Despite the Potential Advantages

Discuss the proposition that despite the potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches, it is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments. About this discussion, I would like to introduce two steps. First step, I want to introduce the potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches. Then I will introduce the second step: some important reasons about the formal strategic planning is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments.Finally, the main purpose of this paper is to prove the formal strategic planning is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments. My conclusion will emphasize it again. First, how should we understand the formal strategic planning? The objective of the formal strategic planning is to convey that a company’s strategic planning process includes specific systematic procedures used to gain the involvement and commi tment of those principal stakeholders affected by the plan (J. Richard Falshaw, Keith W.Glaister, Ekrem Tatoglu, 2006). What is the purpose of strategic planning? Generally, formal Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to carry on this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to know its current position and the possible ways through which it can pursue a particular course of action strategic planning do with at least one of three key questions: â€Å"What do we do? † â€Å"For whom do we do it? † and â€Å"How do we excel? (J. Scott Armstrong, 1986) OK, I have a simple introduction about the character and purpose of formal strategic planning. Then we must make clear about the structure about formal strategic planning approaches. There is common view about strategic planning researchers that the strategic planning process consist s of three major parts: (1) Formulation (which includes developing a mission, setting major objectives, assessing the external and internal environments, and evaluating and selecting strategy alternatives). (2) Implementation. (3) Control. J. Richard Falshaw, Keith W. Glaister, Ekrem Tatoglu, 2006). Some famous formal strategic planning approaches include SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), Balanced Scorecards, Scenario planning, PEST analysis  (Political,  Economic,  Social, and  Technological), STEER analysis (Socio-cultural,  Technological,  Economic,  Ecological, and  Regulatory factors). What are potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches? Generally, formal planning has these advantages: 1. Formal plans represent a useful standard. . It is fully formulated; communicated plan is an important motivational device. 3. The analysis and survey by all those participating in the planning process is useful and can improve the companies' understanding of it's position. 4. Plans which swift actions in anticipation of future changes in the environment is a better approach to strategic management than an advertisement to events. Take me for example, for 20 years, contradictions between the planning and process schools of strategy have shaped the debate on strategy planning.Here we illustrate that a scenario-based approach to strategic planning can serve as a new management tool in the field with the potential to overcome differences between the two opposing schools of strategy. The scenario-based approach to strategic planning builds on the strengths of traditional scenario planning. It is an open and creative approach that considers many strategy options and takes multiple perspectives into account. Synchronously, it overcomes the weaknesses of traditional scenario planning by offering a systematic process to scenario creation that is built on specific management tools and is easy to implement.The outco me of this approach is an important strategy that is complemented by several strategic options derived from different scenarios (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010). Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner (2010) illustrate the benefits of scenario-based approach using experience gained in a consulting project in the German photovoltaic industry. And they further proof that the approach can thus be used in an extremely flexible way to account for the increasing volatility of environmental developments.These advantages of our approach are apparent in the illustrative case study presented. By combining traditional scenario planning, strategic thinking, real-option reasoning and strategic planning, this approach makes the intricacy, dynamics and volatility of the current business world manageable. On the other hand, the approach can be applied for different time horizons. Our project experience leads us to believe that the approach increases the effectivenes s and efficiency with which strategic planning can be conducted in practice (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010).I have illustrated Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner’s research about Scenario planning, so we can make clear about the potential advantages of formal strategic planning approaches. About the limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments, I think there is a lot of evidence to prove this case. The major change for managers is guaranteeing competitiveness as well as profit capacity for their companies in turbulent environments. The rate of change in the business setting has never been as fast as it is currently (Grant, 2003).In Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner’s research, they also think What formal strategic planning seems to be lacking most is the flexibility and open system that allow for the responsiveness and creation required in dynamic, complex and uncertain environments (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010). In the environment of globalization, the world is changing more and more rapidly. Managers must face a series of unexpected events. For example, like financial crisis, economic downturn and Arab Spring. Each incident and formal strategic planning approaches in test managers.In the past, plan researchers have not concentrated on uncertain settings. The majority of the existing devices in strategic management unreservedly presume a benign environment that is basic yet not very dynamic. (Harrington, Lawton and Rajwani, 2005). For firms to thrive in an uncertain future, they have to develop realistic strategies on the basis of many options that react to the prerequisites of various likely futures opposed to one strategic guarantee. (Grant, 2003). So how to treat the formal strategic planning is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments?In this essay, â€Å"A causal analysis of formal st rategic planning and firm performance: Evidence from an emerging country†, the nature of the external environment (difference from very uncertain and unstable to certain and stable) will influence the organization structure made by the companies. It is argued that in uncertain and dynamic environments the most effective organization structures start to be more organic when in stable and more certain environments more artificial structures will be received (Keith W. Glaister et al, 2008).Although some studies have found that certain parts of strategic planning are relative with performance, theory also predicts that these relations will be influenced by external environment. If one of the purposes of strategic planning is to point the organization in its association with the external environment, so organizations that precisely project and estimated environmental changes should display an extraordinary or specific level of performance. In this sense strategic planning may be mo re useful in an uncertain environment than a calm one.So the relative between planning and performance may be stronger in an uncertain environment, and weaker in a calm environment. There exist, however, some opposite arguments that strategic planning is more likely to have a positive influence on firm performance in relatively less uncertain environments where future conditions are easier to anticipate(J. Richard Falshaw, Keith W. Glaister, Ekrem Tatoglu, 2006 ). About a company's future development, the external environment of the strategic analysis is very important. Robert M.Grant referred this point in his essay â€Å"Strategic Planning in a Turbulent Environment: Evidence from the Oil Majors†, First, a view of the external environment: This typically included guidance as to some characters of energy markets over the planning period? -For demand, supply, prices, and margins? -which were not so much forecasts as a set of assumptions relating to prices and supply and deman d conditions that provided a common basis for strategic planning across the firms. Second, corporate management provided most direction to the planning process through a statement of priorities, guidelines, and expectations.A key part of this direction was setting company wide performance targets (e. g. , ‘raise return on capital employed to 12%,' ‘reduce costs per barrel by 10%,' ‘a 110% reserve replacement rate,' ‘reduce the ratio of debt to equity ratio to 25% by 2000'). Guidance often concern to resource allocation, e. g. , ‘to shift investment from downstream to upstream,' ‘to refocus on core businesses,' ‘to take advantage of opportunities in China and East Asia,' ‘to increase the proportion of gas in our hydrocarbon reserves (Grant, 2003).In the process of management of the company, what is the role of analytical formal planning in dynamic environment? Different people have different views; Grant thought strategic planning is a responsible. Increasing volatility and indeterminacy of the external environment was accompanied by two changes in strategic planning responsibilities: first, a shift of decision-making responsibility from corporate to business-level managers; second, a shift of planning responsibilities from planning staff to line managers (Grant, 2003).There is other view; Hamel and Prahalad argue that the role of strategy should be not adapting an existing industry structure but rather to change it. † They see the role of competitive creation as identifying the orthodoxy in a present strategy and redefining the terms of engagement to exploit this orthodoxy. And the emerging Infocom mega-industry provides an interesting laboratory for testing the adequacy of existing frameworks for competitive strategy. They are not designed to deal with the kind of turbulence that we are witnessing in this industry.Strategists may have to assume a low role in dealing with turbulence. When being a pioneer an d an innovator will help, it is not enough. Investing in and growing a customer base can strengthen the chances of success, but success in the end is determined by industry forces outside the companies' control. â€Å"Co with the flow† is not an inspiring strategy but perhaps the best a company can do when face turbulence (Chakravarthy B, 1997). Each method is not a panacea.Although formal strategic planning approaches have many advantages, it also makes limited benefit, like Scenario planning. However, the approach has only been applied in a few companies to date. Therefore, research on a larger scale is necessary to determine the performance of the scenario-based approach to strategic planning (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010). Evidence of the impact of environmental turbulence upon strategic planning is limited. Cross sectional studies have produced contradictory findings.Long evidence is fragmented, but more consistent: in response to increasing env ironmental turbulence, strategic planning systems actually have changed from the highly formalized processes of the 1960s and 1970s (Grant, 2003). In conclusion, formal strategic planning approaches indeed have a huge potential advantage. Some famous formal strategic planning approaches include SWOT analysis, Balanced Scorecards, Scenario planning, PEST analysis and STEER analysis have many advantages. If companies do not have strategic planning, it is bound to be about to disappear.If companies ignore the strategic planning, it is bound to be lagging behind the development of enterprise. According to previous research and study about strategic planning, strategic planning can mobilize workers to actively increase the cohesion. It also can make enterprises competitive mechanism enhanced. Strategic planning can be summed insufficient and the shortfall, it is an important measure in the steady development of enterprises. I've used a lot of evidence fully proved these points.About the formal strategic planning is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments, I also have used many evidences and examples to prove it. In general, with the development of the times, companies as an open system, it focuses on the external environmental factors there will be more and more, more and more diversified development trend, and thus the external environment faced by the enterprise will become more complex and uncertain. Even Scenario planning, Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner have pointed it had many potential advantages.They also said,in an increasingly complex, dynamic and volatile world ,Scenario planning has only been applied in a few companies to date (Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner , 2010). Finally, I must emphasize once again, in the environment of globalization, the world is changing more and more rapidly. Managers must face a series of unexpected events. In a word, formal strategic planning approac hes indeed have many potential advantages; it is of limited benefit to organisations operating in uncertain and dynamic environments.References J. Richard Falshaw, Keith W. Glaister, Ekrem Tatoglu, â€Å" Evidence on formal strategic planning and company performance† (2006) Management Decision, Vol. 44 Iss: 1 pp. 9 – 30 Hugh G. Courtney, Jane Kirkland, and S. Patrick Viguerie, â€Å"Strategy under uncertainty†. (1994) Keith W. Glaister, Omer Dincer, Ekrem Tatoglu, Mehmet Demirbag, Selim Zaim, (2008),†A causal analysis of formal strategic planning and firm performance: Evidence from an emerging country†, Management Decision, Vol. 46 Iss: 3 pp. 365 -391 Robert M.Grant â€Å"Strategic Planning in a Turbulent Environment: Evidence from the Oil Majors† Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 24, No. 6 (Jun. , 2003), pp. 491-517 Selsky et al. , 2007. Contrasting Perspectives on Strategy Making in Hyper Environments. Organization Studies, 28(1), pp. 71-94 . J. Scott Armstrong (1986). â€Å"The Value of Formal Planning for Strategic Decisions: A Reply† Strategic Management Journal  7: 183–185. Chakravarthy B, ‘A New Strategy Framework for Coping with Turbulence’ Sloan Management Review, Winter 1997Torstenwulf Philip Meissner and Stephan Stabner â€Å" A scenario-based Approach to Strategic Planning-Integrating Planning and Process Perspective of strategy† (2010) http://www. scenariomanagement. de/fileadmin/user_upload/Scenario-based_strategic_planning_WP. pdf Harrington, D. , Lawton, T. &Rajwani, T. 2005. Embracing and Exploiting Industry Turbulence: The Strategic Transformation of Aer Lingus. European Management Journal, 23(4), pp. 450–457. Bibliography Johnson G, Scholes K, Whittington R, Exploring Corporate Strategy 8th Edition, 2008 – Chapter 2 Campbell D, Edgar D, Stonehouse G, Business Strategy 3rd Edition, 2011, Palgrave – Ch 3

