Purchase Behavior Of Consumers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Purchase Behavior Of Consumers - Assignment Example The current sample is predominantly female, composing 83% of the sample. On the other hand, the remainder 17% are males. On civil status, the sample consists of 32% married respondents, and 68% single respondents.   The profile of the sample in terms of age is as follows: 25-

Listen actively Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Listen actively - Essay Example Listening to Olivia my childhood friend becomes a task when she has full five minutes to speak and I could not utter a word. Initial one-two minutes went good and I focused as much as I could, but the rest three were impossible to pass. She had been reading Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code and since, I have already read it before; the story entailed minimal interest for me. Secondly, I was having this surging urge to check my cell phone for facebook, twiter, email, messages updates. Overall, this experience taught me I am not a good listener and I rather like to interrupt the speaker to add my piece of mind. On the other hand, Olivia is good at listening according to her those five minutes were significant. Since, I shared my thoughts about bullying issues, which I have been facing in the school lately. I must say it feels refreshing to be listened intently and I shared the stuff, which I was not intending to share with her. Question 2: Recalled an encounter in which you were saying something important but the other person gave you negative feedback. How did the feedback affect your communication? Your relationship? Is negative feedback ever appropriate? If so, under which circumstances? I was out with a friend in the mall and we were just discussing some relationship issues she recently had. I do not like to share my personal issues with people as they do not understand how I establish actions to secure myself. After more than half an hour of sharing done by her, she started asking me a lot of questions. Initially, I tried to give secure answers by not giving answers which would depict me as a loser about my situation, but later on I shared a bit of my dilemma. Exactly after my sharing she abruptly started concluding pessimistically the whole story without empathizing. Her negative feedback made me more defensive and I got a little angry too and eventually this made me regret the sharing I did. For the next time, I

Study On The Marshall Plan

Study On The Marshall Plan The Marshall Plan officially known as the European Recovery Program or ERP, it was the primary program during 1947-51 to assist with aid. The United States rebuilt and created a stronger economic democracy for the countries of Europe. At the end of World War II, the United States went on a venture to rebuild Europe. General Marshall went all across the Continent to villages, towns and cities that had been pounded in to rubble. The transportation system was unreliable after the war. Bridges, roads and railroads lay wrecked and destroyed. Germany was ruined. Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and other European countries had been badly damaged. Millions of men, women, and children had been killed. Millions more struggled just to find food to eat and a dry place to sleep at night. Britain faced a desperate shortage of coal and electrical power. Trade was deceased, and factories had been crippled across Europe. Farms, mines and manufacturing concerns struggled to provide food, shelter, and clothing. Europe was starved for capital to reinvest in industry. They needed capital with which to relieve a crippling debt burden, and capital to enable Europeans to get their people back to work and adequately feed them. Reconstruction required products from the United States, and the Europeans simply did not have the dollars to purchase such material. The Marshall Plan was set up because of the economic disaster in Europe. It was the coldest winter in the record in1947. People died of starvation or either froze the death. General Marshall wasnt pleased with the conditions that these countries were in. He spoke with President Truman and said the world turn communist if its not jumped started. (Milward, 1945-51.) George Marshall (who had served as a general in the U.S. Army during the war) had been appointed U.S. secretary of state. The tragedies of the European situation became more aware to American leadership. A small recovery was already on its way, fueled by a little publicity of aid from America, mainly in the form of loans, fuel, raw material, goods, wheat, and US machinery to help get factories get back on their feet. The transport system was helped by rebuilding transport system through advis ers. They also had a very large number of Norwegian fishermen, wool for Australian weavers and new tractors for farmers. From July 1945 until December 1947 America funded roughly $11 billion into Europe. (The Marshall Plan, 2008). But this aid oriented toward relief and was largely unfocused. It had not achieved the progress that had been hoped for. A more coherent and effective approach was necessary. In March 1947 Secretary Marshall attended the foreign ministers conference in Moscow. Political and economic developments were not promising. Alarmed at the failure of the conference, on his return from Moscow Mr. Marshall declared that the patience is sinking while the doctors deliberate. (Martin Schain (ed.), 2008) Over the next six weeks the secretary set his department working hard to come up with a workable solution. The plan that eventually emerged was simple and broke new ground. America provided aid to European countries for years and agrees to respond cooperatively. Remarkable as it may seem from a Cold War perspective, this plan even envisioned including the Soviet Union and its newly Eastern European satellites. The goals were straight forward and alleviate the dollar shortage. This provided a catalyst for recovery to head off any provided many solutions. This act alleviated communist threat. The new program would target construction, investment, and new technology. It would include and involve advisers in economic modernization. America wanted a rebuilt Europe, in which nations would act together and cooperate as the American states had done for decades. This new aid would be issued over several years and targeted in a way that would help alleviate balance-of-payments problems. The economies progressed productively and cooperated between capital and labor across the region. This plan was publicized as a hand-up, not a hand out. (Martin Schain (ed.), 2008). On June 5, 1947 George Marshall launched the program during Harvard University graduation ceremony. Marshall described the dangerous situations in Europe and laid out the rationale for American involvement in nothing less than to lend a hand to help rebuild Europe. In what has been called the ultimate commencement address, Marshall argued that Europe must have substantial additional help or face economic, social and political deterioration of a very grave character. (The Marshall Plan, 2008). He thought it was only logical that the United States should do whatever it takes to assist in the return of normal economic health in suffering countries, without the help he felt there wasnt going to be any political stability and no assured peace. He made his point for why his plan was needed: The policy is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos. The main purpose of the project was to be a partnership. It would be neither fitting nor efficacious for this government to undertake or to draw up a program designed to place Europe on its feet economically. The State Department was concerned about the speech they felt as if it was understated and short on specifics. By this American publicity was silent. Many peopled failed at first to grasp the importance of the discloser and didnt quite understand what was really going on. However, this was not the case in Europe. British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin heard Marshalls radio broadcast speech and immediately contacted French Foreign Minister George Bidault to begin preparing a quick European response to accept the offer. The two agreed that it would be necessary to invite the Soviets as the other allied power. When the Soviet ambassador in Washington saw the plans as creating an anti-Soviet bloc, Joseph Stalin felt that the Soviets should take the offer. Stalin directed the negotiations to be held in Paris regarding the aid; countries in the Eastern Bloc must not agree to accept economic conditions. Stalin changed his prospective on things when he learned that funds would be extended only on a willingness to accept economic cooperation and the catch was that Germany would also be extended more aid, from this he thought that this would wreck the Soviets ability to influence in Western Germany. Stalin suspected a possibility that these Eastern Bloc countries might defy Soviet directives not to accept the aid, potentially causing a loss of control in the Eastern Bloc. In addition, the most important condition was that every country to join the plan would need to have its economic situation independently, but the Soviets could not agree. Bevin and Bidault also insisted that any aid be accompanied by the creation of a unified European economy. But progress was slow, and it took two months to draft a suitable plan. Not until December was the first official version of the plan submitted to Congress. The Marshall Plan, officially called the European Recovery Program, came into being on April 3, 1948. The United States Congress passed the new law and called it the Economic Cooperation Act, which outlined a great program of European aid. By the end of 1952 the Marshall Plan had grossed more than $13 billion in funds to rescue Europe and settle it back on its feet. This was about five to ten percent of the U.S. federal budget and two percent of gross national products. The plan served as a stimulus package to expand European agricultural and industrial production; it helped restore budgets and finances; it stimulated trade among European countries and the rest of the world. The United States wanted to be the first to help with the redevelopment of Europe, by 1949 it became the policy of the Marshall Plan to encourage the unification of Europe. The Marshall Plan was the containment of communism. By rescuing, Europe, America hoped to change the political and economic landscape that communism would to cease economic issues. The Marshall Plan dramatically strengthened the role of American power and prestige in Europe. It played its part in paving the way for the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949, which bought the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into existence. America saw that a partnership between itself and a strong, united Europe, sharing the same essential values o f freedom and democracy, provided the best means to cease communism and other regional and global problems. The Marshall Plan is considered by many to have been the most effective of all American foreign-aid-programs. It succeeded in preventing the deteriorations of European economies and in so doing helped cease communism. The spirit of George Marshall lives on as America and Europe work toward the same grand vision of shaping the peace, freedom, and prosperity of the world based on democratic values.

The Ethics of Cloning :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

The Ethical Questions of Cloning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   A couple that had been married for only two years was in a terrible car accident.  Ã‚   The wife walked away with a few cuts and bruises.   The husband, however was unconscious when the paramedics arrived.   He went into a coma shortly after arriving at the nearby hospital. He came out of the coma but was never to be the same again.   It turns out that when he was in the accident he had severe head trauma, and would be a vegetable the rest of his life.   He could not take part in the reproduction of children.   The wife is now distraught because they will never have children together.   She heard about the possibility of cloning and believes that it is the only way that she will ever have children.   Is it so?    Introduction The ethics of human cloning has become a great issue in the past few years.   The advocates for both sides of the issue have many reasons to clone or not to clone.   This is an attempt to explore the pros and cons of human cloning and to provide enough information of both sides of the arguments in order for the reader to make their own informed decision on whether human cloning is ethical or not.   Cloning will first be defined.   Then a brief explanation of why questions concerning cloning humans have arisen will be presented.   Some things cannot be known for sure unless it is tested, i.e., human cloning is allowed. Followed by that, a discussion of the facts and opinions that support cloning will be presented and then the same against cloning.   Please remember that not all of this has proven true nor is able to be proven yet, but has simply been argued as a scientific hypothesis.   Finally, my own personal opinion will be stated.       Defining Human Cloning When speaking of human cloning, what is meant?   Different groups and organizations define it differently.   To use a specific definition, the American Medical Association (AMA) defined cloning as "the production of genetically identical organisms via somatic cell nuclear transfer.   'Somatic cell nuclear transfer' refers to the process which the nucleus of a somatic cell of an existing organism is transferred into an oocyte from which the nucleus has been removed" (Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs 1).   In other words, cloning is the method of produce a baby that has the same genes as its parent. The Ethics of Cloning :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics The Ethical Questions of Cloning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   A couple that had been married for only two years was in a terrible car accident.  Ã‚   The wife walked away with a few cuts and bruises.   The husband, however was unconscious when the paramedics arrived.   He went into a coma shortly after arriving at the nearby hospital. He came out of the coma but was never to be the same again.   It turns out that when he was in the accident he had severe head trauma, and would be a vegetable the rest of his life.   He could not take part in the reproduction of children.   The wife is now distraught because they will never have children together.   She heard about the possibility of cloning and believes that it is the only way that she will ever have children.   Is it so?    Introduction The ethics of human cloning has become a great issue in the past few years.   The advocates for both sides of the issue have many reasons to clone or not to clone.   This is an attempt to explore the pros and cons of human cloning and to provide enough information of both sides of the arguments in order for the reader to make their own informed decision on whether human cloning is ethical or not.   Cloning will first be defined.   Then a brief explanation of why questions concerning cloning humans have arisen will be presented.   Some things cannot be known for sure unless it is tested, i.e., human cloning is allowed. Followed by that, a discussion of the facts and opinions that support cloning will be presented and then the same against cloning.   Please remember that not all of this has proven true nor is able to be proven yet, but has simply been argued as a scientific hypothesis.   Finally, my own personal opinion will be stated.       Defining Human Cloning When speaking of human cloning, what is meant?   Different groups and organizations define it differently.   To use a specific definition, the American Medical Association (AMA) defined cloning as "the production of genetically identical organisms via somatic cell nuclear transfer.   'Somatic cell nuclear transfer' refers to the process which the nucleus of a somatic cell of an existing organism is transferred into an oocyte from which the nucleus has been removed" (Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs 1).   In other words, cloning is the method of produce a baby that has the same genes as its parent.

