Private Vs. Public School Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Private Vs. Public School Education - Essay Example But the fees of the private schools are generally very high, and not all parents can afford them. Public schools provide free education. they are equally focused and dedicated to the education of children like those in private schools. Private schools are found to be more expensive than public schools. The most significant concern is the tuition fees. Public schools do not charge tuition. Instead, they are funded through federal, state or local taxes (Private vs. public schools: what’s the difference?, 2009). But private schools are funded by tuition, fundraising, donations and other private grants. Public schools are subject to various state and federal regulations that allow them to provide education to all children including those with special needs. Private schools are not obligated to accept all students. When it comes to educating children in accordance with the learning advancements, curriculum is considered to be the most significant concern of the school authorities as well as the government policies (Kennedy, 2009). There are evident differences between private and public schools in the context of curriculum design for students. Public schools offer a generalized curriculum designed for all students, which includes all the essential subjects (math, English, science, etc.) as well as physical education. The curriculum is mandated by the state government, and learning ability of children is measured by various state standardized tests. In other words, curriculum design in public schools is somewhat definite as regulated by the state. Whereas private schools allow a considerable amount of flexibility while designing the curriculum. For instance, they can develop various specialized programs determined by the requirements of the students. Students are evaluated by standardized tests just like those in the public schools, but private schools can develop their own curriculum and assessment systems. Special

