Comparison of Lord Of The Flies by William Golding ,The...

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, quot;The Lotteryquot;, by Shirley Jackson, quot;The White Circlequot;, by John Bell Clayton and quot;The Vigilantequot; by John Steinbeck all share the theme of mans inherent evil. Lord of the Flies takes place on an island in the Pacific ocean during an atomic war, and there is no adult supervision. quot;The Lotteryquot; takes place in a small farming community in the present day. quot;The White Circlequot; is set in the turn of the century Virginia on a Large farm. quot;The Vigilantequot; takes place down south in a town with strong racist beliefs. Jack from Lord of the Flies is an insecure boy who leads a group of savages through injustice and violence. The Townspeople in quot;The†¦show more content†¦Cut his throat! Spill his bloodquot; P.138).In particular the evil of the character is also present in the towns people when they brutally stone Tess out of tradition. (quot; ‘It isn’t fair’ she said. A stone hit her on the side of the head.quot;P.301). To further illustrate the characters evil Tucker shows his transition into a dangerous killer after constant torment. (quot;I was lying there with a towering homicidal detestation, planning to kill Anvil.quot;P.34). Also when Mike lynches the black man he is now getting a positive feeling from his crime. (quot;Makes you feel kind of cut off and tired, but kind of satisfied tooquot;P.140). The inherent evil of man and society portrayed through the characters are present in these examples and shows how evil isn’t always visible. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The setting influences the inherent evil of man because it set the mood for the characters behaviors. The unsupervised island played a major role in the decay of civilization and the return to primitiveness. (quot;This is an island. At least I think its an island. Perhaps there aren’t any grownups anywhere.quot; P.7). For the Townspeople the time of year for the lottery is an uneasy time where a great deal of suspense builds up all around them. (quot;the feeling of liberty sat uneasily on most of them.quot;P.291). All tucker needed to end

Discuss the portrayal of Indian society in this poem Free Essays

Deception, written by Rabindranath Tagore is told through the eyes of a narrator, who is the husband of Binu. He tells a story of Binu and her husband and their life together in Indian society. In the poem the portrayal of Indian life, is illustrated through various aspects, such as arranged marriages; the class distinctions, Laksmi the goddess, the poverty and dowries. We will write a custom essay sample on Discuss the portrayal of Indian society in this poem or any similar topic only for you Order Now The class distinctions in Hindu society are called the Caste system. This is portrayed in the poem at several occasions. When Binu introduces Rukmini to her husband and explains that Rukmini needs money. ‘She looked me in the eyes, Bowed, withdrew to the platform where she stood clutching a pillar’ This shows that obviously Rukmini was in a lower class than Binu’s husband because of the way she reacted, she bowed to and then withdrew from his presence and stood at a distance. I think that Rukmini might have been in the ‘untouchable’ caste because she did not consider herself worthy enough to even stand in the presence of Binu’s husband. She had to go and stand at a distance while Binu explained Rukmini’s need for money. The way that she bowed in front of him also portrays that she was lower class than him because she was showing him a sign of respect. In The Caste system the Jats determine which range of jobs you do. Marriage usually took place between people of the same Jat and people normally died in the same group. There are certain rules that say that people in different Jats cannot eat, drink or even smoke in each others company. The word clutching shows the fact that Rukmini was desperate and that she really need help, this also supports that she was in the untouchables caste. There are four groups which are called the Varna. There is also a fifth which are called the ‘untouchables’. The untouchables did not belong to any caste. They were called the Dalit. They were untouched by the four other castes. In some areas even their shadow touching a member of the Varnas was considered polluting. They worked in what was considered polluting jobs and were never accepted by society. The Highest status was called the Brahmins and this consisted of priests and intellectuals. I think that Binu’s husband and Binu herself were part of this caste because it says in the poem ‘And began to read an English novel that I had bought’ This shows that Binu’s husband was very well educated because he spoke English and only the rich and high powered could afford to learn to speak English. This therefore supports the fact that Binu and her husband are from the Brahmin’s caste. In the quotation ‘Whoever heard of such a thing? The woman was probably a sweeper or something equally disgusting’ The harsh sounding of the word disgusting shows the contempt and hatred that the upper caste show towards the untouchables. It shows the fact that Rukmini was part of the ‘untouchables’ caste because Binu’s husband was saying that Rukmini had some equally disgusting job such as a sweeper. This therefore would have been considered a polluting job so she would not have been fit to been seen associating with. There is another quotation that supports the fact that there were huge distinctions in class. ‘†Where is Rukmini?† They reacted blankly†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ This shows that Rukmini was very unimportant because even the people in the lower castes of the Varna did not have any sort of idea who Rukmini was, when Binu’s husband asked after her at the station. The word blankly shows that even though Rukmini had worked and lived at the train station for years, she was still so irrelevant that no one had even noticed that she was there and that she had gone. The only recognised who she was when Binu’s husband said ‘†The wife of Jhamru the coolie†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Rukmini was obviously so insignificant that they did not even know her by name and she used to work at the station. The only reason that they recognised her was because Binu’s husband remembered the name of her husband. Then they only barely remembered who she was because they recognised the name of Rukmini’s husband. ‘She lives in the row of huts by the well over there;’ This also links the fact that Rukmini is in the ‘untouchables’ caste because she lives in poverty. She did not live in a very respectably, she lived in a shack, by the side of the train station; she had no land and no money, not even able to find 25 rupees for her daughters dowry. She did not belong to one of the four Varna, so she was nobody of importance to bother about. The next subject that I am going to discuss is arranged marriages. I think that perhaps Binu and her husband had, had an arranged marriage because it says in the poem that ‘Left her parents-in-laws house for the first time since marriage’ ‘Our meetings furtive’ This shows that the couple had not met of their own accord, but that their parents have arranged for them to meet. They have only met secretly and on very brief occasions. This shows that there was an arranged marriage because you do not marry someone that you have only met a few times in your life. Parents when looking for a suitable husband for their daughter in arranged marriages have to look for certain things such as the social castes that they are in and financial status. It is the girl’s parents that traditionally pay for the wedding as a gift to the newly wed couple. They shower the girl with presents that she is to give to the groom’s family when she moves in. It is traditional that the bride goes to live in the groom’s family. When the couple marry everything that once was the wife’s now officially belongs to the husband. The quotation above says that Binu after living with her parents-in-law left there house for the first time. This supports the fact that Binu and her husband have had an arranged marriage. Another quotation that supports the fact that the couple had, had an arranged marriage is ‘The airless sequestration of the joint family’ This portrays that the family have lived in very close contact with Binu and her husband. I think that maybe the family have been interfering with the couple. The word sequestration suggests the fact that the family have been interfering with the couple, because sequestration means enclosure, which suggests that Binu and her husband were enclosed with the family they did everything together. ‘Like the everlasting vermilion in the parting of laksmi’s hair’ Laksmi is the goddess of wealth and beauty. Laksmi is the household goddess and she is a favourite among women. She is depicted as a beautiful woman who has four hands. She is either sitting or standing on a full bloomed lotus, which stands for beauty purity and fertility. Her four hands represent the four ends of human life Dharma- righteousness Kama- desires Artha- wealth Moksha- liberation. In the Krishna avtara Laksmi comes to earth as Rukmini. This is particularly interesting since the Lady that Binu’s husband was meant to give twenty five rupees to was also called Rukmini. I think that maybe the goddess Laksmi was testing Binu’s husband to see whether he had any compassion for the people who were in lower castes than him. If this is so then the husband failed the test because he treated Rukmini with contempt and only out of pity did he give her two rupees? He then however, told Binu that he had given Rukmini the whole twenty five rupees. Rukmini based the whole of her last two months of life on the fact that her husband loved her so much that he would give twenty five rupees to a complete stranger who Binu had met and befriended at the train station. However, just before Binu died she told her husband this. Her husband was filled with guilt and repentance. He went back to try and find Rukmini and pays her the twenty five rupees that he owed her, so that it would ease his conscience. Rukmini had moved on and this was the husband’s punishment. He had to deal with the fact that he had lied to his wife and now had to live with the guilt and desperation. This I think is the meaning of Laksmi being mentioned in this poem. The dowry is quite significant in the poem since it is the reason that Binu asks her husband to pay the twenty five rupees to Rukmini, and the whole reason that the husband feels so guilty at the end. A dowry is a gift that the bride’s family give to the groom’s family upon marriage. In some of the richer castes dowries are an exchange of wealth between too families which are intermarrying. In many countries the dowry is a large part of property which is either exchanged or given to the family. The dowry insures that the wife will not be badly treated by the husband because it acts as a forfeit from the wife’s family to the groom’s. ‘Bracelets, bangles, armlets for the dowry’ This is what Rukmini asks the money for so that she can buy a suitable dowry for her daughter so that she will not be rejected by the husband. The dowry that Rukmini wants to give is not particularly extensive, so this also supports the idea that Rukmini is not particularly rich since in wealthy families large amounts of land and property are given as dowry presents. If the brides family do not give a dowry then it is seen as disrespect and the whole wedding can be called off, since the groom’s family do want to marry into a family that either disrespect the rules of the dowry system or they are not wealthy enough to supply a sufficient dowry for there daughters wedding. This is therefore what Rukmini is saying in the poem, she is pleading to Binu because I think that perhaps she feels that she will get a better reaction out of a woman who has never really seen the world and has lived rather a sheltered life, than a man who is in one of the highest groups of the Varna. She is saying that if she cannot afford the dowry and if she does not give one then her daughter will be rejected from the marriage, which will be embarrassing for the family. Therefore, I conclude that the poet has used the portrayal of Indian Society to try and make people who are reading the poem understand the way that Indian Society actually works. The poet portrays the caste system in this prejudiced way because maybe he feels that the system is principally unjust. The Caste system has many floors, but it has brought some sort of order to Indian Society meaning that people are recognised and distinguished. The poet uses the portrayal of Indian Society very well to get the effect of the drama and desperation in the poem. The poor lady Rukmini needs money so that her daughter can get married she is desperate for help and pity from the rich. However the uncompassionate husband feels that Rukmini is unworthy of even touching his shadow. How to cite Discuss the portrayal of Indian society in this poem, Papers

