Saturday, August 31, 2019

Learning Team Deliverable Essay

This week we learned that industries consist of all firms making similar or identical products. Their market structure depends on the number of firms in the industry and the ways in which they compete. Our text discussed four basic market structures. The first market structure is perfect competition. Perfect competition occurs when numerous small firms are in competition with each other. Businesses in a competitive industry produce the socially optimal output level at the absolute minimal possible cost per unit. Another type of market structure is known as a monopoly. This is an easy enough concept to comprehend, but I went back and forth with a few classmates as to different examples of a monopoly. Technically, a monopoly is a business that basically has no competitors in its industry. They reduce output to drive up prices and increase profit. In doing so, they produce less than the socially optimal output level and produces at higher cost than competitive businesses. One example of a monopoly would be the existence of only one option in utilities in any particular region. The third type of market structure is known as an oligopoly. This is a type of industry that has very few firms, and if they collude they can reduce output and drive up profits much like a monopoly does. This doesn’t always work though because a lot of times businesses will not honor their agreement with their competing industries. This will make the firms end up competing against each other for consumers business. An example of this type of structure would be the airline industry. This type of situation often benefits consumers. The fourth type of market structure is a monopolistic competition. In this type of structure industries have slightly different products, but still compete against one another. One example of this would be restaurants, and how they all serve food, but different types and at different prices in different locations. Consumers also benefit from the varieties in this type of market  structure. How do markets evaluate the effectiveness of competitive strategies in their structures? For example they do so by evaluating their products, and differentiating their products to survive in the long run. The main way to evaluate the effectiveness is to check the bottom line. The goal of every business is to make money, so an increase in profits will let you know your strategies are effective. Profit maximization is a subject that I personally found a bit intimidating. Profit maximization is the process of obtaining the highest possible level of profit through the production and sale of goods and services. This assumption is the guiding principle underlying production by a firm. In a perfect competition structure, it can be tough to maximize profits. A monopoly has free range to do as they will and therefore it is easier to maximize profits. In an oligopoly market very forms of collusion can reduce competition and lead to higher cost for consumers and higher profits for themselves. Strategic planning by oligopolists must take into account the likely responses of the other firms in their market. In a monopolistic structure the firm maximizes its profits by equating marginal cost with marginal revenue. The intersection of the marginal cost and marginal revenue curves determines the firm equilibrium. The behavior of a monopolistic structure and a monopoly structure appear to be quite similar, especially in the short run. In summary, week 3 was a week packed with interesting conversations started by discussion questions. We are still in a bit of a haze when it comes to economic in general, but are clinging on to hope that we have enough of an understanding to be successful. Research and studying is the key, making yourself more familiar with the terms and their meanings.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Megger’s Article Response Essay

Betty J. Meggers article, Environmental Limitation on the Development of Culture, examines how environmental habitats directly affect and influence culture. Meggers discusses the differing environmental types and its resulting effect on the people and their cultural development. Her theoretical framework is grounded on the idea that the relationship between culture and its environment is not only based in terms of subsistence (802), but largely to a culture’s experience with diffusion (822). Diffusion can best be defined as a process in which a cultural trait, idea, or behavior is spread from one society to another. While she does believe that the relative strength or weakness of an environment to provide a suitable means for food production affects the adaptation and advancement of a culture, she also believes that cultural diffusion plays a vital role as well. According to Meggers, the general belief is that environmental potentiality is the sole conditioner of cultural development (801). The span of environmental habitats into classified into 4 environmental types, ranging from Type 1 environments, which have the least agricultural potential, to Type 4 environments, which have unlimited agricultural potential. Meggers does generally seem to agree that the environmental type can set limitations on the level of development a culture is able to obtain (816). Because Type 1 environments have the least agricultural potential, tribes must subsist mainly by hunting, fishing, and gathering. Cultures that live in Type 1 environments are relatively small in population size and tend to lead more of a nomadic lifestyle, a necessary part of life because they must continually follow their food source. As a result, their existence is noticeably simplistic because their primary focus is on satisfying only their very basic needs such as shelter and food. This type of environment results in a culture where social organization and technology is very limited in scope. The nomadic lifestyle necessitates that tribes remain relatively small, therefore making the single family the basic social unit. Additionally, technology remains limited to only the most essential tools and utensils due to the limited resources available. According to Meggers, Type 1 and Type 2 environments seem to prohibit cultural advancement because of the limitations imposed on a culture by the environment and the general lack of a suitable source of diffusion. Conversely, Type 4 environments have unlimited agricultural potential because they possess all the ideal conditions necessary for sustaining agriculture. Meggers calls Type 4 environments the â€Å"cradles of civilization† (804) because of their ability to develop and implement the technology necessary to sustain an agriculturally based lifestyle. Type 4 environments are typified by their complex social organization and cultural advancements. Meggers states that Type 4 civilizations are elaborate due to their intensive production of food and the necessary means of distribution. However, Meggers also believes that success of Type 3 and Type 4 environments to advance culturally is also heavily influenced by diffusion across cultures, or a cultures relative exposure and adoption of differing cultural norms, beliefs, and behaviors.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Discuss how India is an idea, held together ; sustained by political will