Health promotion Essay

The 21st century poses vast challenges for public health, with environmental threats, cultural diversity and an ever aging population. The role of health promotion is as important as ever, within this assignment I will look at the issues we face and the techniques used to alter public perception and behaviour. One definition widely highlighted from the World Health Organisation states that health is ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well being’ (WHO 1947). This definition encompasses the indicators of poor health but does seem to view health as something that is quite conventional and static. This can be contrasted to a definition from Parsons who defines health as ‘the state of optimum capacity for an individual for the effective performance of the roles and tasks for which they have been socialised’ (Parsons 1971). Here we are viewing health as something maintained to the standard needed for us to perform our lifestyles. Health promotion is of great apprehension not only for the NHS but also many other groups that are involved in health care such as social, environmental and welfare practices. At its core is the intention of empowering individuals and communities to allow greater control of their health by providing information, education and support. Varying methods and strategies are used to change people’s perceptions of health, with the aim of working toward the creation of stronger communities and improved future health for all. The health belief model emphasises the function of beliefs and perceptions in human decision making. Originally developed by Rosenstock in 1966 it looks to predict patterns in health behaviour, such as willingness to partake in vaccinations and act upon health advice. It suggests that the factors that govern an individual changing their behaviour are based around an assessment  of how feasible change is and the benefits provided. It puts forward the idea that people need relevance or a trigger to initiate decision making (Naidoo, Wills 1994). This model incorporates Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy. This suggests that an individual must believe they have the capability and insight to see an intended behaviour change through (Bandura 1991). The empowerment model seeks to expand the individual’s capability to control their own health. This model facilitates a move toward change by building an individual’s sense of worth and identity, allowing them to indentify their own health concerns (Naidoo, Wills 1994). It aims to develop decision making and problem solving skills, giving the individual the tools needed to see changes through with independent thought and action. This model can be very effective for young people who sometimes struggle to make independent decisions and are susceptible to peer and environmental pressures. There is a strong relationship between employment and health. The main negative being occupational ill health, this can be an issue for many people working within manual job roles, as well as people working in stressful high pressure environments. It’s shown that having little or no control over work processes and being in lower positions can contribute to ill health (Marmot et al 2006). Unemployment is of a greater risk to ill health than employment, moving people into work can be seen as a health promotion in its own right. Employment brings higher living standards, more disposable income, improved confidence and wellbeing. Gender is still a large determinant, men generally work in more manual roles and take poorer care of their health overall. Loosing work can actually double the risk of a middle aged man dying within the following five years. Evidently there are strong links between employment and men’s wellbeing. Men over the age of 65 are also three and a half times more at risk of developing coronary heart disease than women (DH, 1998). Men’s life expectancy still lags behind that of women and within Europe there are large inequalities in life expectancy. These differences are greatest in men, where as the difference between the best and worst countries for male life expectancy is 17 years, for women it is 12 (BBC, 2013). Clearly there ar e health inequalities within gender that need to be addressed. The promotional campaign stoptober is clearly targeted toward working classes; the majority of the subjects pictured are in uniforms that are associated with lower paid roles. There is evidence to  suggest that smoking related deaths are higher amongst poorer social classes (ASH, 2006). The branding used is very simple and appeals to people’s logic through the use planning, note making and goals toward quitting. This appeals to the individual and gives a greater sense of empowerment and personal involvement in the process of creating change. The campaign seems to utilise the stages of change model, the process is broken down into stages and encourages involvement in the planning process. Initially encouraging the participant to write down why they are taking part (contemplation) and then take part in a planning process (preparing to change) along with accepting extra support (Prochaska, DiClemente 1992). Evidence from studies shows that when people are involved in a planning process there is a higher probability they will succeed (McLeod, Clark 1993). There is no mention of the harms of smoking and shock tactics are not used. Raising awareness of the dangers is clearly not enough and more personal tactics are used. With addictive habits highlighting the negative consequences does not seem to help create behavioural change, clearly ‘short term gratification is a greater incentive than long term harm’ (Nanidoo, Wills, 1996, pg 182). There is a very collaborative feel behind the promotional material with comments like ‘you’re not in this alone’ and ‘were with you all the way’. There is clear intent to show that the task of quitting is achievable and by anyone. As Bandura states ‘seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers beliefs that they too possess the capabilities to succeed’ (Bandura 1994). This is clearly a core strategy of this campaign, when we see someone succeeding this helps to increase own self efficacy. Health has broad range of definitions and many see health as an all encompassing ideal state. Some however acknowledge that a functional state of health can be achieved despite the presence of illness or disease. The role of health promotion is to help people work towards their personal health potential, at the same time reducing the strain on services. With the recent rises in poverty there is clearly demand for new and effective health promotions. Stoptober meets these needs well by using tried and tested health promotion techniques. It is an effective and socially relevant campaign and last years figures of ‘160 000’ quitters speaks volumes on its success. Word count 1100 References ASH (2006) Major Online Mapping Project Shows ‘Iron Chain’ Between Smoking and Deprivation http://www.ash.org.uk/media-room/press-releases/major-online-mapping-project-shows-iron-chain-between-smoking-and-deprivation. (Accessed 02/11/13) Bandura, A. (1991). Self-efficacy mechanism in physiological activation and preventing behaviours. Cambridge University press Bandura, A. (1995). Self-efficacy in changing societies. Cambridge University Press BBC (2013) European men lag behind in life expectancy. (Online). Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21760905 (Accessed 03/11/13) Boseley,S. (2006) Iron chain links smoking and poverty. Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/oct/09/smoking.socialexclusion (accessed 02/11/13) Current Nursing. (2012) Stages of change model (Online): Available at: http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/transtheoretical_model.html Davidson, N. Lloyd, T. (2001) Promoting Men’s Health: A guide for practitioners. Harcourt Publishers Naidoo, J. Wills, J. (1994) Health Promotion: Foundations for practice. London. Bailliere Tindall Marmot,M. Wilkinson, R. (2006) Social Determinants of Health, 2nd Edition. Oxford. Oxford University Press. NHS, Smokefree. (2013). Sto ptober. (Online).Available at: http://www. http://smokefree.nhs.uk/stoptober/. (Accessed 25/10/13) NHS, Smokefree (2013) Stoptober (leaflet) (Accessed 14/10/13) Ogden, J. (2012) Health Phychology: A Textbook. Berkshire. Open University Press. Prochaska J, DiClemente C, Norcross, J (1992). In search of how people change: Applications to Addictive Behaviours. American Psychologist, Vol. 47, No 9 Tones, K. Tilford, S. (2001) Health promotion: Effectiveness, efficiency and equity. Cheltenham. Nelson Thornes WHO, (2013). World Health Organisation. (Online).Available at: http://www.who.int/en/. (Accessed 23/10/13)

Karnani and Prahalad

IN YOUR OPINION, which arguments you prefer: Karnani’s or Prahalad’s? Why? The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramide (F. BOP – Prahalad’s article) defend the idea that if MNC’s can succeed in the BOP market their potential rewards, such as growth, profits and contributions to human kind will be prodigious. This challenging opportunity is created due to the characteristics of an unsaturated market (e. g. ize) which required affordability, availability, awareness and access. The Mirage at the Bottom of the Pyramid (M. BOP – Karnani’s article) defend a different perspective from Prahalad’s arguing mainly that the BOP market is composed by 2. 7 billion of poors instead of 4 billion; that the fortune at BOP is a misleading notion due to high cost for MNC’s, poors’ purchasing power, fallacy of â€Å"affordability† and the uncorrect exemplifications in Prahalad’s article (e. g. Casas Bahia).Moreover, the art icle defend that it is not only crucial to raise poor’s income creating employment or lowering prices decreasing quality but also to create productivity, efficient markets, increase poor’s capabilities and freedom, make social and cultural changes and transform the role of government. Firstly, it is not possible to precise the size of the BOP market and therefore authors can use the more convenient source of data. In my opinion, the dimension the BOP market (4 billion or 2. billion) is in both cases relevant for MNC’s, comparing with saturated markets where they operate, which have the pressure to growth trough new markets or trough new products in order to survive. Also, the BOP opportunity has not only to do with profits but with gaining efficiency and innovation. Secondly, in my opinion, the poor consumer is not â€Å"fooled† to think that small size products are cheaper but they do not have another option. Therefore, give them the possibility of choos ing others items (e. g smaller products) is a way to provide them, at least, the capacity for a daily consumption.Thirdly, all individuals have different consumption needs and therefore they can be prioritized differently. In my opinion, no interdiction or change can be made to avoid poor’s relatively bad consumption since it is more a matter of culture, habits and preferences than a lack of information. In the long term run, with the development of the country, the poor consumer will naturally change its consumption. The lack of information, mentioned before, is used by Karnani to explain the vulnerability of the poor consumer.Nevertheless, when Karnani defend that the BOP market prefers cheaper but lower quality products (e. g. Nirma) even if it can cause blisters, he seems to disregard the fact that consumers are not well-informed and may not know about potential effects. How can the poor consumer not have enough knowledge to understand the trade-off between buying two dif ferent products or the trade-off between small-size and price but have enough education to understand about the price-quality/safety trade-off?In my opinion, in this explanation, Karnani demonstrate some inconsistency in his arguments. Furthermore, I agree with the notion of â€Å"The poors as producers† but in order to be achieving it is necessary to have financial and governmental support, a minimum of infrastructures available, etc. Both articles make a reference about the importance of the employment creation, the productivity and the role of government which is without doubt crucial for the development of the BOP market.Finally, I can conclude that I prefer Prahalad’s perspective because he takes into account both consumption and production in order to achieve poverty alleviation in which multiple players are involved (e. g. NGOs, governamental authorities and other companies) and not only MNC’s. Also, in my opinion, creating the ability to consume is a way to create potential disposable income and original and lucrative markets. In that sense, F.BOP article, perceive and describe the development of the BOP market more as a complex and detailed process in which companies are still beginners and therefore still learning, improving and innovating. In addition, Prahalad’s article makes reference to more deterministic arguments and solutions. Nevertheless, even if I prefer Prahalad arguments I am conscient that there is still much to be resolved and improved. (e. g. environmental concerns)