Satisfaction level of retailers and the visual merchandising

Satisfaction level of retailers and the visual merchandising This chapter is a review of the central theoretical literature of satisfaction level of retailers and the visual merchandising and its impact on consumers buying behaviour which ultimately leads to increase in the margin of the retailers. The first part of this chapter deals with the most popular brand of PepsiCo and the satisfaction level of retailers with respect to per product margin. The second chapter examine the planogram norms of the company and it tries to find out whether or not the retailers follow it properly. The third and last part of the chapter examines the effectiveness of Visual Merchandising and its effectiveness on consumers buying behaviour. All these objectives/problems have been examined in the light of academic literature and some of the facts have been supported by the data taken form the company i.e., Pepsico. To find out the most popular brand of PepsiCo the satisfaction level of its retailers Most of the manufacturers of consumer goods including PepsiCofrequently use intermediaries to sell their products to the final consumer. Intermediaries such as big and small retailers have substantialstimulus over the marketing of these goods and hence over the ultimate consumer choice (Laland Narasimhan, 1996). Even PepsiCo is one of the largest networks of retailers in India (PepsiCo, 2010). The consumer goods retail market is characterized by intensivecompetitionamong retailers competing for a share of the consumers money (Albion and Farris, 1982). Retailers, generally, carry so many products, and on any given purchase occasion a typical consumer buys a subset of the vast number of items a retailer has on its shelf. Generally consumers are ignorant or uninformed about the prices of all the products they want to buy and subsequently select a retailer to shop at based on the advertised prices of a subset of the products they desire to buy. Given this, retailers tend to compete more aggressively based on the prices of a selected set of items by advertising these prices to consumers (Agustin Singh, 2005). It means that these retailers will sell more products of only those company which tries to make them happy through more or heavy margin.The items that the retailers select to compete on are those that most consumers de-sire and value highly. Since the profit from any cust omer is the sum of profits from advertised and un-advertised items, the intensity of retail competition, as evident from the prices of these items, increases with the amount the consumer will expend on the unadvertised items once at the store. This aggressiveness therefore translates into lower retail mar-gins on these selected items since the retailers expect that consumers, once inside a store, will buy non-advertised products as well on which the retailers make money. Thus manufacturers, who are more adept at using pull strategies to enhance the popularity of their product, obtain a significant competitive advantage vis-a-vis others. The positioning of the product and the image conveyed through advertising act as drivers in creating this advantage which results in higher wholesale prices that these manufacturers can charge the retailers (Lal and Narasimhan, 1996). The cost of acquiring new customers usually far exceeds the cost of retaining an existing customer. As a result, customer retention has become a managerial strategy that has spurred interest in understanding and implementing store-loyalty programs (Agustin Singh, 2005; Carter, 2008; Pan Zinkhan, 2006; Reichheld, 1996; Reichheld Sasser, 1990; Sheth Parvatiyar, 1995). That is why retailers are the most important link between the company and the customers.Manufacturer advertising also affects prices and margins at both the retail and wholesale levels. The relationship between prices as well as margins at the retail and wholesale levels can be found in the economics literature (see, e.g., Ferguson 1982 or Pindyck and Rubinfeld 1989), where it has been argued, based on the theory of derived demand, that the movements of prices and margins at the retail and wholesale level are necessarily perfectly correlated. In other words, if advertising leads to increased market power through produ ct differentiation, both wholesale and retail prices in-crease, leaving both manufacturers and retailers with higher margins; or if advertising leads to increased price sensitivity through reduced perceived product differentiation, both wholesale and retail prices decrease, leaving both manufacturers and retailers with lower margins. In contrast, Steiner (1973, 1978, 1984) has argued that it is possible that a manufacturers advertising can have opposite effects on wholesale price elasticity and retail price elasticity, implying that margins can move in opposite directions. However, he does not offer a formal model of manufacturers and retailers to support his arguments. Source: (Lal and Narshimhan, 1996) There is scant empirical literature on the effects of advertising on margins. In Table 1, Lal and Narasimhan (1996) summarised the evidence presented in the literature on the negative association between manufacturer advertising and retail margins. Reekie (1979) shows that manufacturers advertising and retail margins are inversely related in a cross-sectional study of many categories. Farris and Albion (1987) find that in many nondurable consumer good categories, higher brand advertising is associated with lower retail margins, though there were a few categories where the opposite is true. They also find that the negative relationship between manufacturer advertising and retail margins is strongest in categories with high penetration, non-food, and large category advertising budgets. Steiner (1973) uses data from the toy industry to conclude that the more popular toys (i.e., the more heavily advertised) yield lower retail margins. Finally, using data at the four-digit SIC level, Nels on (1978) finds that there is a negative association between manufacturer advertising and retail margins. The reader is also referred to Steiner (1993) for some anecdotal evidence from different industries on the inverse association between manufacturers advertising and re-tail margins. Support for positive association between manufacturer advertising and wholesale margins is provided in Quelch et al. (1984) and Narasimhan (1989a). Note that all these studies are cross-sectional and all these studies have focused on either the whole-sale margin or the retail margin. The one exception is Steiner (1991), who documents, using data from the toy industry, that higher levels of manufacturer advertising are associated with higher wholesale margins while leading to lower retail margins. Taken as a whole, these studies demonstrate that in general, higher manufacturer advertising leads to higher wholesale margins and lower retail margins, though the effect at the retail level is less systemat ic. Thus we see that in contrast to the standard economic arguments, there is empirical evidence to suggest the possibility of an inverse relation-ship between wholesale and retail margins. The objective in this chapter is to revisit thisproblem and offer a formal model to explain how the margins at the retail and wholesale level can be negatively related. It shows that if a manufacturer can affect the intensity of retail competition, it can increase its wholesale price while at the same time exert downward pressure on retail margins. Furthermore, It demonstrates that if manufacturer advertising can enhance the attractive-ness of the brand as shown in Boulding et al. (1994) (resulting in a higher willingness to pay or increasing aggregate demand for its product), manufacturers brand advertising can increase the intensity of competition at the retail level. Finally, it is shown that even if there is competition at the wholesale level, a manufacturer with a more popular or well-positi oned brand can use advertising to increase profits. The intuition behind our result is the following. First, it should be noted that retailers selling a large assortment of goods cannot advertise the prices of all goods. Moreover, retailers need to advertise the prices of some goods in order to make it worthwhile for consumers to shop at the store. Hence consumers make store choice on the basis of advertised prices and expected prices for goods bought on a shopping trip. Given the fact that retailers charge and consumers expect to pay a higher price for the unadvertised goods, and consumers prefer one-stop shopping due to transportation costs, any effort by the manufacturer that affects the proportion of consumers who decide to shop at a retail store for any given difference in the retail price of the advertised good would lead to an increase in the intensity of retail competition. Such actions by the manufacturer would lead to lower retail margins. At the same time such actions can also increase the wholesale price and manufacturers margins since these actions allow the manufacturers to recover some of the rents derived by the retailer on the unadvertised good. In other words, since the retailers make a higher margin on the unadvertised good, any action by the manufacturer that affects the size of these profits to the retailers allows the manufacturer to wield more power and set higher wholesale prices. We show that if manufacturer advertising leads to lower price sensitivity or increase in aggregate demand, an increase in such advertising would result in lower margins for the retailers and higher margins for the manufacturers. It should also be noted that while our work is silent on the exact role of manufacturer advertising, Kaul and Wittink (1995) report that one empirical generalization from past studies is that an in-crease in non-price advertising leads to lower price sensitivity among consumers. Finally, it is important to recognize that our result is shown to exist in a context where retail advertising has no impact on the demand of the advertised brand, and that our result would not exist in the absence of the composite good. Moreover, the inverse relationship be-tween wholesale and retail margins can exist only for goods/brands where the retailer reveals price via advertising(Lal and Narasimhan, 1996). Previous research in the area of store loyalty focuses on customer satisfaction as a major predictor of loyalty (Bloemer Kasper, 1995; Brown, 2004; Cronin Taylor, 1992; Garbarino Johnson, 1999; Reichheld, 1996; Sawmong Omar, 2004; Taylor Baker, 1994). However, many companies rated high on customer satisfaction indexes showed poor financial performance (Buttle, 1999; Passikoff, 1997). There is evidence supporting high rates of defection among satisfied customers across many industries (Buttle, 1999; Jones Sasser, 1995). Thus, the ability of customer satisfaction reliably and accurately to predict loyalty has not been unambiguously established (Higgins, 1997). Clearly, the development and implementation of successful store-loyalty programs would benefit from a better understanding of loyalty, its antecedents and its consequences (Ray and Chiagouris, 2009). It is evident from the above discussion that satisfied and happy retailers would ultimately lead to increased sales. Higher m argin per product or total income of retailers from a particular product would to happy retailers. From the above discussion it is clearly evident that If the company spends heavily on advertisement of on its product, it will increase total sales, which means it will ultimately more margin on total sales and in this way the company can make happy its retailers.The PepsiCo spends heavily in India for its Pepsi Soft Drink, much more than its nearest rival Coca-Cola (PepsiCo, Annual Report,2010).These heavy advertisements have a significant positive impact on the total sale of its soft drink over last year. It is a clear sign of happy retailers who are gaining low margin per bottle of Pepsi but in total higher revenue from its total sales. To check the planogram (POG) norms, whether the retailers followed it properly or not There are many factors which are generally used to stimulate consumers purchases, including advertisement, product variety, layout of stores, merchandise appraising, services offered, and other marketing programs (Levy and Weitz, 1992) but space planning and store layout are one of the prime consideration (Yang, 2001). The layout of stores and proper space planning highlight the importance of improvement of the visual effect on the customers for shopping and the space productivity of retail stores (Yang, 2001). Planograms, typically,are used to display exactly where and how many items are physically placed onto which store shelves. Because of limited shelf space, planograms plays a vital role for the improvement of financial performance of the company in general and for retailer in particular (Yang, 2001; Yang and Chen, 1999). There are two ways for retailers to increase margin (Profit). They will have either increase sales or by reducing costs. Cost reduction is basically operational in nature. It heavily depends on technology, management of personnel and efficient inventory management. Generally increase in sales is market driven and can be categorised in to two different segments i.e., (i) in-store -tactics and; (ii) out-of-store tactics. Out of store tactics is used to attract more and more customers into the store while in-store tactics used to compel customers psychologically to buy as much as they can, when they enter into the stores (Dreze, Hoch and Purk, 1994). Previous Space Management Research In the field of Space Management, the impact on sales of space management is very limited because of high implementation cost. The existing work methods can be categorised into three different models- (i) Commercial Applications, (ii) Experimental Tests, and (iii) Optimization Model. In business literature, applications oriented approaches are preferred because of its simplicity and the easy operation. For example, PROGALY Model ((Dreze, Hoch and Purk, 1994). ) is generally preferred. In this model, space is allotted to a product in proportion of total sales. Cifrino (1963) and McKinsey (1963) argued for space with respect to Direct Product Profit (DPP). Rest of the models have concentrated on lowering the operating cost and minimising inventory and handling costs (Cifrino, 1963). Planogram Integrity: A serious Issue There are many retailers who have recognised the importance of proficiently exploit their customer services in times of intense competition. Confronted by the amplified pressure of fee discounters and the rise of a price war between supermarkets organisation on the one hand and the companies on the other hand since 2003, Indian Retailers want quality in their operations to endure large collection at reduced profit margins (PepsiCo 2009). Thus, balancing inventory and renewal costs, given a collection of wide range of products and the corresponding shelf space at the retail stores is rally an important task. Retailers aim at exploiting availability of the products in the collection at a marginal cost of operations. These objectives have to be attained on the shelves, where a particular product meets its customers. The amount of shelf space allocated to a product is thus primarily a consequence of marketing decisions: i.e., the merchandising category to which the product is assigned an d the allocated number of facings, which are the number of slots on the front of the retail shelf. This planogram on its turn govern the available shelf space for the operations. From both an operations as a marketing point of view, it is thought-provoking to scrutinise whether local managers are contrary from the planogram, to determine the grounds and to analyse the consequences (Woensel et al, 2008). Planogram integrity is the degree to which the planograms and its norms are followed in practice(Woensel et al, 2008). High planogram integrity stands for small/very little difference between planogram and the authentic situation in a store (Woensel et al, 2008). A planogram encompasses significant information for the accomplishment of operations. Generally, when creating planograms the retailers decides the collection composition, the location of products in the store and the amount of space apportioned to each product (Levy and Weitz, 1992). Figure of Planogram Woensel et al, (2008) have completed empirical research on the planogram and data collected for ten stores in India. During this collection period, the stores were not allowed to change their mode/style operations. Moreover, the days were carefully selected such that the period of measurement did not include any periods of expected demand peaks/drops (e.g. no holidays). The data were gathered for Pepsi soft drink only. Woensel et al, (2008) observed that collection in the stores seems to be reasonably different from the one identified in the planograms. The main driver for this was identified to be the possibility to locally add or drop items from the collection. Also, categories with a larger collection seem to be more prone for abnormalities than one with smaller collections. This designates the drawbacks of managing these huge collections with composite swap relationships. On the locational level, it seemed that the abnormality is small (for the common collection in both actual situations versus planogram). The common of abnormalities could be linked back to facing differences. The foremost cause is due to the different shelving in practice than the one used in the planogram. Finally, also considerable differences between the stores exist; some store managers follow the norms provided by the company for the planograms very closely; other store managers do not take it seriously. The Root causes for erroneousness were typically associated to the local store management. Another vital issue is the acceptance time required for updating the shelves following the changes in the planograms(Woensel et al, 2008). Over and above these is no proper processes for controlling these messages was available to all stores, leading thus to a serious issue with planogram integrity. Furthermore high levels of inaccuracy in the real realizations are also ascribed to the lack of incentives from the headquarters for enforcing the planograms. Generally, it is witnessed that the inaccuracy of the planograms is correlated to the regularity, the timing and/or the type of changes in the planograms. Of course, one should not overlook the strain in the following the planogram closely. Because of repeated introductions or de-listing of products and changes in style and pack size or the turnover of a product, frequent changes in the planograms are needed(Woensel et al, 2008). Without a detailed plan to implement the changes in the planograms, they might be postponed, not implemented in full or the local management already anticipated the changes before the company conversed with them(Woensel et al, 2008). It can be concluded that planogram integrity is a vital issue that requires a retailers management consideration. Woensel et al, (2008) shown clearly that common of differences relate back to facing differences. The second important issue is collection and display of products and third issue locational differences. From the above discussion, one can find four main drives for these differences, (i) Local Store Management, (ii) a substantial acceptance time for changes, (iii) diverse local situations that presumed in the planogram and (iv) lack of incentive from the company. The foremost consequence of a lack of planogram integrity proved to be a significant loss of effectiveness both in marketing strategy as in the operational executions, as such indicating that planogram integrity is a serious issue The Impact of Visual Merchandising on the Consumer Decision Process Introduction McGolddrick (1990, 2002) argued that Visual Stimulation and communication are very important facets of retailing. This interest in the visual has combined to form the exercise of visual merchandising. This is demarcated as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ activity which coordinates effective merchandise selection with effective merchandise display (Walters and White, 1987, p. 238). Consequently, Visual merchandising is apprehensive with both how the product and/or brand is visually communicated to the customer and also whether this message is decoded appropriately in this context affecting a positive psychological or behavioural outcome, ultimately leading to purchase (Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003). The significance of accomplishing such a consequence has meant that within the retail environment, various procedures have been used to exhibit, merchandise and communicate products. This diversity in visual merchandising procedures has conceivably also stemmed from the vast collection of goods and services that are sold by retailers. The progress of merchandising procedures and the proliferation of these methodologies among retailers have been well-established history. Baum (1987) accepted the significance of window display long back in 1897. Baum who was the founding editor of  The Show Window  ,where he offered strategies for effective window displays where he provided an early mechanism for the dissemination of visual merchandising best practice. This early publication evolved to examine display across the store and continued to offer advice for some considerable time (Law and Yip, 2004). The potential of display and visual merchandising is so strong that a publication solely addicted for visual merchandising and display stated in 1922 with the title Visual Merchandise and Store Display.   Nevertheless, the prominence of visual merchandising has been not acknowledgedmuch consideration in the academic world and in literature (Lea-Greenwood, 1998). The most notable exception has been within the US fashion-based literature, where a number of texts have been devoted to the subject. These though are primarily practitioner-based, highlighting again a deficiency of attention from retail academics. This study represents a small step towards addressing this lack. It investigates the influence of visual merchandising stimuli within the retail store environment on customer perceptions and responses. In doing this, the research is focused on the potential psychological and behaviour outcomes that result from customer interaction with visual merchandising, rather than directly trying to establish what constitutes best practice  per se  or manipulating visual merchandising techniques themselves. This soft drink and FMCG retail sector has been chosen as it has recently elevated visual merchandising to an issue of board level concern (Lea-Greenwood, 1998). The sector offers an ideal background in which examination of the impact of product display and visual merchandising can be conducted on customers, as the degree of retailer complexity in this area is likely to be higher than that demonstrated by companies in other sectors. Sproles (1979) has focused on the procedure, such as the effects of communication channels in current society, the characteristics and the functional purpose of soft drinks. However, Hart and Dewsnap (2001) also established a decision-making model to explain the behaviour of consumers through visual merchandising and store display. It was revealed form their study that there were interweaved a complicated set of interlinked aspects to affect decision making on intimate soft drink, and amount the factors, brand loyalty tended to be the repeatedly adopted factor to curtail the decision-making process and the degree of apparent risk while shopping intimate soft drink. Speaking from the View-points of marketing and consumer behaviour, the two models are adequate to explain the corresponding phenomenon (Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003). However, viewing from the retailing aspect, the environment of stores can increase consumers response (it may be positive of may be negative) to a brand of the product being sold in the store. To achieve a positive store environment, visual merchandising has been widely adopted by retailers (Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003). Likewise, intimate soft drink has been going through a series of Soft drink treatments in recent years. Examples can be found in contemporary intimate soft drink brands, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi, Sprite and so on. Instead of targeting different customer segments by adding advanced functions to products, intimate soft drink brands try to establish a distinctive image in consumers mind. In this study, focus is put on the influence of visual merchandising on store atmosphere and its corresponding impact on consumer decision making process for intimate soft drink (Law and Yip, 2002). Dimensions of visual merchandising and display Omar (1999) advocates that there are three types of interior display- (i) architectural display (ii) merchandise display and (iii) point-of-sale display. This study efforts on merchandise display; the choice of a singular store to deliver the stimulus photographs minimises the architectural elements; additionally, point-of-sale areas were omitted from the photographs to guarantee only merchandise display was considered(Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003). The most important aspects within merchandise display have been acknowledged within the academic literature as: packaging (Bruce and Cooper, 1997; Da Costa, 1995), layout, (Levy and Weitz, 1996; Berman and Evans, 1995), colour (e.g. Koelemeijer and Oppewal, 1999), fixturing (Levy and Weitz, 1996; Donnellan, 1996), merchandise (Davies and Ward, 2002), presentation techniques (Buchanan  et al., 1999), and so on. These areas have received varying degrees of attention as separate elements. Nevertheless, in fact, there is tiny work has been done that makes these aspects composed as merchandise display(Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003). The examination of Influences, that such display creates on consumers, especially in term of brand communication and purchase intention, are lacking in terms of literature. Though, several of the elements of merchandise display have been scrutinised from an environmental psychology approach, as well as from a service environment perspective. These two relat ed literatures provide potential starting points as each considers the physicality of the in-store environment and its influence on customers (Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003).. Literature Review Visual Merchandising is one of the most significant constituents in atmospheric management(Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003). It embraces the interior of stores as well as the exterior of stores.The exterior of store comprises retail premises, window display, and facade while the interior of store embraces fixtures and fittings, store layout, and store highlights as well as wall display(Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003).There are many constituents who governtogether store exterior and interior and it embraceslighting design, colour co-ordination, selection of mannequin and the application of design principles(Park et.al., 1986). A good assortment of visual merchandising with comprehensive consideration of proper cooperative expressions is very important, if retailers really want to project the best side of their company/store (Kerfoot, Davies and Ward, 2003). Consequently, customers could receive the envisioned message of stores or retailers through several different types of themes sty les designed especially from suitable visual merchandising strategy and for influencing buying decisions and behaviours in a positive sense. Conclusively, visual merchandising helps to establish the complete image of a retail store in the mind of consumers(Park et.al., 1986). Kerfoot, Davies and Ward (2003) acknowledged that visual merchandising has many objectives, (i) Retail Identity Building in the mind of customers, (ii) influencing customers final decision to buy as many products as he/she can afford inside a store (iii) last but not the least, to increase overall sales. Visual merchandising pays its attention on numerous facets of customers, which include affective pleasure, sensory pleasure and cognitive pleasure (Fiore, Yah and Yoh, 2000). Sensory part contains personal feeling of customers, such as response to temperature and noise, feeling crowded in a store (Ko Rhee, 1994; Hornik, 1992 and Grossbart et. al 1990). Store-related and product associated information can also be assimilated from storeenvironment (Baker et. al 1994), for example, searching a product that enhances ones self-concept (Kleine III et al., 1993). Also, window display plays a critical role in affecting store entry decisions as it is a very important information cue for consumers (Bettman et. al, 1998) There are many schools of thoughts regarding consumer decision process. The process of diffusion can affect consumptions response to different product attributes (Mitchell and Creatorex, 1990). The selection of promotional channels and the format of transition are the best examples. Similarly, there were other thoughts regarding general consumers decision making process. For Rogers model (1962), decision making was not longitudinal but rather cross-sectional. Following Rogers thought, Robertson (1971) developed a conceptual model with eight procedures (awareness, comprehension,problem perception, attitude, trail, adoption, legitimation, and dissonance). Nevertheless, Sproles (1979) established a specific framework for visual merchandising with ten procedures. The key focus of Sproles model was the relationship between the influences of communication channels in current society and the functional purpose of soft drink objects. Hart and Dewsnap (2001) conducted a specific study on deci sion process of purchasing intimate soft drink. His findings revealed that consumers had to go through a set of interlinked factors or relied on brand loyalty. In the light of the criteria, self-concept, perceived risk and consumer involvement were also critical in shaping the final decision (Law and Yip, 2004). While reviewing the current trend of intimate soft drink brands, being functional is the fundamental requirement of consumers, adding extra value to products is regarding as the selling point. In terms of functional aspect, mint flavour or Diet Pepsi using consumer care can be found in triumph brand. In times of readymade food and soft drink, almost every brand is using the same stuff. For example Pepsi introduced the Diet Pepsi, in the same year Coca cola introduced the diet version (PepsiCo, 2010). They introduced in the name of consumer health and family sentiments. Though, there is very few research about the inter- relationship between the importance of store aesthetics and consumer decision process, as a result, the purpose of this study is to look into this precise affiliation (Law and Yip, 2004). The study is beneficial to retailers who are newly established or re-position in the intimate soft drink market. As mentioned, for consumers who have a high degree of brand loyalty, external factors such as store atmosphere, may not has a great impact on decision process. But, if consumers rely on peer influence, advertising or have no idea about a brand, visiting the store is the first contact with the brand. Having attractive human-like mannequins of film starts or popular sportsman/woman and matching with style and appeal can break the decision process (Law Yip, 2004). Customers attention can be provoked at the stage of responsiveness but in a negative way due to the social and cultural constraint. Therefore, it is difficult to continue the decision process from awareness to interest. Hart and Dewsnaps (2001) study on consumer decision process for visual merchandising delivers a critical direction for pre-purchase evaluation. Paying a close attention to the interaction of cultural or societal difference and visual merchandising elements causes a great impact on final purchase decision. To find out the influence made by Pr