My first brush of covering with India as an thought and non merely a geographical part that I simply inhabit was facilitated by Amitav Ghosh. ‘The Shadow Lines ‘ was that one novel that led me to see India with a different point of view, as more than merely ‘home ‘ . For Th'amma ( the supporter ‘s grandma ) India, the thought of a state and what patriotism and nationality defined for her, held a wholly different significance than that for the supporter himself. On the contrary, the thought of India was wholly different for Ila, the storyteller ‘s cousin, who had ever lived abroad. This illustrated apposition of the diverseness of idea led me to understand the true sentiment behind the thought of a state – it is one with no peculiar definition but a battalion of visions, intents and doctrines. The definition of a state has differences on the footing of the state ‘s political orientation and history, which necessarily dictates the success or failure of the mass of peoples as a state. Coincidentally, the Indian illustration is one that seems to be the most powerful ingredient in the Indian socio-political stock. Some historiographers claim that frequently it is a mere accident that two geographic parts are clubbed together as one state. A instance in point would be the citizens of Kutch and Karachi who likely would be more similar to each other than the people of Kutch and Kalimpong, both of which go on to be a portion of the same state, India. I think it is this diverseness and the enormousness of the state that must be taken into history in order to discourse India as an thought. It has been 60 old ages since independency and the universe ‘s largest democracy is now divided on the footing of caste, category, part, faith more than it of all time was. At times in our free history the political system was practically dysfunctional and coupled with the ill-famed rampant corruptness, rendered the full state on the brink of instability. Time and once more one has witnessed politicians taking advantage and seeking to call up support on the ever-narrower lines of political individuality. Politically, it has become more of import to be a â€Å" backward caste † , a â€Å" tribal † , or a spiritual sectary than to be an Indian. Clangs of involvement in electoral pools are now easy dissolved by opposing the proud Hindu against the agnostic Indian. Multiple insurgence and foreign invasions are jobs that India has faced ( and still faces ) and clawed its manner out of, tops this atrocious province of personal businesss. India – a state that survived – worth a unit of ammunition of hand clapping. eally talking, states are and should be seen as cultural buildings. They are an ideological phenomenon which gets consolidated as a state when there ‘s a will to be an entity that maps as a whole unit. It can be seen as an imagined community ; the desire of an full battalion to be and remain together. In our modern universe, state can be seen as a paradox in itself. Given that geographical boundary lines define merely but the political boundaries, the state as an thought is imagined, non existent, touchable, or predefined. And in bend by virtuousness of being ‘imagined ‘ a state is limited – even the culturally-watertight states have fictile boundaries beyond which lie other states. It is imagined – as a community and sealed in a deep ‘horizontal ‘ chumminess. Similarly India besides becomes an thought, where small things become beat uping points. Where a little thought can be made out to be an intensely sentimental statement and support can be garnered for it ; where ‘the myth of persecution ‘ can frequently be seen at work, where one may be made to experience that one has been dealt with below the belt. Multiple occasions in the Indian history would stand testament to the same, instance in point being the Khalistan or even the Ayodhya difference. I feel, that at some degree it boils down to the thought of indigeneity. What precisely does it intend to depict a people as the â€Å" autochthonal † dwellers of a land and why is the construct of indigeneity of import? The inquiry that seems to peal once more and once more is whether a state can be formed by thoughts of indigeneity, whether the isolation of historical events as distinct strands is possible. A state like India with its astonishing diverseness is losing the hybridism, its existent kernel and doing it as a individual massive strand. As is the instance with most national emotions and motions, the analysis of the derivation becomes every bit of import as the effect. Miraculously, but non surprisingly, as a people, counter-nationalism issues become cardinal mileposts in the development of Indian patriotism. Some issues that set case in point are Khalistan, Ayodhya, Telangana, the North East insurgence. There tends to be a common pivot of all these issues and any treatment of this disposition would be exhaustively uncomplete without preceding it with a comprehensive brief about Pakistan and the influence this difference has had in Indian idea and patriotism since independency. Just the mere figure of connexions and the Partition stories one would hear in an mean North Indian family is proof plenty of the huge importance Partition holds in our lives even if we do n't experience it actively in our lives. Every Indian has an sentiment on Pakistan, on India ‘s relationships with it, on how we should cover with it. Pakistan has much a larger presence in our lives than we would wish to accept. There are still multiple arguments on whether there in fact was a instance for Pakistan as a separate state ; had it go a necessary immorality to hold a separate state and the fact that we could hold lived together as one happy state was merely but a romantic impression. Or was it in fact a kid of a mere phantasy, on the portion of the assorted distinct parties, which finally bailed after things did n't sail the manner the hoped they would. The two far abounding and obvious positions have although been concurrent on the fact that the people who had stopped seeing oculus to oculus and were anyhow divided on the footing of spiritual and political hostility. People argue that factors like common environment, linguistic communication were superficial facts that did non truly adhere the now understood to be sacredly contrasting thoughts and as a effect a strong sense of individualism of idea. It is this negative chumminess that is the foundation of the obvious Hindu-Muslim divide that has been seen as the ground the cicatrixs that blemish the face of Indian history ; the instance in point being Godhra and the Babri Masjid. This was a counter-nationalist motion foremost took birth during the Partition and is still disputing the thought of India as a state. Many historiographers believe that the rebellion of 1857 â€Å" was the last noteworthy manifestation of Hindu-Muslim integrity † . The claim is that since Indians were contending a common enemy, vis-a-vis the imperialist regulation, they could non afford to be divided at that clip. The Muslims have ever been given a ‘second-class ‘ position since Independence. This has evidently put the inquiry of patriotism and nationality into inquiry. There has been a sense that nationality could be without the desire for holding a separate state, so whether it all boils down to a individual belonging to a peculiar part or faith or the fact which makes one feels a sense of patriotism and unity. Babri Masjid and the wake is likely one of the events that will be etched in the heads of everyone from that age. The Ayodhya argument is frequently seen as a mixture of fact and fiction – of myth and history. Following a brief timeline of the full difference would exemplify how this has acted as a major force in constructing a state ‘s constricted sentiment pool. It all started in 1949 with the Indian authorities ‘s declaration holding the site ‘controversial ‘ after graven images were placed in the mosque. It would be interesting to observe here how there was no contention until this point. This sudden declaration betrayed political motivations which can be besides linked to the 1984 Ram Janma Bhoomi temple propaganda started by VHP and BJP under Lal Krishan Advani. For the interest of constitution of position it would be disposed to add that BJP started as a party to function a feasible anti-congress forepart and Hindutva was surely non the chief focal point at the clip of its origin. The decimation of the BJP in the 1984 elections proved to be a turning point where Congress had successfully played the Hindu nationalist card and upstaged the party on its Hindu certificates. BJP could non let this to go on and Hindutva came to the foreground. Since so ‘Hindutva ‘ has been used at assorted points by BJP, VHP and Shiv Sena as propaganda to stoke a certain kind of patriotism within the Black Marias of the people. Even though Hindutva literally means Hinduness and is a doctrine, the construct is being used clip and once more, driven by a certain political will, to split the people and granary ballot Bankss with such junior-grade political relations. In 1989, Advani introduced footings like pseudosecularism, minority-ism and Hindutva in the mainstream political vocabulary. Hindutva became the board on which Advani based the greening of the party. However, Hindutva ‘s history tends to merely supply the juncture for the argument and is itself left mostly unspecified. A portion of the job is that Hindutva ideologists have merely now begun to stipulate their rules of history. Another specifying minute in the recent Indian yesteryear which would stop up re-defining India is the 1984 anti-Sikh public violences. After the divider this would likely be the event that left an unerasable impact in the lives of Sikhs and most of Northern India. Though the Prima facie ground for the public violences are frequently considered the blackwash of Indira Gandhi, there were other deep seated causes that were easy multiplying and disputing India, which was still in its birth. The birth of the Khalistan motion spearheaded by Bhindranwala must be traced back in order to appreciate the counter-nationalism at work here. The green revolution that had brought about huge economic growing and prosperity in Punjab had led to the increasing belief about Sikhs holding a separate cultural individuality and position and hence conveying about a sense of distinguishable inequality in the societal beds. This unintegrated societal construction of the small towns led to entrepreneurial struggles between the agricultural community of Jat Sikhs and the trading community of Hindu Brahmins, Khatris and Baniyas. The political perturbation in Punjab provided the Sikh community the chance and motivation to research the traditionally restricted patterns of trade and concern. The rise of terrorist act combined with the forced in-migration of the Hindus by the Sikh Aroras ( who were subsequently themselves driven out from the small towns by the Sikh Jats ) furthered the Khalistan Movement. Gradually though, the local community withdrew support and settled into the new system that Punjab was get downing to follow. In retrospect, it was this eventual deficiency of ideological committedness among those â€Å" contending the conflict for the Sikh state † as it was being articulated by the urban middle-class ideologists of the motion in media or the academe that led to the attenuation of the Khalistan motion. Another brewing issue of recent times which caught the attending of the state has been down South in the province of Andhra Pradesh. Telangana is one of the least developed parts in India. Rampant poorness, illiteracy, malnutrition, child labor, husbandman self-destructions, unemployment, H2O scarceness and electricity deficit are some of the major jobs of this part. However, these comfortss are non the lone issues blighting Telangana today. Google Telangana and one will happen links to the communist-inspired battle of the 1940s and 1950s and the breakaway agitation of 1969-70 or the one in advancement. While there is no nexus at all between the battle and the agitations, it is going progressively clear that Telangana Maoists hope to mount on the separationist bandwagon to foster their ain cause. On a side note, what truly upset me is the function of media or deficiency thereof with this full issue. The English media that finds it boring to describe the issue beyond a point, has led to dilution of consciousness about the extent of this battle. Inadequate representation from the lower class/caste, does non give it the importance it deserves. An mean Indian today will non be as cognizant of the Telangana issue as he would be of the 26/11 bombardments, which is non to state that the incidents are comparable. My point is that at some degree it is the media that ends up make up one's minding what kind of attending an issue will or will non acquire, which is why the function of responsible news media becomes much more of import. Conversely, what one notices is a fractured and lopsided position of most things – be it the Telangana or the Naxalites. The job in Andhra Pradesh today is in portion caused by the non-implementation of the assorted agreements reached at the clip of the 1969-70 agitation by consecutive authoritiess. One can debate that if a Telangana Regional Committee with a separate budget and program had been created at that point, things would non hold come to such a base on balls today. Few today believe that the jinni of segregation can be put back in the bottle, given the mode and graduated table in which it has been unleashed. The environment today is far excessively charged with emotion. Though it might sound simplistic to reason so, the issue needs to be dealt in a manner that covers the justification of Telangana exhaustively because a separate Telangana will certainly take to demands of other new provinces. So if in instance Telangana as a separate province is formed, it needs to be justly justified sing all facets. However, even if the province has to be bifurcated, every political leader in Telangana has the duty of quieting piques so that rational thoughts and solutions resurface. If non, more than anyone else, it is the common man, the people of Telangana who would endure. The agony of the common man has become a regular motive in India. Just like the people in the North East. The Seven Sisters of the North-East part of India viz. Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur are connected to the remainder of India by a narrow strip of land known as the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken ‘s Neck. Even though the seven provinces are a portion of India, the people of these provinces are treated as aliens. Much of the part is notably different from the remainder of India, ethically and linguistically, and each province has its civilizations and traditions distinct from the others. It is home to more than 166 separate folks talking a broad scope of linguistic communications. Some groups have migrated over the centuries from topographic points every bit far as South East Asia ; they retain their cultural traditions and values but are get downing to accommodate to modern-day life styles. Each province in the North East has a sep arate ground and cause for insurgence. Some groups call for a separate province, others for liberty while some utmost groups demand nil but complete sovereignty. The provinces have accused New Delhi of wholly disregarding their issues. It is this feeling that has led the indigens of these provinces to seek greater engagement in self-governance. There are bing territorial differences between Manipur and Nagaland and a uninterrupted rise of insurrectionist activities and regional motions in the other provinces as good. The insurgences in the north-east have ever been of grave concern to the unity of India as a whole but ne'er came to the head in full force or were ne'er seen as an issue which needed to be dealt with immediate concern. Although away late, the authorities has sat up and taken notice of the north-east particularly because 98 per centum of its boundary lines are aligned with other states doing these boundary lines porous and unsafe. It is of import that if the boundary lines are being shared by states particularly with China, that the range for development and substructure is bettered in the part. As a consequence, new policies are being developed among faculty members and politicians where 1 is looking at the North-east for development ties with political integrating and economic integrating with the remainder of India. These issues are non mere socio-political inquiries but issues that have had a cavernous impact on the public ‘s perceptual experience of the thought of a state. India has made it. At first glimpse, India must look like a state pullulating with jobs – on the brink of a putsch even. What is maintaining the state glued together? It is the Indian on the street. There is integrity in the absence of order and forbearance in convulsion. The Indian has a strong sense of patriotism and belonging. When the people from Kutch and Kalimpong meet, they put their custodies together and state Namaste. This is India, the state that made it.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Critically evaluate an artefact of a marketing communications campaign Essay - 2

