The Impact of Web Based Cancer Information on Patient Outcomes Article

The Impact of Web Based Cancer Information on Patient Outcomes - Article Example There is a plethora of information available online on almost every known cancerous condition and the patients are aware about the treatment modalities available both in the modern western system of medicine as well in alternate systems of therapy. Self-help groups, blogs, renowned hospitals, pharmaceutical and disease-specific organizations besides the government healthcare departments and international healthcare authorities like the WHO (World Health Organization) offer the latest information on their websites which is accessible to the patient at all times. The latest research and development (R&D) findings are continuously updated to keep the data current. Due to this information and communication explosion, the patient has become more enlightened and is now fully aware of the implications of compliance with the recommended healthcare guidelines. Patient outcomes, therefore, stand to improve tremendously in the coming years as more progress is made in this direction. Studies on the impact that ICT has made on patient outcomes have been vigorously pursued in the recent past and research and analysis show that it has had a deep and permanent effect on the practice of modern medicine. The growth of the evidence-based practice, immaculate record keeping and vigorous follow-ups after treatment have improved the administration of healthcare protocols and yielded better results in patients. Increased use of patient interactive software has allowed the physicians to identify and know their patients in a better manner and this has resulted in ensuring better patient compliance. The overall effects have been positive in nature and the level of satisfaction has increased for both the patient as well as the healthcare professional.

Subjective exam intermediate accounting Essay Example for Free

Subjective exam intermediate accounting Essay 1. The conceptual framework deals with five main points that will be explained in this question. It first outlines the users of financial statements and their information needs, which are illustrated below: †¢ Investors – the providers of equity capital to the organization are mainly interested in the going concern of the company, together with the return attained from such investment. Indeed their investment decision will basically be, buying, selling or holding their equity investment. They will thus examine the financial performance of the company to analyze its ability to pay dividends (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 44). The financial position and financial stability will also be assessed in order to evaluate the ability of the company to continue operating in the future. †¢ Employees, lenders, suppliers, customers and public – employees who seek job security and lenders/suppliers who also demand secure investments are interested in the ability of the company to continue operating. They will therefore examine the financial position and stability. Customers, especially those who purchase goods that need after sales service are also interested in the going concern of the firm. The public is also interested in the going concern of large companies due to their economic event (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 44-45). †¢ Government and their agencies – the government is mainly concerned with the allocation of the firm’s resources. He will therefore demand information pertaining to the activities of the company. Profitability is another important matter that shows the corporation tax liability of the company (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 45). The objective of the financial statements is then outlined in the reporting framework. This aim basically entails to provide financial information concerning the financial performance, position and stability of the firm to interested users in order to aid them in their economic decisions. Due to the separation that normally exists between the stakeholders of the company and the persons managing the company, the feature of stewardship arose. Indeed the annual financial statements act as a financial report that portrays the stewardship of management in managing the resources entrusted to them (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 46). Due to the importance of the economic decisions taken by users, it is imperative that the financial statements are build on attributes that enable such information to be useful. In this respect, the qualitative characteristics of understandability, relevance, materiality, comparability and reliability were developed. There are also underlying concepts like accrual basis, going concern, prudence, objectivity and substance over form that financial statements ought to abide with. The accruals basis, for instance states that revenue incurred in a particular period should be matched with expenditure earned in that period (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 49, 52-53). The framework also outlines the need that due to the importance of financial statements, it is essential that the financial statements show a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company. Laws on companies further builds on that necessitating the need of an audit. The elements of the financial statements are also explained in the framework. This section of the framework commences with the factors that build up the Balance Sheet of the company and portray the financial position and financial stability of the company. They recognize and explain the three main elements of the Balance Sheet, which are assets, liabilities and equities. An asset is defined as the resources owned by the company, which provide future economic benefits to the firm. The framework notices that many assets shown in such statement have a physical form, such as land, buildings and inventory. However, the physical form is not an essential element for the recognition of an asset. Indeed there are assets that do not hold a physical form but are also recorded as intangible assets, like purchased goodwill. The right of ownership is also not a critical element for recognition of an asset (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 56-58). This is in line with the substance over form principle noted in the previous section of the framework. For example, a finance lease is recognized as an asset in the Balance Sheet of the lessee even though the title may not be transferred. This is due to the fact that all significant risks and rewards resulting from ownership of the asset are transferred (IAS 17 (1997), p 381). Liabilities comprise present obligations that will result in outflow of economic benefits of the company in the future. A difference is outlined between the present obligations and future commitments that are inbound to exceed one year. The settlement of a present obligation is normally in the form of a payment of cash, transfer of assets, a service provided. However, the framework recognizes the fact there are other forms that encompass an outflow of economic benefits for a present obligation (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 59-60). Equity is explained as the resources entrusted by the shareholders together with the profits generated by the company and other reserves that may arise from transfer, business operations or other activities. This portrays the capital maintenance adjustment that will be further described in the proceeding part. The generation of reserves may arise either to enhance the value of the company as decided by the directors or to comply with relevant legislations (International Accounting Standards 2000, p 60-61).

Living with Aspergers Syndrome Essay -- College Admissions Essays

Living with Asperger's Syndrome Albert Einstein, Bela Bartok, Alan Turing, Bill Gates, Thomas Jefferson and I. Is this a list of Geniuses? People who have changed history? Or are these people who display the symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome? Dr. Tony Attwood, the world-renowned Australian psychologist who is an expert on Asperger's Syndrome, cited them as examples of people with Asperger's during a Conference held at the Palisades Center in Rockland, New York, in October of 1999. Dr. Attwood is a practicing clinical psychologist at MacGregor Specialist Center in Australia, with twenty-five years of experience in the field of Asperger's Syndrome. Â   I had the opportunity to join over 200 other participants at the day-long Asperger's Conference. Participants came from as far away as Africa to assist with organizational tasks and to listen to Dr. Attwood's presentation, as well as his answers to questions from the audience. Dr. Attwood, who has worked with Asperger's patients and lectured around the world, commented, "I have always been impressed by their patience and ingenuity in achieving abilities others acquire without a second thought." Â   Where does the name Asperger's Syndrome come from? Over fifty years ago, a Viennese pediatrician,... ...at comes naturally to most people: listening to others, looking them in the eye, and trying to understand another's point of view. Dr. Attwood believes, "Children with Asperger's Syndrome have the strong desire to have friends while recognizing their considerable difficulties with achieving and maintaining genuine friendships. Many experience ridicule, exclusion, teasing or bullying. Education programs can be used to assist them." Â   Education is a powerful tool. The conference provided lessons beyond Asperger's Syndrome. "The more you learn about one disability, the more you learn about the nature of all disabilities." Â  

Emerging markets Essay

Emerging markets are nations with social or business activity in the process of rapid growth and industrialization. The economies of China and India are considered to be the largest.[1] According to The Economist many people find the term outdated, but no new term has yet to gain much traction.[2] Emerging market hedge fund capital reached a record new level in the first quarter of 2011 of $121 billion.[3] The seven largest emerging and developing economies by either nominal GDP or GDP (PPP) are China, Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico, Indonesia, and Turkey. [pic] An emerging market economy (EME) is defined as an economy with low to middle per capita income. Such countries constitute approximately 80% of the global population, and represent about 20% of the world’s economies. The term was coined in 1981 by Antoine W. Van Agtmael of the International Finance Corporation[pic] of the World Bank. Although the term â€Å"emerging market† is loosely defined, countries that fall into this category, varying from very big to very small, are usually considered emerging because of their developments and reforms. Hence, even though China is deemed one of the world’s economic powerhouses, it is lumped into the category alongside much smaller economies with a great deal less resources[pic], like Tunisia. Both China and Tunisia belong to this category because both have embarked on economic development and reform programs, and have begun to open up their markets and â€Å"emerge† onto the global scene. EMEs are considered to be fast-growing economies. What an EME Looks Like EMEs are characterized as transitional, meaning they are in the process of moving from a closed economy to an open market economy while building accountability within the system. Examples include the former Soviet Union and Eastern bloc countries. As an emerging market, a country is embarking on an economic reform program that will lead it to stronger and more responsible economic performance levels, as well as transparency and efficiency[pic] in the capital market. An EME will also reform its exchange rate system because a stable local currency builds confidence in an economy, especially when foreigners are considering investing. Exchange rate reforms also reduce the desire for local investors to send their capital abroad (capital flight). Besides implementing reforms, an EME is also most likely receiving aid and guidance from large donor countries and/or world organizations such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. One key characteristic of the EME is an increase in both local and foreign investment (portfolio and direct). A growth in investment in a country often indicates that the country has been able to build confidence in the local economy. Moreover, foreign investment is a signal that the world has begun to take notice of the emerging market, and when international capital flows are directed toward an EME, the injection of foreign currency into the local economy adds volume to the country’s stock market and long-term investment to the infrastructure. For foreign investors or developed-economy businesses[pic], an EME provides an outlet for expansion by serving, for example, as a new place for a new factory or for new sources of revenue. For the recipient country, employment levels rise, labor and managerial skills become more refined, and a sharing and transfer of technology occurs. In the long-run, the EME’s overall production levels should rise, increasing its gross domestic product and eventually lessening the gap between the emerged and emerging worlds. Portfolio Investment and Risks Because their markets are in transition and hence not stable, emerging markets offer an opportunity to investors who are looking to add some risk to their portfolios. The possibility for some economies to fall back into a not-completely-resolved civil war or a revolution sparking a change in government could result in a return to nationalization, expropriation and the collapse of the capital market. Because the risk of an EME investment is higher than an investment in a developed market, panic, speculation and knee-jerk reactions are also more common – the 1997 Asian crisis, during which international portfolio flows into these countries actually began to reverse themselves, is a good example of how EMEs can be high-risk investment opportunities. (For more insight on getting into emerging economies, read Forging Frontier Markets.) However, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, so emerging market investments have become a standard practice among investors aiming to diversify while adding risk. (For more details on the advantages and disadvantages of making foreign investments, see Is Offshore Investing For You? and Going International.)

