Reflection Paper †Entrepreneurship in Health Care Essay

Growth in the health care industry has been experienced over the past ten to twenty years. Prior to the Social Security Act of 1965, the term innovation or entrepreneur was not used much in healthcare. Since the introduction of the government 3rd payer system, innovation and entrepreneurship has taken off. So, what is entrepreneurship in health care? This essay is going to look at the effects entrepreneurship has on health care and attempt to describe the positive and negative ways it has influenced health care today. What is an Entrepreneur?Debated for many years, this vital question to the study of entrepreneurship continues to be criticized and analyzed by some of the worlds leading researchers. â€Å"The origin of the word entrepreneurship is derived from the French word entreprende, which means to undertake, as in undertaking a particular activity† (Davison, 2008, p. 1). According to Davison, â€Å"the entrepreneur is a creator of value. In health care, this definition would mean that an entrepreneur in a person who creates value in the health care industry. Affect of Entrepreneurship in Health CareAmerican health care is the leader in the nation for seriously ill patients. The United States has had more Nobel Prize winners for medicine than any other country because of the commitment to innovation in health care. Citizens of American can be thankful for the innovative ideals that entrepreneurs have brought to our markets. People used to just shop for better prices on such items as airfares, lower hotel rates and even computers. Now, shopping for healthcare is a part of living in the United States. Websites such as â€Å"WebMD, Revolution Health, and eHealthInsurance, now offer consumers up-to-the-minute information on medial conditions, drugs, and insurance options, as well as basic quality information on doctors and hospitals† (Howard, 2008). With all this information available, patients can intelligently talk with their physicians about the most current treatments available and about their options for treatment. The Positive and Negative AspectsTechnology has come a long way, especially in health care. To understand what has been happening in the health care industry, knowledge of where it came from is essential. Health care was  practically a paper and pencil industry and it was the last to make the change to technology which made it time consuming for health care providers. Not until the passing of the Social Security Act of 1965 was technology fully realized within health care. Since then, technology has been cited â€Å"as being the major driver of rising healthcare expenditures worldwide† (Burns, 2008). The positive aspect of the innovations of technology is the treatments and equipment brought about by innovative ideals that has developed into quality care. This quality of care has created a demand by patients and their physicians for more and more innovation by entrepreneurs. Another positive aspect of the new health care technology is â€Å"based on recent scholarly evidence, that such products contribute to increases in longevity and mobility, reductions in disease and pain, improvements in worker productivity and improvements in quality of life† (Burns, 2008). According to Burns (2008), a negative aspect is that the cost of all this new technology has accounted for â€Å"20 percent to 40 percent of the rise in health expenditures over the past forty years† Burns. Aside from better quality of care and increased longevity, evidence has not shown that more and more advanced technology will produce better outcomes or added value. Example of a Current Entrepreneurial BusinessThe example chosen for this essay falls under corporate entrepreneurship, which is discussed in Barringer and Ireland (2008, p. 6). Most people think of entrepreneurship as someone starting a new business; however, with corporate entrepreneurship an established firm will create new innovative products for their customers. MinuteClinic is one example of innovative ideals that comes out of the need to have quick healthcare available just like going into a local 24-7 drug store such as CVS Pharmacy. The ideal developed when the founder, Rick Krieger, need treatment for his son’s possible strep-throat. Due to the length of time it took for his son to be diagnosed he came up with the ideal of convenient walk-in clinics (MinuteClinic, 2008). The first MinuteClinic opened in Minneapolis, MN in May 2000. â€Å"They focused on seven common conditions. Strep throat, mono, flu, female bladder infections, ear  infections, sinus infections and pregnancy testing† MinuteClinic. The impact that these clinic has had on patients has been so successful that there more than 50 MinuteClinic health care centers that can be found in select CVS/pharmacy stores in Florida (MinuteClinic, 2008). Patients are now able to walk into a CVS Pharmacy and get quick health care. Most visits will take from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the symptoms of the patient. ConclusionTo conclude, it is apparent that an entrepreneur is an individual who seeks risk, has the need to work independently and pursues a business strategy of high growth and large profits. Real entrepreneurs thrive on uncertainty and find ways of finding the resources they need to achieve their goals. If they don’t have enough capital, they will find a way to get it. From a health care standpoint, an entrepreneur can be an individual such as Rick Krieger being innovative based on personal experience or it can be large corporations like Johnson and Johnson whose innovations have affect the lives of many. Entrepreneurship in healthcare is a fairly new concept; however, it is one that will continue to get larger and larger. References Barringer, B. A., & Ireland, R. D. (2008). Introduction to entrepreneurship. In Entrepreneurship: Successfully launching new ventures (2nd ed., pp. 3-35). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Burns, L. R. (2008). The business of healthcare innovation in wharton school curriculum. Retrieved January 11, 2009, from http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521547687&ss=exc&utm_source=DOI&utm_medium=MultiLink&utm_content=0521547687&utm_campaign=CDIDavison, E. D. (2008). Entrepreneurship. Research Starters Busienss, 1, 1-12. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from EBSCOhost database. Howard, P. (2008). Health care’s new entrepreneurs. Retrieved January 11, 2009, from http://www.city-journal.org/printable.php?id=2702MinuteClinic. (2008). MinuteClinic becomes participating provider with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. U.S. Newswire. Retrieved January 11, 2009, from ProQuest database.