Critically evaluate an artefact of a marketing communications campaign (advertisement, brochure, poster, etc) for either a graduate traineeship or a masters degree - Essay Example Advertisements have also been found by Gronhaug, Kvitastein and Gronmo (1991) to come in many different forms and versions. This however does not mean that any form of poster at all can be selected for any product or service. Proctor, Proctor and Papasolomou-Doukakis (2002) indicated that there are several factors that ought to be considered in designing a poster for advertisement purposes. Because the factors are many, different writers and reviewers have tried to discuss some of the most salient factors at one point in literature or the other. In this paper, various works of literature are reviewed, based on which four important thematic factors that ought to be considered when undertaking marketing communications campaign have been discussed. To ensure practicality, the literature and factors have been used to critique a specific artifact in the form of poster for a Masters degree. At the end of the paper, the strengths and weaknesses of the attached advertisement are going to be identified as they apply to the four thematic factors considered. Shankar (1999) stated that â€Å"consumers interact with advertising for a variety of reasons whilst different groups show varying degrees of understanding towards the function and purpose of advertising† (p. 5). The understanding that this claim gives is that any piece of advertisement must factor in the different needs of customers, noting that not every consumer will be looking for exactly the same thing from a piece of advertisement. When advertisement is seen as a tool or component of marketing, then the advertiser would want to achieve this task of satisfying the varying needs of customers by incorporating very elementary factors of competitive marketing (Shankar, 1999). In competitive marketing, there are four major elements that a marketer would want to give emphasis to and these are place, product/service, price and promotion. To make