How Farmers Are Involved in Agricultural Extension Programme Planning in Ondo State Adp Essay

HOW FARMERS ARE INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROGRAMME PLANNING IN ONDO STATE ADP. The Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) were first launched as viable projects in 1972 only two years after the end of civil war, when Nigeria was facing its first food and fibre shock. It started in Northern Nigerian towns of Gombe and Gusau with two pilot projects assisted by the World Bank. The projects were to be funded under a tripartite agreement involving World Bank 66%, Federal government 20% and State government 14% in addition to payments of salaries of local staff. The two main objectives of the ADPs were to increase food production, and to raise the income of small-scale farmers. The ondo state ADP was created after the success of the three (3) pilot projects in 1975 covering an LGA in 3 States. The success of the pilot schemes lead to expansion to other LGAs and States (Ondo state inclusive) in the late 70s and by 1989, all the states of the Federation were implementing the integrated approach. The Ondo state ADP is the implementation organ of the state ministry of agriculture. Ondo State Agricultural Development Project (ODSADEP) is an institution structurally divided into two Zones, four sub-Zones, and eighteen Blocks/LGAs containing 162 cells/circles. The achievable number of farm families (FF) stood at 180,000 with EA: FF ratio of 1:1782.(ODSADEP, 2012) I. ADP ZONES: ZONE I (Northern part – covers 8 Local Governments) ZONE II (Southern part – covers 10 Local Governments) The order of hierrachy in the ODSADEP starts with The Project Manager of ADP, Mr Idowu Olabode,followed by Directors of each department, Deputy Directors, Zonal Extension officers,Area Zonal Extension Officers,Zonal WIA, Block extension supervisor, Block extension Agents, Extension agents, Radio/TV officers, audio visual technican, photographer, etc. SOME OF THE EXTENSION TRAINING PROGRAMMES CARRIED OUT BY THE ODSADEP IN THE YEAR 2012. Title | Organizers| Categories ofTrainees| Date| No. ofTrainees| Collaborators| Orientation/Review Training on FFS| ADP| Extension staffs| 23rd-24thApril, 2012| 27| FGN & AfDB| Training of Farmers ledfacilitators on FFS| ADP| Farmers | 18th-19thJuly, 2012| 34| FGN & AfDB| NPFS Women Training| ADP| Women farmers| 21st-24thAug., 2012| 268| FGN & AfDB| Sensitization of WomenFarmers Group on integratedfarming.| ADP| Womenfarmers| 26th Apr-24thMay, 2012| 1,602|Â  Ondo State Government| Demand Driven CourseTraining (NPFS)| ADP| Farmers | 14th-26thJune, 2012 | 201| FGN & AfDB| Establishment andManagement of HomeGarden Training (NPFS)| ADP| Farmers | 17th-27thJuly, 2012| 186| FGN & AfDB| (source: OSADEP, 2012) ILLUSTRATION OF HOW A SUCCESSFUL AGRIC EXTENSION PROGRAMME PLANNING IS CARRIED BY ODSADEP FOR FARMERS PROGRAMME: Farmers Training on Food Security in Bolorunduro in Ondo West Local Government Area. Writing and implementing an extension program requires planning. Extension program planning involves a process of selecting the best course of action to accomplish an objective. It deals with an individual extension worker’s decision. The precise patterns vary considerably as situations differ from one another, however, the following steps in planning should be taken into consideration: Collection of facts: . This includes facts about the village people of Bolorunduro in Ondo West Local Government Area, Ondo State. Their physical conditions, existing farm & home practices, trends & outlook. Besides, other facts about their customs, traditions, rural institutions, peoples’ organisations operating in the area, etc. should be collected. 2. Analysis of the situation – After collecting facts, they are analysed & interpreted to find out the problems & needs of the people. 3. Identification of problems- As a result of the analysis of facts the important gaps between ‘what is’ & ‘what should be’ are identified & the problems leading to such a situation are located. These gaps represent the people’s needs which is food insecurity. 4. Determination of objectives- the aim of the training was to train farmers’ groups on how to utilise the knowledge and skills which they will acquire during the training in efforts to achieve food security. to train farmers in all aspects of farming and food production, farm management and to keep the farmers’ groups alive to enable them to have some joint benefits in the project. 5. Developing the plan of work – the calendar of activities is developed Operation| Teaching objective| Teaching methods| Time table| Staff to do the job| Training on food security| 1. to train farmers in all aspects of farming and food production, farm management andto keep the farmers’ groups alive |Â  LectureVisual aids| 12th-15th April, 2012| Extension agents| 6. Execution of the plan of work – arrangement for supplying the necessary inputs, teaching aids, extension literature etc. Was being made available & the specific action was initiated. 7. Evaluation – here, measurement of the degree of success of the programme in terms of the objectives & goals are set forth. This is basically done to determine the changes in the behaviour of the people as a result of the extension programme. The evaluation is done not only of the physical achievements but also of the methods & techniques used & of the other steps in the programme-planning process, so that the strong & weak points may be identified & necessary changes made. 8. Reconsideration – The systematic & periodic evaluation of the programme will reveal the weak & strong points of the programme. Based on these points the programme is reconsidered & the necessary adjustments & changes are made in order to make it more meaningful & sound. References Ondo State Agricultural Development Programme (2012): ondo state agricultural development programme Akure, national agricultural extension review and planning Meeting report for year 2012

The Definition of BRIC and BRICS

The Definition of BRIC and BRICS BRIC is an acronym that refers to the economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which are seen as major developing economies in the world. According to Forbes, The general consensus is that the term was first prominently used in a Goldman Sachs report from 2003, which speculated that by 2050 these four economies would be wealthier than most of the current major economic powers. In March 2012, South Africa appeared to join BRIC, which thus became BRICS. At that time, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa met in India to discuss the formation of a development bank to pool resources. At that point, the BRIC countries were responsible for about 18% of the worlds Gross Domestic Product and were home to 40% of the earths population. It would appear that Mexico (part of BRIMC) and South Korea (part of BRICK) was not included in the discussion. Pronunciation: Brick Also Known As: BRIMC - Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico, and China. The BRICS countries include more than 40% of the worlds population and occupy over a quarter of the worlds land area. Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa together are a powerful economic force.

The line between life and death essays

The line between life and death essays I think when we come to the topic of 9/11, a great number of people will turn pale. September 11, 2001, was a dark day in history that the people who live in United States would never forget. It was full of suffering, in which millions of people lost their families, lives and wealth at a simple moment. It was a terrible tragedy and none of us can afford to forget. It was a great loss in the human history, and today there are lots of people still crying and heartbroken over the event. Today, as we are looking backward, we are tremble at the terrible moment. It was Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, around 8:30am, in the eastern of United States, -New York City. 19 men and their sponsors carried out a brutal and devastating attack on our country, leaving 3,000 innocent men, women and children dead, including our loved ones. The twin towers, which were on of the most significant buildings in New York City and maybe the world, were attacked by planes and completely collapsed in half an hour. Most people hadnt realized what happened, which lead to the whole area running into turmoil. The hijackers quickly gained control and began hijacking. At 8:26, Ong reported that the plane was flying erratically. A minute late, fight 11 turned south. American also began getting identifications of the hijackers. At 8:38, the hijackers had gained entry to the cockpit, and the aircraft was in a rapid descent. At 8:46:40, American 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. All on board, along with an unknown number of people in the tower, were killed instantly. The attacks had an overwhelming effect upon the United States population. A friend of mine who lived in Chinatown where was pretty close to the World Trade Center. She was awoken by an enormously loud noise. She had no idea about what happened at that time, so she opened ...

