Analysis essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Analysis - Essay Example This environment exposes him to the knowledge of the scientists living within it. For example, Victor gains his knowledge of natural philosophy, â€Å"I chanced to find a volume of the works of Cornelius Agrippa. I opened it with apathy; the theory which he attempts to demonstrate and the wonderful facts which he relates soon changed this feeling into enthusiasm† (36).   Victor becomes fascinated by natural philosophy as described by the author, and thus desires to experiment with what the author says. This eventually leads Victor to create The Monster, causing Victor to have a miserable life. Also, because Victor believes that the knowledge he has gained can enable him to create the living thing that can be able to lead life just as human beings. When Victor meets with two professors, Krempe and Waldman, he learns from these two professors. He realizes that the knowledge he has is not sufficient to carry out his experiments. Professor Krempe scolds Victor for what he has studied: ‘Have you,’ he said, ‘really spent your time in studying such nonsense?’ (43). From here, it can be noted that Professor Waldman supports him, â€Å"‘I should advise you to apply to every branch of natural philosophy, including mathematics’† (46). With Professor Waldman’s support, he is able to pursue his desire to understand natural philosophy and continues to study it. He does not give up with his passion of creating a kind of a human being; it thus leads him to the creation of The Monster. In as much as sciences environment it affects Victor’s knowledge, his Monster also is greatly changed based on his surroundings. The Monster created by Victor Frankenstein show readers how he is shaped by the conditions surrounding him. For instance, The Monster learns about the world and nature from what he faces after his birth, â€Å"I saw, felt, heard, and smelt at the same time; and it was, indeed, a long time before I learned to distinguish between the

Determining the position of unknown element X in the Reactivity Series Essay Example for Free

Determining the position of unknown element X in the Reactivity Series Essay To determine the position of Element X in the reactivity series Hypothesis The reactivity series is the arrangement of elements according to their reactivity. The most reactive element is placed at the top and the least reactive at the bottom. The elements at the top can displace elements below them from their compounds In the experiment, element X will either have elements more reactive or less reactive or both. Based on this, the position of the unknown element can be found out. Assuming that the element given is not potassium, then potassium will displace X from its compound; thus we can say that potassium is more reactive than X; and X is below potassium in the reactivity series. Assuming that copper is less reactive than X; X will displace copper from its compound. This means that X is higher than copper in the reactivity series than copper. In the experiment, the enthalpy (temperature) change will also show how reactive element X is. For example if X is right above Zinc in the reactivity series i.e. element X is aluminium, then the temperature difference between reacting Al with CuSO4 will be more than reacting Al with ZnSO4 or FeSO4. This is because as the distance (number of elements in between between) the elements increases there is more difference in the reactivity level of the selected elements. When ?H (?Heat) is +ve, the reaction taking place is exothermic and when ?H is -ve, the reaction will be endothermic. When the number of element between the elements reacting is more, then ?H of the reaction will also be more. For example if we take Zinc as element X, then Zinc is more reactive than Lead; but Zinc is even more reactive than Copper. This is because Copper is further below Lead in the reactivity series. Thus a reaction between Zinc and a Copper compound will be more reactive ( will have a higher ?H) than a reaction between Zinc and Lead. When ?E (?Energy) is +ve, the reaction taking place is endothermic and when ?E is -ve, the reaction will be exothermic. The reason behind the nature of ?H stated previously is the ?E (?Energy) of the reaction. Again; more the number of elements between the reactants (according to the Reactivity Series) the lower the value of ?E i.e. more exothermic the reaction is. This is due to the type of bonds present in various compounds. Taking the pervious example, a reaction between Zinc a Copper compound will give a lower ?E than a reaction between Zinc a Lead compound. Thus such reactions are more apparent. Variables Independent The Metal Compound used to react with Element X The metal compound used to react with Element X was varied as this variation of the metal will help us determine the position of element X. Dependent Whether a reaction takes place or not When different metal compounds are used, it is not necessary that a reaction takes place every time. The occurrence of a reaction depends on the metal present in the compound used. Energy Change (?E) ?E depends on the compound used. In different compounds there are different types of bonds present and also every bond has a different energy level. Enthalpy Change (?H) ?H depends on ?E. If ?E is -ve, then the reaction is exothermic; if ?E is +ve, then the reaction will be endothermic. Controlled Volume of the Metal Compound taken The volume of the metal compound taken must be kept constant as varying volumes can affect the final temperature. Size of Element X strip The size of the strip of Element X must also be kept constant as varying lengths can again affect the final temperature. Apparatus 1 Strip of Element X 7 Test tubes 5ml of CuSO4 5ml of FeSO4 5ml of MgSO4 5ml of PbNO3 5ml of KSO4 5ml of AgNO3 5ml of ZnSO4 Procedure 1. Take a strip of Element X and cut it into 7 equal pieces 2. Pour 5ml of CuSO4 into a test tube 3. Put a thermometer into one test CuSO4 and measure the temperature 4. Now put a piece of Element X into the test tube and measure ?H 5. Repeat Steps 3 4 for FeSO4; MgSO4; PbNO3; KSO4; AgNO3 ZnSO4 Diagrams Results Compound Reaction Initial Temperature (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Final Temperature (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) ?H (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) KSO4 No 21 21 0à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ MgSO4 No 21 21 0à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ ZnSO4 No 22 22 0à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ FeSO4 No 21 21 0à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ PbNO3 Yes 21 22 2à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ CuSO4 Yes 22 25 3à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ AgNO3 Yes 21 26 5à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Graph Discussion The strip of element X given to us was shiny, this indicates that element X is not very reactive. Reactive metals such as aluminium usually form a metal oxide layer on top of them thus losing their luster. When Element X was put in sulphate of potassium (which is a clear solution), the solution remained clear, and the piece of Element X also remained shiny; thus indicating no reaction. Element X behaved similarly for sulphates of Magnesium, Zinc Iron. A piece of Element X into PbNO3, after a lot of time, the solution started to become cloudy (white precipitate), indicating a reaction. In this reaction the ?H was +1à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C. In CuSO4, the piece of Element X was deposited with black precipitate all over. Also the solution becomes lighter blue as compared to the pure CuSO4(aq). It was a very slow process. In AgNO3, the solution turned cloudy (black) immediately after suspending the piece of Element X. If we observe the table below carefully, we notice that Element X did not react with K, Mg, Zn and Fe. But it reacted with Pb, Cu Ag. This means that element X is Sn; because the reactivity series goes as follows: K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Zn, Fe, Sn, Pb, Cu, Ag, Au. Compound Chemical Equation Energy Equation ?E KSO4(aq) MgSO4(aq) ZnSO4(aq) FeSO4(aq) Pb(NO3)2(aq) CuSO4(aq) AgNO3(aq) As I stated in my hypothesis, that the further apart the elements are (in the Reactivity Series) the lower the ?E is. This means that the reactions are more apparent (vigorous) and also more heat is produced in such reactions. Conclusion From this experiment, I conclude that the Element X given to me is below Iron and above Lead in the reactivity series i.e. the element is Tin. I also conclude that the further apart the elements are (in the Reactivity Series) the higher the ?H and lower the ?E. I also conclude that such reactions are more reactive (apparent) as compared to those between element with a lower number of elements between them. Evaluation In this experiment, if the mass of element X would have been measured and then used for reactions the reactions would have been more accurate and reliable.

Natural Family Planning :: essays research papers fc

The Natural Failure of Planning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Are modern forms of contraception naturally and morally wrong? Pope Paul VI and his Humanae Vitae declare that technological methods of birth control are immoral and should not be practiced by Catholics. However, as our modern society illustrates everyday, this opinion is inappropriate for not only the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church, but also for non-Catholics. According to Munich Archbishop Cardinal Julius Doepfner, â€Å"Contraception is not intrinsically evil† (The Politics of Sex and Religion). There is a fine line the Catholic church draws between â€Å"natural† methods of family planning and the â€Å"immoral† methods of modern technology. After close review of Catholic doctrines, it is clear that this line does not exist. The intentions behind the actions are what matters. Therefore the encyclical of Paul VI , while maintaining good intentions, cannot give Catholics and non-Catholics alike complete guidance in complete humanness when it comes to contraception.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The major problem for the married believers in the Catholic faith is that Human Vitae neglects their ability to make moral decisions. Paul VI claims that contraception limits a person’s human totality and integrity. However, the reality is that the Church is limiting this principle of human existence by assuming the common man is incapable of making the correct moral choice. For example Paul VI states , â€Å"†¦how wide and easy a road would thus be opened up towards conjugal infidelity and the general lowering of morality.† (Human Vitae 8). It is absurd to believe that all moral problems in our society can be attributed to the introduction of birth control methods. Man, in his complete integrity and totality, is capable of judging moral from immoral regardless of the technological devices he is surrounded by. If all parts of a human are in harmony, means of contraception cannot invade this person’s complete humanness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scientific research shows that almost all practicing Catholics today believe that modern means of contraception does not interfere with their beliefs and morals. According to one study, â€Å"Even among married Catholic women who attend church every week, less than 4% use church-approved family planning methods-about the same as the total population.† (Catholics for Contraception). This illustrates the fact that people of faith have made their own interpretations of God’s desires and find no difference between natural family planning and modern methods of contraception. Weekly patrons of the church know the moral teachings of the Church and the consequences, yet the facts show that all believers have not come to a consensus.

Essay --

Good morning/afternoon everybody. Today, I am here to discuss the overall wealth of America, in hopes to better justify our economy. It is to my understanding that as of this moment, the United States and its economy stands fairly well, increasing total tax revenue by 13%, from $2,482.241 (two trillion four hundred eighty two billion) in 2012, to $2,806.386 in 2013. In addition, we were able to decrease our budget deficit by an additional 27%, with a final deficit standing at $811.851. Although our standings are settled at a decent position, there are ways we could execute even greater; and that is through the improvement of health and human services, the return of our nation’s military from the Middle East, education, alternative energy, and the regulation of taxes. One of the major focuses of our proposal is the improvement of health and human services. Prior to my election, there has been concern about this department due to the recent government shutdown. From October 1 through October 16, the United States entered this shutdown, and reduced most routine operations after Congress failed to enact funds for the fiscal year 2014. The principal factor to this shutdown was The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. What this law required was for all Americans to have health insurance—regardless if they truly need it or not—so the total costs towards Medicare and Medicaid spending would decrease. However, it is not worth disrupting government funding to undercut healthcare costs. Congress has one key duty in the Constitution, and that is to pass spending bills that fund the government. With no compromise, our government may experience another one of these disastrous events. To fix this predicament.. . ...ity that continues to be a problem is the amount of alcohol and cigarette users here in the states. The adverse health affects from alcohol consumption accounts for an estimate of 75,000 deaths, while cigarette smoking accounts for an estimate of 443,000 deaths each year in the United States. To promote a healthier lifestyle, in addition to internalizing the externality, we will be placing a $0.10 tax on alcohol and a $0.50 tax on cigarettes, in hopes to reduce demand and utilization. However, if alcohol and cigarette users continue to be unresponsive to the change in price, consumers would still continue to purchase these products, and it would eventually benefit the government in terms of raising money with minimum waste, for it would raise revenue with minimal distortion. In other words, as a result of this tax raise, we will be increasing revenue $5.323 billion.

