Organisational strategy(in report format) Essay

Organisational strategy(in report format) - Essay Example (Innocent, 2008b; MySpace News, 2007; Hickman, 2007; Scott, 2007) For the purpose of this study, the researcher will apply some of the available strategic models in examining the internal and external factors that has contributed to he success of Innocent Drinks. First, the researcher will apply the PESTLE, Porter’s Five Forces, Opportunities and Threats model to critically analyze the external factors within the period of 1999 – 2007 that made Innocent Drinks able to grab the biggest market share from its competitors. Using the Strength model, the researcher will critically evaluate the effectiveness of the business strategies used by Innocent Drinks between the period of 2002 – 2007. Eventually, the researcher will assess and discuss the impact of Innocent Drinks’ stakeholder pressure on the organization in terms of how Adam Balon, Richard Reed and Jon Wright might have affected the strategies they have chosen followed by analysing the relative power and interest of the three business owners. Using the Options Matrix, the researcher will also evaluate and discuss whether the future strategies of Innocent Drinks should either be based on fit or stretch strategies. As part of discussion, the researcher will discuss the impact of external factors and its direct effects to the changes on the competitive behaviour within the same industry. PESTLE, which stands for ‘Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental analysis’ (TVU, 2007), will be used in illustrating the macro-environmental aspects of Innocent Drinks. UK food and drink industries are highly regulated by several government agencies. In line with this matter, food and drink industry in the United Kingdom is highly regulated by Food Standard Agency in order to protect the health and consumers’ interests when it comes to food safety, nutrition,

Death penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Death penalty - Essay Example But imprisonment without parole should serve as an alternative to the death penalty, and should be given enough and serious consideration. The death penalty should be stopped and must be prohibited (Pojman and Reiman 72). This essay’s main agenda or main aim is to support the argument that the death penalty should be abolished. In the research, there will be proofs to support that use of the death penalty as a form punishment does not deter crime. Also the research will look at the origin of the use of the death penalty as a form of punishment, and will give the reasons why this form of punishment should be stopped. The death penalty or capital punishment is a legal process whereby a person is sentenced to death for a crime he or she has committed. The actual process of killing the person is called execution. The death penalty tends to brutalize and disregard society and thus it should be completely banned (Johnson and Zimring 289). The death penalty was first used in Babylon for various crimes at least 3700 years ago, and was also used in many other parts in the world. Some countries imposed it for terrible crimes, while others imposed it on very minor offenses, for example under the Roman law of the twelve tablets in the 5th century BC, the death penalty was administered for crimes like publishing of insulting songs and also disturbing the peace of the city. Another example is under the Greece Draconian legal code in the seventh century, where the death penalty was a punishment for every crime (Kronenwetter 11). In a number of ancient societies, the death penalty was used to punish people who committed crimes against the community and religious leaders. The death penalty also served as punishment for other crimes such as robbery, rape, and murder committed against individuals. Rather than being conducted by the legal systems, punishments were carried out by families, clans, and victims in public. According to Kronenwetter, â€Å"execution

Components of Interpersonal Communication

Components of Interpersonal Communication 1. Rationale Communication refers to the process of exchanging verbal as well as non verbal messages. It is a continuous process, whose pre-requisite is a message. The message must be conveyed via some medium to the recipient. It is also important that the message be understood by the recipient in the way the sender intended, within the time frame. Therefore communication is two way process which is incomplete without a feed back. The 12 angry men case presents an excellent case from which to consider the various concepts in interpersonal communication. 12 Angry Men is about twelve complete strangers who have been together to serve as jurors. The jury has the arduous task of determining whether an eighteen year old accused of murdering his own father is guilty or not. After the court room proceeding ends, the judge gives instruction to the twelve jurists. He reminds them of the fact that they have listened to the testimony and heard the law read and interpreted to them as it applies to the case, and that it is their duty to try and separate fact from non facts. The judge says that if they find a reasonable doubt in their minds regarding the guilt of the accused, then they must table to him a not guilty verdict. If, on the other hand, there is no reasonable doubt, they must find the accused guilty. The only condition is that their verdict must as a matter of fact be unanimous. The accused would be sentenced to death incase he is found guilty. As jurors commence their deliberations, the vote is initially 11 to 1, in favor of a guilty verdict. The single not guilty vote belongs to juror 8, Henry Fonda. Even though some are hostile and angry with Fonda, he insists that they give more time discussing what they have seen and heard during the courtroom proceedings. The characters in the 12 angry men movie that can best be used to analyze and to support the analysis of the communication concept in the situation includes Jury No. 3, 8 and 10;Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley and Henry Fonda respectively. 2. Analysis Interpersonal communication is inherently relational and exists on a continuum. It also involves both verbal non verbal messages which can lead to development of interpersonal relationship. Thus the process of listening is an important aspect in verbal communication. It entails receiving, understanding, remembering, evaluating and responding to transmitted stimulus. However as in the case of 12 angry men there are listening barriers that hinder interpersonal communication of the verbal type. The major dynamics of the interpersonal encounter in the 12 angry exist due to the fact that interpersonal communication does occur. The context in this situation includes a jurys room where 12 members with different orientations have come together to deliberate the fate of an accused 18 year old of murder. The sender, for instance jury No. 8, chooses the massage to communicate to the context. When he asks the others to defend their reason for casting a guilty vote, he is essentially trying to communicate the importance of being objective in the case. We find that Jury No. three and ten voted according to personal sentiments as opposed to examination of available evidence as well as the courtroom proceeding. Communication channels in interpersonal communication that relay messages take two distinct forms; direct and indirect channel. Direct channels are not only obvious but also directly recognized by the receiver/decoder. Direct channels relay verbal and non verbal information and are completely controlled by the sender. Verbal channels relay words, both written and spoken while non verbal channels relay body gestures, facial expression, temporal silence and eye contact. These are clearly used by three jurists in the case. Channel credibility refers to the trustworthiness and expertness of a channel as perceived by the receivers. It is directly linked to communicator and the audience. Channel feedback is the opportunity a channels provides for the recipient to respond immediately and thus affect the source of the message. In 12 angry men, the feedback is facilitated by the face to face communication. It is possible to deliberate over the issues efficiently and effectively. There are various influences on channel credibility. As far as interpersonal communication is concerned, information influence occurs because others responses convey information concerning the nature of the social setting and how the majority are in effect responding to the setting. On the other hand normative influence occurs when members tailor actions and attitudes to match the norms of the groups condition. The members of the majority in the twelve Angry Men for example, did more than thinking. This can be seen in the words of Jury 3 (Lee J. Cobb) when he asserted that This group has decided the defendant is guilty and anyone who believes differently is going against the norm of this group (Forsyth, 2009, p199). Normative influence causes members to think, feel and act in ways consistent with the norms of the group. At an interpersonal level, people are compelled to act according to the norms because a variety of negative consequences might result from non conformity .Given its emotional impact normative influence usually has tremendous influence on communication outcome. Western societies for instance, purport to value non conformity as well as independence. However in most circumstances dissent is not rewarded. Most of the times it is met with interpersonal influence which are social responses that encourage or force group to conform. Fonda appeal to the emotion and intellect of the other jurors when he says Its not easy to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it firstWere talking about somebodys life here. We cant decide in five minutes. Supposing were wrong? (Dirk, n.d, ¶ 2.). Cobbs attitude towards the defendants is influences by painful memories that characterized his relationship with his son. He had a fist fight with his son prior to the case and have not set eyes on each other ever since. As a result he is angry not only at his son but also other children and young people in general. He collectively refers to them as rotten kids and automatically assumes that the defendant child is lying. Jurior No.10, Ed Begley, deep personal prejudices affected his initial decision. His hostility toward anyone who does not share his ethnic and social background leads him to believe that the defendant is lying, as he does not have the ability to tell the truth. You know how this people lie he says it is born in them (Dirk, n.d 1.). Juror eight and others eventually` convince Cobbs and Begley to cast a not guilty vote despite the fact that the verdict could be wrong. At the end of the movie the truth is still not known, what is known is only the fact that the jury voted. If the defendant is indeed innocent, then justice has been achieved. On the other hand if the defendant is in deed guilty then the jury lets a murderer go free. This is the reason why juror 8 does not answer to juror six, Edward Bins, question early in the film, supposing you talk us out of this and the kid did knife his father(Dirk, n.d 3). He does not answer because there exists no definite answer. The truth is often difficult to know and near the end of the movie, juror 8 reminds the others that he really does not know what the truth is and does not think that there exist a possibility that anyone discovering the truth. However the nine of them feel that the defendant is innocent, which is also probably wrong. He underscores the importance of reasonable doubt in American judicial system, as being the basis for letting the defendant go free. Interpersonal communication entails the use of both verbal and non verbal communication. The jurist engages in direct conversation both written and word of mouth. Verbal communication calls for active listening characterized by receiving, evaluating and understanding of the senders information. Fond is an active listener. In the explanation of the jurors voting, Juror number twelve suggest that other juror should try and convince Cobbs of the defendant guilt that he is wrong and we are right. (Dirk, n.d 4).Each of the jurors has a minute or two to think and respond to Fonds common sense questions. Fond in turn responds with well though influential arguments. Cobbs first asserts that his voting was objective and thus is devoid of personal feeling. He asserts that he only wants to discuss the facts of the case including how at 12.10pm the old man heard loud noise of a fight with the kid yelling out to his father : Im going to kill ya (Dirk, n.d). A second later the man heard a loud noise of the body as it hit the floor and as he ran to the door, he witnessed the boy running out of the house (Fonda appeal to the emotion and intellect of the other jurors when he says Its not easy to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it firstWere talking about somebodys life here. We cant decide in five minutes. Supposing were wrong? (Dirk, n.d 12.). Active listening is an important concept in verbal communication. After listening to Cobbs assertion of his facts, Fonda hopes to explain them during later deliberation about the evidence presented in court. In his endeavor to communicate his stand on the lameness of the old man assertion, Fonda requests a diagram of the apartment to investigate in examining the claim. He is able to show that the old man could not have run the long distance from his bedroom and down the stares. It was impossible for an old man who dragged one foot as a result of a stroke he had suffered, to run or walk such a distance in just 15 seconds. From this deliberation Juror 5 (Jack Kluggam) feels that he has ground to change his opinion and therefore in the ensuing vote, his is a not guilty vote. Begley is angry and exasperated: Boy, how do ya like that? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦All right who was it? Come on I want to know.(Dirk, n.d). On the other hand Cobbs excuses Kluggam of being convinced by Fonda emotional appeal and bleeding oratory and says that he get convinced as a result of Fondas ability to tear his heart down by his talk about the kid as an underprivileged who could not help but turn to murder (Dirk, n.d). Discussion: The recommendations for the jury in this situation could employ for effective communication are avoiding subjective influences such as stereotypes and prejudices. For instance Begley would need to surmount his racist thoughts and sentiments that prevent him from completely interpreting the information presented. Stereotyping should be put at bay and emotions held in check. Active listening skills are also essential for effective interpersonal communication. Communication ought to be clear and precise and jurors ought to treat each other with respect. Members of the jury ought to participate in active listening, which entails receiving, understanding and expressing understanding and asking questions where need arises. Jury would have benefited from knowing each other during the formation stage. They jury in 12 angry men spend several days together but do not make any introductions apart from few jurors who share their occupation. Martin Balsm as the foreman ought to have commenced with introducing the group before administering the votes. Being unaware of each other names made it more difficult for the jurors to associate with each other and to appreciate their input into the discussion. Finally the leader is the ultimate person to ensure that recommendations are executed. Juror number one, who is the foreman may not the best individual as a leader.