A New Kind of Didactic Novel

A New Kind of Didactic Novel A New Kind of Didactic Novel A New Kind of Didactic Novel By Maeve Maddox Didactic fiction is nothing new. Aesops tales are didactic, as are Langlands The Vision of Piers Plowman, Bunyans The Pilgrims Progress, Hesses Siddhartha, and Orwells Animal Farm. The authors of all these works desired to teach readers a lesson about the moral significance of human behavior. The word didactic is from a Greek verb meaning both to teach and to learn. There was a time that authors could admit to wanting to create a didactic novel and critics were willing to praise such novels for their moral effectiveness. The success of Harriet Beecher Stowes didactic novel Uncle Toms Cabin (1852) illustrates the effectiveness of using fiction to promote an authors social ideals. Beginning in the 1700s, American abolitionists churned out thousands of tracts in their fight to abolish slavery in the United States. None of them produced the effect of the extended abolitionist tract that Mrs. Stowe framed as fiction. tract noun: a pamphlet, leaflet, or folder issued (as by a political or religious group) for propaganda. In the nineteenth century, Uncle Toms Cabin was the best-selling novel in the world. According to what may be an apocryphal anecdote, when Mrs. Stowe met Abraham Lincoln in 1862, he remarked, so you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war. Modern readers expect a textbook or how-to book to be didactic, but modern critics usually perceive didacticism in a work of creative fiction as a flaw: George Orwell was better at essays than at novels. His most famous novels,  1984  and  Animal Farm,  are clunkily didactic, especially  Animal Farm.   George refers to Dickens on the first page of her earnest but perhaps overly didactic novel, What Happened Before He Shot Her. OConnor has been criticized for being overly  didactic. Odetss inability to escape this 1930s pigeonhole is reflected in the intensely ideological, even didactic, nature of his plays.   Unlike many other Soviet filmmakers, whose works are boldly and aggressively didactic, Alexander Dovzhenkos cinematic output is personal and fervently private.   Now, however, a fictional genre called the startup novel has emerged, written by experienced and wanna-be entrepreneurs. These novels encapsulate blueprints for successful entrepreneurship in plots that employ action and intrigue. Apparently, entrepreneurs are reading them to learn the techniques of starting a business. Entrepreneur Orr Ben-Zvy says that after reading almost every [nonfiction] book on Amazons 50 best sellers for business and the next 50 for entrepreneurship, he discovered something counterintuitive: fiction [is] much more useful than nonfiction. His search for a fictionalized account of how to achieve financial success with a startup company led him to Eliot Pepers novel Uncommon Stock (2014), a book credited with being the first of its kind. According to a blurb on Amazon, the Uncommon trilogy has attracted a cult following in Silicon Valley and is the #1 top-rated financial thriller on Amazon. The genre that romanticizes and describes the process of starting a business has blossomed since 2014. An Amazon search for financial thrillers brings up pages and pages of titles. I havent read one yet, but I intend to. Im curious to see what kind of moral message this new didactic genre has for its readers. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should KnowCareful with Words Used as Noun and Verb

Propery Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Propery Law - Case Study Example Mr. Jackson bought the property without even seeing it before payment was made. He relied entirely on Alex and Rogers Co. to advise him on his purchase from Damian Brown and the internet sales photographs and details of the property. Alex completed the transaction on his behalf over the summer. While Alex and Mr. Anderson were out in their office, Mr. Jackson went to their office and made a complaint over the property he bought. The secretary of Mr.Anderson wrote down the following complaints of Mr.Jackson. He is horrified to find several serious problems at the property of which he was totally unaware until now:- Jeremy Smith (son of new neighbour Mrs Smith) seems to have taken over 5 acres of the land belonging to Glebe House (and now to Mr Jackson) and is treating it as it as his own. He says he has done so for years and has no intention of stopping. Mrs Smith is complaining about the fact that Mr Jackson has applied for planning permission to change Glebe House into a conference centre and says that it is in breach of a covenant entered into several years ago between her father and Mr Brown whereby Glebe house and land were transferred on condition that there would be no business use on the property. A note was pushed through the letter box at Glebe House from a "Cheryl Armitage" claiming to be Damion Brown's fiance and wanting the return of her "investment" in Glebe House forthwith. She is contacting her solicitor. Valuable items have been taken from the property ( presumably by the seller) including: -Valuable artwork depicting the history of Glebe house -A set of garden statues -Kitchen display wall cabinets forming part of the fitted Kitchen 1) What are the rights of Mr. Anderson over the property 2) What are the liabilities, if any, of Alex and Mr. Anderson in this case 3) What are the effects of the covenant between Mrs. Smith's father and Mr. Damian Brown and the claim of Mr. Brown's fiance over the rights of Mr. Anderson over the property Answer: For us to give an answer to the issues of the question, let us first take an overview of the property law in the United Kingdom where the facts of the question arose. The right to property One of the fundamental rights afforded for the citizens of the United Kingdom is the property right which can be defined as the right to own, possess, use, enjoy, and dispose property. The term property includes but is not limited to movable properties such as cars and clothing, and immovable properties such as lands, land and buildings or land and house. Though fundamental by nature, the right to property is only a statutory right, which means that the exercise of this right is subject to existing laws of the State where this right is provided. The exercise of this right was mostly based from common law jurisdictions that were prevalent during the ancient times at the United Kingdom. Though statutory laws are now in effect, common law are still useful most especially in property issues where no statutory bases are readily available just like purchase of property through the internet. Relevant to this right is the purchase of real property. Purchase or "buying", is a traditional way of owing a real property such as land or house. When a person purchases or buys a property, he is given the absolute right or title

What was the impact of the use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Essay

What was the impact of the use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the end of the Second World War and why - Essay Example eading to carry out unimaginable human destruction has clearly shaped common perceptions regarding the level of destructive consequences can be derived from any future war1. In this context, a revolution was constituted soon after the inception of nuclear weapons in the modern warfare. Comparatively, the use of nuclear weapons is deemed to impose brutal and more destructive effects in nature than any other war weaponries used throughout the centuries. Periodic historical observations have consequently set out clear reflections regarding the most controversial and consequential war decisions taken in the modern warfare, indicative to the use of atomic nuclear weapon on the two major Japanese cities - Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the year 1945. From the worldview, the nuclear weapons dropped by the American Air Force Bombers on respectively 6th and 9th August 1945 had been considered as the most destructive and consequential events in the modern warfare history2. With an in-depth understanding about the adverse and most devastative effects of nuclear weapon, the primary aim of this essay is to deliver a clear reflection on the short and long-term impacts of nuclear bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In this regard, the primary research question of this study has been formulated as - â€Å"What were the grounds that caused nuclear attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and what were the consequences witnessed thereafter?† In order to address the aims determined for the study based on the key question, the discussion of the essay tends to comply with a set of relevant study objectives. The key objectives designed for this essay has been demonstrated as follows. To explain the arguments and give overall description whether the use of such destructive weapons have positive or negative effects after evaluating the consequences caused by the nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Deterrence of nuclear weapon has been widely witnessed by the world in context to the

International economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

International economics - Assignment Example 4. A debtor nation is that which has a negative balance of trade owing to numerous debts owed to international financial institutions while a creditor nation is that which has a positive balance of trade. Entries like exports, loan receipts and investments constitute surplus, hence indicate creditor status while those entries like amount expenditure, are considered deficits and indicate a debtor status (Becker 123). 5. Exchange rate refers to the market rates at which a given currency trades in relation to others. Depreciation refers to the decrease in a country’s exchange rate while appreciation is the decrease in a country’s exchange rate. Arbitrage is the systematic purchase of a good or service from one location at a very low price, and selling it in another location at an exceedingly high price. In exchange markets, arbitrage is used by traders by exploiting weaknesses in computerized systems to make quick profits (Becker 123). 6. Purchasing parity refers to a system normally used in determining various currency values in relation to others. Purchasing power parity would hold when the price of commodities were equal in all countries (Becker 223). A free market economy where goods enter and leave borders may make purchasing parity a good estimate of a country’s currency. 7. The following shows how exchange rate growth is closely connected to differences in money growth, and real output growth across countries whereby the growth of real output leads to a money growth, which subsequently leads to increase in the exchange rate 1. The supply curve is upward sloping since the increase in the supply of Canadian dollars leads to an increase in the value of Icelandic Krona. This may arise due to increased inflation in Canada and poor monetary economic policies. 9. The above graph shows that an increase in the Canadian dollar value leads to a corresponding decrease in the value of the Icelandic Krona. This may take place due to an increased demand

Cellular Respiration II review packet - General Biology I Essay

Cellular Respiration II review packet - General Biology I - Essay Example 1. Interference of interruption of processes of cellular muscles can lead to twitting of muscles, muscle pulls and even cardiac arrest. Muscle pulls and cardiac arrest that be fatal if efforts are not made to restore the normal supply of oxygen that may be causing the muscle pull. Extreme cases of muscle pulls or cardiac arrest have resulted in death. As such, it is important to attend quickly to these sudden symptoms immediately they occur to avoid them turning fatal. 2. The oxygen that we inhale combines with the glucose at the cellular level through a process of oxidation of organic molecules in a process called aerobic respiration. Oxidation of oxygen and glucose results in the production of carbon dioxide exhaled, water, energy and heat. 3. A running student must revert to walking when the rate of energy consumption is far much higher than the rate in which the student is breathing in. such student can maintain the running by inhaling and exhaling a little bit faster. If he or she does not, then she/he must revert to walking to reduce on the energy

Law Enforcement as a Profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law Enforcement as a Profession - Essay Example The essay "Law Enforcement as a Profession" talks about the law enforcement officials that refer to all appointed and/or elected officers of the law who exercise police powers, specifically, the powers of arrest or detention. The law enforcement officials’ main duty is the imposition of law and order in the community. This duty is performed in a variety of ways, depending on the size and type of the officials’ organization and on their respective jurisdictions. These officials are tasked to fight and arrest criminals, investigate and collect evidence for the prosecution, testify in courts, come up with written detailed reports and attend to the needs of the community in crisis and emergency situations.The educational requirements needed to start a career as a law enforcement officer vary from each country and area. Sometimes high school education is the only requirement. The majority of areas nowadays require an individual to undergo formal job training, which includes taking up of courses in criminal investigation, administration, criminal justice system, corrections, community relations and even the study of criminal law. These educational requirements should be coupled with special skills and other qualifications in order for an aspiring individual to become a law enforcement officer. Special skill requirements usually include above-average communication, judgment, decision-making and listening skills. In some areas, knowledge in accounting, computers, business or foreign languages is a plus factor.