Friends with The Quiet Kid †Creative Writing Essay

Friends with The Quiet Kid – Creative Writing Essay Free Online Research Papers Friends with The Quiet Kid Creative Writing Essay How was it that started our fateful friendship? As I remembered, it was the beginning of middle school when I was eager to meet new people yet, at the same time, was afraid to approach anyone. Even as a little girl, I was never a sociable person. Being born into an Asian family, it was idealistic to be a talented while also being an outgoing kid because it was the way for others to even acknowledge a person’s existence. Nobody wanted to be friends with the quiet kid; that was what I learned from elementary school first grade in Taiwan. In addition, the one who wore the nicest clothes was the one whom everyone should exclude in their â€Å"list† of friends because of their simple jealousy. The quiet kid was depicted as the â€Å"weirdo,† which serves as the perfect target for the big bullies of the class. And I was the obvious example. However, despite all this, there was one girl that overlooked the outside appearances of mine and chooses to be friend with me. One day, I gained the courage to finally stand up to the bullies. As a result, I have befriended them and they even offered to be my body guards. Considering that I was only in first grade, the offering of body guards was like an honor to me. However, now looking back, I see how silly we all were. Nonetheless, the girl w ho stood by me later became my best friend. Although I have gone through the loneliness of my childhood and learned the value of friendship, one thing for certain that I have not lost is the reserved characteristic of mine. And it is two years later that I learned that I must leave Taiwan to go to school in America. Even then, the same feeling of being unwanted came back to haunt me. To my surprise, when I continued elementary school in a small city of California I found that people were very generous and wanted to get to know me. The matter of difference of each individual was not as important as I thought it would have been like. And forever gone was my worry about being different. Going on to middle school, as I said, was full of excitement as I was eager to meet new people with hopes in becoming more outgoing. However, my shyness continued to overtake my intentions. At the same time, the use of AIM was also gradually becoming popular among the students. Even I, who found opportunity to meet new people in its use, downloaded the program. In the beginning I did not acknowledge the detrimental effect of the use of AIM in building friendships. I was only concerned about getting new screen names, â€Å"chatting† by means of entering words through the lifeless keyboard, and then greeting them the next day with an awkward â€Å"hi†. Soon enough, online chatting was the way for many, not just me, to keep in touch with one another. The expressionless messages and the counterfeited smiley faces was the way we communicated our thoughts and expressed our emotions. As I have observed, this builds a shaky foundation for many friendships and many friendships a re now judged as ephemeral. Friendships should not have begun in this manner, not through the deceiving messages sent from computer to computer. Expectedly, I now face the same consequences result from years of online communications. I realized what’s left in a friendship built upon internet usage is only emptiness. The same genuine friendship from my childhood cannot be attained by shortcuts. Each friendship has its own story and all cannot begin with AIM or other similar source. These sources mask over our true self as well as prevent us from being unique. This experience taught me never to let anything hold back from the desire to change myself or to take shortcuts in life. Research Papers on Friends with The Quiet Kid - Creative Writing EssayStandardized TestingQuebec and CanadaThe Spring and AutumnAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionHip-Hop is ArtThe Hockey GamePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

Free Essays on The Legend Of The Black Bayoy

â€Å"Are you listening?† the old man wheezed with a raspy voice. â€Å"Uh yeah, yeah I'm listening. I’m turning the recorder on right now, Mr. Taylor.† Dave said as he pushed the record button and readjusted his thin rimmed glasses. He looked around the hospital room for a glass of water and found it on the bed tray with un-touched hospital meatloaf. Taking a swig and then readjusting his tie, he leaned back in his chair and grabbed a legal pad and then clicked his pen. â€Å"Go right ahead Mr. Taylor† said Dave looking ready to write. The truth was he wasn’t going to write much. He was going to let the tape recorder record everything this old man had to say, type it word for word, hand it to him, then collect his check. More or less that was the agreement, so that was what he was going to do. Thinking about all of the graduate homework that actually demands some creativity and some punctuality come soon, made him regret taking this guy up on his offer. But, $5,000 would cover a semester, and it’s only a couple of days work. Besides, this guy's got what, a week or two to live; he won’t care if it’s that good or not. Mr. Taylor elevated his seat to make himself level with the young man. At first he was looking down, the old skin sagging with gravity, but as the bed reached its highest point he turns. His eyes are a dark and empty stare. Almost hollow. His hand slowly rose up, up to his head, moving his fingers where his hair used to be, as if it were still there. â€Å"I used to own a convertible you know. A baby blue Cadillac convertible. It was a gift for being the best salesman in the region. The only state in the south that I hadn’t sold in yet was Louisiana. So when they asked me if I would like to work down there for a bit, I thought it would be fun. Go down to New Orleans, go gator hunten, meet some new girls.† said Mr. Taylor as he smiled. â€Å"My little brother had just graduated high school, so I got him ... Free Essays on The Legend Of The Black Bayoy Free Essays on The Legend Of The Black Bayoy â€Å"Are you listening?† the old man wheezed with a raspy voice. â€Å"Uh yeah, yeah I'm listening. I’m turning the recorder on right now, Mr. Taylor.† Dave said as he pushed the record button and readjusted his thin rimmed glasses. He looked around the hospital room for a glass of water and found it on the bed tray with un-touched hospital meatloaf. Taking a swig and then readjusting his tie, he leaned back in his chair and grabbed a legal pad and then clicked his pen. â€Å"Go right ahead Mr. Taylor† said Dave looking ready to write. The truth was he wasn’t going to write much. He was going to let the tape recorder record everything this old man had to say, type it word for word, hand it to him, then collect his check. More or less that was the agreement, so that was what he was going to do. Thinking about all of the graduate homework that actually demands some creativity and some punctuality come soon, made him regret taking this guy up on his offer. But, $5,000 would cover a semester, and it’s only a couple of days work. Besides, this guy's got what, a week or two to live; he won’t care if it’s that good or not. Mr. Taylor elevated his seat to make himself level with the young man. At first he was looking down, the old skin sagging with gravity, but as the bed reached its highest point he turns. His eyes are a dark and empty stare. Almost hollow. His hand slowly rose up, up to his head, moving his fingers where his hair used to be, as if it were still there. â€Å"I used to own a convertible you know. A baby blue Cadillac convertible. It was a gift for being the best salesman in the region. The only state in the south that I hadn’t sold in yet was Louisiana. So when they asked me if I would like to work down there for a bit, I thought it would be fun. Go down to New Orleans, go gator hunten, meet some new girls.† said Mr. Taylor as he smiled. â€Å"My little brother had just graduated high school, so I got him ...

Building Blocks Lesson

Building Blocks Lesson I have a story to tell, and I want to do it in one-liner bullets. The lesson is clear. See if you note the trend: My lesson = Began writing mysteries. = Finally published a mystery. = Joined Sisters in Crime (SinC) to be with other lady mystery writers. = Became a moderator for SinC to be seen and remembered as a lady mystery writer. = Was invited to help start a local South Carolina chapter of Sisters in Crime. = A year into the local chapter, the president said libraries were seeking authors to speak. = I immediately applied, spending much time on the application. = The library had a grant to hire writing teachers. I knew grants and volunteered time to get it off the ground. = I was selected = The SC State Library asked me to do videos for a website for those who could not attend for payment. = Another county library heard of me and asked me to teach their group, expanding the grant for payment. = One of the librarians suggested I apply for the SC Humanities Speakers Bureau for when the grant was over. = I applied and was accepted for the Speakers Bureau . . . because of my new library reputation. = A library in the next state heard of the library program and invited me for four (paid) appearances. = Another library not on the grant asked me to appear, at the recommendation of the State Library, and applied to the Speakers Bureau to pay for it. . . . and that was just up to this week. Im sure the momentum is still in play.   All too often we become one of two types of writers when it comes to our platforms and self-promotion: 1) The control freak who thinks theyll keep a grip on every turn in the road and determine all outcomes, or 2) The uncertain soul who lets their journey flap in the wind, headed in whatever direction someone else steers them. The best situation falls someplace in between. Keep your options open, but when you see an opportunity, snap it up. Every person in my SinC group had the opportunity I did. None capitalized on it. I saw an opportunity to spread my name in South Carolina in an attempt to saturate local notoriety, instead of thinking I have to become known nationally first. I didnt wait for them to tell me what to do as a speaker. Instead I suggested topics, aiding with promotion, and becoming friends with the librarians who are always seeking opportunities for their members. That friendship resulted in joining the SC Humanities Bureau. And the ball keeps rolling. Do not think you know everything about your writing career. And dont be afraid to try something new to aid your cause. Opportunity is everywhere . . . just everywhere. The art is seeing it, and courting it, and putting it in your pocket instead of wondering for days and weeks if you ought to do something you never have before. Trust yourself. Be excited about stepping out. Watch your confidence soar, and amazingly, those around you will want to soak up that confidence and invite you into their world.