Pojmans View on Merit Essay -- Philosophy, ethics

In this paper, I will attempt to elaborate on situations where actions have a fitting response to deeds performed. It is my understanding of Pojman's view of which I agree, that "Every action in the universe has a fitting response" (Pojman, 1999, p. 96). I also agree that "Evil deeds must be followed by evil outcomes and good deeds by good outcomes" (Pojman, 1999, p. 96). Take for instance if you commit murder, I feel that you should be put to death. Yes, I know some people may argue this fact but just think about the grieving family of the person who is no longer alive, they are in pain and they suffer while the person who committed murder is still alive. This is why I feel the one who committed the crime should be harshly punished, That person did not think of the hurt that it would cause there family or loved ones so in turn the one who did the crime should be put to death as well. Now I know this will now make two grieving families but again think of the main family at hand. I feel just putting the person in jail is not good enough because they are still living, mean while the other person did not have a chance and is now dead. I also feel why should we as citizens pay for a murderer to be alive in jail and able to stay alive watching TV when the other person is not able to do anything. Yes this is cruel punishment but again it is also just as cruel to commit murder with out legal and just cause. Here are a few more examples of Evil and Punishment: Rape: If a person rapes another person, say it is a male doing the act then I feel it should be a severe punishment. The punishment should be castration of the penis. This form of punishment would prevent the person from doing such act again and not allow then to have... ...hey did serve for us and our/their country and they did their best. It should not matter if they were hurt or not and it should not matter if they only served 4 years or less, No matter what they should receive benefits. I feel a good way of showing our men and woman appreciation is to help them say a marriage happens I feel the military should help out with at least half, and if the person dies they should pay for the entire funeral. To me that really would show appreciation to them for what hey did. Any person who serves should be recognized and rewarded as for what they did they did for us and their country and they did not have to do it at all. So in conclusion yes, I would agree with Pojman we do deserve what get rather it be good or evil/bad. Works Cited Pojman, Louis P. Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong. 5th edition. Thomson Nelson. Toronto: 2005.

Cadbury conflict Essay

Businesses can come across many conflicts between stakeholders, which are the people that are impacted by the business. Cadbury, the chocolate producer, has started an organization, worth  £9 million pounds, to put sports equipment in school across the UK. Customers would need to save tokens from chocolate bars and give them to the schools. To get the first equipment, 750 tokens are needed. While to allow the school to obtain a variety of different equipment, it needed 2000 tokens. For schools who can’t afford these new equipment, this idea was very appealing. Cadbury’s ‘Get Active Campaign’ was sponsored with deals from Cadbury and the government by top sports stars such as boxer Audley Harrison and runner Paula Radcliffe. However the company and the government were blamed for increasing the rate and the chances of obesity in young people, because they would eat more chocolate through this scheme. Some stakeholders that are affected by this scheme would be the customers, the competition, the workers, the government, and the shareholders. The customers would be affected by this scheme because they increase the problems of obesity in young people, by eating the Cadburys chocolate in order to receive sports equipment. Cadbury would become more popular and common and after people have tried their chocolate through this scheme, it would encourage them to go buy more, which increases the profit for Cadbury. This would also lead to a stiffer competition between other chocolate and food producing companies. This scheme would be known as a fast effective way of advertising Cadburys chocolate. The workers would also be affected because they would be demotivated and therefore are unlikely to produce good quality products or deliver good customers services. Also, through the scheme, Cadbury would spend  £9 million, and therefore, during the process of trying to sell more chocolate and earn more money, their workers would earn a lower salary. The government would be affected because they would be criticized for encouraging children to eat more chocolate. The shareholders are affected because they would receive a lower profit if the profit margin is dropping. The businesses responsibility would be to provide for the population and to fulfil their wants and needs. In this case, Cadbury is providing for both its customers, and the school. It’s responsibility is to also provide jobs for the society. These people make money to support themselves and their families, pay taxes and use their wages to buy goods and services. The businesses responsibility towards competitors would be to be honest in their business practice. The businesses duty towards its workers would be creating a safe work environment, to pay workers of a business a minimum hourly wage, and to pay each worker money owed from working per paid period, including overtime, sick leave, and vacation wages. It is also the responsibility of the business to train workers in safe procedures to minimize the risk of injury. Also it is a business duty to create a working climate that fosters respect and fair treatment of every worker regardless of age, gender, race etc. The businesses responsibility towards the government is to pay taxes, follow environmental regulations (they need to limit the number of pollutants they expel), to maintain law and order etc. Finally, the businesses responsibility towards the shareholders is to build and maintain generosity in the eye of society, to provide goods and services, and to earn a profit and bring money to the company and the investors. Conflicts that might exist between stakeholders would be between society and the company and government. Even though the government supports Cadbury’s ‘’Get Active Campaign†, the general public is speaking that the only candy company is using the concept of being active to lure children to purchase more chocolates. It would also increase the number of calories the children take in (1.2 million) since to receive only one piece of sports equipment (e.g a volleyball set), children must collect $2000. Thus, leading to obesity at a young age. Another conflict that might result is between customers and the company. The customers buying the chocolate might realize that the campaign is just a scheme created to sell more chocolate, yet neglects the importance of healthy exercise. Some solutions to the conflicts that the businesses faces would be that Cadbury should cancel the concept of accumulating chocolate tokens. It is the responsibility of companies to encourage customers to live a fit  lifestyle, not a plan to sell more chocolate. In order to solve the conflict, Cadbury should cancel and donate the sports equipment to financially struggling schools as an act of charity. Public relations firms specialize in dealing with negative publicity. There are many ways to solve problems between different stakeholders. Each business stakeholders have their own business objective. They usually have different opinions and have to disagree about some decisions. Finding a solution can satisfy both the conflicting stakeholders.

Operating System common on the Internet Essay

This paper discusses the various types of operating systems that are commonly used for the internet. The paper explains the general meaning of the operating systems and then discusses the various types of operating systems which support the internet applications. An operating system is a software component of a computer system that is responsible for the management of various activities of the computer and the sharing of computer resources. Operating Systems provide a base software platform on top of which other programs called application programs can run. Operating systems enable user to interact with the computer systems by acting as an interface between users or the application programs and the computer hardware. The different operating systems available in the market offer a wide choice for the user. However, with the increasing internet usage, the choice of operating system greatly depends on how well the OS supports the activities of the internet based applications. The different operating systems provide different types of browsers to enable internet usage. Linux is the most popular operating system for the internet and is based on UNIX, just like the Mac OS X. Linux offers larger amount of free space and open source software and is more equipped than any of the other counterparts. Comparing the features of the various OS, Hughes states that one of the most important features of the Linux operating system is its set of internet clients and servers including mail, news, FTP, web as well as the proxy clients and servers. Owing to the range of Linux distributions to offer, Linux is easily customizable. The use of compatibility layers such as Wine, makes Linux attuned with the windows programs and hence a good choice for the internet. The system is less prone to viruses and hence more reliable, especially for the internet. The system is freely available and far less expensive. This advanced operating system is most popular and recommended for internet users. BSD operating systems are very similar to Linux operating systems and fully support internet access. Both Linux and BSD come with full functionality for regular dial-up, PPP-based, cable modem, and Ethernet connections. Sun Operating system, which is a part of Sun Microsystems Solaris, is yet another OS commonly used for internet networked applications (Linfo, 2004). Although not so commonly used, BSD and IRIX also considered as good operating systems for the internet applications. Linux is considered to be safer for web hosting servers. It is found to b more reliable, stable and efficient (Internet-Web Hosting). Microsoft Windows has been the most common operating system. The series of operating systems started with MS_DOS, Windows 95, Windows NT, XP and the now popular Windows Vista. Owing to the largest library of programs and applications, and the ease of hardware compatibility that it renders, Windows continues to be one of the commonly opted operating systems. However, considering the performance speed and security issues, Windows might not be the best choice for the internet. Windows operating system is prone to viruses and spy ware because of which it necessitates the installation and maintenance of the internet security software. Apple’s Mac OS X is the second most popular operating system based on UNIX. The OS is relatively simpler and more compatible. It offers many advanced features along with an intuitive interface. Mac OS X supports second largest selection of software and is the most reliable operating system. Unlike the Windows Operating system, Mac OS X is not prone to virus or malware and is a better choice for the internet when compared to Windows for certain cases. However, the limited compatibility with the Apple hardware imposes a constraint on the system being used across the internet. Unlike the Windows, the Mac OS X does not require the frequent expenditure on the internet security software subscriptions and is thus less expensive as compared to the Windows. The choice of Operating Systems for running Internet applications primarily depends on the type of user. While Windows may be the choice of home and leisure users, Linux is generally used by professionals. Windows offers ease of use whereas Linux provides Security and Open source. References Hughes, P. , Operating Systems Comparison. Retrieved on April 14, 2009 from http://netshooter. com/linux/oscomp. html The Most Popular Operating Systems. 2004. Linux Information Project Retrieved on April 14, 2009 from http://www. linfo. org/operating_systems_list. html Internet-Web Hosting. Retreived on April 14, 2009 from http://www. internet-webhosting. com/whichplan. php