Cellular Respiration II review packet - General Biology I Essay

Cellular Respiration II review packet - General Biology I - Essay Example 1. Interference of interruption of processes of cellular muscles can lead to twitting of muscles, muscle pulls and even cardiac arrest. Muscle pulls and cardiac arrest that be fatal if efforts are not made to restore the normal supply of oxygen that may be causing the muscle pull. Extreme cases of muscle pulls or cardiac arrest have resulted in death. As such, it is important to attend quickly to these sudden symptoms immediately they occur to avoid them turning fatal. 2. The oxygen that we inhale combines with the glucose at the cellular level through a process of oxidation of organic molecules in a process called aerobic respiration. Oxidation of oxygen and glucose results in the production of carbon dioxide exhaled, water, energy and heat. 3. A running student must revert to walking when the rate of energy consumption is far much higher than the rate in which the student is breathing in. such student can maintain the running by inhaling and exhaling a little bit faster. If he or she does not, then she/he must revert to walking to reduce on the energy

Intention Recklessness Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Intention Recklessness - Case Study Example Intentionality in this case would depend largely upon the chance of death that Fabio was inflicting upon Alessandro. By the time the fourth bullet was in the gun Alessandro was more likely than not to kill himself with the next pull of the trigger. On the shot that actually killed him there was an 83.3% chance of Alessandro dying. Fabio committed an act that was likely to kill Alessandro. The fact that Alessandro "agreed" to the use of live bullets is irrelevant as a "reasonable man" would have known that the magician would have thought his manager was joking. The act of changing the black bullets for live ones was the equivalent of tying Alessandro up and loading a gun with one bullet, firing it, loading it with another etc. Fabio could be rationally charged (and would probably be convicted) of the intentional murder of Alessandro as he clearly had the mens rea through the use of live bullets and the actual swapping of the blanks for the real bullets was the actus reus (Simester, 2004). He had the oblique intent to kill him if not the specific intent. This case can be analyzed in three different stages. ... A reasonable person should know that such an active would be likely to cause harm to someone if they were hit by the car. The fact that schizophrenia could have the effect of depriving a person of the ability to know the inherent risk of what he was doing begs the question of whether it did in this case. Part of Toby's statement in court, "he hadn't though about he risk of hurting anyone" would suggest that the mental disease did indeed diminish his capacity but the subsequent comment "that he didn't really care" would suggest that he had at least a sense of "right and wrong". If a person states that they do not care about something there is the implication that they understand they should care. But this is Toby's state of mind in court, not at the time of the alleged offense. As he is a schizophrenic and as the court has accepted that this condition could cause him not to appreciate the risks involved with what he was doing, it seems that Toby did not recklessly cause Judy's injuries. There is sufficient doubt as to whether he could form the mens rea necessary at the time of the accident. Question 3 The fact that the Lords have attempted to give a satisfactory definition of "intention" on many occasions, the latest of which occurred in Woolin (1999) AC 82 HL does not necessarily render Williams' statement re. the impossibility of defining intention moot. In Woolin, a man killed his baby son while angry, throwing him onto a hard surface. The trial judge instructed the jury through a broad definition of intention, directing them that they could infer that Woolin had intended to kill his son if there was a "substantial risk" of injury. Woolin was convicted,

Consumer Behaviour- Soft Drink Industry Essay Example for Free

Consumer Behaviour- Soft Drink Industry Essay Introduction The soft drink industry in India is one of the most competitive with many international and domestic players operating in the market. Initially domestic players like Parle group dominated the Indian soft drink market with brands like Thums up, Limca, Goldspot etc. However with the re-entry of MNC players like Pepsi in 1991 and Coca-Cola in 1993, the market took a decisive shift in favour of these MNCs and over the years Coca-Cola and Pepsi have become the prominent players in the market. Soft drinks can be principally classified into carbonated and non-carbonated. Carbonated drinks include cola, lemon and orange flavors while non carbonated drinks principally comprise of mango flavor. The carbonated cola products constitute 60% of the soft drink market and three prominent brands in this category are Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Thums up. Thums up was a brand from Parle until Coca-Cola bought it in 1993 and tried to kill it to push its own brand. But the loyal customers of Thums up never let it die and the brand still is the leading brand in the Indian soft drink market. Company profile: The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company. The company’s best known product Coca-Cola was invented by John Stith Pemberton in 1886. The Coca-Cola formula and brand was bought in 1889 by Asa Candler who incorporated the Coca-Cola Company in 1892. Coca-Cola currently offers nearly 400 brands in over 200 countries or territories and serves 1. 5 billion servings each day. The Coca-Cola Company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Its current chairman and CEO is Muhtar Kent. Coca-Cola was the leading soft drink brand in India until 1977 when it left rather than reveal its formula to the government and reduce its equity stake as required under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) which governed the operations of foreign companies in India. After a 16-year absence, Coca-Cola returned to India in 1993, cementing its presence with a deal that gave Coca-Cola ownership of the nations top soft-drink brands and bottling network. Coke’s acquisition of local popular Indian brands including Thums. Up (the most trusted brand in India), Limca, Maaza, Citra and Gold Spot provided not only physical manufacturing, bottling, and distribution assets but also strong consumer preference. This combination of local and global brands enabled Coca-Cola to exploit the benefits of global branding and global trends in tastes while also tapping into traditional domestic markets. From 1993 to 2003, Coca-Cola invested more than US$1 billion in India, making it one of the country’s top international investors. By 2003, Coca-Cola India had won the prestigious Woodruf Cup from among 22 divisions of the Company based on three broad parameters of volume, profitability, and quality. Coca-Cola India achieved 39% volume growth in 2002 while the industry grew 23% nationally and the Company reached breakeven profitability in the region for the first time. Encouraged by its 2002 performance, Coca-Cola India announced plans to double its capacity at an investment of $125 million (Rs.750 crore) between September 2002 and March 2003. Coca-Cola India produced its beverages with 7,000 local employees at its twenty-seven wholly-owned bottling operations supplemented by seventeen franchisee-owned bottling operations and a network of twenty-nine contract-packers to manufacture a range of products for the company. The complete manufacturing process had a documented quality control and assurance program including over 400 tests performed throughout the process. The complexity of the consumer soft drink market demanded a distribution process to support 700,000 retail outlets serviced by a fleet that includes 10-ton trucks, open-bay three wheelers, and trademarked tricycles and pushcarts that were used to navigate the narrow alleyways of the cities. In addition to its own employees, Coke indirectly created employment for another 125,000 Indians through its procurement, supply, and distribution networks. Sanjiv Gupta, President and CEO of Coca-Cola India, joined Coke in 1997 as Vice President, Marketing and was instrumental to the company’s success in developing a brand relevant to the Indian consumer and in tapping India’s vast rural market potential. Following his marketing responsibilities, Gupta served as Head of Operations for Company-owned bottling operations and then as Deputy President. Product Range The product range of Coca-Cola includes beverages like: * Coca-Cola The parent brand of Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola has a truly remarkable heritage. The world’s favourite drink. * Thums Up Strong Cola taste. Thums Up is a leading sparkling soft drink and most trusted brand in Indian soft drink market. * Sprite A global leader in the lemon lime category, it is second largest sparkling beverage Brand in India. Sprite with it’s cut-thru perspective has managed to be a true teen icon. Sprite’s all about being true to yourself and living by the simple and