MBTI - Teams and Leadership (Management and Leadership - A Continuum) Essay

MBTI - Teams and Leadership (Management and Leadership - A Continuum) - Essay Example In teams people work together, attempting to maximize each team member’s special talents, thereby minimizing gaps in knowledge and skills. CURRENT STUDY In the current study, the group supervisor/ leader type is ESFP. The ESFP, i.e. me, is a salesperson manager at the Qatar National Bank (QNB). The team/group that I am leading as a supervisor is termed as the ESTJ. ESFP’s are energetic and highly enthusiastic leaders. Talking about ESFPs Myers (1993) is quoted as saying, â€Å"They live in the present moment and extract every joy they can get from it, whether it is in case of interacting with people or animals, activities or world around them, etc.† (p.17) At their best ESFPs are excellent team players, motivated to get the task done with a maximum amount of fun and a minimum amount of fuss. This is just the way I, being a leader, am. As an ESFP I am interested in people and new experiences. Because I learn more from practical tasks rather than from studying or r eading, I tend to plunge into things, learning along as I go. Being a supervisor I appreciate my possessions and take pleasure in them. Generally, ESFPs make decisions by using their personal values. Therefore, I also use my internal Feeling of judgment to make decisions by identifying and empathizing with others. I am good at interpersonal interactions and often play the role of peacemaker. (Myers, 1993) When looking at a larger perspective, ESTJ teams have impulsively energetic environments. This is similar to the team working under me. As ESFP leaders lead teams in a comfortable way because of their dominant feeling I feel very comfortable in controlling my ESTJ team. As an ESFP leader I look for practical solutions. Being a leader I am quick enough to analyze the current requirements and then assess what is coming just next. It is convenient for me to it blended with my ESTJ team’s clear performance expectations. My EDTJ team is good at achieving practical results, and ke eping the core issue in sight. This strengthens the overall team performance of my ESTJ team and also our supervisor/team relationship. This, in turn, helps to achieve the sales targets for QNB. Communication may be more flexible and interactive beneficial for both the supervisor, i.e. me, and the team as on one hand ESFPs can easily be distracted by any new piece/s of information and on the other ESTJ teams reject new ideas and are not inclined to accept new trends. This results in a more focused communication that assists in decision making process as well. The above scenario may lead to negligence of important facts, thus, resulting in failure to consider important stakeholders. This indicates a possible blind spot in case of failure to achieve the desired results. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Team Report (1994) states, â€Å"Type theory predicts that when teams solve problems, they tend to rely on their favorite preferences more than on the others. ESTJ team’s problem-sol ving process may, therefore, look something like this: Thinking first, Sensing next then Intuition and Feeling least. The T helps to analyze, dissect, debate, create or apply

Gender Differences and Similarities between the United States and Term Paper

Gender Differences and Similarities between the United States and Afghanistan - Term Paper Example The society in the US has undergone great transformation overtime while that of Afghanistan has resisted the forces of globalization with small changes taking place over time1. This term paper focuses on the gender differences and similarities between the United States and Afghanistan. Most of the differences between these two nations are founded on the differences between the traditional customary practices in Afghanistan and the modern setting of the American society. As a result, there exist many differences between the gender roles in both countries than similarities. Gender Differences and Similarities between the United States and Afghanistan There have been consistent principles in the Afghanistan society in matters concerning gender role. The principles reveal differences between genders in regards to the roles of the women and men in the society. On the other side, in US, there exist differences between the both genders and there are limited differences between the roles pla yed by men and women. Gender reforms have continued in US overtime, and are supported by most of the citizens. Contrary, in Afghanistan gender reforms have been limited despite the existence of contentious issues that need to be changed2. Since American gained independence in 1776, the gender reforms have continued to be implemented and the reforms are geared towards guarantying gender equality. In Afghanistan, the gender reforms that have faced great resistance, and are responsible for the 1929 fall of King Amanullah for his support of gender reforms3. The differences and similarities between the two distinct societies are displayed by the society level of transformation, acceptance, or rejection of change. The governments in the two nations have also played a critical role in the differences and similarities. Whereas the US is a democratic federal presidential constitutional republic, the Afghanistan has recently adopted a democratic government; in 2004, and the gender reforms are still underway but in a slow rate. More so, the number of major political parties in Afghanistan is nine whereas in US, they are two major parties. The number of political parties reveals the degree of democracy and the ease with which the government can make and implement policies. Similarities between the men and women in the United States and Afghanistan Despites resistance by some individuals who are non-reformist, a number of the Afghanistan women along with those of American origin have been allowed by their respective constitutions to serve in the public offices. However, those of Afghan origin are few because it comprises only those in the urban centers and can have access to higher education. More so, the Afghanistan education system mostly encourages education of the boy child. Majority of the American women have equal education and employment opportunity as the men. Many of the women work in senior public and private positions. Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Condoleez za Rice are among the most senior women public servants in the US history. In Afghanistan, very few women serve in senior government positions since most are not sufficiently educated and the educated are discriminated by the male dominated society4. Irrespective of that fact, reforms are taking place and it is expected that the effective equal employment opportunity for all gender will be achieved in the future. In reference to their

Evidence to Critically Discuss the Potential Consequences of Essay

Evidence to Critically Discuss the Potential Consequences of Implementing ERP Systems - Essay Example into a single information system5, ensure that financial data is consistent with other departments on a real-time basis6, improve resource planning, enhance the integration of global and supply chain system, and requires less computer applications7. Most of the routine accounting tasks will no longer be necessary8. Therefore, it is expected that there will be lesser cost on hiring accounting staff. Furthermore, the use of ERP can help reduce the risk of data redundancy. Therefore, problems related to financial integrity is possible. Due to the fact that real-time financial data will be available anytime of the day, managers can easily make important business decisions9. Despite the advantages of implementing ERPs, the use of this technology can be very costly because of the need to maintain and upgrade the system, hire additional consultants and technical experts who can convert existing data and customize the system based on the nature of business10. Aside from the need to re-train people on how to maximize the use of ERP system, the company also need to consider the need to change their normal business process. 11. Implementing the use of ERP could result to lesser accounting personnel by eliminating routine jobs12. Because of fear of losing their job security, implementing ERP increases the risk of creating resistance-to-change among its people13. As a result, there is a risk wherein internal problem such as work-related attitude and behaviour would arise. How the Role of Management Accountants Change when ERPs were Introduced Ever since the ERP has been introduced in the market, the role of management accountants has been subject to a lot of changes. Instead of focusing on pure book-keeping practices, management accountants who are obliged to use the ERP system are expected to play the role of an â€Å"internal consultant† to the business14. It means that management accountants should one way or the other serve as the financial adviser of the company. Through the use of ERP system, the future book-keeping would definitely become automated in terms of data collection15. Even though management accountants are expected to retain their knowledge in book-keeping, the future role of management accountants is not limited to having a vast knowledge and understanding about the basic business management theories and practices but also strive hard to improve their communication skills, interpersonal skills, consulting skills, IT skills, and ability to work in team16. Associated with the implementation of ERP system, the line managers are somehow expected to play a significant role in the management of allocated financial budget17. To ensure that the management accountants will be able to allocate sufficient budget to line managers, the management accountants should be able to forecast necessary budget based on historical data18. One of the main reasons why management accountants should acquire sufficient knowledge and skills in business management is because of their need to constantly communicate and interact with a group of business managers with regards to several bu siness issues19. By doing so, management accountants will be able to gain better understanding on how different business indicators can be used in gauging the overall business performance. In the process of learning more about how the daily business operations work, management accoun

The Benefits of Using Marijuana for Medical Purposes Research Paper

The Benefits of Using Marijuana for Medical Purposes - Research Paper Example THC happens to be a cannabinoid compound binding to CB1 cannabinoid receptors within the human brain. These cannabinoids tend to mimic endocannabinoids produced in the brain that occur naturally, though they do it with effects that are much more powerful. CB1 receptors are within the cerebral cortex mainly the frontal sections, the basal ganglia, the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the hypothalamus. There are experimental illustrations of the outcomes of THC by the use of animal studies, as well as in vitro human studies. The performance of THC is through inhibiting the discharge of neurotransmitters, comprising of L-glutamate, acetylcholine, GABA, 5-HT, noradrenaline, and dopamine. Though endocannabinoids tend to be rapidly inactivated through the enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase, there are exogenous cannabinoids like, which persist for longer periods of time, leading to the noted physiological effects (Masson, Leavitt & Chaffee, 2011). Benefits of Medical marijuana It is impossible to list all the medicinal, as well as medical benefits of marijuana since they are so many; people all over the world are standing up for their rights for the incorporation of holistic, natural medicines so as to remedy their ailments. With the help of modern technologies, the numerous medicinal benefits associated with marijuana are ever-increasingly turning out to be integrated into the same fabric of worldwide societies all over the world. Marijuana helps in the treatment of conditions, which in most cases are side effects of certain diseases including reduction of stress, thwarting depression and battling the effects of an astounding number of diseases, as well as other adverse health conditions. Below are some of the most remarkable, medicinal marijuana that is clinically-proven. In order to understand these benefits, it is appropriate to analyze some of the diseases leading to these side effects (Gerber, 2004). a) AIDS: Studies show that a qu arter of all AIDS patients is using cannabis as a way of pain or anxiety relief, in curbing nausea, and in helping in the improvement of their appetites since medical marijuana has anti-emetic, as well as analgesic properties, which tend to be beneficial in treating HIV and AIDS-related symptoms.  Ã‚  

American Judicial Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Judicial Structure - Essay Example Finally, the federal courts are also limited by hierarchal considerations. There are trial courts, designated Federal District Courts, intermediate courts of appeal, and the United States Supreme Court. As one moves up the hierarchy, the federal courts have increasing discretion to hear or to reject cases and controversies. To be sure, the United States Supreme Court actually accepts very few of the cases submitted to it for resolution. The findings and holdings of the courts lower in the hierarchy thus become final and binding. In sum, although the federal courts are empowered to hear and to decide many types of cases there are very real limitations. These limitations, or gaps, are in large part filled by the separate state court systems. 1.2 State Courts State courts are vested with the responsibility of deciding conflicts and controversies under a state's constitution and other laws. There are similarities with the federal system to the extant that state courts are also limited by geographical, subject matter, and hierarchal considerations. The trial courts tend to be divided into courts of limited jurisdiction and general jurisdiction. Local governments tend to create and administer the trial courts of limited jurisdiction whereas states control and administer the trial courts of general jurisdiction. The limited jurisdiction courts are extraordinarily numerous, more than 13,500 in the United States (Neubauer, 2005: 82), and are excluded from the scope of this essay. From the strict point of view of the state, courts are divided into trial courts, appellate courts, and a supreme court. The laws may differ significantly from federal laws to the extant that states may set higher safeguards than those established in the Constitution.. . State courts are vested with the responsibility of deciding conflicts and controversies under a state’s constitution and other laws. There are similarities with the federal system to the extent that state courts are also limited by geographical, subject matter, and hierarchal considerations. The trial courts tend to be divided into courts of limited jurisdiction and general jurisdiction. Local governments tend to create and administer the trial courts of limited jurisdiction whereas states control and administer the trial courts of general jurisdiction. The limited jurisdiction courts are extraordinarily numerous, more than 13,500 in the US, and are excluded from the scope of this essay. From the strict point of view of the state, courts are divided into trial courts, appellate courts, and a supreme court. The laws may differ significantly from federal laws to the extent that states may set higher safeguards than those established in the Constitution or in federal laws. In add ition, federal legislators are empowered to pass federal laws which, in effect, preempt contradictory state laws. This preemption, though sometimes controversial, functions to preserve harmony in the administration of the separate judicial systems. There is, nonetheless, the existence of conflict and it becomes extremely important to draw bright lines separating the two judicial systems. Otherwise, the potential for conflict and court shopping would become a big problem. For the most part, the judicial systems have been kept separate.