Anti-Intellectualism at College Universities

Education once existed as something very valuable, and something that only the very wealthy obtained. You were considered lucky to have the opportunity of getting an education, and not many took it for granted. Today, nearly everybody receives an education of some degree, and things have definitely changed. Students simply get educations because they are expected to or are required to. As the years have progressed, less and less students actually enjoy their education. You get labeled by many other students as weird or a freak if you enjoy learning. These kinds of ideas have led to and continue to lead to many problems relating to anti-intellectualism. Student’s anti-intellectualism has been increasing throughout the years, especially at college universities. This is a major problem because the trend is spreading around that it isn’t cool to put forth an effort or to enjoy your classes. Many college professors are very concerned that every year students have less and less motivation and are just attending college because they want a high paying salary after college. One English professor from the East coast said â€Å"most students nowadays are reluctant to learn and to think and resent being awakened from their stupor. I shudder when I consider the future of this country† (Trout). It scares a lot of people that this enormous group of unmotivated students is to someday be in charge of the country. The future of American society is at risk because of anti-intellectual ideas that are passed onto students because of the idea of wanting to be â€Å"cool†, students just going to college to make more money later, and university expectations decreasing because money has became the main priority rather than education. Firstly, the understanding of what an intellectual is has to be clear. According to Richard Hofstadter, who is a very famous American historian, he considers an intellectual someone who lives for ideas instead of someone who lives off of ideas. His input is significant because anti-intellectualism is basically his thing, and he was one of the first Americans to write about it. He goes onto say that two basic traits that intellectuals comprise of are playfulness and piety. By playfulness, he is referring to an individual’s curiosity and what makes their mind active. Piety is similar o an individual’s intensity and how passionate they are about their ideas and beliefs. All intellectuals should demonstrate these two traits according to him. (Hofstadter, 259-60) Using this definition, an anti-intellectual would be someone who isn’t curious or serious, so at colleges that would translate to students being uninterested in their classes/education. One important thing to look at is what education was like in the far past. Education was once valued very highly and you were considered lucky to have the opportunity to get an education. Mainly, only the rich and selected children received it. It meant a good future, and most kids took it very seriously. In the beginning of the 19th century, a primary education was the end of schooling for the greater part of students. Towards the 1830s, there started to become a demand for all children to have an opportunity of having an education. The 1870s marked when the United States had started to create education for the general public (Bradbury, 10). Today, education is more valued as something you have to get and something that the majority of people obtain, at least in the United States. As you can see, the opportunities for education have greatly opened up as time has progressed. This changing trend has caused students to take their educations for granted and develop a hatred towards school work. Overall, this growing trend is causing more and more students to avoid thinking for themselves and furthermore avoid having intellectual ideas because learning isn’t cool. Moving onto modern times, a survey taken at UCLA showed that a record high amount of high school students entering college were losing interest in their academic experiences. These same students surveyed also had committed less time to their homework/studying than before and had become bored with the idea of schooling. If students aren’t interested in their education, then why are they going to college? College is designed to be a place to receive a post-education. There are a lot of students who attend college because their parents made them or they think you have to or for the â€Å"fun. † Students who go to college without a desire to learn won’t get anything out of it. These kinds of students have a negative impact on students who actually value their education. They spread anti-intellectual ideas to students and give them the impression that they are unusual for aking pride in their education and cause them to become anti-intellectual because that is clearly the cool thing to do. More and more kids than ever before are arriving at colleges (Trout). This is good in a way because it means that many more people are getting a post-secondary education, but not all students are at college for the right reasons. The kind of students who go to college just to party or for reasons besides obtaining further education spread their anti-intellectual ideas around. Paul M. Levitt, professor at Colorado University, plainly says â€Å"many college kids are a sorry lot. Preoccupied with their hair, their clothes, their cars, they have never developed a critical turn of mind and have no interest in doing so. It does not bode well for higher education that many students entering college do not have anything resembling an intellectual life† (Trout). Students who don’t want a higher education shouldn’t go forth and attempt to get one if they aren’t serious about it. College should be a place that welcomes intellectuals and people who want to think for themselves rather than a place where you have to conform to thinking negatively about your classes. What is to become of our country if our generation all conforms to the same ideas? Professor of English at the University of Virginia, Mark Edmundson, suggests that students try very hard to fit in and not stand apart from others. He further goes onto say that for some reason showing your emotions, doing something different, or doing anything different than the norm will cause you to be disliked (Edmundson, 290). Obviously this is a problem because students have a desire to be â€Å"cool† by being like everyone else. Less and less students want to be different because they don’t want others to look down on them for not being like them. The idea of wanting to be cool has caused less intellectual ideas in a place where they should be booming. Another developing problem with anti-intellectualism at college universities is that kids are going to college solely so that they can make more money after college. Students think just because the majority of students go onto college that they should as well, which makes them anti-intellectual for just following others instead of doing what they wanted to do. About sixty ercent of high school graduates are estimated to go onto college or some form of higher education (Trout). A lot of times students may not even want to go to college, but they feel like if you don’t go to college, you are at a disadvantage. This is partially true because a lot of occupations that a degree is required for offer more money, but a lot of people end up going to college and end up not even using their degree because they find another job they enjoy more. Some people end up getting jobs that make a lot of money anyways though and hate their jobs, so that is hardly an advantage. Not everyone is meant to go to college, but for some reason the idea that you have to go to college to be successful has been portrayed. Also, President Obama has announced that he thinks every American should have at least one year of higher education, but on the contrary, high education experts agree that not everybody succeeds at college or belongs there (Olson). The president shouldn’t be saying things like this because it puts pressure on students to feel like they have to attend college. This has caused more anti-intellectuals who don’t belong at college to go and influence others. The next huge contributing factor to anti-intellectualism developing at universities is the universities themselves. Because of the growing amount of students bringing anti-intellectual ideas to the classrooms, universities have responded by lowering their standards. The reason for this is simply the more students the more money (Trout). Administrators have also been starting to create more interesting classes because of students disinterest in other courses (Bradbury, 14). The administrators are starting to create things to attract anti-intellectuals and are serving them instead of the intellectuals. College universities have become more interested in the money that the individuals bring rather than the individuals educations. Universities are setting up their campuses to be ideal for anti-intellectuals to succeed at. The fact that colleges are conforming to how the students act is a serious problem, and it concerns many experts about what is to happen in our countries future. Colleges have also started introducing a grade inflation to make it easier for students (Trout). College faculties are to blame mostly for that. The most likely reason for grade inflations would be because it keeps more students on campus. Students are earning higher grades for less work, which isn’t how it should be at all. Grade inflation and money are not related at all, so they shouldn’t have effects on each other. If this trend continues, the concept of a college degree is going to be lost because a college degree will become essentially something you can just buy. Something else that should be very alarming to intellectuals is that studies show many teachers are either anti-intellectualist to begin with or their career turns them into one. Studies have proved that the majority of teachers do not even read very much, and if they do it is normally not scholarly. Reading is something that makes individuals think and come up with intellectual ideas and teachers are starting to turn toward students habits of not reading. Further studies show that teachers who start their careers as intellectuals lose their passion over the years. These teachers either find a new job to avoid becoming an anti-intellectual or they continue teaching in a way that is unbeneficial to intellectuals. Also, many teachers do not encourage intellectualism because it teaches their students to question ideas and think things out thoroughly. Teachers see this as a threat to themselves if students start questioning them on their ideas. (Bradbury) If there aren’t any teachers to promote intellectualism, then more and more intellectuals will disappear. College universities are to blame the most for anti-intellectualism growing at their campuses. I say this because they are the ones that are encouraging the conditions by dumbing down their universities for the sake of money. Also, if they kept their standards high, that would mean less anti-intellectuals overall. College should be a place for intellectuals to strive, but universities have made it a place where people who hate it can succeed just the same. Universities ultimately can control their campus and who they let in and as of now, many universities are letting in about anybody who has a high school diploma and money. One of the first reforms that needs to be made at college universities is eliminating student evaluation of teachers. This whole concept of having the students evaluate a teacher’s ability is absurd. Seeing as how students today want a minimum amount of work, they will simply rate teachers who make it easy for them as excellent teachers. In reality, those teachers aren’t helping the students and rather are just obliging to what students want. The teacher then who gives students a lot of work and challenges them gets a worse rating from students. If universities are so interested in how the teacher is doing, I see no problem in the heads of departments just observing the class. They can make their own judgment based off what they saw, and it would most likely take less time than it takes to review all of the student evaluations. Student evaluations end up promoting anti-intellectualism more than it promotes good teaching methods. An alternative opinion to this would be that students are to put at blame because they are after all responsible for their own education. This is a valid argument because nobody can force a student to be an intellectual/anti-intellectual. The student is partially at fault if they attend a college for post education and then don’t even attempt to learn further. The flaw in this opinion is that most students coming into college are around the age of eighteen, so influences and their environment greatly affect them. If students show up to college, and the standards are set high and everybody knows that, then they are probably most likely going to try to put forth the same effort as everyone else. However, if they come to college, and they see students partying all the time because standards are set low, then that makes them want to put forth the minimal effort to get by. Putting forth a minimal effort and not living for anything would be an anti-intellectual lifestyle, which is the environment of many colleges. If our country continues along this path of intellectuals dominating, there will be numerous effects considering what has already happened over the last few decades. In 2002, it was recorded that sixty seven percent of college graduates read books for pleasure, while in 1982 it was eighty two percent. The decline of reading books is related closely to the incline of video games and the internet. The overall effects of anti-intellectualism are affecting more than just college students. Our country has changed a lot in a short period of time. From 1968 to 2000 the sound bites for presidential candidates has been dramatically reduced from 42. 3 seconds down to 7. 8 seconds. The public overall has lost a desire in obtaining knowledge. An example of this would be that twenty percent of Americans believe the Sun revolves around the Earth. (Jacoby) As you can see, our country has a dangerous future if these kinds of standards continue to be acceptable. In summary, the number of anti-intellectual students at colleges has been increasing from year to year. Students need to quit conforming to the ways of other students because they think not caring is the cool thing to do, and more importantly, the colleges need to accept the right kind of students instead of just anyone who has the money for it. The future of American society is at risk because of anti-intellectual ideas that are passed onto students because of the idea of wanting to be â€Å"cool†, students just going to college to make more money later, and university expectations decreasing because money has become the top priority rather than education, and ultimately the universities are required to incorporate intellectual ideas and challenges into their classrooms if anything is to change. If anti-intellectual ideas are continued to be brought to college by students and encouraged by universities, our country has a frightening future.