Factor Impacting Customer Behavior-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Factors Impacting Customers Choice Of A Restaurant. Answer: Introduction Demand of customers from full service formal restaurants depends on several factors of customer choices. Customers in different restaurants come from different background with different characteristics. Consequently, they possess different choices in availing the service of restaurants. This research mainly focuses on a literature review of that determines the different factors that can affect the choice of customers in their decision making process of availing service of restaurants of their choices. Importance of this research lies in the fact that on identifying and acknowledging the factors that impact the choice of customers in availing restaurant service, it will be helpful for the restaurant owners to modify their business strategies as per customer demand. Research Questions: What factors affect the consumer behavior? What is the relationship between consumer choice and restaurant industry? What are the impacts of consumer choice and buying behavior on restaurant industry? What recommendations can be produced to widen customer base? Methodology The literature review is conducted on the basis of secondary research. Various journals articles and books were studied in determining the parameters of consumer behavior and their impact on decision making about availing the restaurant service of their choices. Cantallops, A.S. and Salvi (2014, p.45) opined that with the help of secondary research, arguments and counter arguments can be obtained on a specific topic that helps in analyzing the research topic. Various theories and concepts were studied from the journals that had helped the researcher in understanding the consumer buying process and factors that affect such processes. Information from government websites are also gathered in identifying key concepts about customer demand and the type of service they expect from the restaurants. Background of research Studies from various journal articles have resulted in acknowledgement of specific consumer behavior models and theories that contributes in comprehending the factors that assist customers in making choice of restaurants. The research is specifically focused on the factors that affect the customer's choice of availing a restaurant service. It has been studied previously that quality of food has a significant role in retaining customers in a restaurant. Theory of reasoned action is included in the study for analysis of customer attitudes in their decision making process. On counting the motivation need theory in depicting a customer behavior, it is possible to priorities the needs of customers, once they avail the service of a restaurant. Literature Review Conceptual Framework Figure 1: Conceptual Framework (Source: Creator) Theory of consumer behavior Theory of consumer behavior affects the most crucial role in identifying the activities of customers, when they avail any particular service of organizations. Lu et al. (2015, p.40) has shed light on the fact that, shifting from the traditional concept of buying behavior, modern theory of consumer behavior focus on analysis of consumption of a particular service by customers. Figure 2: Factors of theory of consumer behavior (Source: Martnez-Ruiz and Gmez-Cant, 2017, p.63) Restaurants on strategically implementing theory of consumer behavior in their business can successfully retain their customers by prior analysis of their demands and expectations. Five factors have been identified that influence customers to avail the service of a full time restaurant. These are variation in menu, quality of food, atmosphere, price and convenience factors. These five factors are extremely important in decision-making process of customers in their availing of the service of full time restaurants. As mentioned by Solomon (2014, p.5), people living in urban areas of developing countries are adhering towards eating outside their homes for the past recent years. Surveying these people, it has been analyzed that restaurants that have incorporated the five factors of consumer behavior in their management, are most preferred and visited by the customers. On the contrary Amos et al. (2014, p.90), denied this fact stating that the fast changing lifestyle of people, trends, ne eds rise in incomes and demographics are the primary reasons behind availing the service of full time restaurants.(Refer to appendix 1) Quality of food in a restaurant is assessed by the comparison of customer expectation and against their perception of actual experience of food quality in a restaurant. According to Bucher et al. (2016, p.2260), customers are nevertheless unwilling in paying an extra amount if a higher level of service as well as quality of is provided. Thus, restaurant managers prolong an acceptable level of service keeping the price of food as low as possible keeping a high standard of food quality. There are two crucial aspects influencing customer behavior and restaurants focus on identifying the categories of their target customs according to these two aspects. Boo (2017, p.70) has shed light on the fact that therefore of decision developing, customers either responses with non-action or action that is purchase. Assaels model of consumer behavior is applicable in this context of customer's choice of restaurant. (Refer to appendix 2) Assaels model of consumer behavior states that a number of parameters are prevalent that influence the ultimate customer's choice and decision-making process in visiting restaurants. These factors range from the lifestyle, perceptions, characteristics, attitudes, cultural values, personality and demographics of customers. For example, a teenager, whose parents are working are adapted in such a lifestyle, where there is a minimal scope of availability of home cooked food. Naturally, he/she will be dependent on restaurant service irrespective of quality of food. Steg et al. (2014, p.170), opposed this fact stating that the most influential factor working in the mind of customer in availing restaurant service is perception and perceived risk. Perception is regarded as the approximation of reality, where quality of the food in a particular restaurant is judged by the perceived interest of customers in availing that restaurant. For example, when a many customers visit a particular restaur ant, automatically a positive impact is generated among the customers that the restaurant services good quality of food. Theory of Reasoned action Pre-existing attitudes of a customer regarding a particular service affects the decision making processes in visiting the restaurants. Applying the theory of reasoned action Kim et al. (2013, p.210) stated that specificity is a major factor that allows a customer in adhering to a particular system or enjoying a specific service. A customer if not satisfied with the quality of food in a restaurant or do not get equivalent output as per the given input such as cost, then he/she tends to change mind in going to that particular restaurant. For example, if a restaurant maintains a high range of price, however do not provide equal sufficient quality food, customers will change their mind in retaining the service of that restaurant. Bilgihan et al. (2014, p.355) in his journal informed that restaurant managers can identify their backlogs if the theory of reasoned action imparts a negative impact on their business. They must indulge in provision of service in such a way that customers are re tained and their business flourishes. On the contrary, some researches reveal that compared to the psychological factors of customers, demographic factor is more prominent regarding the customer's choice in visiting restaurants. Ackermann and Palmer (2014, p.540) proposed that customers having an age range from 18-34 years are more likely to visit full time restaurants and possess an exploring attitude of trying new cuisines where taste fetches attention. Whereas people who are above 55 years, tends to consume home cooked food in order to maintain a healthy living. It can be seen that in some cases, demographic factors of customers overpowers psychological factors in visiting restaurants. Engel, Kollet, Blackwell Model A wider extension of theory of reasoned action, EKB model analyses the thought process of a customer prior to visiting a restaurant. The first step is associated with the incorporation of information, where customers gather knowledge about the quality of food served in a specific restaurant via word of mouth promotion, online marketing or newspaper article. The next step is followed by the comparison of data gathered with another customer, who has availed the service of that restaurant and acknowledged the quality of food being served or the customer's own analysis on visiting another restaurant that is a rival of the former one. This is followed by a rational insight of the customer comprising price, quality and physical evidence. He/she will tend to compare the price of that specific restaurant with its rival companies and gather information about the quality of the food delivered in them. The next step involves analysis of external influences and process variables. Intrinsic and Extrinsic factors Customer satisfaction in restaurant service is associated with the degree to which performance of the restaurant meets or exceeds the expectation of customers. Previous researches have revealed that according to consumer decision-making model, prior to visiting a restaurant, a customer conducts search for information. Depending on the cues of information, a customer evaluates restaurant service and its food quality. These cues can be intrinsic like atmosphere of a restaurant, quality of food, taste, and service as well as extrinsic like brand name, promotion and reviews of people. On the other hand, Wee et al. (2014, p.451) stated that customer retention is the future prosperity of a customer in staying with a particular service provider. Quality of food plays as a crucial intrinsic factor in retaining customers in adhering to a particular restaurant and preventing customer in switching to another competitor in market. However, there is a contradiction available in this context. Ackermann and Palmer (2014, p.545) opined that rather than quality, taste of a specific cuisine acts as a significant factor in retaining customers to a restaurant. For example, Chinese cuisine is most famous among the youngsters because of its taste. In this context, taste has played as an intrinsic cue for the restaurants serving Chinese food. Rate of consumption of Chinese food has reached considerably in the past few years and restaurants serving this cuisine in their menu have gained sustainability in market (Food.gov.uk). (Refer to appendix 2) However, brand names, ambience of restaurant, interpersonal skills of employees of restaurants and effective promotion impose a significant impact on customers visit to a restaurant. Lu et al. (2015, p.40) has shed light on the fact that the tangible resources of a restaurants are included in the physical environment. Impact of quality of food on customer retention There is a significant impact on the customers regarding the quality of food resulting in visit to the restaurants. Research report reveals that 38.2% customers states that they do not mind in paying more for obtaining high quality of food, which portrays 92% higher than the average level. In addition to this, 55% of customers have their favourite restaurant, where they visit at a regular interval irrespective of the food quality (Food.gov.uk, 2017). Perception and loyalty acts as the main driver in this context. However, detailed market research reveals that restaurant managers must maintain a good effort in improving the environment, ambience and most importantly, the quality of food focusing on the health of customers. Technological advancements Evolution of technology has boosted the restaurant business to a peak level. Rani (2014, p.55) stated that 96.62% people in a survey has agreed to the fact that restaurants have impacted an affirmative effect on their lifestyle. Customers are able to avail the service of restaurants on a single click. Tech savvy attitude in this sector has attracted more customers in availing the service of restaurants on application of technology. On the contrary, a debate has arisen in this context, where, customers argue about the fact that visiting restaurants at a regular basis or consumption of restaurant food daily can cause degradation of ones health. Nagle et al. (2016, p.11) proposed that 16% of kids in US are exposed to the consumption of outside food that is allowing the growth of several diseases that can even be fatal at a later age. However, demand for restaurant food is nowhere decreasing as restaurant managers have successfully analysed the factors that affect customers choice in visiting a restaurant and according implement those in their business strategies. Literature gap Factors affecting the visit of customers in restaurants are being discussed in this paper focussing mainly on the quality of food. However, customer perceptions regarding this business sector have changed massively in the past 20 years and till now is on the mode of changing. Thus, researches that have been done earlier, for example during 1970s and 1980s are not at all applicable in the modern days. In addition to this, not much research is provided on the impact of restaurant food on the health of customers. More research is needed to be conducted on this factor and its consequences. Conclusion This project deals with the literature review on identifying the different factors that affect the choice of customers in availing the service of restaurants. Several theories and models have been illustrated portraying a definite image of the factors affecting customers in visiting restaurants. Contradictions are also provided, where there are opposition of theories and evidences. A literature gap is provided showing the backlogs of the research and need of further research is discussed Reference List Ackermann, C.L. and Palmer, A., (2014). The contribution of implicit cognition to the Theory of Reasoned Action Model: A study of food preferences.Journal of Marketing Management,30(6), pp.529-550. Amos, C., Holmes, G.R. and Keneson, W.C., (2014). A meta-analysis of consumer impulse buying.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,21(2), pp.86-97. Bilgihan, A., Peng, C. and Kandampully, J., (2014). Generation Y's dining information seeking and sharing behavior on social networking sites: An exploratory study.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,26(3), pp.349-366. Boo, H.V., (2017). Service Environment of Restaurants: Findings from the youth customers.Journal of ASIAN behavioural studies,2(2), pp.67-77. Bucher, T., Collins, C., Rollo, M.E., McCaffrey, T.A., De Vlieger, N., Van der Bend, D., Truby, H. and Perez-Cueto, F.J., (2016). Nudging consumers towards healthier choices: a systematic review of positional influences on food choice.British Journal of Nutrition,115(12), pp.2252-2263. Cantallops, A.S. and Salvi, F., (2014). New consumer behavior: A review of research on eWOM and hotels.International Journal of Hospitality Management,36(9), pp.41-51. Chou, Y.H. and Pai, C.H., (2014). A study the effect of brand innovation on consumer decision in catering industry.Anthropologist,17(3), pp.743-750. Food.gov.uk. (2017).Food Standards Agency - Homepage. Available from: https://www.food.gov.uk/ [Accessed on 15 Aug. 2017]. Husen, S. (2015). Study on Community-based Peripheral Attribute Attractiveness and Product Attractiveness Advantage: Bridging Product Innovation and Consumer Purchase Intention.Journal of Research in Marketing,4(1), pp.297-303. Kim, E., Ham, S., Yang, I.S. and Choi, J.G., (2013). The roles of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control in the formation of consumers behavioral intentions to read menu labels in the restaurant industry.International Journal of Hospitality Management,35(3), pp.203-213. Kim, Y.J., Njite, D. and Hancer, M., (2013). Anticipated emotion in consumers intentions to select eco-friendly restaurants: Augmenting the theory of planned behavior.International Journal of Hospitality Management,34(3), pp.255-262. Li, H., Jiang, J. and Wu, M., (2014). The effects of trust assurances on consumers initial online trust: A two-stage decision-making process perspective.International Journal of Information Management,34(3), pp.395-405. Lu, A.C.C., Gursoy, D. and Lu, C.Y., (2015). Authenticity perceptions, brand equity and brand choice intention: The case of ethnic restaurants.International Journal of Hospitality Management,50(1), pp.36-45. Martnez-Ruiz, M. and Gmez-Cant, C. (2017).Key External Influences Affecting Consumers Decisions Regarding Food. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5067376/ [Accessed on 11 Aug. 2017]. Nagle, T.T., Hogan, J. and Zale, J., (2016).The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: New International Edition. Abingdon: Routledge. Rani, P., (2014). Factors influencing consumer behaviour.International journal of current research and academic review,2(9), pp.52-61. Solomon, M.R., (2014).Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Steg, L., Perlaviciute, G., Van der Werff, E. and Lurvink, J., (2014). The significance of hedonic values for environmentally relevant attitudes, preferences, and actions.Environment and behavior,46(2), pp.163-192. Wales, M. (2017).Understanding the role of convenience in consumer food choices: a review article. Journal.lib.uoguelph.ca. Available from: https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/surg/article/view/983/1431 [Accessed on12 Aug. 2017]. Wee, C.S., Ariff, M.S.B.M., Zakuan, N., Tajudin, M.N.M., Ismail, K. and Ishak, N., (2014). Consumers perception, purchase intention and actual purchase behavior of organic food products.Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research,3(2), pp.378-532