Education Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education - Coursework Example The session is followed by a fifteen minutes of group or individual work, which gathers students in order to share the progress of their work. Additionally, students prefer the use of projection slides, as well as handouts in order to complete their presentation. The teacher supervisors, these presentations and group discussions in order to ensure that the content brought to class is relevant to architecture and is helpful to other students (Isenberg & Jalongo, 2010, p. 110). The lesson entails a number of practical lessons where students are involved in some architectural drawing and building and construction works. Cognitive theorists were largely concerned with various changes in the understanding of a student resulting from learning, as well as with the fundamental environmental importance. However, constructivism itself bears a number of variations like cognitive apprenticeship, discovery learning, and generative learning, based learning, and situated learning. Therefore, constructivism promotes the exploration of students within a certain structure or framework. When architecture students are working on a similar task their objectives, goals at times are different, and the discovery theory should be applicable to enable them discover on their own. At the end of every task, students should share their creations and solutions since it helps to motivate them and more importantly, it demonstrates various ways in which a single task can be completed (Kay, 2005, p.79). Group discussions are necessary in developing English, ICT, and mathematics as well as acquiring wider skills. A large number of students easily acquire knowledge when shared by their peers and can easily remember compared to the thing taught in class by a teacher. Architecture students are supposed to present using proper English, which enables students, learn fluent English outside and in class. Students undertake a large number of activities

American Judicial Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Judicial Structure - Essay Example Finally, the federal courts are also limited by hierarchal considerations. There are trial courts, designated Federal District Courts, intermediate courts of appeal, and the United States Supreme Court. As one moves up the hierarchy, the federal courts have increasing discretion to hear or to reject cases and controversies. To be sure, the United States Supreme Court actually accepts very few of the cases submitted to it for resolution. The findings and holdings of the courts lower in the hierarchy thus become final and binding. In sum, although the federal courts are empowered to hear and to decide many types of cases there are very real limitations. These limitations, or gaps, are in large part filled by the separate state court systems. 1.2 State Courts State courts are vested with the responsibility of deciding conflicts and controversies under a state's constitution and other laws. There are similarities with the federal system to the extant that state courts are also limited by geographical, subject matter, and hierarchal considerations. The trial courts tend to be divided into courts of limited jurisdiction and general jurisdiction. Local governments tend to create and administer the trial courts of limited jurisdiction whereas states control and administer the trial courts of general jurisdiction. The limited jurisdiction courts are extraordinarily numerous, more than 13,500 in the United States (Neubauer, 2005: 82), and are excluded from the scope of this essay. From the strict point of view of the state, courts are divided into trial courts, appellate courts, and a supreme court. The laws may differ significantly from federal laws to the extant that states may set higher safeguards than those established in the Constitution.. . State courts are vested with the responsibility of deciding conflicts and controversies under a state’s constitution and other laws. There are similarities with the federal system to the extent that state courts are also limited by geographical, subject matter, and hierarchal considerations. The trial courts tend to be divided into courts of limited jurisdiction and general jurisdiction. Local governments tend to create and administer the trial courts of limited jurisdiction whereas states control and administer the trial courts of general jurisdiction. The limited jurisdiction courts are extraordinarily numerous, more than 13,500 in the US, and are excluded from the scope of this essay. From the strict point of view of the state, courts are divided into trial courts, appellate courts, and a supreme court. The laws may differ significantly from federal laws to the extent that states may set higher safeguards than those established in the Constitution or in federal laws. In add ition, federal legislators are empowered to pass federal laws which, in effect, preempt contradictory state laws. This preemption, though sometimes controversial, functions to preserve harmony in the administration of the separate judicial systems. There is, nonetheless, the existence of conflict and it becomes extremely important to draw bright lines separating the two judicial systems. Otherwise, the potential for conflict and court shopping would become a big problem. For the most part, the judicial systems have been kept separate.

Observing Bacteria Essay Example for Free

Observing Bacteria Essay Abstract: Microscopes are fragile instruments that must be handle with extreme caution as they can produce high quality results when observing the smallest specimens on earth. A microscope must be properly cleaned before use and storage. The different objectives allow for a range of observations. At the highest objectives, the resolution can easily be lost which is why the oil immersion lens is used to minimize refraction. While observing specimens, both dead and active, their shapes and arrangements can be observed. For example, the oil immersion lens can be used to observe the active Streptobacillus bacteria in yogurt. Purpose: The purpose of this lab was to display knowledge of the use of a compound microscope with and without an oil immersion lens while observing and identifying various bacterial shapes and arrangements, including a self prepared yogurt culture. Procedure: Exercise 1: Viewing Prepared Slides 1. After setting up and cleaning all lenses, place the prepared e slide properly on the stage. 2. View the slide under the10x objective by moving it around with the X and Y stage travel knobs then focus it by first using the coarse adjustment followed by the fine adjustment until the view is clear. 3. Adjust the diaphragm to allow enough light for good resolution. 4. After a micrograph is taken, rotate the 10x objective away from the specimen and the 40x over it. Use the fine adjustment knob to bring the specimen back into focus. 5. Repeat the above steps for 6 more specimens. Those viewed and micrographed in this lab are: Amoeba Anabaena Ascaris eggs Paramecium Yeast Penicillium Part 2 of Exercise 1: 1. View 6 more prepared slides by using the oil immersion lens. Follow steps 1-5 above to locate, center, and focus each slide at 10x and 40x. 2. Then swing the 40x objective to its half way position with the 100x objective nearing the slide. 3. Add a drop of provided oil to the slide cover’s surface and slowly swing the 100x objective over. 4. Using the fine adjustment knob bring the specimen into focus and take a micrograph. 5. Repeat this process for 5 more specimens. Those that were micrograph in this lab were: Bacillus Coccus Spirillium Prepared Yogurt Exercise 2: Observing Bacteria Cultures in Yogurt 1. Using a clean sealable glass jar, place a teaspoon of yogurt in the container. 2. Cover the jar and place in a dark, relatively warm areas fro 12-24 hours. 3. Place a sample of the yogurt specimen in a clean slide using a toothpick and cover with a cover slip. 4. Repeat the above steps for viewing the slide at the 10x, 40x, and 100x oil immersion with the microscope. Keep the diaphragm low, as the bacteria will be transparent. 5. Repeat the viewing process with the prepared yogurt slide from the lab kit. Compare the two specimens. 6. Clean all items used in this lab: specimen vials, slides, and microscope. Carefully cover and store microscope. Data/Observation: Specimens observed in Exercise 1 Part 1 with the 10x objective: Amoeba Proteus at 100x Anabaena w.m. at 100x Ascaris Eggs, w.m. at 100x Paramecium Conjugation at 100x Yeast, w.m. at 100x Pencillium with conidia, w.m. at 100x Specimens observed in Exercise 1 Part 2 Exercise 2 with the 40x objective: Bacteria Bacillus form at 400x Bacteria Coccus form at 400x Bacteria Spirillum form at 400x Yoghurt Bacteria at 400x Fresh Yogurt Specimen at 400x Specimens observed in Exercise 2 with the 100x Oil Immersion Fresh Yogurt Specimen at 1000x Results/Analysis: A. Identify the following parts of the microscope and describe the function of each. A. Eyepiece lens B. Tube C. Nosepiece D. Objective Lens E. Stage F. Diaphragm G. Mirror H. Coarse Adjustment knob I. Fine Adjustment knob J. Arm K. Clip L. Base B. Define the following microscopy terms: Focus: The point at which the light from a lens comes together. Resolution: The closest two objects can be before they are no longer detected as separate objects. Contrast: The difference in light intensity between the image and the adjacent background relative to the overall background intensity. C. Describe your observations from the fresh yogurt slide you prepared in Exercise 2. D. Were there observable differences between your fresh yogurt slide and the prepared yogurt slide? If so, explain. CD: Observation of the prepared slide was made easier by the purple staining and the dead bacteria. The observation of the fresh specimen was harder to see in a focused manner because it continued to move. The prepared slide is an obvious Bacillus bacterium. While the fresh sample is harder to focus so it is not as easily observed as Bacillus bacterium. There are more bacteria present in the fresh specimen than in the prepared slide. E Describe the four main bacterial shapes. Cocci: a spherically shaped bacterium Bacillus: a rod shaped bacterium Spirillum: spirally shaped bacterium Vibrio: comma or S shaped bacteria F. What are the common arrangements of bacteria? Cocci: occurring as a single sphere Diplococci: occurring as spheres in pairs Streptococci: chains of linked spheres Staphylococci: spheres grouped in grape like clusters Bacillus: a single rod arrangement Diplobacillus: pairs of rods Streptobacillus: Chain-linked rods G. Were you able to identify specific bacterial morphologies on either yogurt slide? If so, which types? In both samples Streptobacilluss arrangements and shapes were observed. They were more prevalent and easy to distinguish in the prepared slide since that bacteria was not actively moving. At times the fresh specimen at 400x looked like Staphylococci; however, upon observing the bacteria closer at 1000x it was obvious that there were no sphere shaped bacterium present. H. What is the purpose of immersion oil? Why does it work? Normally, the quality of an observed specimen decreases with the number of lenses, glass, etc that the light travels through. With the oil immersion lens, one of the strongest microscope lenses at 100x, the oil restricts the light refraction allowing for a clear focused image at such a high resolution. The oil mixes with the specimen and the oil itself has the same refractive index to that of glass. This gives the specimen a finer resolution and brightness than would have otherwise been observed. Conclusion: In conclusion this lab taught one how to properly use, clean, and store compound microscope. The lab assessed the ability to observe a specimen both provided and freshly prepared with and without an oil immersion lens. This allowed for hands on learning, observation, and identification of various bacterial shapes and arrangements. One was able to extended his/her learning while ageing yogurt and making a fresh specimen on a slide to be observed at all objectives with and without oil.