honest code of your own instincts. No more†¦. no less. * Fanta Over the years Fanta has occupied a strong market place and is identified as â€Å"The Fun Catalyst†. Perceived as a fun youth brand, Fanta stands for its vibrant color, tempting taste and tingling bubbles. * Limca Lime ‘n’ lemoni Limca can cast a tangy refreshing spell on anyone, anywhere. Born in 1971, Limca has remained unchallenged as the No. 1 Sparkling drink in the Cloudy lemon segment. * Minute Maid Pulpy Orange One of world’s largest juice drink brands. Eliminated 80% of the water in orange juice, forming a frozen concentrate that when reconstituted created orange juice. * Maaza Imagine the delicious fruit, Mango bottled. This is what Maaza is all about. Universally loved for its taste, color, thickness, Maaza is the mango lover’s first choice. * Kinley Mineral water, a thirst quencher that refreshes, a life giving force that washes all the toxins away. * Georgia Introduced in 2004, the GEORGIA Gold range of Tea and Coffee beverages is the perfect solution for your office and restaurant needs. Product Information: Thums Up Background Thums Up is a carbonated soft drink (cola) popular and largest selling brand in India where its bold, red thumbs up logo is common. During the late 1970s, the American cola giant Coca-Cola abandoned operations in India rather than make a forced sale of 60% of their equity to an Indian company. Following this, the Parle brothers, Ramesh Chauhan and Prakash Chauhan, along with then CEO Bhanu Vakil, launched Thums Up as their flagship drink, adding to their portfolio of older brands Limca (lime flavor) and Gold Spot (orange flavor). Thums Up was basically a cola drink, but the company never claimed it as such. The formula was just as closely guarded as the famous Coke formula. Thums Up enjoyed a near monopoly with a much stronger market share often overshadowing its other rivals like Coca-Cola’s Campa cola, Double seven and Dukes, but there were many small regional players who had their own market. It even withstood liquor giant United Breweries Group (makers of Kingfisher Beer) Mcdowells Crush, which was another Cola drink, and Double Cola. In 1990, when the Indian government opened the market to multinationals, Pepsi was the first to come in. Thums Up went up against the international giant for an intense onslaught with neither side giving any quarter. With Pepsi roping in major Indian movie stars like Juhi Chawla, to thwart the Indian brand, Thums Up increased its spending on Cricket sponsorship. Then the capacity went from 250ml to 300ml, aptly named MahaCola. This nickname gained popularity in smaller towns where people would ask for Maha Cola instead of Thums Up. The consumers were divided where some felt Pepsi’s mild taste was rather bland. In 1993 Coca-Cola re-entered India after a prolonged absence from 1977 to 1993. But Coca-Cola’s entry made things even more complicated and the fight became a three-way battle. That same year, in a move that baffled many, Parle sold out to Coke for a meager US$ 60 million (considering the market share it had). Now Coca-Cola’s, and Coke has a habit of killing brands in its portfolio that might overshadow it. Coca-Cola soon introduced its cola in cans which was all the rage in India, with Thums Up introduced alongside, albeit in minuscule numbers. Later Coca-Cola started pulling out the Thums Up brand which at that time still had more than 30% market share. Despite its strong overall equity, the brand Thums Up was losing its popularity among the core cola drinking age group of 12 to 25 year olds, partly due to nil advertising. Coca-Cola apparently did try to kill Thums Up, but soon realized that Pepsi would benefit more than Coke if Thums Up was withdrawn from the market. Instead, Coke decided to use Thums Up to attack Pepsi. The Coca-Cola Company by this time had about 60. 5% share of the Indian soft-drink market but much to its dismay found out that if it took out Thums Up, it would remain with only 28. 72% of the market (according to a report by NGO FinanceTrade in India), hence it once again dusted out the Thums Up brand and re-launched it targeting the 30 to 45 year olds. The brand was re-positioned as a â€Å"manly† drink, drawing on its strong taste qualities. Known to be a strong drink with more power packed into it than other colas, Thums Up kick-started an aggressive campaign directly attacking Pepsi’s TV ads, focusing on the strength of the drink hoping that the depiction of an â€Å"adult† drink would appeal to young consumers. â€Å"Grow up to Thums Up† was a successful campaign. The brand’s market share and equity soared. The brand was unshakeable and Coca-Cola’s declaration that Thums Up was India’s premier cola brand in terms of market share did not surprise many. Other campaigns from Thums Up build on its â€Å"strength† and its perception as a macho drink. Ads showing the Thums Up man, riding through the desert in search of a cantina that sells Thums Up rather than drink another cola, stuck in the minds of many Indians and caught the imagination of youngsters who want to be seen as men. 4 P’s of Marketing Mix for Thums Up. Product: Thums Up is known for its strong, fizzy taste and its confident, mature and uniquely masculine attitude. This brand clearly seeks to separate the men from the boys. Beverage offered by the company in the size of: * SSRB (Standard size returnable bottle) * PET (600 ml, 1. 5 liter plastic bottle) * CANS (tin pack 330 ml) Price: Thums Up has adopted competition based pricing and so the prices are similar to that of other cola drinks. 1. Glass Bottles – 200ml, 300ml – Rs 12. 00 onwards 2. PET Bottles – 600ml, 1500ml, 2 ltrs, 2. 25 ltrs. – Rs 25. 00 onwards 3. Can – 330ml – Rs 35. 00 45. 00 4. Fountain – Customized – Rs 15. 00-35. 00 can go upto Rs 60. 00 in movie halls Company offers discount on prices or extra quantity of cold drink during festive seasons and winter seasons. Place: Thums Up has a strong distribution channel to make the product available in the market any time, and maintain optimum level of stock in the market. It covers the rural part also to increase the customer reach. The soft drink is made available at all the possible convenient locations to the customers – local area grocery shops, hotels, restaurants, movie halls, multiplexes, shopping malls, supermarkets vending machines, fountain outlets. Promotion: Thums Up has consistently built its sales promotion through various techniques like, blind taste tests, sponsoring exciting events and sports, conducting various contests (win a motor bike contest), etc. Also its ads are designed to create excitement and to communicate the macho personality of the brand. An ad campaign of Thums Up where Akshay Kumar (its brand ambassador since 2003) performs the extreme sport of ‘parkour’ to grab his bottle of Thums Up from a suggestively attractive lady. â€Å"Taste the Thunder† has been the most breakthrough communication campaign for the brand. It stands for masculinity that has constantly been redefined over the years. Competition Thums Up went from being the only cola in the cantina to facing competition from both Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Twenty-six years later it’s still a top cola in India and is one of the strongest brands in the country across categories. The brand name’s positive associations of victory, achievement and celebration are apparently merited as it continues to do well despite a challenging landscape. | | | | | Thums Up’s first competition came in the form of Campa Cola. There were allegations of aggressive exchanges between the two brands at street level but Thums Up (owned by Parle at the time) apparently won the battle both on the ground and in the consumer’s mind. Campa Cola discontinued in 2000 (only to re-emerge as less of a challenger in 2002 from Pure Drinks New Delhi). For a short while Thums Up’s strong taste enjoyed success across the country with scarcely any competition; the brand reigned supreme in the cola market. Currently Thums Up is facing competition from lots of brands coming in the soft drink industry and still it has maintained its top position in the minds of Indian consumers. Today, an Indian consumer sees Thums Up as a unique brand personality which no other brand has acquired in the soft drink industry. | | Conclusion| Thums Up is amongst the oldest domestic brands in soft drinks industry in India and it is the most popular and trusted brands in India. Thums Up enjoyed a near monopoly in India with a much stronger market share till 1990s. But with the advent of Pepsi (1992) and Coca Cola (1993), Thums Up started facing stiff competition. In 1993, Parle sold out to Coke and Thums Up became the brand of Coca-Cola Company. Though Coca-Cola tried to kill Thums-Up to build its own brand, it sooner realized the importance of Thums Up to survive in the Indian market to beat its core competitor Pepsi. Today Thums Up has grown its image from just a soft drink to a lot more for Indian consumers. It has established itself as a distinguished brand with strong taste and which communicates maturity, daring and excitement to its consumers. Thums Up has consistently maintained honesty and trust with its consumers and that’s why it is still the number one cola brand in the country.