Juvenile Crime Essays (548 words) - Crime, Criminology, Childhood

Juvenile Crime Reasons for Juvenile Crime One of the biggest problems, which the United States is faced with, is juvenile crime. The reason experts feel juveniles commit crimes is because of risk factors when they were younger but experts still have not found the main reason why juveniles commit crimes. Some risk factors associated with juvenile crime are poverty, repeated exposure to violence, drugs, easy access to firearms, unstable family life and family violence, delinquent peer groups, and media violence. Especially the demise of family life, the effect of the media on the juveniles today, and the increase of firearms available today have played a big role in the increase of juveniles crimes. The most common risk factor is the demise of the family life and the increase in family violence. Between 1976 and 1992 the number of juveniles living in poverty grew 42% and this caused an increase in crimes by juveniles. Many of these juvenile criminals have been abused or neglected and they also grew up in a single-parent household. Research has found that 53% of these children are more likely to be arrested, and 38% more likely to commit a violent crime as an adult, then their counterparts who did not suffer such abuse. The symptoms of child abuse are high levels of aggression and antisocial behavior and these children are twice as likely to become juvenile offenders. Also improper parental care has been linked to delinquency such as mothers who drink alcohol or take drugs during pregnancy cause their babies to grow up with learning disorders, a problem which leads them to be juvenile criminals. Another risk factor is the effect of the media on the juveniles of today. Before the time a child has reached seventh grade, the average child has witnessed 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence on the television. There is no doubt that heavy exposure to televised violence is one of the causes of aggressive behavior, crime and violence in society. Television violence affects youngsters of all ages, of both genders, at all economic levels, and all levels of intelligence. Long-term childhood exposure to television is a casual factor behind one half of the homicides committed by juveniles in the United States. The increased availability of guns has played a big part in escalating the number of crimes committed by juveniles. In Los Angeles juvenile delinquency cases involving weapon violation grew by 86% from 1988 to 1992, which was more then any other type of juvenile offense. According to a University of Michigan study found that 270,000 guns accompany secondary school students to class daily. This is startling because it shows how many more juveniles are carrying guns and the juvenile use of guns in homicides has increased from 65 to 80 percent from 1987 to 1991. The possession of firearms plays a big cause in the delinquency of children and is playing a bigger role in the crimes which juveniles commit. Another cause of the increase of juvenile crimes has been the effect of children seeing multiple murders and other acts of violence on the television. Finally the demise of the family life and the increase in family violence has been the biggest factor in the increase of juvenile crime. Legal Issues

How to Write a Nursing Case Study Essay

How to Write a Nursing Case Study Essay How to Write a Nursing Case Study Essay Lots of non-nursing students have the mistaken notion that nursing students do not have to write a lot. After all, they spend their time in biology and chemistry labs and do field experiences. Actually, there is a long history of writing for such students: They must learn how to write a nursing entrance essay, because no one can get into nursing school without one. They often struggle with these, do some research and look for tips on writing a nursing school admission essay. If these students are looking of financial aid, the may indeed have to compose an amazing nursing scholarship essay Many courses in medical fields require essays, research papers, lab reports and more. And many of them are really challenging because they are all on scientific topics and often involve some lab research. A typical medical school essay, for example will involve research of existing literature and the setting up of a study based upon that literature. Writing a Nursing Essay Nursing students will find that a basic essay assignment will have the same structure as essays they have written for non-medical courses – introduction, body, and conclusion. The one thing that may differ in the essay writing process may be the formatting. It is common for Harvard formatting to be required in medical programs, so students will want to research Harvard strategies for essay writing. The â€Å"rules† are definitely a bit different. The other caveat in all of this is that medical students’ essays do regularly involve some lab research that the student has conducted. In these cases, the conclusion will be a bit different from that of another type of essay. Often, the conclusion must speak to the significance of the results of a study. Learning how to write a conclusion for a nursing essay can be a bit challenging and will take some practice. Writing That Nursing Case Study Essay It is inevitable. As nursing students move into their upper level coursework, they will be spending far more time in hospitals completing lots of field experience. And there is coursework associated with those practicums. Part of that coursework will involve one or more case study essays. These are different from any other writing assignments you have had in the past. Let’s look at how a case study is structured – while specific department guidelines may vary a bit, the elements will be common. What is a Case Study? A nursing case study is an in-depth study of a patient that is encountered during the student’s daily practice in a practicum. They are important learning experiences because the student can apply classroom/theoretical learning to an actual situation and perhaps make some conclusions and recommendations. It will require lots of planning of methodology, literature reviews, and careful documentation as the case study proceeds. Sections of a Case Study There are three large sections – Information about the Patient; The Nurse’s Assessment of the Patient’s Status; and the Treatment Plan, along with Recommendations. Within each large section there are sub-sections. Section 1 – Patient Status This section includes demographic information, the patient’s medical history, and the current patient’s diagnosis, condition, and treatment. Here you will obviously speak about the patient – and you will commit all of this information to writing. Do not rely on your memory – write everything down. You will also need to explain why the information is important to include in your study. You will need to include the reasons why the patient sought medical care and make note of the first symptoms the patient experienced. Next, you will identify the subsequent diagnosis that was made. Given the diagnosis, what is the process/progression of the disease? You should include its causes, the symptoms, what you have observed. Describe what your role as a nurse will be.    Section 2 – Nursing Assessment You will need to prepare your own assessment of the patient’s condition. And as you produce that assessment, be certain to explain why you have made each assessment. For example, suppose a patient has a diagnosis of cancer. One of the symptom presentations is difficulty in urination. You will need to document that urination issue and suggest potential causes of it. Then you will need to come up with options for treatment based upon the potential causes. And, in this case, how will you determine the cause of the issue? Section 3 – The Current Treatment and Recommendations for Improving It Describe the treatment – medication, therapy, etc. and explain why each treatment is appropriate for the disease. You will also need to discuss how the treatment plan is improving the patient’s quality of life. What are the treatment goals? What are the benchmarks for assessing success and how, specifically, will it be documented? The Implementation and Documentation Once the treatment has been implemented, it will be your job to document each treatment activity – time, dose, etc. – and then track the improvement that does or does not occur. Suppose, for example, that you begin a regimen of a diuretic for your cancer patient. How will you determine success? How long will you implement the treatment to determine success or not? And if it is not successful, what is your next treatment option? The data you gather must be carefully recorded and then reported in this section of your case study. This is the same as any scientific study. You must also analyze the data before you make decisions about the efficacy of the treatment plan and come to conclusions. Toward the end of this section, you will be making recommendations – they may be simply to continue the current treatment plan; you may have conducted some research that shows another or an additional treatment plan is warranted. In this case, you may very well recommend this new treatment plan. Just remember, you must justify any recommendation you make, and usually this comes from medical research literature. Crafting a nursing case study really has two major tasks. First, you select a patient, and begin to collect history. You also set up treatment plans and collect data to determine the efficacy of the plan and then determine your recommendations. Second, you actually have to write up the final piece. And it must be impeccably written. If you have concerns about your writing skills, consider finding an essay writing service nursing department. While there are lots of writing services out there, you want one that has a specific group of researchers and writers with experience in producing medical case studies. You may even find a specific nursing essay writing service UK that exists only for helping medical program students. Such experts will be familiar with the style, tone, formatting, and terminology and can make quick work of your write-up.