Descartes Views on the Mind and Body

Descartes Views on the Mind and Body In Meditation VI (see week 5 reading) Descartes argues that there is fundamental difference between mind and body. Do you think Descartes is right? If yes, explain why, if not, explain why The mind body dilemma has been subject of philosophical analysis for decades and has yet to be fully understood. As the principal advocate for dualism, Descartes states that as humans we are composed of two major substances: the mental and the physical which manage to exist side by side. Without a doubt, Cartesian Dualism was one of Descartes major contributions to the study of philosophy; idea with which I agree based on the following analysis. The fundamental choice between the mind-body problem and its contra argument is the existence of materialism and its denial. Descartes states that the mind is separate from the body based on the reasoning that the mind exists and stands alone as a substance, therefore; they must be separate things. He then proceeds to add that anything that is physical occupies space. Unlike the mind, the body can be altered due to its materialistic nature, and can be changed and divided into smaller components. We find further support in Leibniz Law, which states that if a has a property that b lacks, then a is not identical to b which are applicable to the mind and body, as the mind does not occupy space, it is just housed by the body. Another argument is the one of introspection, which relays on the rationale that our best evidence for the existence of mental substance is the access to our own minds. Via introspection of the mind, we are capable of accessing and assessing different features of our own minds such as feelings, sensations, desires, etc. None of them have physical properties. Descartes then elaborates on this principle stating that there are certain things that come naturally to us as humans such as desires, which come instinctively. However, there are others such as thinking, which needs to be based on intentionality. Among these features we also encounter consciousness, which has been defines by Descartes as the epitome of the human nature, although it is not something that can be perceived by the senses, thus, it is not physical. We are capable of imagining the existence of our mind without the body. In the case of any material object, you can describe object a as existing or object a as not existi ng; however there cannot be a blending of both premises. Contrary to this, we have consciously just pictured the mind existing without the body, therefore it must follow that the mind and the body are separate things. As written in Descartes Mediation VI: And although I may, or rather, as I will shortly say, although I certainly do possess a body with which I am very closely conjoined; nevertheless, because, on the one hand, I have a clear and distinct idea of myself, in as far as I am only a thinking and unextended thing, and as, on the other hand, I possess a distinct idea of body, in as far as it is only an extended and unthinking thing, it is certain that I, that is, my mind, by which I am what I am, is entirely and truly distinct from my body, and may exist without it. [i](Descartes, Meditation VI) An example would be a paralyzed patient, where he is totally aware of his environment, and is conscious about his desire to perform an action, yet he cannot do so. He lacks the capability to acquire sensations physically, although he can still imagine what it would feel like to perform such task. As with any major idea, we find opposition, in this case, on the hands of the scientific community. The notion that Descartes work fails to completely explain how the connection between mind and body works is enough to trigger a response. As explained in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Willis wrote about the pineal gland that we can scarcely believe this to be the seat of the soul, or its chief faculties to arise from it because animals which imagination, memory and other superior powers of the soul have this glandula or kernel large and fair enough. (Lockhorst, 2013)[ii] Furthermore, Descartes idea has been rejected based on the fact that the attributes linked to the mind are simple responses to neurological and chemical stimulus in the brain. An example can be the use of any drug. Although the mind is supposed to be an independent entity from the body, when any sort of chemical/drug is ingested it can alter the mental state, though most of the time, it also alters your body as well. Same analogy applies if the patient suffers some physiological damage to the brain; it will yield physical consequences and changes in motor coordination. Although the bridge between the mind and the body may not lay at the pineal gland, a clear distinction between these two properties has been done in the past and it should not be neglected the fact that according to Descartes the single most important characteristic of the human nature is consciousness and not the soul as the human essence, our ability to think and rationalize our thoughts. As in all, although Descartes dualism theory is not infallible and it fails to thoroughly explain how exactly the connection between body and mind works, it does satisfy the purposes of explaining why would the mind be something different from the body via means of his very simple, yet logical arguments. Descartes went as far as creating what it is called a trialistic distinction where he unites and acknowledges the possibilities of the existence of the mind, the body and the union of the latter as a third state. References [i] Descartes, Meditation VI Canvas excerpt. [ii] Lokhorst, G.-J. (2013, September 18). Descartes and the Pineal gland. Retrieved March 5, 2017, from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pineal-gland/

Essay on Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

Antigone was a selfless person with pride as a strong characteristic of her personality.   She possibly had feelings of loneliness and anger from the way society has looked upon her family from their past.   It took a strong willed person who has no fear of the repercussions to stand up to a king as she did.   To make everything all the worst she stood up to a king who was her Uncle and she being a female back in those time, standing up and speaking out for herself was not heard of. Having already been through public disgrace, when her own father, Oedipus found out that he was to fulfill a prophecy; he would kill his father and marry his mother, and this caused Antigone to be full of resentment toward her city.   Both of her brothers die in a battle and, Creon, the king of Thebes forbids the burial of one of her brothers, Polynices.   This must have driven Antigone to follow her moral law.   Considering the love she had for her family as well as her God, she felt that you react upon morals not upon the laws of man.   That morale law was to honor her brother and give him the respectful and proper burial that he deserved just as her other brother was given.   The love she had for her family was the only thing she had left to honor.   Ismene, Antigone’s sister was more fearful of the king’s law then the way her heart was leading her.   Her values were slightly distorted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Creon finds out that Polynices was buried and this disgusted him so much that his anger was probably bubbling up in the pit of his stomach as if he was on fire.   How could anyone defy him?   What happens with the respect he deserves from his kingdom?   He knew in his mind if something sever was not done about this; his kingdom would not look up to him as he should be looked up to.   Where would he stand in societies eye?   He sent an order to find this person and bring him or her back to face the penalty of death. Antigone was caught and death was the price to pay as ordered by Creon, not to her surprise.   Death to Antigone seemed wanted, it was the only thing left as honor for her.   Haemon, the son of Creon and Antigone’s fiancà © has enough respect for his father that he does not interfere with Creon's decision to put Antigone to death. Essay on Sophocles' Antigone :: Antigone essays Antigone was a selfless person with pride as a strong characteristic of her personality.   She possibly had feelings of loneliness and anger from the way society has looked upon her family from their past.   It took a strong willed person who has no fear of the repercussions to stand up to a king as she did.   To make everything all the worst she stood up to a king who was her Uncle and she being a female back in those time, standing up and speaking out for herself was not heard of. Having already been through public disgrace, when her own father, Oedipus found out that he was to fulfill a prophecy; he would kill his father and marry his mother, and this caused Antigone to be full of resentment toward her city.   Both of her brothers die in a battle and, Creon, the king of Thebes forbids the burial of one of her brothers, Polynices.   This must have driven Antigone to follow her moral law.   Considering the love she had for her family as well as her God, she felt that you react upon morals not upon the laws of man.   That morale law was to honor her brother and give him the respectful and proper burial that he deserved just as her other brother was given.   The love she had for her family was the only thing she had left to honor.   Ismene, Antigone’s sister was more fearful of the king’s law then the way her heart was leading her.   Her values were slightly distorted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Creon finds out that Polynices was buried and this disgusted him so much that his anger was probably bubbling up in the pit of his stomach as if he was on fire.   How could anyone defy him?   What happens with the respect he deserves from his kingdom?   He knew in his mind if something sever was not done about this; his kingdom would not look up to him as he should be looked up to.   Where would he stand in societies eye?   He sent an order to find this person and bring him or her back to face the penalty of death. Antigone was caught and death was the price to pay as ordered by Creon, not to her surprise.   Death to Antigone seemed wanted, it was the only thing left as honor for her.   Haemon, the son of Creon and Antigone’s fiancà © has enough respect for his father that he does not interfere with Creon's decision to put Antigone to death.

Christianity and Liberalism by Gresham Machen-Machen Essay -- biography

Biography of Gresham Machen Machen was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1881. In 1898, Machen enrolled at Johns Hopkins University and became a brilliant scholar. In addition, Machen obtained theological studies in Germany in 1905 where he being thrown into confusion of his own faith because of the influence of the liberalism. After returning from Europe, In 1906, Machen join as an instructor in New Testament at Princeton Seminary. Machen’s work in the 1920s was divided between his time at Princeton Seminary and his political work with Presbyterians. In addition to Christianity and Liberalism, Machen works are such as The Origin of Paul’s Religion, What is Faith, New testament Greek for Beginners, The Virgin Birth of Christ, The Christian Faith in the Modern World, and The Christian View of Man. In 1923, Christianity and Liberalism was first published in a middle of major controversy in a Presbyterian church over the issue of theological liberalism. Throughout Machen’s entire carrier and all of his writings, he asked the same question: why does the liberal stay in church, when they don’t believe the history of Christianity. At the end result, Machen was kicked out from church by the liberals. He ended up leaving a seminary which was captured by the liberals and left a Presbyterian church which was also captured by the liberals. And he formed the Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary and as well as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Machen died in 1937 at the age of 55. Purpose of Christianity and Liberalism The purpose of Christianity and Liberalism was to defend that orthodox Christianity and Liberalism are two distinct religions. Machen was conservatism, and in the book he compared the teaching of historic biblical Chr... ...spel. Machen argues the church should be open for individuals so that they can hear the Gospel and not establish a closed door policy to church service. However, Machen is critical and sensitive of the individuals who serve in the church. The church leaders should be ordained and must maintain the integrity of the church. Machen strongly encourages the church to carefully screen candidates for ordination to critically examine beliefs. As Machen discusses if one disagrees with the integrity of the church, the church should not accommodate the disagreement to keep the purity of the church. In conclusion, the church is appointed and maintained divinely body of regenerated believers who sustain the true doctrine of God, humanity, Scripture, Jesus Christ, and salvation which are absolutely non-negotiable. Works Cited Machen, J.G. (2011). Christianity and liberalism.

