoted to permanent information storage STM is Short Lived Consumers must constantly refresh information through maintenance rehearsal or it will be lost STM has Limited Capacity Consumers can only hold so much information in current memory Elaborative Activities Occur in STM Elaborative activities serve to redefine or add new elements to memory and can involve both concepts and imagery LTM Semantic memory (AKA Schemas) Basic knowledge and feelings an individual has about a concept Episodic Memory The memory of a sequence of events in which a person participated Schematic Memory- pg 323 A pattern of such associations around a particular concept Retrieval from long-term memory- pg 324-325 The likelihood and ease with which information can be recalled from LTM is accessibility. Learning under high and low involvement – pg 324-326, Figure 9-3 Conditioning (mechanism, classical, and operant conditioning)- pg 326-330 Conditioning Theories Classical Conditioning The process of using an established relationship between one stimulus (music) and response (pleasant feelings) to bring about the learning of the same response (pleasant feelings) to a different stimulus (the brand) ex) LMFAO’s Sexy & I know it for M&M Chocolate Operant Conditioning (or instrumental learning) Rewarding desirable behaviors such as brand purchases with a positive outcome that serves to reinforce the behavior ex) free sampling, discount coupon, loyalty card Cognitive Learning (iconic rote learning, vicarious learning, and analytical reasoning)- pg 331-332 Ironic Rote Learning Learning a concept or the association between two or more concepts in the absence of conditioning ex) Head-on ad Vicarious Learning (aka Modeling) Observing the outcomes of others’ behaviors and adjust their own accordingly ex) Oral B Brush-ups Analytical Reasoning Individuals engage in creative thinking to restructure and recombine existing information as well as new information to form new associations and concepts Memory retrieval failure and influencing factors- pg 334-342 Brand Image- pg 342-343 Brand image Refers to the schematic memory of a brand Perceived Product Attributes Manufacturer Marketer Characteristics Users Usage Situations Benefits An important component of brand image is the appropriate usage situations for the product or brand Product Positioning- pg 344 Product Positioning Is a decision by a marketer to try to achieve a defined brand image relative to competition within a market segment Perceptual Mapping- pg 345 Perceptual Mapping Offers marketing managers a useful technique for measuring and developing a product’s position Brand Equity and brand leverage- pg 347 Brand Equity Is the value consumers assign to a brand above and beyond the functional characteristics of the product. Strong Brand Equity enables: 1) Brand Leverage Often termed family branding, brand extensions, or umbrella branding, refers to marketers capitalizing on brand equity by using existing brand name for new products 2) Sub-Branding Creating a secondary brand within a main brand that can help differentiate a product line to a desired target group Motivation, Personality, and Emotion Motivation- pg 360 Motivation Is the reason for behavior A motive is a construct representing an unobservable inner force that stimulates and compels a behavioral response and provides specific direction to that response Consumers buy motive satisfaction or problem resolution Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs- pg 360-361, Table 10-1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs A macro theory designed to account for most human behavior in general terms Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is based on four premises 1) All humans acquire a similar set of motives through genetic endowment and social interaction 2) Some motives are more basic or critical than others 3) The more basic motives must be satisfied to a minimum level before other motives are activated 4) As the basic motive becomes satisfied, more advanced motives come into play Need for expression (one of the McGuire’s Psychological Motives)-pg 365 McGuire’s Psychological Motives A fairly detailed set of motives used to account for specific aspects of consumer behavior Need for expression (active, external) This motive deals with the need to express one’s identity to others. Discovering purchase motives (Manifest and latent motive)- pg 367-369, Figure 10-1 Manifest Motives Consumers recognize and will share these motives Latent Motives Consumers are unaware of these motives, or reluctant to admit them Substantially more complex than manifest motives Techniques to uncover latent motives 1) Projective techniques 2) Laddering (= means-end or benefit chain) Regulatory focus theory (Promotion and prevention-focused motives)- pg 372, figure 10-2 Promotion-focused motives Revolve around a desire for growth and development and are related to consumers’ hopes and aspirations Prevention-focused motives Revolve around a desire for safety and security and are related to consumers’ sense of duties and obligations Regulatory Focus Theory Suggests that consumers will react differently depending on which broad set of motives is most salient Personality- pg 373-374 Personality An individual’s characteristic response tendencies across similar situations Consumer ethnocentrism Reflects an individual difference in consumers’ propensity to be biased against the purchase of foreign products Need for cognition Reflects an individual difference in consumers’ propensity to engage in and enjoy thinking Consumer’s need for uniqueness Reflects an individual difference in consumers’ propensity to pursue differentness relative to other through the acquisition, utilization, and disposition of consumer goods Dimensions of brand personality and communication strategies- pg 375-378 Emotion and typology of consumer coping strategies- pg 379, 381 Attitudes Attitude and attitude components –pg. 392-398, Figure 11-1 Attitude An enduring organization of motivational, emotional, perceptual, and cognitive processes with respect to some aspect of our environment Attitude Components Cognitive component Consists of a consumer’s beliefs about an object Affective component Feelings or emotional reactions to an object Behavioral component Is one’s tendency to respond in