As Said by Mark Twain

Eiffel Tower, built in 1889 and named after its designer and engineer Gustave Eiffel is one of the most famous architectural structure in the world. ————————————————- Eiffel Tower is observation & radio broadcasting tower, it is 324 meters tall, and tallest building in Paris, also second tallest in the whole of France. It was also tallest man-made structure of the world from 1889 to 1930. Stonehenge, United Kingdom Stonehenge is an amazing structure built of standing stones in a circular form.It is one of the most ancient structures of the world, believed to built before 2000 B. C. Stonehenge has been destroyed several times, and the present day structure is believed to be remains of the structure built in 1600 B. C. ————————————————- Stonehenge is owned by Th e Crown and is also a  UNESCO  World Heritage Site. It is managed by English Heritage and National Trust. Saint Basil's Cathedral, Russia Saint Basil's Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox Church built in 16th century in Moscow. It is operated as State Historical Museum and is a property of Russian Federation.The design of the building forms a shape like that of flame of bonfire rising to the sky. ————————————————- Saint Basil's Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy Leaning Tower of Pisa is a unique structure, leaned at one side. It is campanile in the Italian city of Pisa. ————————————————- The Tower is 56. 70 high, 4. 09m wide and leaned at 3. 99 degrees. The construction of the tower started in 1173 and was completed in 1372. T he tower has eight stories, including chamber of bells.It was not planned originally as a something like this, but during the construction it started leaning, and today although it weighs more than 14,000 metric tons, miraculously and proudly stands as one of the most beautiful structures of the world. Statue of Liberty, United States of America The  Statue of Liberty  is a sculpture of Libertas, Roman Goddess of Freedom, situated in United States of America. The statue designed by Frederic Bartholdi, was a gift from People of France to USA. The statue was inscribed on July 4, 1776, on the date of American Declaration of Independence.There is a broken chain at the feet of the statue, representing icon of freedom of United States. ————————————————- The statue is 93 meters high and has more than 3 million visitors annually. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Christ The Redeemer, Brazil Christ The Redeemer, located in Brazil, is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it is also the fifth largest statue of Jesus Christ, and largest Art Deco statue in the World. ————————————————- Built between 1921 and 1931, The statue is 39. 6m. tall, 30m wide, and weighs over 600 tonnes.

AP Environmental Unit 5 Study Guide Essay

AP Environmental Unit 5 Study Guide Essay AP Environmental Unit 5 Study Guide Essay Study Guide Unit 5 chapters 10, 11, & 12 Chapter 10 Where were the gray wolves reintroduced? / Who supported the reintroduction? 1. Yellowstone National Park ecosystem The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) supported the reintroduction including the United States Congress. Ecological services of the forest 1. Support energy flow and chemical cycling 2. Reduce soil erosion 3. Absorb and release water 4. Purify water and air 5. Influence local and regional climate 6. Store atmospheric carbon 7. Provide numerous wildlife habitats Economic services of the forest 1. Fuel wood 2. Lumber 3. Pulp to make paper 4. Mining 5. Livestock grazing 6. Recreation 7. Jobs Most common use of trees worldwide 1. Fuel wood Types of forests / Types of tree harvesting / Effects of each 1. Three major types based on their age and structure: a. Old-growth forest: 22% An uncut or regenerated forest that has not been seriously disturbed by human activities or natural disasters for at least several hundred years. b. Second-growth forest: 63% A stand of trees resulting from natural secondary ecological succession. c. Tree plantation (Tree farm): 5% Site planted with one or only a few tree species in an even-aged stand. 2. Three types of tree harvesting: a. Selective cutting Cutting of intermediate-aged, mature, or diseased trees in an uneven-aged forest stand, either singly or in small groups. b. Clear-cutting Removal of all trees in that area c. Strip cutting Involves clear-cutting a strip of trees along the contour of the land, with the corridor narrow enough to allow natural regeneration within a few years. What is Certified Sustainably Grown Timber ensure? 1. Ensure that cutting has not exceeded long-term forest regeneration Types and effects of forest fires 1. Three types of fires a. Surface fires Usually burn undergrowth and leaf litter on the forest floor. Burn away flammable ground material and help prevent more destructive fires. Also release valuable mineral nutrients, release seeds from the cones of lodge pole pines, stimulate the germination of certain tree seed, and help control pathogens and insects. b. Crown fires May start on the ground but eventually burn whole trees and leap form treetop to treetop. c. Ground fires Go underground and burn partially decayed leaves or peat and are common in northern pear bogs. What does the burning of forests produce? 1. Burn away flammable ground material and help prevent more destructive fires. 2. Also release valuable mineral nutrients, release seeds from the cones of lodge pole pines, stimulate the germination of certain tree seed, and help control pathogens and insects What happens after the burning of tropical rainforests in the Amazon? 1. Accounts for 3/4th of Brazil’s greenhouse gas emission What is the most widely used method for sustainable management of rangeland? / What is rangeland? 1. The most widely used method is to control the number of grazing animals and the duration of their grazing in a given area so the carrying capacity of the area is not exceeded. 2. Rangeland - Unfenced grasslands in temperate and tropical climates that supply forage or vegetation for grazing and browsing animals. How many national parks worldwide? 1. More than 1,100 national parks larger than 4 square mile. What is the biggest problem facing U.S. national parks today? 1. The biggest problem facing United States national parks today is popularity. What % of Earth’s wilderness areas are strictly protected? 1. 12% of the earth’s land area is strictly protected. What % of Earth’s land should be protected in order to preserve biodiversity? 1. Conservation biologists call for a full protection of at least 20% of the earth’s land area to preserve biodiversity. Buffer zone concept to preserving land (fig. 10-25) Each reserve contains a protected inner core surrounded by two buffer zones that local

Candide, The Divine Comedy, Tartuffe, Othello essays

Candide, The Divine Comedy, Tartuffe, Othello essays Voltaires Candide can be easily considered one of the most potent satires of all times, as it is directed not to a particular aspect of the world but to the world as a whole and to the entire human race. What Voltaire mocks is not so much the state in which the world and humanity are in, but the inveterate optimism that characterized the Age of Reason. The values and creeds of the Enlightenment philosophers are demolished one by one in Voltaires work: the famous statement maintained by Leibniz and Rousseau that our world is the best of all possible worlds, the belief that the universe is in a state of unshakable harmony that only gives the impression of chaos, the general optimism that regarded even the dreariest events in the world as good, the faith in the human reason and the free will of man and so on. To remonstrate against what he felt was just hypocritical optimism, Voltaire makes the eponymous character of his work, Candide (who is, not by accident and as his name indicates, incredibly naive and simple) experience, through his journeys and adventures, the entire range of human sufferance: wars, natural disasters, maladies, slavery, religious persecution, rape and so on. In his way, Candide experiences all there is to experience and meets with all the evil in the world. His companions represent three different philosophical attitudes that influence Candides evolution. His gullible nature disposes him to believe the more comfortable theory, which is that of his master Pangloss. Pangloss is thus the prototype of the Enlightenment thinker, the professed optimist who believes in the absolute perfection of the world. Despite of the disasters he meets with and despite of the evil nature of the men he encounters, Pangloss remains a stubborn optimist, an advocate of the perfect harmony of the universe: Master Pangloss taught the metaphysico-theologo-cosmolo-nigology. He could prove to admiration that ...

Explaination of Terrorism essays

Explaination of Terrorism essays After browsing through Stephen E. Atkins book Terrorism, I soon learned many interesting things regarding the history of terrorism. It seems this form of protest has been around since Biblical times. Also, the main goal of a terrorist is not to do damage to one particular person or place, but to gain publicity for an idea they support. (page 1) Evidence of this can be found by looking at the recent past of the United States. The Oklahoma bombing was one man's way of expressing his dislike of the government. The exact definition of terrorism is not a solid line; it is a very wide line that isn't defined. The general definition of terrorism is an attack of some sort against a person or place that involves violence and/or destruction of property and is usually politically motivated. (Terrorism 3) Our fight against terrorism became something the terrorists might fear in 1970, at the Hague Convention. This United Nations convention basically defined hijacking as a crime and required contracting states either to allow the extradition of hijackers to their country of origin, or to prosecute them in the state where they were arrested. (The Terrorists 146) Atkins states that one of the reasons it took so long to do anything about terrorism is that it is so hard to define, and therefore just as hard to enforce. He also says Declarations and conventions from the UN have lacked effective enforcement mechanisms, so they have been ignored by member states and have been characterized as largely cosmetic. Basically, the UN is doing this to satisfy the public and little else. This lack of understanding of the meaning of terrorism has also been a hindrance when law 8:56 PM 2/14/96 enforcement was actually implemented. Police aren't trained to handle terrorist type attacks; instead t hey handle them like ordinary criminal attacks. (Terrorism 26-27) This gives the terrorists exactly what they wanted, publicity for their cause. ...