Critics on Cooperative Principle Essay

As phrased by Paul Grice, who introduced it, it states, â€Å"Make your contribution such as it is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged. â€Å"[1] Though phrased as a prescriptive command, the principle is intended as a description of how people normally behave in conversation. Speakers and listeners involved in conversation are generally cooperating with each other. For reference to be successful, it was proposed that collaboration was a necessary factor. In accepting speaker’s presuppositions, listeners normally have to assume that a speaker who says his something really does have that which is mentioned and isn’t trying to mislead the listener. This sense of cooperation is simply one in which people having a conversation are not normally assumed to be trying to confuse, trick, or withhold relevant information from each other. In most circumstances, this kind of cooperation is only the starting point for making sense of what is said. Since conversations between people are not always straight forward, the linguistic philosopher H. P. Grice attempted to explain how a hearer gets from what is said to what is meant, from the level of literally expressed meaning to the level of implied meaning and he termed the implied meaning conversational implicature in his theory. Grice suggests that there is a general principle guiding conversation what he calls the Cooperative Principle (CP for short), and communicators observe the general conversational maxims of truthfulness, informativeness, relevance and clarity within the CP, according to the four main maxims of Quantity, Quality, Relation and Maner. When the listener hears the expression, he has to assume that the speaker is being cooperative and intends to communicate something. That something must be more than just what the words mean. It is an additional conveyed meaning, which is an implicature. People who obey the cooperative principle in their language use will make sure that what they say in a conversation furthers the purpose of that conversation. Obviously, the requirements of different types of conversations will be different. The cooperative principle goes both ways: speakers (generally) observe the cooperative principle, and listeners (generally) assume that speakers are observing it. This allows for the possibility of implicatures, which are meanings that are not explicitly conveyed in what is said, but that can nonetheless be inferred. For example, if Alice points out that Bill is not present, and Carol replies that Bill has a cold, then there is an implicature that the cold is the reason, or at least a possible reason, for Bill’s absence; this is because Carol’s comment is not cooperative — does not contribute to the conversation — unless her point is that Bill’s cold is or might be the reason for his absence. (This is covered specifically by the Maxim of Relevance). We assume that people are normally going to provide an appropriate amount of information. We assume that they are telling the truth, being relevant, and trying to be as clear as they can. Listeners and speakers must speak cooperatively and mutually accept one another to be understood in a particular way. The cooperative principle describes how effective communication in conversation is achieved in common social situations. However, there are some circumstances where speakers may not follow the expectation of the cooperative principle. In courtrooms and classrooms, witnesses and students are often called upon to tell people things which are already well known to those people, thereby violating the quantity maxim. Such specialized institutional talk is clearly different from conversation. However, even in conversation, a speaker may opt out of the maxim expectations by using expressions like ‘No comment’ or of such expressions is that, although they are typically not â€Å"as informative as is required† in the context, they are naturally interpreted as communicating more than is said. For example, the speaker knows the answer. It is speakers who communicate meaning via implicatures and it is listeners who recognize those communicated meanings via inference. The inferences selected are those which will preserve assumption of cooperation. In the theory of conversational implicature, Grice proposes that in an exchange of conversation, there is an underlying principle that determines the way in which language is used maximally effectively and efficiently to achieve rational interaction. He calls this governing dictum the co-operative principle and subdivides it into nine maxims classified into four categories. The co-operative principle: Make your conversational contribution such as is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you are engaged. He suggests that there is an accepted way of speaking which we all accept as standard behaviour. When we produce, or hear, an utterance, we assume that it will generally be true, have the right amount of information, be relevant, and will be couched in understandable terms. If an utterance does not appear to conform to this model (e. g. B’s utterance in (1) above), then we do not assume that the utterance is nonsense; rather, we assume that an appropriate meaning is there to be inferred. In Grice’s terms, a maxim has been flouted, and an implicature generated. Without such an assumption, it would not be worth a co-interactant investing the effort needed to interpret an indirect speech act. This is the standard basic explication of the CP, maxims and implicatures1. At this point, many descriptions immediately turn to detailed explanations of the many ways in which the operation of the CP can be tracked in language use: flouts, violations, infringing and opting out. However, in this mass of detail, Grice’s underlying ideas are too often lost. Taylor & Cameron (1987:83) stand alone in making this point: â€Å"Few commentators pause to consider Grice’s avowed motive for introducing the CP. Instead they rush on to consider the various maxims which are subordinate to it. † All the examples of flouts, violations and opting out are there to further illustrate the distinction between saying and meaning: an interest which has been evident in the Gricean program since Grice (1957), and to show that there is a pattern in the way we interact. There is a relationship between the conventional meaning of an utterance and any implicit meaning it might have, and it is calculable. What Grice (1975) does not say is that interaction is ‘cooperative’ in the sense which is found in the dictionary. In fact, as we have suggested in Davies (1997), it could be argued that the existence of this pattern of behaviour enables the speaker to make the task of the hearer more difficult. Speakers can convey their intentions by a limitless number of utterances, it is up to the hearer to calculate the utterer’s intention. It would seem from this that the CP is not about making the task of the Hearer straightforward; potentially, it is quite the reverse. It allows the speaker to make their utterance harder, rather than easier, to interpret: we can omit information or present a non-literal utterance, and expect the Hearer to do the extra work necessary to interpret it. We would suggest that there is a conflict between the way we interpret the CP’s position in the Gricean program, and the way it is often represented in the linguistic literature. Grice suggests that conversational implicatures- roughly, a set of non-logical inferences that contains conveyed messages which are meant without being said in the strict sense – can arise from either strictly and directly observing or deliberately and ostentatiously flouting the maxims. Furthermore, he distinguishes between those conversational implicatures which arise without requiring any particular contextual conditions and those which do require such conditions. He calls the first kind generalised conversational implicatures and the second kind particularised conversational implicatures. Grice also points out that conversational implicatures are characterised by a number of distinctive properties, notably (i) cancellability, or defeasibility (conversational implicatures can simply evaporate in certain linguistic or non-linguistic contexts), (ii) non-detachability (any linguistic expression with the same semantic content tends to carry the same conversational implicature (a principled exception is those conversational implicatures that arise via the maxim of Manner)), (iii) calculability (conversational implicatures are calculable via the co-operative principle and its attendant axims), (iv) non-conventionality (conversational implicatures, though dependent on what is coded, are non-coded in nature), (v) reinforceability (conversational implicatures can be made explicit without producing too much redundancy) (Sadock 1978), and (vi) universality (conversational implicatures tend to be universal, being motivated rather than arbitrary) (see Sadock 1978 for a critique and Nunburg 1981 for a defense). Recent advances on the classic Gricean theory of conversational implicature include Atlas & Levinson (1981), Leech (1981, 1983), Sperber & Wilson (1982, 1986), Levinson (1983, 1987a, b, 1991), Horn (1984, 1988, 1989, 1992) and Atlas (1989). 2 In these new developments, the original Gricean programme has been revised in somewhat different ways. Sperber and Wilson, for example, in an attempt to make a paradigm change’ (Kuhn 1970) in pragmatics, propose that the entire Gricean apparatus be subsumed within a single cognitive principle, namely the principle of Relevance. On this Relevance theory, which is essentially a modification of the Fodorian theory of cognitive modularity (Fodor 1983),3 it is assumed that the human central cognitive mechanism works in such a way as to maximise Relevance with respect to communication, that is, ‘communicated information comes with a guarantee of [R]elevance’ (Sperber & Wilson 1986: vii). Thus, the principle of Relevance is claimed to be responsible for the recovery of both the explicit and implicit content of an utterance. In other words, on Sperber and Wilson’s view, in interpreting an utterance, one is always maximizing the informational value of contextual stimuli to interpret the utterance in a way which is most consistent with the principle of Relevance. Horn suggests a less reductionist, bipartite model. In Horn’s view, all of Grice’s maxims (except the maxim of Quality) can be replaced with two fundamental and antithetical principles: the Quantity principle and the Relation principle. These maxims may be better understood as describing the assumptions listeners normally make about the way speakers will talk, rather than prescriptions for how one ought to talk. Philosopher Kent Bach writes: We need first to get clear on the character of Grice’s maxims. They are not sociological generalizations about speech, nor are they moral prescriptions or proscriptions on what to say or communicate. Although Grice presented them in the form of guidelines for how to communicate successfully, I think they are better construed as presumptions about utterances, presumptions hat we as listeners rely on and as speakers exploit. (Bach 2005). Gricean Maxims generate implicatures. If the overt, surface meaning of a sentence does not seem to be consistent with the Gricean maxims, and yet the circumstances lead us to think that the speaker is nonetheless obeying the cooperative principle, we tend to look for other meanings that could be implied by the sentence. Grice did not, howev er, assume that all people should constantly follow these maxims. Instead, he found it interesting when these were not respected, namely either â€Å"flouted† (with the listener being expected to be able to understand the message) or â€Å"violated† (with the listener being expected to not note this). Flouting would imply some other, hidden meaning. The importance was in what was not said. For example: Answering It’s raining to someone who has suggested playing a game of tennis only disrespects the maxim of relation on the surface, the reasoning behind this ‘fragment’ sentence is normally clear to the interlocutor (the maxim is just â€Å"flouted†). Criticism Grice’s theory is often disputed by arguing that cooperative conversation, as with most social behavior, is culturally determined, and therefore the Gricean Maxims and the Cooperative Principle cannot be universally applied due to intercultural differences. Keenan claims that the Malagasy, for example, follow a completely opposite Cooperative Principle in order to achieve conversational cooperation. In their culture, speakers are reluctant to share information and flout the Maxim of Quantity by evading direct questions and replying on incomplete answers because of the risk of losing face by committing oneself to the truth of the information, as well as the fact that having information is a form of prestige. [3] However, Harnish points out[4] that Grice only claims his maxims hold in conversations where his Cooperative Principle is in effect. The Malagasy speakers choose not to be cooperative, valuing the prestige of information ownership more highly. It could also be said in this case that this is a less cooperative communication system, since less information is shared) Another criticism is that the Gricean Maxims can easily be misinterpreted to be a guideline for etiquette, instructing speakers on how to be moral, polite conversationalists. However, the Gricean Maxims, despite their wording, are only meant to describe the commonly accepted traits of successful cooperative comm unication. Geoffrey Leech created the Politeness maxims: tact, generosity, approbation, modesty, agreement, and sympathy. Flouting the Maxims Without cooperation, human interaction would be far more difficult and counterproductive. Therefore, the Cooperative Principle and the Gricean Maxims are not specific to conversation but to verbal interactions in general. For example, it would not make sense to reply to a question about the weather with an answer about groceries because it would violate the Maxim of Relevance. Likewise, responding to a question with a long monologue would violate the Maxim of Quantity. However, it is possible to flout a maxim intentionally or unconsciously and thereby convey a different meaning than what is literally spoken. Many times in conversation, this flouting is manipulated by a speaker to produce a negative pragmatic effect, as with sarcasm or irony. One can flout the Maxim of Quality to tell a clumsy friend who has just taken a bad fall that her gracefulness is impressive and obviously intend to mean the complete opposite. The Gricean Maxims are therefore often purposefully flouted by comedians and writers, who may hide the complete truth and manipulate their words for the effect of the story and the sake of the reader’s experience. Speakers who deliberately flout the maxims usually intend for their listener to understand their underlying implication. In the case of the clumsy friend, she will most likely understand that the speaker is not truly offering a compliment. Therefore, cooperation is still taking place, but no longer on the literal level. Conversationalists can assume that when speakers intentionally flout a maxim, they still do so with the aim of expressing some thought. Thus, the Gricean Maxims serve a purpose both when they are followed and when they are flouted.