a certain manner toward an object or activity Attitude component consistency –pg. 398-399 All three attitude components tend to be consistent. This means that a change in one attitude component tends to produce related changes in the other components Attitude change strategy for affective component-pg. 402-403 ELM model –pg. 404, Figure 11-3 Elaboration likelihood model A theory about how attitudes are formed and changed under varying conditions of involvement The ELM suggests that involvement is a key determinant of how information is processed and attitudes are changed Communication strategy for attitude formation and change Celebrity sources –pg. 408-409, Figure 11-4 Celebrity sources can be effective in enhancing attention, attitude toward the ad, trustworthiness, expertise, aspirational aspects, and meaning transfer. Effectiveness of celebrity sources enhanced when Marketer Match Endorser with Product and Target Audience Ex) Tiger Woods Comparative ads –pg. 412-413 Directly compare the features or benefits of two or more brands Value-expressive vs. Utilitarian appeals appeal-pg. 414-415 Value-expressive appeals Attempt to build a personality for the product or create an image of the product user. Utilitarian appeals Involve informing the consumer of one or more functional benefits that are important to the target market. Positive vs. Negative Framing-p. 415 Message framing Refers to presenting one of two equivalent value outcomes either in positive or gain terms (positive framing) or in negative or loss terms (negative framing) Self-Concept and Lifestyle Self-concept Defined as the totality of the individual’s thoughts and feelings having reference to himself or herself as an object. Its an individual’s perception of and feelings towards him or herself Interdependent/Independent self-concepts – pg. 428-429 Independent self-concept Emphasizes personal goals, characteristics, achievements, and desires. Individuals with an independent self-concept tend to be individualistic, egocentric, autonomous, self-reliant, and self-contained They define themselves in terms of what they have done, what they have, and their personal characteristics Interdependent self-concept Emphasizes family, cultural, professional, and social relationships. Individuals with an interdependent self-concept tend to be obedient, sociocentric, holistic, connected, and relation oriented. They define themselves in terms of social roles, family relationships, and commonalities with other members of their groups. Possessions and the Extended Self – pg. 429-430 Extended self Consists of the self plus possessions; that is, people tend to define themselves in part by their possessions. Our possessions reflect our beliefs, wants, and inner desires. Extended self = Self + Possessions Tattoos can become a part of one’s extended self Mere ownership effect (AKA the Endowment effect) The tendency of an owner to evaluate an object more favorably than a non-owner Using Self-Concept to Position Products – pg. 432-433 Lifestyle – pg. 434-435, Figure 12-2 Lifestyle How a person lives. It is how one enacts his or her self-concept Influences all aspects of one’s consumption behavior Is determined by the person’s past experiences, innate characteristics, and current situation Ex) Brett Favre’s Wrangler commercial and Tom Brady’s Smart Water commercial Measurement of Lifestyle – pg. 435-436 Psychographics Attempts to develop quantitative measures of lifestyle Measures include: Attitudes- Evaluative statements about other people, places, ideas, products, etc. Values- Widely held beliefs about what is acceptable or desirable Activities and Interests- Non-occupational behaviors to which consumers devote time and effort, such as hobbies, sports, public service, and church Demographics- Age, education, income, occupation, family structure, ethnic background Media Patterns- The specific media the consumers utilize Usage Rates- Measurements of consumption within a specified product category; often consumers are categorized as heavy, medium, or light users or as nonusers. VALS– pg. 439, Figure 12-3 VALS (Social Value and Lifestyle) Provides a systematic classification of U.S. adults into 8 distinct consumer segments Core premise: an individual’s primary motivation determines what in particular about the self or the world is the meaningful core that governs his or her activities. Three Primary Consumer Motivations: 1) Ideals Motivation These consumers are guided in their choices by their beliefs and principles rather than by feelings or desire for social approval. They purchase functionality and reliability. 2) Achievement Motivation These consumers strive for a clear social position and are strongly influenced by the actions, approval, and opinions of others. They purchase status symbols. 3) Self-Expression Motivation These action-oriented consumers strive to express their individuality through their choices. They purchase experiences. PRIZM – pg. 444 Define every household in the U.S. by distinct lifestyle types, called â€Å"segments†, to provide you with a comprehensive picture of who lives where and what they are like. The underlying logic: Geo-Demographic Segmentation People with similar cultural backgrounds, means and perspectives naturally gravitate toward one another. They choose to live amongst their peers in neighborhoods offering †¦compatible lifestyles. They exhibit shared patterns of consumer behavior toward products, services, media and promotions. 4 major social groups of PRIZM: Urban- Major cities with high population density Suburban- Moderately dense â€Å"suburban† areas surrounding metropolitan areas Second City- Smaller, less densely populated cities or satellites to major cities Town and Country- Low-density towns and rural communities

Business Law: Man U Break Clause Rooney Essay