Making Communication Count Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Making Communication Count - Essay Example This can lead to negative impact in the workplace or at home. Incidences of ineffective communication have been witnessed in the case of senior policemen, politicians, newspaper editors among others. Therefore, it is vital for a person to understand his communication skills in order to determine whether he is communicating in an effective manner to other parties (Papa, 2014). This paper will evaluate a scenario that targets the use of verbal and non-verbal communication skills in an effective manner, and how to foster effective communication in an organization. In an organizational setting, ineffective communication manifests itself either in a verbal or nonverbal mode of interaction. For instance, ineffective verbal communication is vague, uses jargon, and is hard to follow. Conversely, ineffective nonverbal communication takes place when verbal messages fail to rhyme with nonverbal actions. With regard to verbal communication, there are those people who tend to overwhelm their audience with words. When a listener is overwhelmed, he does not have the time to gather his thoughts on what is being said. The listener also finds it difficult to elaborate the situation in order to gather more understanding. In case communication flows for a long time, then it becomes irrelevant to those people who get switched off (Manning & Curtis, 2003). A number of managers have been noted to communicate to their listeners what they feel is appropriate to them with the hope that they can do something about it. However, this path makes the listeners to switch off for failing to address their needs in an effective manner. Also, some senior executives in an organization assume that their listeners have understood what they are talking about. This is the case where people do not understand the language being used because it is their second language. This leads to confusion,

Both Parent should assume equal responsibilty in raising child Research Paper

Both Parent should assume equal responsibilty in raising child - Research Paper Example These give them the ability to teach their children what is required of them so as to grow up as moral people in the society. When a focus is made to the biblical view of parents’ responsibility for their children, God prepares a place in their heart for the love and nurture of children. God builds a foundation for ones love as well as love for their spouse after which he lays a foundation for the love of their children. These foundations lay a good framework for parents’ responsibility for themselves and their children. It is through the efforts of both parents that a child becomes a true person. Parents offer the first education to their children even before the teacher comes in the child’s life. The child’s first impression of the world is created from the impression the child receives while still at home under their parents’ responsibility. Therefore it is advisable that parents present a better perception of life to their children according to Sclafani (2004). The only way through achieving this goal is ensuring that they take full responsibility of their children lives. For instance when the child goes to school the first time, he/she will perceive the teacher as he/she perceives his/her parents. If he is a male teacher then the child will perceive him the way he/she perceives his/her father. ... Thus it can be argued that the issue of parents’ responsibility is a continuous aspect of live which never comes to a halt. According to Sonna (2006), it is important that parents take continuous responsibility until their children get married as marriage is regarded as the inheritance of love from both father and mother. Through their parents, children learn how to love themselves and others; it is through this they are able to develop love for their spouse in future. If the both parents never played their part better in taking care of this responsibility regarding love, then it is definite that the same will happen to the child’s life. This is because it is in receiving that we learn to give and this completes a responsible individual in the society. It is important that both parents take equal responsibility for their children. This idea can be attributed to the fact that raising children responsibly is among the difficult jobs. The issue of taking child responsibili ty today appears more complex due to the diminishing aspect of the extended families. In order to avoid the complexity, it is the responsibility of each of the two parents to play their roles in raising the child. For the mother responsibility begins immediately after conception. This is because she has to ensure good health of the unborn baby. In this case, the father’s responsibility for the unborn child is to ensure the mother’s health conditions are good and she takes good care of her. After the child is born the mother appears to be the closest parent compared to father due to breastfeeding. At this stage the father should also ensure that come into contact with the child. This is important as child at this

Personal Statement for scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal Statement for scholarship - Essay Example During the period I was in college, I realize how much I wanted to further my education and on completing my associate degree, I enrolled at Ashford University for Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a Minor in Childhood. As I studied at Ashford University, my craving for more education kept growing and I realized that I wanted more education. Being a wife to a military man for the last 25 years helped me realize the much psychological help need by military families and I felt that I needed more education to be able to provide that help. That is when I decided I needed to enroll in Walden University in the coming year to obtain Master’s in Mental Health Counseling with specialization in Trauma and Crisis Counseling. After completing my master, I plan to obtain a Doctorate degree in Psychology. This will give me great joy since I will have kept my promise to my mother and achieved my dream of offering psychological help to military families. My goal is to become a Military Family Life Consultant (MFLC), a program run by Military One Source and provides counseling to military families particularly in times of distress. Irrespective of my great desire to pursue Master’s degree, it will hard for my husband and me to fund my studies considering that I am still paying for my bachelor degree. That is why I decided to apply and hope to be awarded this Education Debt Reduction scholarship to help me achieve my dream. While I continue seeking for other scholarships, Education Debt Reduction scholarship will be profoundly

Casualties Of Sri Lankas Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Casualties Of Sri Lankas Civil War - Essay Example LTTE has not yet accepted defeat or it seems that both the parties have a very notorious reputation for exaggerating and lying (Rotberg, 1999). This particular tendency to lie and exaggerate has been perhaps the most important aspect of this war. For instance, the government exaggerates casualties among LTTE fighters while deliberately lies about its own casualties. Sri Lankan security forces have a reputation for reprisals after an attack has taken place. This kind of retaliation has often targeted the helpless civilians in the war zone in the North-East of Sri Lanka where most of the Tamils are living. In the rest of the country, Sinhalese are the majority. Muslims form the third ethnic minority group. Tamils constitute 18.5% of the total population while Sinhalese constitute approximately 74% (2001 Census). The post-1983 history of this island nation has never been the same and sporadic fighting in the North-East and occasional bomb explosions in the South have claimed more civilian lives than all casualties among security forces and the combatants put together. Though there are no reliable statistics to show the extent of such civilian casualties over the years, independent estimates put the figure at a colossal 60,000 with further 20,000 missing. These figures, of course, include some deaths among government soldiers and Tamil rebels too (www.worldwatch.org). While causative factors for the civil war in Sri Lanka have received much less attention than its consequences, both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, the ultimate survivor of all Tamilian rebel groups fighting for separation, haven’t paid attention to the mammoth toll the war takes on the civilian population in the country (Richardson, 2005).