Consulting Project Plan Part Two Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consulting Project Plan Part Two - Assignment Example In such a meeting, it is possible to determine what the employees strongly believe is not done the right way. Through that, it will be easy to propose a remedy that best solves the issue. On the other hand, status reports are reports that are prepared by the employees showing the status of the jobs. The reports enable close communication and exchange of information about the progress of the job. It will help in rating the contemporary status of Walmatt against the set goals and plans (Mazzei, 2010). For communication to be effective, the frequency must be considered. Discussion should take place more often for easy monitoring of progress and job status. The supervisor should be able to meet their subordinates on the daily basis maybe after close of business. Supervisors should be able to identify the challenges the members had during the day and what should be done. Additionally, there are tools that are necessary in helping meet the commitments that have been put in place. The tools help in ensuring that agreements and duties designated have been achieved. The tools include the following: Holding meetings with the supervisors and employees maybe once a week to identify whether there are challenges in the implementation process. The employees should suggest the suitable solutions and alternatives because it is easier to do what you are part of. I will also make use of a wellness newsletter and calendar which will designate what each employee is required to do, the period and th e reporting structure (Mazzei, 2010). It is recommendable to hold communication after the results and outcome have been evaluated. It involves holding a meeting to outline and give the major problems identified and the proposals suitable to eliminate them. The stakeholders that will attend the meeting will be the management, the supervisors, and the employees at large. I consider having all of them in the meeting because they also have to give

Philosophy of Skepticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Philosophy of Skepticism - Essay Example Being born in the 80s made me very much aware of the traditions, beliefs and fads during that time. My personal interests depended on the interests of the people I live with. If I have lived during the time of slavery, my interest would have been related to freedom and equality. There is no absolute freedom but I have the free will to choose which information and beliefs I would want to base my life upon. I would prefer not to get everything that I ever wanted. Suffering is part of man's life which is destined to be imperfect and man has to strive to make the best out of what we have been blessed with. Man always wants what he does not have. 3. Plato's cave-dwellers discover that the source of their so- called knowledge, their senses has been giving them false information about the world. How reliable are our senses as a source of knowledge Plato rejects the senses as a source of knowledge. Do you agree with him Why or why not In consonance with his theory of Idealism, Plato propounded the view that man, in his present earthly existence is only an imperfect copy of his real, original self, the perfect man, in the realm of ideas. In such a perfect state as pure mind, man knew all things by direct intuition. Thus, according to Plato, man was omniscient, all-knowing, before he came to be born into this world. With his separation however from the paradise of truth and knowledge and his long exile on earth, he forgot most of the knowledge he had. To Plato the ideas are inborn, already present in the mind of man from birth, but these are partly forgotten memories obscured owing to man's life term confinement on earth, in the prison house of the senses. They only have to be revived and recalled. The things that we perceive on earth, according to Plato, are merely shadows, pale reminders of the truths man already knew truly and fully before his terrestrial imprisonment. I disagree with Plato on his idea about the senses. I believe that through sensation and perception, man is able to learn and acquire knowledge and ideas. When we sense something, it can be considered as first-hand information because that is something that can be empirically proven. 4. Does Descartes ever prove in his first meditation that we are not dreaming Why or why not We might appreciate the philosophical viewpoint that Descartes develops to be discernible and defined by the skepticism and cynicism he communicates in the First Meditation. He starts by asking how he can be certain or sure of anything and then develops all kinds of imaginative and outlandish reasons as to why he have to to mistrust his senses. Philosophy ever since has been known a constant skepticism toward knowledge claims, and the very question of how we can come to know anything with certainty has been much argued. Skepticism also informs the mind-body predicament which has come to identify our formation of the human mind. Descartes develops a conception of the mind where the senses and the imagination are also mental faculties. Further, he states that we are essentially thinking things that can be acquainted with our minds clearly and distinctly, but must exert much effort and strive harder to come to an understanding of our bodies. Most significant, he comes up with a very intelligent distinction between mind and body. Mind is essentially think

Public Policy TrendsWK5 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Public Policy TrendsWK5 - Research Paper Example DOT agencies dealing with the given transport system created will hence try to oversee the project so as to ensure transparency (2012). This concept entails project management of projects they have been assigned to work on (DOT, 2012). It is the responsibility of DOT to ensure projects are carried to the later to ensure they meet the satisfaction of the state administrators and county managers since they represent the interests of the people in that given state or county (DOT, 2012). In addition, DOT often works together with state administrators to come up with long term beneficial plans for the given state (DOT, 2012). The planning of a better transport system is a function of DOT and collaborates with state administrators so as to ensure their projects are their success (DOT, 2012). In matters of development that entails transportation, it is up to state administrators to consult with DOT in order to come up with plans that may suit their needs (DOT, 2012). For any planning process to be successful, information about the given state has to be collected and evaluated (DOT, 2012). This can only be possible with the help of county managers or state administrators (DOT, 2012). Since the main function of DOT is to provide quality transport systems to the people, they have to work conjointly with state administrators to ensure the dreams of the people are met (DOT, 2012). It is the state administrators or the county managers that represent the needs of the people, while the DOT carries out instructions regarding development conveyed to it by the state administrators (DOT, 2012). The DOT also advises state administrators on various changes transportation needs to be improved (2012). It is then up to state administrators to initiate policies that advance transportation area (DOT, 2012). For instance, DOT might notice a gap on the basis of a need of building a new road or run way in

Health Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Economics - Essay Example For Getzen, some HMOs may be undertaking risk selection by only accepting healthy patients in order for them to create optimum profit. Some of them find it advantageous on their part to reduce services or quality of care once there would be implementation of easy savings from discounting and substitution. In other words, HMOs have always to mean business and this leads them to expect to experience favorable or adverse selection. Considering the number of commercial employees, especially in large companies, there might be great savings on both the demand and supply sides due to substantial numbers in a group, and the risk selection process might not be that tough on the part of HMOs to ward off loss and optimize profitability. This is due to the fact that working individuals in various large companies are on a regular basis had to ensure their health safety to optimize their productivity. As a result, the commercial employee benefit market in states with large number of immigrants and service-based economy may have higher percentage of insured individuals compared to those in states with strong unionized industrial and manufacturing base (Kovner & Knickman, 2011, p.33). As a result, Kovner and Knickman added 80 percent of uninsured are in families with either full or part-time workers in small businesses. This would particularly increase HMOs magnitude of selection bias in this type of commercial employee benefit market, as they would also consider the profit they could create. On the other hand, there would be more profit for HMOs if less medical care is provided (Holcombe, 1995, p.136). Considering the need for medical services in the US is an upward spiral especially for low-income population (Andersen, Rice & Kominski, 2007, p.22), the medical market on the part of HMOs should have wider scope of risk selection process and even bias at some point just to ensure profitability will not be set aside. 2. What incentives

Instructional method and comprehension Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Instructional method and comprehension - Essay Example Thus, the terminology of ‘classroom management’ introduced in education with the objective is to create a positive relationship not only between teachers, but also among the peers themselves, and also to help those students who need psychological help (Stough & Emmer, 2001) The two domains of Instruction and learning play the most important role in the learning process of an individual. Instructional and learning style approach is discussed below. 1 Instructional method Methods are the means for instruction for the students. Mostly, instruction method depends upon the content, the students and the level of intellect of the students. Content is categorized into three main domains of knowledge, i.e., skills, attitudes, and values. According to the content and a set goal, students are made to engage themselves actively in the learning process. While, teaching skill, it is necessary to alter the content giving the learners more practical exposure and pointing out the important practical aspects. When teaching attitude, those methods are used which are required to apply in particular situations. There is several level of learning the knowledge of the content from simple recitation without complete understanding to learning so well that the learner has full understanding of listing, discussion, analysing, practical application, and extrapolation of the knowledge in a naà ¯ve situation (Bloom et al., 1956).

Health Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Economics - Essay Example For Getzen, some HMOs may be undertaking risk selection by only accepting healthy patients in order for them to create optimum profit. Some of them find it advantageous on their part to reduce services or quality of care once there would be implementation of easy savings from discounting and substitution. In other words, HMOs have always to mean business and this leads them to expect to experience favorable or adverse selection. Considering the number of commercial employees, especially in large companies, there might be great savings on both the demand and supply sides due to substantial numbers in a group, and the risk selection process might not be that tough on the part of HMOs to ward off loss and optimize profitability. This is due to the fact that working individuals in various large companies are on a regular basis had to ensure their health safety to optimize their productivity. As a result, the commercial employee benefit market in states with large number of immigrants and service-based economy may have higher percentage of insured individuals compared to those in states with strong unionized industrial and manufacturing base (Kovner & Knickman, 2011, p.33). As a result, Kovner and Knickman added 80 percent of uninsured are in families with either full or part-time workers in small businesses. This would particularly increase HMOs magnitude of selection bias in this type of commercial employee benefit market, as they would also consider the profit they could create. On the other hand, there would be more profit for HMOs if less medical care is provided (Holcombe, 1995, p.136). Considering the need for medical services in the US is an upward spiral especially for low-income population (Andersen, Rice & Kominski, 2007, p.22), the medical market on the part of HMOs should have wider scope of risk selection process and even bias at some point just to ensure profitability will not be set aside. 2. What incentives

C4 Auto Brokers Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

C4 Auto Brokers Business Plan - Essay Example Orange Blossom Trail (near O.B.T. and Colonial Drive). C4 Auto Brokers will purchase vehicles from the auto auctions in Orlando (Mannheim) and Sanford. The business will focus purchasing and re-selling used Asian economy cars, with an emphasis on reliable models (i.e. Toyota Camry, Nissan Sentra, Honda, etc.) Advertising will be focused on Craigslist and Auto Trader. The company initially will only offer cash sales and indirect financing sales (i.e. credit unions, banks, etc.); utilizing a floor plan financing structure. At a later date, once the company’s liquidity has been increased, the business model is cash flow positive, and a lending consultant has been contracted; the company might offer some in-house financing (i.e. buy here, pay here). C4 Auto Brokers will provide an enjoyable car buying experience for its customers by focusing on honesty, professionalism, car quality, and reasonable pricing. Following these values will maximize the customer’ satisfaction and produce an attractive profit for the owners. 1) America’s standard of living is under pressure, with several American families living paycheck to paycheck. This means more American families will fall into the profile of used car purchasers and potential buy here/pay here consumers. In addition, as the value of the dollar erodes (i.e. the cost of living rises), families feel the pressure to reduce all expenses. 1)Â  Short-term and long-term interest rates will likely upsurge in the impending future, as the current operational.