The History of Singapores Economic Development

The History of Singapores Economic Development In the 1960s, the city-state of Singapore was an undeveloped country with a GDP per capita of less than U.S. $320. Today, it is one of the worlds fastest-growing economies. Its GDP per capita has risen to an incredible U.S. $60,000, making it one of the strongest economies in the world. For a small country with few natural resources, Singapores economic ascension is nothing short of remarkable. By embracing globalization, free-market capitalism, education, and pragmatic policies, the country has been able to overcome its geographic disadvantages and become a leader in global commerce. Independence For over 100 years, Singapore was under British control. But when the British failed to protect the colony from the Japanese during World War II, it sparked a strong anti-colonial and nationalist sentiment that subsequently led to Singapores independence. On August 31, 1963, Singapore seceded from the British crown and merged with Malaysia to form the Federation of Malaysia. The two years Singapore spent as part of Malaysia were filled with social strife, as the two sides struggled to assimilate with one another ethnically. Street riots and violence became very common. The Chinese in Singapore outnumbered the Malay three-to-one. The Malay politicians in Kuala Lumpur feared their heritage and political ideologies were being threatened by the growing Chinese population throughout the island and peninsula. Therefore, as a way of ensuring a Malay majority within Malaysia proper and to limit the influence of communism, the Malaysian parliament voted to expel Singapore from Malaysia. Singapore gained formal independence on August 9, 1965, with Yusof bin Ishak serving as its first president and the highly influential Lee Kuan Yew as its prime minister. After independence, Singapore continued to experience problems. Much of the city-states three million people were unemployed. More than two-thirds of its population was living in slums and squatter settlements on the citys fringe. The territory was sandwiched between two large and unfriendly states in Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore lacked natural resources, sanitation, proper infrastructure, and adequate water supply. In order to stimulate development, Lee sought international assistance, but his pleas went unanswered, leaving Singapore to fend for itself. Globalization During colonial times, Singapores economy was centered on entrepà ´t trade. But this economic activity offered little prospect for job expansion in the post-colonial period. The withdrawal of the British further aggravated the unemployment situation. The most feasible solution to Singapores economic and unemployment woes was to embark on a comprehensive program of industrialization, with a focus on labor-intensive industries. Unfortunately, Singapore had no industrial tradition. The majority of its working population was in trade and services. Therefore, they had no expertise or easily adaptable skills. Moreover, without a hinterland and neighbors who would trade with it, Singapore was forced to look for opportunities well beyond its borders to spearhead its industrial development. Pressured to find work for their people, the leaders of Singapore began to experiment with globalization. Influenced by Israels ability to leap over its Arab neighbors (who boycotted Israel) and trade with Europe and America, Lee and his colleagues knew they had to connect with the developed world and convince multinational corporations to manufacture in Singapore. In order to attract investors, Singapore had to create an environment that was safe, corruption-free, and low in taxation. To make this feasible, the citizens of the country had to suspend a large measure of their freedom in place of a more autocratic government. Anyone caught conducting narcotic trade or intensive corruption would be met with the death penalty. Lees People Action Party (PAP) repressed all independent labor unions and consolidated what remained into a single umbrella group called the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), which the party directly controlled. Individuals who threatened national, political, or corporate unity were quickly jailed without much due process. The countrys draconian, but business-friendly laws became very appealing to international investors. In contrast to its neighbors, where political and economic climates were unpredictable, Singapore was very stable. Moreover, with its advantageous location and established port system, Singapore was an i deal place to manufacture goods. By 1972, just seven years after independence, one-quarter of Singapores manufacturing firms were either foreign-owned or joint-venture companies, and both the United States and Japan were major investors. As a result of Singapores steady climate, favorable investment conditions and the rapid expansion of the world economy from 1965 to 1972, the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP) experienced annual double-digit growth. As foreign investment money poured in, Singapore began focusing on developing its human resources in addition to its infrastructure. The country set up many technical schools and paid international corporations to train their unskilled workers in information technology, petrochemicals, and electronics. For those who could not get industrial jobs, the government enrolled them in labor-intensive un-tradable services, such as tourism and transportation. The strategy of having multinationals educate their workforce paid great dividends for the country. In the 1970s, Singapore was primarily exporting textiles, garments, and basic electronics. By the 1990s, they were engaging in wafer fabrication, logistics, biotech research, pharmaceuticals, integrated circuit design, and aerospace engineering. A Modern Economy Today, Singapore is a modern, industrialized society and entrepà ´t trade continues to play a central role in its economy. The Port of Singapore is now the worlds busiest transshipment port, surpassing Hong Kong and Rotterdam. In terms of total cargo tonnage handled, it has become the worlds second busiest, behind only the Port of Shanghai. Singapores tourism industry is also thriving, attracting over 10 million visitors annually. The city-state now has a zoo, a night safari, and a nature reserve. The country recently opened two of the worlds most expensive integrated casino resorts in the Marina Bay Sands and the Resorts World Sentosa. The countrys medical tourism and culinary tourism industries have also become quite successful, thanks to Singapores cultural heritage and advanced medical technology. Banking has grown significantly in recent years and many assets formerly held in Switzerland have been moved to Singapore due to new taxes imposed by the Swiss. The biotech industry is burgeoning, with drug makers such as GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and Merck Co. all establishing plants here, and oil refining continues to play a huge role in the economy. Despite its small size, Singapore is now the 15th largest trading partner of the United States. The country has established strong trade agreements with several countries in South America, Europe, and Asia as well. There are currently over 3,000 multinational corporations operating in the country, accounting for more than two-thirds of its manufacturing output and direct export sales. With a total land area of just 433 square miles and a small labor force of 3 million people, Singapore is able to produce a GDP that exceeds $300 billion dollars annually, higher than three-quarters of the world. Life expectancy is 83.75 years, the third highest in the world. Singapore is considered to be one of the best places to live on Earth if you dont mind the strict rules. Singapores model of sacrificing freedom for business is highly controversial and heavily debated. Regardless of philosophy, though, its effectiveness is undeniable.

Cyperethics Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cyperethics - Article Example Just as the power of the steam engine was harnessed as a raw resource during the Industrial Revolution, so is the logic of a computer as a raw resource of the Computer Revolution. Since logic applies everywhere, the potential applications of computer technology seem limitless and that’s the main reason computers have caused a revolution. 2. James Moor discusses the following three kinds of invisibility; first and foremost is the invisible abuse which is the intentional use of the invisible operations of a computer to engage in unethical conduct. The best illustration of this is the case of a programmer who after realizing he could steal excess interest from a bank, instructed a computer to deposit the fraction of cents left over after rounding off in his own bank account. The second invisibility factor is the presence of invisible programming values, which basically are values embedded in a computer program. Writing a computer program is like building a house, there is always room for making numerous decisions about matters not specified in order to construct the house no matter how detailed the specifications may be. Similarly in order, to implement a program which satisfies the specifications a programmer makes some value judgments about what is important and what is not. Eventually these values become part of the final product and usually are invisible to someone who runs the program. Sometimes invisible programming values are so invisible that even the programmers are unaware of them. Programs may also have bugs or may be based on implicit assumptions which do not become obvious until there is a crisis. The third invisibility factor which perhaps is the most disturbing is invisible complex calculation. Nowadays computers are capable of enormous calculations which are beyond human comprehension. Even if a program is understood, it does not necessarily follow that the calculations based on that program are understood. Computers

Philosophy of a learning organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy of a learning organization - Essay Example Commitment of individuals in the organization to Personal mastery (lifelong learning). Continually clarifying and deepening their personal vision, focusing their energies, developing patience, and seeing reality objectively. 1. According to the Shaw & Perkins, 1991, the role of leaders in organizations is to set the necessary conditions for the organization to develop an effective learning capability. That is, managers need to take strategic action and make specific interventions to ensure that learning can occur 2. According to Nicolas Rolland, Unrelated knowledge networks management: new challenges for the CKO takes up the challenge of analyzing how firms manage their knowledge networks to leverage the management positively and the creation of organizational knowledge; and to find out what are the new challenges for the Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) in this new context. Based on a qualitative research method, the empirical study stresses that the CKO's new roles are based on the management of knowledge networks and especially on increasing unrelated knowledge networks. This implies that there are problems in constellation of knowledge networks management.