Mechanical Engineering Graduate School Personal Statement

Mechanical Engineering Graduate School - Personal Statement Example I have taken courses in advanced mathematics as well as engineering physics classes. I have also had research experience which is a critical component in master’s programs. In particular, I have been on two research projects dealing specifically with the construction of different types of robots and looking at the future of commercial production of robots for daily household use. I have also had experience in the industry as well. I worked at H.C. Starck Inc. as an intern where I learned essential skills that were important to work there, but also give me foundational knowledge going into the masters program. In particular, I learned about maintenance and quality control of the products produced as well as data basing. My goals are very compatible with your program in mechanical engineering. My short term career goal is to receive a position on or start managing an interdisciplinary research and development team. I believe that I can successfully accomplish this by focusing on research in the master’s program by facilitating cooperation in engineering teams as well as learning how to overcome engineering obstacles in research. Eventually, I would like to teach and become a professor of robotics or human factor engineering so that I can pass down the experience and knowledge that I have learned to the next generation of engineers.

To what degree should organizations depend on the analysis of large Case Study

To what degree should organizations depend on the analysis of large databases and other IT resources to formulate basic strategy - Case Study Example Information technology is more often seen to be a tool that is used in making decisions. The type of technology that is in question will determine the types of decision making approach that is being adopted in an organization. With databases and data mining now being adopted widely for many organizations, it is now easier to adopt information technology while making important decisions (Browman 1998). Senior managers are adopting the use of information technology in making very important decisions. Decision making partially relies on the available information and functions that supports the process. For instance, when the objectives of management are absent mainly due to lack of sufficient information, the basis of search will be destabilized. If information search is not done, there will be limited information for comparison thus leading to undesired results (Kueh 2008). The type of information that is required at different levels of management varies. For instance, senior managemen t need information to aid them in business planning, a more detailed information is essential for middle level management to assist them in monitoring and controlling of day-to-day running of the business, and lower level management where majority of the employees lies only require information that will help them administer their duties (Nobel 2010). It is through organization decision making processes’ complexity information system has been categorized as per the level in which it is addressing. Executive information system is meant to assist top level management is making strategic decisions. The role of this system is collecting, analyzing and summarizing of both internal and external information that can be of benefit to the organization. The Executive Support System does more of analyzing data and tool modeling, for instance, â€Å"what if†; this will thus lead them into making a good strategic decision for their organization (Nobel 2010). Information technology

Myth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Myth - Essay Example According to Campbell, myths are not lies or tall-tales. They are however imaginative, symbolic stories that people of virtually all times have told as a means of expressing their deepest feelings and insights of the ultimate reality1 . Therefore it is not possible to suggest that a myth means only one thing. With time, it is easy for a story to loose its concrete localization, or even become associated with a different story or hero altogether. This implies that a myth can go into a number of directions with time, acquiring new associations or losing the old ones. In many performances, mythical stories that are familiar to certain people were used to catch the attention of the audience. Self conscious collection in a body becomes very important when it is found that the common body of knowledge within a certain culture has started to fade away. However, some people perceived myths to be for those people who are weak and had undergone psychoanalysis and thus needed only to see through their superficial covering of the past incidents2. Myth is so enduring that it does not easily vanish with the increased complexities of life. The changing global economic and political situation has had little effect in causing the myth to wither. Myths appear at all levels of social life although it has been felt that it is important at the primitive social life. Therefore, a myth can be taken to be a sacred form that can explain how for instance the world and mankind came to be. A myth can be used to give an explanation of something that extends beyond human mortal beliefs but has certain meanings. This can be based on what many people refer to as sacred beliefs/life. However, some scientists have argued that a myth is not based on sacred traditions or collective rituals. In this perspective it is also a fact that modern human beings are products of non-mythological world's way of thinking. It is however true to claim that myths have been highly coiled around many sacred socio-historical settings, which might seem to be more of t raditional and less technologically oriented modern people. However, putting the myth stories from one society with another that are related can make a person to understand more of what happens and why such things happens. It also helps people to live harmoniously in the society. According to Billias, myths helps to human beings to know their true selves by creating a world that all the people can live in with the surrounding community3. Literal Vs Metaphorical Interpretation of myths In interpreting mythical stories, they can be taken to be literally or metaphorical. When talking about literal interpretation, it is assumed to represent factually true statements or false, depending on the case. Metaphorical interpretation is taken to mean merely poetical language or existentially significant. Therefore, literal language is simply cognitively meaning while the metaphorical language expresses attitude and commitment4. The literal and metaphorical interpretation can be applied in the case of incarnation of Jesus. As Gill explains, "that Jesus was God the son incarnate is not literally true since it has no literal meaning, but it is an application to Jesus of a mythical concept whose function is analogous to that of the notion of divine sonship ascribed in the ancient world to a king", (Para 11)5. Literal and metaphorical meaning depends on the authors or narrators implicit

No Taxation Essay Example for Free

No Taxation Essay The demand of No Taxation without Representation was the primary force in motivating the American revolutionary movement. It was also a symbol for democracy and freedom to the American people. The slogan described how Americans weren’t represented in British Parliament. Americans said that they did not vote for someone to represent them in Parliament and therefore, cannot be taxed. Justice is what the people wanted.In the mid-1700’s, due to the high debt created by the British after the French and Indian War, parliament created a series of new taxes used on only the American colonies to gain revenue. One of the most unpopular taxes, called the Stamp Act, required a stamp to be put on all legal documents for a certain fee. This upset many people in the colonies including the Virginia House of Burgesses, which was the legislature in Williamsburg, Virginia, at the time. The committee there created a resolution to ask the same rights as Britons, who had representatives in Parliament to defend themselves against taxation without representation (Document A). As Daniel Dulany says in Document C, â€Å"A right to impose tax on the colonies, without their consent for the single purpose of revenue, is denied†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dulany and many others agreed that taxing the colonists for revenue, or to make money, should not be allowed without the colonists agreement. Dulany also says that regulating the trade of the American Colonies is within the rights of the British to do so without American consent. The Americans took this to heart, and by 1765, the phrase of no taxation without representa tion was a common thought supported by Dulany’s idea. The British then came up with Virtual Representation. Virtual Representation is the idea that every member of the British Empire is represented by every Member of Parliament. The colonists disagreed with Virtual Representation, still displaying their anger or unconstitutional taxes through No Taxation without Representation. In Document F, the Second Continental Congress explains why they believe in the idea of independence and the explanation of taxation without representation is the first thing the address. In his pamphlet, Common Sense, Thomas Paine explains the absurdity of an island, England, ruling a continent, America. Common Sense begins to stir thoughts of revolution and independence in the minds of Americans.