Students and Literature Circles Essays

Students and Literature Circles Essays Students and Literature Circles Essay Students and Literature Circles Essay Essay Topic: Students Literature circles involve students in rich conversations about what they had read. Students can express their opinions, predictions and questions about the book they read. Working in a literature circle taught me a lot of things. First I learn that I interrupt my group members when their talking and I do not wait until it my turn to talk. I also learn that I should let the quiet students in my group talk first. First of all, during this project, I learn that I interrupt by talking a lot. For example, there was a day when a student (A) was talking, and I wasnt paying any attention to him. Instead, I was chatting with the person next to me. It made the whole group is not paying attention to him too, just because of me. The other day when the student (D) was talking to me, I got out of the topic, and I started to talk about something else and my group join in too/. It made the student (D) mad. However after a couple of meeting in a literature circle, I learned how to wait for my turn to talk. For example, when a student (C) was talking to the group I wanted to say something, but I waited until the student (C) asks me what do I think. The student (C) did not start with the quiet students in my group to talk first instead he started with the students who are not quiet. When we started working in a literature circle, we did not let the quiet student talk first. For example, when I was the Discussion Director I did not ask the quiet students to talk first instead I asked the others students who were not quiet. When was finally their turn to talk they just agreed with other students and they did not talk the much. In addition, each time when my group are having a conversation it not really an open conversation. For example, when the student (D) was discussing about the drawing he made we started having a little conversation. The conversation was not a really open because the student (D) did not asked the quiet students first. It was diffic

Persepolis Essays

Persepolis Essays Persepolis Paper Persepolis Paper Effects of Violence on Marli Although violence is intended to harm someone, there can be positive effects in certain situations. In MarJane Satrapis personal memoir, Persepolis, it is shown that Marli is exposed toa large amount of violence in her life, and in turn, it has affected her in many ways. The negative effect on her life include the emotional scarring that entails deaths from violence and also her increased violent tendencies. A positive effect of violence on MarJis adolescence is that she becomes more mature and is able to stand up for herself. MarJis exposure to the difficult times around her define ho she is as an individual, how she behaves, and how she matures. As a child is growing up, the people around them affect them greatly, and the violence around Marli and her life is emotionally scarring to her. Her Uncle Anoosh was executed for being a Russian spy, and she cared for him greatly. After she receives the news, she is visited by her image of God, and during this brief appearance she shouts at him, saying, Shut up, you! Get out of my life!!! I never want to see you again! (Satrapi 70). This quote is quite strong for MarJi; it is shouted in a iolent manner that is fairly unusual for her. She is very torn up about the situation that is at hand, which in itself is aggressive, and she is trying to cope. Usually this God is a comforting friend, a figment of her imagination that she created to try to understand the world around her. In this case, she feels that it is his fault that her uncle was executed. She tells him to leave because she doesnt trust him, especially since she is in a unstable, mourning condition. In the image Marli is standing on her bed, pointing to guide God to leave her. God looks sad or disappointed, but almost ike he expected it, and is accepting of his banishment, which could translate to him feeling guilty about the situation. The blackened background gives the impression that the main idea is her and God and also that she is starting to feel lost in her sadness and the enormity of the fact at hand. The way she is standing on the bed gives her power when she is possibly weak, making her seem taller and steadier. Another more graphic case of violence in MarJis life was the bombing near her house. Her neighbors house was bombed, and it is inferred that they were killed. After seeing what she believes is a hand, she explains, No scream in the world could have relieved my suffering and my anger (Satrapi 142). She was friends with her neighbor and is very difficult to have such a harsh visual in front of her. It was especially traumatizing for Marli because it was so close to her home and she must have thought of the possibility of that being her family. The panel for this phrase is just darkness, which expresses MarJis grief and her emotions clouding her thinking. She cant think of anything other than mute blackness because of the shock she feels. In both of these situations, someone close to Marli has been brutally killed, whether it be by assassination or bombing. Marli has been through a lot in her life, but deaths like this will stay with her forever and affect the weight of her memories. Prolonged exposure to certain behaviors can lead to slight mirroring of these habits which applies to Marli and her violent tendencies. She is susceptible to the of being fierce, threatening, and occasionally rude. For example, when Marli is very young, she hears that her friend Ramins father killed thousands of people, and creates a plan to punish him. She explains that her idea was to put nails between our fingers like American brass knuckles and to attack Ramin (Satrapi 45). Marli clarifies that she got the idea from hearing about American brass knuckles, something that should not be conveyed to young children. She came to the conclusion that Ramin should be punished very easily, only discovering it from word of mouth. According to Ramin, his father only killed evil communists. Based on this information, it can be inferred that Marli acted severely and irrationally, and effect of her exposure to the issues around her. In the image, Marli and a few of her friends re stomping through the streets, looking for Ramin, who is hiding behind a tree, looking very scared. The expression MarJis face and her stance is very similar to the panels that show protests and demonstrations. The tree that Ramin is hiding behind has only a single leaf on its otherwise bare branches, which could show the lack of protection Ramin has. Marli is very strong willed and opinionated and this is shown through her actions, such as when she is influenced by violence and destruction around her. After she learns that Iraqi bombs were dropped on Tehran, she reacts uickly, exclaiming, The Iraqis have always been our enemies. They want to invade us We have to bomb Baghdad! (Satrapi 81-2). Marli has been exposed to the bombings around her and she immediately wants to respond in a negative way, by fighting fire with fire. For an adolescent, these are strong topics to be dealing with and her voice on the matter is very aggressive. She is very adamant about the decisions she makes, even if she doesnt know all the information. Marli has a habit of being determined about a subject to show confidence and it also works to cover he fact that she might not know all the information. In both these images, Marli is angry and she seems to look like she believes that these behaviors are the obvious answers. She is very strong in her posture and she is defying her father in the first image, showing that she believes she is right and needs to show him that. In the second image, she is saying it in a matter of fact tone, and she has her feet on the table, a symbol of rebellion and confidence. She thinks that she knows they answer and wants to be strong willed about it. Although violence has a negative connotation, it does have the positive effect of ausing Marli to mature and act older than her true age. Ever since she was young, Marli has been fairly independent and opinionated. In her school life, she has talked back to her teachers multiple times. For example, when she wears her bracelet after a warning from the principal, she exclaims, With all the Jewelry you steal from us, you must be making a pile of money (Satrapi 143). This response is followed by Marli hitting the principal and being expelled. This may seem like a bad thing for MarJi, and it is, but it also shows her willingness to stand up for what she believes in. She showed that she is confident and doesnt want to listen to authority figures with whom she doesnt agree. She is an independent young women and her ability to stand up for herself will be useful as she grows up. I think MarJis expression in this panel is key. She looks angry, surprised, and almost disgusted. She knows what she believes is right and she doesnt want anyone to tell her otherwise. The principal is which almost Justifies MarJis action to hit her. Afterward, she apologizes to the principal, because of her natural instinct to try to lessen the severity of a situation. I hink she acts irrationally in this instance because she has learned that in dangerous or violent situations, she needs to act in a way that exerts her confidence and dominance. I believe that the formation of these behaviors is due to Marli toughening her personality to deal with the brutality surrounding her. Another example of MarJis maturing behavior is the cigarette she smokes. As she tried her first one, she said With this first cigarette, I kissed my childhood goodbye (Satrapi 117). She was using the cigarette as an act of rebellion against her moms dictatorship, but this is eflected with the executions of the regimes oppositions and the violence around her in general. Marli feels the need to rebel because she sees her mother as the dictator of the household and rebelling against her is correlated with rebelling against the revolution. It is well know that cigarettes are incredibly destructive to your health and they represent the violence to which Marli is exposed. She sees this act as her development into a grown-up. Being mature in her society is necessary because otherwise it is difficult to support yourself. As it turns out, Marli had to move away rom her family so her independence and growth will help her in her new life. In the final panel, where she dismisses her childhood, Marli looks confident and sure of herself and her decisions. The black background shows that this is an intense situation and all the attention should be focused on Marli and her actions. In the panel before, Marli was crying due to the cigarette but also due to the ideas entailed with smoking a cigarette and the loss of her childhood. She stopped crying for the last panel to show that she isnt afraid and she is ready for what adulthood could try o throw at her. In conclusion, violence has both negative and positive effects on MarJi. There is expected emotional scarring from the visual violence around her and as an individual, she develops a few violent behaviors. On the other hand, Marli has become more independent and grown-up, almost forcefully, from her exposure to the violence around her. Marli was living in a life surrounded by turmoil and destruction and she had nearly no choice but to endure the difficulties around her and work through them, leading to her growth into a stronger individual.