Nathaniel Hawthorn :: essays research papers

Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. His father, also Nathaniel, was a sea captain and descendent of John Hawthorne, one of the judges in the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692. He died when the young Nathaniel was four year old. Hawthorne grew up in seclusion with his widowed mother Elizabeth - and for the rest of her life they relied on each other for emotional solace. Later he wrote to his friend Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "I have locked myself in a dungeon and I can't find the key to get out." Hawthorne was educated at the Bowdoin College in Maine (1821-24). In the school among his friends were Longfellow and Franklin Pierce, who became the 14th president of the U.S. Between the years 1825 and 1836 Hawthorne worked as a writer and contributor to periodicals. Among Hawthorne's friends was John L. O'Sullivan, whose magazine the Democratic Review published two dozen stories by him. According to a story, Hawthorne burned his first short-story collection, Seven Tales of My Native Land, after publishers rejected it. Hawthorne's first novel, FANSHAWE, appeared anonymously at his own expense in 1828. The work was based on his college life. It did not receive much attention and the author burned the unsold copies. However, the book initiated a friendship between Hawthorne and the publisher Samuel Goodrich. He edited in 1836 the American Magazine of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge in Boston, and compiled in 1837 PETER PARLEY'S UNIVERSAL HISTORY for children. In was followed by a series of books for children - GRANDFATHER'S CHAIR (1841), FAMOUS OLD PEOPLE (1841), LIBERTY TREE (1841), and BIOGRAPHICAL STORIES FOR CHILDREN (1842). The second, expanded editi on of TWICE TOLD TALES (1837), was praised by Edgar Allan Poe in Graham's Magazine. In 1842 Hawthorne became friends with the Transcendentalists in Concord, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, who also drew on the Puritan legacy. However, generally he did not have much confidence in intellectuals and artists, and eventually he had to admit, that "the treasure of intellectual gold" did not provide food for his family. In 1842 Hawthorne married Peabody, an active participant in the Transcendentalist movement, and settled with her in Concord. A growing family and mounting debts compelled their return to Salem. Hawthorne was unable to earn a living as a writer and in 1846 he was appointed surveyor of the Port of Salem. He worked there for three years until he was fired.

Explanation of Hamlet’s Mystery (by: Ernest Jones)

pg. 101: Explanation of Hamlet's Mystery by Ernest Jones Much as he hates him, he can never denounce him with the ardent indignation that boils straight from his blood when he reproaches his mother, for the more vigorously he denounces his uncle the more powerfully does he stimulate to activity his own unconscious and â€Å"repressed† complexes. He is there- fore in a dilemma between on the one hand allowing his natural detestation of his uncle to have free play, a consum- mation which would make him aware of his own horrible ishes, and on the other ignoring the imperative call for ven- geance that his obvious duty demands. He must either realise his own evil in denouncing his uncle's, or strive to ignore, to condone and if possible even to forget the latter in continuing to â€Å"repress† the former; his moral fate is bound up with his uncle's for good or ill. The call of duty to slay his uncle cannot be obeyed because it links itself with the call of his nature to sla y his mother's husband, whether this is the first or the second; the latter call is strongly â€Å"repressed,† and therefore necessarily the former also.It is no mere chance that he says of himself that he is prompted to the revenge â€Å"by heaven and hell,† though the true significance of the expres- sion of course quite escapes him. Hamlet's dammed-up feeling finds a partial vent in other directions, the natural one being blocked. The petulant irascibility and explosive outbursts called forth by the vexa- tion of Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, and especially of Polo- nius, are evidently to be interpreted in this way, as also is in part the burning nature of his reproaches to his mother. In- deed towards the end of the interview with his mother the hought of her misconduct expresses itself in that almost physical disgust which is so often the manifestation of in- tensely â€Å"repressed† sexual feeling. â€Å"Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed; Pinch wa nton on your cheek; call you his mouse; And let him, for a pair of reechy kisses, Or paddling in your neck with his damn'd fingers, Make you to ravel all this matter out. † His attitude towards Polonius is highly instructive. Here the absence of family tie, and of other influences, enables him to indulge to a relatively unrestrained degree his hostility towards the prating and sententious dotard.