Vortioxetine: Long and Short Term Effectiveness

Vortioxetine: Long and Short Term Effectiveness Clinical Efficacy and Tolerability Studies:  Effectiveness in short term therapy Thase M et al. performed meta-analysis on 10 short term placebo-controlled clinical trials [studies analyzed were with Clinical trial registry no:NCT00839423, NCT00635219, NCT00735709, NCT01140906, NCT01153009, NCT01163266, NCT00672958, NCT00672620, NCT01179516, NCT00811252]outcome submitted to USFDA for vortioxetine approval purpose and demonstrate the efficacy of the compound in treatment of MDD. They observed existence of dose response correlation across the dosage strength (5-20mg/day) of vortioxetine on the basis of MADRS as efficacy measurement scale. The analysis reported clinically meaningful efficacy of vortioxetine through mean difference in change from baseline MADRS total score (32.4 ±4.1 for vortioxetine(n=2416) and 32.1 ±4.0 for placebo(n=1439)) observed for 5mg strength(difference of change in score: -2.6; p=0.008), 10 mg strength (-3.5; p The very first study to identify efficacy, safety and tolerability of vortioxetine 5mg and 10 mg/day dosage vs. placebo was carried out for 6 weeks with participation of 429 patients with baseline Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score 30. Venlafaxine XR 225mg/day was used as an active reference in this multi-site study. The study exhibited superior treatment by vortioxetine in comparison of placebo as evident by significant difference (p Impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a chronic illness directly related to depression. Improvement in HRQoL in patient suffering of MDD reflects therapeutic effectiveness and enhance patient adherence to the drug. Florea I et al. performed random effect meta-analysis on 9 placebo controlled short term studies [Studies included are Clinical trial registry no.: NCT 00839423; NCT00635219; NCT01323478; NCT00672958; NCT00672620; NCT00735709; NCT01153009; NCT01163266] of patients with MDD receiving vortioxetine using a variety of quality-of-life assessment tools. The meta-analysis (FAS, MMRM) showed a statistically significant difference from placebo in favor of vortioxetine (p Effectiveness on Cognitive function: Efficacy of vortioxetine on cognitive function in depressed adults Memory impairment as a Neurocognitive mutilation is prominent in patients with MDD and the same is considered s a marker of brain dysfunctinality (Burt D). Antidepresant drugs with positive effect on reversal of cognitive dysfunction are differenciated from the antidepressants with no cognitive effect to facilitate good prescription in general. In a preclinical study, Vortioxetine enhanced memory in rat as evident by novel object recognition test and alleviated extracellular level of acetylcholine and histamine when 1-10 mg/kg drug is administered subcutaneously to experimental animals (Mork A, 2013). The chronic dietary administration of drug also found to be effective in alleviation of stress-induced impairment in reversal learning when adult male rats were exposed to chronic intermittent cold (CIC) stress and 4-chloro-DL-phenylalanine methyl ester hydrochloride (PCPA), a 5-HT depleting agent (Wallace A, 2014). Restoration of 5-HT depletion impaired memory by Vortioxetine was also demonstrated by Jardin KG and Jansen JB through PCPA induced 5-HT depletion model and behavioural tests including object recognition (OR) and Y-maze spontaneous alternation (SA) tests respectively. SERT (Serotonin transporters) occupancy (>90%) by vortioxetine was established in their preclinical work, with reports of dose-dependently reversed recognition memory and spatial working memory in rats. Effectiveness in MDD relapse prevention (Long term therapy) Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients have to maintain therapy even after remission by acute treatment to prevent relapse especially when residual symptom and comorbid illnesses (E.g: MDD with generalized anxiety disorder) are present at the remission point (Keller M, 2007). The long term efficacy of antidepressants is also be established by study of its role in maintenance treatment in preventing depression recurrence in patients who responded to acute therapy (Kornstein 2006)(Steinert C 2014). Alam M et al (NCT 00707980) carried out an open-label, 52-weeks, long term study to identify efficacy of vortioxetine along with monitoring of adverse effects. This was the extension of two double blind, placebo controlled short term (8weeks) lead in studies involving participants suffering of MDD. Total 834 patients were treated with 5 mg/day dose of vortioxetine for first week followed by dose titration from 2.5 mg/day to 10 mg/day depending on intensity of response till 52 weeks. The study concluded with absence of potential adverse effect reports and proved efficacy of vortioxetine by maintenance of remission observed by Change From Baseline score of MADRS Total Score (Observation: -7.4  ±9.81 units Change from baseline score as end point result) and 24-item Hamilton Depression total score (Observation: -7.9  ±9.66 units change from baseline score as end point result). Furthermore, Baldwin DS et al reported safety and efficacy of vortioxetine in prevention of relapse of MDD o n the basis of 52 weeks of remission maintenance therapy in patients who previously completed acute therapy of vortioxetine for 8 weeks with evidence of remission. Patients reported approximately 8 points reduction from 13.5 ±8.7 base line MADRS score after 52 weeks of treatment indicated favorable profile of vortioxetine (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/day) in relapse prevention during long term remission maintenance therapy of MDD. At the end of 52 week treatment, approximately 2% patients have shown sign of relapse (MDRS score ≠¥ 22) as per Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. For vortioxetine, a MDD relapse prevention study was carried out with participation of 639 MDD patients aged between 18-75 years and diagnosed with a current major depressive episode (MDE) within four weeks duration. In this investigation, against baseline score in MADRS scale ≠¥26, a remission point was considered as MADRS total score ≠¤10 for vortioxetine (5 or 10 mg/day) treated patients to enter in double-blind, 24 weeks phase of treatment with either placebo (n=192) or vortioxetine (n=204) for relapse time analysis. At the end of the study, relapse rate was 13% and 26% for vortioxetine and placebo treated groups respectively as an evidence of efficacy of vortioxetine in prevention of relapse in 396 patients participated in 24 week phase (Boulenger JP 2012). COMPARATIVE EFFICIENCY Treatment with vortioxetine (2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg) failed to make differentiation from placebo when Change From Baseline in MADRS Total Score was considered as a primary efficacy analysis tool in a 8 Week randomized, double blind clinical study. In the same investigation, Duloxetine (60 mg), a reference drug used to find efficacy of vortioxetine, also failed to make differentiation against placebo in primary efficacy analysis. Secondary efficacy outcome analysis and tolerability analysis suggested efficacy of vortioxetine with 5mg and 10 mg strength through MMRM (Mixed-Effect Model Repeated Measure) model (Badwin DS, 2012). In a randomized, double blind study involving comparison of vortioxetine (n= 252) and agomelatine (n=241), superiority of treatment with vortioxetine (p Katona C et al reported significantly (P = 0.0011) higher efficacy of vortioxetine (5 mg/day) in comparison of placebo by 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D (24)) total score () as the primary measure. 29.2 vs. 19.3% remission rate were observed at the endpoint for vortioxetine and placebo controlled population respectively during the study which also involved duloxetine as active reference. The patient adherence rate was 94.2% in case of vortioxetine and 90.1% in case of duloxetine demonstrated tolerability of vortioxetine in their study. Comparative Safety of vortioxetine (10mg per day) in MDD treatment was established on the basis of 15 days study demonstrating its effect on psychomotor performance in 24 healthy subjects. The drug didn’t show alteration in psychomotor functioning withing and at the end point of te study. The investigation also involved use of Mirtazapine as an active reference which was found to be inferior through strandardized driving test due to cognitive impairment obsrved by it. (Theunissen). EFFECTIVENESS ON ETHNIC POPULATION Majority of the clinical investigations listed in table 3 were carried out at multi sites involving global population and diverse demographic distribution. The drug was found to be equally effective on participants from different countries. Recently H.Lundbeck announced head-to-head study results comparing efficacy and tolerability of vortioxetine 10mg/day and venlafaxine XR 150mg/day in treatment of MDD in 437 adult participants (Inclusion criteria: MADRS total score ≠¥26) from four Asian countries, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and China. The end point outcome established slightly more effectiveness of vortioxetine compared to venlafaxine with mean difference of -1.20 points in change observed in baseline MADRS total score(with 95% CI: -3.03 to -0.63). The superiority of vortioxetine was strongly supported by its tolerability data observed as lesser incidences of adverse events (6.6% vs. 13.7%) and lesser drop out ratio of participants (18% vs. 27.4%) in case of vortioxetine treatment compared to active reference. Efficacy of vortioxetine in Asian population was established by substantial improvement in MDD as evident by change in baseline score i.e.: -19.4 points on MADRS total score. SAFETY AND TOLERABILITY Efficacy and safety for Sexual function maintenance Sexual dysfunction is one of the major risks of antidepressant therapy particularly with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)(Strohmaier J 2011). Therapy discontinuation is reported frequently in clinical studies involving various antidepressants due to adverse effects associated with sexual problems which includes including anorgasmia, problems in ejaculation, absence of libido and impotence but still sexual dysfunction is one of the most under-rated AEs (Serretti A). at the same time symptoms and illness of depression is also known to be associated with sexual dysfunctions(Baldwin D, 2013 AND Foong T; Reichenpfader U,). In this dilemma, the data generated through efficacy and safety studies of vortioxetine are supporting the selection of vortioxetine as an antidepressant with the minimum side effects as far as sexual health impairment is concerned. A study involving MDD patients suffering of SSRI monotherapy (Treatment with citalopram, paroxetine or sertraline) induced sexual dysfunction indicated effectiveness of vortioxetine in clinically meaningful improvement in sexual functioning compared to escitalopram. This multicentre, randomized, double-blind, active controlled clinical trial was carried out on SSRI treated 447 participants who were already in partial or full remission state from MDD as measured by the MADRS and CGI-S/I(Clinical global impression severity and improvement scales). The participants were switched 10 mg/day fixed dose of vortioxetine or escitalopram for the first week of study. Further, the dose was increased to 20 mg/day in second week followed by flexible dose (10-20 mg/day) till the end of 8th week. The dose was taped down to 10 mg/day for escitalopram control group whereas vortioxetine treated group was switched to placebo control for another 1 week. Treatment with vortioxetine(n=169) concluded in a s tatistically significant treatment effect by change from baseline CSFQ-14(Changes in sexual functioning Questionnaire) total score at the end of 8th week of study in comparison of escitalopram(n=179). A mean treatment difference of 2.2 points for vortioxetine vs escitalopram groups(95% CI: 0.48—4.02; p=0.013, MMRM) proved efficacy of vortioxetine in sexual function restoration and MDD remission mintenance in patients treated with other antidepressant previously. Previously, during the proof-of-concept, short term efficacy study for vortioxetine (5mg/day and 10 mg/day) with placebo control and active reference control has demonstrated statistically higher safety of vortioxetine in comparison of active reference (12.4% incidences for venlafaxine vs. 1.9% incidences for 5 mg/day vortioxetine and placebo, p=0.0033, Fishers exact test) and equivalent safety in comparison to placebo group for the incidences of sexual dysfunction related adverse effects. In contrast, Mahbaleshwarkar 2013 (NCT00672620) reported high incidences (51% for and 37.5% for vortioxetine 2.5 mg and 5 mg versus 26.9% duloxetine and 33.3% placebo group) of treatment-emergent sexual function impairment by treatment with vortioxetine. They monitored sexual dysfunction as a adverse effect using the ASEX (Arizona sexual experience) scale. The study involving a total 9f 611 participants also concluded with observation of non-significant difference in changes from baseline of HAM-D2 4 total score between 5mg, 10 mg vortioxetine and placebo. The above studies indicate that sexual function related AEs is not a concern for long term use of vortioxetine as a remission maintenance therapy unlike other antidepressants whereas patients may suffer by adverse effects related with sexual dysfunction when the therapy for remission with 5mg or 10 mg dose is started in patients suffering of MDD. Adverse Effects Frequency and severity of adverse effect and change in selected vital body parameters, ECG, weight change due to vortioxetine (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0mg/day) administration were observed during a 52 week open labeled study by during a open label long term study by Baldwin DS. They also considered physical examination and clinical safety laboratory tests to make thorough investigation. Out of 535 participants, only 2% of individuals have shown sign of severe adverse effects but none of the adverse effect was prevalent in more than 0.56% individuals among total participants. Apart from this, majority of the patients reported the non-serious adverse effects have shown sign of nausea (19.81%) and headache (15.33%). Sexual dysfunction related adverse effects were reported in six patients at the end of the study. This study was also concluded with effectiveness of vortioxetine in long term treatment as mentioned previously in this article. The study was concluded with positive outcome in terms o f tolerability of vortioxetine for long term maintenance therapy in patients with MDD remission. Drug Interactions Vortioxetine dose adjustment is not required based on age, race, gender, ethnicity, renal or hepatic impairment but due to serotonin syndrome and neuroleptic malignant syndrome, the drug is contraindicated in concomitant administration with irreversible non selective MAOIs(Monoamino oxidase inhibitors). Chen G et al reported drug interaction cases affecting pharmacokinetic profile of vortioxetine in healthy subjects. They observed need of dosage adjustment of vortioxetin when it is concomminately administered with bupropion, rifampicin as steady state AUC and Cmax of of vorteoxetine enhanced by 128 and 114% in case of bupropion co-administration and suppressed by 72% and 51% in case of rifampicin co-administration. At the same time, tolerability of simultaneous therapy was evident by absence of any severe adverse effects. They also reported safety of vorteoxetine in concomminent administration of popular contraceptive, Estradiol. Vortioxetine is mainly metabolized in liver by CYP2D6 and up to some extent by CYP2C9 and CYP34/5. This makes vortioxetine sensitive to other drugs which are CYP2D6 inhibitors, CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 inhibitors and Cytochrome P450 inducers. Other than these, reversible and non-selective MAOI and serotonergic medicinal products are also potential drug substances affecting efficacy and safety of vortioxetine.