Caregiver Stress

ASC 4126 – The AIDS Pandemic Caregiver Stress Caregivers are those people who provide assistance to other people who are unable to perform certain activities on their own because of a physical disability or chronic illness. Formal care can be obtained at home, or from institutions such as nursing homes, and is offered by trained, paid or volunteer professional caregivers. However, informal care, which is usually offered by family members or friends, often in a home setting, is becoming increasingly common. These caregivers are normally inexperienced, untrained, and otherwise lacking the education necessary to maintain their own good health under the stressful conditions they face. Informal caregiving can have significant effects on the mental and physical health of the caregiver, and this will continue to become an increasing social problem in the United States as the population ages and the number of people requiring care outpaces the availability and affordability of professional care. Therefore, it is important to address the warning signs of caregiver stress, the potential health consequences and the ways in which the stress can be managed. Informal caregiving is becoming an increasingly standard function of many American families. It is estimated that there are 29. 2 million family caregivers in the United States, and about a quarter of them are caring for an aging parent. (McLeod) One of the common unintentional, harmful effects that is a reality in informal caregiving is that there is the potential for the â€Å"illness or disability or injury of the one (being cared for to) become such a focus it almost replaces the rest of their identity†. (Article 8) The same kind of thinking can also be used to explain the health risks that the caregivers themselves face. Caregiving can be very stressful, time consuming and demanding. Informal caregiving, which is usually a healthy spouse, child or parent living with the disabled person at home, can be a 24 hour, 7 day a week responsibility. It can consume all of their free time, and therefore the caregiver could potentially lose their own identity, and become unable to recognize the warning signs of their own health deterioration as a result of their commitment to caregiving. These caregivers, as part of losing their own identity, may be putting there own needs behind the needs of the person they are caring for. The result of this is that many of the warning signs that the caregiver is risking their own health are either overlooked, or attributed to being overwhelmed or tired from the extensive amount of time and energy that is required in caregiving. It is important for caregivers to educate themselves about the signs or symptoms of caregiver stress so that they can be sure to maintain their own good health. This is the only way to continue to be able to care for their loved one, as well as to help prevent a medical situation in which they could eventually require full time care themselves. The warning signs of caregiver stress vary from person to person, but doctors and psychologists have formulated general symptoms that people should pay attention to. At risk caregivers may exhibit denial about the disease or its severity, anger at the person with the disease, an inability to concentrate and severe irritability. Other psychological conditions could include depression and anxiety, dulled emotions and frequent memory lapses. They might be quick to cry or get angry, or have the consistent feeling that they simply can not cope anymore. Physical symptoms could include chronic fatigue, headaches, stomach aches and sleeping difficulties. Caregivers might even notice that they are catching colds more often than normal, or that they are experiencing an increase in their smoking, drinking or drug use. About 30% of caregivers use psychotropic drugs, such as sleep-aids, compared to only 20% of non-caregivers. (AlzheimerSolutions) Caregivers should also recognize warning signs in other aspects of their life as well. In their social life they may feel isolation or withdrawal from their friends, or be less interested in activities or events they usually enjoy. Another signal may be reduced effectiveness at their job, or in their other family responsibilities other than the caregiving. (McLeod, Maritato) Doctors and psychologists agree that if a caregiver experiences several of these symptoms, that they should consider themselves at-risk for medical complications themselves, and realize that their ability as a caregiver may become compromised. The importance for caregivers to recognize these symptoms and make the necessary lifestyle changes can not be understated. It is especially important for elderly caregivers, most of whom are caring for their spouse. It has been shown that a caregiving spouse between the ages of 66 and 96 who experience some type of emotional or mental strain have a 63% greater chance of dying than those in the same age group that are not caregivers. (Caregiver. org) But it is not just the elderly that develop serious medical problems related to their caregiving responsibilities. Caregiving related stress can have a severe impact on the immune system, which in turn has a direct influence on our overall health. Even wound healing is affected by the stress associated with caregiving because of the impact on the immune system. One study shows that wounds, such as cuts, take 24% longer to heal in Alzheimer caregivers than in non-caregivers. (AlzheimerSolutions) A weak immune system will also result in an increased rate of infections and serious illnesses. Therefore, caregivers are at an increased risk of contracting common colds and the flu, as well as more serious, chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. O’Brien) Research has shown that 51% of caregivers with significant responsibilities have sleep difficulties. (O’Brien) Lack of sleep can result in decreased effectiveness at work and at home, as well as impairing the ability to be a functioning caregiver. This symptom of caregiving can also have severe health consequences. There is increased research that shows a direct relationship between sleep deprivation and a heightened risk of many major illnesses, i ncluding heart disease and obesity. O’Brien) Finally, it has been proven that the stress associated with caregiving can actually shorten a person’s life if they don’t pay attention to the warning signs and maintain their own good health. This is not something that only the elderly needs to consider, because caregiving stress can affect the physiology of all caregivers. It has been shown that chronic stress can â€Å"accelerate the effects of aging by actually shortening cell life, (because) it leads to weakened muscles, skin wrinkles and even organ failure†. These studies found that this type of chronic stress can potentially shorten a caregivers life by as much as ten years. (O’Brien) In order to prevent these serious medical conditions, caregivers must not only watch out for their personal warning signs, but also find ways to manage the stress of caregiving. Most importantly, caregivers need to take care of their own health. This includes regular exercise, eating nutritious meals, and maintaining regular sleep patterns. Regular medical checkups are also essential, especially if the caregiver is experiencing some of the warning igns mentioned earlier. Perhaps this is the most overlooked necessity, because of either the lack of time, or the constant focus on the person being cared for. It is estimated that caregivers average four doctor visits per year, while non-caregivers average seven. (AlzheimerSolutions) Other ways that caregivers can manage the stress include maintaining their social life, especially their friendships and ot her social relationships, which can serve as a much needed break, or â€Å"escape† from their responsibilities as a caregiver. Caregivers should also be willing to ask for and accept help from others whenever possible. This can include other family and friends, or community organizations such as a local Area Agency on Aging, faith based groups or adult day centers. Adult day centers are basically there to provide relief for caregivers. They provide social activities and minimal medical attention during normal business hours. It is also important for caregivers to have an outlet for their stress, which can be achieved through talking to their friends and co-workers about their experiences. Joining a support group can also be a beneficial tool to learn how to deal with negative feelings. In order to properly manage their stress, caregivers have to learn how to deal with the common feelings associated with caregiving, such as embarrassment, guilt, helplessness and anger, and a support group could really help in that effort. Most people that become informal caregivers do so because of the unexpected illness or injury of a loved one. Because they generally become caregivers without any training or education, they are not usually aware of the possible negative impact on their own health that can be a result of their commitment to caregiving. It is therefore extremely important that caregivers understand the warning signs and symptoms related to the stress associated with caregiving and the potential medical consequences. They need to take advantage of any services available to help them manage the stress, including help from friends, family and the community to ensure that they maintain their own health, and their ability to be a functioning caregiver.

International Service Quality Mystery Shopper Essay

International Service Quality Mystery Shopper - Essay Example In short, mystery shopping is a tool that helps companies in understanding where their services stand and helps them to rectify the problems their customers face and improve their services. 1 Mystery shopping was basically developed in the 1940s and 1950s in order to expose the deceitful employees that were working for companies. In the early days, much of it was carried out by private investigators and many had no idea about what the term actually meant. With the passage of time, many of the companies realized that the information revealed with the help of mystery shopping services was far more authentic and important in helping to improve their business. Also, the information revealed about customer care service issues, safety and environment were also considered important and service providing companies realized that the information about the operations was far more important than any other data (Ilisha, 2004). The most common places where mystery shopping techniques are applied are the services industry, such as movie theatres, restaurants, banks, fast food chains, health clubs etc where much emphasis is paid on the service quality and their customer base and reputation is dependent on it. Therefore, the management of these companies make sure they have sound methods and techniques to gauge their services in a non-biased way in order to correct any faults.2 HOW IT WORKS A mystery shopper first has to register himself/herself to an organization specialized to conduct mystery shopping. There is a Mystery Shopping Providers Association with which companies are registered and provide mystery shopping services to the people. The mystery shopper once registered, is given an assignment, specific to the area in which he or she is living and a number of topics on which he or she has to undertake the assignment. Most of the dealings between the company and the mystery shopper are done online which reduces the hassle of paper work for the mystery shopper and it is a source of easy money for many. MYSTERY SHOPPING AND MARKET RESEARCH Mystery shopping is considered as a tool of market research as it helps to understand the market a company is catering too. However, it is different from market research on many accounts. Mystery research is more associated to operations research. Mystery research is more of an operational research that provides feedback on quality control, training and inducement purposes. These shoppers are specially recruited in such a way that their demographics and social profile is similar to the target market of the organization. Mystery shoppers also visit certain areas and on certain times, it cannot predict every customer's opinion and experience of the service (Mystery-Shoppers.co.uk, 2008). Also, customer satisfaction cannot be gauged because a mystery shopper is just a job that the shopper is doing and customer satisfaction relates to the subjective idea of a real customer's thinking. Therefore, mystery shopping should just not be used to gauge customer satisfaction. Mystery shopping provides us with a unique feedback of the customer and the people who are the mystery shoppers exactly know what they have to evaluate and the front line workers who are being evaluated have no idea about it. However, ethical

Freedom of Speech and a Free Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Freedom of Speech and a Free Government - Essay Example One of the areas that free speech is universally held as sacred is the freedom of religion or even the freedom from religion. (Matthew D. Bunker, 2001).One of the interesting facts of life is that the Supreme Court has never decided what free speech is. The court has allowed that free speech is associated with the search for truth. Even unpopular opinions are allowed the right of free speech. Freedom of speech is very important in the development of political stances that individuals might take.   Through freedom of speech various ideas can be developed and debated in order to establish a defensible position. It has been said that the right to express ourselves and the right of others to hear us contributes to the ordinary happiness of human beings, in general. With that being said, there are things not protected by freedom of speech. One cannot obstruct the recruiting or enlistment for people to serve in the military. Libelous talk or press and false advertising are also restricte d.   In general it is not permissible to wear gang colors to school or to wear anything that promotes hatred. Also not covered by free speech are personal threats of violence made against a government worker or an educator. The First Amendment of the American Constitution is perhaps one of the best known governmental documents of all time. The government as created by the representatives would be composed of three branches. The executive would be the leader of the entire union supported by a two house legislature.