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Investigating business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Investigating business - Assignment Example Started by Jack Cohen as a sole proprietor business, the business attained developments after the entrepreneur built a warehouse and headquarter in north London. After being registered as a private company in 1932, new developments followed after floating the company’s stocks in the stock market in 1947 (Pinto, 2012, pg.13). The company continued with its expansionary zeal by buying competitors shops. By 1970, the company developed its operations and the chain supermarkets became a household name throughout the United Kingdom (U.K). The company’s reputation developed through provision of basic groceries at competitive prices. With time, the company introduced luxury goods as people earned better incomes. By 1980s, the company continued to the building new stores recording a hundred stores by 1985. The company’s vision of expansion on different consumer products continued through investing in different fields making it the largest independent retailer in the petro l industry by 1991 (Peterson, 2012, pg. 11). The company’s aims and objectives of reaching out to the wider customers ensure developing new customer-focused initiatives as well as other stores in different localities. Advancements in new customer-initiatives enhanced introduction of the customer loyalty card. Other developments ensure the company delivers the best customer products and the first company to introduce a healthy eating initiative. The healthy eating symbol branded the nutritional products thus making the company the first largest retailer to emphasize on nutritional value of the company’s brands to its customers. The company also maintains its expansion of retailing services through forming joint ventures and acquisitions. For example, the company joined with the Royal Bank in Scotland to enhance offering a variety of financial services. Consequently, the company introduced a visa card to enhance customer efficiency. The company currently offers a range o f financial