Jim Crow laws Essay

African Americans No matter where or when a person lives, skin color, beliefs, class, or history he/she will see a difference in the way every ethnic group is treated. This world has never been fair for anyone. Life can treat a person with the greatest of care or it will treat a person as if he/she is lower than dirt. African Americans are no different. They have faced great hardships and triumphs throughout the years. Since they had been forced from their homeland they have been treated as if they had no rights or thoughts of their own. They were placed in the status of slaves even though they were human beings too. No matter if they were placed in the minority group by the dominate majority group of white Americans they remind structurally pluralism by keeping to their beliefs and traditions. Before and after slavery African Americans did not receive equal treatment. â€Å"Even when slavery ended, Jim Crow laws went into effect meaning that the very best of everything was reserved for white’s only-school, jobs, neighborhoods, hospitals, etc. † (Moore, 2008). In other words, the African Americans took the subordinate status to the dominant white Americans. Their race was used to dictate what rights they would be allowed to have in America. At one point, they did not have the right to be free and over the years they were given that right back. Even though they regained their right to be free, they still were not very free. They were only allowed to eat in certain places, drink from certain fountains, and ride in the back of the bus. This is not what would be called very free. They were not even given the opportunities to receive a quality education or to vote. â€Å"With the 1896 Supreme Court decision in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, the separate by equal doctrine was upheld, and the system of segregation in the South was securely in place† (Merger, 2012, pg. 169). When it came to getting a quality education, they were placed at the bottom of the totem pole. The whites receive the best opportunities for receiving a quality education while the African Americans were not. It was not until the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case that African Americans were allowed a better education. â€Å"Separate schools were inherently unequal and imposed an inferior status on black children, causing irreparable psychological change† (Merger, 2012, pg. 173). The rights as citizens were also being denied by not allowing them to vote and make a proper living to take care of their families. Years ago, African Americans were not allowed to vote, so they had no say in the laws that were made that would deny them their rights as American citizens or human beings. This kept them from changing the laws that kept them from achieving economically and politically. The Civil Right Movement began a new era for African American. It was their gain of the right to vote and be elected to office that gave the some power over their rights as human beings and citizen in the economic and political environment. Even after everything that the African Americans have gone through, they still face prejudice and discrimination in all areas of their lives. It is no wonder that for some it feels as if it is never over. No matter what a person looks like, how he/she talks, their beliefs, where he/she lives, how much money he/she has, or what race he/she may come from we all bleed red and where cut from the same cloth. We all deserve to have the opportunities and resources that are out there to help better ourselves. African Americans are human beings too and they have the same rights as everyone else.

With reference to a named country, evaluate the attempt to manage population change

With reference to a named country, evaluate the attempt to manage population change With reference to a named country, evaluate the attempt to manage population changeThailand had a massive population problem where in 1970 it had a large youthful population and an ageing population which can create a lot of problems for the economy and country in the future so Thailand had various schemes in order to fix this, these being split into social, economic and political solution.The main way to decrease population is to increase the amount of contraceptives used and available by the public so socially condoms became available anyway for example the cinema or festivals even traffic jams, this would mean that more people would have access to condoms and ultimately have less children. Although condoms became the main feature of the campaign, the Thai government also supported Mechai's efforts by making a wide range of contraceptives available to the public too for example the pill. Thailand was one of the first countries to use intravenous contraceptive DPMA and is one of the largest users.This was a successful as most Thais were open to accepting new ideas so were rooting for this new campaign, these contraceptive methods were spread to rural areas too so all of Thailand benefited from this. This also created free and readily available sterilisation which promoted the use of birth control, PDA offer free vasectomies at festivals on the king's birthday too. This success was due to the large egalitarian relationship between men and women, it is also higher than most developed countries in the world and this promoted family planning because of the contraceptive use which was available for both genders, also the advances and improvements in healthcare for mothers and children had a large role to play in the success of the scheme. Schools and university schemes helped to also teach...

Profile of Filmmaker Errol Morris essays

Profile of Filmmaker Errol Morris essays Dallas police officer, Robert Wood, was shot five times and murdered after pulling over a vehicle for a minor traffic violation. Randall Dale Adams was arrested, convicted and sentenced to death for the crime. Adams plead "not guilty" to the charges. He claimed 16 year old David Harris, whom he had spent several hours with on the day of the crime, was the true killer. In Mark Singer's "Profile of Filmmaker Errol Morris," Singer describes Randall Adams case as it was portrayed in the movie The Thin Blue Line. Singer argues that Morris made the film to prove Adams innocence and illustrate "that Adams had received anything but a fair trial." Singer, an author for The New Yorker Magazine, took personal interest in the case because he, as well as Morris, believed Adams was innocent and deserved a new and fair trial. The prosecution won the case against Adams for three major reasons: David Harris' testimony, Prosecutor Douglas Mulder's prominence, determination, and the prosecutions three key eyewitnesses, Emily Miller, Robert Miller, and Michael Randell. After the conclusion of the trial Adams maintained his innocence and filmmaker, Errol Morris met with David Harris and began to have doubts about Adams guilt. Morris investigated the case further and discovered it was "unfair" on constitutional grounds and Adams was in fact innocent. Morris made a movie entitled The Thin Blue Line, which was a description of the actual events in the Adams homicide case. Morris intended to illustrate thirteen points of unwarranted prosecution. There were four blatant acts of perjury or outright unfairness in Adams first trial. Judge Metcalf would not permit the use David Harris' extensive previous criminal record, including pending charges in another county as evidence. This left Adams in the "guilty chair" even before the trial began. Prosecutor Mulder demanded a guilty verdict with a death penalty s ...

Ultimate and Penultimate

Ultimate and Penultimate Ultimate and Penultimate Ultimate and Penultimate By Maeve Maddox A DWT reader noticed this example of the use of penultimate as if it meant ultimate or best: a commentator at a tv broadcast of a national dog show commented on a particular dog (a close contender for best in show) being the penultimate dog of its breed group. Penultimate means â€Å"next to last.† The only way the dog referred to could be the â€Å"penultimate dog of its breed group† would be if it were one of two. Even then, the speaker would have to have some way of knowing which dog would be the last to die. Here are two more examples of writers using penultimate as if it meant ultimate: And since it is, after all, the penultimate in mens formal wear, screwing up the tux is also the penultimate faux pas. Ezine article With many benefits available to us in regards to protein, we should consider whey protein isolate as the penultimate source of protein. nutrition blog That the writer of the second example believes penultimate means something like â€Å"the most important† is further illustrated in the article I’m quoting from: â€Å"Whey is perhaps the healthiest form of protein that is available to our bodies.† (Yes, â€Å"in regards† is nonstandard.) I suspect that the extra syllable in penultimate leads some speakers to believe it must mean â€Å"more than ultimate,† the way the prefixes super- and extra- elevate the base words in superman and extraordinary. It doesn’t help that various manufacturers use the word penultimate to name their games, applications, and other products. Ultimate, from Latin ultimus, â€Å"last, final,† means â€Å"lying beyond all others.† The Roman poet Virgil coined the expression â€Å"Ultima Thule† to mean a far-off land or an unattainable goal. Medieval mapmakers applied the term to unexplored northern lands that lay beyond the borders of the world they knew. The prefix pene- means â€Å"nearly, almost, all but.† It occurs in a few obsolete English words, like pene-lake, â€Å"an expanse of water almost surrounded by land.† Like pene-, the pen- in penultimate is from Latin paene, â€Å"almost.† A peninsula is â€Å"almost an island.† The penultimate event or item in a series is â€Å"almost the last. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Farther vs. FurtherProved vs. Proven25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert

Political Science - President Clinton and President Obama Term Paper

Political Science - President Clinton and President Obama - Term Paper Example Obama, on the other hand, inherited one of the worst recessions in American history and has struggled to ensure adequate economic progress. Through an examination of key issues in the first two years of President Clinton and President Obama’s terms in office -- including economic, health care, foreign policy, and their appeal to youth culture – this essay considers the extent that the two presidencies can be equated. When considering economics in the first two years of their presidencies, there are a number of similarities that President Obama and President Clinton experienced. When both Presidents took office the nation was considered to be in a recession period. For President Obama, the recession was recognized as perhaps the most severe since the Great Depression and became a central issue in the campaign process. As a result, the stimulus package that was passed early in the Obama Presidency has functioned as a core issue of his presidency, with a fierce debate among Republicans and Democrats continuing to unfold as to the actual efficacy of the program. Even as President Obama has admitted that the financial situation in the country has not fully recovered, his budget indicates that he will continue to pursue his ambitious domestic agenda. In explaining his domestic agenda Obama contests that, â€Å"Just as it would be a terrible mistake to borrow against our children’s future to pay our way today, it would be equally wrong to neglect their future by failing to invest in areas that will determine our economic success in this new century.† (Calmers 2010) Obama’s indicates that the country’s deficit will increase this year to its highest post-World War II level, and then gradually decrease over the decade. Obama argues that his budget will save over $1 trillion by ending the previous administration’s tax cuts and by enacting a three-year spending freeze.  Ã‚  