Adolescent Sexuality

SEXUALITY OVERVIEW Most teens and pre-teens have a lot of questions about sex and sexuality. This is normal and natural. It also is normal to feel shy or embarrassed about raising these issues with adults or healthcare providers. Sexual development is an important part of health, similar to other measures of physical growth, such as height and weight. Sexual behavior, which is related to sexual development, has important health implications for everyone, and especially for teens. It is particularly important that to be well informed about all aspects of sex and sexual health. Some basic information on sex and sexuality is provided in this review, which may answer some questions and raise others. Find an adult you feel comfortable with — perhaps a healthcare provider, parent, or teacher — to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. SEXUALITY: WHAT IS IT? Human sexuality is more than just whether you are male or female, and it is more than just the act of sex. It is a complex idea that involves your physical make-up, how you think about yourself, and how you feel about others and the society you live in. Here are some of the things that contribute to sexuality: Anatomic sex — Anatomic sex refers to the sex organs with which you were born. That is, you are either a boy (with a penis and testicles) or a girl (with breasts, a uterus, vagina, and ovaries). Occasionally, a baby is born with sex organs that are not normally developed and/or may appear to resemble both sexes; these individuals are said to have ambiguous genitalia or to be intersex. Anatomic sex is only one component of sexuality. Gender identity — Gender identity relates to how you feel inside, and whether you â€Å"feel† like a boy or a girl. Most people have a combination of feelings, including some that are thought of as â€Å"male† or â€Å"masculine† and some that are thought of as â€Å"female† or â€Å"feminine†. In most cases, someone feels mostly like a boy or mostly like a girl. Gender identity and anatomic sex sometimes do not match. For example, a person can be born as a boy but feel like a girl. This is sometimes referred to as transgender. Sexual orientation — Once you begin puberty, you are likely to begin to have strong physical and emotional attractions to others. Sexual orientation refers to whether you are primarily attracted to people of the opposite sex (heterosexual), the same sex as you (homosexual, gay, or lesbian), or both (bisexual). Sexual orientation is influenced by many factors, including your anatomic sex, your gender identity, the society you live in, and other factors, some of which are not completely understood. Sexual orientation is believed to exist on a continuum. That is, you may feel mostly attracted to people of the same sex as you but still have some feelings for people of the opposite sex, or vice versa. These feelings are normal and may change throughout life. ADOLESCENT SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT Sexual development begins in the pre-teen years and continues into adulthood. The body produces hormones that cause outward changes, including breast development in girls, the appearance of facial hair in boys, and growth of hair under the arms and in the genital area of both boys and girls. However, puberty is more than physical changes. As your body grows into adulthood, your way of thinking, emotions, and wants and needs will change as well. The factors discussed above (your anatomic sex, your gender identity, and your sexual orientation) will all become a part of how these changes affect you as a person. You will probably start to feel strong attractions toward others. Sometimes these feelings include developing friendships with other teenagers. Other feelings include wanting to be physically close to another person. You may find yourself attracted to someone of the opposite sex, someone of the same sex, or both. It's important to remember that these physical attractions can shift and change and that they develop at different times in different people. You may find you are attracted to someone of the same sex for a time, then find stronger attractions to someone of the opposite sex. Alternately, the reverse could occur. Over time, most teens will come to identify themselves as primarily heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. However, you should not be surprised if you feel confused about some of these issues during your teen years. This time of life may be troubling for teens who begin to identify themselves as homosexual or bisexual, especially if these ideas are not openly accepted by family members, friends, or the society in which they live. In this case, it is especially important for the teen to find a trusted adult and friends with whom he or she can talk openly. Several of the online resources listed below can also be of benefit (see ‘Where to get more information' below. It also is important to know that in the early years of puberty, it's normal to want to experiment with sexual activity. This often happens before a teenager is fully aware of how this activity might affect his or herself or others. As teens continue to grow and mature, they are better able to make choices about intimacy and physical relationships that will enhance their lives, rather than making choices that will cause problems for themselves or others. Adults generally recommend that teens not rush into sexual activity too soon, but rather wait until they are more mature. (See ‘Health issues related to sex' below. ) When you are sexually mature, you'll have a more developed sense of your preferences and desires. You will understand the possible consequences of having sexual relationships with others, and you will be ready to take responsibility for whatever occurs. You will be more ready to engage in the satisfying, intimate relationships that are an important part of life. SEXUAL ACTIVITY: THE FACTS There are many ways to express intimacy. Spending time with another person, holding hands, and kissing are all ways to show affection and begin to explore physical intimacy. As you develop attractions toward others, you will probably want to explore these and other types of physical intimacy. What might this involve? Most teens have questions about sex and sex acts. Here are some basic facts and definitions, including some important information about sexual boundaries; that is, what is and what is not OK as part of a sexual relationship. Genitals — Genitals are the external sex organs that are sensitive to and stimulated by being touched, which typically occurs during sexual activity. The male external organs are the penis and scrotum, which holds the testicles (figure 1). The female external organs are the vulva, clitoris, and the opening to the vagina (figure 2). Petting — Petting is feeling parts of another person's body. This usually refers to touching the genitals or other sexually sensitive areas, such as breasts. Orgasm — Orgasm is an intensely pleasurable release of tension felt in the genital area and elsewhere in the body. It usually results from stimulation of the genitals. In men and boys, orgasm is associated with the release of semen (called ejaculation), which contains sperm. The term â€Å"come† is a slang word for orgasm. Sexual intercourse — In general, this refers to sex involving a man's penis being placed inside a woman's vagina. When the man ejaculates during sexual intercourse, this semen is released into the woman's vagina. Pregnancy occurs if sperm, contained in the semen, are able to fertilize the egg released by a woman's ovary. However, semen can be released even if the man does not have an orgasm. Oral sex — Oral sex involves using the mouth and/or tongue to stimulate the genitals. Oral sex can occur between a man and a woman, between two men, or between two women. Anal sex — Anal sex is sexual activity involving penetration of the anus (the opening where bowel movements leave the body). A penis or another object is inserted into the anus during anal sex. Both men and women are able to engage in anal sex. Masturbation — Masturbation involves using the hands, or sometimes a device such as a vibrator or other sex toy, to stimulate one's own or someone else's genitals. Some people believe â€Å"having sex† only means sexual intercourse. But other activities, including oral sex, anal sex, or masturbation can also be considered as â€Å"having sex†. Even things like kissing or petting are considered to be sexual activity because they are part of how one person responds sexually to another person. Sexual boundaries — The only kind of sexual activity that is OK is activity that occurs between people who want to have sex with each other. Activity that occurs when a person is alone, such as masturbation, is also OK. If two people are having sex, both of them must be old enough and mature enough to participate without feeling pressured to prove something or try something new. If a sex act is forced upon a person who does not want to participate, this is called rape. Rape is a serious crime that can result in being arrested, spending time in jail, and having a permanent criminal record. Having sex with someone who is not sure they want to have sex can also be called rape. For teens, feelings about sex can be new and confusing. For example, sometimes a person begins kissing or petting but then changes their mind and wants to stop. The other person must always listen, even if it is very difficult to stop. It is not harmful to stop sex before orgasm occurs. Teens sometimes get into difficult situations if they are drinking or using drugs and having sex. In these cases, someone may seem to want sex, but they may be too drunk or high to know what they are doing. Later, the sex can be called rape. Teens may be lured into having sex with an adult. It is never OK for an adult to behave in this way. If an adult wants to engage in any type of sexual activity (kissing, petting, oral sex, intercourse), the teen should talk to a parent, healthcare provider, law officer, or other trusted adult at once. Even if you feel like you have done something to cause the adult to be attracted or have sexual feelings, the adult is responsible for controlling his or her behavior, regardless of the circumstances. Certain state laws, which vary from state to state, impose certain regulations or rules on sexual activity, even among teens. As discussed above, it is always a crime for anyone to force or coerce you into having sex against your wishes, no matter if it is an adult or someone around your own age. However, in some states, sex between teens below a certain age may also be illegal, even if both people want to have sex. Rules may depend upon the age of both partners and upon the sex of your other partner(s). Before deciding to have sex, speak to a trusted adult about these important issues. HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO SEX The main reason it is important to postpone sexual activity until you are mature is that sexual activity affects both the physical and emotional health of the people involved. Here are some facts. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — There are a number of infections that can be spread during sexual activity. Infections can be spread through sexual intercourse, anal sex, oral sex, and using fingers, other body parts, or sex toys that have come in contact with another person's genitals or body fluids. These diseases are called sexually transmitted infections, or STIs (often called sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs). Common places STIs can occur are the genital organs, anus, and throat. Research has shown that young people are at an increased risk of developing STIs. The reasons for this are not completely understood. However, the younger you are when you start having sex, the more likely it is that you will get an STI. Also, having one STI can make it easier to acquire other STIs at the same time. In many cases, you can get an STI and not know it. This is because STIs often do not have any noticeable signs or symptoms. All of the STIs can have serious consequences for future health. For example, a woman who gets an STI may have difficulty becoming pregnant later in life or may be more prone to developing certain types of cancer, such as cervical cancer. Some of the most important STIs are: HIV — HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). AIDS is a serious, incurable disease of the immune system. Until recently, everyone who developed AIDS died. Although new treatments are now helping many people with HIV infection live longer, there is still no cure for this serious disease or vaccine to prevent it. Many people still die each year from AIDS. Each year, between 40,000 and 80,000 people are newly infected with HIV. Half of these new infections are in people younger than 25 years old. New recommendations call for those who have been sexually active to be tested routinely for HIV infection. The earlier HIV is detected, the sooner a person can obtain treatment and the better their chances are of survival. Speak to your healthcare provider about HIV testing. (See â€Å"Patient information: Testing for HIV†. ) Human papillomavirus — Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common STI in adolescents. Most people who get HPV do not know they have it. Some types of HPV cause genital warts. Other types of HPV cause cervical cancer in woman, penile cancer in men, and anal cancer in either sex. A Pap smear is one important way your healthcare provider can screen for cervical cancer associated with HPV. (See â€Å"Patient information: Condyloma (genital warts) in women† and â€Å"Patient information: Cervical cancer screening†. ) In addition, there is a vaccine for girls age 9 to 26 years to protect against four common types of HPV. Speak to your healthcare provider about this important vaccine. (See â€Å"Patient information: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine†. ) Gonorrhea and chlamydia — These are serious bacterial infections of the genital tract. They can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, which can cause severe pain and can lead to infertility (inability to become pregnant). Both gonorrhea and chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics. It is important to be screened for these infections if you have had sex, because you may not always have symptoms. (See â€Å"Patient information: Gonorrhea† and â€Å"Patient information: Chlamydia†. ) Herpes simplex virus — This is a viral infection that causes painful or itchy sores or blisters in the genital area. The sores heal but can reappear at any point later in life. There is no cure. The virus can be spread even when there are no blisters present. Medications are available from your healthcare provider to shorten the length of time the blisters last and decrease your risk of repeat outbreaks. (See â€Å"Patient information: Genital herpes†. ) Hepatitis B virus — This is a viral infection that can cause liver disease. In most cases, the disease resolves after the initial illness. But in some people, serious liver damage or liver failure can occur. Most children and adolescents are being vaccinated against this infection with a series of three shots. You should speak to your healthcare provider if you are not sure if you have had this vaccine. (See â€Å"Patient information: Hepatitis B†. ) Syphilis — This is an infection caused by a small organism called a spirochete (/SPY-ro-keet/), which can cause an ulcer on a person's genitals or anus. It is fairly uncommon in teens but more common in certain populations. Sometimes you may not notice the ulcer, because it does not usually cause pain or may be on the inside of the vagina (in females) or anus (in both sexes). It is important to see your healthcare provider right away if you notice any sores or ulcers. The sore usually heals but can cause important long-term problems if untreated. Trichomonas — Trichomonas (â€Å"trich†) is a common infection caused by a tiny parasite that can cause itching and/or a discharge from a person's genital organs. Females notice symptoms far more often than males, although both sexes can be affected and require treatment by a healthcare provider. This infection can be cured with antibiotics. PREVENTING AND SCREENING FOR STIS The only way to be sure you will not get an STI is to not have sex. STIs can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, oral sex, anal sex, and using fingers, other body parts, or sex toys that have come in contact with another person's genitals or body fluids. STIs can be transmitted between a male and a female, between two females, and between two males who have sex. It is not possible to tell by looking at someone whether he or she has an STI. Even if the other person tells you they do not have an STI or says they are â€Å"clean†, you cannot be sure this is true. That is because the person may not know if they are infected. Also, it is common for teens to not be completely truthful about many things in relationships, including whether they may have been exposed to an STI. Condom use — People who are sexually active can reduce their risk of getting an STI by using a latex or polyurethane condom every time they have sex. Male condoms are worn on the penis, helping to prevent body fluids from passing to another person. Female condoms are also available, and can be placed in the vagina to help prevent fluids from passing from one person to another. (If a male and female are having sex, only one should wear a condom. If both the male and female wear a condom, the condoms could rub together and move out of place. ) Dental dams are another barrier device that can be used when performing oral sex on a female. (See â€Å"Patient information: Barrier methods of birth control†. ) Condoms and dental dams reduce the risk of getting an STI, but they do not take away the risk completely. Condoms can break or leak, allowing passage of body fluids and transmission of infection. In addition, condoms do not completely cover all of the skin that is exposed during sex; herpes and HPV can be passed by skin-to-skin contact. Other birth control methods do not reduce the risk of STIs. You can reduce the risk that a male condom will break or slip off in two ways. First, make sure the penis is completely hard before putting on the condom. Also, be sure to squeeze and hold the tip of the condom as you roll the rest of it down the penis, making sure there is no air pocket (like a small balloon) at the end of the penis. Immunizations — Another way to reduce the risk of two specific STIs (HPV and hepatitis B) is to talk to a healthcare provider about immunizations. As previously mentioned, most children and adolescents are routinely immunized against hepatitis B in the United States. The HPV vaccine is now available to females aged nine years and older. Check ups — Regular check-ups by your healthcare provider are important to all adolescents, but it is particularly important to speak with a healthcare provider if you decide to have sex. This talk should include ways to prevent pregnancy and STIs, as well as the need for regular testing for STIs, including HIV. Since STIs can occur in different body sites (genital organs, anus, and throat) and may have no symptoms, it is important to speak honestly with the provider about sexual behavior to get appropriate testing. If your healthcare provider is not comfortable or able to screen you for STIs, ask for a referral to a provider who can. Pregnancy and birth control — Pregnancy is a serious consequence of sexual activity between males and females. Each year in the United States, about 1 million adolescents become pregnant. Pregnancy in teens has serious health consequences. Pregnant teens are more likely to have babies who are premature or sick. A pregnant adolescent is more likely to drop out of school and live in poverty. Although some teens who become pregnant choose to have an abortion, this choice also carries risks. As with STIs, the only way a young woman can be sure she will not become pregnant is to not have sexual intercourse. There is no reliable way to determine a â€Å"safe† time when she will not become pregnant; menstrual cycles at this age can be irregular. Teens should know that pregnancy is possible each time they have sexual intercourse, including the first time and during the menstrual period. Birth control methods are available that can reduce the risk of pregnancy. However, birth control methods other than condoms do not reduce the risk of STIs. The most reliable methods (other than abstinence) must be prescribed by a doctor or nurse. These include birth control pills, patches, and injections. Other newer options for females include a vaginal ring that is worn in the vagina or a small device that must be inserted under the skin by a healthcare provider. (See â€Å"Patient information: Hormonal methods of birth control†. ) Some methods, such as condoms and contraceptive foam, can be purchased without a prescription. A condom should be used every time you have sex, even if another method is used to prevent pregnancy. (See â€Å"Patient information: Barrier methods of birth control†. ) If you use birth control but have an accident (the condom breaks, you forget a pill), you can take a â€Å"morning after pill† to reduce the risk of pregnancy. (See â€Å"Patient information: Emergency contraception (morning after pill)†. ) Teens who engage in sexual activity must be sure they have accurate information about the available birth control options. The best time to decide on a method of birth control is before you start having sex.