Violent video games Essay Example for Free

Violent video games Essay Video violence is a major problem in our society. When people are exposed to the violent world of video games, their perceptions of reality are changed from a world with consequence, to a world where consequence does not matter. USA Today Magazine states, that video violence is a major component in the desensitization of mankind (Video violence desensitizes the brain, 2006). Exposing children to the repetitive violence in video games serves as a conditioning for violent behavior. Whether or not the allies of video violence believe that exposure to violent games does not cause a more violent society, teach motor skills and develop excellent problem-solving skills (White, 2004), without looking at the consequences of these games, our society is at risk for increased acts of violence. The history of video games It was not so long ago that the video game industry was not the billion dollar monster that it is today. The history of video games runs parallel with the development of computers and traces the advancements not only of technology, but also in the social and economical patterns of the United States over the last four decades. The first video game was patented in 1948, by Thomas T. Goldsmith. The game used eight vacuum tubes to simulate a missile firing at a target, controlled by four knobs. By the 1970s arcade machines and handhelds were added to already existing computer systems. This was known as The Golden Age of Arcade Games. Atari was founded in 1972. Pong, the first successful arcade game, consisted of hitting a ball across a simulated tennis net. Pong sold 19,000 units the first year it was released. The evolution of games progressed, bringing more realistic graphics that appeared to be life-like. The figures in the games movements seem like that of a human being. The three dimensional graphics created a simulated world much like that of today. In the games of today, Eakes (2004) states players actively participate in the simulated murder of police officers, women, minorities and innocent bystanders. The acts graphically depicted and include victims being shot, beaten to death, decapitated, burned alive, and urinated on. These games also present favorable depictions of prostitution, racism, misogyny and drug use (Eakes, 2007). The days of simply hitting a tiny ball back and forth, where the only goal was to avoiding missing, are long gone. Research in the world of Violent Video Games. Video game violence effects the brain, not only by making murder or robbery seem acceptable, but as stated in, USA Today, also by effecting the regions in the brain that are involved with recognizing, remembering, rehearsing or activating aggressive behavior (Video violence desensitizes the brain, 2006). By repeatedly playing these games, the participant has lower-levels of empathy. The brain stores everything, including the visions that are seen in some of the games. Some of the more violent games are conditioning the brain over and over with angry, vengeful images that encourage negative even prejudicial thoughts. A game on the market at this time is called Manhunt in which the player has to murder or beat the opponent to death. There is no consequence for the winner, only points and positive feedback. Until recently, violent video game research has mostly comprised of studies revolving around participants playing violent video games and then measuring the participants responses when the participant is placed in different real world situations. The new studies now include the use of highly sensitive diagnostic equipment such as MRI to measure actual responses in the brain. These studies are much harder to refute. A recent study now has found that exposure to video game violence results in diminished responses mentally to real life violence or death (Phillips, 2005). Participants brain waves were measured while playing violent videos using an EEG (electroencephalogram). The participants showed a desensitized view when shown violent or negative images. But when the players were subsequently given the opportunity to punish a fake opponent in another game, those with the greatest reduction in P300 brain responses meted out the most severe punishments (Phillips, 2005, para.7). Eakes,(2004) states the studies on the effects of violent video games, has long been a source of great debate. There has been over 3,500 research studies done examining the correlation between violence and violent behavior. All but 18 of the studies have shown that the more violence one sees, the more likely one is to be violent (Eakes, 2007, para. 5). This is particularly true because the violence in video games is so realistic and portrayed without pain and suffering. Defenders of Video Violence. The violence in video games today is not seen as a problem for some people, especially those in the gaming industry and adolescents. Even though there are exceptional amounts of research that supports the conclusion that violent video games cause aggression, their continued denial of these facts are due to one thing, money. There is billions of dollars at stake in the sales of video games and video game systems. To admit that video games do cause violence, could potentially cost the industry dearly. The arguments used by defenders of video violence are that these types of games are a meaningful form of expression. The defenders believe that video games teach motor skills and help children and young adults to solve problems. Having also been criticized for being a factor in the epidemic of childhood obesity, the defenders argue that playing games are highly social. The proponents assert that a child, who would respond to real life violence the same way he or she would respond to video violence, is emotionally disturbed already (Jenkins, 2004). The military has been using video imagery for decades to train soldiers in the act of war. The soldiers skill in shooting improves as well as the actual response to violence. Just as simulators help train players for real-world tasks, violent video games coax players into actual aggression and antagonistic attitudes (Walsh, 2005, para. 38). With repeated participation in violent video games, players improve not only their violent techniques, but their mental attitudes as well. On the Armys recruiting website, there is a video game called, Americas Army. The game is available to anyone who logs on and is free. The game cost the military six million dollars to develop, and not only serves a recruiting technique, but also as a way to teach players how to actually fire a M16 rifle, throw grenades, and learn weapons identification. The game trains in various weaponry and teaches the player where to hit the intended victim to cause the most severe outcome. Effect of Violent Video Games Video games have become a training ground for learning how to shoot and murder. Many of these games reward the player for hitting the victim in the most deadly of places. In the world of interactive video games, players play games that are endless. They play with people who are trying to kill them. Sometimes, when confronted with real life problems of violence a child or young adult, will not seek out adult advice due to the thinking that they can handle on the problem on their own as in the video game. Children who view repeated violence are more apt to accept violence as a way to settle conflicts. On April 20, 1999, two heavily armed boys walked into their high school in Littleton, Colorado, and shot 12 of their classmates and a teacher to death. Then they killed themselves (Eakes, 2004). During the investigation, it was discovered that these two boys played thousands of hours of violent shooting video games. The boys pasted the pictures of their fellow classmates onto the games imaginary victims. Perhaps, this may not be the single reason these boys committed this horrific act of violence, but how can the hours spent rehearsing this act not be a factor? If nothing else, these games served as a training ground for the execution of the crime. Whether or not the boys were emotionally disturbed to begin with will be speculated upon for years but looking at the role these games played in this tragedy is essential. The use of violent video games has shown to have a negative effect on academic performance and social skills. Based on a survey of 189 high school students, users of violent video games held more pro-violent attitudes, more hostile personalities, were less forgiving, believed violence the norm, and behaved more aggressively in every day life. The researches were surprised the relation to violent video games was so strong (Anderson, 2007). Another issue of rising concern is regarding whether or not violent video games are addictive. On June 27, 2007 The American Medical Association called for more research in the designation of video games addiction a mental illness. The fact that a game is controlling someones behavior and taking over their daily lifes, is about compulsive behavior. Some of the games are played in an online community, where the game is demanding of the players time. Once a child is hooked, it becomes very difficult, for them to stop (Walsh, 2007). Today in South Korea, which has seen a widespread amount of video game addiction, there are over 40 treatment programs to deal with video game and internet addiction. If the situation in South Korea is any indication of what is to come here, we will be largely unprepared for the number and intensity of cases of such addiction (Walsh, Gentile, 2006, para. 16). Attempting to control video game violence The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is an organization that rates computer, internet, and video games. The ESRB was created in 1994 to rate and restrict the sale of video games. Many of these games, even though they are rated M for mature, are sold to children. The new trend in violent video games is to hide explicit material within the game to avoid receiving a rating for adults only. Much speculation and questions surround the creditability of the ESRB. Recently, a game named Grand Theft Auto: San Andres, included sexually explicit material that could be accessed using a code found on the internet. This game already full of violence, with the players shooting police officers, beating up prostitutes and carjacking, also had an added bonus with graphic sex scenes. This caused a scandal as the game was only rated M for mature. Before long, the so-called Hot Coffee scandal, named after the modification that unlocked the extreme scenes, became a hot news item the rating was changed to A for adults (Terdiman, 2005, para. 7). That was after thousands of copies had already been sold. Even if the ratings alone were more reliable, it is almost impossible to enforce the rating system at the retail level. Everyday underage children buy games rated for adults or over 17 in stores all over America. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Bureau of Consumer Protection head, Lydia Parnes, There are still too many kids purchasing inappropriate games (Bangeman, 2006, para. 2). The commissions most recent study sent underage shoppers into stores and 42% were still able to purchase M-rated games. What can be done about Video Game Violence? If there was ever any doubt about the impact of video games on children of video games on children it has finally been laid to rest (Walsh, Gentile, 2005, para. 39). Whether there is a rating given to the games or not, many times the people who are selling the games are not responsible enough to make sure that these violent games do not fall into the hands of children. Video games are most likely going to remain a part of our society, so it is going to be up to the parents of children and young adults to strictly monitor what their children are playing. First and foremost parents need to pay attention to the relevant research and the industry needs to stop denying research-based conclusions (Walsh, Gentile, 2006, para. 8). Once parents come to terms with what is at stake, they should start limiting game time and keep mature rated games away from their children. Parents should also take advantage to new technology for parental controls in many of the current game systems. Educating children as to the dangers of viewing these games and being aware of what types of games they are being played will help to change the views on what is acceptable, and what is not. Perhaps the debate over whether or not violent video games cause violence will always be an issue. As long as there are billions of dollars at stake, clinical studies will be challenged, fingers pointed and denial will be used in the debate. One thing is for certain, video game violence does not add anything positive to the health and well-being of todays children or young adults. How can learning and practicing killing or robbing people have a positive effect on the brain? Children are spending large amounts of time playing violent video games during a fragile time when they should be learning healthy ways of dealing with life and solving problems peacefully. When will society accept that the world is full of negativity and exposing children to repetitive acts of violence reinforces that negativity? Hopefully, the answer will be sooner than later for the sake of all humankind. References Anderson, C, Buckley, K, Gentile, D. (2006). Violent video game effect on children and adolescents. Iowa: Oxford Press. Eakes, P.(2004). Do you know what video games your children are playing? The Video Game Revolution. Retrieved June 20, 2007 from http://www. pbs. com Jenkins, H. (2004). Reality bytes: eight myths about video games rebunked. The Video Game Revolution. Retrieved June 28, 2007 from http://www. pbs. com Phillips, H. (2005, December). Violent video games alter brains response to violence. New Scientist. Retrieved June 9, 2007 from http://www. newscientist. com Terdiman, D. (2005). Unlevel playing field for video games. Retrieved June 29, 2007, from http://www.cnetnews. com Video violence desensitizes the brain. (2006, April). USA Today Magazine, 134(2731), 13-14. Retrieved June 3, 2007 from EBSCO database. Walsh, D. , Gentile, D. , Walsh, E. , Bennett, N. , Rodideau, B. , Walsh, M. , Strickland, S. , Mcfadden, D. (2005). Tenth annual video game report card. National Institute on Media and Family. Retrieved June 10, 2007 from http://www. mediafamily. org White, J. (2004, September). Defenders of the video game realm. Playthings, 102(8), 10-14. Retrieved ProQuest database.

