Issues Regarding Ranking of People Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Issues Regarding Ranking of People - Term Paper Example hoot-out, Zimmerman was arrested by the police; the police arrived at the scene about two minutes after the shooting, in response to a distress call made by Zimmerman (Bell et al. 89). After his arrest, Zimmerman was put under police custody, treated for the head injuries that he claimed were inflicted on him by Trayvon, and was later questioned for five hours, regarding the events leading to the shooting. However, after a few hours, Zimmerman was released, and the police chief in charge of the case gave a variety of reasons for the release, including that he had acted in self-defense (Bell et al. 88-89). The police chief also maintained that the â€Å"stand your ground statute† did not allow the police to arrest Zimmerman for the controversial murder of the teenager, irrespective of the victim’s civil rights as well as the human rights of all Americans (Hancock 1). This paper will explore the event of Trayvon’s killing, with the aim of showing how the event led to an inequitable society, the resolution of the event and its effects. Despite the fact that Zimmerman, a Hispanic had shot Trayvon, an African-American dead, and despite the fact that the case was evidently an extreme one, Zimmerman was relelased after a few hours. The social stratification between the African-Americans and Americans of American descent demonstrated the social construction of social stratification for the different classes, and the case ended with an inadequacy of the attention warranted by the murder of Trayvon (Day-Vines et al. 401). The lack of equitability in society was evidenced by the responses offered to the murder, including that little attention paid to the fact that the police had ordered Zimmerman to stop pursuing Trayvon, yet he went ahead to shoot him dead. Secondly, there was the issue that, despite the fact that Zimmerman did not have any credible reasons to suspect that Trayvon was planning or in the process of committing a crime, the investigating officers paid

The Purpose of Initial Assessment and What Kind of Methods Could Be Used Essay Example for Free

The Purpose of Initial Assessment and What Kind of Methods Could Be Used Essay The purpose of an initial assessment is to firstly, make sure that a learner can enter the programme of study at a level that is appropriate to them. Secondly, these assessments also allow the learner to be able to plan their individual achievable learning goals. These initial assessments will become the framework of learners ILP’s (individual Learning Plans). They will also ensure that the learner provider and tutor can identify the gaps in learning sooner rather than later. It should go without saying that providers want the best for learners, it’s just as important that learners should know right from the start that they are entitled to the best for themselves†. (readingroom ,online) This demonstrates the importance of the initial assessment and its results have on an individual learner’s development. Initial Assessment are what they are, they are just the beginning and become a tailor made plan which then becomes a vital part of the teaching and learning for the learner and provider alike. â€Å"Assessment helps to set clear expectations for standards and achievement. CFBT, 2011,p10 . ) Initial assessment therefore ensures that there can be progression as it also allows learners themselves to see and develop on strengths and weaknesses from the outset. One can also suggest that these initial assessments are a motivational tool too, so that not only can the provider plan for the end goal but also that a learner can readily see that the results from initial assessments are used to determine achievable goals thus seeing that the overall course outcomes are achievable. There are several methods in which initial assessments can be ascertained. An initial interview gives a basic knowledge and is seen as a good indicator about the suitability of the learner, for example, what they have achieved in the past, what they want to achieve but as these are sometimes done prior to qualification results, this would not always produce a true reflection of a learner’s ability. Therefore a programme of induction following the interview and acceptance would ensure the learner can be fully assessed and ascertain not only the level they are working to but also any help that is required is in place from the beginning. Skills based testing is a common initial assessment tool. Learners take online or written assessments and the results ascertain their levels they are currently working on, furthermore specific diagnostic test homes in on the gaps in their skills. This method is effective and can give providers and tutors a general scale of ability, however one can argue that the results can also be misleading , for example if a learner has rushed or guessed part the assessment then the results would not be true reflection of the learners ability. BKSB is one of these online skills providers, used by many colleges. BKSB cover learner’s initial skills testing in literacy, numeracy and ICT, as well as diagnostic. However it can be argued that whilst convenient, for example, instant results and no marking by tutors and also identifies the specific subject knowledge and gaps , it can miss special needs problems such as dyslexia. Another initial assessment undertaken may include looking at a learner preferred learning style – commonly known as VAK , visual,( seeing and reading), auditory ( listening and speaking and kinaesthetic ( Touching and doing) . These are basically different ways of learning and be achieved through completion of questionnaires. This assessment is vital and is an integral part in the learner and tutors planning. Ensuring that your learners preferred style is embedded in the lesson plan (differentiation) can ensure that the learner’s motivation is continued. There are no right and wrong answers but in some cases there is not always a clear result, many learners may have a mix. However this could be seen as a positive when teaching a larger group as you can embed all three learning styles ensuring that a larger number will participate therefore keeping learners motivated and achieving goals and also progressing. Arguably you could suggest that the most important part of initial assessment is giving feed back to the learner of the results. This as we have said previously allows the learner to set themselves achievable goals. They have possibly already learnt things about themselves that they didn’t know. For example what their preferred style is. The advantage of this feedback session is that both learner and tutor have set clear manageable targets and goals. This is turn can be seen as a motivational tool for the learner as they have been part of the process and know what is expected from them. This also instils the motivation for the teacher to make sure that the learner can achieve their goals Regular reviews, target setting and referring to the initial assessments target setting is vital in ensuring a learner remains motivated, Learners will achieve if they can see themselves progressing. Smart targets therefore are an achievable and motivational tool as it will ensure that targets are met in an expected time frame. According to Reid (2007 pg. 14) motivation should be intrinsic, which means that a learner should be self-motivated. If the initial assessments have been managed effectively then they become the perfect platform for the Reid’s ideas, as the assessments are set up to insure that a learner as contributed to the target setting. Reid also states that ‘a car will not run without fuel, therefore a child won’t learn without motivation. (Reid 2007 pg. 4). Although aimed at younger children the ethos is the same in that even older learners need to be fed relevant facts in order to progress and reach goals. One could also suggest though that the older the learner is the harder it is to motivate as in some circumstances a lower self-esteem is more evident than in younger children, for example those leaners within foundation learning projects for example. If one uses foundation learning as an example, then motivating them becomes a juggling act as you have to employ strategies that would work over a mixed ability group. Characteristics of a group also play an important part of motivation. One main point is setting out a clear aim and objective of a day’s lessons. Learners then have an expectation of what is expected from them. Tutors must ensure there is a mix of learning skills. For example, the shyer, less confident learners might not want to join in with the speaking and listening task but then if you link it up with a task the quieter ones can excel at then you can continue to keep motivation going whilst also covering more challenging areas. This also is ensuring that you are achieving their goals but also their learning style patterns as stated in the leaners initial assessments. Feedback is vital and is especially important when reaching the end of a session or a unit of work and must include the completion of any smart targets reached, and then new ones to be set with the leaner thus detailing progress and keep motivation going. To ensure learners are kept motivated and achieving their goals, then there are of course many other strategies and theories. However the vital point remains that with the initial assessments and subsequent ILR’s, regular reviews with providers or tutors learners will hopefully continue to motivate themselves by seeing that they have achieved goals set, furthermore with every new set of new goals learners can see the on-going progression and therefore motivation to succeed continues.

Adolescent Observation Report Essay -- Adolescence Development Observat

Confidential Material The names used in this Adolescent Observation Report are fictitious. This is absolutely necessary to protect the privacy of the adolescent being observed. Person observed: Mary Age: 18 Gender: Female General description: about 5’2†, black hair, brown eyes, about 100 lbs. Place of observation: at my work, World of Tile Company Others present: Other co-workers Cultural group: Chinese Physical Development Mary has reached her body height at 5’2†. Although, when she was younger she had to take growth hormones because she was not growing when the rest of her peers were. She was a very late developer and did not start puberty until she was 17. Mary is very active in school activities such as clubs and softball and tennis. She is very coordinated in her sports and also very fast. Mary was just offered a full scholarship to play tennis at State University. Nutrition and health habits consist of eating a healthy, well balanced diet. She rarely eats fast food, and never eats sweets. She generally tries to maintain a nutritious diet because she wants to succeed in tennis. Cognitive Development In school, Mary is a B average student. She is a Senior in High School and is going to State University in the fall, 2015. Her family moved to the United States when she was very young, so she has been in American schools since pre-school. Her reading and writing skills are pretty average, but she exceeds in math. Mary is very attentive...