Car Killer

Electricity is always part of our lives in the late 1990's, as GM's efforts to put electric cars on the market are reasonable, as people will start using electric cars as they think . In that way, the car will be a higher model than other models with zero emissions and stylish design, GM EV 1 is ruthless and has no gas and no oil at all. Many people think this car is the answer to the smog problem we are facing, but we will prevent global warming and solve the planet's environmental problems more. At the end there is a murderer. If this murderer is a human being, he will never run. He or she always walks very slowly, but he always keeps up with the victim, regardless of whether he is running or taking a car. This killer is always very creative about killing. Murder is not the same. The murderer like to make it interesting. The murderer finally died in the movie, and the heroes felt they won, but the murderer actually did not die many times, and there was a sequel to the new group. Di fferent stereotypes of the same name Serial killer is a foresightful serial killer. A foresight continuous killer thinks I saw a vision that they heard that sound and ordered murder. For example, David Barkowitz, known as Sam's Son claimed to have killed six young ladies and their boyfriend, as though they had parked in New York's Lovers' alley, and thought that the dog was alive did. In the hole of the wall. His apartment told him to do so. Foresight continuous killers often suffer from serious mental illness. The second type of serial killer is task oriented. The motivation for these serial killers is to eliminate certain types of people. They never saw the vision of listening to that sound or ordering to kill. Instead, they believe that the victims are unwelcome and that they will kill a noble mission. The victims of job-oriented serial killers may be homosexuals, prostitutes, members of a particular religion, or members of a particular race or ethnic group There are two serial k illers, an organizational serial killer and a disorderly serial killer. The systematic serial killer is very smart and has a plot of murder. They usually have murder weapons, they contract, they carefully leave no evidence, but take souvenirs. Some people may also leave trademarks or exceptional clues to discard the detectives. Psychiatric patients are usually systematic continuous killers. Psychiatric patients usually know the difference between right and wrong. On the other hand, an unorganized serial killer kills people whenever there is a chance; they are cluttered, leaving clues like fingerprints, blood, and even semen. Psychiatric continuous killers are often confused with crime and are more likely to be arrested. These serial killers are often not in contact with society.

Advances in Transportation SLP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advances in Transportation SLP - Research Paper Example Today life without systems like London’s tube or Japan’s Shinkansen is unthinkable in a society where commuting between the home and workplace depends to a large extent on this form of transport. The 19th. century was an era of great technological advances. Perhaps none of these has had as far reaching an effect on the lives of people, as has the steam engine that led to the invention of the railway. The British used this invention to maximum advantage in their colonies, to expand business opportunities, ferrying local goods like spices, tea, coffee, rubber and cotton to the shipyards from where they were marketed to every part of the western world. The railways were used to carry the finished goods from factories to far flung corners of the world and allowed even farmers to sell their products further away from the regions where they were grown. This new means of transportation that ferried people as well as goods at speeds unmatched at the time by any other means of t ransport; was a boon, giving people a chance to explore new opportunities, to live away from their work places and above all to travel to far away places, that allowed them a glimpse of a world they had never seen before. As Nobel peace prize winner Sir John Boyd Orr remarked â€Å" After the First World War the economic problem was no longer one of production. It was the problem of finding markets to get the output of industry and agriculture dispersed and consumed.† (Boyd Orr, 1949) Railroads provided the solution to this problem by transporting finished goods to markets across the world. Huge public structure investment ensured that distances shrank and railroads began to determine the location and shape or size of new cities and towns. Joe Biden put it in a nutshell when he remarked â€Å"public infrastructure investment raises private sector productivity †¦.they literally are the veins and arteries of commerce.† (Biden, 2011) Railways brought economic prosper ity to people in towns and cities supplying them with every necessity - food, clothes, building material, fuel and access to markets. The railroad system resulted in a production boom; as resources and raw materials from one part of a country or continent were transported to far away factories, and finished goods marketed to every nook and corner that was now accessible through this new system of transportation. In Russia the Trans-Siberian Railway, gave an economic boost by facilitating agricultural exports from Siberia, to Russia and Europe. In Japan, the government promoted railways to cut down dependence on imported fossil fuels. Railroads have therefore been the backbone of the Japanese urban transport system and train stations formed the nucleus around which cities bloomed. Japan was the first country to have high speed rail and Japan’s business, economy, life and culture has been greatly impacted by the bullet trains that run at amazing speeds. High speed rail has beco me an efficient and convenient means of transport in Western Europe, and although this means of transportation has become popular throughout the world due to its efficiency and economy, Japan, China and Europe have the largest networks of high speed rail. It has however not taken off yet in the US. President Barack Obama in an effort to increase job opportunities in an economy that is yet to pick up after the down slide of 2008 remarked, High Speed Rail â€Å"will help accelerate job growth in an economy tha

Crony Capitalism and Political Corruption are the worst forms of White Research Paper

Crony Capitalism and Political Corruption are the worst forms of White Collar Crime - Research Paper Example The arrangement of crony capitalism has increasingly been influencing the legislative and regulatory actions of governments throughout the world. On the other hand, the aspect of political corruption has been imposing serious threat on the integrity of the national democracy. The concept of political corruption can be defined as abuse of public power or right for illegitimately, usually for gaining secret and private benefits. The practice of political corruption often varies depending upon the country and its jurisdiction. Both the concept of crony capitalism and political corruption are associated with white color crime and their practice in various forms has rendered adverse impacts on socio-economic environment of a country. Thesis Statement In the present day context, the role of government and its influence on socio-economic activities have immensely augmented. It has been recognized that crony capitalism and political corruption in the modern day context present worst forms of white collar crime committed by political persons and business organizations. In relation to this, the paper intends to identify the impact of crony capitalism and political corruption on the socio-economic environment of a country and develops arguments favoring the notion that crony capitalism and political corruption are the worst forms of white collar crimes witnessed by the world today. Crony Capitalism and the Case of Solyndra Crony capitalism in general is a way of caricaturizing the relations between the two or more parties in two different spheres in a capitalist economy. The first subject related with crony capitalism may include economy or the market. The economy or the market areas may involve the operations of businessmen who own and manage business organizations engaged in a variety of activities with a prime goal of making profit. The other subject area includes the public authority or the state through which public rules, regulations, policies and laws are made and enforced (Allen 129-139). Contextually, the case of Solyndra that has been witnessed by the United States in the recent times provides evidence about how crony capitalism is being practiced in the country. California based Solyndra, a solar panel manufacturer declared bankruptcy in August 2011 after having received US$528 million as federal loan guarantees. Moreover, its bankruptcy rendered more than 1000 people jobless. It was been observed that the loan guarantee was allowed in 2009 following the pressure from the company itself and the White House. A report issued by House of Energy and Commerce committee argued that the sinking of Obama led government’s US$528 million investment was the result of involvement of Obama Administration Officials and certain key Solyndra players. It has been further argued that despite the risks associated with funding of loan to Solyndra, the federal government did not resist in approving loan guarantee to the company rather it has been invol ved in backing the company in raising the loan guarantee. The political and government involvement in such scams is one of the worst examples of Obama led Administration’

The Columbia History of American Television Assignment

The Columbia History of American Television - Assignment Example The silent generation children grew in complex situations caused by wars and economic hard ups. America suffered the most during the economic crisis in 1929 to 1939 called the great depression. Many American nationals lost their property and possessions starving on the streets as the employment rates reduced by 24 percent being unemployed (Gary 208). Popular culture allows people with different opinions styles to relate and identify homogenously and collectively. It serves a critical role in the society as it unites groups on ideas of acceptable forms of behavior. Popular culture comes from the developments of range activities such as modern music, cyberculture, print, entertainment, advertising, and television. Video and television popular culture influence the advancement of the silent generation Era in different perspectives. The increase of the middle class and urbanization is the foundation of the famous culture leading to the industrial revolution. The baby boomers are the initiators of the generational evolution by their arrival leading to the demands for housing, cars, and roads mostly aged between 47 to 65years. The Generation X years range from 31 to 46 and is an in-between generation consisting of the first-generation dual income families. They experience the impacts of the end of the cold war, the fall of the Communism and the dismantling of the Berlin wall. The development of the MTV and rise of the internet, technology enlightened them to be tech savvy and entrepreneurs. The current generation is the millennial generation with ages from 18 to 30 who have grown in an environment of unrest and increased security after post-September 11 world. Social and political trends promote the age differences in political attitudes and voting choices in the election cycles.  