Troubleshooting Sites Essay Example for Free

Troubleshooting Sites Essay http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Network_Troubleshooting   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This network troubleshooting guide is published by Linux, which aims to answer five questions in order to fix a network problem, more specifically the online network. Determining an IP Address, pinging the default gateway and another subnet, DNS, and the port connection are its main concerns. http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Troubleshooting-Wireless-Network-Connections.html   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Common network problems are discussed in this network troubleshooting guide. It seeks to fix networking problems caused by the wireless network adapter connection, compatibility of drivers, strength of signals, location of the accessibility points, the need for a performance boost, faulty antenna, the need to install service packs, and the modification of network settings. http://www.windowsvistaplace.com/network-troubleshooting/tutorials   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This networking troubleshooting guide was published for Windows Vista users. It is a step-by-step process of troubleshooting network connections by modifying network settings and pinging the default gateway and subnet sites.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Troubleshooting is a systematic process or approach in order to determine problems in a particular system, in this case a network. Troubleshooting follows a step-by-step process where all possibilities are being explored in order to solve networking problems for instance. For some troubleshooting sites, several yes or no questions are being asked in order to determine the problem in the system and eventually arrive at the best possibly solution to resolve it. It is patterned from the simplest to the most complicated type of problem-solving technique, allowing individuals to fix system problems minimally or complexly, as deemed necessary. The type of solution to systemic problems depends on its nature.

Essay --

Section A: Plan of Investigation Between 1940 and 1944, France was occupied by the German Army during World War II. The war saw the emergence of Coco Chanel as a Nazi spy, due to her openly anti-Semitic feelings, independence in business and influence as a couture designer (Vaughan 230). For these qualities she was recruited in to the Abwehr, the German military intelligence organization (134). To determine the extent of Coco Chanel’s involvement in Nazi missions the investigation will examine the following factors; personal relationships with high level officials allowing her elite conduct, her collaborations with Nazis in Paris, the nature of her work for the German military intelligence service and Himmler’s S.S. and did all of these factors designate her as a Nazi spy? Section B: Summary of Evidence Personal Relationships with High Level Officials †¢ Coco Chanel had an intimate relationship with Hans Gunther van Dincklage, a high ranking German official (Vaughan 141). †¢ Dincklage arranged for Chanel to stay at German occupied hotel, The Ritz. Giving her unrestricted access to German Headquarters in France (141). †¢ Romantic ties with the Duke of Westminster (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Next door neighbor and friend of Fern Bedaux, Nazi collaborator ( Vaughan 151). †¢ Close relationship with British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Samuel Hoare (Samuel). †¢ Chanel was pardoned for her crimes by Winston Churchill (237). †¢ Never formally charged as a collaborator due to Churchill’s intervention (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Churchill intervened in both her arrest and trial (Samuel). †¢ Spared from a public trial by British Royal family (Walker). Collaborations with Nazis in Paris †¢ One of few civilians living in German Headquarters (Vaughan 141). †¢ Visas for Ch... ...e political and social conflict of Chanel’s involvement has dissolved as new information has been declassified and readers are exposed to the intelligence once only known to government officials. Chanel agreed to work with the Nazi party in pursuit of her nephew’s return to her, not for her own personal beliefs and experience. Section E: Conclusion After Chanel’s two failed missions in sending letters of treaty negotiations she is not accredited with the label as a spy (Vaughan 199). However she is linked to the Nazi party, for her involvement with the Abwehr (134). Chanel is considered proactive in her strategy to recover her nephew. It can be justly claimed that Chanel, although involved in Nazi social circles and ambitions, was not a Nazi spy as she sought to bring peace and the safety of her nephew in her actions and proof of her missions were never recovered. Essay -- Section A: Plan of Investigation Between 1940 and 1944, France was occupied by the German Army during World War II. The war saw the emergence of Coco Chanel as a Nazi spy, due to her openly anti-Semitic feelings, independence in business and influence as a couture designer (Vaughan 230). For these qualities she was recruited in to the Abwehr, the German military intelligence organization (134). To determine the extent of Coco Chanel’s involvement in Nazi missions the investigation will examine the following factors; personal relationships with high level officials allowing her elite conduct, her collaborations with Nazis in Paris, the nature of her work for the German military intelligence service and Himmler’s S.S. and did all of these factors designate her as a Nazi spy? Section B: Summary of Evidence Personal Relationships with High Level Officials †¢ Coco Chanel had an intimate relationship with Hans Gunther van Dincklage, a high ranking German official (Vaughan 141). †¢ Dincklage arranged for Chanel to stay at German occupied hotel, The Ritz. Giving her unrestricted access to German Headquarters in France (141). †¢ Romantic ties with the Duke of Westminster (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Next door neighbor and friend of Fern Bedaux, Nazi collaborator ( Vaughan 151). †¢ Close relationship with British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Samuel Hoare (Samuel). †¢ Chanel was pardoned for her crimes by Winston Churchill (237). †¢ Never formally charged as a collaborator due to Churchill’s intervention (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Churchill intervened in both her arrest and trial (Samuel). †¢ Spared from a public trial by British Royal family (Walker). Collaborations with Nazis in Paris †¢ One of few civilians living in German Headquarters (Vaughan 141). †¢ Visas for Ch... ...e political and social conflict of Chanel’s involvement has dissolved as new information has been declassified and readers are exposed to the intelligence once only known to government officials. Chanel agreed to work with the Nazi party in pursuit of her nephew’s return to her, not for her own personal beliefs and experience. Section E: Conclusion After Chanel’s two failed missions in sending letters of treaty negotiations she is not accredited with the label as a spy (Vaughan 199). However she is linked to the Nazi party, for her involvement with the Abwehr (134). Chanel is considered proactive in her strategy to recover her nephew. It can be justly claimed that Chanel, although involved in Nazi social circles and ambitions, was not a Nazi spy as she sought to bring peace and the safety of her nephew in her actions and proof of her missions were never recovered.

Lost Time Is Never Found Again

It was Ben Franklin who said: â€Å"lost time is never found again. † Mr. Benjamin Franklin  also said: â€Å"Remember that time is money. † Each of us has exactly 24 hours per day. Neither more nor less minute. Those of us that maintain a full time job know very well that we trade our time weekly in exchange for money. Some of us earn more money for less time and of course the opposite is true. Nowadays there are two categories of people. People from the first group work hard in order to make enough for a living, to satisfy their basic needs.While the others consider money as a way to win more power and better social position, sometimes – even friends. They say â€Å"Money makes the world go round† and time represents only money for them. In my opinion, there cannot exist any statement that is undoubtedly true. And in this way, we are not able to say whether time is money or not. Some people will always believe that time is only money but nothing else; others will defend the opposite thesis.All of us should realize that the material world around us makes time money. I confess that all of us should be realists. No one can lead normal life without enough money. People constantly work in order to earn. And they need time. It is mainly money for them. Their credo is â€Å"Don’t lose time, make money! † Certainly, interests, requests, opinions of other people can and should be considered by you at definition of how you spend yours of time. But nevertheless, the final decision always for you.

An Analysis of the Poem Miss Rosie by Lucille Clifton

Clifton’s use of repetition in the poem â€Å"miss rosie† displays the narrator’s compassion for Miss Rosie, thus showing he is the only one who's been affected by her. By repeating the same phrase multiple times, emphasis is put on the fact that no one besides the narrator is compassionate for Miss Rosie. For example, when the narrator states, â€Å"when I watch you / wrapped up like garbage† (1-2), â€Å"when I watch you / in your old man’s shoes† (6-7), and â€Å"when I watch you / you wet brown bag of a woman† (12-13), Clifton indicates the narrator is the only one looking at Miss Rosie, because of her use of singular pronouns, rather than plural.If the narrator is the only one paying any attention to Miss Rosie, he must be concerned for her in some way, which further shows his compassion for her. This is a result of her affecting him and only him. Another portrayal of this compassion for Miss Rosie is demonstrated in the following quote, â€Å"I stand up / through your destruction / I stand up† (16-18). Once again, Clifton uses a singular pronoun to prove the narrator is the only one who’s been affected by Miss Rosie.Since the narrator is the only one standing up against Miss Rosie’s destruction, he proves to be the only one who shows compassion for her due to being affected by her. Repetition of these phrases helps to show how the narrator is the only one affected by Miss Rosie because they indicate no one besides the narrator is compassionate enough to do something about it.