Copyright law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Copyright law - Essay Example â€Å"Work made for hire† is defined under  § 101, Chapter 1 of Title 17 on Copyrights of the US Code as work, which is either prepared by a person as part of his work during his employment or works which are especially commissioned. The ‘work made for hire’ rule constitutes an exception to the general rule that copyright ownership naturally belongs to the author or creator of that work, implying that in such cases, the employer or the person for whom the work is done or created for is deemed the copyright owner of the work.However, this can be true only if there is no express agreement in writing signed by the parties indicating a contrary intention ( § 210, Chapter 2 of Title 17, USC). Under the first definition of ‘work made for hire,’ the term employee is constructed in accordance with the holding of the Court in Community for Creative Non-Violence v Reid, 490 US 730 (1989). In that case, an artist’s help was solicited by a non-profit o rganization to aid in their campaign against homelessness. The artist acceded, but no agreement between them as to copyright ownership over the sculpture was entered into. When the artist later claimed copyright ownership, the organization went to court. The US Supreme Court held that the term ‘employee’ should be taken in the context of the conventional employee-employer relation, without resorting to the control test often employed in common law. The SC’s decision relied on the agency law, where agency is determined under a ten-factor test. Since the conditions in the case did not satisfy this, the Court held that it was not within the ambit of the ‘work made for hire’ and copyright ownership belonged to the artist. On the other hand, ‘work made for hire’ under the second type, or the especially commissioned works, is easier to determine because the law itself confined it to nine types of work: â€Å"as a contribution to a collective work; as part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; as a translation; as a supplementary work; as a compilation; as an instructional text, or; as an atlas, if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a work made for hire† ( § 101, Chapter 1 of Title 17, USC). Q2 Under  §102, Title 17 on Copyrights of the US Code, there are eight kinds of works of authorship upon which copyright protection can be had: literary works; musical works, including any accompanying words; dramatic works, including any accompanying music; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic and sculptural works; motion pictures and other audiovisual works; sound recordings, and architectural works. Copyright registration may be made either online or using paper forms, although online registrations can only be made for basic registrations. For non-online registrations, each type of work of art must use a corresponding form. Liter ary works, whether published or unpublished, for example, must use Form TX. Specifically Form TX is used for non-dramatic literary works such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, textbooks, reference works, directories, catalogs, advertising copy, compilations of information, and computer programs. On the other hand, visual arts, published or unpublished, must use Form VA, with ‘visual arts’ comprising pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works. Works of artistic craftsmanship and design are also registrable under Form VA, but protection extends only to their form and not to their other aspects. For works of performing arts, published or unpublished, Form PA is used for registration. The performing arts category include within its ambit musical works, dramatic works, pantomimes and choreographic works, and motion pictures and audiovisual works. Form SR is the form used for the registration of sound recordings, published or unpublished, but may also be used to simultaneously r egister the underlying musical, dramatic or literary work accompanying the sound recording. Sound recording, however,

Surface analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Surface analysis - Essay Example For example, corrosion in metal is prevented through the use of specific chemicals; various optical effects on lenses may be done through special coatings; and automobile emissions are significantly reduced through the unique chemical composition on the surface of an auto-exhaust catalyst. To achieve the desired function, the surface a material should be analyzed to determine its physical characteristics, chemical composition, chemical and atomic structure, electronic state, and molecular bonding (Vickerman, 2009). Methods Several probes may be applied on a solid surface to measure its response, namely: electrons, ions, neutrons, photons, and heat or field. Each probe has a specific response. The combination of probes and corresponding responses provides 36 basic classes of experimental techniques which may be utilized for surface analysis. Table 1 Most Commonly Used Surface Analysis Methods Incident Excitation Probe photon electron ion neutron electric/magnetic field Radiation Detec ted photon FTIR, Raman, XAFS, EXAFS, SFG, IR EDAX NRA GDOES electron XPS/ESCA, UPS, (AE) XAFS AES, SAM, SEM, TEM, LEED, RHEED, SPE, STM, EELS STM, AFM ion SIMS, LEIS, RBS, ISS neutron INS As shown in Table 1, the following shows the most commonly used surface analysis methods: FTIR – Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy; Raman Vibrational Spectroscopy; XAFS – X-ray Absorption Fine Structure analysis; EXAFS – Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure analysis; SFG – Sum Frequency Generation; IR – Infrared Spectroscopy; EDAX – Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-rays; NRA – Nuclear Reaction Analysis; GDOES – Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy; XPS/ESCA – X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy / Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis; UPS – Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy; (AE) XAFS – Auger Emission X-ray Absorption Fine Structure analysis; AES – Auger Electron Spectroscopy; SAM –Sc anning Auger Spectroscopy; SEM – Scanning Electron Microscopy; TEM – Transmission Electron Microscopy; LEED – Low Energy Electron Diffraction; RHEED – Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction; SPE – Spin Polarized Electron spectroscopy; STM – Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy; EELS – Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy; AFM – Atomic Force Microscopy; SIMS – Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry; LEIS – Low Energy Ion Scattering spectroscopy; RBS – Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy; ISS – Ion Scattering Spectroscopy; and INS – Inelastic Neutron Scattering; Analysis Auger electron spectroscopy or AES is considered as a key chemical surface analysis tool for conducting material samples. The AES technique is based on the excitation of auger electrons which allow not only the imaging of atoms but for chemical identification as well. Information available through AES ranges between the first 2 to 10 at omic layers of the sample surface (Matheiu, 2009). Meanwhile, low energy electron diffraction or LEED works by bombarding a surface with beam of low energy electrons which enable the identification of the surface structure by electron diffraction (Vickerman, 2009). A beam of low energy electrons between 10 to 200 eV is used to determine crystallographic structure. A device called a Retarding Field Analyzer is utilized to detect diffracted electrons. Diffracted electrons appear as spots on a phosphorescent screen which move according to energy variations of electrons. The intensity of the spots also provides information regarding surface reconstructions (Walker, 2011). An auger

What does Weber mean by charismatic authority How and why does he Essay

What does Weber mean by charismatic authority How and why does he contrast it to bureaucracy - Essay Example Much progress had been made, but he was not at all confident that that progress could raise human beings to the required moral status that was needed to ensure the world would be a livable place. One problem he had was the way current social scientists were analyzing history and social activity. They all seem to think that the world was on a route of progress, hence their evaluation of history was framed from valued, or normative points of views. Weber created the use of "ideal type" to analyze social data and activity such that values could be separated for observations and theorists could make empirically based views. An ideal type became a concept marking regularities of meaningful action. The ideal type model would enable precise definitions for comparison and measurement of social reality. In his analysis of leadership ideal types that have evolved through history, he created three models. These were the legal or bureaucratic leader, the authority leader, and the charismatic lea der. This report will concentrate on "charismatic authority" and will contrast it to "bureaucracy". It will view how charismatic authority may contribute to a sociological understanding of power in modern society. Discussion How has the concept of ‘leader’ risen in society and in what way has it became an authority figure? Weber attempted to not make value judgments as he outlined his leadership types. Hence he was able to accept as a fact that the bureaucratic leader existed, alone with the traditional and charismatic ones. Although the route that the leader took to authority may have involved injustice or arbitrary actions, Weber's task was to describe the various types and how they came to be accepted (Titunik 65). The bureaucratic or legal leader represented the impersonal type leader that worked efficiently in such organizations as businesses, schools, and even church hierarchies and hospitals. They were the officials of an organization who ruled not on personal lo yalties, but on clear hierarchic chains of command that were organized on systems of intentionally created abstract rules. There were rules of conduct and specified roles were marked out. There were distinct spheres of ownership and staff and staff was paid more or less for skills that were acquired and recognize to operate on the position. One of the problems dealing with bureaucratic leadership was that many times it could be seen as lording over an emotionless 'iron cage' (Weber 181). The traditional leader evolved from a historical patriarch whose position was that of a personal master who ruled over his subjects. He was more or less limited by traditional laws and his rule was held up by faithful followers who had received benefits. It is the charismatic leader whom Weber seems to spend much time on. This particular leader came to power through recognition of his exceptional powers as a hero, as a person who took the ultimate self-sacrifice. His followers are mesmerized before him and had accepted his otherworldly nature. He has exemplary character. He is able to bring meaning into the lives of his follower and he can give them goals and images to internalize and believe in to "transcend their own limited existence" (Conger et al 751). The charismatic leader releases his followers from "custom, law and tradition", even from family responsibilities and, most importantly, from their own conscience (Conger et al 751). Dow sees it as an ideal type and an emotional life-force that "remains forever beyond the reach of bureaucratic domination† (Dow 85). Charismatic leadership directly contrasts bureaucratic leadership. Dow suggests that Weber celebrated ‘charisma as an â€Å"emotional life-force† antagonistic to the dreary construction of the iron cage’† (Dow 85). Yet, today they both can be seen operating easily in tantrum. One