A Random Walk Down Wall Street Essay -- Stock Markets Investing Money

A Random Walk Down Wall Street There is a sense of complexity today that has led many to believe the individual investor has little chance of competing with professional brokers and investment firms. However, Malkiel states this is a major misconception as he explains in his book â€Å"A Random Walk Down Wall Street†. What does a random walk mean? The random walk means in terms of the stock market that, â€Å"short term changes in stock prices cannot be predicted†. So how does a rational investor determine which stocks to purchase to maximize returns? Chapter 1 begins by defining and determining the difference in investing and speculating. Investing defined by Malkiel is the method of â€Å"purchasing assets to gain profit in the form of reasonably predictable income or appreciation over the long term†. Speculating in a sense is predicting, but without sufficient data to support any kind of conclusion. What is investing? Investing in its simplest form is the expectation to receive greater valu e in the future than you have today by saving income rather than spending. For example a savings account will earn a particular interest rate as will a corporate bond. Investment returns therefore depend on the allocation of funds and future events. Traditionally there have been two approaches used by the investment community to determine asset valuation: â€Å"the firm-foundation theory† and the â€Å"castle in the air theory†. The firm foundation theory argues that each investment instrument has something called intrinsic value, which can be determined analyzing securities present conditions and future growth. The basis of this theory is to buy securities when they are temporarily undervalued and sell them when they are temporarily overvalued in comparison to there intrinsic value One of the main variables used in this theory is dividend income. A stocks intrinsic value is said to be â€Å"equal to the present value of all its future dividends†. This is done u sing a method called discounting. Another variable to consider is the growth rate of the dividends. The greater the growth rate the more valuable the stock. However it is difficult to determine how long growth rates will last. Other factors are risk and interest rates, which will be discussed later. Warren Buffet, the great investor of our time, used this technique in making his fortune. The second theory is known as the â€Å"castle in the ai... ... while using the beta approach as a guide. Returns may also rely on general market swings, changes in interest rates and inflation, to changes in national income and other economic factors. Chapter 11 closes our discussion with several insights into the efficient market theory. There have been many attempts to discredit the random walk theory, but none of the theories hold against empirical evidence. Any pattern that is noticed by investors will disappear as investors try to exploit it and the valuation methods of growth rate are far too difficult to predict. As we said before the random walk concludes that no patterns exist in the market, pricing is accurate and all information available is already incorporated into the stock price. Therefore the market is efficient. Even if errors do occur in short-run pricing, they will correct themselves in the long run. The random walk suggest that short-term prices cannot be predicted and to buy stocks for the long run. Malkiel concludes the best way to consistently be profitable is to buy and hold a broad based market index fund. As the market rises so will the investors returns since historically the market continues to rise as a whole.

The Effect of Legal and Illegal Immigrants in the United States :: Immigration Cause Effect Essays

For many years the United States of America has been held by many to be the land of opportunity where everyone can achieve their dreams. Like in any area of the world the immigration and migration of people both legally and illegally shapes our country’s population and the economy. In the United States there are millions of illegal immigrants that struggle to find a way to live and then there are the legal foreign-born individuals that abide by our laws and still struggle to get by. A great deal of the population growth we have seen in the past and will see in the future is due to the immigration of foreign people into this land. As one studies our nation he can see there are many differences between the status and living conditions of natives and foreign-born population. There are many migrant workers that come into this country every year to work in the farms and industries that offer seasonal work with little pay. In light of the recent terrorist acts against this country t he immigration laws and border patrols are coming under greater scrutiny. Immigrants and Their Place in our Population There are all kinds of immigrants in the United States and they have different kinds of statuses. First of all there are legal immigrants that were foreign born but have become citizens of the United States. There are also people who come into the country legally and are given permission to live here permanently but are not naturalized citizens because they have either never applied for citizenship or do not meet a requirement for citizenship. We also have those who come here legally to stay for a set amount of time for things such as education, or work. On the other end of the spectrum are the millions of illegal immigrants that sneak into our country hoping to find asylum and a better way of life. As is apparent in any area that receives immigrants the influx of new people has an effect on population size and diversity. The Department of Labor expects the population of the United States to grow by around fifty percent over the next fifty years. They also say that immigration will have the biggest role in growth through mid-century and that other changes come only because of birth rate and death rates. We are to expect around 820,000 immigrants to arrive in our country every year not including those who come illegally.

Admiral Grace Murray Hopper and Lady Augusta Ada Byron Lovelace Essay

Ada & Grace: Practical Visionaries Imagine a computer programmer who still programs in bits and bytes and has never heard of the terms "bug" or "de-bugging." Then, stretch your mind much further, and try to imagine a world without computers. Most of us, no matter what age, don't have such powerful imaginations. But without the contributions of women like Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, who developed the first compiler, and Lady Augusta Ada Byron Lovelace, who made the idea of an Analytical Engine accessible to a world without computers, our most advanced computing device for general use would very likely still be a simple calculator. Lovelace and Hopper are by no means the only women who have made invaluable contributions to the field of computer science. Without Betty Holberton, who "devised the first sort-merge generator, for UNIVAC I" (AWC, "Frances..."), Grace Hopper would never have been able to design the first compiler. A more contemporary scientist, Dr. Anita Borg, has profoundly influenced the field by "designing and building a fault tolerant UNIX-based operating system" ("Short Biography of Anita Borg"), as well as developing a performance analysis method for high-speed memory systems. However, I've chosen to focus on Lovelace and Hopper because they are probably the most frequently mentioned women in computer science, and they represent two critical historical moments in the field: Lovelace helps to bring the first computer into being, while Hopper forges the start of the modern computer age. A researcher looking into women and computer science will find Ada's and Grace's names scattered all over the place. Lovelace has a programming language named after her (Ada), the Association for Women in Computing offer the ... ...//www.ex.ac.uk/BABBAGE/ada.html (11 March 2000). AWSEM - Associate of Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics. "Facts in Brief." AWSEM Gender Equity. http://www.awsem.org (2 Feb. 2000). Danis, Sharron Ann. "Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper." 2 Feb. 1997. http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Hopper.Danis.html (17 March 2000). GirlTECH. "Introduction." Getting Girls Interested in Computers. 1998. http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/club/girls.html (7 Feb. 2000). "Grace Murray Hopper: 1906-1992." A Science Odyssey: People and Discoveries (PBS). 1998. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/btmurr.html (17 March 2000). "Short Biography of Anita Borg." Institute for Women and Technology. http://www.iwt.org/trubio.html (20 March 2000). Toole, Betty Alexander. Ada, The Enchantress of Numbers: Prophet of the Computer Age. Mill Valley CA: Strawberry Press, 1998. Admiral Grace Murray Hopper and Lady Augusta Ada Byron Lovelace Essay Ada & Grace: Practical Visionaries Imagine a computer programmer who still programs in bits and bytes and has never heard of the terms "bug" or "de-bugging." Then, stretch your mind much further, and try to imagine a world without computers. Most of us, no matter what age, don't have such powerful imaginations. But without the contributions of women like Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, who developed the first compiler, and Lady Augusta Ada Byron Lovelace, who made the idea of an Analytical Engine accessible to a world without computers, our most advanced computing device for general use would very likely still be a simple calculator. Lovelace and Hopper are by no means the only women who have made invaluable contributions to the field of computer science. Without Betty Holberton, who "devised the first sort-merge generator, for UNIVAC I" (AWC, "Frances..."), Grace Hopper would never have been able to design the first compiler. A more contemporary scientist, Dr. Anita Borg, has profoundly influenced the field by "designing and building a fault tolerant UNIX-based operating system" ("Short Biography of Anita Borg"), as well as developing a performance analysis method for high-speed memory systems. However, I've chosen to focus on Lovelace and Hopper because they are probably the most frequently mentioned women in computer science, and they represent two critical historical moments in the field: Lovelace helps to bring the first computer into being, while Hopper forges the start of the modern computer age. A researcher looking into women and computer science will find Ada's and Grace's names scattered all over the place. Lovelace has a programming language named after her (Ada), the Association for Women in Computing offer the ... ...//www.ex.ac.uk/BABBAGE/ada.html (11 March 2000). AWSEM - Associate of Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics. "Facts in Brief." AWSEM Gender Equity. http://www.awsem.org (2 Feb. 2000). Danis, Sharron Ann. "Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper." 2 Feb. 1997. http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Hopper.Danis.html (17 March 2000). GirlTECH. "Introduction." Getting Girls Interested in Computers. 1998. http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/club/girls.html (7 Feb. 2000). "Grace Murray Hopper: 1906-1992." A Science Odyssey: People and Discoveries (PBS). 1998. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/btmurr.html (17 March 2000). "Short Biography of Anita Borg." Institute for Women and Technology. http://www.iwt.org/trubio.html (20 March 2000). Toole, Betty Alexander. Ada, The Enchantress of Numbers: Prophet of the Computer Age. Mill Valley CA: Strawberry Press, 1998.