Kellogg’s Marketing Essay

Introduction: U.S based Kellogg’s is a world leader and the most successful cereal manufacturer in the world. Kellogg’s entered India in 1994 and it took them a good 15 years for stability in the Indian markets facing initial problems and trying to change the Indian consumer’s mentality about the morning breakfast http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/company/history/howitallbegan.aspx About the assignment: (Refer Appendix 1) Growth strategy by Kellogg’s in India: Kellogg’s were successful to create a need for the product which was never a necessity for an Indian household. We will now discuss how the company managed to establish themselves with a dominant market share in the Indian market. 1.) Ansoff Matrix Ansoff Matrix was introduced to address the corporate strategy of the future. It delivers the perspective of growth options on the horizontal level and introduces the possibility of diversification. (Kotler, Berger & Bickhoff, 2010) http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/ Market Development: Market Development is capturing new markets with your existing products or services. (Lester, 2009) In a new market or to a new consumer, it will be a quiet a task to have them to believe in your product on launching (Meldrum, M & McDonald, M., 2007) especially, when a country is so fond of their traditional recipes. With the help of extensive market research Kellogg’s found out that there was no breakfast cereal trend in the Indian market. Hence they launched their flagship product ‘Cornflakes’. This was always going to be tricky as Indians love their hot breakfast. Kellogg’s had a challenge to turn the mindsets of the Indian consumers who traditionally were used to having hot breakfast in the morning. Ready-to-eat breakfast or food was nonexistent. Kellogg’s via their advertising campaign did also educate the Indian consumers about the calorie and nutritional contents, etc. Company also struggled with their introductory pricings as their competitor ‘Mohan Meakin’ sold at a reasonable price. Although, Kellogg’s had a safe and attractive packaging but was considered as high. We assume that the market for Kellogg’s in the U.S and U.K was saturated and hence they decided to enter India. (Haig, 2003) Product Development: Companies develop new products or upgraded products for an existing market. It also includes thinking on how the new products can satisfy customer needs and outperform the rivals. http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/product-development.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/portakabin/achieving-growth-through-product-development/ansoffs-matrix.html Following the corn flakes the company launched chocolate covered flakes, named as Chocos and to go with it flavours such as coconut and mango. The product which saw the company sales rise up by 17% was the ‘Iron Shakti’ which contained iron and was designed to address the iron deficiency in the Indian kids as most of the population ass had no proper breakfast apart from milk, tea & biscuits, etc. Iron Shakti was their first major success which helped them capitalise eventually. Kellogg’s tried its hand in producing biscuits which apparently didn’t work due to a very tough competition it faced from Parle-G and Britannia biscuits. Kellogg’s other product ‘Cheez-It’, launched in 2002 and was withdrawn in 2003 didn’t garner any attention either. (Refer to Appendix 2) (Excerpts from the case study, page 5) http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2003/03/18/stories/2003031801420600.htm Market Penetration: It’s well known growth strategy where the company concentrates on selling existing products into existing markets. (O’Shaughnessy, 1995) Kellogg’s with their intelligent research team did find out that the cereals were actually consumed by the entire family and also for health/diet conscious women so they launched a different variant of the cornflake known as ‘Special K’ under weight management. With this product (Special K), Kellogg’s challenged the consumers to lose 2.5 kgs in just two weeks. To encourage the household adults to consume, they produced adverts with adults featuring in it. (Excerpts from the case study 6 & 7) Market penetration increases or helps maintain the market share of the current products with advertising, sales promotions and personal selling. The Special K and the Iron Shakti just did that for Kellogg’s; they kept educating their consumers via adverts, campaigns and attractive and informative packaging which later paid off with good market share on these products. http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm Product/Market Diversification: A process which defines the activities of firms to enter new product market combinations. It is of primary interest to the researchers. (Klier, 2008) To improve the market capitalisation of the company, Kellogg’s introduced ‘Cheese-It’ a baked cheese snack crackers in the snacks category. It was launched in 3 flavours to suit the Indian tastes. And along with the snacks, the company introduced biscuits, as Kellogg’s Choco Biscuits. The move to launch snacks and biscuits backfired and resulted in withdrawal of the products in a very short time. The Indian biscuits industry has been dominated by Parle-G and Britannia for a very long time now. It was an up heel task for the Kellogg’s but they were confident as people started to recognise Kellogg’s as a good quality brand. With the launching of the snacks and the biscuits Kellogg’s wanted to reach out to the masses and redefine them as a convenience food market. Kellogg’s made a major announcement that they are ready to acquire salty snack maker ‘Pringles’ from Proctor & Gamble. This deal marks the entry of Kellogg’s into salty snacks, an important add-on to their portfolio with convenience foods and the successful breakfast cereals. (Excerpts from case study, page 7) http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/with-pringles-buy-kelloggs-haslarger-canvas-in-india/464942/ http://www.just-food.com/news/kelloggs-exits-biscuits-business_id68045.aspx 2.) Kellogg’s India in regards with the 4P’s of Marketing: According to Borden, 1964, the marketing mix included product planning, pricing, branding, distribution channels, personal selling, advertising, promotions, packaging display, servicing, physical handling, fact finding & analysis. All the above factors were later grouped into 4 categories now known as 4P’s of Marketing. http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/ http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=4+p%27s+of+marketing&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=643&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=MyJEUI-Mui5D0M:&imgrefurl=http://candidkatie.com/2009/10/13/the-4-ps-of-marketing-part-1/&docid=W7aCYZrJmVXbSM&imgurl=http://candidkatie.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/4-ps-300Ãâ€"218.jpg&w=300&h=218&ei=Rf-9T4X_EsXk8QP4lfUp&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=571&vpy=178&dur=224&hovh=152&hovw=209&tx=73&ty=46&sig=116673603394737623265&page=2&tbnh=139&tbnw=191&start=20&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:21,s:20,i:162 Product: As a tangible product, it was important for the product to be appealing for its content and its price too. Kellogg’s launched their flagship product to start with, Cornflakes which was a success in the western market. Cornflakes which initially failed, were later back in the market with some modifications then called as ‘indianization’. The flakes were a bit thick and were sweetened to suit the Indian palette. The increase in the awareness of the products via advertising resulted into the expansion in the market and health benefit of the products was the main reason for the fast driving sales. The ‘Iron Shakti’ gave the Kellogg’s taste of success with 17% rise in the sales, was designed to cater the iron deficiency in the growing kids. In order to redefine themselves as a convenience company and to pace their growth Kellogg’s introduced Cheez-It and Kellogg’s biscuits; unfortunately it did not share a liking amongst the Indian con sumers and was later scrapped from production. Kellogg’s then only decided to concentrate on cereals and its development. (Excerpts from the case study, page 5 & 6) Price: Pricing is an important marketing mix tool for both creating and capturing customer value. (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). Initially, Kellogg’s only focused on the quality of the product, features and benefit to the Indian consumers. India is a country with majority of population as middle class; the Indian public has been always price sensitive. Kellogg’s launched ‘KPak’, a very reasonably priced product at only INR 10 in 2007, a variant of the Chocos, an ideal option to chips and other junk foods. In 2010, Kellogg’s rolled our retail packs of different sizes & prices to cater the need of variety of consumers. After the launch with effective advertising, the company saw rise in the sales but that was just the curiosity of the Indian consumer to buy a new product. Baring in mind that the competitor Mohan Meakin reasonably priced their cereals and the situation (initial failure of Cornflakes), Kellogg’s priced their future products reasonably Place: The products were only available in the metro cities when it was initially launched in 1994. Then as a premium product it was only placed in the supermarkets and due its pricing clientele expected was the higher middle class or elite. Eventually, when the product became popular and after the launch of KPak which was priced at INR 10, Kellogg’s tried to reach out to the Tier 1 & Tier 2 towns in the country. (Excerpts from case study, page 8) Promotion: Kellogg’s were quiet effective on the promotional front. They always had attractive adverts on the telly usually featuring kids and the adverts featuring at the prime time soaps. As mentioned earlier, Kellogg’s had a Bollywood celebrity to endorse their products for adults. A celebrity is like an eye-kandy who attains the attention of the consumers which helps in creating awareness about the brand. In regards with personal selling, newspapers adverts were given and special weekend adverts were posted in weekend newspapers or in the kids section of the newspapers to attract the attention of the kids. Kellogg’s did a special promotion whilst sponsoring Spiderman 2 movie; they rolled out specially packed limited edition ‘spider web’ cereals and gave away relevant toys. The promotion was only available for 2 weeks and extensive advertising was done. Along with the pack, the buyer can also avail 20% discounts on the upcoming Spiderman 2 DVD. http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2004/07/14/stories/2004071401260900.htm http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://searchandhra.com/cinema/karishma-kapoor-brand-ambassador-for-kelloggs-chocos Porters Generic Strategies: Michael Porter has identified the four strategies to achieve a competitive advantage: 1.) Cost leadership 2.) Differentiation 3.) Focus Strategy – i) Differentiation ii) Cost. The Differentiation strategy is more relevant for the Kellogg’s, in accordance with case study. A Differentiation strategy calls for the development of a product or services that are both unique and are valued by the customers. A Differentiation strategy is also the one in which a product offering is different from that of one or more competitors. (Aaker, 2001) http://tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/genericstrategies/default.html Kellogg’s started in India with their flagship product ‘Cornflakes’ with 3 variants. Unlike their competitor, Kellogg’s cornflakes were premium priced with an attractive packaging. With cornflakes initially failing due to sogginess after adding milk and less sweet flakes, Kellogg’s was quick to do amendments to suit to the local taste buds. Kellogg’s with their effective advertising campaign and communication via packaging spread awareness about the product and its benefits. Kellogg’s always believed in advertising and promotions, as it’s the most important medium to reach the target market and spreading brand awareness in India and endorsing the product with a celebrity is adding value to its which the Kellogg’s rival never did. http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 Major Challenges faced by Kellogg’s Even if Kellogg’s was a world leader in breakfast cereals with reports of profits in the western countries they did struggle for a while on their arrival in India. Kellogg’s were smart enough to apply proper strategies to tackle the issues they had. I have analysed their issues with some theories below: 1.) SWOT Analysis The use of SWOT Analysis allows organizations to maximize their strengths, minimize their weakness, take advantage of their opportunities and overcome their weaknesses. (Fine, 2009) Strength: Kellogg’s main strength was the product. Although they misread the market at first in regards with the product and price, they were quick to make changes and jump back. They had the advantage of first foreign cereal company to serve in the raw market India. Over the years, the best thing that Kellogg’s did was they carried extensive market research. They read the market accurately and offered quality products on a regular basis at a reasonable price. The other major factor was they were selling variety of healthy products whilst creating awareness about the products amongst the consumers. (Refer to Appendix 3) P.E.S.T.L.E (Refer to Appendix 4) With the help of the Porters 5 forces we can evaluate the 5 major challenges faced by Kellogg’s in India. http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=porter%27s+5+forces+definition&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=WmX3SuQUrNjk4M:&imgrefurl=http://www.businessmate.org/Article.php%3FArtikelId%3D9&docid=w0bo10yR_EOaQM&imgurl=http://www.businessmate.org/userupload/Michael_Porter_Five_Forces.png&w=450&h=400&ei=xE6_T9W2E82W0QWy-_nRCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=275&vpy=269&dur=44&hovh=212&hovw=238&tx=126&ty=173&sig=116673603394737623265&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=156&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:86 With evaluation of the opportunities and threats through the SWOT analysis, The porters five forces model will give us an overview of the challenges Kellogg would face. The five major forces lead to assessment of the overall competitive dynamics of an Industry. ( Colley 2007 ) 1. Threat of new entrants: There are a lot of Domestic Companies from India like Hindustan Liver Ltd, Dabur India Ltd which may diversify and enter the Cornflakes Market which will threaten Kellogg’s position as they have an expertise in the food processing business . Also, with the Supermarket trend starting in India, there is a prospective entry of their own brands which are more reasonably priced on the market .This will make it necessary for Kellogg to come up with products with traditional Indian flavours to be able to gain competitive advantage over the domestic competitors like adding saffron or cinnamon flavour to their products. 2. Threat of substitute products or services Kellogg is a product in which many variations are not possible. The Indian breakfast items list from a wide range of foods with different tastes and flavours. The introduction of ready to eat breakfast items from Manufacturers like Haldirams and Gits pose a huge threat to Kellogg . The Company is recommended to diversify their product portfolio. 3. Bargaining power of Buyers The bargaining of power of an Indian consumer is very high due to a wide range of available products in the market. In case of slight fluctuations on the price, the customers may opt for other products in the market which are more reasonably priced as the buyer is price sensitive .This makes it ideal for Kellogg to price their product in accordance to the competition. 4. Bargaining power of Suppliers The company imports most of the raw materials required for manufacturing. If it purchases these materials via domestic suppliers, it would prove to be cost efficient, save time and also save the exercise duty taxes. 5. Intensity of rivalry among competitors With introduction of wheat flakes, extra muesli as its high fibre breakfast cereals, Kellogg is also in process of creating alternatives with different flavours in order to compete with its Rivals such as ITC , PepsiCo and Nestle . In 2006 the largest snack company in the country , Frito Lay , a division of PepsiCo India Holdings , had also , had also entered the breakfast cereal market . Conclusion The assignment has given me an opportunity to understand the marketing implications of a product launched in a foreign nation with a diverse culture and also the challenges faced in order to have an established competitive advantage on foreign soil. It gives an insight of how marketing can help reach out new markets and also create new markets for products which were never a necessity .Also the use of various marketing concepts like Porters five forces and Ansoff matrix have helped in a critical evaluation of current marketing situation and various forces that affect the performance of Kellogg . Bibliography: Books: Philip Kotler, Roland Berger & Nils Bickhoff, The Quintessence of strategic marketing, 2010, page 210 David Aaker, Strategic Market Management, 6th edition, page 159 Andrew Lester, Growth Management: Two hats are better than one, 2009, page 52 John O’Shaughnessy, Competitive Marketing: A Strategic Approach, 4th edition, 2008, page 175 Daniel O. Klier, Managing Diversified Portfolios, 2008, page 76 Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Principles of Marketing, 2011 Lawrence G Fine, The SWOT Analysis, 2009 Websites: http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/company/history/howitallbegan.aspx http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/may2006/id20060508_952455.htm http://www.ibef.org/download/Kellogg_India.pdf http://www.ansoffmatrix.com/product-development.html http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/portakabin/achieving-growth-through-product-development/ansoffs-matrix.html http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2003/03/18/stories/2003031801420600.htm http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/with-pringles-buy-kelloggs-haslarger-canvas-in-india/464942/ http://www.just-food.com/news/kelloggs-exits-biscuits-business_id68045.aspx http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/ http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://searchandhra.com/cinema/karishma-kapoor-brand-ambassador-for-kelloggs-chocos http://tutor2u.net/business/presentations/strategy/genericstrategies/default.html http://www.4psbusinessandmarketing.com/24022011/storyd.asp?sid=4411&pageno=1 http://www.kelloggcompany.com/corporateresponsibility.aspx