Copyright law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Copyright law - Essay Example â€Å"Work made for hire† is defined under  § 101, Chapter 1 of Title 17 on Copyrights of the US Code as work, which is either prepared by a person as part of his work during his employment or works which are especially commissioned. The ‘work made for hire’ rule constitutes an exception to the general rule that copyright ownership naturally belongs to the author or creator of that work, implying that in such cases, the employer or the person for whom the work is done or created for is deemed the copyright owner of the work.However, this can be true only if there is no express agreement in writing signed by the parties indicating a contrary intention ( § 210, Chapter 2 of Title 17, USC). Under the first definition of ‘work made for hire,’ the term employee is constructed in accordance with the holding of the Court in Community for Creative Non-Violence v Reid, 490 US 730 (1989). In that case, an artist’s help was solicited by a non-profit o rganization to aid in their campaign against homelessness. The artist acceded, but no agreement between them as to copyright ownership over the sculpture was entered into. When the artist later claimed copyright ownership, the organization went to court. The US Supreme Court held that the term ‘employee’ should be taken in the context of the conventional employee-employer relation, without resorting to the control test often employed in common law. The SC’s decision relied on the agency law, where agency is determined under a ten-factor test. Since the conditions in the case did not satisfy this, the Court held that it was not within the ambit of the ‘work made for hire’ and copyright ownership belonged to the artist. On the other hand, ‘work made for hire’ under the second type, or the especially commissioned works, is easier to determine because the law itself confined it to nine types of work: â€Å"as a contribution to a collective work; as part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; as a translation; as a supplementary work; as a compilation; as an instructional text, or; as an atlas, if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a work made for hire† ( § 101, Chapter 1 of Title 17, USC). Q2 Under  §102, Title 17 on Copyrights of the US Code, there are eight kinds of works of authorship upon which copyright protection can be had: literary works; musical works, including any accompanying words; dramatic works, including any accompanying music; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic and sculptural works; motion pictures and other audiovisual works; sound recordings, and architectural works. Copyright registration may be made either online or using paper forms, although online registrations can only be made for basic registrations. For non-online registrations, each type of work of art must use a corresponding form. Liter ary works, whether published or unpublished, for example, must use Form TX. Specifically Form TX is used for non-dramatic literary works such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, textbooks, reference works, directories, catalogs, advertising copy, compilations of information, and computer programs. On the other hand, visual arts, published or unpublished, must use Form VA, with ‘visual arts’ comprising pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works. Works of artistic craftsmanship and design are also registrable under Form VA, but protection extends only to their form and not to their other aspects. For works of performing arts, published or unpublished, Form PA is used for registration. The performing arts category include within its ambit musical works, dramatic works, pantomimes and choreographic works, and motion pictures and audiovisual works. Form SR is the form used for the registration of sound recordings, published or unpublished, but may also be used to simultaneously r egister the underlying musical, dramatic or literary work accompanying the sound recording. Sound recording, however,

What does Weber mean by charismatic authority How and why does he Essay

What does Weber mean by charismatic authority How and why does he contrast it to bureaucracy - Essay Example Much progress had been made, but he was not at all confident that that progress could raise human beings to the required moral status that was needed to ensure the world would be a livable place. One problem he had was the way current social scientists were analyzing history and social activity. They all seem to think that the world was on a route of progress, hence their evaluation of history was framed from valued, or normative points of views. Weber created the use of "ideal type" to analyze social data and activity such that values could be separated for observations and theorists could make empirically based views. An ideal type became a concept marking regularities of meaningful action. The ideal type model would enable precise definitions for comparison and measurement of social reality. In his analysis of leadership ideal types that have evolved through history, he created three models. These were the legal or bureaucratic leader, the authority leader, and the charismatic lea der. This report will concentrate on "charismatic authority" and will contrast it to "bureaucracy". It will view how charismatic authority may contribute to a sociological understanding of power in modern society. Discussion How has the concept of ‘leader’ risen in society and in what way has it became an authority figure? Weber attempted to not make value judgments as he outlined his leadership types. Hence he was able to accept as a fact that the bureaucratic leader existed, alone with the traditional and charismatic ones. Although the route that the leader took to authority may have involved injustice or arbitrary actions, Weber's task was to describe the various types and how they came to be accepted (Titunik 65). The bureaucratic or legal leader represented the impersonal type leader that worked efficiently in such organizations as businesses, schools, and even church hierarchies and hospitals. They were the officials of an organization who ruled not on personal lo yalties, but on clear hierarchic chains of command that were organized on systems of intentionally created abstract rules. There were rules of conduct and specified roles were marked out. There were distinct spheres of ownership and staff and staff was paid more or less for skills that were acquired and recognize to operate on the position. One of the problems dealing with bureaucratic leadership was that many times it could be seen as lording over an emotionless 'iron cage' (Weber 181). The traditional leader evolved from a historical patriarch whose position was that of a personal master who ruled over his subjects. He was more or less limited by traditional laws and his rule was held up by faithful followers who had received benefits. It is the charismatic leader whom Weber seems to spend much time on. This particular leader came to power through recognition of his exceptional powers as a hero, as a person who took the ultimate self-sacrifice. His followers are mesmerized before him and had accepted his otherworldly nature. He has exemplary character. He is able to bring meaning into the lives of his follower and he can give them goals and images to internalize and believe in to "transcend their own limited existence" (Conger et al 751). The charismatic leader releases his followers from "custom, law and tradition", even from family responsibilities and, most importantly, from their own conscience (Conger et al 751). Dow sees it as an ideal type and an emotional life-force that "remains forever beyond the reach of bureaucratic domination† (Dow 85). Charismatic leadership directly contrasts bureaucratic leadership. Dow suggests that Weber celebrated ‘charisma as an â€Å"emotional life-force† antagonistic to the dreary construction of the iron cage’† (Dow 85). Yet, today they both can be seen operating easily in tantrum. One

California, Eames house Essay Example for Free

California, Eames house Essay Constructed in 1949 in pacific palisades, California, Eames house is a landmark of mid-twentieth century modern architecture. It was owned by design pioneers, husband and wife, Charles and Ray Eames. The Eames’ gracious live-work life- style continues to be an influential model. ( Eames house) The design of the house was proposed for a case study house program for Art and Architecture magazine. The idea was to hypothesize a modern household, elaborate its functional requirements, have an architect design the home, use modern materials and construction processes, and then actually build the home. The Eames’ proposal reflected their own household and their own needs, a young married couple wanting to live, work and entertain in one undemanding setting in harmony with the site. (Eames house) A site near the coast, on Pacific Palisades, once a part of private estate was selected. The initial design proposed consisted of a raised steel and glass box projecting out of the slope. According to the final design, the house was tucked into the slope with a concrete wall on the uphill side. A mezzanine level was added, making use of pre-fabricated spiral stair that was to be the lower entrance. The upper level holds the bedrooms and overlooks the double height living room. A courtyard was also introduced, separating the residence from the studios. The revised scheme only required one additional beam. The 17 feet tall facade is broken down into a rigidly almost Mondrianesque composition brightly colored panels between thin steel columns and painted black. The entry door is marked with a gold leaf panel above. The row of eucalyptus trees was preserved along the exposed wall of the house, providing a visual contrast to the bold facade of the house. The Eames house is considered the most successful both as an architectural statement and as a comfortable, functional living space. ( Eames house) Works-cited page Eames House, wikipedia the free encyclopedia, 6-12-2006, Retrieved on 10-12-2006 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Eames_House