Critical Analysis for Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

William Wordsworth growing up spending most of this time alone and almost always around nature, typically writes of how we are affecting nature. However in the poem Composed upon Westminster Bridge we see a different side of Wordsworth were he describes a city so still and peaceful the beauty is hard to pass unnoticed. Throughout Composed upon Westminster Bridge Wordsworth uses imagery, figures of speech and tone. This poem we see a new side to Wordsworth’s writing, Wordsworth uses imagery as a way to make us see and feel what he is as he looks over Westminster Bridge. He uses visual imagery to make us picture the beauty he is it witnessing. â€Å"All bright and glittering in the smokeless air†, he sees that even the things we never thought to have beauty can prove to be some of the most beautiful things. â€Å"Never did a sun more beautiful steep†, nature has a way of taking the most simple things and making them look of something of great beauty. In line eleven Wordsworth uses the sense of inter emotions. Saying â€Å"Ne’re saw I, never felt a calm so deep†, what he saw that morning made him feel so at ease. It is as though he is surprised at how the simplest things from nature can sway our emotions. Wordsworth uses personification in several places in the poem, in reference to the city, sun, river, and houses. He creates the impression that nature is a living being with a soul. In line twelve, â€Å"the river glideth at his own sweet will†, is saying nature has a way of taking its own path and journey when it’s not corrupted by humans. The beauty of such simple things can be seen better when all is still. With the tranquility we can view nature’s natural beauty, like said in line thirteen, â€Å"Dear God! The very houses seem asleep†. Nature has a way of dressing the city with beauty that we cannot always imagine, â€Å"this city now doth, like a garment†, Wordsworth is using a simile to compare the morning beauty to clothing. The manner in which Composed upon Westminster Bridge is written shows a few different tones. Such as, in the first three lines he is showing admiration for the beautiful sight he sees. It’s as though he’s praising the simplicity of the beauty. Also shown in line nine, â€Å"never did the sun more beautifully steep†, is a tone of praise and awe at just how beautiful a sight it was. The last four lines Wordsworth writes give the tone of peace. How the city was so calm that for those moments it was peaceful. The way Wordsworth uses imagery, figures of speech and tone in the writing of Composed upon Westminster Bridge is how he can get other to feel as if they were there that morning to see and feel what he did. This poem shows that there is beauty in everything, but that to sometimes see this beauty we must look harder to find it.

Developing Negotiation Case Studies

While a great deal of excellent advice exists for producing case studies on managerially relevant topics in general, negotiation cases have distinctive aspects that merit explicit treatment.This article offers three types of tailored advice for producing cases on negotiation and related topics (such as mediation and diplomacy) that are primarily intended for classroom discussion: 1) how to decide whether a negotiation ­related case lead is worth developing; 2) how to choose the perspective and case type most suited to one’s objectives; and 3) in by far the longest part of the discussion, ten nuts and bolts suggestions for structuring and producing an excellent negotiation case study.Suppose you read about, participate in, or otherwise become aware of a negotiation that intrigues you as a possible candidate for a case study. Perhaps a student, colleague, participant in an executive program, or private client suggests such an episode. You may consider researching and writing u p the case yourself or you might supervise someone else for this purpose. Should you proceed with an investment of your scarce time and resources? If so, how?What’s the best casewriting advice you can give to a research assistant, a student (team) grappling with a course assignment to produce a case study, or someone else who is simply interested in writing up a negotiation for discussion purposes? ii Generations of experienced, even legendary, casewriters have codified guidelines for producing excellent case studies on virtually any subject. iii Yet negotiation cases often have distinctive aspects that merit explicit treatment.Over the years, I’ve found myself in many conversations trying to crystallize and convey the elements that seem to contribute to crafting superior negotiation cases. I hope that pulling these insights together and developing them a bit more systematically will be useful for others undertaking casewriting projects. A quick caveat: though casewrit ing is often properly part of a larger research program, and synergistic with other methodologies, I focus here on case studies that are mainly intended as vehicles for classroom discussion and analysis.As such, I sidestep important issues associated with systematically selecting and developing cases for well- defined research projects. For example, in the field of international relations, which thrives on case studies, the â€Å"method of structured, focused comparisons† is a research staple. iv More generally, exacting criteria exist for identifying, developing, comparing, and Draft: Developing Negotiation Case Studies. Copyright  ©2010 by James K. Sebenius. 1 contrasting case studies in order to extract valid inductive social scientific knowledge. However, I leave that set of considerations for specialists with casewriting as a component of well-defined research agendas. vi The following sections offer three types of advice for producing cases that are primarily intended for classroom discussion: 1) how to decide whether a case lead is worth developing; 2) how to choose the perspective and case type most suited to your objectives; and, 3) in the by far the longest part of the discussion, ten nuts and bolts suggestions for structuring and producing an excellent case study.One of the best ways to learn the casewriter’s craft is to study a number of truly excellent case studies, or better, to discuss such cases in a forum led by an experienced case method instructor. As such, in each of the three advice sections that follow, I’m tempted to list a number of my favorite negotiation cases as models.Since, however, these choices may be unfamiliar to many readers, and may be set in times, places, or contexts of little interest to others, I will instead offer a set of model cases, plus commentary, in an online forum in the hope that others will consult, comment, and contribute. (See online url to be provided later. ). I. Advice on developing a prospective case: a case for what? A case of what? Start by seeking clarity on your overall purpose: â€Å"a case for what? †

Working for a Large Company

The number of people in the US who are quitting their corporate jobs to start their own businesses is growing. One recent best-selling book entitled Fire your Boss! seems to reflect the growing discontent with company life. Why are so many people going into their own businesses? One of the most frustrating things about corporate life is the bureaucracy. This is the administrative system of paperwork and red tape that keeps track of everything in the corporation.Any decision must be agreed upon by many people in different departments and levels of the company. This can be very frustrating for individual employees who want to have control over their own work. They can become exasperated when their good ideas get tied up for months in the bureaucratic machinery. Employees often long the freedom of being their own boss. Another depressing aspect of working for a corporation is the lack of job security.Contrary to business owners, employees in a large company can be fired at any time, for almost no reason. If there is a downturn in the economy, layoffs are likely to come. Even if a worker has done his best to serve the corporations, he could find himself fired without warning or explanation. When a person works for himself, however, he cannot be fired. The traditionally attractive fringe benefits of a corporate position have been decreasing in recent years as well.There was a time when landing a job at a top corporation meant the employee was assured of a good retirement. More and more these days, however, pension benefits are being cut to lower payroll costs. Workers are being forced to worry more about their own retirement plans. In the same vein, health care is another benefit that has started to evaporate. Health insurance premiums are rising, while covered medical conditions are shrinking. This means employees are paying more out-of-pocket expenses than before and getting less care in return.