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Americans, in the years following the end of World War I found themselves in an era called â€Å"The Roaring Twenties.† Americans in â€Å"The Roaring Twenties† found themselves in an era, where the people simply wished to detach themselves from the troubles of Europeans and the rest of the world. During the 1020’s the economy proved prosperous for the middle and upper class, crime lords and businesses; however, it was not a prosperous period for minorities and farmers. The Eighteenth Amendment (1919), which banned the manufacturing, sale of or transportation of liquor, caused breweries and saloons a great demise; however, it reaped profit for bootleggers. This also meant a rise in organized crime. Events such as the â€Å"Saint Valentines Massacre† took place. Callous criminals such as Capone, was worth an estimated 60 million dollars. Although Capone was indeed a criminal, he shared his wealth with charities, and provided the public with goods and services that they wanted. . (Tindall, et al., 434) Middle- Class Americans were moving into a period of economic prosperity. Even industrial workers whose strikes for higher pay had availed them little in the previous decades benefited. When the American people saw that the economy was flourishing, they felt that they were on a pedestal, protected from the river of uncertainty, economic depression and the failure of the â€Å"American Dream.† Many Americans found a way to improve their lifestyle. Whether it had been through hard work, or luck in the stock market. Since the economy was in such good shape, many Americans could afford to purchase items they could not have purchased in the past. Items such as camera’s, appliances, and radios were now affordable not only to the rich, but to the middle-class as well. (Tindall, et al., 446) Low-income families could afford to buy an inexpensive Model T, which Henry Ford developed in 1908. The number of passenger cars in the... 's Free Essays on Alzheimer\'s Alzheimer’s Disease is relentlessly destroying the brains and lives of our nation’s older adults, robbing them of memory, the ability to reason, and affecting their emotions and behavior. Alzheimer’s Disease is a degenerative disorder of the brain. The longer we live the greater the risk; â€Å"nearly 10 percent of all people over age 65 and up to half of those over age 85 are thought to have Alzheimer’s Disease or another form of dementia† (Anonymous, 2002). The devastation of Alzheimer’s Disease affects millions of families in the United States. Alzheimer’s Disease costs can be measured in mental, physical, emotional, and financial terms (Clark, 1997). In terms of emotional and physical strains, it is perhaps the caregivers and family who suffer the most for they live with the disease consciously, never losing the knowledge or understanding of what is actually going on. This is not to say that the Alzheimer’s patient does not suffer an incredible amount of suffering. Even though they often forget their pain and condition, they are sometimes victims of abuse. In the following paper I will examine two aspects of aging: that of Alzheimer’s Disease and elder abuse. I will examine the effects they have upon families, caregivers and the victims. â€Å"In Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias, problems with memory, judgment, and thought processes make it hard for a person to work and take part in day-to-day family and social life. Changes in mood and personality also may occur† (Anonymous, 2002). â€Å"Approximately 19 million Americans have a family member with Alzheimer’s; approximately 300,000 cases each year are diagnosed† (Anonymous, 2002). At the present time there is no cure for Alzheimer’s though symptoms can be relieved to a degree with certain medications. Early in the disease the patient may experience minimal changes â€Å"such as forgetfulness and subtle memory loss, without loss of social skills and behavi...

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Womens Suffrage Leader

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Women's Suffrage Leader Elizabeth Cady Stanton (November 12, 1815–October 26, 1902) was a leader, writer, and activist in the 19th-century womens suffrage movement. Stanton often worked with Susan B. Anthony as the theorist and writer, while Anthony was the public spokesperson. Fast Facts: Elizabeth Cady Stanton Known For: Stanton was a leader in the womens suffrage movement and theorist and writer who worked closely with Susan B. Anthony.Also Known As: E.C. StantonBorn: November 12, 1815 in Johnstown, New YorkParents: Margaret Livingston Cady and Daniel CadyDied: October 26, 1902 in New York, New YorkEducation: At home, the Johnstown Academy, and the Troy Female SeminaryPublished Works and Speeches:  Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments (co-drafted and amended), Solitude of Self, The Womens Bible (co-written), History of Womens Suffrage (co-written), Eighty Years and MoreAwards and Honors: Inducted into National Womens Hall of Fame (1973)Spouse: Henry Brewster StantonChildren: Daniel Cady Stanton, Henry Brewster Stanton, Jr., Gerrit Smith Stanton, Theodore Weld Stanton, Margaret Livingston Stanton, Harriet Eaton Stanton, and Robert Livingston StantonNotable Quote: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal. Early Life and Education Stanton was born in New York in 1815.  Her mother was Margaret Livingston and descended from Dutch, Scottish, and Canadian ancestors, including people who fought in the American Revolution. Her father was Daniel Cady, a descendant of early Irish and English colonists.  Daniel Cady was an attorney and judge. He served in the state assembly and in Congress. Elizabeth was among the younger siblings in the family, with one older brother and two older sisters living at the time of her birth (a sister and brother had died before her birth).  Two sisters and a brother followed. The only son of the family to survive to adulthood, Eleazar Cady, died at age 20. Her father was devastated by the loss of all his male heirs, and when young Elizabeth tried to console him, he said, I wish you were a boy.  This, she later said, motivated her to study and try to become the equal of any man. She was also influenced by her fathers attitude toward female clients.  As an attorney, he advised abused women to stay in their relationships because of legal barriers to divorce and to the control of property or wages after a divorce. Young Elizabeth studied at home and at the Johnstown Academy, and then was among the first generation of women to gain a higher education at the Troy Female Seminary, founded by Emma Willard. She experienced a religious conversion at school, influenced by the religious fervor of her time. But the experience left her fearful for her eternal salvation, and she had what was then called a nervous collapse. She later credited this with her lifelong distaste for most religions. Radicalization and Marriage Elizabeth may have been named for her mothers sister, Elizabeth Livingston Smith, who was the mother of Gerrit Smith.  Daniel and Margaret Cady were conservative Presbyterians, while cousin Gerrit Smith was a religious skeptic and abolitionist.  Young Elizabeth Cady stayed with the Smith family for some months in 1839, and it was there that she met Henry Brewster Stanton, known as an abolitionist speaker. Her father opposed their marriage because Stanton supported himself completely through the uncertain income of a traveling orator, working without pay for the American Anti-Slavery Society.  Even with her fathers opposition, Elizabeth Cady married abolitionist Henry Brewster Stanton in 1840.  By that time, shed already observed enough about the legal relationships between men and women to insist that the word obey be dropped from the ceremony. After the wedding, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her new husband departed for a trans-Atlantic voyage to England to attend the Worlds Anti-Slavery Convention in London. Both were appointed delegates of the American Anti-Slavery Society.  The convention denied official standing to women delegates, including Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. When the Stantons returned home, Henry began to study law with his father-in-law.  Their family quickly grew.  Daniel Cady Stanton, Henry Brewster Stanton, and Gerrit Smith Stanton were already born by 1848; Elizabeth was the chief caregiver of them, and her husband was frequently absent with his reform work.  The Stantons moved to Seneca Falls, New York, in 1847. Womens Rights Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott met again in 1848 and began planning for a womens rights convention to be held in Seneca Falls. That convention, including the Declaration of Sentiments written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and approved there, is credited with initiating the long struggle toward woman suffrage and womens rights. Stanton began writing frequently for womens rights, including advocating for womens property rights after marriage. After 1851, Stanton worked in close partnership with Susan B. Anthony. Stanton often served as the writer, since she needed to be home with her children, and Anthony was the strategist and public speaker in this effective working relationship. More children followed in the Stanton marriage, despite Anthonys eventual complaints that having these children was taking Stanton away from the important work of womens rights.  In 1851, Theodore Weld Stanton was born, then Margaret Livingston Stanton and Harriet Eaton Stanton. Robert Livingston Stanton, the youngest, was born in 1859. Stanton and Anthony continued to lobby in New York for womens rights, up until the Civil War. They won major reforms in 1860, including the right after divorce for a woman to have custody of her children and economic rights for married women and widows.  They were beginning to work for reform on New Yorks divorce laws when the Civil war began. Civil War Years and Beyond From 1862 to 1869, the Stantons lived in New York City and Brooklyn. During the Civil War, womens rights activity was largely stopped while the women who had been active in the movement worked in various ways first to support the war and then work for anti-slavery legislation after the war.   Elizabeth Cady Stanton  ran for Congress in 1866 in a bid to represent New Yorks 8th Congressional district. Women, including Stanton, were still not eligible to vote.  Stanton received 24 votes out of about 22,000 cast. Split Movement Stanton and Anthony proposed at the Anti-Slavery Society annual meeting in 1866 to form an organization that would focus on equality for women and African-Americans.  The American Equal Rights Association was the result, but it split apart in 1868 when some supported the 14th Amendment, which would establish rights for black males but would also add the word male to the Constitution for the first time, while others, including Stanton and Anthony, were determined to focus on female suffrage. Those who supported their stance founded the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and Stanton served as president. The rival American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) was founded by others, dividing the womens suffrage movement and its strategic vision for decades. During these years, Stanton, Anthony, and Matilda Joslyn Gage organized efforts from 1876 to 1884 to lobby Congress to pass a national woman suffrage amendment to the constitution.  Stanton also lectured for the traveling public programs known as the lyceum circuit from 1869 to 1880.  After 1880, she lived with her children, sometimes abroad. She continued to write prolifically, including her work with Anthony and Gage from 1876 through 1882 on the first two volumes of the History of Woman Suffrage. They published the third volume in 1886. In these years, Stanton cared for her aging husband until his death in 1887. Merger When the NWSA and the AWSA finally merged in 1890, Elizabeth Cady Stanton served as the president of the resulting National American Woman Suffrage Association.  She was critical of the direction of the movement despite serving as president, as it sought southern support by aligning with those who opposed any federal interference in state limits on voting rights justified more and more the womens right to vote by asserting womens superiority.  She spoke before Congress in 1892, on The Solitude of Self. She published her autobiography Eighty Years and More in 1895. She became more critical of religion, publishing with others in 1898 a controversial critique of womens treatment by religion, The Womans Bible. Controversy, especially over that publication, alienated many in the suffrage movement from Stanton, as the more conservative majority of suffrage activists were concerned that such skeptical free thought ideas might lose precious support for suffrage. Death Elizabeth Cady Stanton spent her last years in ill health, increasingly hampered in her movements. She was unable to see by 1899 and died in New York on October 26, 1902, nearly 20 years before the United States granted women the right to vote. Legacy While Elizabeth Cady Stanton is best known for her long contribution to the woman suffrage struggle, she was also active and effective in winning property rights for married women, equal guardianship of children, and liberalized divorce laws. These reforms made it possible for women to leave marriages that were abusive of the wife or the children. Sources â€Å"Elizabeth Cady Stanton.†Ã‚  National Womens History Museum.Ginzberg, Lori D. Elizabeth Cady Stanton: An American Life. Hill and Wang, 2010.