Managerial Economics and Globalization Essay

Abstract This paper will describe the details of a fictitious business and will assess the current environmental scan factors while determining the factors that will have the greatest impact on plant operations and management’s decision to continue or discontinue operations. Thirdly, this paper will evaluate the financial performance of the company using the information provided in the scenario; consider all key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term. Also, a recommendation as to how the company can improve its profitability and develop a brief plan to implement the recommendations. Lastly, this paper will assess the circumstances in which the company should discontinue operations while providing a set of reasonable rationales. 1. Briefly describe the details of the fictitious business that you created for this assignment. The fictitious business in this assignment is named TopShop, which is an American multinational retailer with its main headquarters in New York. It is a high end fashion brand that specializes in fashion clothing, shoes, make-up and accessories. Currently, TopShop has 150 workers for its factory in New Jersey, and has hired a consultant to offer some advice that could help it make a decision as to whether it should shut down completely or continue operations. In addition, TopShop has 100 workers that produce 6,000 units of output per month (working 20 days / month). The daily wage (per worker) is $70, and the price of the firm’s output is $32. The cost of other variable inputs is $2,000 per day. The firm’s fixed cost is â€Å"high enough† so that the firm’s total costs exceed its total revenue. The marginal cost of the last unit is $30. 2. Assess the current environmental scan factors. Determine the factors that will have the greatest impact on plant operations and management’s decision to continue or discontinue operations. The environmental scan factor refers to the macro environment and is the activity of acquiring information about events and relationships in a company’s outside environment, the knowledge of which would assist top management in its task charting the company’s future course of action. (Aguilar,1967). Comparably, finance, marketing, and operations will have the greater impact on plant operations and management’s decisions in determining if the operation continues its business. First, finance is responsible for acquiring financial resources at favorable prices and allocating those resources throughout the business, as well as budgeting, analyzing, investment proposals, and providing funds for operations. Secondly, marketing aims to analyze and determine consumer demands in the future, then selling and promoting its products and services. Thirdly, operations are responsible for production of goods and customer services in business. In addition, the production of goods or services supply could transform inputs into outputs (Michaels, 2011). Inputs such as capital, labor, and information are used to create goods or a service. That is why companies take measurements at various points in the transformation process and then compares them with previously established standards to determine whether corrective action is needed. In other words, the three factors; finance, marketing and operation can work in the study and interpretation of the political, economic, social and technological (PEST analysis) events and trends which influence a business, an industry or even a total market. In summary, they have the greatest impact on plant operation and management’s decision. 3. Evaluate the financial performance of the company using the information provided in the scenario. Consider all the key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term. Be sure to show the calculations that helped you reach your conclusions. Topshop’s financial performance is in trouble. A decision was made to hire Mr. Blake Lively as a managing consultant to offer suggestions to improve Topshop’s financial performance. Based on the data given, Blake considered the following key drivers of performance and the financial analysis. The details are following: 100 employees produce 6,000 units in a month. The price is $32 The total revenue per day = 6,000*$32 = $192,000 Daily wage per employee = $70 Total wage in one month = 20days * 100 employees * $70 = $140,000 Total variable cost = variable inputs + total wage in one month = $2,000*20days+ $140,000 = $180,000 per month. AVC=TVC/Q=$180,000/6,000=$30 per unit Net income=Total Revenue-TVC=192,000-180,000=$12,000 Based on the analysis of data, Topshop could continue its operations in short term because the $32 price is more than AVC $30, and the revenue received per month is $12,000. However, in the long term, Topshop should seriously consider the option of shutting down completely. The main reason being that the firm’s fixed cost is high enough so that its total costs exceed its total revenue, and the price must be less than AVC. Under this situation, the firm has no other recourse but to close its operation. 4. Recommend how the company can improve its profitability. Then, develop a brief plan to implement the recommendations. Every business can improve its profitability by aiming to increase profitability, reduce costs, consider the price, and expand the market. Buy more effectively One of the most obvious routes to increasing the profitability is to buy more effectively. It makes sense to review a supplier base regularly and to determine if a firm can buy the same raw materials more cheaply or efficiently. However, it must be ensured that the cheaper raw materials will not reduce quality of product and service (He, et al., 2007). Manage your costs Close management of the costs can drive firm’s profitability. Most businesses are capable of fining some forms of waste to reduce, however it is important to be mindful and not cut costs at the expense of the quality of products and services. Pricing considerations It is a good idea to regularly examine the pricing. Changes in the marketplace may help increase the price without risking sales. However, it is essential to test any price increases before they are made permanent. Expand your market Moving into new market areas can transform a business and if handled correctly, can significantly increase the profitability. However, bear in mind that developing new products and services and selling in new markets can be risky – and mistakes can prove very costly. 5. Assess the circumstances in which the company should discontinue operations. Provide a rationale with your response. To qualify for presentation as a discontinued operation, all of the following conditions must be met: 1. The operations and cash flows of the component have been or will be eliminated from the ongoing operations of the entity as a result of the disposal transaction and 2. The entity will not have any significant continuing involvement in the operations of the component after the disposal transaction 3. A description of the facts and circumstances leading to the expected disposal, the expected manner and timing of the disposal and the carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities included as part of the disposal group (if not reflected separately on the face of the statement). 4. The gain or loss recognized and, if not separately presented on the income statement, the caption in that statement in which the gain is included. 5. If applicable, the amount of revenue and pretax profit or loss reported in discontinued operations. 6. If applicable, the segment in which the long-lived asset or disposal group is reported. References Aguilar, F. J. (1967). Scanning the Business Environment. New York, NY: McMillan. Michaels, R. J. (2011). Transactions and Strategies. 1st Edition. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. He, Y. Q., Chan, L. K. & Wu, M. L. (2007). Balancing productivity and consumer satisfaction for profitability: Statistical and fuzzy regression analysis Original Research Article. European Journal of Operational Research, 176(1), 252-263 Drake, M., Gerde, V., & Wasieleski, D. (2011). Socially responsible modeling: a stakeholder approach to the implementation of ethical modeling in operations research. OR Spectrum, 33(1), 1-26. doi:10.1007/s00291-009-0172-9

Shark Conservation essays

Shark Conservation essays The people's battle against the terrors of the sea And the sharks' fight to survive Shark populations have been hit hard lately. It remains to be seen whether tough new conservation measures will help them recover. - Conniff - In October 1992, a surfer named Rick Gruzinsky was attacked while surfing in Oahu. Only suffered minor scratches. Two weeks later, a shark killed an 18 year old body border off the beaches of Oahu. He bled to death on the beach. Earlier in 1992, also off Oahu, a surfer disappeared leaving behind only a surf board with a huge bite mark. A few months before that, a tiger shark killed a woman by tearing off her limbs while snorkeling, off Maui. An Angry Posse Goes After The Killers - The Fight Against Or For Sharks The public's reaction to these attacks was in part predictable. Parents kept their children out of the water, and the legislature debated "tiger shark eradication," and the tourist industry was scared out of their minds. The state of Hawaii sent out a posse to dispatch any large sharks it could find in areas where the attacks were recorded. The outcry on behalf of the sharks was at least as loud as the clamor against them. The rate of attack was determined not by how many sharks you took out of the ocean, but how many people you put in it. Around 8 million people use the beaches of Hawaii each year, and only a minuscule 2.4 attacks are averaged. The annual toll of 30 or 40 deaths are by drowning. Public also took a stand on behalf of the sharks Under pressure , the state ultimately diverted much of its control money to conduct research. Mixed feelings began surfacing everywhere people live with sharks. Widespread concern that shark populations have plummeted worldwide. South Africa, for example, declared the great white shark a protected species and imposed a ban on fishing for the creatures Australia has ban...