CRM in Dubai Arabic Restaurants

Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) is a widely applied strategy used in the retail and hospitality industries to retain customers. To study the effectiveness of applying CRM in Dubai, two culturally local restaurants have been chosen to determine the customer segmentation in regards to the level of CRM performed at each. The focus on local companies allows for a more comprehensive analysis of strategies designed specifically around the Dubai market. The first segment of this report provides a descriptive outline from both primary and secondary research of the two establishments: an Arabic restaurant, Reem Al Bawadi and a Lebanese restaurant, Mezzah House. An analysis of both restaurants determines that Reem Al Bawadi focuses on providing a high customer service level, professionalism, and food quality; whereas Mezzah House relates in a greater extent to the customer in a more comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. However, both restaurants do not implement a specifically designed CRM or retention strategy to build life time relationships with their customers. You can read also Classifications of Restaurants Based on the analysis of both restaurants, it can be concluded that CRM could be effectively implemented but is currently not evident in the retail and hospitality industries in Dubai. The Mezzah House succeeds for instance, through the use of weekly events to attract repeat customers. Similarly, Reem Al Bawadi is able to provide superior customer service (though formal and less personal) through customer feedback survey cards. Neither restaurant identifies with a need for formal CRM strategies to be developed. Both restaurants are sufficiently patronized by both the tourist segment and the locals. Consequently, the implementation of CRM in Dubai, with respect to the demographics of the city (that being 85% of the inhabitants are expatriates which will in time leave the country and tourists) as a whole is not a developing trend in the city at this time. The research summary and CRM justification highlights the differences of two restaurant chains, one US based and one European, who consistently improve the application of CRM and how these techniques could be implemented more directly within the Dubai market. The paper’s conclusion summarizes the important findings including an explanation of why CRM should be implemented in Dubai eateries, as related to the experiences noted within these two restaurants. There are marketing tools in place but not fully utilized as a formal plan for Customer Relationship Marketing. Introduction Utilizing Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) in the retail and hospitality industries to retain customers has been a developing practice throughout U. S. and developed European markets but is rarely recognizable in developing arenas. The question of whether Dubai, a city built from sand to skyscrapers which seems to seep tourist money, could benefit from developing a trend of using CRM to effectively build a relationship with its customers. Through first and secondary research using two culturally local restaurants the paper describes a study in the level of CRM performed in the Dubai market. The first segment of this report provides a description of the establishments: Reem Al Bawadi and Mezzah House. Experience The Food – The Research * Reem Al Bawadi – An Arabic Dining Experience General Description: For the purpose of this paper, the Dubai Jumeirah location of the Reem Al Bawadi, an Arabic restaurant with multiple locations in Dubai, will be discussed. This particular restaurant cannot be accessed by the metro; so, that either a car or taxi is required. The Restaurant provides both outdoor and indoor seating and due to the high ceilings and open spacing inside, a warm and authentic atmosphere is created maintaining the Arabic charm. Indoor seating is divided into two dining areas for smoking and non-smoking guests, both providing free Wi-Fi upon request. The menu ranges from traditional Arabic cuisine to Italian specialties such as pasta and pizza, providing a variety of dishes to the customers. The Jumeirah Road location is frequented by both tourists and local inhabitants and yet the pricing is reasonable when compared to other restaurants in the area. A main course with a drink runs around 70 to 80AED in total. The restaurant welcomes guests for both an entire meal for lunch and dinner or only drinks or small portions during the day. Customer Segmentation: Many of the customers at this location are walk-ins who pass by the restaurant and decide to dine on impulse. Because many are tourists, it is more difficult and almost impossible for the restaurant to build lasting relationships with the tourist segment. As Reem Al Bawadi operates multiple restaurants in Dubai, the steady segment of customers are inhabitants of the city which have visited others within the chain have interest due to a previous experience. Reasonable pricing for a full-service in the right location addresses mainly middle to higher income consumer segments. Customer Relationship Marketing Application: A review of what can be described as outstanding customer service reveals the entire staff to be friendly, helpful and caring for the guests. The waiters are knowledgeable of all the menu and capable recommending specific dishes according to the customer’s palatable tastes. Constantly visible to the guests and ensuring a smooth operation, the manager is of the restaurant seeks to enhance customer satisfaction. The internal organization is clearly hierarchy and women are only placed in the positions of hostess and clerk. They are expected to welcome guests and are not in serving at all. Reem Al Bawadi distributes feedback cards regarding reception, service, cleanliness and food quality in both English and Arabic (see appendix 1). This would indicate customer feedback is used to improve the service level. The employees however, exhibit a formal relationship to all customers and none were recognized as loyal guests or treated differently. The employees do not introduce themselves to the guests nor do they make any attempt to build rapport. Differences Between Primary and Secondary Research: The Reem Al Bawadi homepage is not customer friendly. Although the website provides a clear overview within the different icons, a considerable amount of information is missing. For instance, the history, values, internal operations and even menu prices are not presented on the website. Consequently the company’s strategy for customer retention is not readily apparent. As for social media, the Facebook page also only provides basic information including location, type of cuisine and methods of payment. Facebook and Twitter are used to promote special events such as sporting events but, none of the online marketing tools provide any information about he value of the customer to the company or any explanation of a CRM strategy. Supported by the above described findings of the primary research, it can be concluded that Reem Al Bawadi does not seem to have a specific CRM strategy or show any kind of recognition for repeat customers. Even so, great food and quality service breed positive online reviews which alone can build a loyal cu stomer base. * Mezza House – A Lebanese Arabic flair General Description: The Mezza House is also an Arabic restaurant located within walking distance from the Dubai mall, which can be conveniently accessed by metro or car. Similar to the Reem Al Bawadi, the restaurant offers both outdoor and indoor seating areas. The menu varies from Lebanese to Palestinian, Syrian and Jordanian food, combining it into Levantine cuisine. The menu cards display pictures of dishes so that customers develop a sight appeal to different menu items. The Restaurant is popular for its shisha culture and cosy atmosphere; so much so that non-smoking areas are not provided and usually the restaurant is quite boisterous. The noise level and shisha provides an atmosphere for social gatherings including free Wi-Fi to all guests. Customer Segmentation: The following customer segments were identified at Mezza House:, approximately 80% of the customers are Arab, followed by 15% of local customers and 5% of Western guests. As the restaurant does not provide a separate non-smoking area, it attracts mostly shisha-loving guests and excludes customers who would like to dine in a non-smoking area. The prices are similar to any other restaurant providing Lebanese food and thereby mainly middle to higher income customer segments are attracted, similar to Reem Al Bawadi Restaurant. Customer Relationship Marketing Application: Unlike the previous restaurant, waiters at Mezza House are generally attentive and make distinct efforts to engage with the guests by verifying satisfaction and responding to special requests. In contrast to Reem Al Bawadi, a difference between new and regular customers can be observed, as regular customers are treated as part of a family and some are even addressed by name. In addition, the food presentation is above average. Managers and employees verified that new staff is only hired if prior work experience was proven. Differences Between Primary and Secondary Research: Mezza House actively promotes its special weekly events on their website. These include ‘Ladies’ Night, Friday Brunch, and a Karaoke Night. This is used to generate return business, attracting repeat customers through a special experience married to high quality food. Their social media marketing constantly updates the Facebook with new event announcements and pictures of food. Online customer reviews are positive and relate to a high food quality and exquisite experience. However, many service quality comments are negative. This is mainly based on the fact that the employees relate to the guests in a personal rather than professional way. Customers seeking for a luxurious dining experience will be disappointed. In addition, the service perception of the customer differentiates from the service that the employees and managers would like to promote. Service quality is one of the main ideals for management. Research Summarization and CRM Justification: From the experience and research of both restaurants, it can be concluded that neither has implemented a clearly defined CRM strategy. Reem Al Bawadi does not relate to its customers and seems to gain its profit mostly from tourists and walk-in guests. Nevertheless, the establishment focuses on providing high service levels and exceptional food quality, requesting feedback but not using it to build relationships. The Mezza House has a more customer friendly atmosphere and homepage which actively promotes events to build relationships with guests centered around the dining experience. CRM can be effectively implemented, but is not currently evident in the Dubai retail and hospitality environments. While some elements of CRM are utilized, such as the superior customer service of the Reem Al Bawadi and the weekly events and personalized service in the Mezza House, neither apply customer retention strategies. Since the Reem Al Bawadi is located at Jumeirah Road where tourists and locals pass by, this particular restaurant may not have the need to invest into retaining customers, but as a strategy for the chain it could be utilized. The Mezza House clearly implements more elements of CRM represented through online marketing and relationship uilding; however, except for the weekly events, activities to retain the customers on a long term basis cannot be identified. The experience justifies that CRM can and has been implemented in Dubai, however, on a very limited basis and is not readily apparent in the retail and hospitality industries. * Value CRM IN Dubai Although Dubai has a population of 2. 1 million inhabitants, more than 85% of the population are expatriates who come and lea ve the country. In addition, tourism is the most important economic factor for Dubai, as approximately 13 million tourists per year come to Dubai. Therefore, especially in the hospitality industry, managers might assume that CRM is not applicable as mainly tourists come to visit the restaurants and hotels and expatriates often do not stay for many years. Since the two restaurants chosen for this paper are local, not specifically known by tourists or expats, CRM does not seem to be as applicable as in international chains where customers visit the same brand in different cities of the world. In fact, applying CRM might be easier in cities with a higher percentage of local inhabitants so that life time relationships with customers can be built and become more valuable. Restaurant chains such as the U. S. based O’Charley’s or the Italian chain VaPiano might find it easier to implement CRM in Dubai, as many expats and tourists recognize the brand and would visit a familiar setting or even be curious about the menu in a different country Conclusion: As shown by the examples of Reem Al Bawadi and Mezza House restaurants which implement specific elements of CRM but do not have a defined retention strategy, CRM can be effectively implemented. However, it is currently not widely applied in the Dubai retail and hospitality setting. As both restaurants are located in tourism areas and only 15% of the Dubai market is local, the restaurants are able to gain sufficient revenue from tourists and only a small amount of loyal local customers. Therefore, the restaurants do not visualize the need of implementing a CRM retention strategy. Consequently, due to the unique demographics rarely found in any other city, it is more difficult for Dubai retailers and restaurants to implement CRM. The curiosity of tourists and expats to taste authentic Arabic cuisine enables restaurants to operate successfully without developing a formal CRM strategy which focuses on specific customers. Website reviews such as â€Å"Tripadvisor† and â€Å"Timeout in Dubai† effectively promote the restaurants by word-of-mouth promotion as a marketing tool in contrast to a developed CRM strategy. As a final note, both restaurants were highly recommended for a return visit by the research staff to experience exceptional flavour of food and Arabic culture.