Persuasive synthesis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Persuasive synthesis - Research Paper Example Other issues contributing to the worsening of cancer’s challenges encompass gender and unstable economic statuses mostly affecting the ailing besides close people. This is especially in the developing states or in regions where culture esteems the male gender to the extent of some experiencing fecal embarrassment when undergoing medical checkups (Consedine et al E410). Unstable economic statuses mainly characterize the developing states whereby numerous states are unable to avail necessary cancer awareness facilities to the natives (Ryder et al 3627). Hence, this leads to severe suffering to the citizens who to some point few cite to have attended cancer screening tests, for instance, women’s Pap smear test (Agunwah et al 364). This is because of utter ignorance that augments cancer severity among numerous citizens though limited by both their individual and states’ unstable economies (Ryder et al 3627). Scholarly studies contacted so far cite ignorance (knowledg e deficits) as one of the challenges hindering effective management of cancer (Van der Rijt et al 1370). Hence, this poses a formidable challenge to the patients, professionals and caregivers whereby the latter two ends up not being of any help to the victims despite their will to offer required assistance (Van der Rijt et al 1371). ... This is because of the latter’s knowledge deficit regarding pain assessment, which could have been leant early via multidisciplinary studies (Van der Rijt et al 1370). Hence, in turn fail to educate patients on how to manage their varied cancer predicaments, which results to painful experiences while away from their respective medical institutions. This is because at home neither the patient nor the caregivers know exactly what to do in alleviating or assessing pain that will alert them to seek timely medical intervention (Van der Rijt et al 1375). According to Van der Rijt et al study, multidisciplinary interventions considerably reduce pain. However, respective authorities ought to ensure adequate imparting of the medical practitioners with this knowledge. Since, they will also inform caregivers who will accordingly apply the knowhow while handling their ailing relatives in the absence of medical personnel. Inadequate level of education is also another aspect worsening ignor ance especially in the developing states, for instance, Enugu in Nigeria (Agunwah et al 362). This is especially among the female gender where most of them due to illiteracy do not see the essence of going for Pap smear tests. Hence, contribute to high mortality rates because only 4.2% of the women’s population in this region contends to have attended cancer screening tests in their lifetime (Agunwah et al 361). However, this percentage does not indicate the attending consistency, which one ought to keep on cancer screening at certain intervals. This leads to people who have gotten cancer resurfacing when the condition is at an advanced stage, whereby the available services for them only work to prolong their lives, but not to prevent or cure the malady (Agunwah

Managing Information Technology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing Information Technology - Coursework Example An added feature of executive Information system is its support for the graphical functions representation. Unlike the predecessor solution providers that only provided data figures, this system through the help of graphs, comparison charts and other similar displays make it possible understanding the scenario in a better manner. Integration of the internal data with the external variables is another feature function of E.I.S. Creating a budget that is in line with the needs of the organization is also made possible through this utility feature system. Owing to their excellent output, their increased productivity and reduced hassle, the larger enterprises and front runner business trend setters have adopted these systems into their networks. Data mining is a modern trend that has emerged with the evolution of the information technology based support systems. As the name would imply, it is the investigation and assessment of the different variables and different data sheets and facts through a certain critical viewing and perspective. The two concepts are equally intertwined, while data mining is related to the dissected and detailed investigation and assessment of the overall facts and data at hand, the data warehouse in contrast serves as a repository of information and overall monitoring level tool and software support system. Number of techniques and strategies can be adopted with regard to the data mining process and utilization of the software. Two of the most commonly used techniques include clustering and classification techniques. Through the technique of clustering different set of variables may be brought together for a cumulative assessment of key variables. The cluster technique allows targeting and segregating two set of variables and responders in a data set collected from a survey or any other observational study undertaken. Pre determination

The Luggers versus the Butchers Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Luggers versus the Butchers - Case Study Example dy clearly perform entirely different types of tasks but this does not mean that they should also be treated in a contrasting or a conflicting manner by those armed with managerial responsibilities. The managers at FMC tended to behave very strictly with the butchers but had close affiliation with the luggers on the other hand. The butchers were overworked and the luggers were not in anyone’s control. Such negative workplace attitudes reflect issues of inequity and injustice and research stresses that â€Å"organizational peace, communication and justice perception are very important factors in order to be successful† (Ince & Gul, 2011, p. 106). When employees are not treated equally and their concerns are not heard, they start losing their confidence and develop low self-esteems (Katcher & Snyder, 2007, p. ix; Ganster & Schaubroeck, 1991). That is why the unhappy butchers developed deep feelings of hatred and resentment for the management. â€Å"Organizations can avoi d having unhappy employees by successfully addressing their concerns† (Katcher, 2006). Organizational commitment is a valuable tool to mention here for the managers as a way of addressing the issues at FMC. This refers to the â€Å"relative strength of an individual’s identiï ¬ cation and involvement in a particular organization† (Steers, cited in Paik, Parboteeah, & Shim, 2007, p. 1770; Mowday, Porter, & Steers, 1982, p. 27) and it is widely believed that the more organizational commitment an employee has, the less are the chances of him/her leaving the organization. â€Å"Organizational commitment is cognitive assessment that reflects characteristics of the work environment† (Gelade, Dobson, & Gilbert, 2006, p. 543) which implies that the butchers had low commitment because the work environment in itself was degrading, unfair, and discriminatory. An employee’s commitment to the organization also related to the factor of leadership behaviors (Mathieu & Zajac, 1990, p. 171) which were especially low

Reading paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reading paper - Essay Example However, most women find it hard to lose weight, and if they lose the weight, they find it extremely hard to maintain a low weight. Poor feeding habits mainly causes this. However, this also applies to men. Most men struggle to keep their weight under check while aiming to be more masculine. However, some men find it comfortable having much weight and associate weight with wealth. This is mostly in societies where most wealthy people tend to be big compared to the poor people. Weight is also connected to health with people with much weight being considered unhealthy. Too much weight is unhealthy and should be avoided at all cost. Obesity, which is a case of too much weight, makes the affected feel out of place and lowers their self- esteem. Children too are affected by weight issues. Parents have a responsibility to ensure that their children are of the appropriate weight by checking their diets. However, most people struggle with weight issues, especially the young people because of the current eating habits. Most people feed on fast food and this is evidenced by the number of people in a fast food hotel at any time in towns. The current working trends promote the unhealthy diets since people have limited time to prepare meals. During weekends and holidays, there are people who party most of the time and consume much unhealthy food. This too promotes weight gain. The problem of weight loss is affecting a high proportion of the world’s population, people are looking for ways out to reduce and maintain weight. This makes such an article important to read and gain more information about weight loss, since it affects not only adult men and women, but also children. Every day, people are on the lookout for new ways to increase fat burning and reduce weight. The increased concern on weight and the search for weight loss techniques have attracted my interest and made me choose this