Red Supergiants are the Largest Stars in the Universe

Red Supergiants are the Largest Stars in the Universe Red supergiants are among the largest stars in the sky. They dont start out that way, but as different kinds of stars age, they undergo changes that make them big...and red. Its all part of star life and star death.   Defining Red Supergiants   When astronomers look at the largest stars  (by volume) in the universe, they see a great many red supergiants. However, these behemoths are not necessarily- and almost never are- the largest stars by mass. It turns out theyre a late stage of a stars existence and they dont always fade away quietly.   Creating a Red Supergiant How do red supergiants form? To understand what they are, its important to know how stars change over time. Stars go through specific steps throughout their lives. The changes they experience are called stellar evolution. It starts with star formation and youthful star-hood. After they are born in a cloud of gas and dust, and then ignite hydrogen fusion in their cores, stars usually live on something astronomers call the main sequence.  During this period, they are in hydrostatic equilibrium. That means the nuclear fusion  in their cores (where they fuse hydrogen to create helium) provides enough energy and pressure to keep the weight of their outer layers from collapsing inwards. When Massive Stars Become Red Supergiants A high-mass star (many times more massive than the Sun) goes through a similar, but a slightly different process. It changes more drastically than its sun-like siblings and becomes a red supergiant.  Because of its higher mass, when the core collapses after the hydrogen burning phase the rapidly increased temperature leads to the fusion of helium very quickly. The rate of helium fusion goes into overdrive, and that destabilizes the star. A huge amount of energy pushes the outer layers of the star outwards and it turns into a red supergiant. At this stage, the gravitational force of the star is once again balanced by the immense outward radiation pressure caused by the intense helium fusion taking place in the core. The star that transforms into a red supergiant does so at a cost. It loses a large percentage of its mass out to space. As a result, while red supergiants are counted as the largest stars in the universe, they are not the most massive because they lose mass as they age, even as they expand outward. Properties of Red Supergiants Red supergiants look red because of their low surface temperatures. They range from about 3,500 - 4,500 Kelvin. According to Wiens law, the color at which a star radiates most strongly is directly related to its surface temperature. So,  while their cores are extremely hot, the energy spreads out over the interior and surface of the star and the more surface area there is, the faster it can cool. A good example of a red supergiant is the star Betelgeuse, in the constellation Orion. Most stars of this type are between 200 and 800 times the radius of our Sun. The very largest stars in our galaxy, all red supergiants, are about 1,500 times the size of our home star.  Because of their immense size and mass, these stars require an incredible amount of energy to sustain them and prevent gravitational collapse. As a result, they burn through their nuclear fuel very quickly and most live only a few tens of millions of years (their age depends on their actual mass). Other Types of Supergiants While red supergiants are the largest types of stars, there are other types of supergiant stars. In fact, it is common for high mass stars, once their fusion process passes beyond hydrogen, that they oscillate back and forth between different forms of supergiants. Specifically becoming yellow supergiants on their way to becoming blue supergiants and back again. Hypergiants The most massive of supergiant stars are known as hypergiants. However, these stars have a very loose definition, they are usually just red (or sometimes blue) supergiant stars that are the highest order: the most massive and the largest. The Death of a Red Supergiant Star A very high-mass star will oscillate between different supergiant stages as it fuses heavier and heavier elements in its core. Eventually, it will exhaust all its nuclear fuel that runs the star. When that happens, gravity wins.  At that point, the core is primarily iron (which takes more energy to fuse than the star has) and the core can no longer sustain outward radiation pressure, and it begins to collapse. The subsequent cascade of events leads, eventually to a Type II supernova event. Left behind will be the core of the star, having been compressed due to the immense gravitational pressure into a neutron star; or in the cases of the most massive of stars, a black hole  is created. How Solar-type Stars Evolve People always want to know if the Sun will become a red supergiant. For stars about the size of the Sun (or smaller), the answer is no. They do go through a red giant phase, though, and it looks pretty familiar. When they begin to run out of  hydrogen fuel their cores begin to collapse. That raises the core temperature quite a bit, which means theres more energy generated to escape the core. That process pushes the outer part of the star outward, forming a  red giant. At that point, a star is said to have moved off the main sequence.   The star chugs along with the core getting hotter and hotter, and eventually, it begins to fuse helium into carbon and oxygen. During all this time, the star loses mass. It puffs off layers of its outer atmosphere into clouds that surround the star. Eventually, whats left of the star shrinks to become a slowly cooling white dwarf. The cloud of material around it is a called a planetary nebula, and it gradually dissipates. This is a far more gentle death than massive stars discussed above experience when they explode as supernovae.   Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Morpheus Wisdom Quotes From The Matrix

Morpheus Wisdom Quotes From The Matrix For some, The Matrix is just another sci-fi movie, a slick production from Hollywoods dream factory, but for those who appreciate the philosophy of The Matrix, it is a wake-up call. The movie is considered to be ahead of its time. It challenges our understanding of perspective, reality, illusion and many other intriguing concepts. These Matrix quotes are words of wisdom from Morpheus, Neos spiritual leader and guide. Morpheus Quotes About the Matrix The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when youre inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. The Matrix is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. The Matrix is a computer-generated dream world, built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this. [holding a copper-top D cell battery] Morpheus on Reality and Illusion What is real? How do you define real? This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill- the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill- you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Im trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. Youre the one that has to walk through it. Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream, Neo? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world? What you know you cant explain, but you feel it. Youve felt it your entire life, that theres something wrong with the world. You dont know what it is, but its there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain. Random Musings There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. We dont know who struck first, us or them. But we do know it was us that scorched the sky. At the time, they were dependent on solar power. It was believed they would be unable to survive without an energy source as abundant as the sun.

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 19

Project management - Essay Example People must be able to communicate with the app users. Additionally, the information that is available on the app must correspond to the location where the pet is located. As there are pets constantly in certain areas moving in and out of shelters and are eligible for adoption, it will be necessary to constantly update the app. A project manager must be able to collect all of the information and may require a substantial amount of the work to be delegated in order to become established with adoption locations to see what pets are up for adoption. It can be a tedious task for the project manager but without this information, the app is useless to the user. For the app to be most useful to a user, it must be easy to navigate. Less text and more pictures. They must be able to have an experience they do not forget. However, with this app in mind, it is likely that once a person uses the app and adopts the pet, that they will likely not ever use it again but only relay the message on to someone else that it exists. Everyone working on the ap p must communicate so that all information is dispersed and fresh information is updated constantly with this type of mobile app. This will take around the clock updates. The people who want to know about the app will be the people that use it. It can be announced via social media networking and information about the app will be dispersed at the participating pet adoption centers, making it easier for people to recognize that their local animal shelter is cooperating in order for a successful adoption

Marketing Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Assignment - Essay Example Compatibility refers to the degree to which innovation matches the values and experiences of the individuals. Iphone was highly compatible with the needs of the modern day phone user. Most people at the time of launch of this product were already using a laptop, a music player and a phone. The launch of iphone provided them with a new ease – they could now work on the internet and listen to music without carrying their laptops or music players. The function of three devices could now be performed by a single device. Complexity refers to the degree to which the product is difficult to use. Products which are complex and difficult to understand take a longer time to penetrate in the market. The iphone is very easy to use device. The single button operation of iphone is one of the reasons it is preferred over Samsung galaxy series. Divisibility means the degree to which the innovation can be tried on a limited basis. These limited trials as they are called help the company in finding out the reaction of the public towards the product and make changes if necessary. These trials are very common for iphone launches. Just before the launch the product is tested among college going youth , business executives etc. in order to know their input regarding the product. The main problem with divisibility is knowing if the sample group represents the feelings of the entire target population. This problem has to be solved by market research specialists for iphone. This refers to the degree to which the benefits of the innovation are visible or describable to others. The advantages of iphone are very easy for the user to show. There is visible difference in the features of an iphone as compared to other phones. The possession of an iphone has soon become a fashion statement among people soon after its launch. Globalization has helped on the convergence of civilizations. However, the differences between people of different

Strategic managment implementation, for the golar lng company Essay

Strategic managment implementation, for the golar lng company - Essay Example Floating Storage and Regasification Unit is a product of GolarLNG. According to their website, it is based on the conversion of an existing LNG carrier into a floating terminal that can be situated offshore or at a new or purpose-built jetty/pier. It will receive liquid natural gas (LNG) from offloading LNG carriers, and the onboard regasification system provides gas send-out through flexible risers and pipeline to shore. European imports rose 0.9 bcf/d, where Spain led by +0.5 bcf/d and Italy by +0.1 bcf/d. The entire shortfall was absorbed by the US with import s down 1.7 bcf/d year-on-year. In 2009, overall 22 countries were importing LNG. The imports are expected to grow by a large amount in the coming years. The Floating Storage and Regasification Unit have become really popular in the last few years. It is relatively a new concept, and Golar LNG is the first one in the world to deliver it. With this fact that they are the first one to introduce it, they have a competitive edge. With these advantages, Golar LNG has to market its service in a way that it maintains its market share in FSRU. They haven’t marketed their service greatly in order to attract and retain their customers. For this purpose, they need to create a proper marketing plan. Although this service does not have any specific customer. This service is for all the importers of LNG. But in order to start marketing, Golar has to cater to individual regions needs first. This marketing action plan will be the segment catering to the importers in Asia. The segment is made according to the demographics. The FSRU service is for providing ease and comfort to the importers, who would easily be able to import LNG with the help of these floating terminals. The Service is positioned to be inexpensive, yet having a highly advanced technology. Any kind of product or service needs marketing. In maritime industry, marketing is considered to be unimportant. But experts say that marketing is

Rhetoric & Stereotypes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Rhetoric & Stereotypes - Essay Example ho are in the tattooed group are considered to be freaks, drug, addicts, criminals, weirdoes, tough and are always around bad people (Macrae, Stangor, Miles, 1996). These stereotypes are all negatives. The senior citizen group is taken to be made of people who are unwilling to accept new things, stuck in the past, silent and low movers who are hard at hearing. These stereotypes are both positive and negatives. Politicians use what looks like rational language that may in fact be false in their speeches so as to satisfy their own desires and interests. Another language common with the politicians is personal attack ad hominem (Bodenhausen and Macrae, 1994). The language is mostly used to shield the politician from the other groups of politicians. Usually this is done in a show of dislike for the other individual. A common language among the tattooed people is subjectivism (Macrae, Stangor, Miles, 1996). This is based on the assumption that whatever is true to an individual may not be true to the other. The language is used to justify their acts of misbehavior because most tattooed people are associated with negative activities. The feminist get a lot of attacks as many people do not want to accept their way of life hence they are never approved and are considered to be weak. Scare tactics are used to undermine their efforts to justify their way of living within the society (Ninvalle, 2004). The stereotypes are meant to undermine or intimidate someone into not doing some things. For example, a feminist can be intimidated due to the fact she is a woman and women are considered weak within the society. Senior citizens are the most neglected and stereotyped people within the society and the language commonly used is genetic fallacy according to Bodenhausen and Macrae (1994). This involves rejecting a claim based on origin or history. These stereotypes are usually half truths and they are based on assumptions that have little or no evidence. In conclusion, the