Challenges facing the Mauritian economy due to globalization

Challenges facing the Mauritian economy due to globalization Government Drivers -Government in almost all developed countries over the world have promoted free trade and reduced trade barriers and the European Union has also liberalised capital flows in 1992 which has contributed towards globalisation. Furthermore, there has been a decline in the role of government as producers and consumers and large private firms have been seeking a physical presence in many major countries. It has truly transforming itself, slowly, into a Global system of governance, not so much by the use of raw independent power, but through the consensus of its most powerful members, and key players, increasingly multinational Corporations and International financial institutions, both formal and informal. This trend would continue, slowly almost imperceptibly to most Americans, though not to the world at large. In the past decade there has been also increasing participation of China and India in the global economy which has added towards globalisation. 5 Competitive Drivers is the fourth factor that has contributed towards globalisation. Analysts hold that globalisation has a multi-causal dynamic involving the interrelation of several forces such as growth of global networks making countries interdependent in particular industries that they are becoming universally centred rather than nationally centred. For instance, in UK the personal savings of its citizen are now internationally diversified, making them less dependent upon the future success of Britain. Instead, the UK citizens are amassing shares in the developing countries. 6 Global Aspect of Globalisation in the Current World Globalisation is a historical process rather than political or economical. It is the result of human innovation and technological progress. Globalisation has shown the increasing integration of economics around the world. It has taken a greater aspect in the world particularly, through trade and financial flows. Globalisation has covered the broader culture, politics and environmental dimensions of globalization. Today, globalization is well known topic across the world. The word has taken a common term. It is referred as the extension beyond national borders of the same market forces that have operated for centuries at all levels of human economic activity_ village markets, urban industries or financial centers. Global markets promote efficiency through competition and the division of labour _ the specialization that allows people and economies to focus on what they do best. Global market offer greater opportunity for common people also to tap into more and larger markets around the world. In the global market, people can access more capital flows, technology, cheaper imports and larger export markets. Today, commerce and finance are more developed and deeply integrated in global world. The global era has raised many questions related to social, political and workers. Does globalization harm workers interest? Many theoreticians dont believe in this question. However, this is right question. Globalisation is the parallel world between the rich and the poor. Capitalist globalization is always very harmful for workers. In global world, only big giant can survive. Globalisation has given the theory of third world countries also. In the financial world globalization is known as the basic elements of periodic crisis of an inevitable consequence of globalization. National Sovereignty question is also related to the globalization question. In the financial market national sovereignty is never followed however, the question always has taken place in political era. Questions: What are the factors that have contributed towards globalization? (10) How globalization is influencing the business culture? (10) According to you what are the impact of globalization on the Mauritian Economy. (20) What are the factors that have contributed towards globalization? (10) There are four main factors that have contributed towards globalisation. These can be listed as follows: Cost Drivers is one aspect which has led towards globalisation. At the heart of globalisation lies the rapid decrease in transportation cost and revolution in information technology. The cost of moving products around the world has significantly reduced over the last decades. Furthermore, capitalists have also contributed towards globalisation since they allow production facilities to be located wherever costs are lowest and profits greatest. Furthermore, global accounting practices enable prices and taxes to be calculated in ways that raise profits. Global connections like telecommunications and electronic finance create major opportunities for profit making. Finally, emergences of newly industrialised countries like China and India with productive capability and low labour costs are establishing in foreign markets. Market Forces is another factor that has contributed towards globalisation. The world trade and investment have grown rapidly, with many attractive market places opening up in China, India and Eastern Europe and elsewhere thus leading to the growth of global companies. Transnational corporations have begun to behave as global customers and establishing world brands, for instance, McDonald, Gap and Wal Mart have become globally prominent as a result of great marketing prowess. Organisations are also developing global advertising as Reebok, for example, to launch its Instapump sneakers has used the same advertising compaign in 140 countries. Furthermore, people are travelling more in the last two decades and they are becoming aware of different prices and quality of goods over the world and their lifestyles and tastes are changing accordingly. Many markets are also globalising for instance, as some tastes become universal to young people; we can see the same designer jeans and leather jackets in virtually all countries. Government Drivers -Government in almost all developed countries over the world have promoted free trade and reduced trade barriers and the European Union has also liberalised capital flows in 1992 which has contributed towards globalisation. Furthermore, there has been a decline in the role of government as producers and consumers and large private firms have been seeking a physical presence in many major countries. It has truly transforming itself, slowly, into a Global system of governance, not so much by the use of raw independent power, but through the consensus of its most powerful members, and key players, increasingly multinational Corporations and International financial institutions, both formal and informal. This trend would continue, slowly almost imperceptibly to most Americans, though not to the world at large. In the past decade there has been also increasing participation of China and India in the global economy which has added towards globalisation. Competitive Drivers is the fourth factor that has contributed towards globalisation. Analysts hold that globalisation has a multi-causal dynamic involving the interrelation of several forces such as growth of global networks making countries interdependent in particular industries that they are becoming universally centred rather than nationally centred. For instance, in UK the personal savings of its citizen are now internationally diversified, making them less dependent upon the future success of Britain. Instead, the UK citizens are amassing shares in the developing countries. Finally, it can be said that today no country can remain in isolation and has to take part in the global economy where people from all countries will become more integrated and aware of common interests and shared humanity. 2. How globalization is influencing the business culture? (10) Culture and globalisation are two different concepts. According to David (2002), from the culture point of view, globalisation is the process of harmonizing different culture and beliefs. It can also be said that cultural globalisation have accelerated again late in this century, after almost 50 years of regression. More and more, countries are now integrated into a single global marketplace through trade, finance, production, and a dense web of international treaties and institutions. Globalization is a sword with two blades for the business culture and this can be discussed as follows. Some critics argue that globalization really means Americanization as more people around the world are exposed to the American culture and lifestyle in the food they eat, the stores they shop, and television shows and movies they watch, the more they lose their individual cultural identities. Moreover, Mauritian teens watch TV series Hannah Motana and ask their parents for westernized clothes and schools bags of pictures of Hannah Montana. Some consider such imported culture a danger, since it may replace the local culture, causing reduction in diversity. Globalisation is also influencing schools. Schools work on culture to improve the sociological bases in agreement with the technological advancement. Therefore there has been an obvious move from lecture-based activities towards more student-centred activities as teaching and learning styles are changing. Under such a circumstance, schools need to go for the cooperative, collaborative, participatory, integrative and inclusive processes and approaches of learning and school organisation. For instance, in Mauritius our children have to attain standard of knowledge, skills and competence as is the case in leading countries of the world so that they are able to keep pace in the globalised economy. At Primary and secondary level, new textbooks have been designed so that learners are aware of the changes in the world. Besides, changes have been made in the primary books itself as more emphasis has been put on ICT and tourism sectors rather than agricultural sectors. Furthermore, cultural products with widely recognized icons are shared globally. For example, American companies like Mc Donalds are very flexible and adapt to different cultures as its menu in Bombay and Delhi do not have beef in it. Worldwide fads and pop culture such as Pokà ©mon, Sudoku, Numa Numa, Origami, Idol series, YouTube, Orkut, Facebook, and MySpace are accessible to all those who have Internet or Television around the world. It is also subjective to say that globalization is bad, or vice versa. For one thing, it helped to highlight a nations culture, draw on the strong points of other cultures and contribute the cultural diversity in the business world. It can also be said that it is because of globalisation that consumption in the world has increased exponentially which requires an infinite number of resources. Since consumption demands exceed what the earth is able to restore, very soon the earth would be too small to meet the basic needs. Governments and businesses talk so much about safeguarding, saving the environment; and at the same time, invent, develop and produce the very things that destroy the environment. Ultimately it can be said that up to now globalisation has helped the business sector more than the people. Only the capitalists acquire the wealth generated by globalization whereas the mass populations have to work harder. With globalisation, teenagers tend to neglect their culture and education to concentrate on the new register globalisation has brought along through media as media persuade them to consume some products they do not really need to succeed in life 3. According to you what are the impact of globalization on the Mauritian Economy. According to the Financial Times Special Report March 2009, Mauritius enjoys the second most improved economy over the past years. Mauritius has also one of the highest standards of living in Africa. Globalisation has opened the door to many benefits for the Mauritian Economy. It has promoted open societies and open economies and encouraged a freer exchange of goods, ideas and knowledge, create employment, have more quality goods but on the other hand, economic performance has also suffered, resulting from its loss of preferential access to the EU sugar and textile markets. Globalisation is a mixed blessing for the Mauritian Economy. Benefits of the impact of globalisation on the Mauritian Economy can be listed as follows: Create Employment Large investment of foreign capital has created job opportunities in the IT/BPO sector that has benefitted unemployed persons. Even unskilled persons have been able to get gainful employment. Furthermore, the number of companies in the IT/BPO sector has increased from less than 100 in 2004 to over 400 in 2010 with the industry employing around 18,000 professionals from world over in Mauritius. In the past four years, its IT/BPO industry has sustained an annual growth rate of 25 percent and the sector has generated revenues of 5.7 percent of GDP, according to Board of Investment, Mauritius. In the global competitiveness Index 2008-09 of World Economic Forum, Mauritius is ranked 57th in the list of 134 nations.  Another sector which has benefited from globalisation in Mauritius is the tourism sector. About 17,111 people are employed in the tourism sector, 65 percent of these in the hotel industry in February 2010. The forecast tourist arrival in 2015 is 2 million which eventually wil l create more employment for Mauritian people. Improvement in living Standard With lifting of quantity restrictions on imports and reduction in import duties, Mauritian customers are getting quality goods at reasonable prices. One example is the Chinese electronic goods- which are both better quality and low priced, have flooded the Mauritian markets. The availability of imported quality goods at low rates has lead to improvement of living standards of Mauritian people. Even common people are enjoying goods and services that were beyond their reach earlier. Political Politically, globalisation has brought Mauritius with more nations into the decision-making process on international issues. For instance, Mauritius is a member of different international organizations namely the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and World Trade Organisation (WTO). This has led to better understanding of philosophies by people of different cultures. Furthermore, there are diplomatic ties between Mauritius and European countries, African countries, India and China. For instance, political ties between China and Mauritius date back to 1972. In his recent visit to Mauritius the prime minister of China has signed an economic and trade co-operation agreement with Mauritius worth about $9 million, including a $6 million grant and $3 million interest-free loan. The two governments are relying on this promising trend to further strengthen the ties in cultural exchange, education and tourism between the two countries. The Mauritian government paired up with the Chinese government invests in the construction of commercial, residential and leisure facilities in order to become an international center with a global expatriate population similar to countries such as Dubai, Malta and Singapore. The Shanxi Tianli Enterprises business park the is the largest ever injection of foreign cash into Mauritius that is around $750 millions. Given the problems in other areas of the economy, this project could partly contribute either directly or indirectly to reduction of the unemployment problem and could also generate economic growth. Drawbacks of the impact of globalization on the Mauritian Economy can be listed as follows: Weak labor unions The surplus in cheap labour together with an ever growing number of companies in transition has caused a weakening of labour unions in Textile factories in Mauritius. Unions in Mauritius do not have the same value as their membership begins to decline. As a result unions hold less power over Textile companies that are able to easily replace Mauritian workers with Bangladeshi or Chinese workers, often for lower wages, and have the option to not offer unionised jobs anymore. Even large companies are employing Indian software engineers on contract basis than local professionals due to lower costs. Interestingly, Mauritius has been making intensive use of imported labour from China and India. The number of foreigners working in large establishments in Mauritius has been increasing continuously since 1990. More consumption than saving With globalisation, the world of international business has progressed at a fast pace and a new standard has been created. But foreign companies often employ unfair means to get hold over the market. They offer better bargains, gifts, and spend huge sums of advertisement and publicity. Wide advertising of consumer goods, together with easy loan facilities encourage Mauritian people to spend rather than saving their money. Furthermore, markets for automobiles and computer systems are increasing drastically over the past decades. With finance companies ready to offer soft loans, Mauritian people are buying such goods not because of any real need but only as a status symbol. It can be said that Mauritian people are leading a materialistic lifestyle and see consumption as the path to prosperity. For instance, the savings had fallen to 18.3% in 2009 from 22.7% in 2008 and this has cause concern for the GDP growth as well as for the inflation rate. Deficit in Balance of Payments Besides Mauritius is facing a deficit in its current accounts in the balance of payment as published by the Bank of Mauritius fiscal year 2007-08. Mauritius are importing more goods and services from Asian countries rather than exporting. Sugar production averages 650,000 per year and was exported to the European Union at preferential rates through the ACP/EU Sugar protocol and Special Preferential Sugar (SPS). However, the EU has decided to remove the preferential rates in 2008. This cut had translated into lower earnings of approximately 4 billion rupees. Mauritian sugar producers are finding it difficult to compete on the international market because their production costs are much higher than the world market price. In fact their cost of production is twice that of the most efficient ACP suppliers, and even higher when compared to Brazilian prices. Coupled with the above the elimination in December 2004 of the global quotas on clothing under the Multi-Fibre Arrangement has expose d the local textile sector to competition from other exporting countries, including those in Asia and South America as they are producing at lower costs. Conclusion To conclude we can say, the long-term challenges facing Mauritian economy due to globalization are daunting. The local agricultural and manufacturing industries are lagging behind and there is a fear that globalisation may one day wipe out the sectors. Thus, Mauritius may become dependent on foreign countries.