Monday, August 26, 2019

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 35

Management - Essay Example Firstly, companies make bigger profits when they sell their products and services using bundled pricing strategy than selling them a la carte (as individual products or services). The causal factor in such a scenario is the attraction that a bundled package evokes to the customers. A customer will be attracted to buy a package at a fair price than buying single products or services that will result to a larger expenditure. This means that many customers will be more attracted to buy a package of products or services from a company than when the products or services are sold singly. For instance, a person wishing to spend $30 dollars on a meal comprising of chips, burgers, soda and chicken will be more attracted to a company that offers the package at that price than one which sells the individual products at a higher price. This is the explanation that sees companies using the bundled pricing strategy winning more customers than the companies that sell single products. The overall re venue for the former is always substantially higher than the latter. It is also important to understand that bundled pricing strategy gives a greater satisfaction to customers than single-product sales (Smith 219). However, companies do not base their decision to use bundled pricing strategy on customer satisfaction alone. Companies always assess the level of competition on the market so that they can come up with ways to curb it and get a fair share of profits from the sale of their products and services. In this case, companies opt to use bundled pricing strategy to make sure that they trap loyal customers as well as other people into buying their products. These companies manage to reach a larger customer base since the culture of customers is predominantly retailing goods and services at a reasonable price (Smith 235). Nevertheless, a company can use this strategy to curb competition but it still the other companies in

Obligation in Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Obligation in Law - Case Study Example Jack - he was watching the news at home when a live feed of the accident came on TV and realised that his wife and daughter were among the spectators. He was a nervous wreck for several weeks although he had learned earlier that his wife and daughter left the airfield 30 minutes before the accident. The claims by the five individuals when consolidated into one imposes on the plane manufacturer an obligation in law arising ex delicto, or from the tortuous acts of negligence and recklessness (Classic Encyclopaedia, online; 'Lectric Law Library, 2001). Negligence is in fact one of the five major offenses punishable under the tort law, the other four being trespass on land, trespass against goods, trespass against person, and defamation (Street, 1999). This suggests that the plane manufacturer as respondent or defendant in the five tort cases has civil liability to compensate the claimants for the alleged damages they sustained from the crash in the form of "nervous shock." However, a careful reading of the law, specifically the assigning of civil liability and the circumstances that warrant the awarding of damages thereto, makes that proposition doubtful. Obligation is defined as an act or course of... Negligence is in fact one of the five major offenses punishable under the tort law, the other four being trespass on land, trespass against goods, trespass against person, and defamation (Street, 1999). This suggests that the plane manufacturer as respondent or defendant in the five tort cases has civil liability to compensate the claimants for the alleged damages they sustained from the crash in the form of "nervous shock." However, a careful reading of the law, specifically the assigning of civil liability and the circumstances that warrant the awarding of damages thereto, makes that proposition doubtful. Obligation Obligation is defined as an act or course of action required of a person by law or by virtue of his position, religion or the prevailing custom (Currie & Cameron, 2000). In this case, it is the law that supposedly obliges the plane manufacturer to compensate the five claimants for nervous shock, which amounts to damages difficult to quantify. The inherent difficulty of quantifying nervous shock is the first hurdle that the claimants need to overcome to prove their case against the respondent. As noted by Cabresi & Hirschoff (1972), such emotional pain and suffering, which leads to loss of enjoyment of life, is not easily quantifiable and depends on the individual circumstances of the claimants. Looking into these individual circumstances, it seems hard to believe that Jack was in shock for a prolonged period since he was not on the scene at all and he immediately learned that the family members he was worried about left the air show 30 minutes before the accident. The same question c an be asked of John who lives quite a distance from the airfield, of