Historic Preservation and the Imagined West Essay - 3

Historic Preservation and the Imagined West - Essay Example What had been original downtown areas went into decline as growing populations demanded more space, modern buildings, as well as roads and highways that take them there. Chasing the In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a renewed interest in urban renewal. According to Morley, three cities that she examined determined that what was old could be revitalized and made useful and profitable. Much of the trend towards this renewal (translation: rewriting) of history was started by Dana Crawford in the mid 1960s, before whose time urban renewal meant erasing the past and rebuilding a future vision. These efforts resulted in many historic structures being torn down and destroyed. Unfortunately, although Crawford and her group did save some historic buildings, much of the revitalization she accomplished was of Denver’s sports mania. If General William H. Larimer, an early settler of the area and for whom the street is named were to return, the only way he would recognize what today’s preservationists call Larimer Street would be if he was a Broncos fan. Soon after the Larimer Street project started showing signs of success, Crawford took her preservation carpetbag to other areas of the city, most notably the southern downtown area. As the profit news spread, other areas such as Albuquerque and Seattle took note. As with Denver, Albuquerque and Seattle also saved a few historic buildings in their utopian visions, but for all their efforts to save history and work with what is, Morley says that they failed to make authentic places (Morley 16). Albuquerque, for example, saved several old residences, churches, and commercial structures in the Old Town. Seattle’s Pioneer Square was the old central part of the city, but a trip through the Pike Place market, where hundreds of vendors loudly hawk their wares is as Morley describes it, â€Å"an honest place in a phony

CONTEMPORARY BRAND MANAGEMENT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

CONTEMPORARY BRAND MANAGEMENT - Assignment Example The company’s brand portfolio comprises three major brands including: Adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade. Adidas market area includes sporting goods as well as the equipment industry. The chief segments of this industry include footwear for athletes, sports apparel, and also goods and equipment used for sporting. Other segments include equipment for: hunting, golf tennis, fishing, hiking, baseball, football, rollerblading, biking, snowboarding, surfing, skateboarding, skiing, and hockey, along with play scape and playground equipment. The company’s key competitors include Nike and PUMA. Others are Red tape, New Balance Bata, and Liberty. Athletes together with sports enthusiasts comprise the Adidas customers (Keller 2007, pp. 33). According to Kotler and Dubois (1991, pp. 23) a brand refers to a collection of mental links, held by a given consumer, and which add to the perceived worth of a service/product. These links should be strong, unique, and positive. Alternately, a pr oduct refers to anything which can be presented to a market for acquisition, attention, or consumption and which might fulfil a need or a want. The difference between a brand and a product is such that a brand is acknowledged with intangible values plus imagery, while a product is recognized with characteristics that are visible and very differentiating. Brand architecture strategy refers to the structure employed in organizing a company’s portfolio. It identifies the number and functions of brand names which the company utilises for its product range and also the target markets or target groups. Brand architectures are of various types including: product branding; house of brands; range branding; branded house; source branding; line branding; umbrella branding; endorsed branding and sub-brands. Adidas has adopted the branded house strategy. This is whereby, the brand shifts from being a leading driver to a more dominant one (John & Larry 1997, pp. 48). Brand positioning and its relevance to branding According to Aaker (1992, pp.22), brand positioning involves locating the brand in the intellect or minds of customers in order to exploit the potential profits to the business. Brand positioning is comprised of the following components: Product class or market. This refers to a collection of products/services and brands that are perceived as alternatives to fulfil some precise consumer need. Consumer segmentation. It describes consumer profiles that the brand will serve and what their needs are. Consumer segmentation can be accomplished in terms of geographical/physical location (i.e. region, urban/sub-urban, county size, seasons, climate, etc); demographic factors (i.e. age, education, sex, income, family size, religion, occupation, nationality and race); behavioural factors (i.e. loyalty status, benefits sought, purchase occasion, usage rate, user status, actual purchase and attitude to product) (Aaker 1992, pp.24). Perceptual mapping. This refers to a g raphic approach employed by marketers which tries to visually customer perceptions. It entails methods applied in the analysis and comprehension of how consumers perceive products. It includes the identification of product weaknesses; development and assessment of concepts; consumer perceptions’ tracking; and finally, unearthing group differences (Aaker 1992, pp.26). Brand benefits and attributes. The physical presence of a brand does not guarantee its position in mind of the target consumer. For the product to gain entry into that

Historic Preservation and the Imagined West Essay - 3

Historic Preservation and the Imagined West - Essay Example What had been original downtown areas went into decline as growing populations demanded more space, modern buildings, as well as roads and highways that take them there. Chasing the In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a renewed interest in urban renewal. According to Morley, three cities that she examined determined that what was old could be revitalized and made useful and profitable. Much of the trend towards this renewal (translation: rewriting) of history was started by Dana Crawford in the mid 1960s, before whose time urban renewal meant erasing the past and rebuilding a future vision. These efforts resulted in many historic structures being torn down and destroyed. Unfortunately, although Crawford and her group did save some historic buildings, much of the revitalization she accomplished was of Denver’s sports mania. If General William H. Larimer, an early settler of the area and for whom the street is named were to return, the only way he would recognize what today’s preservationists call Larimer Street would be if he was a Broncos fan. Soon after the Larimer Street project started showing signs of success, Crawford took her preservation carpetbag to other areas of the city, most notably the southern downtown area. As the profit news spread, other areas such as Albuquerque and Seattle took note. As with Denver, Albuquerque and Seattle also saved a few historic buildings in their utopian visions, but for all their efforts to save history and work with what is, Morley says that they failed to make authentic places (Morley 16). Albuquerque, for example, saved several old residences, churches, and commercial structures in the Old Town. Seattle’s Pioneer Square was the old central part of the city, but a trip through the Pike Place market, where hundreds of vendors loudly hawk their wares is as Morley describes it, â€Å"an honest place in a phony

Role of Computers in Modern Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Role of Computers in Modern Society - Essay Example Conferring to a review conducted by an international publication, the "Man of the Year" in 1982 was, the 'Computer' (Time Archives, 1983). Computer in Latin implies 'to compute' or ‘to reckon’. Certain specialists have devised a word for it 'INFORMATIC', the learning of ‘information processing’ i.e. procedures of recording, managing and recovering info (Wikipedia, 2011). So it is a computing gadget with some unusual charac ­teristics and gifts like—accomplish compound and monotonous calcula ­tions quickly and precisely, make choices and robotically correct or adjust by offering indications, particular constraints of a structure underneath control, talk with users through workstations etc. From a fiscal viewpoint, the contemporary computer is basically the most modern of a long streak of novel technologies that upsurge efficiency and cause a plodding move from manufacturing to service engagement. The firsthand proof delivers no backing for the asse rtion occasionally made that the computer "desensitizes" and "mechanizes" work. Maybe the paramount implication of the computer lies in its influence on Man's assessment of himself. No longer tolerant to the geocentric vision of the universe, he now instigates to pick up that thoughts, too, are a marvel of nature, understandable in terms of humble tools. Therefore the computer helps him to submit, for the first time, the olden ruling, "Know thyself." (Simon, 1977) As we dash through the 21st century, we must admit the inexorableness of a computer revolution in the nearby time horizons. Now computers have developed into such a vital part of our lives—at railway stations, airports, shops and every well-equi ­pped contemporary office. As computer stays to flourish in forever snowballing numbers across huge sectors of Government, trade and commerce, the common man is starting to believe tentatively that computers can truly convey a good part of the undertaking that they had pre sented. Civilization is progressively accommodating the point that computers will certainly alter the methods in which the conventional techniques are applied. When supposed as social players, computer produces can influence these philosophies of social stimulus to encourage and convince (Fogg, 1997). One phase beyond the Personal Digital Assistants that has someone’s â€Å"life on it† is the growth of â€Å"wearable computing.† In recent times, folks who may mention themselves as â€Å"cyborgs† garb their computers: the radio transmitter and central processing unit in one pocket, a miniature keyboard in another, their spectacles aiding as screens. The creators of such structures talk about novel potentials for information right to use: one can be online endlessly, for instance, in discussion with a faculty associate however at the same moment reading that colleague’s most current papers. The cyborgs, though, swear to impacts of the technology on a very diverse register: they suggest that wearable computers modify their sense of personality. Over the previous twenty years, there have been numerous revolutions in computer software and hardware, but the forecast of self onto computational means is as reliable as it is theatrical. In 1984, denoting to that prognosis by calling computers a â€Å"second self† was confrontational. Today, it is widely accepted. To be provoking, one is curious to speak not just of a

Who Wants to Be Filipino Essay Example for Free

Who Wants to Be Filipino Essay If you were to be reincarnated and given the choice, would you opt to be Filipino again? It was in 1998, at a Forum of students of top schools at the University of Asia and the Pacific, that I raised this question. As expected, everybody, except me, gave a resounding yes for an answer. Hypocrites! I could see from the way they talked, from the clothes they wore, from their ideas of what was good and beautiful, that even in this lifetime they were dying to camouflage their being Filipino. Thanks to Ralph Lauren, a colonial education and a trying-hard American accent. I told them that I want to be European, a Frenchman more specifically. Yes, Europewith its rich history, solid identity, and all the luxury and elegance this world could offer. I have been there once for the world debates in Greece. But being Filipino, I was a disaster then. During socials, I would befriend the Jamaicans so I would stand out. But it was a wrong move because Jamaicans, notwithstanding their darker skin tone, are very secure with themselves. When I and fellow Filipinos were walking in downtown Athens, a young Greek approached our group and casually told us that he intended to go to the Philippines to fk Filipinas. Then he kept on asking us: How much are Filipinas? Did he expect us to adore him because a fine European like him wanted to visit a country whose people they officially defined as Domestic Helpers? Or was he simply being mean? I wish he were just referring to the controversial brown biscuit. Hellish traffic, hellish climate, hell-sent politicians, gangsters in uniform, hoodlums in robe, massive unemployment, inhumane poverty, identity crisis, a tradition of mediocrity. Get real. Who would want to be Filipino? Maybe the Cojuangcos, the Sys, the Tans and the other demigods whose surnames do not sound Filipino at all. But this Yumul, no. My Uncle Jessie is lucky: he and the whole family migrated to the United States in the early 1970s, to graze where the grass is greener and live there as second class citizens but occasionally come home like gods crowned with sparkling dollars. Then there is Me-Ann, one of the tinderas in our small business. She thinks that her main purpose in life is to go to Taiwan and earn money she will never earn in a lifetime of labor in the Philippines. I feel sad to know that Me-Ann and millions of Filipinos have to leave the country just to live decently. Some say though that despite our material poverty, we could take pride in our spirituality since the Philippines is the only predominantly Christian country in Asia. But it continues to puzzle me why this Catholic Nation has only produced two saints so far while Thailand, Japan and Chinaall non-Christian countrieshave more. Maybe, unlike Filipinos, people from those nations have more sensible things to do than creating miracles by desperately looking for images in the stains of tree trunks and forcing statues to shed bloody tears. I have always been pessimistic about the fate of the Filipino. But there was a break. I gave in to the Nationalistic Spirit during the Centennial Celebrations. When fireworks, worth millions of pesos, lit up the skies over the Luneta, I had high hopes that the Philippines would be better and I decided to junk my pessimism. I thought a new era of Filipino pride had dawned. In my college years, I was also influenced by San Bedas thrust of molding young men in the image of a true Filipino like some of its alumni whose ranks include Ninoy Aquino, Rene Saguisag, Ramon Mitra, and Raul Roco, who should have been the president of this country. Yes, for some time, I was deluded into being proud of being Filipino. Thanks to President Erap, I have recovered my senses. His Excellency has betrayed the peoples trust so many times that I need not elaborate. Erap has become for me the symbol of everything that is bad in the Filipino. In his administration, corruption and chaos have become the norm so that writing about it would only bore the reader. Its just too bad for the nation but good for me since I got back my precious pessimism. Now I am firmly convinced that Erap has to resign to save what is left of our dignity as a nation and what is left of my optimism as a young man. But, I guess he will never do that. Congress is dominated by honorable galamays, impeachment is an impossibility. A military coup could save the day for the country, but, in that case, Uncle Sam is sure to defend his friend who handed him the Visiting Forces Agreement. Now, we are left with assassins to play heroes. If one saves the lives of millions, would he not go to heaven? But then Erap need have no fear about an assassination plot. Imelda, despite all the crimes her family committed against the Filipino people, has never been hurt. Not even a strand of her regal hairdo has been touched. But of course, there are always firsts. According to Hindu philosophy, what you sow in this life, you would reap in the next and whatever you are now is a reaction to your past. Could it be that all Filipinos were crooks in their earlier incarnations? If there is any reason why I try to do well in this life, it is in the hope that in my next, I would be a Filipino no more. If it would not be too much to ask, I wish I would be French, or even Jamaican, before Jinggoy Estrada becomes president of this wretched land. Herdy L. Yumul, 21, is a Philosophy and Human Resource Development graduate of San Beda.