The pilgrimage of women in Laurences The Diviners Essay -- Margaret L

Feminism as defined in the feminist Dictionary (1985) is a "movement seeking the recognition of the world upon a basis of sex equality and all human relations," a movement which would reject every differentiation between individuals upon the ground of sex, would abolish all sex privileges and sex burdens and would strive up to the recognition of the common humanity as the foundation of law and custom. Feminist literature is a canonical text, which portrays the sufferings of women, insists on the need for protecting their rights and suggests means on their emancipation. Feminism may be considered as a social movement. It considers women as the oppressed group, upholds their right by presenting them as individuals and human beings. It affirms their capacities to be autonomous, intelligent, strong and successful. Feminist literatures, on the other hand, embody in their works of imagination some of these views. These literary texts question the current social assumption, which they depict as being subjective, prejudiced and one-sided. They capture the depressing conditions of women, implicate suggesting ways and means for resolving their problems. They plead for a kind of literature which would be free from the biased portraits of individuals because of their race, class and sex. In spite of slavery and suppression, the women have contributed their intellectual and imaginative might to the growth and development of the society and themselves. Toni Morrison, Barbara Smith, and Lorraine Hansberry , Margaret Laurence, Margaret Clarke, Margaret Atwood and Ethel Wilson are some of them, ?Pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place As an act of religious devotion--- it Also mean... ...e want to see more of. But too many other people, especially those in Morag's present life are ciphers. Her daughter and daughters' companions are stereotypical hippies of the time. Her professor husband, her own friends and neighbours and assorted landladies all seem to perform their narrative functions and then shuffle offstage. It is clear that Laurence writes withan awareness of her ancestral past and therefore writes with an immigrant consciousness. It is again this immigrant consciousness working in her which accounts for the pervasive presence of journey motif , for immigration has always been in close association with journey, with movement across time and space. In the case of Canadian immigrants, journeys were to bigin with, motivated by exploration and quest and later on led to processes of self-realisation, identity and personality development.

Unit 19 P3

P3 – Plan marketing for a micro start-up business that is relevant to customer needs a) Marketing definition and opportunity At East Side we understand that we cannot sell to the whole market, but by knowing the size and trends in the market we will be able to assess future opportunities and predict future sales patterns. The people who will buy from us include middle class – professional people, these individuals can be either high earners or those on a budget. b) Proposed target marketing segments Age 20-45 years SexMale/Female OccupationProfessional people/middle class Income? 18,000 and above ) Demand for product The reasons for demand of our products include: The area is just developing due to the construction of the London Luton Airport. It will benefit from the boost in tourist – those self-catering tourist who will require our services and due to our strategic location consumers must shop as there are no other routes to and from the Airport. d) Competitio n There are many rivals offering similar products and services, in an effort to attract customers and be different our consumers will be able to shop in spacious air conditioned comfort. * Leaflets will also be place in the weekly newspaper. Flyers will also be distributed and interested parties can make an order through the contact details on the flyer. * Our sales team covers every village and town. * We are open 24/7 and do home deliveries to our customers * Loyalty cards which offer benefits to loyal customers Also a unique feature of East side is the meat department which is the walk-in refrigerated cooler. It is an experience like no other. Customers can stroll through isles of the largest selections of bulk meats, fresh cut meats and provisions; a customer can always be assured to find their favourite cuts.A customer can select a bulk item and have it custom cut by our experienced butcher at no additional charge. e) How success will be measured To ensure that our marketing ef forts were successful, East Side will check performance in: * Stock turnover – this will enable us to identify which items or services are slow to sell and which are very popular and to review the product mix effectively. * Customer satisfaction – if customers are happy this in turn will generate more sales, we will review all complaints and comments and their views on our prices and other improvements they may want us to make. Sales levels – a monthly analysis will help our business to identify patterns in sales and show when we need to take action to boost sales. * The amount of new customers who visit the business f) Other external influences Government regulations All VAT (Value Added Tax) will be paid over to the Government. This can create cash flow problem for the business, because all VAT is payable on all sales, including credit sales, which means that the business has to pay over VAT before the money is actually collected from the customer.If the busin ess fails to pay the VAT, then eventually the Government will send authorities to insist on payments or face legal actions. Ethical Issues Expiry Dates: All expired products will be removed from the shelves and will be disposed of according to local and international guidelines. Expired goods on the shelves can ruin the reputation of the business and drive away customers. It can also be dangerous to our health. Trends * People eating healthier will affect what you stock. There has been an increase in more healthful products being marketed by the major food companies than ever before. Pricing will be stable and somewhat boring compared to prior year price swings. * Private label will continue to gain market share compared to branded products. P4 – Plan a costed promotional activity for a micro start-up business that is appropriate for customer groups a) Coordinating with the rest of the marketing mix Promotion is a very important part of the marketing mix. In an effort to incl ude the other aspects of the marketing mix to reach our target customers we will do research to identify which products target customers need and will buy.Offering these will increase sales and profits. Offering products no one wants or which have expensive or unnecessary features will do the opposite. We have to decide on a price, this is the amount of money customers must exchange for the product or service. Price is a key element of the marketing mix as it generates income for the organization. All other elements of the mix incur costs. Therefore, the pricing decision is critical to the success of the organization. Finally, we have to decide where and how the products and services should be placed. b) Image to be developedThe image our promotional plan will reflect is that we are an environmentally friendly business providing for but not limited to the needs of middle class people. c) Costs and schedule for the campaign A chap an effective way our business will get noticed is by advertising on our business vehicle. We are a small business therefore we will have to spend the available money wisely. We will also advertise through the local newspaper and the internet, this will be very beneficial as both methods are relatively inexpensive newspapers provide timely information and the internet can be directly involved with promotional activities.Schedule for the campaign: The purpose of the promotional campaign is to make the public aware of the launch of our new business. This campaign will start on Monday 16th April and run for two weeks ending on the 30th April 2012. d) Types of promotional materials Not all promotional materials will attract the same customer group, this is why East Side will use different promotional methods to attract more customer groups. After studying the buying habits of our target customers and where they look for information.It was observed that a poster attracts the attention of the travelling public, leaflets are preferred when pr omoting a local service and a large amount of people will look for information online. e) Nature of the promotional materials The aim of our promotional materials is to attract attention and interest. Effective colour and wording helps to reflect the image of the business, this is why we will hire professional graphic designers to help us devise a style for our business stationery and marketing materials. This will ensure they are easily recognizable and reflect the right image. ) Name of the business The names of the business will be East Side this is because no one else has this name. The name is appropriate as it is not offensive in any way and does not already exist as a recognized brand. It will also be easy for our customers to remember. g) Ideas for branding At East Side we would like to develop a brand, this would be a major asset for us because it will help people to remember our business and if we provide a good service, it wll associate specific qualities such as, reliabi lity, value for money, honesty and professional expertise.It will also save money on marketing in the long run since customers stay loyal to a brand they know and trust. h) Website design and functionality East Side will have some presence on the internet. This will be a quite basic site which simply summarizes what we offer and where we are. The website will be very user friendly; there is a search facility where, if customers know the name or type of product they are looking for it can be easily found. We will promote our website by placing the address on all stationery and the company vehicle. ) Reasons why the promotional materials are appropriate The promotional materials will be appropriate since our target customers group is people aged between 18 and 40, these more mature individuals are more likely to read newspapers and search online for information. j) Measuring the success of promotions The success of East Side’s promotions will be measured by; the number of new e nquires received by phone or email, the number of new customers who visit the business and sales levels. The cost of each promotion will also be taken into account. If the cost is high but the benefit will be small, then an alternative method will be found.

Nursing and Work Schedule/job Placement

Nursing Nursing is a wise career option, it is a career that allows you to help save people’s lives, and bring cheer and comfort to those in need. The nursing career is very gratifying and rewarding in terms of the joys it brings to those who need your help. There are three main reasons that caused me to choose nursing as my field of choice: you are trusted with others’ lives, you are continuously learning new things, and you can make a flexible work schedule/job placement opportunities.One main reason that caused me to choose nursing is that nurses are trusted with extremely sensitive information and they have to do things by the rules and maintain confidentiality. As a nurse, you must be able to analyze a patient’s pathology and diagnostic test results to decide on how to proceed with the patient. You should be able to analyze cardiac monitor strips and start reviving a patient during emergencies. You should be able to decide within a split second which special ist to call, which equipment to turn on, and what exactly to tell a patient.You are trusted with lives, with confidential information and you have the important task of watching over the life of the patient in your care. Nursing requires a great amount of responsibility, and the thrill of it excites me. As a nurse, you have a continuous opportunity for learning. You can choose to work in different departments, study to be a medical assistant and also get into nursing management where you can grow and nurture new nurses and share your knowledge. You can make a significant impact on health care using your initiative and compassion.You can also encourage people who show compassion and caring for life to take up nursing as a career. Nursing is the ideal career for anyone who wants to be challenged continually and also want to gain knowledge pertaining to the human body, its diseases, and life challenges. A final reason that caused me to choose nursing is that many nurses choose this car eer because of the flexible hours and days they work. Nurses can work in hour combinations of four, six, eight, 10 and 12 each day. Nurses lso have the opportunity to work different shifts. If you had children being able to set your work schedule around what is going on in their lives would be wonderful. In addition to flexible scheduling, nurses also have a variety of job-placement opportunities like doctor offices, nursing homes, hospitals and even schools hire nurses. Between the making your own work schedule and getting to pick what kind of place you want to work, I do not understand why you would not want to be a nurse.In all if you show a commitment to learning, are willing to work hard, and above all, have the right compassion and respect for life then being a nurse might be the right career choice for you. Studying to be a nurse can be demanding and stressful, however if you just remember that you are trusted with others’ lives, and you can learn new things continuous ly, and you can make a difference in someone’s life, then you can make it in this field.