Marketing and Soft Drink Concentrate Essay Example for Free

Marketing and Soft Drink Concentrate Essay The brand Rasna is owned by Pioma Industries that introduced the concept of Soft Drink Concentrate (SDC), a segment that had been created and nurtured by the company in the Indian beverages Market. The brand was originally launched by the name of ‘Jaffe’ in 1976 and marketed with the help of Voltas, but was renamed to ‘Rasna’ in 1979. When the product did not do as well as it was expected, in 1983, the advertising was handed over to an advertising agency named Mudra Communications Ltd. Pioma Industries Limited is perhaps not a familiar name for the average Indian consumer. But Pioma’s brand Rasna is very well known. In fact, the name Rasna is almost a generic name for soft drink concentrates in Indian beverages market. Rasna’s extremely popular advertisements with the tagline â€Å"I love you Rasna† had become an integral part of the Indian advertising folklore. In March, 2002, Pioma announced a radical overhauling of its strategies for the Rasna Brand. This development was rather unexpected, as the brand had been lying dormant since long. Rasna is the market leader in the 250 Crore Indian soft drink concentrate industry. The SDC industry is miniscule compared to the 5000 crore carbonated soft drink industry (CSD). The powdered soft drink concentrate industry is worth around 90 crore. During the ‘80s, Soft Drink Concentrate (SDC) was not a known concept. For the consumers, Soft Drinks were just the aerated drinks which could be purchased in bottles and were usually consumed outdoors. Rasna came, and changed the whole mind set. COMPETITORS IN THE MARKET As the pioneers in Concentrated Soft Drink Industry in India, Rasna, never had to face any threatening from any of its competitors, be it a global player or a small local company. Powder concentrate occupy 85% of the total soft drinks concentrate market. Here, in this study, we are considering both Powder and Syrup CSD as competition for the Brand Rasna. Following are some of the competitors who tried to make their mark in the 250 Crore Indian soft drink concentrate industry: 1. Tang- Kraft Foods. 2. Sunfill- Coca Cola. 3. Fanta Fun Times- Coca Cola. 4. Sugarfree D’lite- Zydus Cadila. 5. Kissan Mr Fruit- Hindustan Unilever. The journey of a brand is not always easy. The market is very dynamic and a brand needs to keep a track of the changes in the market. Rasna had to face such challenges too. But it is the resurrection this brand has shown, through strategic marketing, in all instances that makes it stand out and lead the market. MARKET SHARE Rasna has always been recognised at large for Brand and Company. It ranks No. 1 in the beverages category as â€Å"Most Trusted Brand of India†. It is listed among the top 15 brands in the country. It was awarded as the most preferred brand in the SDC category at the FMCG Most Preferred Awards 2003 and 2004 and Consumer World Award 2004. It has pioneered not only with its strong marketing strategies but also with its proper scaled distribution chain. Rasna has always concentrated on its marketing and brand building and has achieved an expertise in flavour technology. Its efficient management in production and market environments has harnessed to bring to the global consumers, technologically superior products in fruits, vegetables, beverages and confectioneries and to stand as the leader in processed food industry. Rasna has adequate and in-depth knowledge and information on Market sizes and behaviours, Growth prospects, Project Viabilities, Government Policies, Finances etc.and access to more, enabling the company to respond fast to any proposal with suitable recommendation. It believes that there is a huge and emerging market for Rasna’s kind of product range, all over the world. Rasna is capable of managing global sized manufacturing set-ups working on the most advanced technologies to cater to the huge markets, locally and globally. Rasna has managed to dominate the colossal SDC market because of its massive International operations. One of Rasna’s biggest strength is its marketing and sales set-up, through which millions of customers worldwide is experiencing the flavour of satisfaction. It provides a strong and pro-active marketing support to its distributors and importers around the world- just so that their products stand out and apart on the shelves. Timely delivery schedules of its products anywhere in the world are what have helped them to reach a strong position in the global market. Rasna has its offices in the following countries: * USA and Canada * UK and Europe * Saudi Arabia * Russia * Fiji This strong chain of distribution to large number of countries within a stipulated period of time has helped the brand gain a reputation in the market. It has also helped Rasna in creating enormous business relations all over the globe. The countries which imports Rasna products globally are as under: In recent years, the brand has had to face off challenges, though not from its direct competitors. International soft drink giants like Coca-Cola (Sunfill) and Kraft Foods (Tang) have introduced competitor products in the market. PepsiCo India too is gearing to launch a glucose-based ready-to-drink beverage under the Lehar brand that will be sold at price point of Rs. 5 for a 200 ml stock-keeping unit. All of them have deep marketing pockets and standard products to lure customers away from Rasna. Even the profile of Rasna’s target audience is changing. Kids today are a lot more aware, and their parents don’t mind buying more expensive ready-to-drink products, which the MNCs have. But, true to its entrepreneurial spirit, Rasna is not about to give any ground to its rivals. Though some analysts feel that Rasna has been slow to react to the competition, Piruz Khambatta, Chairman, Rasna, still dismisses the challenge saying â€Å"water is our only competition. † According to the 2010 data, Rasna leads the SDC market. The market shares of Rasna and all the competitors are as follows: * Rasna- 97. 2 % * Coca-Cola’s Sunfill 2% * Sugarfree D’lite- 0. 2% * Kissan Mr Fruit- 0. 1% and * Tang- 0. 5%. COMPARTIVE STUDY ON 4 Ps SCALE The Marketing Mix: Here in this study of the Brand Rasna, we are comparing the brand with its competitors available in the market on the scale of the 4 Ps. The 4 Ps of the marketing mix are: 1. Product. 2. Price. 3. Promotion. 4. Place. Product Line of Rasna: Rasna began with 9 flavours in 1982, and added the 10th in the year 1987. The company was revamped in the year 2002. * In 2002, Rasna changed its look and came up with a new logo. * The tagline of the company was also changed and with a new tagline â€Å"Relish a Gain†, Rasna has tried a deep penetration in the rural and semi-urban market. The recent product line of Rasna is as follows: Name| Pack Size| Flavour| Price ()| Rasna Frootfun| 32 glasses| Orange, Mango, Lemon, Pinaple| 35| Rasna Frootfun| 12 glasses| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 10| Rasna Freshfun| 32 glasses| Shahi Gulab, Keshar Elaichi, Kool Khus, Cola Cola| 35| Rasna Freshfun| 12 glasses| Shahi Gulab, Cola Cola| 10| Rasna 1 ka 2| 2 glasses| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 1|. Rasna FrootPlus Jar| 500 grams| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 85| Rasna FrootPlus Pouch| 750 grams| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 105| Rasna FrootPlus Pouch| 500 grams| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 75| Packing Details: The operating product line of Rasna consists several sku. The company follows different pack size on carton basis. These pack sizes may vary depending on local market demand. The following table will give a general idea of the pack sizes. Sr. No. | Product| Units per Carton| 1| Rasna Instant Drink (powder beverages)| | | Laminate Pouch Packings| | A| 3 gm pouch pack| 50*60|. B| Single Serve pouch pack (12 gm pouch-orange)| 10*12*6| C| 25 gm single serve sachet| 12*2*12| D| 250 gn refill packs| 36| E| 500 gm refill packs| 24| F| 750 gm standby refill packs| 15| G| 1 kg standby refill pack| 15| H| Litro packs 1 ltr| 12*10| | Glass Jar Packings| | A| 250 gm glass jar| 40| B| 500 gm glass jar| 20| C| 750 gm sleek glass jar| 15| | Plastic jar packing 1 kg| 15| | OTS tin Packing| | | 900 gm tin| 15| | 1. 5 kg tin| 6| | 2. 5 kg tin| 6| 2| Litro Pack Instant Drink| | | Pouch suitable to make 1 litre| 12*10| 3| Gofrut Instant Drink (5gm pouch)| 72*10| 4| Shakeup Instant Drink| |. | 25 gm single serve pack | 24*30| | 150 gm standby pouch| 108| 5| Rasna Lite 250 gm jar | 15| 6| Rasna Soft Drink Concentrate| | | 32 glass pack| 200| 7| Rasna Single Serve Iced Tea 9 gm | 14*24*20| Whereas Rasna has so many different varieties of drinks (flavours) and in so many different sized packets its competitors are lacking behind in both flavours and availability of different quantity packs. The Price of Rasna: Accessing all socio-economic class: Rasna’s sole goal has been always to make profit with the volume sale. The pricing strategy has always been the key of Rasna’s success. It targeted the mass rather than the class. * Rasna has always made its products in such a way that it can be accessible to all socio-economic classes. * Its volume sale starts at as low as 1 popular in the name of 1 ka 2. * The added sugar product Rasna Frootplus starts from 2 and goes up to 105 for the family pack. * The box pack has a starting price of 10 which can make 12 glasses of drink and is known popularly as 10 ka 12. * The family box pack is available at 35 which is enough for 32 glasses of water. * Rasna has some skus which are very interesting for regular use. The air tight jar has different pack size with price range starting from Rs. 75. The company is constantly focussing on the rural market of India. So, accurate pricing is very important for the company’s growth. For Rasna, accurate pricing has been the key growth driver. They understood that the Indian market is highly segmented. And making products targeting each segment has helped a lot. Whereas pricing has been the key growth factor for Rasna, the competitors have not been able to enjoy that benefit of pricing. Only Tang is available at a sachet of 2 which is again meant for making 1 glass of drink. Likewise, the other competitors cannot even come close to the pricing strategy of Rasna. Promotion: Adding an Emotional Touch: Rasna has from its inception relied heavily on advertisement. The famous mass media campaign, â€Å"I love you Rasna† was one of India’s longest running TV ad. * The promotion of Rasna always highlighted a strong connection with its customers through brand association. * Rasna has always created a brand value by emotionally attaching the customer to their brand. * Focus of the promotion is always to promote the quality of Rasna. * Rasna spends a lot on Research on the target audience, and promotes there products accordingly. * Rasna has used child characters in their advertising campaigns, and through them the company emphasised on the quality of products which was an effective way of promotion. * Rasna has done a great deal to understand the pain of summer and to deliver a product which will ease the pain. This kind of unique and innovative marketing ideas and campaigns made Rasna the monopoly in the Soft Drink Concentrate industry till the time the competitors entered the market. Even now, no brand has been able to beat the promotional campaigns of Rasna. Going by the set standards of Rasna, we can say that the competitors have spent very less time and money understanding the Indian market and the promotional activities that works in the India. Place: Distribution Channel of Rasna: The distribution channel of Rasna follows 3 to 5 tier architecture. It follows the Super-Sub concept of distribution. The steps are as follows: 1. First the product produced in a factory which is strategically located to minimise the transportation cost. 2. The packed product is sent to various company depots across the country to distribute and meet the respective market demand. 3. From the company depot, the product is delivered to the different super stockists according to their previously placed order. 4. Then the goods are sent to the sub stockists or in some cases to the wholesale store. 5. The secondary sale from the super stockist or the sub stockist is ensured by the constant monitoring by the company personal. Rasna follows different distribution channel model according to local market demand. But for every model the end goal of the company is to deliver a quality product to the end user. With a distribution channel consisting of 35 depots across the country and 1. 8 million retail outlets Rasna is bound to be the leader. Among the competitors the only one that has a good and competitive network of distribution is Sunfill by Coca Cola, but still they are not able to compete as availability with retailers is not as widespread as Rasna. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE The competitive advantages of Rasna are listed below: * Being the Pioneer in the market Rasna is well known and very much trusted in the Indian market. * Being in the market for a long time, Rasna knows the Indian taste the best. * Having 7 state of the art production units across the country, the production is never disturbed for any reason. * Because of the widespread distribution network, it is more close to the public. * The marketing strategies used by the company are of superior standard. * Last but not the least, the pricing of the product, which is so low that it is affordable by the lowest segment of the pyramid also. The competitive advantages of Tang are: * Being one of the largest brands of the world, Tang has the sustainability even if it is hit at the beginning. * Tang is available in variety of flavours based on local consumer’s preference. * Tang is fortified with vitamins and minerals. * It is available as powdered and ready to drink bottles. * The powdered Tang is available at low cost. The Competitive advantages of Sunfill are: * Being a brand owned by Coca Cola, the distribution cost is cheaper, so can offer the product at a low and competitive price. * The taste is superior compared to other competitive brands. * Setting up of a production unit close to the target customer segment will help in better marketing. * The company can spend substantial amount on advertising and promotion. The Competitive advantages of Sugarfree D’lite are: * It is a brand owned by a medical company, so people have trust in the product. * It contains no sugar, so it is healthier. * Has medicinal advantages. * Helps in controlling blood sugar level, at the same time gives the pleasures of a soft drink. The Competitive advantages of Kissan Mr.fruit are: * It is there in the market for a long time, so knows the customer taste and preferences. * Tastier than many of the competitor products. * Supply chain is quite strong as it’s a product owned by Hindustan Unilever. SUGGESTIONS FOR GAINING UPPER MARKET SHARE As we conclude the study on the No. 1 Soft Drink Concentrate in India, Rasna, I have the following suggestions to make so that the company can gain more market share and continue to be the leader of the industry: Product- In terms of product, the following can be done: 1. Try to minimise waste in production, so that the cost of production comes down further. 2. Venture into new products, like ready to drink bottled drinks. 3. Try producing sugar free products so that even a diabetic patient can enjoy the drinks. 4. Health drinks and energy drinks is another field where the company can venture into. 5. Backward integration is another option that can be suggested to minimise the cost of production. Price- the Company can be more price effective and in turn can gain more market share if, 1. More products are offered in the lower price category. 2. Price be reduced for the larger quantity cartons or bottles. 3. New and introductory products are sold for lesser price so that people are interested in trying the new things. Promotion- In terms of promotion, the company can follow the following suggestions: 1. Use newer and cheaper modes of advertisement, like the social networking sites. 2. Spend more on Banners, posters, Hoardings. 3. Stop the use of sportspersons and celebrities, as the same doesn’t have a long standing effect on the general public. 4. Remove the time lag between the promotion and the availability of new products in the market. Place- Place plays a vital role in the success of a company or a brand. The following are my recommendations for improving the market share: 1. Go to the newer potential places which have not been tapped earlier. 2. The untimely dispatch of goods from the depot to the super stockist needs to be taken care of as it may lead to cancellation of order bookings. 3. Unavailability of goods at certain periods needs to be taken care of with a proper distribution control. 4. Promotional events along with the distribution of brochures, stickers and leaflets should be done through sub-stockists and retailers which will help in increasing the brand value. References: During the preparation of this project, help and references has been taken from many web sites and blogs and articles. They are mentioned here: -Rasna Pvt Ltd. Official site. -Wikipedia-the free encyclopaedia -Puneet Tandon Blogs -Economic Times -Times of India Articles -4psbusinessand marketing. com.