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Please answer in short paragraphs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Please answer in short paragraphs - Assignment Example Health indicators can simply be defined as quantifiable characteristics of a population that researchers use as evidence to support the description of the health of said population. What happens is the researcher will use survey methods to obtain information about certain people in the population. This will be followed by use of statistical methods to generalize information to the entire population and finally use of statistical analysis to create a statement about the health of said population. Life expectancy is an example of a common health indicator used by the government. Cleverly et al explains that one reason for the continued rise in the cost of healthcare is the rise in the cost of goods and services associated with healthcare. These include workers and equipment. Another reason faced by hospitals is the total percentage of Medicare and Medicaid admissions. This is because neither of the two programs fully reimburses the cost of care. In a bid to reduce some of these costs, the current financing options, especially those offered by the government should be revisited. Regulation should also be put in place to counter the rising cost of goods and services used in healthcare. Gaps in regulatory design have been seen. Some basic regulatory functions may fail to be assigned to a regulatory body while others may not be underwritten by law. Research in India showed that weakness in the design of regulatory methods in the above-mentioned ways is the reason why regulation has failed.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Access and Event Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Access and Event Management - Essay Example Security measures imposed on information systems restrict unauthorized external access. Every access, function, or activity is documented. This information is stored in event logs. These logs are required by the law and also help the organization eliminate certain risks. The documentation provides a framework for easy restoration of systems when they fail. The organization can also use them as evidence against unauthorized access to the systems. ITIL is an automation infrastructure for information exchange and process management. Organizations can share information through this infrastructure. Access management refers to authorization of humans and privileges to a system within or across enterprise boundaries. Business organizations have information that requires protection against unauthorized access. Organizations set up policies that govern those who access information, and what levels they can access. For example, managers can access salary information about subordinate workers, but cannot access that of the chief executive. Companies and executives can grant access to external users for information about the organization. This access is important for knowledge sharing and managing available resources. Every access to information is documented in event logs. These logs keep records of all activities in the information systems. Failures are also documented and used by the system administrators to restore the system. Event logs are stored in servers, computers, and routers. Access management deals with authorization and authentication procedures set up by an organization. Event management is the way an organization keeps records of events regarding the information system. Automation refers to activities that take place without human intervention. The path taken by events from the source to the destination is called event flow. A file containing a list of events that have occurred is called an event log. These logs are stored in a log server or a computer. ITI L is an IT service management infrastructure. It

Friday, August 23, 2019

Research method methodology Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Method methodology - Research Proposal Example By structures we mean primarily banks and other financial institutions, insurance companies, trust funds, investment houses, stock exchange and savings and credit cooperative societies (Sacco’s). Microcredit is offered through Sacco’s to boost the government’s endeavor in availing financial services and create a vibrant and globally competitive financial sector that will create jobs and also promote high level of savings. Microcredit is ways of empowering citizens with assistance to stabilize their investments to enable them prosper and improve their standards of living. It also contributes to entrepreneurs’ spirit by provision of advice and close monitoring of their businesses or investments. Statement of the problem Before the introduction of micro credit institutions, banks were the only financial institutions offering financial services. Due to the collusive oligopoly situation created by banks their services became only accessible to a certain group o f people who had a high level of income. Their interest rates and the limited amount to be borrowed were high and one required collateral to qualify. The accessibility of their bank loans and close monitoring of their investment was a problem for many investors. ... res why citizens have not yet fully taken advantage of this incentive yet the introduction of this SACCOs was aimed at raising their financial capabilities through investment. General objective The main objective of the project is to evaluate how microcredit institutions have facilitated in eradication of poverty in many countries. Specific objectives To establish whether the micro credit loans are easily accessible to as many citizens’ world wide, to establish whether citizens once granted the loans, utilize the same in investment and if so, do they save the returns from investment? To determine whether the investments improve their wellbeing status in the society, that is, to reduce the absolute poverty levels in the community. To establish whether the interest rates on the loans offered by the microcredit hinders them from expanding their business ventures and to find out the relationship between micro-finance institution services and business growth. Limitations of the stu dy Limited time to collect enough data may result to inadequate information thus affect overall outcome. Data collection and documentation will require adequate financing which if not amply provided may adversely affect the efficiency of data colllection. Some respondents may not be willing to give accurate information due to little knowledge in areas of research. Significance of the Study The study will be of great import to the citizenry to appreciate the presence of micro-credit departments in Sacco’s. The study will help micro-credit institution clearly understand where they are failing as far as small business operations are concerned and improve on their current practices. The study will help the government appreciate the role played by micro-credit on development of small businesses and

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Literary Device Compare and Contrast Essay Essay Example for Free