Book Report †Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior Essay

The book, Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, by Ori Brafman and his brother, Rom Brafman dives into the way that we make decisions. Why do humans make the horrible decisions we do when logic would tell us to act otherwise? There are several psychological influences that sway our decision-making ability according to the Brafman brothers. The authors look at several different factors, with a lot of fascinating and logic-breaking examples. This book will help you understand the decisions you make. In many circumstances times when logic would dictate that we take a certain action, we take the opposite. To illustrate, just ask yourself why you have stayed so long in a doomed relationship? Why was it so hard to sell a stock that has lost much of its value†¦or to sell your house if it will be for less than you paid for it? In their book, Sway, Ori and Rom Brafman explore our decision making process and what influences our behavior. Hence, the subtitle, The Pull of Irra tional Behavior is used. Sway opens with a convincing example — the historic KLM flight where the pilot made a seemingly irrational decision that cost the lives of 584 people in 1977, the largest airline disaster in history. The authors make the argument that because the pilot was so focused on getting to his final destination after being diverted; he was swayed into making a wholly irrational decision, which ended in tragedy. How was he swayed specifically? Well, the book revisits the KLM disaster a few times to flesh out the underlying irrational decisions likely being made by the pilot. The book is filled with such examples, such as people who have bid as much as $200 for a $20 bill. Why? Why would anyone pay more than the face value of a $20 bill? Well, the authors have the answers.Here I will describe all the major sways listed in the book. I will also give an example of the sway and why it affects people so harshly.1. We overreact to potential losses. Humans tend to focus more on the short-term consequences rather than the longer-term effects. This is illustrated well by AOL’s Internet options. For a while, AOL gave consumers access to the web through a pay as you go method. Customers would pay for every minute they used the Internet. Then, when AOL introduced a flat monthly fee, customers began signing up for that plan in masses. Customers wanted to make sure they avoided the perceived  losses from the pay as you go method, when in the long run; most users were losing money with the flat rate. 2. Loss averse. The more meaningful a loss is, the more loss averse we become, meaning we don’t want to give up our hold on the loss (even when it’s economically, emotionally or otherwise beneficial to do so). The best example of loss aversion is in the stock market. Inexperienced traders have the hardest time selling a plummeting stock. Say you invest in a stock for $10 a share and in a week the price rises to $20. Now it would be great to sell then. But then the next day the stock drops to $17 a share. For whatever reason, humans perceive this $3 difference as a loss, instead of a $7 gain (you invested at $10 and could sell at $17). So, the investor says, once it gets back to $20 I will sell. Then it drops to $15, then $12, then $6, and before you know it, you have lost money, when you could have gaine d $7 a share!3. Commitment. When we are committed to a relationship, decision, or position in our lives, it can be very difficult for us to see the better, healthier alternatives available. The best example of this in the book is the $20 dollar bill auction. Harvard Business School Professor Max Bazerman conducts this auction on the first day of his class. There are only two rules to the auction; first, bids are to be made in $1 increments. The second rule is a little trickier; the winner of the auction gets the $20, but the runner up still has to honor their bid, while receiving nothing. When the bidding gets closer and closer to $20 the students realize what is about to occur. The two people left in the bidding war both do not want to walk away with nothing, therefore instead of accepting defeat and losing $19 in the auction, somebody will bid $21. The students continue bidding, ignoring all rationality and drive the price upwards. Bazerman states that it once made its way up to $204. 4. Value attribution. Humans have a tendency to place certain qualities upon someone or something based on its perceived value rather than objective data. If we see something labeled a certain way, we’ll take that label at face value. The authors have two amusing examples of value attribution at work — a world-famous violinist is mistaken for a street musician in the subway and a SoBe energy drink that is only as valuable in helping improve your memory as you think it is. In the SoBe energy drinks case, the authors cite a study that measured test results after consumption of the energy drink. The subjects were put into three  categories. Those that had no SoBe, those that were told the powers of SoBe and then bought it at full price, and those that were also told the powers of SoBe but then received it at a discounted price. After taking a test, the results were measured to see if there was a pattern within the groups. The results showed that those who drank the SoBe at full price had better test scores than those who had no SoBe at all. But before we run to buy all the energy drinks we can afford, the group who drank the cheap SoBe performed far worse than those who drank no SoBe at all. When things are discounted off of their regular price, people tend to give the product or service a reduced value attribution. In other words, when we get a discount on something, we tend to unconsciously value it less than if we had paid full price.5. Diagnosis Bias. Humans have a propensity to label people, ideas or things based on our initial opinions of them. This includes our inab ility to reconsider those initial value judgments once we’ve made them. Again, the authors bring this sway to life with their examples of how players perform directly in relationship to their NBA draft pick number, amongst many others. A single word or label can color our entire perception of a person, closing off avenues of shared experience and seeing people for who they really are. Once a person is given a label (and even directly, a diagnosis), it’s hard for people to see people in a way that isn’t biased by that label. The authors also note that hiring interviews are actually a terrible way to identify possible employees. Turns out â€Å"first date† style interviews are completely unscientific and at the end of the day, quite horrible at helping managers choose a good employee.6. Fairness. People want and expect fairness in all of their dealings with other people, companies and organizations. It is vitally important for people to feel they have a voice. People want to be listened to and heard, even if nothing changes. Talking through our reasons for a price or our position in an argument or debate, explaining how we arrived at it, and communicating what we feel is the fair thing to do makes other people feel like we’ve treated them more fairly and reasonably. The authors cite a study done which pair’s strangers and offers up a chance at winning cash. The strangers are placed in separate rooms and told that they will never meet the other person, even after the study is over. Then the instructions are given to the first subject. They are told that there is $10 dollars to be split between them and the partner. They  have been chosen as the person to divide the money however they see fit. The catch is that the other person must agree to the offer. If the person does not agree, both partners will walk away with nothing. The same speech is given to the second pa rticipant except with minor changes letting them know that the other person will be splitting the money and that they have the power to say yes or no to the deal. The study showed that all splits of 50/50 were accepted and almost all of the uneven splits were denied. Even though people were offered some money, they chose to deny it because they saw it as â€Å"unfair†. People did not seem to realize that they were in a fortunate position just to be offered any money at all.7. Altruistically or Selfishly. Humans approach everything from one of these two viewpoints, but usually not both at the same time. When the two centers of the brain (altruism and pleasure) compete, pleasure usually wins. When the pleasure, self-interested perspective is operating, unexpected behavior or effects can occur. Essentially, a person cannot act in their own interest while looking out for others, because your desires to look out for number 1 will always win. This portion of the book also speaks on the most relevant portion to our class. It speaks on how rewards can damage someone’s work ethic when it is believe that they will actually help. It’s not that rewards for specific tasks or behavior are bad, it’s the possibility of a reward dangled ahead of time that can potentially result in destructive, unintended effects. It’s okay to reward someone after the fact, but don’t always create the possibility of the reward ahead of time. And know that money defeats/negates altruism.8. Groups. Groups can have profound effects on our ability to reason rationally. A study was done on individuals and their ability to ignore wrong information. Subjects were placed in a room with several other people and the task was given to all subjects; identify which two lines were the same lengths. Then, on the screen 4 lines would appear, two of which were the same length. The study made it very obvious too; no rulers were needed, for the lines were glaringly different. The catch was that only one person in the room was an actual subject, all other people were paid actors told to identify the wrong line. When the researchers asked the group which lines matched, all the actors would give the same incorrect answer, and the effects were powerful. 75% of the subjects incorrectly identified the lines because they did not want to go against the group. Then a second round began  and one actor was told to give the correct answer, or at least an answer different than the group. In almost all cases, the subject spat in the face of the actors and correctly identified the lines. The lesson to be learned here is that dissent is invaluable – you need a dissenter, even if you don’t agree with the specific dissent itself. Dissenters open up discussion and allow individuals to express their views. I highly recommend this book. It was nearly impossible for me to put down and only took me about a day to read. I think very economically and logically (or at least I would like to believe), so the book spoke to my every thought. The book offers a few solutions in the epilogue; solutions that help individuals think more rationally. However the solutions are very trivial. Suggestions such as â€Å"take a deep breathe and evaluate the situation† are recommended. The problem with these solutions is that the situations don’t allow for deep breaths! That is why irrational behavior takes place in the first place. Overall, the book was a great read and a valuable lesson.