History Of Localization And Glocalization Marketing Essay

History Of Localization And Glocalization Marketing Essay Social capital in multinational companies is part and parcel of human resource management, whether locally or internationally. The terms globalization, localization and glocalization are expressions introduced to economy only recently. It is needless to say that globalization and localization refer (in finance) to economic concepts including multinational corporations, sale and purchase and other services. Since the end of the Cold War, we have been facing economic struggle instead of the military one that prevailed for many decades.   But glocalization is an exceptional term, since it is coined of two words (globalization and localization). In this paper I intend to examine the evolution of glocalization and present some practical examples from my environment (Norway) to find out how this term works. Some sociologists, anthropologists and economist classify capital into three main types. Pierre Bourdieu distinguishes between three capitals: economic capital, cultural capital and social capital. In this paper I will try to describe the structure of the banking industry with a focus on Western Europe and the Nordic countries. Furthermore, I will describe how my own organization (Nordea Bank ASA) should relate to the global evolution toward a more global banking industry. Let me start with the notion of globalization in economy first and then proceed to glocalization. Theodore Levitt article, Globalization of markets in the Harvard Business Review in 1983 introduced a heated discussion of consequences of globalization, which revolved around global governance, independence and local market conditions. Globalization in this context is defined as a process where banks are larger and fewer and where they operate largely across countries and regions, i.e. that we call global oligopoly. The globalization of the banking industry is still in its infancy, but some features appear already to be central to the development of this industry in the coming years. In Norway, globalization will involve new challenges and opportunities for Norwegian banks both in Norway and abroad.   The Europe Commission has set a goal to reduce the many trade barriers that stand in the way of an efficient financial market in Europe. It is not easy to set borders between globalization and glocalization in economy or in social applications. Glocalization is defined by (Wellman B. 2001) as the following Glocalization is a neologism meaning the combination of intense local and extensive global interaction   Du +1-et dette offentlig. Angre Glocalization is a proposed solution to some problems of globalization. Critics believe globalization causes conflict between an emerging worldwide system of values and regional autonomy, resulting in the destruction of local cultures. Glocalization proposes to mediate between this global system and local community and that local practices be respected. It often involves tailoring products intended for international distribution to the tastes of local consumers. To illustrate the strategic implications and choices, I will use the model The nine strategic windows (Solberg 1997). C:UsersIhabDesktopniggaUten navn.bmp This approach is a dynamic model that enables us to indicate which strategies the players should choose in the future market. The analysis will therefore focus on the conditions that should be present for such a role that each bank should use effectively. The two dimensions of this matrix are the industrys globality and the banks ability for internationalization. In the study, I will use the model with nine windows indicating nine specific strategic options. Over the last 30 years, we have seen that some Norwegian banks seeking to internationalize their operations by establishing branches abroad. Banks range from Stay home market, to Strengthen position in the global markets orfind new owners with the international network . Thus different banks are located not only at different points along the y-axis, but also along the x-axis (the industry globality). If one is located to the left of the matrix, it indicates little globality. There will be fewer opportunities and threats of global ization, which should then set the orientation of the strategies that banks should choose depending on how they are positioned along the y-axis. I have already placed some Norwegian banks in this picture. Globalization of the banking industry had impacts on Norwegian banks and Norwegian banking industry. This is due to the fact that in the past banks had different products and services in diverse markets and were affected differently by the structural and international barriers. The strategies will be on the one hand more affected by consolidation in established markets; on the other hand, globalization could represent major threats but many opportunities. Other strategic alternatives will be more effective, depending on the location along the y-axis. Studies of multi-national companies (MNS) use of European banks (Berger Smith 2003; Berger, Dai, Ongen Smith 2003) show that the banking industry still has some way to go before it can be called global. A problem with this model is in its construction. It is simple to understand, there are many ways to define the two dimensions and fault localization could lead to completely w rong conclusions in strategic choices in an individual company. As a practical example, Nordea Bank, which is the largest bank in the Nordic and Baltic region with headquarters in Stockholm bank, is the result of successive Nordic acquisitions and mergers in the period 1997 to 2000. Through its around 10 million customers of which 4.9 are the online customers and 1,300 branches is the market leader in the Nordic region with 35, 20, 20 and 15% market share to Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.   Our vision is to be the leading Nordic bank. Growth strategy has been mergers and acquisitions, but the strategy is further organic growth in the Nordic and near abroad emerging markets (Annual Report 2006). In Norway, the goal is to increase market share in the retail market. Nordea is well equipped to meet the challenges that globalization entails. Furthermore, our assessment is that the Baltic / Poland for strategic reasons should be developed in order to restrain the activities of other banks, especially German and Austrian, but also other fore ign banks. The possible scenario is that Poland is an exciting emerging market is an arena where major Western European banks competing for market share. We realize that this may be difficult in Russia. Nordea has a major share in Ogresbank but does not control the bank 100%.   In this respect, Russia should be an important priority for Nordea.   http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/glocalization.asp#ixzz2NYBBvRnm Finally, I have proved to review the social culture, social capital and glocalization in Nordea and other firms. Some other examples, I intend to cite are McDonalds Corporation and MTV Networks activities. McDonalds Corporation has restaurants in more than 100 countries. Instead of offering an American-style menu in a place like Dubai and other Islamic countries, where people do not eat pig meat, McDonald sells mostly chicken, lamb and beef. Big-ticket items in the automotive industry are examples of glocalization. Mercedes-Benz or BMW car manufacturers present many different engine offerings and trim levels for their home market.   But the cars offered abroad are usually limited to more powerful engines and higher-end interiors. Likewise, MTV Networks, which broadcasts in many countries, does not offer the same programming in all those countries. The network tailors each channel to suit those countries individual tastes and features regional and international musicians. With satellite TV, audiences can even glocalize their living rooms. Numerous foreign-language channels can be ordered, so an immigrant from Italy can catch her favorite variety shows on RAI International, or an Egyptian expat can catch regional news from back home on Al Jazeera channel.

Essay --

Introduction Romance, cuisine, the attractions, the history†¦these are all aspects of France that are appealing to the common tourist. It is even more exciting to get paid to travel to a foreign country as part of a job. But amidst a cloud of clichà ©s many Americans do not really know how to make business with the French, the differences of body language, etiquette, expressions, and even the values of the French people. That is why it is essential to know about all aspects of the country before traveling to do business. Since comportment is key to likability the purpose of this report is to inform the reader of the customs, traditions, and manners in order to avoid awkward instances of cultural ignorance. It includes tips on dining etiquette, greetings, body language, French culture including food cuisine, art, fashion, major attractions, currency, time difference and other smaller aspects such as correspondence, business relationships, and even idioms. The ultimate intention is not only a s to inform travelers, but perhaps even shed light on some of the less unknown parts of the French experience and make the trip to the illustrious country all the more enjoyable. Bon voyage! Language and Greetings In order to be able to negotiate and persuade effectively, a person needs to have some knowledge of the French language. Below is a list of essential and commonly used greetings in France. French English Salut Hi Bienvenue Welcome Bonjour Good day Bonsoir Good night Bonne Journà ©e Good day or Goodbye Bonne Soirà ©e Good evening or Goodbye Bonne Nuit Good night Au revoir Goodbye. Salut Goodbye à  tout de suite See you in a minute à  plus tard See you later à  la prochaine Until next time. à  demain. See you tomorrow à  la semaine pr... ...ich may give off the impression as unfriendly - just another common misconception of the French. In fact, they offer much closer hugs and a few kisses too. Of course they may not want to talk about personal affairs at the dinner table such as salaries, religion, and politics, but they do it just to avoid trouble. In this way they are not stiff upper-lipped people, but calm and relaxed and wanting to enjoy life to the fullest (even if it requires a few love affairs here and there). Some of France’s laws may be a little questionable, and their business cards may not be able to fit into your average wallet, however, doing business here is not only exciting, but possibly life changing. Seeing aspects of regular life from a different perspective which may not only affect the way a person does business, but also looks at their own life - family, government, and culture. Essay -- Introduction Romance, cuisine, the attractions, the history†¦these are all aspects of France that are appealing to the common tourist. It is even more exciting to get paid to travel to a foreign country as part of a job. But amidst a cloud of clichà ©s many Americans do not really know how to make business with the French, the differences of body language, etiquette, expressions, and even the values of the French people. That is why it is essential to know about all aspects of the country before traveling to do business. Since comportment is key to likability the purpose of this report is to inform the reader of the customs, traditions, and manners in order to avoid awkward instances of cultural ignorance. It includes tips on dining etiquette, greetings, body language, French culture including food cuisine, art, fashion, major attractions, currency, time difference and other smaller aspects such as correspondence, business relationships, and even idioms. The ultimate intention is not only a s to inform travelers, but perhaps even shed light on some of the less unknown parts of the French experience and make the trip to the illustrious country all the more enjoyable. Bon voyage! Language and Greetings In order to be able to negotiate and persuade effectively, a person needs to have some knowledge of the French language. Below is a list of essential and commonly used greetings in France. French English Salut Hi Bienvenue Welcome Bonjour Good day Bonsoir Good night Bonne Journà ©e Good day or Goodbye Bonne Soirà ©e Good evening or Goodbye Bonne Nuit Good night Au revoir Goodbye. Salut Goodbye à  tout de suite See you in a minute à  plus tard See you later à  la prochaine Until next time. à  demain. See you tomorrow à  la semaine pr... ...ich may give off the impression as unfriendly - just another common misconception of the French. In fact, they offer much closer hugs and a few kisses too. Of course they may not want to talk about personal affairs at the dinner table such as salaries, religion, and politics, but they do it just to avoid trouble. In this way they are not stiff upper-lipped people, but calm and relaxed and wanting to enjoy life to the fullest (even if it requires a few love affairs here and there). Some of France’s laws may be a little questionable, and their business cards may not be able to fit into your average wallet, however, doing business here is not only exciting, but possibly life changing. Seeing aspects of regular life from a different perspective which may not only affect the way a person does business, but also looks at their own life - family, government, and culture.

Richard Nixon And The Notion Of Presidential Power :: essays research papers

Richard Nixon and the Notion of Presidential Power "Actions which otherwise would be unconstitutional, could become lawful if undertaken for the purpose of preserving the Constitution and the Nation." The idea that certain actions are not illegal if used to preserve the best interests of a nation has drawn sharp criticism from the time of Lincoln through today. Presidents of the United States do take a solemn oath in which they promise to â€Å" . . . preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States†, but the means which they have employed to accomplish these ends have greatly differed and have occasionally sparked great controversy. The unjustified means which Richard Nixon used to defend this nation and its Constitution have drawn a great deal of attack not only on his methods but also on the greater notion of Presidential power. Many Presidents have faced many different tumultuous challenges and obstacles which have posed potential threats to American societal stability and security. Yet very few have used such controversial means to overcome these threats. For example, after the birth of the nation, Executives faced the threats of political division and the ideas of the many dangerous paths prescribed for the Union. As the debate over slavery escalated, the future of the states and of the Union seemed uncertain. Furthermore, as the nation moved rapidly through the Industrial Revolution, the future of the nation's labor force and of its general welfare seemed uncertain. As time passed, the nation would encounter the greatest economic depression of all time, and the challenges would continue. Our nation would still battle the divisive issues of racism and discrimination. Yet none of the Presidents who governed during these daring times exploited the authority of their position in unwarranted manners. The Nixon Administration would however, exploit its authority and attempt to justify its actions based on the ‘similar' actions of Abraham Lincoln. During the Civil War, this nation's greatest test of will and spirit, President Lincoln felt it incumbent upon the President to assume certain authority and responsibility not specifically granted to the Executive by the Constitution. His rationale stemmed from his desire and oath to preserve the Constitution and the Union as a whole. On the eve of the Civil War, Lincoln, fearing a strong Confederate threat, initiated a blockade of all Southern ports; ordering no vessels in or out of the South. Clearly an act of war, Lincoln faced immediate challenge from Congress and Confederate leaders. His reasoning, though, for carrying out such a dangerous and controversial act was his belief that it would tame the South and prevent massive bloodshed in the future.