Literary Device Compare and Contrast Essay Essay Short stories are often the best way to learn about literary terms and their uses. They’re short, as their name depicts, but contain everything that longer stories would have such as the elements of plot, foreshadowing, themes, tone, and other literary devices. The two short stories, The Parsley Garden by William Saroyan and Sweat by Zora Neale Hudson were both amazing to read and offered a lot of insight to American history. The Parsley Garden told the story of an adolescent, named Al, during the depression, who wanted a hammer he saw in a store. Not having a single penny on him, he decided to steal it, getting caught in the action. Lectured and humiliated by the store manager, Mr. Clemmer, he was let go resulting in him plotting his revenge and a way to get his pride back. Sweat was the story of an African-American wash-woman, Delia. She was constantly abused and was trapped under her tyrannical husband, Sykes who openly cheated on her with another woman. Despite all her hardships with her husband, she worked long and hard using her own sweat and blood to clean clothes. As their relationship got even worse, Sykes decided to pull an ugly prank on Delia that would later backfire on him. Both stories had their similarities and differences, but some stood out more than others. The climaxes of the two stories were similar in that they were both turning points in the story, but also different in the way the story was resolved. In Sweat, the resolution is bitter sweet. â€Å"She saw him on his hands and knees as soon as she reached the door†¦she knew the cold river was creeping up and up to extinguish that eye which must know by now that she knew. † Delia was emancipated from the abuse of her husband, but she still pitied him and was upset over the death of her Sykes. The Parsley Garden ends in the more typical, happy fashion. Al finally obtains his hammer while regaining his pride. â€Å"His mother went inside and went to bed, but Al Condraj sat on the bench he had made and smelled the parsley garden and didn’t feel humiliated anymore. But nothing could stop him from hating the two men, even though he knew they hadn’t done anything they shouldn’t have†. The differences in the resolution of the two stories are common as resolutions are much more complicated than the fairytale ending these days. Each has its  own unique touch but both resolved the story with the readers in peace. Themes are the morals of the story. Both stories had many themes; some similar, some completely different. In Sweat, some of the themes included oppression, honesty, and determination just to name a few. The Parsley Garden had a few more common ones such as coming of age, honesty, pride, and integrity. The theme that occurred most in Sweat was oppression as it was seen throughout the essay. It was the main theme unlike The Parsley Garden which didn’t have one main theme but many smaller themes spread out evenly. â€Å"She brought love to the union and he had brought a longing after the flesh. Two months after the wedding, he had given her the first brutal beating†. Quotes about Delia getting beat, reoccurred throughout the whole story, compared to The Parsley Garden, where the themes did not reoccur. One aspect of stories in general always intrigues me. The conflicts between the characters or between themselves is what makes up the story, so conflicts are one of the most important literary terms in a story. Both stories contain man vs.  man conflict such as when Delia and Sykes fight â€Å"That night he did not return at all, and the next day being Sunday, Delia was glad she did not have to quarrel before she hitched up her pony and drove the four miles to Woodbridge†, and when Al was grabbed by the young man in the store â€Å"but as he did so a man took him firmly by the arm without a word and pushed him to the back of the store into a small office†. Man vs. man is often the most common type of conflict as there is usually a protagonist and an antagonist. The stories differed in that Sweat also had man vs.  society, where it went against society, for Sykes to beat Delia as aforementioned with the theme, oppression. Sweat and The Parsley Garden were similar in many ways, but they also had more differences than similarities. This just shows the variety of stories there are out there in the world. Comparing two different stories would yield completely different ways of writing. There are just too many ways of writing, but one can bet one thing for sure. There will always be literary devices in a good story and it will always follow a plot.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Confession found in Prison Essay Example for Free