What Is Sales Forecasting Marketing Essay

What Is Sales Forecasting Marketing Essay Forecasting is a little more scientific than looking into the crystal ball . The scientific basis of forecasting lies in studying past , present and future trends , present and future actions and their effects . What happened in the past is relevant to what is happening now and what could happen in the future . Forecasting  is defined as the process of making statements about the events whose actual outcomes have not yet been observed . A common example might be  the estimation  of some variable of interest at some specified future date .  Prediction  is similar , but it is more general term. Both might refer to formal statistical methods employing   the time series ,  cross sectional  or  longitudinal  data and alternatively to less formal judgemental methods . Usage can differ between areas of application for example in  hydrology , the terms forecast and forecasting are sometimes reserved for the estimation of values at certain specific  future  times , while the term prediction is used for more general estimates , such as the number of times the floods will occur over a long period . WHAT IS SALES FORECASTING ? SALES FORCATING : Sales forecasting is estimating what a companys future sales are likely to be , based on the sales records as well as  the market research . Information used for sales forecasting must be well organized and may include information on the competition and the statistics that affect the businesses customer base . Companies conduct sales forecasting in hopes of identifying the patterns so that the revenue and the   cash flow  can be maximized . Sales forecasting is a difficult area of management . Most managers believe that they are good at forecasting . However , forecasts made usually turn out to be wrong . Marketers argue about whether sales forecasting is a science or an art . The short answer is that it is a bit of both. Sales forecast should be conducted regularly and all the forecasting results need to be measured , so that the future methods can be adjusted if necessary . Before the forecasting process begins marketing , sales or other managers should determine how far ahead the forecast should be done . Short term forecasting is a maximum of three months and is often effective for analyzing budgets and markets . Intermediate sales forecasting is between a period of three months and two years and may be used for schedules ,  inventory and production . Long term forecasting is for a minimum of two years and can be used for long term forecast period and is good for dealing with growth into new markets or new products . Basically sales forecasting is analyzing all the parts of a business from total inventory to the strengths and weaknesses of sales people . Managers must think about changes in customer sales or other changes that could affect the forecasting figures . They must be competitive when they are assessing the competition and how they can surpass the competition to better meet the needs of the target market . IMPORTANCE OF SALES FORCASTING Sales forecasting is the basis of all the business activities . All the business activities may it be a sales related matter , production related matter , finance , advertising etc depend on sales forecasting . Any business firm starts its plan with sales forecasting . Sales forecasting is a self assessment tool for a company . A sales forecast reports , graphs and analyzes the pulse of any business . It is a vital basis for a companys budget . The future direction of the company depends on the sales forecasting .   Sales  are the lifeblood of the business .  Its what helps you pay employees , cover operating expenses , buy more inventory , market new products and attract more investors . Sales forecasting is a crucial part of the  financial planning  of the business . Its a self assessment tool that uses the past and the current sales statistics to intelligently predict the future performance . Sales forecasts are also an important part of starting a new business . Almost all new businesses need loans or start up capital to purchase everything necessary to get off the ground office space , equipment , inventory , employee salaries and  marketing . You cant just walk into a bank with a bright idea and lots of enthusiasm . You need to show them numbers that prove your business is viable . In other words , you need a business plan . The importance of Sales forecasting can be stated as follows : 1 . Overstocking and the under stocking of materials can be maintained by a good inventory control. 2 . With the help of sales forecasting , sales opportunities can be found out on the basis of the forecast . 3 . All the activities in an organization , are controlled on the basis of forecasting . 4 . Advertising and sales promotion expenses are based on sales forecasting . 5 . Sales forecasting is also important in the field of personnel department . The number of sales persons , executives etc can be increased or decreased on the basis of sales forecasting . 6 . Sales forecasting is the basis for financial Planning . 7 . In the field of production , with the help of sales forecasting , producer is able to adjust his production schedules and avoid idle time which leads to efficiency . 8 . Supply and demand of the products can be easily adjusted .   9 . It helps in knowing when and how much to buy . 10 . It helps in the product mix decisions . SALES FORECASTING ON THE BASIS OF PAST Many businesses prepare their sales forecast on the basis of their past sales . Past years Sales forecasting is done with the help of Time series analysis . Time series analysis involves the breaking of past sales down into the four components : The trend are the sales growing , flat lining or are in decline ! Seasonal or cyclical factors Sales are affected by the swings in the general economic activity . Seasonal and cyclical factors occur in a regular pattern . Erratic events these include strikes , fashion fads , war scares and other disturbances to the market , which need to be isolated from the past sales data in order to be able to identify the more normal pattern of the sales . Responses the results of the particular measures that have been taken to increase the sales (e.g. a major new advertising campaign) . Using the time series analysis to prepare an effective sales forecast requires the management to : Smooth out the erratic factors . Adjust for the seasonal variation . Identify and estimate the effect of the specific marketing responses . SALES FORECASTING ON THE BASIS OF PRESENT MARKET As a starting point for estimating the market demand , a company needs to know the actual industry sales that is taking place in the market . This involves identifying its competitors and estimating their sales . An industry trade association will often collect and publish the total industry sales , although rarely listing the individual company sales separately . By using this information , each company can easily evaluate its performance against the whole market . This is an important piece of analysis , Say for example that Company A has sales that are rising at the rate of 10% per year . However , it finds out that the overall industry sales are rising by the rate of 15% per year . This must mean that Company A is losing the market share , its relative standing in the industry . Another way to estimate the sales is to buy the reports from a marketing research firm such as AC Neilsen , Mintel etc . These are usually good sources of information for the consumer markets where the retail sales can be tracked in great detail at the point of sale . Such sources are less useful in the industrial markets which usually rely on the distributors. SALES FORECASTING FOR FUTURE MARKET So far we have identified that how a company can determine the current position . How can the future market demand and the company demand be forecast ? Very few products or the services lend themselves to easy forecasting . These tend to involve a product whose absolute level or the trend of sales is fairly constant and where the competition is either non-existent ( e.g. monopolies such as public utilities ) or stable ( pure oligopolies ) . In most of the markets , the total demand and company demand are not stable which makes the good sales forecasting a critical success factor . A common method of preparing the sales forecast has three stages : Prepare the macroeconomic forecast   what will happen to overall economic activity in the relevant economies in which a product is to be sold . Prepare an industry sales forecast   what will happen to overall sales in an industry based on the issues that influence the macroeconomic forecast . Prepare a company sales forecast   based on what management expect to happen to the companys market share . Sales forecasts can be based on the following three types of information : What the customers say  about their intentions to continue buying products in the industry . What the customers are actually doing  in the market . What the customers have done  in the past in the market . There are many market research businesses that undertake surveys of the customer intentions and sell this information to the businesses that need the data for sales forecasting purposes . The value of the customer intention survey increases when there are a relatively small number of customers , the cost of reaching them is small and they have the clear intentions . An alternative way of measuring the customer intentions is to sample the opinions of the sales force or to the consult industry experts .

How Jack Bellews Speech Affects the Plot of Nella Larsens Passing

The term "passing" is shorthand for a racial passing which means people of one race passing for another. Nella Larsen's Passing is the story about two light-skinned women, who both have African blood. Clare Kendry is one of them who chooses and succeeds at "passing" and Irene Redfield is one who doesn't. They drive into each other twelve years later in a restaurant and Clare invites Irene to the tea party. The tea party which appears in the beginning of the story plays an important role throughout of the story because Jack Bellew enters the story at that moment. Jack is the white man who has a strong revulsion to African-Americans. He marries Clare, without knowing her secret ancestry. Jack's statements at the tea party lead the main characters' transformation throughout the story and shape the ending as well. Jack's disgust in colored people and assertion of his hate toward Negroes impact Clare Kendry, his wife, to re-estimate her value of life. When Clare and Irene run into each other at the restaurant, Clare is confident of her `passing' and is even sorry to those who didn't do the same thing. Passing to the white society is "even worth the price" to Clare (160). She believes that wealth is everybody's final desire and by passing she achieves that in a "frightfully easy" way (158). However she doubts her confidence on her passed life since the tea party in her house. At the tea party, Jack says words which humiliates African-Americans and shows how he hates Negroes (171-172). Against his statements, Irene exposes that Jack is "surrounded by three black devils" (172). It is significant that Irene includes Clare as one of the "black devils." This implies that Irene classifies Clare as a part of the black community even... ...at Jack didn't show up frequently during the story but his words which had spoken at the tea party remain and continuously affect Irene and Clare. After the tea party Clare finds her happiness is no longer coming from being an upper class and having wealth but she confirms that she belongs to the black society and is happy to mingle with them. Also Irene who always concerning safety and put it up as the most important thing in her life turns out to thinking about others beside security; those are considering herself and relationship with husband . Clare's death, the ending of the story, was already foreseen at the tea party by Jack and followed by his words. Without doubt Jack Bellew was the character who opens up the story and also, finishes up the story. Work cited Nella, Larsen. Quicksand and Passing. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University press, 2002

International Development Ethics Essay -- Ecology Ecological Environme

ABSTRACT: I discuss the nature and genesis of international development ethics as well as its current areas of consensus, controversies, challenges, and agenda. A relatively new field of applied ethics, international development ethics is ethical reflection on the ends and means of socioeconomic change in poor countries and regions. It has several sources: criticism of colonialism and post-World War II developmental strategies; Denis Goulet's writings; Anglo-American philosophical debates about the ethics of famine relief; and Paul Streeten's and Amartya Sen's approaches to development. Development ethicists agree that the moral dimension of development theory and practice is just as important as the scientific and policy components. What is often called "development" (e.g., economic growth) may be bad for people, communities, and the environment. Hence, the process of development should be reconceived as beneficial change, usually specified as alleviating human misery and environmen tal degradation in poor countries. The Nature of Development Ethics National policymakers, project managers and international aid donors involved in development in poor countries often confront moral questions in their work. Development scholars recognize that social-scientific theories of 'development' and 'underdevelopment' have ethical or as well as empirical and policy components. Development philosophers and other ethicists formulate ethical principles relevant to social change in poor countries, analyze and assess the moral dimensions of development theories and seek to resolve the moral quandaries raised in development policies and practice: In what direction and by what means should a society 'develop'? Who is morally responsible for bene... ...n, MA: Lexington Books. Nussbaum, M. and J. Glover (eds.) (1995) Women, Culture and Development, Oxford: Clarendon Press. ______ and A. Sen (eds.) (1993) The Quality of Life, Oxford: Clarendon Press. O'Neill, O. (1993) "Ending World Hunger," in T. Regan (ed.) Matters of Life and Death, New York: London: Allen & Unwin. Segal, J.M. (1991) "What is Development?" in C.V. Blatz (ed.) Ethics and Agriculture: An Anthology on Current Issues in World Context, Moscow, ID: University of Idaho Press. Sen, A. (1984) Resources, Values and Development, Oxford: Blackwell; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Streeten, P. with Burki, S.J., Haq, M., Hicks, N., and Stewart, F. (1981) First Things First: Meeting Basic Needs in Developing Countries, London: Oxford University Press. Streeten, P. (1994) Strategies for Human Development, Copenhagen: Handelshojskolens.