Should governmet impose trade sanctions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Should governmet impose trade sanctions - Essay Example This means restricted import and export. Trade sanctions result in deprivation of the people from the things and services they need. This helps create a tension within the country on national level wherein the government feels obliged to adhere to the moral and ethical expectations of the other countries so that the trade ties can be opened with them and people can be provided with the things they need. Trade has a direct impact on the economy of a country. The more the trade, the stronger the economy. Imposition of trade sanctions breaks the backbone of a country by bringing its economy down. In an attempt to restore the strength of their economy, countries change their policies for the better. Imposition of trade sanctions, if use constructively, can help change the world by reducing crime, violence, corruption, and genocidal occurrences. However, in order to bring about the optimal results, a number of countries should unite in their policy of trade

The Idea of Government in terms of Anthropology Essay

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Divorce and Children Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Divorce and Children Issue - Essay Example There is a significant consensus among academic publications that divorce as an event has a net negative effect on children’s experience of wellbeing, but different authors differ significantly as to the reasons why such differences might exist and the long term psychological impact on children of divorce. Public opinion, however, is nearly unanimous in believing that divorce is damaging for children, though some argue that the long term impact might be better. In interviews, people generally state ideas that they have consumed from media (both news and popular) about divorce – essentially saying that the odds are that divorce will be harmful, but significant steps can be taken to reduce or mitigate that harm. Overall, the sources are in remarkable agreement about the effect of divorce on children of divorce. ... gely tried to make sense out of former research: â€Å"we know that adults and children from divorced families, as a group, score lower than their counterparts in married-couple families on a variety of indicators of wellbeing.† This essentially mirrors statements made in each of the other articles; in fact, the other two articles treat the idea that damage is done during the process of divorce as a known fact, for instance McGuiness simply quipping that â€Å"obviously, divorce reverberates in a child’s life for many years,† (2006, 20), and stating that the fundamental â€Å"truth† is that â€Å"marriage offers substantial benefits to children† (McGuiness, 2006, pg. 17). Hetherington’s research also largely concurred, indicating that almost any measure of wellbeing was worse amongst children of divorce than children who were not from divorced households. These researchers differed significantly, however, in their interpretation of why childr en of divorce performed worse than ones who marry. Though each researcher made reference to the tempting notion that there was some sort of selection bias in play (IE that children of divorce were less happy because the family situation of parents who decide to get divorced is likely to have problems that filter down to affecting the child), none of the researches were convinced that this process amounted to the primary reason for the apparent negative impact of divorce. Amato (2000, pg. 1287) even, in his survey of recent research, found that when largely controlling for variables such as family situation and so forth, divorce itself seemed to be problematic, that is that two children in exactly the same circumstance would have differing levels of success based on whether or not their parents were married. Given that selection