Intellectual property Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Intellectual property Master - Essay Example How far can these innovations be protected from being illegally copied The justification on part of the innovator from stopping its innovations or products from being replicated in some other form needs to be debated both on ethical and moral grounds. This argument is particularly common and debated in the pharmaceutical sector. The scope of such protection covers a gamut of industries, professions and products. We shall restrict the scope of this study to the copyright laws, internet sector and particularly focus on the music industry. Bainbridge (2002) describes intellectual property rights as a form of property that can be dealt with just as with any other property, and which can be assigned, mortgaged and licensed. Intellectual property is property in the legal sense: it is something that can be owned and dealt with. Looking at this definition, as suggested by Bainbridge, one can observe that the properties rights do not just include rights associated with land or buildings or any other assets that carries the physical characteristics of a "land-building" asset form. Intellectual property gives rise to rights and duties. It establishes property rights, which give the owner the right to do certain things in relation to the subject matter. Bainbridge, in his study, supports this argument with an example relating to the music industry - if the right is a copyright and the subject matter is a piece of music, the owner of the copyright has the exclusive right to make copies of the sheet music, to make an arrangement of the music and to control the performance of the music unless until he surrenders that right to some music label company. According to the government-backed UK - Intellectual Rights, intellectual property (IP) allows people to own their creativity and innovation in the same way that they can own physical property. The owner of IP can control and be rewarded for its use, and this encourages further innovation and creativity to the benefit of us all.1 It is essential to protect innovations from being illegally copied or pirated. Such guarantee of protection to innovations and inventions will encourage further innovative research and development and also reward entrepreneurs and innovators for their discovery. The protections come in the form of law and legal proceedings. 1.2 Intellectual Property Law. Bently and Sherman (2001) defines intellectual property law as a means to regulate the creation, use and exploitation of mental or creative labour. Intellectual Prop

Entrepreneurship University level paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Entrepreneurship University level paper - Essay Example Writers have described entrepreneur as a person who’s chief and distinctive abilities are to take risks, has knowledge of market functions and manufacturing know-how, has marketing and management skills and finally possesses the ability to co-operate with others (Littunen 2000). He is able to foresee the unknown, and be daring enough to try it out of absolute desire to take risk. He identifies an opportunity, goes against conventional wisdom and pursues an untried strategy for the joy of achievement of his desired intention. Profit is but a secondary motive to the individual entrepreneur although in a corporate environment, as he cannot ignore it, he skillfully builds his actions around it. Bird (1988, 1992) says that entrepreneurship is a state of mind that reflects how a person focuses his attention and uses his experience and behavior to a specific objective. Intentions are what differentiate an entrepreneur from a normal person. According to Wiklund and Shepherd (2003) they have a mindset that has a strategic orientation for decision making in a specific style, method and practice. Bird, B., (1988), Implementing entrepreneurial ideas: The case for intention. Academy of Management Review, 13, 3, pp 442-453. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from Library and Information Service, Curtin University of Technology. Bird, B., (1992), "The operation of intentions in time: the emergence of new venture", Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 17, 1, pp 11-20. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from Library and Information Service, Curtin University of Technology. Littunen, H., (2000), Entrepreneurship and the characteristics of the entrepreneurial personality, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 6, 6, pp 295-309. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from Library and Information Service, Curtin University of Technology. Wiklund, J., and Shepherd, D., (2003), Knowledge-based resources, entrepreneurial orientation, and the

Select an item of clothing, or an accessory, and contextualise it Essay

Select an item of clothing, or an accessory, and contextualise it historically, culturally and critically - Essay Example dition to the Monroe’s white dress, Travilla designed other Hollywood costumes that attracted attention from a plausible population of lovers of fashion. Was the Monroe’s white dress the most celebrated design throughout Travilla’s professional life as a designer of Hollywood costumes? The main body of the research outlines the biography of William Travilla. An insight of the iconic Monroe’s white dress as one of Travilla’s designs will form the next part of the text. An outline of other designs by Travilla will precede an in-depth analysis of whether Monroe’s white dress tops for attracting the most attention among the other designs. The final analysis outlines the extent to which the design attracted high sales after its auctioning, nearly fifty years after the death of Monroe. Born in March 20 1920, Travilla was brought up in Catalina Island, CA. He served in his career as a costume designer in most part of his lifetime and designed costumes in a number of Hollywood films. The 1953 designed costume used by Monroe in the 1955 film remains one of the best designs he produced during the time he served in his profession. This was the snow-white costume with a cocktail shape, which offered him appreciated fame. Travilla started costume designing in 1941 (FDM 2012, p.1). He served as a designer with the Warner Brothers for three years from 1946 to 1949. He later joined the Twentieth Century. Fox thereafter until 1956. He earned popularity for what was known as the â€Å"California† fashion while designing foe film as well as the small screen. He, however, turned to major on television in the 1970s. Among the most viewed among his works was the 1983 TV mini-series, The Thorn Birds. He featured in several nominations Emmy awards for his plausible work. Tra villa died in 1990, leaving his career to Bill Saris. The most memorable scenes of the Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroes was in the 1955 film directed by Billy Wilder. Monroe’s Hollywood constume

Consumers Choice Regarding the Selection of a Mobile Phone Brand Essay

Consumers Choice Regarding the Selection of a Mobile Phone Brand - Essay Example Globalization has made a severe impact on consumer behavior and choices, especially in the consumer goods sector. Consumer choices are influenced by several factors such as situational factors, socio-economic background, and cultural differences. Globalization has not made the consumer needs homogenous. Segmentation also is not sufficient and the marketers need to know consumer attitude because attitude helps the marketer advertise in the right market although attitude does not reveal the brand preference. The motivation for the study arose from the recent focus on brand image and how brands influence consumer choice, especially in the mobile phones market. With the aim to evaluate the factors on which the consumers make their choice in selecting the mobile phone brand, this study was undertaken. Four objectives were hence set and after extensive literature review in Chapter II, the methodology for research was presented in Chapter III. The justification for choosing the qualitative approach has been provided. The chosen instrument for data collection has been face-to-face interviews of the male consumers as well as of the representative from a telecom company. The female consumers were interviewed over the phone due to cultural barriers. All four objectives of the study have been achieved. The literature review suggests that the perception of the Saudi Arabian consumers differs distinctly from the Western consumers. Even though the Saudi Arabian consumers are attempting to adopt the western culture, the international marketers should note that certain elements of culture cannot be ignored. The study concludes that the needs and wants of the consumers are not homogenous and difference also exists across genders. While men prefer phones that offer technologically advanced features women look for the convenience of usage and the security of after-sales service. Many consumers identify their status with the phone and hence iPhone is preferred despite some weakness es that iPhone has. Price and country of origin matter little to the consumer. Consumers prefer Bluetooth enabled phones but most smartphones carry this feature today. All these factors would help the marketers plan and revise their marketing and promotions strategy to meet individual consumer needs and wants. Flexibility is the key to sales and the dealers should be able to meet consumer requirements. The consumers have not demonstrated any brand preference but they would not like to risk quality since mobile phones are not purchased frequently. They hence prefer to purchase tried and tested brands, and this demonstrates uncertainty avoidance culture in Saudi Arabia, which is a collectivist society. Hence to be able to sell something of repute such as iPhones or BB the dealers would need to offer something unique to the consumers. Dealers can position themselves as consumer-friendly points of purchase and offer user reviews through their blog or user forums. The study concludes by providing the area for further research where the role of the media and the role of the dealers could be evaluated in helping consumers make their choice of brand when purchasing mobile phones. Limitations of the study have been highlighted and ethical concerns have been addressed.

Explain agency law and its significance in the business environment Essay - 1

Explain agency law and its significance in the business environment - Essay Example â€Å"The principal will therefore be liable not only for the acts of his agent that falls within the scope of actual authority but also the agents’ ostensible authority† (Liability in Agency Relationships). In the performance of their duty, agents have a duty to act with due diligence and skill, for instance if an agent is employed to sell, he has a duty to obtain the best price that is reasonably obtainable. It is then that the principal is liable for the acts of agents. A principal is liable depending on whether the agent discloses him in the contract or not. The case above can therefore be dealt with best by analyzing these different scenarios. In this scenario, the agent incurs neither liability nor rights under the contract. Lord Denning MR in Phonogram Ltd v Lane stated, â€Å"The general principle is, of course, that a person who makes a contract ostensibly as an agent cannot afterwards sue or be sued upon it† (Baker, 2006). In this regard, the third party is aware that the agent is acting on behalf of someone but that person is unknown to him. This is evident in Felipe’s case above, where Felipe knew that Delilah was acting on behalf of someone but not known to him. The third party may sue either the principal or the agent; this is known as the principal of election. The third party my on the alternative sue both the principal and agent, this is called a merge. In this case, the third party is totally unaware of the principal-agent relationship. The principal in this case can intervene and claim under the contract. In doing so, he renders himself liable to third parties. Third party having discovered this may elect or merge both the principal and agent. â€Å"An agent cannot bind the principal where the person with whom the agent contracts know that the agent is engaged in self-dealing or has adverse interest† (Miller, 2011). This is the case with Giorgio in the case in question who did

Consumers Choice Regarding the Selection of a Mobile Phone Brand Essay

Consumers Choice Regarding the Selection of a Mobile Phone Brand - Essay Example Globalization has made a severe impact on consumer behavior and choices, especially in the consumer goods sector. Consumer choices are influenced by several factors such as situational factors, socio-economic background, and cultural differences. Globalization has not made the consumer needs homogenous. Segmentation also is not sufficient and the marketers need to know consumer attitude because attitude helps the marketer advertise in the right market although attitude does not reveal the brand preference. The motivation for the study arose from the recent focus on brand image and how brands influence consumer choice, especially in the mobile phones market. With the aim to evaluate the factors on which the consumers make their choice in selecting the mobile phone brand, this study was undertaken. Four objectives were hence set and after extensive literature review in Chapter II, the methodology for research was presented in Chapter III. The justification for choosing the qualitative approach has been provided. The chosen instrument for data collection has been face-to-face interviews of the male consumers as well as of the representative from a telecom company. The female consumers were interviewed over the phone due to cultural barriers. All four objectives of the study have been achieved. The literature review suggests that the perception of the Saudi Arabian consumers differs distinctly from the Western consumers. Even though the Saudi Arabian consumers are attempting to adopt the western culture, the international marketers should note that certain elements of culture cannot be ignored. The study concludes that the needs and wants of the consumers are not homogenous and difference also exists across genders. While men prefer phones that offer technologically advanced features women look for the convenience of usage and the security of after-sales service. Many consumers identify their status with the phone and hence iPhone is preferred despite some weakness es that iPhone has. Price and country of origin matter little to the consumer. Consumers prefer Bluetooth enabled phones but most smartphones carry this feature today. All these factors would help the marketers plan and revise their marketing and promotions strategy to meet individual consumer needs and wants. Flexibility is the key to sales and the dealers should be able to meet consumer requirements. The consumers have not demonstrated any brand preference but they would not like to risk quality since mobile phones are not purchased frequently. They hence prefer to purchase tried and tested brands, and this demonstrates uncertainty avoidance culture in Saudi Arabia, which is a collectivist society. Hence to be able to sell something of repute such as iPhones or BB the dealers would need to offer something unique to the consumers. Dealers can position themselves as consumer-friendly points of purchase and offer user reviews through their blog or user forums. The study concludes by providing the area for further research where the role of the media and the role of the dealers could be evaluated in helping consumers make their choice of brand when purchasing mobile phones. Limitations of the study have been highlighted and ethical concerns have been addressed.