Ib Chemistry – Energetics (Hl)

6. 1. 1 If the reaction produces heat (increases the temperature of the surroundings) then it’s exothermic. If it decreases the temp (i. e. absorbs heat) then it’s endothermic. Also, the yield of an equilibrium reaction which is exothermic will be increased if it occurs at low temps, and so for endothermic reactions at high temperatures. 6. 1. 2 Exothermic : A reaction which produces heat. Endothermic : A reaction which absorbs heat. Enthalpy of reaction : The change in internal energy (H) through a reaction is ? H. 6. 1. 3 H will be negative for exothermic reactions (because internal heat is being lost) and positive for endothermic reactions (because internal energy is being gained). 6. 1. 4 The most stable state is where all energy has been released. Therefore when going to a more stable state, energy will be released, and when going to a less stable state, energy will be gained. On an enthalpy level diagram, higher positions will be less stable (with more internal en ergy) therefore, if the product is lower, heat is released (more stable, ? H is negative) but if it is higher, heat is gained (less stable, ?H is positive). 6. 1. 5 Formation of bonds : Release of energy. Breaking of bonds : Gain / absorption of energy. 6. 2 Calculation of enthalpy changes 6. 2. 1 Change in energy = mass x specific heat capacity x change in temperature ? (E = m x C x ? T) 6. 2. 2 Enthalpy changes (? H) are related to the number of mols in the reaction. If all the coefficients are doubled, then the value of ? H will be doubled. Attention must be paid to limiting reagents though, because enthalpy changes depend on the amount of reactants reacted (extensive property of enthalpy). . 2. 3 When a reaction is carried out in water, the water will gain or lose heat from (or to) the reaction, usually with little escaping the water. Therefore, the change in energy, and so the ? H value, can be calculated with E = m x c x ? T where E is equal to ? H, m is the mass of water pres ent, and c = 4. 18 kJ Kg-1 K-1. This ? H value can then be calculated back to find the enthalpy change for each mol of reactants. 6. 2. 4 The solution should be placed in a container as insulated as possible, to keep as much heat as possible from escaping.The temperature should be measured continuously , and the value used in the equation is the maximum change in temp from the initial position. 6. 2. 5 The results will be a change in temperature. This can be converted into a change in heat (or energy) by using the above equation and a known mass of water. This can be used to calculate the ? H for the amount of reactants present, which can then be used to calculate for a given number of mols. 6. 3 Hess’ Law 6. 3. 1 Hess’ Law states that the total enthalpy change between given reactants and products is the same regardless of any intermediate steps (or the reaction pathway).To calculate: ?Reverse any reactions which are going the wrong way and invert the sign of their ? H values. ?Divide or multiply the reactions until the intermediate products will cancel out when the reactions are vertically added (always multiply/divide the ? H value by the same number). ?Vertically add them. ?Divide or multiply the resulting reaction to the correct coefficients. 6. 4 Bond enthalpies 6. 4. 1 Bond enthalpy (aka dissociation enthalpy) : The enthalpy change when one mol of bonds are broken homolitically in the gas phase. i. e. X-Y(g) -> X(g) + Y(g) : ? H(dissociation).Molecules such as CH4 have multiple C-H bonds to be broken, and so the bond enthalpy for C-H is actually an average value. These values can be used to calculate unknown enthalpy changes in reactions where only a few bonds are being formed/broken. 6. 4. 2 If the reaction can be expressed in terms of the breaking and formation of bonds in a gaseous state, then by adding (or subtracting when bonds are formed) the ? H values the total enthalpy of reaction can be found. 16. 1 Standard enthalpy changes of re action 16. 1. 1 Standard state : 101 kPa, 298 K (or 1 atm, 25 degrees celcuis).Standard enthalpy change of formation : The enthalpy change when 1 mol of a substance is made from its elements in their standard states. For example C(graphite) + 2H2(g) -> CH4(g). Molecules, like H2 are considered to be ‘standard state'. Fractions of mols (i. e. fractions in coefficients), may also be used if necessary as 1 mol must be produced). 16. 1. 2 If a reaction can be expressed in terms of changes of formation (and bond enthalpies as in SL) then add up all the ? H values to get the ? H for the reaction. 16. 2 Lattice enthalpy 16. 2. 1Lattice enthalpy : The enthalpy change when 1 mol of crystals (i. e. an ionic lattice) is formed from its component particles at an infinite distance apart. M+(g) + X-(g) -> MX(s) The value of lattice enthalpy is assumed to be positive for the separation of the lattice, and negative for the formation of the lattice. 16. 2. 2 As above, lattice enthalpies just a dd another type of reaction to those which can be shown on the Born-Haber cycle. 16. 2. 3 Lattice enthalpy increases with higher ionic charge and with smaller ionic radius (due to increased attraction). 6. 3 Entropy 16. 3. 1 Factors which increase disorder in a system: ?Mixing of particles. ?Change of state to greater distance between particles (solid -> liquid or liquid -> gas). ?Increased particle movement (temperature). ?Increased number of particles (when more gas particles are produced, this generally outweighs all other factors). 16. 3. 2 Predict the sign of ? S (the change in entropy) for a reaction based on the above factors. ?S is positive when entropy increases (more disorder) and negative when entropy decreases (less disorder). 16. 3. 3The standard entropy change can be calculated by subtracting the absolute entropy of the reactants from that of the products. 16. 4 Spontaneity of a reaction 16. 4. 1 Reactions which release heat (and so increase stability) tend to occur as do reactions which increase entropy (? S is positive). Neither of these can be used to accurately predict spontaneity alone however. 16. 4. 2 When ? G is negative, the reaction is spontaneous, when it's positive, the reaction is not. 16. 4. 3 ?G = ? H – Temperature(in kelvin) x ? S Spontaneity depends on ? H, ? S and the temperature at which the reaction takes place (or doesn't as the case may be). 6. 4. 4 Substitute values into the equation above. Hopefully that's not too tricky. 16. 4. 5 There are four possibilities: 1.? G is always negative when ? H is negative and ? S is positive. 2.? G is negative at high temperatures if ? H is positive and ? S is positive (i. e. an endothermic reaction is spontaneous when T x ? S is greater than ? H). 3.? G is negative at lower temperatures if ? H is negative and ? S is negative (exothermic reactions are spontaneous if ? H is bigger than T x ? S). ?G is never negative if ? H is positive and ? S negative.

Group Observation Essay

The group I observed was a teen dating violence prevention group. It was held at A High School. The purpose of this group was to educate adolescents about domestic violence. The facilitator’s goal was to teach the adolescents about healthy relationships, unhealthy relationships, types of abuses, various red flags of an abuser, and provide important resources for those who may be going through a domestic violence relationship. In the group, there were about ten members. They were all males and sophomores in high school. Their age ranged from 15 to 17 years old. The population in the group was primarily Hispanics. The group was held in a classroom during 5th period, which lasts about 50 minutes. Every Tuesdays, two facilitators from X Agency would go to the high school and teach two different class sessions. One facilitator would take all the females in one room and the other facilitator would take the males in another room. In the male group that I observed, the teacher was always present in the classroom. This was the facilitator’s first session with a new group of students. The facilitator, Kim, first started off introducing herself to the class. She spoke briefly about the types of services that were provided at X Agency. She discussed about the different topics that the students would be learning throughout the 8-week session in the program. Then, Kim asked the group if they had any rules that should be applied within the group. Many students were very responsive to Kim’s question. She then talked a little bit about confidentiality. She discussed about how everything the group talked about stays within the group, unless the person disclosed that he or she was going to hurt someone, someone was hurting him or her, or he or she is being abused. Kim told the students that she would be mandated to report those three things. Kim did an activity with the students where the students would have to come up with a food name that had the same letter as their first name. Kim brought in a variety of colored paper and the students were to choose one colored paper of their choice. On the paper, the students were to write their food names along with their real name and draw some things that represented themselves. Kim walked around the room and created conversations with some of the students. Some of the students were unable to come up with a food name. When this happened, Kim would ask the student what his name was and then ask the rest of the class for any ideas. The students were very approachable and helpful. This activity took about 20 minutes. Everyone participated in the activity and seemed to really enjoy it. After the students were finished with their project, they had to tape it on a large butcher paper that was placed on the chalkboard. Kim explained to the students that the reason she wanted them to come up with a food name was because it would be easier for her to remember their names. After that activity, Kim asked the group some questions about what they would like to learn during these sessions. She wanted to know some of the things that the students would be interested in or may have learned already. She told the students that this group was all about them, and she would do the best she can to take in their ideas. Some of the students asked if they could talk more about girls and understanding some of the traits girls have. Kim had a question box, where students would write down any questions, ideas, thoughts, or comments they have that sometimes they may feel uncomfortable saying in front of the group. It would be completely anonymous, and the facilitator would normally discuss about it the following week. Afterwards, it was time for the students to go to their next class. Kim had all the students drop in their index cards for the question box. Throughout my observation, I felt that the facilitator’s leadership style was in between authoritarian style and democratic style. In the beginning of the session, Kim’s leadership style was more authoritarian because she was discussing about the program and the agency. I noticed that when other people were talking, she would stop talking and asked the students if they wanted to share something to the class. Other times, if other students were talking amongst themselves, Kim would stop and let them know that she was not going to talk over them. As the session went on, Kim started to have more of a democratic style. She already had a whole agenda planned out for the session. After going over the classroom rules, she started becoming more interactive with the students. Within the group members, I’ve noticed that there were subgroups in the classroom. There would be a group of friends who would be having conversations with each other. Some other students were quieter and did what was told. Some of the members would shout out comments, and other members would start laughing. Some of the strengths of the group was that overall, it seemed like everyone got along. Also, since all the group members were male, they probably felt more comfortable talking about certain topics and issues. Another strength was that these students were already familiar with each other, since they were in the same class. Most of them seemed to be very interactive with each other. The area the group needs to improve on is learning how to have side conversations with their friends. Even though the group is for the students, the students should learn and respect others who are talking. They could try to have fewer interruptions while others are speaking. The facilitator’s strength was that she had everything planned out. She went with her agenda and everything seemed to flow smoothly for the most part. When the students were doing the food activity, the facilitator was very engaging with the students. She showed a lot of interest with what the students had to say. She also did a lot of active listening when the students gave her some suggestions and ideas. An area that might need improvement is the way she talks to the students. Sometimes I felt that she sounded more of a teacher rather than understanding the group members. Since there was a teacher already in the classroom, maybe the teacher should be responsible for the disciplinary and not the facilitator. My concerns for this group is that some of the group members may have taken a similar program before and might end up being disruptive to the rest of the members. Most of the students seem to know a lot about domestic violence, and they may feel that the program is useless to them. I thought it was a great idea for the facilitator to ask the group members about what sort of things they would want to discuss about in the program. The facilitator acknowledged the group members’ thoughts and ideas, which I thought was very important. Group work seems to be more effective than individual work in certain ways. In one study, a researcher wanted to find out about the creativity between small groups and individuals (Moore, 2000). He had small groups working together and individuals working alone. Within the study, groups and individuals were given the same two paintings to examine. They were also given a questionnaire, which had questions about the paintings. The researcher wanted to see which one would produce more ideas and creativity for the paintings. Results showed that the groups came up with more ideas and details about the paintings than the individuals. Since there were more people in the group, more brainstorming were involved (Moore, 2000). Martell and Borg conducted a study on individuals versus groups on behavioral rating accuracy (1993). Researchers were interested in seeing if groups working together would remember more than individuals do. The groups had an advantage over the individuals because more members were involved, which means they can compare notes. Also, another advantage for doing group work was critically analyzing a situation, and in this case, a behavior. Results indicated that the groups had a higher accuracy in answering the questions than the individuals. The main reason was because the group members were able to discuss about it and compare their thoughts, whereas an individual only had one idea (Martell & Borg, 1993). These are one of the great benefits of group work. More ideas would be brought upon and could also have other people think about a certain idea or situation in a different way.