Beiersdorf Ag And The Cosmetics Industry

Beiersdorf Ag And The Cosmetics Industry Beiersdorf AG (BDF), together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and distribution of branded consumer goods primarily in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The company operates in two segments, Consumer and Tesa. The Consumer segment offers skin and beauty care products under the Labello, NIVEA, 84, la prairie, JUVENA, atrix, Eucerin, FUTURO, Hansaplast/Elastoplast, and Florena brand names. The consumer division represents over 80% of the companys total value sales. The Tesa segment engages in the development, production, and marketing of self-adhesive system and product solutions for industrial customers and consumers. Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1882 and is based in Hamburg, Germany. The group has around 17,300 employees and over 150 affiliates worldwide. Since 2003, the company has been part of the Tchibo Group. The group recorded revenues of 5,120 million during the fiscal year ended December 2006, an increase of 7.2% over 2005. The operating profit of the group was 477 million during fiscal year 2006, a decline of 15.8% over 2005. The net profit was 664 million in fiscal year 2006, an increase of 99.4% over 2005. This report analyses the economic aspects of the business of cosmetics and the consumer segment of Beiersdorf AG. 2. Introduction In 2006, the cosmetics and toiletries industry posted $163 billion, a growth rate of more than 5% over 2005 $155 billion. Euromonitor International forecasts average annual growth of 3% to reach global sales of more than $313 billion by 2011. (GCI, 2007). The industry continues to benefit from a combination of strong macroeconomic trends (including a worldwide rise in consumer spending power); key demographic factors such as aging populations and higher life expectancies; an increased interest in appearance and personal care as a means of preventive healthcare; and lifestyle and climatic changes that are creating opportunities for new product niches. Legislative restrictions are having a positive impact by improving consumer confidence and facilitating international trade, and technological advances are improving product efficacy and providing manufacturers with new marketing tools and advertising opportunities. 3. Competition and Markets Microeconomics: Porters 5 Forces Based on Porters five forces model which determines the intensity of the industry competition and profitability (Porter 1980, p3), Beiersdorf has an advantage in the cosmetics industry; their heritage and unmatched leadership in skin care through NIVEA has created an immediate stronghold over its competitors in the industry as well as differentiation. However the threat of substitute products and services could affect Beiersdorfs popularity. Threat of New Entrants Medium A large number of firms differentiate their products and maintain a certain degree of control over their pricing. This monopolistic competition has relatively low barriers to entry and exit. Government regulation, mostly related to safety issues, and distribution channels appear to be the most significant barriers to entry in the cosmetics industry. Beiersdorf has the advantage of economies of scale, an established supply and distribution channels and high product differentiation, to compete and have an incumbent advantage. The capital requirements of entry, customer and supplier loyalty, legislation, and retaliation are moderate, which indicate that a new entrant is hindered to enter the market and compete. To stay competitive, Beiersdorf needs to continually innovate. Threat of Substitutes High The risk of product-for-product substitution is high as equivalent product benefits are available both in generic and branded form. Beiersdorf has contended with this risk by continuous innovation and introducing unique formulations across global markets. Beiersdorf has worked to expand its presence in the global personal care market by promoting its flagship brand NIVEA, which launched a global marketing campaign last summer that intends to cover 64 countries by mid-2008. To increase sales by presenting consumers with innovative new products, Beiersdorfs expenditure on RD rose 7.6 per cent to 127m in 2007 and this investment is expected to help the company launch successful new products in the years ahead (Cosmetics Design, 2007). Bargaining Power of Buyers Medium Buyer (customer) concentration is moderate as product differentiation and distributed markets ensure relative price differences that ensure profitability. This indicates reduced bargaining power of the buyers. Loyalty to Beiersdorfs products is relatively high and the cost of switching buyers is medium. The risk of supplier acquired by the buyer is less as the products are proprietary formulations. Beiersdorf also differentiates through choice and first to market innovation. As such, they should be unwilling to accept compromises on quality. This will also be true for emerging economies, where, as they develop and innovation becomes a competitive differentiator, buyers will be less willing to compromise on quality. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Medium Ingredients are individually sourced from suppliers and blending them into unique proprietary products has traditionally been Beiersdorfs primary strength. Suppliers concentration is high with the added risk of buyer being acquired by the supplier. However, the cost of switching suppliers is moderate and overall, suppliers increasing costs is less impactful on the profitability. Competitive Rivalry High Despite an unfavourable environment in Beiersdorfs key region of Western Europe, the company has managed to consistently outperform global sales of cosmetics and toiletries over the review period and by one percentage point in 2006. Beiersdorfs global sales growth (6%) is above that of its direct competitors Procter Gamble and Unilever, although LOr al outperformed by one percentage point. However, like LOreal and other major global players, much of this growth is derived from emerging markets. This performance tends to demonstrate that Beiersdorfs growth strategy is successful. However, the degree by which Beiersdorf outstripped overall sales has lessened. It is essential for Beiersdorf to continually invest in RD to maintain their competitive differentiation and profitability. The recent revision of Beiersdorfs growth strategy indicates that the company identified the right targets for growth, both at product category level, such as with a focus on mens grooming products, and at a geographical level. The slight departure from the previous focus on North America seems wise, as sales in this region are forecast to remain sluggish over the period 2006-2011. On the other hand, increased efforts to launch Beiersdorfs brands in high-growth countries such as China and Russia should prove very beneficial. 4. Market demand and understanding the consumer The law of diminishing marginal utility holds for the cosmetics sector. A shift in the demand curve will be seen as a result of changes in demand due to factors other than price, such as increases in consumer income, changes in taxes on the product, changes in price or availability of competing products, and changes in expectations of future prices (Wilkinson 2005, p.82). Various elasticity concepts, including own price elasticity, income, advertising and cross-price elasticises of demand as well as consumer indifference curves are very important to the company as they influence the pricing and advertising strategies (Jones 2004, p.98). The demand curve for Beiersdorfs portfolio can be expressed as D1, displayed in Figure 3. P1Q1 represents the market equilibrium point for quantity and demand for the pricing strategy. Beiersdorf expansion of its market share in 2007 by focusing on product innovation and emerging markets with a special focus on the Chinese market was supported by high sales of Nivea Visage and Nivea for Men, and sales in China increased 45.1 per cent in 2007 contributing to a 7.6 per cent rise in the companys turnover to 5.5bn, indicated by an outward shift in the demand curve from D1 to D2. At this price point, quantity sold was higher (P2Q2). Sales were up 12.8 per cent and the jump in profits was also due to the companys logistics and production revamp, which has centred on its hair and skin care operation in Europe during the past two years. Thus, the demand curve may well have sloped more sharply upwards than it appears in Figure 3. This raises the equilibrium quantity from Q1 to the higher Q2. These curves demonstrate that Beiersdorfs overall revenue has grown considerably from 2006. In its financial results for 2007 the company reported sales of 5.5bn for the fiscal year, which adjusting for currency translated into a 9.1 per cent increase on 2006. Also, Beiersdorfs growth is driven by advertising and promotion, alongside heavy research and development investments. Faced with growing maturity in its key market Western Europe, Beiersdorf has not limited its growth strategy to product innovation. In addition, the company is focusing on alternative retail channels. 5. Market supply and understanding the companys costs Market supply is the aggregate of individual firm supply, determined by factors affecting firm supply. The market supply function for a product is a statement of the relation between the quantity supplied and all factors affecting that quantity (Hirschey 2005, p.110). With the dual aim of halving working capital requirements and saving costs, the Company embarked on a restructuring of its supply chain in 2005. Originally managed locally, all major supply chain processes, including planning, sourcing, production, delivery and returns are now moving towards more central management. Processes are being optimised, in order to reduce the time-to-market for new products, and products and processes are being standardised as much as possible to achieve economies of scale. In Europe, Beiersdorf has already adapted its production sites and logistics centres to reflect actual demand and has reduced overcapacity. For example, early 2007, the company sold its production and logistics facilities in France, as well as its Hamburg-based logistics centre and its Heitersheim-based soap factory both in Germany. In Asia, Beiersdorf conducted an in-depth analysis of its product and supply chain during 2006. It is expected to roll out its Asia restructuring plan in 2008. Meanwhile, on the back of beneficial business tax reform net profit leapt to 132m from 74m in 2006. Although Beiersdorf began to focus a large part of its efforts into strengthening its position in high-growth regions such as Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, the company is behind many other international manufacturers. Many players identified the same areas as key targets over the last few years. Without first-mover advantage, Beiersdorf will have to match its competitors in terms of distribution, price and product support in order to reach new customers. 6. Market analysis, failure and responses Market failure is the situation where the market mechanism fails to allocate resources efficiently (Wilkinson 2005, p.473). There are a number of reasons why market failure might occur: inefficiencies, imperfect competition due to oligopoly in the cosmetics market, external economies and diseconomies of production, pure private and pure public goods; and government intervention in the form of taxation and subsidies to try and restore social equity while exercising other options such as legal measures and persuasion. Annual sales growth in the cosmetics and toiletries market has fallen gradually from 21.2 per cent in 2002 to 11.3 per cent last year to $20.9bn. Overall growth figures are slowing as the market matures although breaking down the figures suggests high double-digit growth is still achievable in the market for more sophisticated products. Picking out two categories for comparison, premium cosmetics sales increased 15 per cent last year whereas deodorant sales grew by only 8.2 per cent (Cosmetics Design, 2008). Beiersdorf should achieve growth figures in Central and Eastern Europe with targeted growing niches and expanded market share. In addition, Beiersdorf paid 269.45m in October for an 85 per cent stake in China-based C-Bons Hair Care, which owns the Slek and Maestro brands (Cosmetics Design, 2007). This will significantly strengthen Beiersdorfs market share in China. 7. Market structures and company strategies Economists classify market structures into four main types: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly (Wilkinson 2005, p.313). The cosmetics business is an oligopoly. With competitors such as Unilever, LOreal, Proctor and Gamble, Avon, Est e Lauder Cosmetics, and other large corporations, Beiersdorf attempts to maintain a technological superiority through path-breaking innovations and their highly successful soft-sell techniques. The constant research and development of cosmetics, combined with the universal human desire to look the best they can, suggests that the industry has great potential. The strategies used by Beiersdorf are an attempt to differentiate itself from other competitors in the industry. Despite an unfavourable environment Beiersdorfs global sales growth (6%) is above that of its direct competitors Procter Gamble and Unilever, although LOreal outperformed by one percentage point. This performance tends to demonstrate that Beiersdorfs growth strategy is successful. The recent revision of Beiersdorfs growth strategy indicates that the company identified the right targets for growth, both at product category level, such as with a focus on mens grooming products, and at a geographical level. The slight departure from the previous focus on North America seems wise, as sales in this region are forecast to remain sluggish over the period 2006-2011. On the other hand, increased efforts to launch Beiersdorfs brands in high-growth countries such as China and Russia should prove very beneficial. 8. Economic output and national wealth Economic output is measured with actual growth and potential growth. Actual growth may be defined as the actual annual increase in national product or real GDP per annum, normally expressed as a percentage or on a per capita basis. In contrast, potential growth is the annual increase in a countrys productive capability. Actual growth may fall short of potential growth if the economy is working at less than full capacity, which is if it works within its production possibility frontier. Economic growth is perceived to be desirable since higher growth benefits the population of the country. However, high shorter term economic growth using non-renewable resources, causes slow long term growth. Cosmetics industry contributes positively to the GDP due to its manufacturing activity. Beiersdorfs products are manufactured across the world and in all its major markets it has manufacturing facilities or agreements with affiliates. Beiersdorf also supports beauty salons and massage parlours with its professional products and thus indirectly supports local economies. 9. Economic growth and business cycles The global economy recorded sound growth in the early part of 2007. However, in late summer the ongoing slowdown on the U.S. real estate market triggered fears regarding the creditworthiness of financial market products and institutions in the U.S.A. and Europe. U.S. monetary policymakers moved to counter rising cyclical risks by cutting interest rates. Nevertheless, the drop in real estate prices, rising default rates for mortgage loans, and the jump in jobless rates at the end of the year led to a market slowdown in the growth of U.S. consumer spending and hence in the economy as a whole. Against this background, the U.S. dollar came under strong pressure in the second half of 2007. In addition, the euro appreciated significantly against the yen, impacting the international competitiveness of European companies. Continental European economies were dominated by robust growth in exports and investments and further improvements on the job market, but were impacted by an increase in inflation risks, fuelled by rocketing prices for oil, energy, and food. Figure 7: Inflation in 2007 Source: Beiersdorf Annual Report, 2007 The ongoing rapid expansions of the Chinese market, where growth rates are at about 12%, continue to offer sales opportunities for European producers. At the same time, Chinas growing demand for raw materials led to price rises on the global commodities markets. Although Continental Asian countries saw dynamic development, Japanese growth is below expectations. In Latin America, growth remained stable at around 5% in 2007, while in Eastern Europe it was 6%. Business cycles effect on Beiersdorf, as a factor of investment and consumer spend on goods and services, is limited as its products cater to virtually every age-group among consumers and its flagship brand NIVEA and its extensions as an umbrella brand have gained immense value and loyalty. It is true that mass-market cosmetics are not essential for life, however, the relative low-cost of the products, and the heavy reliance on image enhancement, especially in women, prompt that cosmetics would not be the first items to be forsaken in time of economic hardship. This makes the industry more resistant to recessions and other economic downturns. 10. Capital accumulation and technological progress In addition to Beiersdorfs acquisitions, the investments in operating activities amounted to 106 million relating to intangible assets and property, plant, and equipment in 2007. Innovative product development is a strategic factor at Beiersdorf for ensuring competitive strength and group growth, based on over 80 years of research and development. In 2007, the company spent 127 million on research and development (2.3% of sales). On a global level, 870 members of staff without C-BONS Hair Care are employed in research and development. 11. Labour markets and unemployment Though unemployment is creeping, unbridled inflation has played havoc with commodity prices and interest rate turbulence. This can lead to loss of jobs as companies may trim their expenses in an effort to counter inflation. Beiersdorf enjoys a healthy growth rate of over 6% against the industry growth of 4% average. There is no threat of unemployment and labour market issues for Beiersdorf due to its unassailable market share and brand loyalty across the world. The resilience of the economy could be impacted by unemployment, but is unlikely to directly impact demand for Beiersdorfs products, due to its strong heritage and the NIVEA brand pull. 12. Role of government and fiscal policy Government expenditure and taxation is the basis for fiscal policy. Cosmetics are regularly taxed and such taxes have a notional effect on demand of Beiersdorfs products. However, customs and import duties on raw materials and finished goods have an impact and the company appears to counter such effects with local manufacture and continued product innovations. 13. Role of government and monetary policy Since inflation and money supply determine the monetary policy, inflation is countered with a change in interest rates to affect a control on money supply. Beiersdorf indicates that currency, interest rate, and liquidity risks are subject to active treasury management. In most cases they are managed and hedged centrally. Derivative financial instruments serve solely to hedge operational activities and financial transactions essential to the business. The Company limits potential default risks relating to the investment of the Groups liquid funds by only making short-term investments with prime-rated counterparties. Consumer impact of monetary policy may affect spending on cosmetics. However, brand loyalty and preference for personal grooming offset any adverse impact. 14. Foundations of international trade The law of absolute advantage and the law of comparative advantage are the basis for international trade. Countries specialise in goods and services which they have the greatest aptitude for producing due to natural resource endowments, or because of the acquired skills of their workforce. These factors of production are largely immobile between countries so trade takes place in the goods which they produce. The terms of trade of a country might change as the result of a change in the composition of its exports or imports, or a change in the price of its exports or imports. For the former, businesses selling higher priced products such as software as opposed to low level manufactures would be one cause of an improvement in the terms of trade. This leads to the issue of free trade against protectionism, such as import tariffs, quotas, exchange controls, export subsidies and administrative barriers. Beiersdorf with 150 affiliates worldwide is a major player in international trade. It leverages inherent strength of each country it operates in and extends these advantages across its global markets. Beiersdorf projects that the consumer segment of its business will continue to enjoy growth of approximately 8 per cent due to its increased China focus, which is double the cosmetics market as a whole. China does not however carry the burden of delivering sales growth for the company alone and Russia, Brazil and India have been identified as fellow drivers for growth. This is more confident than the outlook of competitor LOreal which, on the back of recent results affected by the weak US dollar, pulled down its expectations for the full year to just under 6 per cent growth (Cosmetic Design, 2008). 15. Conclusion The cosmetics industry, business and market analysis, based on the 12 strands of the Grenoble syllabus, identify several important issues. Central to the planning and development of strategies within the business environment is based on an understanding and interpretation of micro- and macro-economic factors. Applying the above twelve economic factors to Beiersdorf performance, it is clear that market, governmental and global forces act upon the company, affecting strategic decisions. The business is consumer-oriented and market driven. Sustaining market share and ensuring growth in this free and highly competitive market requires continuous application of information analysis, strategic decision-making and rapid execution. Constant innovation, vast potential in emerging markets, maturing markets in Western Europe and US, varied preferences of consumers across global markets who also seek consistent quality and product standards, may result in dramatic shifts along the demand curve. An oligopoly, the cosmetics business thrives on capital accumulation and technological progress, ensured by economic growth, business cycles and international trade. Fiscal and monetary measures by the governments and labour issues influence the business to a limited extent. Beiersdorf is a successful global company in this sector and its growth and expansion over the decades indicates a healthy and competitive advantage.