Enterprise infrastructure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Enterprise infrastructure - Essay Example In the service model, TRU should choose IaaS because its underlying infrastructure is well defined. In economic considerations, TRU should hire a public platform because the company will not incur up-front costs of constructing a private infrastructure. I am, therefore, recommending three things for TRU. First, TRU should use hybrid cloud for data portability. Second, TRU should use IaaS because of well-defined infrastructure. Lastly, TRU should hire a public platform because it is cheap. IT governance is the way in which an organization aligns its Information Technology strategies with business strategies to ensure the organization stays on track with its business goals. IT governance puts into consideration the interests of all stakeholders and also provides measurable business results. An IT governance structure in any business addresses issues such as the functioning of IT framework and its overall returns to the business. Every organization requires ways of ensuring that IT frameworks sustain the business’ strategies and objectives. The size of the organization determines the suitable level of IT sophistication governance that the business can apply. Very large and highly regulated organizations will require detailed IT governance structures and vice versa (Standards.org, 2) Strategic alignment involves linking IT and business so that they work together efficiently. The major issue in linking the two issues is the planning process. An efficient strategic alignment occurs when the IT team communicates effectively with the corporate side of the business about costs, progress and impacts (Standards.org, 4). Value delivery is ensuring that IT framework delivers the predetermined benefits to the business. The predetermined benefits are the ones the business intended to achieve by investing on IT infrastructure. Any business can ensure value delivery by efficiently managing its IT department. An efficient management of