Cisco Systems Architecture Essay Example for Free

Cisco Systems Architecture Essay Cisco is a company with a clear vision and an ambitious goal of becoming the global Internet expert. The company set its sights on challenging the norm of the time and working on making voice calls over the Internet free. Established in 1984 by two Stanford graduates, Cisco became the most valuable business on earth by March 2000. The company’s strategy is to provide a complete solutions offer to its customers through offering a wide product range and growing the business through acquisitions and business alliances. From its original core technology of routers, the company is now focusing in three independent networks of phone, local and wide area and broadcast networks. The turnaround point for the company was its database failure and forced two-day shutdown in 1994. This event highlighted the need to change company’s approach to systems replacement and the need to integrate all of company’s applications. The company decided to adopt new practices and retrain its staff rather than mirroring the â€Å"old and tried†. The decision was made to collaborate with Oracle to develop a single ERP solution to replace all current systems. The project was a success and was followed by replacement and standardization of all company’s platforms and applications worldwide. Further to this project, Cisco web-enabled all its applications, resulting in customer service, HR and supply chain efficiencies. Cisco’s success continues and is being made possible by its growth through acquisitions and strategic alliances (such as that with KPMG). The company is where it is today largely due to its effective integrated Internet business systems, resulting in great efficiencies for the company and its various stakeholders. 1) Cisco – Information Age Company. Cisco is far from being an Industrial Age Company. The main reason for this is that the company has been able to recognise the value in IT and use it to better their performance and achieve the desired growth. According to Weill Ross (2009), it is a characteristic of an IT Savvy firm. To be more specific, through integrating their processes and applications into an ERP solution and then to proceeding to full replacement of all of its IT solutions worldwide, Cisco moved to a digitalized platform. According to Weill Ross (2009), digitalized platform is an integrated set of electronic business processes and technologies. This would hardly be a characteristic of an Industrial Age company. Further to that, Cisco’s approach to implementation of its ERP solution and deciding not to mirror known and learnt old approaches but to make a bold move and rather retrain its people in new systems, demonstrates forward thinking and innovation, which is critical to get significant value from IT. Again this is a more fitting characteristic of an Information Age company rather than an Industrial Age company. In implementing the ERP system, the company successfully identified where it lacked necessary expertise and was not scared to outsource their needs analysis to KPMG and then the ERP project to Oracle, who had significant knowledge and experience in the solutions Cisco were after. The â€Å"outside the square† thinking allowed the company to focus on own competences and keep them in-house while tapping into the expertise of others through outsourcing and alliances. This is a definite characteristic of an Information Age company. Finally, keeping communication lines open across functional divisions and getting an input from across the business to avoid making the project an IT-only initiative and to ensure it addresses the real needs is another reason why Cisco is an Information Age company. 2) IT contribution to the company’s strategy IT greatly contributed to the company’s strategy to provide comprehensive one-stop-shop business networks solution for its customers, to set industry standards for networking, to systemize acquisitions and pick the right partners. Firstly, it was the company’s IP-based IT Architecture that enabled them to effectively and smoothly handle business acquisition and fully integrate these new acquisitions in a short period of time. Secondly, ERP implementation and application of web-enabled IT allowed Cisco to meet its goals of streamlining its internal processes and improving productivity, to improve customer satisfaction through the provision of online technical support, to pioneer net commerce and set industry standards and to achieve an extremely efficient supply chain. IT and systems implemented were at the heart of executing the company’s strategy. Thirdly, IT is an integral part of Cisco’s information system. According to Picolli (2008), information systems satisfy firm’s information needs and thus improve firm’s efficiency and enable it to achieve its goals. Being an important part of this efficiency improvement process makes IT a significant contributor to Cisco’s strategy. 3) The role of CIO Pete Solvik Pete Solvik’s role was integral in Cisco being able to derive significant value from IT and recognise it as a strategic asset as opposed to a liability. Prior to Cisco’s defining moment, it had the ambitious goals but the company was running standard operations not being able to support what it aspired to become. Solvik brought fresh visions and innovative thinking to the company. His initiatives were to redefine how IT was viewed internally and depart from finance cost centre reporting perception of the department. He was also able to see the limitations of Cisco’s systems and the potential of improvements. According to Weil Ross (2009), when IT systems are deficient you need to first change the entire approach to IT. Only once this is accomplished can the digitalized platform be implemented. Solvik did manage to do that. Weil Ross (2009) emphasize the need to strong leadership in turning IT into a strategic asset. And this is ultimately what Solvik’s r ole was in Cisco’s transformation.

Saving Private Ryan Analysis

Saving Private Ryan Analysis Saving Private Ryan by Steven Spielberg. Introduction Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed 1998 war film Saving Private Ryan tells the story of the search for Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), an American soldier missing in Normandy, France, during the Second World War. Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) receives orders to assemble a group of soldiers to find the fourth son of the Ryan family, who have received notification on the same day of the death of three of their sons while in action. The film opens with an aged veteran visiting the American Cemetery in Normandy with his wife, children and grandchildren. He falls to his knees and breaks down in tears at the graveside of a fallen comrade. The film then cuts to a twenty-five minute sequence which has become the focus of much close analysis and critical commentary. The reconstruction of the US landings on Omaha Beach on the 6 June 1944, at the beginning of the Normandy invasion, places the viewer at the centre of the bloody onslaught, as machine-guns fire mercilessly into the bodies of the soldiers as they make they way forward into German defences. Bodies are ripped apart (a soldier holds his exposed intestines), limbs fly in the air (a soldier bends down to pick up his lost arm), bodies catch fire, and the ceaseless unnerving rattle of gun fire, represent a stunningly powerful and vivid experience for the film’s viewers. â€Å"The intense and fearful exhilaration created by a freely and rapidly moving camer a is central.† The graphic realism of the sequence; with the continuous jerky movement of hand-held cameras, capturing the madness and confusion of the battle; and the painstaking attention to gory detail, with blood and water splashing the camera lens, was to be heralded by many as one of Spielberg’s defining cinematic achievements. Hendrik Hertzberg wrote on the film’s release in ‘The New Yorker’: â€Å"What makes â€Å"Saving Private Ryan† utterly distinctive is the sense that it has no agenda other than to capture the experience of being a combat soldier in the last global war.† The vivid depiction of death and injury experienced by Captain Miller, as he succeeds in leading his company of Rangers at Omaha Beach, sets the tone for the remaining two hours of the film, as the viewer follows him in his next mission to find and return James Ryan to his mother. Captain Miller assembles seven men for the task, and the soldiers move into Normandy’s neighbouring Neuville. Private Carpazo (Vin Diesel) is the group’s first victim, when he is shot dead by a German sniper. With tempers fraying and internal mistrust building, the locating of James Frederick Ryan, the wrong soldier, leads to further dissent. However Captain Miller finally discovered Ryan’s whereabouts, in Ramelle, following a chance meeting with one of his friends. On the way to Ryan the soldiers loose their second victim, Wade (Giovanni Ribisi), and Miller’s leadership is again questioned when he prevents a surrendered German being shot by one of his men, named Reiben, (Edward Burns), and sets him free. Captain Miller succeeds in reasserting trust, confidence and comradeship in the group by revealing personal details about his past and origins, including his position as an English teacher. Susan Hayward writes: â€Å"the gore of war is matched by the unheralded heroism of an individual who stands for humanity.†   When the group of remaining soldier finally reach Ramelle they find American paratroopers, including Ryan, defending the town from advancing German troops with very few soldiers. When told of their mission, and the death of his brothers, Ryan refuses to stand down, instead courageously heading for the bridge which will need to be held, asking Miller and his men to join him. As the German tanks arrive, Miller reluctantly agrees and takes command of the few soldiers. Heavily outnumbered, malnourished and exhausted, most of Captain Miller’s men are fatally injured. Spielberg again graphically visualises the horror of war as one man is stabbed, another shot in the throat, and another shot down with repeated unrelenting gun fire. Spielberg uses camera distancing and focal points as a means to involve the viewer within the frantic action of this batt le sequence. The knowledge that somewhere above snipers prey on the men is constantly drawn upon. Captain Miller himself is eventually shot down and soon dies in the arms of Ryan as backup arrives too late from another American infantry. The town is saved, but only three men, including Ryan, survive. As the film ends the veteran at the graveside of Captain Miller is revealed to be James Ryan. He stands to attention and salutes the American flag, which lies on the grave, acknowledging his comrade’s sacrifice and honour in his own and his country’s name. Saving Private Ryan received much critical acclaim, including eleven Academy Award nominations. Steven Spielberg achieved the Best Director award, Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski and film editor Michael Kahn’s contribution to the film’s brutal realism was also acknowledged by the Academy. Produced with an estimated budget of â€Å"$70 000 000† Saving Private Ryan was theatrically released by Paramount Pictures, and distributed by Spielberg’s Production Company DreamWorks, andmade â€Å"$30, 576, 104† on its opening weekend alone. The continued popularity of the film, by audiences and critics, and what has led many to label the film as the best War film ever made, is attributable to the timelessness of the visual effects and memorable scenes (most notably the opening Omaha sequence, and the final battle for the bridge). The historical accuracy and artistic license of the film has been invariably considered in the decade following the release of Savin g Private Ryan, but the consensus is that the style and form of the film ensure a powerful and captivating, if harrowing, experience for any viewer. It is a film which places audiences at the centre of the narrative; viewers are â€Å"encouraged to review and consider what they see- and, if point-of-view matters, to contemplate why.† As with his earlier graphic Holocaust film Schindler’s List (1993), Steven Spielberg ambition is to exceed visual entertainment, using reconstructive dramatisation as a means to ‘experience’ the unimaginable in a wholly believable way. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Hayward, Susan. Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts. London: Routledge, 2000. Morris, Nigel. The Cinema of Steven Spielberg. London: Wallflower Press, 2007. Tasker, Yvonne. Fifty Contemporary Filmmakers. London: Routledge, 2002. http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1998/07/27/1998_07_27_030_TNY_LIBRY_000016012 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/business