CASE STUDY ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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Case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analysis - Case Study Example This case study also analyses the trouble a nonprofit organization goes through to ensure that they cater for the transport needs of the patients. It uses the example of Jeanne a patient who has to access the pharmacy store, which is two miles away (Sherman, 2011). Mary, who is the coordinator of the nonprofit organization in the region normally, represents other co coordinators. The case study brings out the efforts she puts in into ensuring that Jeanne accesses the pharmacy store. Towards the end, a committee composed of social workers and health providers is formed (Sherman, 2011). This committee is responsible for looking into the transportation plight in order to find a solution and despite mentioning possible solution; they all come to an agreement that the only solution is to purchase a number of vehicles to enable all the patients run errands effectively (Sherman, 2011). They also agree that this will need huge amounts funds for both the purchasing and maintenance procedures. The major problem presented in the case is the issue of transportation. If patients decide to use local public transport, they are very limited in their region of seventeen counties (Sherman, 2011). Therefore, the 900 HIV patients cannot all use the local public transport system. Volunteer transport opportunities are also present in the region but they are not readily available, hence unreliable. The patients can be either lucky or unlucky to get whereby they end up relying on probability. This therefore cannot be the solution in case of an emergency medical situation. The other available means of transport was the private transport. As much as this was available, the patients can hardly afford its high cost considering the fact that they have no family or friends to help with their finances and they barely earn a living. This problem is an imperative one since these patients need to

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Managing Projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

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Political Economy Theories Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Five Years Strategic Plan Essay Example for Free