‘Manchester united Footballer Wayne Rooney signs new contract worth  £30 million’. Discuss the essentials of such a contract with particular reference to the function and efficacy of the ‘break clause’ and ‘confidentiality agreement’ it contains. 1,500 words. Guidance: You do not have to discuss Wayne’s actual contract; you do have to discuss the essentials of a contract. You must discuss express terms. What is a ‘break clause’? What is a ‘confidentially agreement’? What is the purpose of such clauses? Do they protect the parties to the contract? Do not forget to cite case law. The issue that will be discussed in this essay is the break clause/exemption and confidentiality agreement with regards to Wayne Rooney’s contract with Manchester United. An exemption clause, like any other term, will be incorporated into a contract if it is contained in a signed document; this was shown in the case of L’Estrange v Graucob (1934) where the purchaser of a vending machine was bound by a very wide exemption clause contained in the small print on the order form which she had signed. A break clause is a term in a tenancy agreement that allows a tenant to leave before the tenancy period comes to an end, without incurring any financial penalty. It is not unusual for a contract clause regarding proprietary information to also be included in many types of agreements. Break clauses are inserted as standard in contracts in Spanish football, and are generally related to the total wages the player will earn throughout his contract. The insertion of a break clause gives the player (Rooney) the freedom to move if his valuation is met, but it also protects the club against players who try to force cut-price deals’. In terms of Wayne Rooney and Manchester United FC, ‘Wayne Rooney is thought to have negotiated a break clause in his new five-year contract with Manchester United’ says an article in the Times. The striker can leave for as little as  £30 million if certain targets are not met on a year-by-year basis. Article 17 of the FIFA Transfer Regulations states that players can unilaterally cancel their contract with their club after a certain protected period has expired if an amount of compensation is paid to their original club. For players over the age of 28 the protected period for their contract is two years, meaning they will be able to unilaterally terminate their contract when they are two years into it. This rule applies to footballers under the age of 28. Rooney is 24 and therefore his protected period for contract is three years, meaning he will be able to unilaterally terminate his contract once he is three years into it however Rooney is not bound by this because he has his own break clause within his own contract that allows him to leave at any time if he is offered a minimum of  £30 million. Some contracts have what is known as a confidentiality agreement, this is a written legal contract between an employer and employee. The confidentiality agreement lays out binding terms and conditions of which prohibit Wayne Rooney from disclosing company confidentials on Manchester United. The purpose of a confidentiality contract is that it; creates certainty, establishes a contractual obligation, ensures enforcement and supports a claim under general law because it creates the relationship of confidence that is the basis of many claims and it sets out in detail the conduct which the disclosing party expects from the recipient). A confidentiality agreement is in effect for the duration of an employee’s employment and for a period of time following employment termination of which is the period of 5 years in this case. In the following case by Seager Limited v Copydex Limited [1967] 2 All ER 415, Lord Denning MR established the principle that even if you do not have a confidentiality agreement in place, under equity law a person who has received information in confidence cannot take unfair advantage of it. That person must not make use of it to the prejudice of the person who gave it without obtaining his or her consent. A contract is an agreement between two or more parties. A contract is defined as, an agreement made between two or more persons or entities with specific terms made between two or more persons or companies promising to do something in return for money or money’s worth. A contract begins with an offer. The offer is an expression of willingness to contract on certain terms. It allows the other party to accept the offer and provides the basis of the agreement. To be effective, an offer must be communicated, this is to say that there cannot be acceptance of an offer without knowledge of it. A valid contract requires: an agreement; an intention to create legal relations as shown in the case of Balfour v. Balfour [1919] 2 K.B. 571, here the courts found that both parties must intend that an agreement be legally binding in order to be an enforceable contract; and consideration (unless the Contract is made by deed). Whilst each of these three requirements receives separate treatment, they must in reality be looked at together. The rights and duties of both employers and employees are to be found in the contract of employment, they are referred to as terms of a contract. Some of these terms are express terms; that is they are expressly or specifically stated, either orally, say at the initial interview, or in writing. Express terms include things like pay, hours and holidays. The law states that certain express terms must be put in writing and handed to the employee in the form of a written statement of particulars within 8 weeks of starting work. There are other contractual terms called implied terms. These are not expressly or explicitly stated because, in the main, they are fairly obvious to both parties to the contract of employment. Occasionally the courts will imply a term in a contract of employment where an important term has been left out. Implied terms include statutory rights, such as the right to equal pay and duties such as a duty of care. Each contract clause contained within an agreement is aimed at defining the rights, privileges, and commitments that each party has determined represent the terms govern their working relationship. This is the purpose of such clauses. For example, in this football employment contract, Manchester United agrees to provide Wayne Rooney with a specific set of benefits, such as salary, health insurance, a retirement plan, a football team transfer and any other benefit that both parties have agreed is necessary. At the same time, the contract will contain clauses that determine the range of services that Rooney will provide in exchange for these benefits. The idea is to include as much detail as possible, so that there is very little room for misinterpretation of what is expected of each party.