The Neurobiological Basis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

The Neurobiological Basis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Family name:  Batty Personal Name:  Therese Major depressive disorder (MDD) which is also known as either unipolar depression or major depression is a common yet disabling mental disorder affecting over 400 million people worldwide with a higher incidence in women than men (World Health Organisation, 2012). Depression may be endogenous where there is no discernible cause or reactive whereby the depression is a result of an incidence such as the loss of a parent, loved one or stress. Some of the emotions that individuals may experience with depression are, feelings of sadness, anger, bitterness and resentment, emotions which can last a few days or in some cases, months and have a huge impact on the individuals life. Some individuals suffering from MDD are also more likely to have a substance abuse problem, other mental and physical problems, and are likely to have a greater suicide risk. MDD is a widely researched topic with a sense of urgency to find the exact aetiology and pathophysiology behind the disease so that a more tho rough understanding can be reached and treatment can be uniquely designed for each individual. Researches surmise that various factors are involved such as the chemical changes in the brain, genetic predispositions and environmental factors. The aim of this essay, although not comprehensive enough, is to try and bring together research material from various sources and highlight some key areas around MDD such as a synopsis of the aetiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, treatments and test available today. Aetiology The underlying aetiology (causes) of MDD is so complex with many gaps that it appears that no-one is quite sure what causes depression, however much research done to date into this condition suggests that a combination of factors are involved, such as genetics, an individual’s biochemical environment, personal experiences and psychological factors. According to Dr Michael Miller, a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard University (2013), several forces interact to bring on depression including faulty mood regulation by the brain, medications, medical problems, genetic vulnerability and stress. In as much as age related brain changes, disease related changes , for example, cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy, lead to disruptions in the circuitry of emotion regulation and can cause the onset of depression (Wryobeck, Haines, Wynkoop and Swanson, 2013). Areas of the brain underpinned by major depressive disorders such as the thalamus, the hippocampus and the amygdala (Limbic circuitry) (Figure 1. Miller, 2013 ) include several groups of neurons and white matter. Cell connections, nerve cell growth, and the functioning of nerve circuits in the brain have a major impact on how the brain functions, particularly in the way they communicate with each other. Several different chemicals and hormones working within and outside these nerve cells play a key role, with reduced levels of serotonin and noradrenaline posit to be a huge factor associated with the disease (Miller, 2013). Similarly, Villanueva (2013) through the construct of a survey used to assess the neurobiology of MDD, found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDFN) along with expressions of miRNA’s (involved in neural plasticity), abnormal gastrointestinal signalling peptides and proinflammatory cytokines are all causative factors of major depressive disorder. What proinflammatory cytokines do, is stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, activate secretion of growth hormone and inhibits the thyroid stimulating hormone secretion, all of which are associated with depression. Whereas gut microbiota (flora), specifically leptin, ghrelin and cholecystokinin (signalling peptides), influence the central nervous system including modulation of neurogenesis which can influence brain chemistry and consequently an individual’s behaviour. According to Lopresti, Hood and Drummond (2013), as seen in figure 2 below, a bi-directional relationship is likely to exist between depression and lifestyle factors with key symptoms including changes in appetite, general energy levels, motivation levels and sleep, which in turn affect diet, exercise and sleep thereby creating a cycle of influence. A vicious cycle, all of which point to the necessity of promoting lifestyle changes Figure 2. Potential mechanism of diet, sleep and exercise on major depression. In Lopresti et al. (2013). Another avenue suggested by Dr Miller (2013), is that research has identified that genetics play a role, in that not only do certain genes make individuals more vulnerable to low moods, but it can influence how individuals respond to drug therapy. Likewise, Stanford school of medicine surmise that through its research on the study of identical (100% genetically identical) and non-identical twins (50% genetically identical) and major depression as a heritability factor, heritability shows to be a huge contributor in the development of this disease. Each individual inheriting a unique combination of genes, with a predisposition to certain illnesses (Levinson and Nichols, n.d.). Genes controlling either the production or utilization of serotonin plays and important role in the pathogenesis of depression and in particular with serotonin reuptake due to the fact that depressed individuals have a lower rate of serotonin uptake. In depression of the elderly or late onset depression, genetic s is less common or does not appear to play a role as genetic markers are not present (Halverson, Bhalla, Bhalla and Andrew (2014). In so saying then, non-genetic factors, many of which are not known, also need to be taken into account, as Levinson and Nichols (n.d) suggest, these factors also increase the risk and progression of depression. Pathophysiology Progression of the illness as indicated by Treadway et al.(2014), is linked to biological changes. Due to over-stimulation of steroidal and inflammatory signalling molecules by stress, structural abnormalities within the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, known for regulating behaviour and endocrine responses to stress, can be damaged. Moreover diet, sleep and exercise not only play a significant role in the development and progression of the illness, it also impacts on the treatment. One research analysis undertaken by Maletic, Robinson, Oakes, Lyengar, Ball and Russell (2001), summarised that MDD involved structural, functional and molecular alterations within the brain. Similarly research conducted by Halverson et al. (2014), speculates that although the underlying pathophysiology of MDD has not been clearly defined, studies show a strong interaction between the neurotransmitter availability and receptor regulation, with emphasis again on serotonin activity disturbances in the cen tral nervous system. Other neurotransmitters such as epinephrine, dopamine, glutamate and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are also implicated in depression. Cells within the hypothalamus are responsible for an individual’s emotional state which in turn link to the stress responses. Several studies , in particular Lopresti et al. (2013), show that during stressful times, the hypothalamic – pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), the neuroendocrine circuit that manages stress in the body, becomes activated. This then leads to the release of epinephrine and glucocorticoids (cortisol) to assist the body in its adaptive response to stress. However, if the body remains under a constant state of stress, excitotoxicity of neurons, particularly in the hippocampus can occur leading to dendrite atrophy and apoptosis of neurons (Wryobeck et al. 2013). Research shows that while cortisol helps the brain to cope with stressful situations, it also damages and kills cells in the hippoca mpus. So it can almost be said that stress excites brain cells to death. Furthermore research shows that individuals experiencing depressive disorders have a smaller hippocampal volume than individuals who do not from depression and that positron emission tomographic (PET) showed a diminished activity in the area of the prefrontal cortex in individuals with depressive disorders. Thereby underlying the functional and structural abnormalities in the brain regions of individuals suffering from depression (Halverson et al. 2014). Most individuals with MDD present with normal appearance however, individuals with more severe symptoms may present with more significant signs such as, poor hygiene, poor grooming and changes in weight. Individuals with MDD have a distorted view of their life whereby negative attitudes make it more difficult to see a positive outcome from a difficult situation. Other symptoms such as psychomotor retardation, agitation or restlessness, suicidal thoughts or atte mpts, social withdrawal and in the elderly somatic complaints may also be evident. These however are only some of the underlying signs and symptoms as individuals vary from one to the next. Risk factors / causal agents It is a widely held view that there is an unambiguous relationship between physical, psychological, environmental, genetic and social factors as well as a dysregulated response to chronic stress as risk factors for depression. Halverson et al. (2014) infer that stress plays a dominant role in depression due to the chemicals involved throughout the body such as adrenaline and cortisol which in abundance, leads to other health complications. With the various types of onset of stress being for example, the loss of a parent prior to the age of 10 years, parent-child relationships, due to poor interaction between the two and child stressors, which can contribute to depression or thought to be associated with both early and late abuse and neglect. In addition, stressful changes in life patterns such as a serious loss, difficult relationships, trauma or financial problems can trigger a depressive episode. Women with a previous history of depression are at higher risk of menopausal depressio n while low testosterone levels in older men also aid in onset of depression (Halverson et al. 2014). Likewise Martin (2014) highlights that women may experience more episodes of depression than men due to hormonal changes such as during premenstrual phases, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. Coupled with this is the additional stress of work-life balance where women take on the added responsibility of tending to children and or aging parents whilst still trying to forge a career for themselves. Individuals with a family history of depression tend to be at higher risk of developing depressive disorders. Psychosocial risk factors according to Halverson et al. (2014) can include impaired social supports, caregiver burden, loneliness, bereavement and negative life events. Abused substances and pharmacological agents can increase depression risks due to altering brain chemicals. These include pain relievers, sedatives, sleeping pills, cortisone drugs and seizure drugs, to name but a few. Whilst in the elderly, neurodegenerative diseases particularly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, stroke, macular degeneration (vision) and chronic pain can all contribute to higher rates of depression (Martin, 2014). Treatment strategies First and foremost, education plays an important role in the treatment of MDD as individuals may become aware of the signs of relapse thereby allowing them to seek early treatment. Family and support members also need to be educated about the nature of depression and the treatment involved so as to be able to give the support needed, ensure medication compliance and encourage a change in lifestyle such as keeping active (Halverson et al. 2014). Wryobeck et al. (2013), posit that with depression being a multi-factored illness, treatment should encompass a combination of therapies such as psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, lifestyle management, psychosocial therapy and pharmacotherapy. Pharmacotherapy such as anti-depressants being one method affects the neurotransmitters. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a new class of antidepressants, which allow for the increase of serotonin by blocking the re-uptake of serotonin into the presynaptic neuron, is according to Clarke and Gordon (2011), used as the first line of treatment. SSRIs allow for autoreceptors to be desensitised or down-regulated, nerve transmission and serotonin levels are normalised and mood is elevated. Figure 3 below, illustrates how the amount of neurotransmitters in individuals with depression are reduced and postsynaptic receptors are increased as a response to these lower levels. The re-uptake of serotonin adding to the decreased amount of neurotransmitters. When treatment of SSRIs take place, serotonin levels increase due to the blocking of the re-uptake and down-regulation of postsynaptic receptors occur (Clarke Gordon, 2011). Figure 3 Action of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor drug. In neurobiology of mental illness Clarke Gordon (2011). Psychotherapy can include behaviour therapy, cognitive-behaviour therapy, family therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy and supportive psychotherapy. Psychosocial therapies according to Halverson et al. (2014) and supported by The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is often a first-line of treatment for mild cases of depression however, in more severe cases this should be combined with antidepressant medication. Other approaches according to Wryobeck et al. (2014) and Halverson et al. (2014), can include electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) which is thought to increase neurogenesis, reversing degeneration and decreased proliferation of nerve cells, regulate neurotransmitters and correct dysregulation of neuropeptides. Stimulation techniques such as vagus nerve stimulation which involves the nerve to be stimulated with electrodes resulting in the assumption that it may alter norepinephrine release and elevating levels of inhibitory GABA. Transcranial magnetic stimulation concentrates magnetic energy over parts of the brain allowing for either an increase or decrease in cortical excitability depending on the frequency. Stimulation over the right frontal lobe apparently reduces the symptoms of depression. Talk therapy as well as exercise are more non-invasive forms for dealing with MDD allowing the individual to develop problem solving skills, coping mechanisms and in some instances to form a suppor t group. Relevant tests To date there are no physical findings that are specific to MDD, instead diagnosis is dependent on the individual’s history and mental state exam. As depression may be linked to an underlying physical problem, both a physical exam as well as thyroid function blood tests can be done. A psychological evaluation is also of benefit to gather information around an individual’s feelings and behaviour pattern. In New Zealand a wide range of tools are available such as the Kessler 10 (K10) for assessing depression, anxiety and general mental health, the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression and the GAD-7 for anxiety assessment. According to the Best Practice Advocacy of New Zealand [bpac z](2009) these tools also allow for monitoring the response to an individual’s treatment regime to ensure that optimal health is being met. In conclusion, to date the specific causes of major depressive disorders (MDD) is still unknown, however a substantial amount of research has gone into and still continues in this area with a consensus that depression appears to be a multifactorial and diverse group of disorders involving the chemical reactions and nerve communication in the limbic circuitry of the brain and both genetic and environmental factors. Progression of MDD is linked to biological changes, diet, sleep and exercise. Treatment strategies appear to be multi-factored with underlying assumptions based on individual research results. Education is still an important element focusing on the individual and support structures while more up to date pharmacopeia such as serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, lead the market as the go to drug for antidepressants. Most literature to date however, underlines the need for more research to take place, in particular, within the area of the aetiology / pathophysiology of the disease and likewise specifically structured individual treatment strategies. References Clarke, G. Gordon, C. (2011). Neurobiology of mental illness. In J. Craft, C. Gordon A. Tiziani (Eds.), Understanding pathophysiology (pp. 1177-1180). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier. Halverson, J. L., Bhalla, R. N., Bhalla, P. M. Andrew, L. B. (2014). Depression. Retrieved from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/286759. Levinson, D.F. Nichols, W.E. (n.d.). Major depression and genetics. Retrieved from http://depressiongenetics.stanford.edu/mddandgenes.html. Lopresti, A. L., Hood, S. D. Drummond, P. D. (2013). A review of lifestyle factors that contribute to important pathways associated with major depression: Diet, sleep and exercise. Journal of Affective Disorders 148 (2013), 12-27. Maletic, V., Robinson, M., Oakes, T., Lyengar, S., Ball, S. G. Russell, J. (2007). Neurobiology of depression: an integrated view of key findings. International journal of Clinical practice, 61 (12), 2030 – 2040. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-1241 Martin, B. (2014). What are the risk factors for depression? Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/what-are-the-risk-factors-for-depression. Miller, C. M. (2013). What causes depression. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/what-causes-depression.htm. The Best Practice Advocacy centre of New Zealand. Assessment of depression in adults in primary care. (2009). Retrieved from www.bpac.org.nz/BPJ/2009/adultdep/assessment.aspx. The world health organisation. (2012). Depression fact sheet. Retrieved from www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets. Treadway, T. M., Waskom, M. L., Dillon, D. G., Holmes, A. J., Park, M. M., Charavarty, M. M., ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, Pizzagalli, D. A. (2014). Illness progression, recent stress and morphometry of hippocampal subfields and medial prefrontal cortex in major depression. Society of Biological Psychiatry. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biospych.2014.06.018 Villanueva, R. (2013). Neurobiology of major depressive disorder. Neural Plasticity, volume 2013. doi: 10.1155/2013/873278 Wryobeck, J. M., Haines, M. E., Wynkoop, T. F. Swanson, M. M. (2013). Depressive disorders. In C. Noggle S. Dean (Eds.). The Neuropsychology of psychopathology (pp 201-220). New York, NY: Springer Publishing. List of illustrations Figure 1. Miller, C. M. (2013). What causes depression. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/what-causes-depression.htm. Figure 2. Lopresti, A. L., Hood, S. D. Drummond, P. D. (2013). A review of lifestyle factors that contribute to important pathways associated with major depression: Diet, sleep and exercise. Journal of Affective Disorders 148 (2013), 12-27. Figure 3. Clarke, G. Gordon, C. (2011). Neurobiology of mental illness. In J. Craft, C. Gordon A. Tiziani (Eds.), Understanding pathophysiology (pp. 1177-1180). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier.

Teaching Philosophy :: Education Teachers Essays

Teaching Philosophy I was held back in fourth grade, because my teacher failed to realize that I was struggling. My parents tried everything from money incentives to grounding me until my work was done. Nothing seemed to work with me; I didn’t understand what I was supposed to be learning and no amount of pressuring, grounding, or incentives were going to help. The second time around, my teacher didn’t put as much pressure on me and made the class a little more interesting. The following year, my teacher Mr. Barger, told us on the first day that he’d â€Å"give [us] just enough rope to hang ourselves†. I often found myself in such a position. This teacher is the best teacher I have ever had, because he made the class fun. By the end of the year I was on the B honor roll. It wasn’t until my senior year in high school that I decided I wanted to be a teacher. I realized that I wanted to give something back to the students. I wanted to become the teacher that students would remember for making a difference in their life. I believe that the nature of knowledge is constructed and dependent upon person, place, or time. Knowledge depends upon the teacher’s teaching styles, foundations, and how much time the teacher can allow for certain subjects. With the student, it depends on his/her age, their learning process, and their learning environment. How well he/she does can depend on how much time the teacher spends on the subject. You could have a slow child in a class, but if you spend just a little longer on that math problem they just may get it. You may have a six-teen year old boy who chooses not to learn and goofs off, but if you keep trying to capture his interests he’ll probably come around. The nature of knowledge is relative; it just depends on how much the teacher and the student want to put into it. I believe that public education was established so that all people could get an education.