Comparison of Miracle on St. Davids Day by Gillian Clarke and Daffodil

Comparison of Miracle on St. David's Day by Gillian Clarke and Daffodils by William Wordsworth 'Daffodils' was written by William Wordsworth approximately a century before 'Miracle on St. David's Day' was written by Gillian Clarke. Due to this, the poems differ greatly in their style and language. Observing the poems at first glance, it is obvious that they also contrast in content, however at greater depth, the connections between them are made obvious. In this essay, I will be discussing the connections and differences between the two poems. The daffodil is the national symbol of Wales; it represents hope, joy and celebration. Both of the poets make this markedly palpable using this as a theme for their poems. In 'Miracle on St. David's Day' daffodils are mentioned at the beginning and end of the poem, carrying significance as it is they that remind the 'big, dumb labouring manà ¢? ¦' of a time when he had something to say. The man speaks for the first time in forty years, reciting the poem 'Daffodils' implying that this is what he has to say: the joy and hope evoked in him by both the daffodils that he sees and the poem 'Daffodils'. Wordsworth is less subtle is his regard of daffodils, his poem is more conspicuous in portraying the 'fluttering dancing jocund ' daffodils as they fill his heart with pleasure and this image of the daffodils is the same throughout the poem. Both poems depict how it is the daffodils that evoke some form of emotion in either the author himself, or a character in the poem. In 'Miracle on St. David's Day' the 'yellow and open-mouthed [daffodils]' and the 'rhythms of the poems' remind him that 'once he had something to say' and brings him out of his 'dumbness of misery', w... ... importance of a word or emotion ' I gazed- and gazed ' To gaze implies to watch with a certain amount of emotion, unlike to simply look at something. By repeating the word gaze, he emphasises that the flowers actually meant something to him. Wordsworth also uses onomatopoeia to allow the reader to visualise the description, ' fluttering ' The word allows the reader to see the daffodils fluttering, like a butterfly. These descriptive words are often used in association with a well-known description for example: the fluttering butterflies. Having studied both poems in depth, it is clear that they have more differences than similarities. However, they both have the same underlying theme of something wonderful happening that should be treasured, although they have presented this theme differently to the reader (different setting, characters, topic etc.). Comparison of Miracle on St. David's Day by Gillian Clarke and Daffodil Comparison of Miracle on St. David's Day by Gillian Clarke and Daffodils by William Wordsworth 'Daffodils' was written by William Wordsworth approximately a century before 'Miracle on St. David's Day' was written by Gillian Clarke. Due to this, the poems differ greatly in their style and language. Observing the poems at first glance, it is obvious that they also contrast in content, however at greater depth, the connections between them are made obvious. In this essay, I will be discussing the connections and differences between the two poems. The daffodil is the national symbol of Wales; it represents hope, joy and celebration. Both of the poets make this markedly palpable using this as a theme for their poems. In 'Miracle on St. David's Day' daffodils are mentioned at the beginning and end of the poem, carrying significance as it is they that remind the 'big, dumb labouring manà ¢? ¦' of a time when he had something to say. The man speaks for the first time in forty years, reciting the poem 'Daffodils' implying that this is what he has to say: the joy and hope evoked in him by both the daffodils that he sees and the poem 'Daffodils'. Wordsworth is less subtle is his regard of daffodils, his poem is more conspicuous in portraying the 'fluttering dancing jocund ' daffodils as they fill his heart with pleasure and this image of the daffodils is the same throughout the poem. Both poems depict how it is the daffodils that evoke some form of emotion in either the author himself, or a character in the poem. In 'Miracle on St. David's Day' the 'yellow and open-mouthed [daffodils]' and the 'rhythms of the poems' remind him that 'once he had something to say' and brings him out of his 'dumbness of misery', w... ... importance of a word or emotion ' I gazed- and gazed ' To gaze implies to watch with a certain amount of emotion, unlike to simply look at something. By repeating the word gaze, he emphasises that the flowers actually meant something to him. Wordsworth also uses onomatopoeia to allow the reader to visualise the description, ' fluttering ' The word allows the reader to see the daffodils fluttering, like a butterfly. These descriptive words are often used in association with a well-known description for example: the fluttering butterflies. Having studied both poems in depth, it is clear that they have more differences than similarities. However, they both have the same underlying theme of something wonderful happening that should be treasured, although they have presented this theme differently to the reader (different setting, characters, topic etc.).

Portrayal of King Lear in First Four Scenes of King Lear by Shakespeare :: essays research papers

King Lear, by Shakespeare is a play written in the Elizabethan times. The tragedy of King Lear and his daughters was a familiar tale in England at the time. In the first scene of act 1 we do not meet Lear from the very start of the play. King Lear enters after a conversation between Kent, Gloucester and his son Edmund. We immediately get the notion that Lear is attention loving and that he loves flattery. As the scene develops we also discover that he knows almost nothing about his daughters, as he couldn?t recognize their falseness. As long as his eldest daughters flattered him, he was happy. He doesn?t even recognize honesty, as he scolds Cordelia for being true when she told him ?I love your majesty according to my bond, no more nor less?. Lear shows poor judgment when he banishes his favorite daughter and leaves her without a dowry. His two other daughters, Goneril and Regan knew of their father?s weak point, and they worked it to their own advantage. This way, Lear was satisfied at hearing what he wanted and at being flattered by his own daughters. But he also puts upon his daughters the responsibility for his happiness, and thus h e will blame them when he?s unhappy. We see this in Scene 3 when Goneril is unhappy with her father. She shows her true self in this scene, not the loving daughter which she shows to be in Scene 1, but almost a villain, who goes against the hierarchy of nature. Daughters are supposed to respect and love their fathers, which is exactly the opposite o what Goneril is doing. She treats her father, who deserves more respect as he is also king, badly, and also advises her servant Oswald to do so. Lear still views himself as a king, while his daughter calls him an ?Idle old man?. In Scene 4, Lear has enough of Goneril. As all kings do, he is used to making rules, not following them, so he expects to be obeyed. Lear feels helpless, he has no power left and he must rely fully on his two daughters. When Goneril takes away half of Lear?s knights, she also took away his dignity, and reduces him to tears, where he succumbs to despair.