Durkheim: Suicide and Solidarity in Society

Durkheim: Suicide and Solidarity in Society Durkheim and Links Between Suicide and Solidarity in Society Emile Durkheims third piece of work was, Suicide published in 1897 and was a case study of which the title describes. A subject that Durkheim was very interested in along with suicide rates and the aspects of social life which had an impact on these statistics. Durkheims own definition of suicide was applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will produce this result (Durkheim, extract from Suicide p110). This instrumental piece of writing looked more closely at the sociological reasons behind taking ones life rather than the personal or psychological reasons. Durkheim gathered suicide rates and statistics from many European countries and these were analysed and played a large part in his beliefs that, changes in social solidarity were linked to suicide rates. He also offered his theoretical opinions on the social aspects that also, played a part in these suicide statistics and this essay shall delve more deeply in to the links between suicide and the changes in social solidarity. Emile Durkheim was a great believer in sociology, social facts and the aspects of social life that shape our actions as individuals, things like the state of the economy, religious influences or family. (Giddens, 1997). Social facts were important to Durkheim and he believed they ought to be studied seriously and as objectively as any other science. Durkheim was fascinated at how society was changing and transforming. That the very things that were important to society and glued it all together, values, morals and customs were changing with the times and to Durkheim this played a part in his conclusions on suicide and their rates. Durkheim spoke of society having sacred character and the emergence of sacred symbols. These were a key part of his theory. Durkheim focused much on social solidarity, he describes this as the belief systems and institutions which play a vital part in giving societies coherence and meaning in the way we relate to each other. As society changed it created new social situations and along with these came, what he called social conditions. These were things like severe neurosis and mental fatigue. All coming about as one type of society ends and another is born. He accounted several reasons for the changes in society, the boom of mass media, the vast increase in the use of steam power and scientific rationalism. Durkheim explained that morality was at the heart of social solidarity and its when social cohesion is lacking when those all important symbols, like religion and family, that bind us all together in a moral manner, fall to the wayside. These things taught us how to relate to one another and on their demise, society and how we achieve social solidarity demises also. In Durkheims words when society is strongly integrated, it holds the individual under its control (Durkheim,1982, Excert from Suicide p209). Durkheim makes a distinction between mechanical and organic solidarity. The first of which is what he considered to show the traits of a more traditional society. The division of labour was of a more simple nature and individuality was less common. He claims there was a far more collective consciousness and religion and god played a far bigger part in society. Mechanical solidarity occurs when individual differences are minimized and the members of society are much alike in their devotion to the common weal (Lewis A. Coser, 1971, Masters of Sociological Thought, p 30). Durkheim talks of legal codes and how when crimes are committed, they are offensive to the masses, not just the individual. In this type of society crimes and criminal behaviour are punished in a most serious way, sometimes even by death. In Durkheims own words an act is criminal when it offends strong and defined states of the collective conscience (Division of Labour, p 80). This contrasts strongly with how things are in this day and age and indeed when Durkheim noted changes in society, But today, it is said, punishment has changed it character, it is no longer to avenge itself that society punishes, it is to defend itself. (Division of Labour, p 86). Organic solidarity is related to a more modern society, where things are less traditional and things like family and religion are no longer at the very heart. This is a more capitalist society and has a high division of labour and specialised skills. The collective consciousness is less so and individuality is far more common. Social differences are obvious via class, race or gender. Specialized activities, different ways of living and individual dependence are all more common than within mechanical solidarity. Durkheim talks of the differences as individuals and as groups and thus a new form of social solidarity is born. Organic solidarity, presupposes not identity but difference between individuals in their beliefs and actions. The growth of organic solidarity and the expansion of the division of labour are hence associated with increasing individualism. (Giddens, p 77). Durkheims use of an organic analogy explains how he comes to use the term organic solidarity, Society becomes more capable of collective movement, at the same time that each of its elements has more freedom of movement. The solidarity resembles that which we observe among the higher animals. Each organ, in effect, has its special physiognomy, it autonomy. And moreover, the unity of the organism is as great as the individuation of the parts is more marked. Because of this analogy, we propose to call the solidarity which is due to the division of labour, organic. (Division of Labour, p 131). Durkheim believes that the division of labour, the rights given over more to individuals and that the division of labour was not a natural occurrence that benefited society and this is why organic solidarity was born. Durkheim spoke much on social solidarity and the division of labour. He argued that the process of transcending from mechanical to organic social solidarity was the very cause of new social and economic institutions and relationships. A more complex and specalised division of labour had not given the outcome Durkheim had predicted. He expected it would result in social economic meritocracy and this was not the case. Class conflict was one outcome of the division of labour. Anomic division of labour, Durkheim explains, happens in times of economic, commercial or industrial crisis. The unusual situation of conflict may occur between capital and labour and this would be seen as a non usual situation. Organic solidarity begins to break down and a state of anomie occurs. Forced division of labour happens when the division of labour does not continue organically. People may begin to act in ways that are aimed at protecting themselves or their position and constraints in place can cause inequalities between gender, race and or class. Durkheims interest in suicide and suicide rates within Europe stemmed from his belief that sociology could explain social malaise. He believed it was the path to modernity that caused social malaise. He also believed that psychology and neurology could only diagnose the problem not expose the social genus of condition. His interest in suicide was also stemmed from the division of labour in more modern societies and the importance of social solidarity on people. In another of Durkheims writings, Rules of the Sociological Method, he talked about the concept of anomie. Within his research he studied the suicide rates between catholics and protestants. He concluded that more protestants committed suicide than catholics did. His explanation for this was that catholics being more god fearing. and having more social control than protestants, stopped them from committing suicide as often as protestants did. Durkheim believes that the more social integration people have then the less likely they are to kill themselves. Those who have little social integration, less involvement in society, are more likely to kill themselves before they become a serious drain on society. According to Durkheim, changes in the modern world occur at such a speed and with such intensity, that social difficulties are born and these are what he link to anomie. A feeling of aimlessness or despair provoked by modern social life. (Giddens, (1997) It seems that part of this research could have been flawed. Durkheim didnt take in to account the guilt and shame that often came with Catholicism. Many times in the past catholic families would not declare their dead family members as having committed suicide for fear of not being given a proper burial or the shame faced by other members of the community. Therefore the statistics at that time could perhaps have been skewed down to these facts. Durkheim believed that the issues of social solidarity could well explain some of the reasons why people committed suicide. He believed those less involved and or couldnt identify with society were at risk of committing suicide or indeed those over involved with society too attached or unattached to the rules, morals, values and belief systems of society. Durkheim spoke of different typology of suicide, the first being Egoism and Altruism. Egoism suicide is when a person forms very little attachment to society. They cant see any worth in their own lives and suicide feels like a last resort.He claimed married people committed suicide less than people who were single and this was the typology that the protestants versus catholic rates would fall under. Altruistic suicide is the opposite effect. Its when a person develops an over attachment to the collective goals of society. He said this type occurs when people who belong to a tight knit group begin to feel threatened and in turn these types of suicide can almost be seen as honourable. More relevant today with suicide bombers, cult members and samurais. Durkheim described it as self destruction in defense. The second typology of suicide was anomic and fatalistic. The first being related too a person having a sudden and stressful change in their life circumstances. This could be from divorce to financial ruin, those who once held wealth and prestige and then faced to lose it all and become unemployed would perhaps commit anomic suicide. Fatalistic suicide, Durkheim explained was an intense over regulation of an individual by society. Therefore the types of people who may commit fatalistic suicide are slaves, prisoners of war or in earlier times perhaps women who remained unmarried or without children. Durkheim didnt consider this type of suicide to be common in the modern society. Durkheims work has been much accredited over the years. It was one of the largest studies carried out in a sociological perspective on suicide. His research methods and use of rates and statistics was innovative at the time it was carried out although as was the case with catholics versus protestants in regards to suicide rates, he did fail to take in to account the natural guilt that came with Catholicism. Some claim Durkheims approaches are too positive and or functionalist in nature. Durkheim puts huge emphasis on social facts and perhaps via this he fails to look more closely at personal phenomena. Others have claimed that Durkheims theories were not empirically supported . Durkheims work undoubtedly was remarkable in nature and offered a stunning insight in to suicide and the changes of social solidarity.

Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun :: essays research papers

Part A: One striking aspect in â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† was in Act II Scene III, when Bobo gives Walter the news that Willy went off with the money for the liquor business. I honestly did not think that would happen. I respected Willy to be one of Walter’s good friends. I thought they would invest in the liquor business together and make good money. I was in total disbelief when Bobo announced the bad news. Also in Act III, I did not expect Walter to change his mind about accepting Mr. Linder’s â€Å"exchange†. I was totally surprised to find out Walter finally â€Å"comes into his manhood† with his decision. My perception of him changed for the better. For once throughout the entire play, I was proud of what Walter did. Part B: Does A Raisin on the Sun present timeless issues? No, A Raisin in the Sun presents many issues that are still common today. For example, my families today go through hard times such as deciding to have an abortion. Ruth became pregnant and actually put a down payment for an abortion. During the 1950’s abortions were illegal, making her decision even harder. Abortions are difficult decisions many women face today as well. Another issue still common today are problems in marriage. At one point in the play Walter and Ruth’s love for one another was questioned. They fought badly at times, thus their marriage was heading in the wrong direction. In today’s society 50% of marriages end in divorce indicating major problems with the partners. Lastly, racism still exists today. The Youngers faced racism before they even moved into their new house when Mr. Linder offers the Youngers money in exchange for moving somewhere else. Mr. Linder and the rest of the white community thought this decision was for the best for the community. Mr. Linder gives them the offer without even giving the family a chance, thus showing prejudice. Justina Klecha Intro to Literature 150-26 Professor Clovia Feldman February 15, 2005 Exploration of the Text How does the urban setting establish the atmosphere and mood of the play?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The urban setting establishes the perfect atmosphere. If the setting were in a rural area, the mood of the play would be different. Jobs for example, would be harder to have and maintain. This would cause more tension and problems with the family. Transportation would also have been more difficult. In the urban setting, automobiles were available as transportation.