Five Years Strategic Plan Essay Executive summary You are employed by a Swiss subsidiary of a transnational company in the processed food business whose products are sold via retailers and direct to the food service industry in a number of countries. Recently in Swiss subsidiary has been allocated responsibility for the Asia-Pacific Region and you have been assigned the task of spearheading the firm’s push into china and adjacent countries. In the light of opportunities and constraints to be awaited on the chinese market, the evaluation of alternative entry options showed that our best opportunity was on health food products related to the dairy products actual massive trend. We also decided to adress chinese cultural sensitivity issues by entering in long term close relationship with customers instead of being too focused on quick deals and to adapt our networking strategy to chosen entry strategy. We also examined how we should select a strategic partner, should the Chinese government advise us to do so, and how we should be adapting our global marketing processes to the issues raised by national sovereignty in China. Finally, we decided to include as adjacent market either Thailand or Vietnam in order to benefit from the existing trade relationship between them and China, even if countertrade obligations are to be met. INTRODUCTION The overall purpose of this paper is to present our five years strategic plan which objective is to enable our firm to become a major player in the processed food market adressed to retailers and food service industry. Among our very wide range of products, we will examine alternative market entry options in the light of potential opportunity and constraints, then examine the question of the influence of cultural sensitivity on negociations and on introduction of our product to chineses market. The next step of our analysis will be to examine the impact of adhesion of China to WTO on market environment and the consequences of cultural sensitivity to network and relationships. Our next field of investigation will be to examine the threat represented by a potential obligation to enter a strategic alliance with a local player and by our global company culture regarding national sovereignty issues. And we will finally include perspective of developping an adjacent market with eventually compulsory countertrade involved. Section 1 Alternative chinese market entry option for breakfast cereals and cereal bars in the light of potential opportunities and constraints. The recent huge success of dairy products in China, although a majority of the population is lactose intolerant and milk was never part of the traditional chinese food is showing that chinese market has become increasingly open to adopting foreign fooding habits. This is even reinforced by the success encoutered by Mc Donald’s and Starbucks. But one very interesting element of dairy products success is that its main reason and marketing idea is to value its good impact on health. This is what makes us think that the best way to introduce our firm’s product range is to be highly positionned on health benefits to be awaited from consuming our products, their total safety through high level controls. In terms of politics, China is a stable country, which has invested huge efforts into modernisation of its institutions and legal framework in order to enter the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2001. Contract enforcement and business matters involving foreigners are to be brought before high courts specifically trained. Intellectual property protection is still a broad problem through counterfaiting and brands like Starbucks are now facing parasite competitors who sell similar products to much lower prices. Chinese market is a huge opportunity but the country still lacks infrastructure and geographic entry has to be limited to main big cities, with a view of extending to the ever increasing number of middle sized cities growing all around the country. The idea of staying in urban areas is linked to two factors: our products are distributed through retailers networks, and food service industry which can only be found in big cities in China at the moment. As we work with retailers and food service industry, indirect market entry strategy through intermediary could prove worthy, at least at the beginning, as long as our products are not known. We could benefit from the intermediary’s network and his expertise on selling foreign products to chinese market. However, using and intermediary is not the prefered solution as it would increase our costs, and as chinese market is very price sensitive due to copycats, keeping good price/value ratio is a key strategic point. With direct market entry methods, we would have more control on market reactions and be able to lower our export costs. Alternative solutions to enter market range from specialised trade fairs (on dairy products, health products, breakfast and snacking products, etc) to a campain of trial gifts to be organised with either yoghurt or milk distributors, or by giving free samples in school, university and working areas cafeterias. We could also reach agreements with already installed foreign companies who would be interested in distributing our products on their shelves. Considering our objective of becoming a major player on processed food within the next 5 years, it would probably be worth it to make a large upfront investment to develop internal expertise in chinese market, in order to maintain our own relationships in the target market, which could be later used in order to introduce other product range on the same market. Therefore, and in the context of a long term investment, prefered market entry would be on health safe products targeting families and young working singles. SWOT Analysis Opportunities: Economic climate : a double digit economic development favourable to high quality trendy foreign food processed products with an attraction to health promising food. Demographic changes turning a rural population into city office working people whose life standards have increased dramatically over the last few years. Market opening through China’s entering WTO system and making legal and administrative environment more import friendly Threats: Competitive activity: other global firms are already on the market and Mc Donald’s, Vuitton and Starbucks experience of the market show that any brand valuation generates its army of copycat making it difficult to keep up with very low prices in a very price sensitive market. Culture: Reluctance to adopt new foreign fooding habits in a very traditional culture Pricing: chinese market is very sensitive to pricing and client segment will have to be chosen carefully and matched to pricing range. Strength: Health food image connected to dairy products Processed food in a booming ever increasing market Product adaptability: Cereals can be flavoured according to Chinese market tastes Networking: Company’s excellent ethic reputation Large target: Product attractive to kids and adult alike Weaknesses Not enough differentiation in products Need high advertising budget to gain trendy attracting image Section 2 How culture might impact on (i) negotiating in china and (ii) introducing your firm’s product into china. The usual tip when you prepare a business trip to China is to carry business cards, bring an interpreter, wear a conservative suit. These advice are easy to follow and have proven usefull, but they are too superficial to get you into the kind of association with chinese you need to be able to negociate agreements and introducing on a long term perspective the firm’s products in China. Graham and Lam (2003) have described the roots of chinese culture which have bound chinese people for 5,000 years and show through chinese business negociation: agrarism which superseedes business(survival depends on group cooperation and harmony, loyalty and obdience to familly hierarchy), confucianist morality (relations of ruler and ruled between husband and wife, parents and children, older and younger, and of equal between friends), being more concerned by means than by end in negociations, the fact that chinese tend to see easily the big picture, and finally that chinese people are very cynical about rule of law and rules in general, only trusting their families and their bank account. The elements that are important in chinese negociation are: have personal connections (friends, relatives and close associates), use an intermediary in order to avoid suspicion and distrust, be formal in order to show social status, pay attention to interpersonal harmony (smile, be nice and friendly), see the big picture and leave the detail to a later stage, be patient in order to get concessions on prices, never embarrass or provoque a lost of composure to a chinese (equivalent to loosing face), value endurant work more than talent. As a result of the above, introducing our products into China will probably require either a very long time necessary to build a trusted network, or the use of an intermediary. It is of first importance to try to establish close contact with significant actors of the retail and food service industry. The pricing of the products will probably also be of concern, as, if too low, it might not have the value effect, but, too high, it might repell consumers more tempted by a local copycat.    Impact of recent access of China to the WTO on other environmental variables which can be encountered when doing business in China and how it might benefit to our ability to establish worthwhile business in China. When China joined WTO in 2001, it made a transition from a centrally planned economy to a market driven economy. The institutional framework for foreign trade was inexistent, the information transparency culture still to be invented, existing judicial and administrative system inadapted. A tremendous amount of work was requested before China could integrate WTO system. China agreed with its major trading partners to open chinese market within 3 to 4 years to foreign companies in various sectors, including telecommunications, distribution and wholesaling, financial services, and banking and insurance. The change in laws included codifying existing administrative practices into written laws and regulations, therefore increasing transparency and predictability, covering around 200. Foreign trade law had to be modifyed. Regulations on international trade of goods and rules of origins were created. Regulations on transnational mergers and acquisitions and franchising were developped according to their new objectives. Anti-dumping, subsidy, countervailing and safeguard measures were prepared, and altogether, the capacity of the Government to provide legal information to the public was strengthened. Under the China’s central planning system, foreign trade was administered with both tariff and nontariff controls, including quantitative controls which WTO rules require to eliminate. To ensure that the WTO’s nondiscrimination principle is met in the judicial process, China issued an order that took effect on 1 March 2002 to elevate the jurisdiction over commercial cases involving foreigners from the primary courts to the higher level of courts, the question of training the judges to the appropriate regulation still being an issue at the moment. (Mitchell:2004). Altogether, when entering WTO system China had the tools to a market economy. These modifications created a foreign investment friendly framework, but the cultural reluctance to rules and the natural reliance to human bonds are still to be watched when doing business in China (Usunier Lee:2005). It had a great impact on having major competitors entering the chinese market with success and provides market with the stability and rules needed to establish worthwhile invesment. Section 3 Significance of the focus in China on relationship and network on our chosen entry strategy. As, in China, all business is subject to relationship and network, and as we have chosen to invest into a direct market entry strategy, we will have to rely on building our network with key players. Relationship marketing involves creating, maintaining and enhancing strong relationships with customers and other stakeholders. This type of marketing is moving away from focusing on individual transactions and moving towards to focusing on on building value-laden relationships and marketing networks. This type of marketing is long term oriented, very demanding as it is aimed at delivering long term value and satisfaction to customer (Kotler al:2005) It also involves building relationships at different levels: economics, social, technical and legal resulting in high consumer loyalty. Kotler (2005:476), distinguishes five different relationships that can be formed with customers: basic (sale is made but no follow up on satisfaction) Reactive (salesman encourages customer to come back if any question arises) Accountable (salesperson contacts customer shortly after the sale to check that product meets expectations) Proactive (salesperson or company person phones customer from time to time to suggest other products) Partnership (company works with its customers to discover ways to deliver better value) Considering that we intend to sell our product to a large number of customers with medium profit margin, the adapted relationship level would be â€Å"accountable†. Therefore, salesperson would phone retailer or food service company shortly after the sale to check if product meets expectations. Of course, identifying key customers and being more proactive with them would also enhance efficiency of such relationship marketing. Company would probably take advantage to using other marketing tools as giving special treatment and reward to good customers, or inviting them to special events. Chosen strategy network map and discussion on focal and subsidiary relationship involved. First step is to identify key player in retail networking and food service industry, like main wholesalers to be met at trade fair, mass retailers like supermarkets, trendsetters to be identified on TV or sports like football. Next step is to initiate contact with them with a focus on long term relationship and not on result. These relationship, due to their weight on market and the advantage that can be gained from being referenced with them have to be favoured at a first stage. Then, once this network is established, and in order to continue expansion, identify other distribution channels than wholesalers or mass retailers and initiate subsidiary relationship with them, as smaller restaurants, or hotels. Section 4 Adressing the issues related to rumour that Chinese government might request that we enter into a strategic alliance with a Chinese owned firm: selecting and managing strategic alliance partners in china. As in many asian country there is a rumour that we may have to enter a strategic alliance with a chinese partner in order to be allowed to market processed food in China. As Charles Revson, founder of Revlon cosmetics said once â€Å" I don’t meet competition, I crush it† and this should be remembered when entering a strategic partnership with a chinese partner. In fact, as cultural analysis hereabove showed, chinese only trust their family and their bank account, so, in order to enter a sound alliance, a few criterias must be met. Criterias for selecting strategic partner in China should be: good reputation of loyalty and integrity on the market, but also of product quality for reputation purposes natural feeling and common values, understanding of what our goals are and willingness to collaborate extensive network on our targeted customers, on the areas where we have the greatest growth or the most profitable areas proven synergy opportunity between our two companies instead of competition long term relationship seems possible through mutual cooperation (strategic alliance must be a win-win situation in order to be sustainable on the long term) Impact of the issues of national sovereignty in China on application of our standard marketing approaches in order to enhance global image and additional profits through economy of scale. China is very sensitive on the issue raised by separatist claims by   Taiwanese nationalists, Tibet and Xinjiang separatists. Our standard marketing approaches, designed to enhance global image and enable additional profits through economy of scale, mustn’t be a threat to our main objective which is to become a major player in dairy products in China. Therefore, our standard marketing approaches should be amended in order to avoid any differenciation between the average product sold within China and the ones sold in these three areas. The main market should be priviledged against the particularism of the three separatists areas. No marketing argument that our product would be specifically adressed to the separatists areas should be set forth and it should under no circumstances become a selling argument or even be mentioned, because it would probably cause us to loose main market. Section 5 Criteria to select an adjacent market between Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam The first criteria to take into account is capacity to use both markets to enhance presence on each other. Creating synergies in a market entry phase might be vital and the level of trade relationship already existing between China and that country is the right measurment. The second one is to choose a market which might be governed by the same cultural trends in order to be able to adopt the same marketing approach to both. A third criteria, maybe more operational, is distance and accessibility (custom tariffs, roads, etc) between both territories. This might enable to base product in one country and ship to the other from thereof. Fourth criteria might be existing trade relations with Switzerland which might make it easier for us to start networking, as the swiss image would already be a commercial advantage. Myanmar being subject to economic sanction from China due to compulsory labor is not a valid adjacent market, though it has entered the asian liberalisation trend and was even acknowledged by the UN Conference on Trade and Development in 2001 as a member that performed ‘well to better’ in the trade liberalisation process under the WTO’s principles It also does not have the right development stage to be interesting and human rights issues might be damaging our image. It has very little commercial bonds with Switzerland. Thailand had rather recent diplomatic relations with China (dating 1975) but shows since then a real will to become a partner of choice of China. Both nations have common roots and share common ancestors. The commercial agreement between the two countries (Sino Thai Free Trade Agreement) only covers fruits and vegetables at the moment but could possibly be extended. Thailand is also member of the WTO. Its main advantage is to already have strong network trade connections with Switzerland (on machinery, watches, etc), where we are based, which could be a decisive advantage for us in terms of network. Taiwan is actually administrated by China which makes it a priviledged area to invest in. It also has a long tradition of trade with China which makes it a good candidate due to the need for trade network to enhance each others, and as a little dragon, it also has the wealth to be interesting, but choosing it would probably not be the best in terms of advantage on chinese market as it does not really add anything different to being only present in China. Also it does not have any specific links with Swiss market. Vietnam has a common frontier with China and is following more or less the same path towards becoming a market economy and entered WTO in january 2007. Though it does not have the same laws, it has a similar development trend, close traditions and the close commercial links with China in all sectors that makes it a suitable adjacent market. It is also a so called little dragon, a booming economy that could be a very profitable market. The trading network between Vietnam and Switzerland is not too developped though Switzerland is present in Vietnam with a swiss embassy in Hanoi. Finally, in order to develop a global brand image in asia, it might be a good choice to choose between Thailand and Vietnam. How to turn the risk of being obliged to countertrade into a profitable trade More than 80 countries nowadays use or require countertrade exchanges. A concensus of experts opinions (Okaroafo, 1989) has put the percentage of the value of world trade volumes related to countertrade at between 20 to 25%. Counter trade usually occurs when countries lack sufficient hard currency. There are five main variants of countertrade which could be of different value to our firm. Entering a barter (exchange of goods or services directly for other goods or services without the use of money as means of purchase or payment) could eventually be interesting if we manage to find good quality bulk products that could be integrated in our products, like fruits or packaging. Using the switch trading practice (in which the country would exchange allowing our importations against an obligation to make a purchase on the domestic market) could also be of interest to us for the same reasons. A buyback (buying machinery necessary to our production in exchange for products) agreement is not a really interesting deal for us as it involves very heavy transportation. Finally, entering an offset agreement (offsetting a hard-currency purchase of an unspecified product) would be a very dangerous operation as we would have to cover currency exchange variations. Proactive strategy to trade profitably with the selected country In order to be ready when the ban on import occurs, we will implement a proactive strategy by identifying products that could be of use in our production process. Then we will start making contacts with producers of these products and gain market knowledge of prices and quality available, identify suitable suppliers that meet our quality requirements and are able to supply us with the adequate quantities. Therefore, when we will be forced to countertrade, we will already have our network in place. Conclusion: As stated in this document, our five year strategic plan on entering Chinese market involves: entering market with health food linked to dairy products mass trendiness with direct marketing tools Always keep in mind the cultural sensitivity of China in order to use it as a competitive advantage instead of a falling trap. Utilise the huge work done by China to be able to keep up with WTO entering necessary standards in terms of transparency and legal framework to our profit in developping our business Invest in developping extended network and long term relationship marketing in order to open the route to introducing our other products on the market later If needed, choose carefully strategic partners Amend global marketing policy in order to avoid sovereignty issues Choose between Thailand and Vietnam as adjacent market, even if countertrade is involved. Reference Table SunfaithChina Ltd,September 2006,†Market Analysis report on China Yoghourt industry†, http://www.mindbranch.com/listing/product/R521-158.html Chen, C, February 2003, â€Å"Got Milk?†, Wall Street Journal http://www.mindfully.org/Food/2003/China-Dairy-Drinks28feb03.htm John L. Graham and N. Mark Lam, 13 october 2003, â€Å"Negotiating in China†, Havard Business School, Excerpted with permission from The Chinese Negotiation, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 81, No. 10, October 2003 Mitchell, A â€Å"Implementing WTO rules: The Importance of Law Reform, Remarks of Arthur M. Mitchell, General Counsel Asian Development Bank, February 2004, apeC Workshop on Best Practices in WTO Capacity Building, http://www.adb.org/Documents/Speeches/2004/sp2004050.asp Vertariu, P., (1992), Trends and Developments in International Countertrade, Business America, (November 2), 2-6. 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