American Retirement Corporation Essay

American Retirement Corporation (ARC) is an operator of senior living communities. The company is a senior living and health care services provider offering a broad range of care and services to seniors, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and therapy services. The company operates around 65 senior living communities in 14 states, with an aggregate unit capacity of approximately 12,900 units and resident capacity of approximately 14,500. Across the United States, the company owns 19 communities, leases 41 communities, and manages five communities pursuant to management agreements. The company operates in three distinct business segments: retirement centers, free standing assisted living communities (ALCs), and management services. The company operates large continuing care and retirement communities (CCRCs) and independent living communities (retirement centers) that provide an array of services, including independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s and skilled nursing care. The company’s retirement centers are the largest segment of the company’s business and comprise around 27 of the 65 communities that the company operates, with unit capacity of approximately 8,100, representing approximately 63% of the total unit capacity of the company’s communities. The company’s free standing ALCs provide specialized assisted living care to residents in a comfortable residential atmosphere. Most of the free standing ALs provide specialized care such as Alzheimer’s, memory enhancement and other dementia programs. These communities are designed to provide care in a home-like setting. At each of its free standing ALCs, the company provide personalized care plans for each resident, extensive activity programs, and access to therapy or other services as needed. Jack C. Massey, Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr. , and a small group of prominent local businessmen founded American Retirement Corp. in February 1978. Historically, the company operated large CCRCs and independent living communities that provided an array of services, including independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing care in large, often campus style settings. The company formed American Retirement Communities in February 1995, through a combination of certain entities that owned, operated, or managed various senior living communities. American Retirement became a wholly owned subsidiary of American Retirement Communities in February 1997 (Datamonitor, December 2005). ARC began to develop and acquire a number of free-standing assisted living communities in 1999, most of which began operations during 1999 and 2000. In 2001, the company purchased assisted living residences in partnership with CNL Retirement, namely the Broadway Plaza at Pecan Park in Arlington, Texas and the Homewood Residence in Boca Raton, Florida. In Boca Raton, ARC could be availed through the Homewood Residence, a senior community designed to help those who need assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing and administering needed medication. According to the Homewood Residence Website, the service they provide is â€Å"just like family†, the extra assistance their clients may need with their daily activities, while helping them maintain the privacy, dignity and independence (Homewood Residence Website). Boca Raton, located in the Palm Beach County, has a healthy economy and wealthy retirees. Its primary growth is relying mainly on the tourism industry. Palm Beach County’s growth, on the other hand, is concentrated in biotechnology, electronics, and computer industries. The largest employers are in the public sector, federal and state government, public schools, and Florida Atlantic University. In Boca Raton, there is also an increased number of older populace. Businesses must deal with the shifts in demands for goods and services brought on by the desires and needs of older consumers (Howell, 1997). The issues facing the delivery of goods and services in general are magnified in the health care arena. Efforts to reach older consumers often are hampered by failure to understand the requirements and preferences of this population. According to the Boca Raton Comprehensive Annual Report (September 2005), the Milken Institute Index listed the Boca Raton market as the fourth in the â€Å"2004 Best Performing Cities Index† in the country for economic strength and job and wage growth. With a shortage of affordable housing, Boca Raton has introduced a workforce housing ordinance and is in the process of developing mixed use options as tools for providing additional housing in areas previously reserved for non residential uses. The Report also proudly states that Boca Raton is the location of several Fortune 500 companies and nearly 3,000 businesses, employing over 38,000 people because of its low taxes, strong employment base, and quality of life, Boca Raton’s business community is thriving (See Table 1). Table 1. Boca Raton’s Top Employers Among the three counties in Florida, Palm Beach has experienced the greatest population growth – in absolute numbers and in population density. It also has the oldest population. According to the 2000 US Census, Palm Beach County has 1,131,184 residents (See Table 2). Residents of Palm Beach County also have a higher per-capita income than in the other two counties. Miami-Dade County is clearly the largest of the three, in geographic size and population. Palm Beach and Broward Counties have similar proportions of their population that are uninsured, approximately 15 percent, and Miami Dade has the highest at 25 percent (Jackson & Beatty, 2003, p. 7). In the issue of income, Boca Raton has a high income per capita. Table 3 provides the data of income distribution by age group and by ethnicity in the year 1999. Table 2. Palm Beach Demographics PALM BEACH COUNTY FL US POPULATION Number Number Number Total population 1,131,184 Square miles (land) 1,974. 11 Population per square mile 573. 01 296. 37 79. 56 GENDER Number Pct Pct Pct Male 546,739 48. 3 48. 8 49. 1 Female 584,445 51. 7 51. 2 50. 9 AGE Number Pct Pct Pct 15 or younger 201,715 17. 8 19. 0 21. 4 16-24 113,057 10. 0 12. 2 13. 9 25-44 305,041 27. 0 28. 6 30. 2 45-64 249,295 22. 0 22. 7 22. 0 65+ 262,076 23. 2 17. 6 12. 4 Number Number Number Average age (years) 42. 55 39. 53 36. 22 RACE AND ETHNICITY Number Pct Pct Pct White 894,207 79. 1 78. 0 75. 1 Black or African American 156,055 13. 8 14. 6 12. 3 American Indian and Alaska native 2,466 0. 2 0. 3 0. 9 Asian 17,127 1. 5 1. 7 3. 6 Native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 692 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 Some other race 33,709 3. 0 3. 0 5. 5 Two or more races 26,928 2. 4 2. 4 2. 4 Hispanic or Latino 140,675 12. 4 16. 8 12. 5 Sources: U. S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; ePodunk Note: Hispanic ethnicity is a separate data category from race. This number should not be added to race totals. Table 3. Incomes in 1999 Boca Raton, Florida BOCA RATON FL US MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY AGE ($ IN 1999) Number Number Number Median household income 60,248 38,819 41,994 Householder under 25 24,080 22,861 22,679 Householder 25-34 49,871 39,021 41,414 Householder 35-44 73,110 46,291 50,654 Householder 45-54 82,033 50,347 56,300 Householder 55-64 71,315 42,971 47,447 Householder 65-74 52,321 32,398 31,368 Householder 75 and older 43,971 25,085 22,259 PER CAPITA INCOME BY RACE OR ETHNICITY ($) Number Number Number Per capita income 45,628 21,557 21,587 White 48,463 23,919 23,918 Black or African American 16,275 12,585 14,437 Native American 31,123 16,598 12,893 Asian 22,469 20,429 21,823 Native Hawaiian and Pacific islander 13,569 15,251 15,054 Some other race 14,023 11,431 10,813 Two or more races 20,589 13,514 13,405 Hispanic or Latino 25,476 15,198 12,111 Sources: U. S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; ePodunk Moreover, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County provides a source of funding for low-income residents to gain access to health care coverage and maintains a comprehensive trauma system in Palm Beach County, Florida. Other services include: rehabilitation/long-term care, nurses in public schools, behavioral health professionals in public schools, senior services and children’s health insurance programs (HCDPBC Website). HCD’s mission is to â€Å"maximize the health and well being of Palm Beach County residents by addressing their health care needs and planning for the access and delivery of services. † Health care has become one of the most vibrant sectors of the American economy, frequently a leader in economic growth, and the largest employer. Its research-based medicine focused on the use of pharmaceuticals, mechanical devices, and surgery, intervention strategies that reflect an earlier view of the body as a machine, paying relatively little attention to internal processes of problem-solving that occur normally (Heirich, 1998, p. 343). According to Andersen, Rice and Kominski (2001), improving access to health care can be greatly facilitated by a new generation of access models and indicators. These should stress the importance of contextual as well as individual characteristics to promote policies to improve access for defined populations. Also, these should focus on the extent to which medical care contributes to people’s health. Access measures should be developed specifically for particular vulnerable population groups. These measures are especially important because of the cross-cutting needs of many of the vulnerable groups: persons with HIV/AIDS, substance abusers, migrants, homeless people, people with disabilities, and those suffering from family violence. Improving equity, effectiveness, and efficiency should be the guiding norms for research on access. Among the most important areas for research are: †¢ Promoting successful birth outcomes—research on the relationships among medical risk factors, the content of prenatal care and birth outcomes †¢ Reducing the incidence of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases—research on the relationships among race, barriers to access, and infectious disease †¢ Reducing the effects of chronic diseases and prolonging life—research concerning the differences in use of high-cost discretionary care according to gender, ethnicity, income, and insurance status and whether these differences represent overuse or underuse of these services. †¢ Reducing morbidity and pain through timely and appropriate treatment— research exploring methods to better define what constitutes timely and appropriate use of physician services References American Retirement Corp. (2005, November 5). Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Datamonitor Database at http://dbic. datamonitor. com/companies/company/? pid=BAC9B41D-2415-44CF-8228-1C8B736DCBA8 American Retirement Corporation Website. http://www. arclp. com/index. html Andersen, R. M. , Rice, T. H. , & Kominski, G. F. (2001). Changing the U. S. Health Care System. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Boca Raton Income Overview. Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Epodunk Website at http://www. epodunk. com/cgi-bin/incomeOverview. php? locIndex=8367 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the City of Boca Raton, Florida. (2005, Spetember 30). Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Boca Raton Government Website at http://www. ci. boca-raton. fl. us/city/Council3. cfm Heirich, M. (1998). Rethinking Health Care: Innovation and Change in America. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Homewood Residence Website. http://www. seniorhousingnet. com/seniors/search/brochure/pr_brochure. jhtml? pid=552999&name=hrbocaraton&trigger=shn&source=a1shzr2t070 Howell, W. C. (1997). Forward, perspectives, and prospectives. In A. D. Fisk & W. A. Rogers (Eds. ), Handbook of human factors and the older adult (pp. 1–6). San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Jackson, C. A. , & Beatty, A. (2003). Organization and Financing of Indigent Hospital Care in South Florida. Santa Monica, CA: Rand. Palm Beach Population Overview. Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Epodunk Website at http://www. epodunk. com/cgi-bin/popInfo. php? locIndex=8814