The Pirate Bay

C ASE S TUDY The Pirate Bay: The World's Most Resilient Copyright Infringer? The Pirate Bay (TPB), a Swedish Web site (Piratebay. org), is one of the world's most popular pirated music and content sites, offering free access to millions of copyrighted songs and thousands of copyrighted Hollywood movies. In June 2011, The Pirate Bay reported that it had about 5 m illion r egistered u s ers, a nd 25 m illion n on-registered u sers ( so-called â€Å"free riders â€Å"). To p ut t hat n umber i n p e rsp ec tive, c onsider t hat i t is n early t hr ee t imes t h e p opulation o f S weden i tself (9 m illion).T he P irate Bay is r egularly i n t he t op 100 m ost p opular Web sites i n t he w orld, a nd r eac h es 1 % o f t he global I nt e rn et popula ­ tion, according to I nternet a nalysts i n 2 0ll. I n S weden, Norway, a nd t he Ne therlands, i t o ften r anks a s o ne o f t he t op 10 s ites. T his d espit e t he fac t t hat TPB h as b een s ubjected t o r epeated l egal effort s to s hut i t do wn . I t b ills itself a s â€Å"the world's m ost r esilient b ittorrent site. † But t he h attIe is far f rom over.T he I nternet i s b ecoming a t ough p lace f or m usic a nd v ideo p irates to m ak e a liv in g i n p art b e c aus e o f e nforce ­ ment a ctions, b ut m ore i mportantly b ecause o f new m obile a nd w ireless t echnologies t hat e nable h igh-quality c ontent to b e s treamed for j ust a s mall fee. Q. search Torrents I ~ I ~ 1::rt. J.!! 9! I! I ~ 1D! R..! 92 How d o I clo wn'o. d? == ­ F irst s ome b ackground. T he P irate Bay is p art o f a E uropean s ocial a nd p olitical m ovement t hat o pposes c opyrighted c ontent a nd d emands t hat m usic, v ideos, TV shows, a nd o ther d igital c ontent b e f ree a nd u nrestricted.I n t he w ords o f t he P irate Party, â€Å"the P irate B ay is a u nique p latform for d istributing c ulture b etween r egular p eople a nd i ndependent a rtists, a nd t hat's s omething w e w ant to p res erve. † I n a u nique t wist o n p rior e fforts to p rovide â€Å"free† m usic, T he P irate Bay d oes n ot o perate a d atabase o f c opyrighted c ontent. N either d oes i t o perate a n etwork o f c omputers o wned b y † members† w ho s tore t he c ontent, n or c reate, o wn, o r d istribute s oftware ( like BitTorrent a nd m ost o ther s o-called P2P n etworks) t hat p ermit s uch n etworks t o e xist i n t he f irst place.T hese w ere t he o ld t echniques for r ipping o ff m usic. I nstead, T he P irate Bay s imply p rovides a s earch e ngine t hat r esponds to u ser q ueries for m usic t racks, o r s pecific m ovie t itles, a nd g enerates a l ist o f s earch r esults t hat i nclude P2P n etworks a round t he w orld w here t he t itles c an b e f ound. By click ­ ing o n a s elected l ink, u sers g ain a ccess t o t he c opyrighted c ontent, b ut o nly a fter d ownloading s oftware a nd o ther files f rom t hat P2P n etwork. Voila' â€Å"No body, n o c rime. T he P irate Bay j ust l inks i ts u sers to s tolen m edia files. W hat c ould b e i llegal? T he P irate Bay c laims i t is m erely a s earch e ngine p rovid ­ ing p ointers to existing P2P n etworks t hat it d oes n ot i tself c ontrol. I t c laims t hat i t c annot c ontrol w hat c ontent u sers u ltimately f ind o n t hose P2P n etworks, a nd t hat it is n o d ifferent f rom a ny o ther s earch e ngine, s uch a s Google o r Bing, w hich a re n ot h eld r esponsible for t he c ontent f ound o n s ites l isted i n s earch r esults.F rom a b roader s tandpoint, T he P irate Bay's f ounders a lso c laim t hat c opyright l aws i n g en ­ eral u njustly i nterfere w ith t he f ree flow o f i nformation o n t he I nternet, a nd t hat i n a ny e vent, t hey w ere n ot v iolating S wedish c opyright law, w hich t hey f elt s hould b e t he o nly l aw t hat a pplied. A nd t hey f urther c laimed t hey d id n ot e ncourage, i ncite, o r e nable i llegal d ownloading. N ever theless, t he d efendants h ave n ever d enied t heirs w as a c ommercial e nterprise.D espite all t he t alk b y t he P irate P arty c alling for t he free, u nfettered s pread o f c ulture, T he P irate B ay w as a m oney-making o peration f rom t he b eginning, d esigned to p roduce p rofits for its founders, w ith a dvertising a s t he p rimary s ource o f r evenue. H owever, i n a r uling t hat p uts to r est t he n otion t hat t he l aw is a lways b ehind t he d evelopment o f t echnology, t he F irst S wedish C ourt i n S tockholm d eclared t he f our f ounders g uilty o f v iolating S wedish c opyright law, a nd s entenced e ach t o o ne y ear i n p rison a nd p ayment o f $3. m illion i n r estitution to t he p laintiffs, all S wedish d ivisions o fthe m ajor r ecord l abel f irms ( Warner Music, Sony, a nd EMI G roup a mong t hem). T he c ourt s aid â€Å"By p roviding a w ebsite w ith † . w ell-developed s earch f unc ­ tions, e asy u ploading a nd s torage possi bilities, a nd w ith a t racker l inked to t he w eb ­ site, t he a ccused h ave i ncited t he c rimes t hat t he file s harers h ave c ommitted. † T he c ourt a lso s aid t hat t he f our d efendants h ad b een a ware o f t he fact t hat c opyrighted m aterial w as s hared w ith t he h elp o f t heir site.T he p rison s entence w as j ustified b y † extensive accessibility o f o thers' c opyrights a nd t he fact t hat t he o peration w as c on ­ ducted c ommercially a nd i n a n o rganized f ashion. † I n o ther w ords, t he c ourt b elieved t he d efendants w ere e ngaged i n a c ommercial e nterprise, t he b asis o f w hich w as e ncouraging v isitors to v iolate t he c opyrights o f o wners. I n fact, t he p rimary p urpose o f T he P irate B ay w as to violate c opyrights i n o rder to m ake m oney for t he o wners ( commercial i ntent). Enable,† â€Å"induce,† a nd † encourage† c opyright i nfringement a nd † intent to sellà ¢â‚¬  a re k ey w ords i n t his r uling a nd T he P irate Bay case. T hese c oncepts g rounded i n W estern l aw a re n ot â€Å"disabled† b y n ew t echnology, b ut i nstead c an b e, a nd are, e xtensible to n ew t echnologies, a nd u sed to s hape t echnology t o society's n eeds a nd w ishes. I ndeed, t here's a c onsensus d eveloping a mong p rosecutors a nd c ourts w orld ­ wide t hat i nfringement is n ot j ustified s imply b ecause i t's t echnically p ossible to do i t o n t he I nternet.T he P irate Bay is a ppealing t he c ourt j udgment, h as p aid n o fine, a nd i ts o wners h ave, as yet, n ever s pent a n ight i n j ail. T he P irate Bay Web site c ontinues to o perate i n S weden m uch a s before. Well, almost. I n 2 0ll, t he f irm m oved i ts s ervers i nto c aves i n S weden, a nd d ispersed m ultiple c opies o f i ts p rogram to o ther c ountries j ust i n c ase Swedish police t ry t o confiscate its s ervers a gain. Meanwhile, t he u . S. g overnment p ressured t he S wedish g overnment to s trengthen i ts copyright laws to discourage r ampant d ownloading.I n S weden, downloading m usic a nd v ideos from illegal sites w as v ery popular, e ngaged i n b y 43% o fthe S wedish Inter ­ net p opulation. 1b s trengthen its laws, S weden a dopted t he E uropean U nion c onven ­ tion o n c opyrights, w hich allows c ontent o wners to receive f rom I nternet p roviders t he n ames a nd a ddresses o f p eople s uspected o f s haring p irated files. I n F rance, participat ­ ing i n t hese p irate sites will r esult i n b anishment f rom t he I nternet for u p to t hree y ears.As a result, I nternet traffic i n S weden d eclined b y 40 % , a nd h as s tayed t here. Like t he f ight a gainst t he o riginal C aribbean p irates o f t he s eventeenth c entury, g lobal forces c ontinue t o m arshal a gainst T he P irate Bay. N ot t he B ritish N avy t his t ime, b ut a l oose c oalition o f t he U nited S tates a nd a n umber o f E urope an c ountries .. T he f irm h as b een h ounded b y l awsuits, police raids, a nd c onfiscation o f s ervers i n F rance, Finland, Italy, G ermany, D enmark, I reland, t he U. K. , a nd G reece.T hese c ountries h ave i n s ome c ases r efused to allow I nternet s ervice p roviders i n t heir c ountries to h ost T he P irate Bay, o r l ink to T he P irate Bay, n o m atter w here i n t he w orld i ts s ervers a re l ocated. T he P irate Bay h as c aused E ngland, France, Malaysia, F inland, a nd m ost r ecently t he U nited States, to c onsider s trong i ntellectual p rop ­ erty p rotection l aws t hat w ill p revent d omestic s earch e ngines a nd ISPs f rom l inking to i nfringing sites, o r r esolving t heir d omain n ames. C alled t he P rotect IP Act, t he p roposed l egislation n ow i n t he U.S. S enate i s a n e ffort to s hut o ff t raffic f rom t he U nited S tates to offshore p irate s ites t hat h ave n o s ignificant u se o ther t han e ngaging, e nabling, o r f acilit ating t he illegal c opying o r d istribution o f c opyrighted m aterial i n † substantially c omplete form. † T he t arget s ites m ust b e † dedicated t o infringing. † I n a ddition, t he l aw w ould p ermit i ntellectual p roperty o wners a nd g overnment a gencies to s eek i njunctions a gainst i nfringing sites, p otentially s hutting t hem d own i mmediately u ntil t he i ssues c an b e a rgued i n c ourt.For o nshore sites, t he I mmigra ­ tion a nd C ustoms E nforcement (ICE) a gency a lready s eizes Web site d omains t hat v iolate U. S. laws o n I nternet g ambling a nd i ntellectual p roperty t heft, a nd r edirects t his t raffic to a Web p age h osted b y ICE e xplaining t he a ction. T he P rotect I P Act a nd s imilar l egislation i n E urope is o pposed b y civil l iberties g roups a nd s earch e ngine f irms s uch a s Google.T he E lectronic F rontier F oundation (EFF) b elieves d efining † dedicated i nfringing sites† c ould b e s omewhat a rbitrary, a nd t he l egislation i ntroduces t he p ossibility t hat g overnment a gencies c ould c ensor o r s hut d own Web sites, t hreatening f reedom o f s peech. Eric Schmidt, n ow C hairman o f Google, said i n May 2011 t hat Google will fight all proposed restrictions o n s earch e ngine linking b ecause t hey c ould â€Å"set a disastrous precedent† for freedom o f speech, a nd l ead to censorship similar to t hat i mposed b y C hina.Because Google's s earch e ngine is u sed b y m illions o f people e very d ay to find BitThrrent sites, Google itself is a major contributor to infringement, albeit unintentionally. Meanwhile, t he w orld's largest advertising agency, GroupM, h as k eelhauled T he P irate Bay a nd 2,000 o ther s ites worldwide b y p utting t he s ites o n i ts blacklist o f copyright infringing sites w here it will n ot b uy a dvertising space.Pirating intellectual p roperty is, above all, about t he m oney, as a ny good pirate knows. T h e P irate Bay case is j ust t he l atest i n a saga o f c ourt c ases involving t he r ecord industry, w hich w ants to preserve its d ominance o f c opyrighted music, a nd I nter ­ net u sers who w ant free music. I n 200S, after several years o f h eated c ourt b attles, t he c ase o f Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios v. Grokster, et al. f inally r eached t he u . S. Supreme Court.I n J une 200S, t he C ourt h anded d own its u nanimous decision: Inter ­ net file-sharing services s uch as Grokster, StreamCast, BitThrrent, a nd Kazaa could b e h eld liable for copyright i nfringement b ecause t hey i ntentionally s ought to induce, enable, a nd e ncourage users to share m usic t hat w as o wned b y r ecord companies. Indeed, i t w as t heir b usiness model: steal t he music, g ather a h uge a udience, a nd m onetize t he a udience b y a dvertising o r t hrough s ubscription fees. Since t he c ourt ruling, Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, BearShare, iMesh, a nd m any o thers h ave e ither . one o ut o f business o r s ettled w ith t he r ecord firms a nd c onverted themselves i nto legal file-sharing sites b y e ntering i nto relationships w ith m usic i ndustry firms. I n May 2010, M ark Gorton, founder o f t he l argest u. S. pirate site, LimeWire, lost a copy ­ right i nfringement case. I n May 2011, a dmitting h is guilt (â€Å"I w as wrong†), a nd h aving facilitated t he m ass p iracy o f billions o f s ongs over a lO-year period, Gorton a nd h is file-sharing c ompany a greed to compensate t he four largest record labels b y p aying t hem $10S million.T hese l egal victories, a nd s tronger g overnment e nforcement o f c opyright laws, have n ot p roven to b e t he m agic b ullet t hat m iraculously solves all t he p roblems facing t he m usic i ndustry. I n a ddition to t he i ssue o f illegal downloads, legitimate digital music sales h ave so far failed to m ake u p for falling CD s ales revenues. T he o nly h ope for t he m usic i ndustry is to cha nge its b usiness m odel a nd decisively move towards digital distribution platforms. H ere t hey a re m aking s triking progress b ut c ontinue to face r evenue declines.I n 2011, digital m usic sales a ccount for n early SO% o f industry r evenues, totaling $S. 7 billion, u p f rom $1. 9 billion i n 2006. I n 2 m2, digital sales o f m usic will exceed sales from CDs. I n 2011, a nnual r evenue f rom CD s ales is 1ess t han h alf of 200S1evels. Album sales o f 12 o r m ore songs, b oth digital a nd o n CD, a re also d own IS% a nnually o ver t he s ame p eriod. Since 2003, t housands o f r etail music stores have closed, a nd Walmart h as c ut b ack s helf s pace devoted to CDs a nd n ow c arries only t he t op titles.As CD sales o f complete albums p lummet, o nline m usic s ales o f singles are soar ­ ing rapidly, l ed b y iThnes. Sales o f digital m usic a t iThnes, Rhapsody, a nd e Music have b een growing a t a bout SO% p er y ear s ince 2006. Apple dominates t he m usical d ownload s cene a nd h as b ecome t he l argest retailer o f m usic i n t he U nited States, – SOURCES: â€Å"World's Biggest Ad Agency Keelhauls 2,000 Pirate Sites,† by Natalie Apostolu, The Register, June 14, 2011; â€Å"Internet Piracy and How to Stop It,† New York Times, June 8,2011; â€Å"The â€Å"Pirate Bay: FiveYears After the Raid,† by Ernesto, Torrentfreak. com, May 31,2011; â€Å"Why Google Would Defend Pirate Bay? ,† by Parmy Olson, Forbes, May 19, 2011; â€Å"The Protect IPAct: COICA Redux,† by Abigail Phillips, Electronic Frontier Foundation, May 12,2011; â€Å"Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft 01 Intellectual Property (Protect IP Act) 012011,† United States Senate, 112th Congress, 1st Session, 2011; â€Å"Pirate Bay Keeps Sinking: Another Law Suit Coming,† by Stan Schroeder, mashable. com, June 22, 2010; â€Å"Idea Man 01 LineWire at aCrossroads,† by Joseph Plambeck, New York Times, May 23, 2010; â€Å"Pirate Bay Sunk by Hollywood Injunction For Now,† by Charles Arthur, The Guardian, May 17 2010; â€Å"British PutTeeth in Anti ­ Piracy Proposal,† by Eric Planner, New York Times, March 14,2010; â€Å"How Pandora Slipped Past the Junkyard,† by Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, March 7, 2010. r eplacing Walmart. By 2011, t he i Thnes Store h ad s old o ver 15 billion songs, 450 million TV shows, a nd o ver 100 million movies, m aking i t t he w orld's m ost p opular o nline m usic, TV, a nd m ovie store.Its r evenues a re u p 75% i n t he l ast year. Driving t his p erformance, o f course, are t he s ales o f its various i-devices. By mid-2011, Apple h ad s old over 300 million iPods (all models), over 125 million iPhones, a nd 25 m illion iPads. A nd a ccording to a s tudy b y A rbor N etworks a nd t he U niversity o f M ichigan, p eer-to-peer t raffic is s hrinking d ramatically, a nd s treaming o f video a nd m usic f rom l egiti mate s ites h as g rown to o ver 10 % o f all I nternet traffic.R esearchers s urmise t hat c onsumers h ave j ust f ound i t a l ot e asier a nd m ore c onvenient t o access videos a nd m usic f rom t hese s ites r ather t han u sing P2P s haring s ites w here a m ovie c an t ake e ight h ours to download, a nd w here d ownloading m usic t racks c an also b ring a h ost o f m al ware w ith t he m usic. I n a ddition, t he w hole i dea o f â€Å"owning† m usic i n t he f orm o f records, tapes, CDs, a nd m usic files s tored o n y our h ard d rive is o ut o f d ate. While s ubscription m odels i n t he p ast d id n ot w ork, t hey w ere l imited t o s treaming m usic t o d esktop a nd l aptop PCs.I n t he w orld o f mobile I nternet d evices, t he i dea o f s treaming m usic all d ay l ong t o y our i Phone o r B lackBerry is m uch m ore a ttractive. I n 2011, P andora, t he m usic ­ streaming service, h as o ver 94 m illion r egistered u sers a nd 34 m illion s ubscribers, 30% o f w hom c onnect w ith s martphones. T he U. K. m usic s ervice Spotify o pened to U. S. c ustomers i n J uly 2011, a nd o ffers its 10 m illion s ubscribers a ccess to m ore t han 13 m illion s treaming m usic t racks t hat c an b e p layed i nstantly b y j ust d ragging t he s ong y ou w ant t o y our i Phone a pp.Users do n ot n eed t o w ait for d ownloads o r c lutter t heir h ard d rives a nd f lash drives w ith files, o r o rganize t he t housands o f s ongs o n t heir s torage devices. However, a d ownload s ervice was a dded i n 2011. I n e ach o f t hese n ew m edia d elivery p latforms, t he c opyright o wners-record c ompanies, a rtists, a nd H ollywood s tudios-have s truck l icensing d eals w ith t he t ech ­ nology p latform o wners a nd d istributors (Apple, Amazon, a nd Google).T hese n ew p latforms o ffer a w in-win s olution. C onsumers a re b enefitted b y h aving n ear i nstant a ccess to high-quality m usic t racks a nd v ideos w ithout t he h assle o f P2P software downloads. C ontent o wners g et a g rowing r evenue s tream a nd p rotection for t heir c opyrighted c ontent. A nd t he p irates? T he P irate Bay a nd o ther p irate s ites m ay n ot b e a ble to c ompete w ith n ew a nd b etter w ays to l isten t o m usic a nd v iew v ideos.Like t he r eal p irates o f the C aribbean, t echnology a nd c onsumer p reference for e ase o f use m ay l eave t hem b ehind. Case Study Questions 1. Do you think The Pirate Bay can continue to survive in a global Internet world? Why or why not? 2. Why is legislation like The Protect IP Act opposed by Google and civil liberties groups? 3. Do you think it is possible to reliably identify â€Å"dedicated infringing Web sites? † What criteria do you suggest? 4. Why does cloud computing threaten pirate sites?