Key Elements of Good Writing Style :: Writing Style Styles Essays

Key Elements of Good Writing Style After reading William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style: Beyond Clarity and Grace, participating in hours of classroom discussion, and writing five short essays on the topic, I’m struck by the complexity of evaluating â€Å"writing style†. But I don’t know why I should be amazed. Borne from the elaborate human thought process, we instinctively dress up our writing in thrift-store duds or Fifth Avenue couture. Writing styles express our individuality; they are our language fingerprints – the writer’s identity is exposed, and no two styles are exactly alike. However, the texts argue that a writing style isn’t unchangeable; inherent or learned tendencies can be modified to become â€Å"good† writing style. Developing an unambiguous definition of good writing style has been challenging. I have one sense that good style can only be defined by a reader. A case of ‘you know it when you see it’: â€Å"Now that’s good style.† On the other hand, the texts clearly show that good writing style can be defined by the writer – through a rule-laden, detailed writing-construction process. With conscious effort, apparently I can choose to write in a good or bad writing style. So maybe the secret to good writing style requires the assumption of a split personality, to simultaneously assume the personas of both an imagined external audience and a writer of succinct, powerful prose. Considering both the audience and the writer, I’ve summarized five significant components of good writing style culled from the Strunk and White’s and Williams’ texts to assist a writer in achieving good style: Flow, Flow, Flow Your Boat: Organize Your Writing The first thing I did to write this essay was to map out a logical path to follow by creating the title and headings. Organizing a writing project is comparable to efficiently organizing your day: figure out what needs to be accomplished and prioritize. Without structure and forward thinking, you’re not likely to accomplish all your goals, and you might leave people unsatisfied along the way. Similarly, satisfying writing logically weaves topics and themes in a meaningful forward progression, within sentences, paragraphs and documents, to move the reader from beginning to end (Williams 82, 83). Key Elements of Good Writing Style :: Writing Style Styles Essays Key Elements of Good Writing Style After reading William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style: Beyond Clarity and Grace, participating in hours of classroom discussion, and writing five short essays on the topic, I’m struck by the complexity of evaluating â€Å"writing style†. But I don’t know why I should be amazed. Borne from the elaborate human thought process, we instinctively dress up our writing in thrift-store duds or Fifth Avenue couture. Writing styles express our individuality; they are our language fingerprints – the writer’s identity is exposed, and no two styles are exactly alike. However, the texts argue that a writing style isn’t unchangeable; inherent or learned tendencies can be modified to become â€Å"good† writing style. Developing an unambiguous definition of good writing style has been challenging. I have one sense that good style can only be defined by a reader. A case of ‘you know it when you see it’: â€Å"Now that’s good style.† On the other hand, the texts clearly show that good writing style can be defined by the writer – through a rule-laden, detailed writing-construction process. With conscious effort, apparently I can choose to write in a good or bad writing style. So maybe the secret to good writing style requires the assumption of a split personality, to simultaneously assume the personas of both an imagined external audience and a writer of succinct, powerful prose. Considering both the audience and the writer, I’ve summarized five significant components of good writing style culled from the Strunk and White’s and Williams’ texts to assist a writer in achieving good style: Flow, Flow, Flow Your Boat: Organize Your Writing The first thing I did to write this essay was to map out a logical path to follow by creating the title and headings. Organizing a writing project is comparable to efficiently organizing your day: figure out what needs to be accomplished and prioritize. Without structure and forward thinking, you’re not likely to accomplish all your goals, and you might leave people unsatisfied along the way. Similarly, satisfying writing logically weaves topics and themes in a meaningful forward progression, within sentences, paragraphs and documents, to move the reader from beginning to end (Williams 82, 83).

Miracles Essay

The question are miracles possible is a hard question for me to answer because while I am a believer in God I am also a believer in Scientific reasoning with a scientific and mathmatical mind. To answer this question to the best of my ability I am going to answer it both from a Christian and a scientific standpoint. To answer this question we must first know what is defined as a miracle. The dictionary defines a miracle as â€Å"an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause†. By the dictionaries definition of a miracle anything that happens that we cannot possible have an explanation must be a miracle like the stain that appears on Henry Poole’s wall (Henry Poole Was Here). The appearance of the stain itself is not a miracle because a person putting it there can explain that, but what happened to the people that touched it was a miracle. When people touched the stain they were healed (Henry Poole Was Here). The most widely knows miracles are the biblical miracles performed by God through his son Jesus. Jesus feed the thousands with food that was only meant to feed the few, he turned water into wine, and he made the blind see, we cannot comprehend nor explain these actions therefore they are marked miracles. From a religious stand point I see a miracle as an act of God to benefit this strongest, purest, and most innocent believers as acknowledgement and gratitude of their belief in him. These miracles are a sign that he is here and he appreciates our faith in him. Gods miracles are not only meant for his believers, they are also used to show the lost and the nonbelievers that he is here and he just wants to help us. These miracles are not always good as shown in the plagues that God put upon Egypt to show the pharaoh that God does exist. This was relevant in the movie when the nonbeliever Henry went to the doctor and was told that he was no longer sick (Henry Poole Was Here). God also use a miracle to destroy his creation when he realized the wickedness of man and is grieved by his creation, but as a gracious forgiving God he sought to preserve creation so he chose Noah to build an ark and fill it with the worlds animals and repopulate the world once the flood had subsided. This was a miracle that was meant to wake up the world to see its flaws and learn from them to become a better God-fearing world. From a scientific view there are no miracles, there are only the unlikely mathematically impossible phenomenons that although impossible they happen. Hume gives us a different definition in his book: A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature; and as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against a miracle, from the very nature of the fact, is as entire as any argument from experience can possibly be imagined. (Hume) To Hume if it happens according to the established laws of nature, it is not a miracle, so basically if it happens then it is not a miracle. Scientifically there are no miracles, which means if it happens then there is a scientific reason that will explain it no matter how hare it is for the mind to grasp. From my religious background miracles do prove the existence of God because a miracle is the action of God used to show that he is there and he is watching over us. Gods miracles are also used to show nonbelievers that he is here with his arms open wide to accept all that take him into their heart, they are also used to punish the worst of nonbelievers and that shows others that he exists. Hume said: I beg the limitations here made may be remarked, when I say, that a miracle can never be proved so as to be the foundation of a system of religion. (Hume) From a scientific point of view just because an event happens that we cannot explain does not make it a miracle, and just because we cannot explain the event does not mean that God caused it. If we went back in time and brought a person to the future they would see so many things that they cannot explain, so they may call them all miracles, but we would know how these things work so we would know that they are not miracles. To get to my point just because we cannot explain it now does not mean it is a miracle, we may eventually evolve and discover more information in the future that will give us an explanation to the event. My religious background wins over my scientific mind for now, so I myself do believe in miracles and that they are signs from God that he is watching over us. Miracles are Gods reminders, rewards, and punishments to help guide us on our path of riotousness that will eventually lead us to Heaven if we do not stray.

Cultural Anthropology/Marriage, Reproduction, and Kinship Essay

Despite being banned both by law and mainstream Mormon doctrine, the practice is not only thriving in heavily Mormon Utah and other parts of the U.S. West but appears to be growing. Underage marriage, incest, emotional and physical abuse towards the wives, and child neglect are some of the few things that are quite common within polygamous communities. One simple way to help prevent these things is to keep marriage a bond between two people, not one man and ten wives or one woman with ten husbands, by enforcing the laws banning polygamy. Firstly, prosecutions of polygamists in modern times have been rare and tend to be restricted to cases where only underage marriage is practiced and rape or child abuse is suspected. Some of the brides are also forced into marriages with a close relative. (â€Å"Polygamy†) In 2007 Warren Jeffs, then the leader of the dissident 10,000-member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), was imprisoned in Utah after he was convicted of having been an accomplice to rape for his role in arranging marriages between adult male followers and underage girls. In April 2008, more than 460 children from an FLDS compound in Texas were removed by authorities from the custody of their parents after an anonymous tip to an abuse hotline. (â€Å"The Perils of Polygamy†) Another issue that had burst into the open with the high-profile trials of two brothers, David and John Daniel Kingston. One of John Daniel’s daughters, then 16, told police he had forced her to marry her uncle David–who already had 14 wives. When the girl fled home after four sexual encounters with her uncle, she testified, her father beat her with a belt. Amid a blaze of media attention, John Daniel pleaded no contest to child abuse charges in April, and is now serving a 28-week sentence. On July 9, David was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for incest and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Also, in polygamous families, the man of the households all of the power, creating an environment prone to physical and emotional abuse. (â€Å"The Perils of Polygamy†) Carmen Thompson, now 41, spent 13 years as one of a Salt Lake City Mormon man’s eight wives, a harem that she says included the man’s sister and 14-year-old niece. She finally left him, taking their five children, after what she describes as years of beatings, poverty and emotional neglect. Last year, Thompson helped found Tapestry of Polygamy, the first-ever support group for women and children leaving polygamous marriages. Since the beginning of the year, the group has fielded over 300 calls from people seeking help. †In polygamous families, the patriarch has all the power,† says Thompson. †When there’s that kind of imbalance, abuse comes naturally.† Even supporters concede polygamy has its downsides. †The jealousy was very hard to take,† admits Elaine, Harmstons first wife, with whom he had been married over 30 years before taking his subsequent wives. Thompson, the anti-polygamy activist, says the result is a kind of brainwashing. †It’s incredibly emotionally degrading to lie in bed and hear your husband having sex with another woman on the other side of the wall,† she says. †But you’re taught that jealousy is a sin against God that you should fight. You learn to deny your emotions.† (†Canadian Court Rules That Polygamy Ban Is Constitutional†) Women in polygamous relationships face higher rates of domestic, physical and sexual abuse, died younger and are more prone to mental illnesses when being compared to monogamous marriages. Finally, besides underage marriages and abusive environment, the children in polygamous marriages suffer from different types of neglect. ( ¨The Perils of Polygamy ¨) Lillian Bowles was miserable growing up as one of 40 children in a cloistered polygamous community near Salt Lake City. Her father had eight wives and she saw him only once a week, on Saturday nights when it was her mother’s † turn.† †He had very little interaction with our lives, but an incredible amount of control,† says Bowles, 26. †We couldn’t even play at a friend’s house without getting his permission. You can talk about consenting adults, but the kids have no choice.† Finances are often a problem, too. It is hard to find, let alone afford, housing for a family that includes three or four wives and a dozen or more children. †We’d go dig food out of the dumpster behind the grocery store every week,† says Bowles. †There were lots o f other families who did the same.† Most families in polygamous situations are on welfare or food stamps. The men in these families cannot financially support all the women and children, and the women are generally not permitted the freedom to choose a career and work outside the family compound. On the other hand, as consenting adults, they should have the right to live however they want as long as they’re not breaking any other state or federal laws. ( ¨The Perils of Polygamy ¨) †We abhor abuse of any kind,,† says Mary Potter, formerly one of a policeman’s three wives and recent founder of a pro-polygamy women’s group, the Women’s Religious Liberties Union. †But abuse is also rampant in monogamous marriages. Why blame our religion?† Lastly, underage marriage, neglect, and abuse can happen in any family’s household and some polygamous families may not condone to any of those things, but there are too many families that do agree that it’s the patriarch’s decision of who marries who and who does what.