Arizona Needs to MIne Black Mesa :: Counter Argument

To the northeastern part of Arizona lay a debacle between the Native American citizens and a coal mining company known as Peabody Coal. In the seemingly unending conflict between the two groups, the problem began in 1968 when the Hopi and Navajo tribes both signed leases to Peabody Coal for mining. The contract included paying both tribes more than $1000 per acre-foot of natural aquifer water each year (Peabody Energy Online par 4). As time drew on, many indigenous people were alarmed that the water was carelessly being depleted from their land. Mining on Black Mesa should still be kept in progress because Peabody Coal helps support the fight against high-cost electricity, recent findings have stipulated that mining on Black Mesa is not as potentially harmful as many would like to think it is, and it offers jobs to the local economy. If a group of people give certain privileges to another, and the affects of it prove to help the economic society surrounded by it, there r eally is not a problem. Black Mesa, a natural resource for water is still being occupied by Peabody Coal, the world’s largest coal company. Located on the Navajo and Hopi Reservations of Northern Arizona, the mining company pumps water out of the Navajo Aquifer (N-Aquifer) which is mixed with grated coal known as slurry. The slurry is then pumped through a pipeline to Nevada’s Mohave Generating Station where it is converted into low-cost electricity (Peabody Energy Online par 3). Peabody has two mines on Black Mesa which includes the Peabody Coal Mine as well as the Kayenta Mine, both help to produce enough coal that supports 1.5 million people in the Southwest including Arizona, Nevada, and California (Peabody Energy Online par 8). The low-cost electricity is quite affordable for the people who live in the area. Peabody Coal has many coal mines around the world which help fight to keep the cost of energy down. Peabody Coal had stated that they do respect the values and beliefs of the native people that occupy the reservations. In that sense, the coal company consoled the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining for concerned questions about the usage of the groundwater. According to the OMS 2004 annual report, the N-Aquifer is in a stable condition, the quality is still excellent, and streams that were presumed to be in an unstable condition due to the mining, is not the cause:

Why the Korean War Broke Out

Why did the Korean War break out? Reasons as to why war broke out in Korea can be debated due to the fact that a number of factors contributed towards the war. The viewpoint of North Korea starting the war can be seen as Kim ill sung had the intention of reuniting Korea under communism, however there was hostility within South Korea as Syngman Rhee also aimed to reunite Korea under his nationalist views. The two superpowers of the time can be seen as responsible for the outbreak of war because the Korean War can be viewed as a product of the cold war as the USSR backed the north and the USA helped fight with the south.The view of war breaking out as a result internal conflict within Korea can be seen due to both Kim’s and Rhee’s intent on reuniting Korea under their leadership. North Korea’s aggression towards starting the war is due to the fact that Kim aimed on bringing communism to the south and unite the whole of Korea; Kim’s intent on starting war can be seen in the fact that he had multiple visits to Stalin in order to receive both permission and support for invading the south.Kim was able to persuade Stalin to let him invade by stating there would be no US intervention and that he would have control over the South within a few weeks. North Korea’s actions can also be seen as to why war broke out because they did pass the 38th parallel and invade the south, therefore acting as the aggressor as they had had military equipment supplied by the USSR with an army 135,000 men who believed in what they were fighting for as supposed to South Korea’s unprepared smaller army made up of conscripted men.Regardless of the fact that the north was first to invade the south, blame can still be put on Rhee for the outbreak of war. This is due to the fact that South Korea did launch small scale attacks on the north prior to the invasion and this can be seen as a form of instigation for war. The outbreak of war can also be seen as t he result of internal Korean conflict as Rhee had the same intentions as Kim to reunite Korea by invading past the 38th parallel, only Kim was able to do it first as he had soviet support making him the dominate power whereas Rhee had no US support at the start of the North’s invasion.The war between North and south Korea was regarded as a civil war by the British yet when we look closer into why the war broke out we can see that the superpowers were behind it and that the Korean civil war can be seen as a product of the cold war occurring between the USA and USSR at the time. The USSR can be seen to have responsibility for the outbreak of war as it can be argued that Kim would have not invaded the south without Stalin’s support and permission because without Stalin’s military support Kim would not have been powerful enough to achieve his goal of gaining total control of Korea within a few weeks after his invasion.The USSR can also accept responsibility for the war because of fact that Stalin aimed to spread his communist sphere of influence across the world. Stalin had initially rejected Kim’s request of invading the south but in 1950 he granted Kim support and permission to invade, this was most likely due to the fact that communism was established in china at the time giving him incentive to spread his communist support throughout Asia and also he had successfully detonated the atom bomb giving him more reason to believe that the US would not repeat their use of the atom bomb on Stalin out of fear of retaliation.China’s contribution towards the outbreak war is slim as their only initial contribution to the start of the war was to allow for soviet supplies to pass through china and reach the North Koreans. The involvement of the USA can be seen as the reason why the conflict within Korea transformed from a civil war into a fully recognised war. US aims during the cold war was to contain the spread of communism so that the à ¢â‚¬Å"domino theory† would not occur therefore when they were alerted that the North Koreans invaded the south they went to the United Nations in order to get involved in the war.Other reasons for US involvement include the fact that elections were coming up and Truman believed that taking action in Korea would boost his support. Although the US originally intended to help prevent the north spreading communism to the south McArthur found that he was having great success in fighting the north Korans within South Korea gave him reason to pass the 38th parallel and attempt to take completely remove communism from Korea.The US doing this created outbreak of war in Korea as china decided to get involved out of fear of the US approaching the Yalu River, therefore Turing a civil war into the Korean War Overall the outbreak of war can be blamed all factors that contributed the war. The war breakout can be seen as the result of aggression with Korea with both Kim and Rhee launching sma ll scale attack on each other and sharing the intent of uniting Korea however the superpowers are responsible for the actual outbreak of the Koran war.This is because both sides of Korea would not have been strong enough to start a war without the influence of the superpowers. The USSR gave permission and supplies to Kim allowing him to invade the south and America got involved in Korea creating a war as it caused a form of retaliation from the south that would have lost against a soviet fueled invasion from the north. Therefore the Korean War was a product of the cold war between America and the USSR.

Lyndon B. Johnson Essay

Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential reign began with the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy in 1963. While the people of the United States tried to recover from the loss of Kennedy, Johnson used it to his advantage. Many citizens did not notice that this was being done, and some even wonder if Johnson himself knew he was using it to his advantage. By him telling America that Kennedy would have wanted the Great Society, the people believed him and went through with it. Many things, both good an bad came out of the Great Society. The Great Society was Johnson’s way of fixing the problems in America, that being the political, emotional and mostly the social problems. Johnson used the nations grief to pass the civil rights bill. It had the same idea of the bill Kennedy was planning on passing, but the difference was that Johnson’s was stronger and more powerful. This act was passed in July of 1964, and it outlawed radical discrimination in all public places. Places that included hotels, and restaurants, it banned the discrimination of unions, and the employers and even programs that were funded by the federal government. The civil rights act was not the only thing passed in 1964 though, he also passed the Economic Opportunity Act. As seen in document B, the act was made to help people in poverty. It started head start, a preschool program funded by the government, and gave workers and farmers money to break through and escape from poverty. It improved what was being done in our nation at that time, and became a milestone for our 180-year search for a better life for our people. With these couple of acts being formed it did help our poverty rates change. When you look at document H you can see that in 1959 before Johnson’s presidency, the poverty rate was at 55.1 for blacks, 18.1 for whites, and 53.3 for all non-whites. Once the acts were formed the rates went down a little and were recorded in 1966 by about 15 percent except for whites, the whites only went down 7 percent. They kept decreasing until 1974 where they were last recorded in the document at 29.5 percent for all non-whites, 31.4 for blacks, and 8.9 for whites. The white race was effected the most by this and they decreased the most out of all of races. Now with the change of the  poverty rates, Johnson also tried to help with medical prices. He started insurance programs such as Medicare for seniors and Medicaid for the poor. Document A shows Abraham Ribcoff testifying before the House of Representatives about the prices of medical care. The discovery of more advanced medical sciences and life spans lasting longer, the elders and poor need more help paying these bills and with Medicare and Medicaid help will be provided. Now the Great Society was a huge deal during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency. Probably because it had a huge impact on America to this day. Johnson poured millions, even billions of dollars into building a perfect society. While he was putting money into this, he was spending money trying to help with the Vietnam War. Document E is a perfect cartoon of what was happening in the time period. Johnson knew that we could not win the war, but he kept us fighting. Many lives were lost, and more and more money was spilt into it. The idea of his Great Society fed right into the war. So much money was lost into the US economy and it is money that we have not gotten back. People were disappointed with Johnson because he kept us fighting, but he did not under their anger. In document F, an interview of Johnson in 1967, he states, â€Å"How is it possible that all these people could be so ungrateful to me after I had given them so much?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He has a point where he had done a lot , but this was nothing compared to the pain families had felt over their loved ones. Johnson was not the only political figure during this ear that made a strong impact on civil rights. Several supreme court cases were occurring at this time between the Miranda rights, and when Plessy was overturned by Brown. Along with Baker v. Carr and Engel v. Vitale. All of these impacted women and blacks. Betty Freedan was against the perfect life idea for women. Where they need to be the perfect wife for their husbands and how it was every woman’s dream. Betty had this life and it was not her dream. Blacks wanted full rights, no more segregation between them. With these two together the civil rights movement began. More information on these two groups are found in document C and D. Johnson faced a lot during his presidency, and he made it through all of it. He made a large impact on American’s life. Economically he put us into a severe struggle, but he did help with medical care, and schooling for children. Socially we now have equal rights, and the civil rights movement did work after a while. We all get along in schools and those movements started it all. Politically he was not the best president, but they all have ups and downs. My own opinion, Johnson was an okay president. Life was difficult then, but many of those difficult things made the life we live today a lot better.