Proposal for Artemis Sportswear Company Essay

Cutting operational expenses is something ever organization must learn to balance to ensure productivity and profit margins increase for the company. An increase profit margin is the bottom line for any business and its stakeholders. In order to cut operational expenses productively Artemis Sportswear needs a comprehensive look at the everyday operational expenses. Cutting the everyday expenditures is in need of balance, because to much cuts can cause lose of productivity which in the end will not achieve the desired affect of increase profits. Cutting operational expenses also affects the work force of Artemis Sportswear. This proposal is to define the expenses that need or could be to cut to ensure the success of Artemis Sportswear and how these cuts will affect the workforce. Cutting everyday expenses can help lower operational expenses. When purchasing office supplies, generic is going to be less expensive than brand name products. Buying the store brand name is generally sold at a lower cost. Buying supplies in bulk is cost effective over a long period of time. Leasing equipment is better than buying equipment. When leasing you have the opportunity to upgrade or downgrade when necessary. Technology is always changing and improving, so by leasing there is the option to stay current with the new changes in the equipment. Leased equipment always comes with an insurance policy, which is not needed if there is a currant insurance policy with the company. To avoid being double charged register with your companyÂ’s insurance broker then submit a copy of the new insurance to the leasing company to have it dropped. Smaller equipment such as telephones, printers, fax machines and calculators should be purchased not leased. Usually the smaller equipment will hold its value over time and can be easily replaced if needed. Shopping for bargains or sales of the smaller equipments can save a considerable amount of money. Finding a 3 in 1 package which would include a telephone, fax and printer can also cut costs. Printing in bulk is another way to keep costs down because each copy is less expensive when purchased in larger quantities. Researching various companies for the best rates on telephone services; checking both long distance and local calling plans. Companies that have  plans of unlimited local and long distance are generally the best deals. Another possibility to look into is how much a telephone company charges for each fax that is sent. Most companies charge a flat rate of a minute instead of six second increments which adds up over a period of time. Out sourcing is a great way to significantly cut down costs. The way outsourcing works is when a company obtains a contract with another company to provide services for them. There are many types of companies that specialize in many different services. Companies can rely on outsourcing if they themselves cannot afford or do not want to spend the money on the expensive equipment. These companies can produce less expensive products and labor. In most cases they do not pay their employees benefits and the hourly amount the employees receive is usually very low. These companies typically have less overhead to worry about, making it possible to pay less for their work. These types of contracts are generally done overseas, such as China and India. Outsourcing not only cuts down costs, but it also can aid in expanding the business by building foundations in different countries. The benefit to expanding is more income coming in. Another benefit from outsourcing is that it helps to reduce the work that managers perform allowing them to take care of bigger issues. Of course outsourcing has its disadvantages; it can take away from the personality of the company, by not having a personal communication between the company and clients. “In business, your profits are your reward for your endeavors. In fact, profitability is the only reliable measurement of a business’ success. Profits are the very lifeblood of a business. They fuel growth, support the owners, provide for the well being of the staff, and ultimately determine the success or failure of the business.” Peters Elworthy and MooreCutting operational expenses to increase profit margins is key for Artemis Sportswear to continue selling quality sportswear. First cutting operational expenses in house is a must. In house is where everything begins so thatÂ’s the first place to begin cuts. Hiring a company to help budget Artemis Sportswear is a smart way to educate employees to cut costs. A budget company will first evaluate immediate saving opportunities for Artemis Sportswear by reviewing operating expenses and guiding higher office and  employees to cut operational expenses. Investing in a company to help budget Artemis Sportswear is a smar t way to cut costs and raise profits. There are other ways to cut cost without hiring professionals to help budget the company. Using the internet to search for ideas is also an inexpensive way to save money. After saving money from not hiring a budget cutting company, it will add to ArtemisÂ’s profits. Ideas such as those on ehow.com, ezinearticles.com, and pem.com can save money and just as important, time. Simple tips and ideas like not making cuts without considering the consequences, to leasing gives the option of upgrading or downgrading, depending on needs and changes in technology. Sitting down with the companyÂ’s decision makers and brainstorming strategies to cut spending is another inexpensive way to keep costs low. Look over company expenses and create a list of needs or must haves. Review the companyÂ’s business plan and see what necessary costs have to be made in order for the company to meet its objectives, goals and overall mission. Think about cutting full-time workers into part-time workers or making the positions contract without benefits. Proposal for Artemis Sportswear CompanyWhen discussing cost cutting measures, it is imperative to consider the costs to the employees. When payroll is cut, how Artemis carries the process out can have a negative effect on the employees left and most certainly will have an effect on their work production. Keogh (2001) claims, “Economic trends have been at its worst since 1991” (p 17). A few things have been learned about payroll slashing since then. Some companies are asking the employees what to do in order to cut costs before cutting payroll and have received replies as simple as saving energy to more convoluted solutions. Energy savings alone can result in savings of thousands of dollars. Another fact that has been learned is that it takes a community to support a business. The resulting cuts can have people losing their homes and moving  away from the city that Artemis Sportswear resides in. With loss in population, higher tax levies for businesses may result. The local retail trade is affected. This will also affect the local unemployment rate with an increase in government supplements and food stamps. When people have worked with a company for many years, they donÂ’t have any skills for searching for a job. Even termination can be done with care. It is advised to give ample notice of termination and information about benefits. A company can be hired to help workers cope with “career transition” (Austin, 2001, p 60). When layoffs are activated, the resulting production of the left over employees may or may not be affected; depending upon how the terminations were made. When workers are cut, service is cut. A better idea may be to cut per hour costs or offer early retirement packages for senior employees. A hiring freeze may be a viable alternative. Employees who leave the company are not replaced. Along with lower cost per hour, this might take a while for the company to see profit increase, but if the employees are made to feel part of the solution to its own problems, there may be a significant production increase. This is a point that retraining would come in. Companies like Federal Express and Saturn have gone to retraining programs instead of immediate terminations. Buckstein (1997) explains that “training has yielded $30 for every dollar invested…” (p 131). Bonuses are paid to managers who volunteer to participate as instructors. Retraining consists of team building and changes in workplace culture. Employers can restate what is expected of the workers and let them become aware of what the new focus of Artemis Sportswear is. Company values and ArtemisÂ’s mission statement can be communicated. Employees can be reenergized, knowing that Artemis is trying to keep staff and prevent layoffs. Work assignments can be filled by more than one person as well as rotate, to prevent boredom. This can give a boost to productivity. It is essential to supply information to the workers about proposed changes.  Greenhalgh and McKersie (1980) caution “…rumored use of the layoff strategy leaves employees with a feeling of employment insecurity which affects their work, their relationship with management, and their commitment to continue working for the organization” (p 577). If rumors are circulating, Artemis does not have an accurate measure of their cost cutting implementation strategy. Bleckstein (1997) summarizes, “But a firmÂ’s ability to learn faster than its competitors may be its only sustainable competitive advantage” (p 131). This translates to research. Management must consider the costs overall before cutting jobs. Most important, management must consider the costs to their loyal employees when research indicates effective money saving alternatives. Artemis Sportswear has a few options open to them before cutting payroll. Kinsman (2001) warns, “ItÂ’s time for corporations to start thinking about all the pieces of the success equation before lopping off payroll” (4). Conclusion Business is ever changing in the new world economy. Artemis Sportswear like any other business and will have to take steps to improve business and profit margins. The use of cutting operational expenses is shown in many different forms from out sourcing to cutting back everyday expenses. These are essential for improving the profit margins of Artemis Sportswear but the consideration of how these cuts can affect the worker of the company. References Austin, P. (2001). The making of a one-company ghost town. Business and Society Review, 59-64. Retrieved April 16, 2008, from the EbscoHost database. Blickstein, S. (1997). A wider view of training effectiveness. Industrial and Commercial Training, 29(4), 131-132. Retrieved April 11, 2008, from the EbscoHost database. Greenhalgh, L., & McKersie, R. B. (1980, November/December). Cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies for cut-back management. Public Administration Review, 575-584. Retrieved April 12, 2008, from the EbscoHost database. Kelly, L. (1996). The costs of cost-cutting. Worklife Report, 10(2), 3. Retrieved April 16, 2008, from the EbscoHost database. Keough, J. (2001). The trouble with layoffs. Industrial Distribution, 90(8), 17. Retrieved April 12, 2008, from from EbscoHost database. Kinsman, M. (2001, March 12). The problem with cutting staff in lean times. Westchester County Business Journal,4-8. Retrieved April 12, 2008, from the EbscoHost database. Wise Geek. (2003-2008). Wise Geek: What is Outsourcing?. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-outsourcing.htm

TEXT Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

TEXT - Article Example In order to implement this marketing concept, the target market is identified first and segmentation is carried out on the basis of psychographics, geography, behavior and finally the product mix is applied to satisfy and build long term customer relationships. Product mix is comprised of four P’s of marketing namely product, pricing, placement and promotion. A product could be any physical product or a service that meets the demands of the customers. Pricing is carried out on the techniques of marketing skimming or penetration so that market share is grabbed by the company by setting initially higher and lower prices respectively. Distribution of products to the customers involves a supply chain of activities where the raw materials are provided by the supplier, assembled at the manufacturer’s plant, stored in the warehousing and then sent to the retailer for making it available for customer’s purchase. In order to create awareness among the customers about the product/service the company offers, techniques of advertising, personal selling and maintaining public relations are regarded significant. Customer relationship management is considered vital for any organization’s success because satisfied customers yield more profits. Every product has to go through a cycle where is it first introduced in the market, then it sees a phase of growth where the focus is on generating sales, then the product stabilizes or becomes mature in the market and generates good profits. Lastly, when competition becomes intense or the marketing efforts to maintain the product’s image fails, it goes through the declining

A criminial case with relevant, reliable, and competent evidence Essay

A criminial case with relevant, reliable, and competent evidence - Essay Example This was emphasized in the Supreme Court’s ruling in Holbrook v Hymn. The Court held that in accordance with the provisions of the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, the guilt of the accused was to be determined exclusively on the basis of the evidence presented during trial. Furthermore, guilt could not be established on the basis of official suspicion, indictment, continued custody or other circumstances (Gardner & Anderson , 2009, p. 31). Evidence that is relevant, reliable and not otherwise inadmissible at trial is deemed to be competent evidence. The defendant in Holmes v South Carolina, endeavored to introduce evidence that the murder had been committed by a third party. In this effort the defendant offered witnesses who exhibited willingness to testify that the third party had committed the crime. This testimony was excluded by the trial court on the grounds that the case against the defendant was strong and that the evidence against the third party merely generated a bare suspicion. The defendant was convicted of murder, and this sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court of South Carolina (Gardner & Anderson , 2009, p. 32). In this case, the Supreme Court of South Carolina affirmed that any evidence of third party guilt had to generate a reasonable implication of innocence. In addition, such evidence had to be restricted to the facts that were not in conformity with the guilt of the defendant. The Court further clarified that the forensic evidence was almost conclusive in indicating the guilt of the defendant, and that the evidence against the third party was effective only to the extent of creating a bare suspicion. In such cases, the evidence against the third party was inadequate for producing a reasonable implication of innocence regarding the defendant (Holmes v. South Carolina). Thereafter, this case was put up for direct review in the US Supreme Court. In its unanimous decision this Court