Confession found in Prison Essay Charles Dickens starts his story with a very light atmosphere with him describing a man who was sent abroad to fight for his country and how he was sent home and so he retired from the service. He doesnt expand on his experiences from the war at all, which maybe could be due to shame or loss of character. His wife and he then withdrew to the estate inherited by his wife which then belonged to him, as this was the done thing in at that time. After such a light hearted opening the atmosphere drops dramatically as he says this is the last night I have to live, this then causes the reader to want to read on with the question in the back of their head, why is that the last night he has to live? In that same paragraph he says I was never a brave man, and had always been from my childhood of a secret, distrustful nature this straight away informs the reader of the nature of this man, but I found this strange that a man who has come out and said that he was never very brave as a child, but years later found himself enrolled into the army. I speak of myself as if I had passed from the world, this indicated to me that he has come to terms with the fact that he is going to die, for whatever reason that may be, which builds increasing tension even this early in the story. The next paragraph explains the abstracted relationship with his brother, but they both found themselves married to two sisters. When I first read his wife knew me well, I never struggled with any secret jealousy or gall when she was present but that woman knew it as well as I did. I never raised my eyes at such times but I found hers fixed on me there are a few interpretation that could be taken from this, either she was really gazing upon him as they were in each others presence or that he found his imagination getting the better of him, however we can not be sure as I dont really trust his judgement as the narrator. I think the tension increases considerably and the atmosphere becomes very heavy when he talks of his relief that his brothers wife died abroad, I was afraid of her; she haunted me even after her death and this is where I started to question his sanity, he is almost saying that he can feel her eyes on him through her grave. When my brother knew that all hope of his own recovery was past, he called my wife to his bed-side, and confided child of four years old, to her protection I was very curious as to why he called his brothers wife to his bed-side rather than his brother, maybe he also shared the suspicions that not all was normal with his brother. Perhaps I hide the truth from myself, but I do not think that when this began, I meditated to do him any wrong at this point I believe he is realising that something is wrong with him and I found the tension rising as the reader is then wondering what the man is contemplating to do to the child, he implies that he is thinking of killing the child when he says I was under a fascination which made it a kind a business with me to contemplate his slight and fragile figure and think how easily it might be done it obviously being the killing, but with this statement he felt no remorse for what he was saying, which I found quite abnormal which of course this man is. I spent days in shaping with my pocket knife a rough model of a boat, which I finished and dropped in the childs way this made me realise that the boat was just a lure to get the child to the lake, which obviously a four year old would be completely oblivious to. He sometimes denies thinking about killing the child but goes to such lengths as to spend days making a boat as a lure for the child and the way that he stole down after him, creeping under certain shrubs almost like if the child sees him he will suspect his actions, this again signals his tendency to become pointlessly paranoid. As I reader I got very tense as the child was preparing to play with his boat in the lake, and the man was preparing to drown the child. As he was just about to push the child he saw his shadow and turned around, this was when he decided not to drown him, but to stab him instead. I think he decided to do this because as the child turned around and saw him his mothers ghost was looking from his eyes and stabbed the child on the spur of the moment. I sat at the bedroom windows all day long and watched the spot where the dreadful secret lay even though he doesnt admit this, I believe he was genuinely disgraced by what he had done, even though it was premeditated I think he was haunted by his actions and that he has to stay and watch the spot so as nothing disturbs it. He describes his anguish when a bird landed on the plot of grass he thought the bird would be instrumental in the discovery. After three days of ceaseless watching of the plot of grass, two officers visited about the missing child on the fourth. Then I sat down with my chair upon the grave, I am sure he did this so as long as he was sat upon the grave nothing could be discovered. Later on a pair of bloodhounds came into the garden and started circling around the chair the man sat on the atmosphere gets very heated as everyone is shouting at each other In heavens name move! Or you will be torn to pieces shouted one of the officers, let them tear me limb from limb, Ill never leave this place, I think this is where the officers were aware of the mans crime, as he would rather get torn limb from limb by the two bloodhounds than give up his position where his secret lay. I am alone in this evil dungeon with my evil spirit, I die tomorrow I think he is now along the line of thinking that him dying would part him from his evil spirit. I think this is because he knows he deserves to die, just as the child didnt. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Green Logistic Or Sustainable Logistics Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Green Logistic Or Sustainable Logistics Management Environmental Sciences Essay Logistics is a physical distribution, it is an area of high potential cost savings, improved customer satisfaction and competitive effectiveness. Following are coming under the logistic systems 1) Ware housing 2) Inventory control 3) Materials handling 4) Order processing 5) Transportation. 1. A Definition of the study: A widely accepted definition is the one provided by the council of Supply Chain Management professionals (CSMP. Previously Council of Logistic Management. CLM) in the USA is Logistic is the part of the supply chain process that plans, implements and controls the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods, services and related information from the point of origin to the point of consumption in order to meet customers requirement. (P 195) (Business Administration for Students and Managers. Dr. Lawerence Mensah Akwetey 2011. Logistics is concerned with the efficient flow of raw materials of work in process inventory and of finished goods from supplier to customer. In addition to transportation logistics entails inventory control, warehousing, materials handling, order processing and related information activities involved in the flow of products. (Regan et al 2000) Green logistics is a traditional logistics seeks to organize forward distribution that is the transport, warehousing, Packaging and inventory management from the producer to consumer, environmental considerations opened up markets for recycling and disposal and led to the entire new subsector of reverse logistics. The reverse distribution involves the transport of waste and movement of used materials. While the terms reverse logistics is widely used. Other names have been applied such as reverse distribution reverse flow logistics and green logistics (Byne and Deep 1993). Freight transport provides the link in the supply chain between echelons that enable products to be available to the customer in the right place at the right time (Potter and Lalwani 2005) 1. B.Objective of the study: Review and analysis out how the logistic systems affect the environment. In the Green logistics, we have to make ensure the achievement of transport logistics compatible with the environment. The ideas of sustainable development originate from the 1987 Brundtland report (ACE 2004) also known as our common future. This report alerted the world to the urgency of making progress toward economic development that could be sustained without depleting natural resources or harming the environment. Example: Over recent years Irelands per capital have been house gas (GHG) emissions have risen to be one of the highest in Europe. This rise in emission is no small part attribute to the 165 % increase in transport emissions in the period 1990 to 2006.The focus of this study is on the development of environmentally conscious supply chains in Ireland through the studying the harmful impact that logistical activities have on the environment with this in mind the following section will define the Green or Sustainable supply chain and introduce the concept of sustainable logistics. Supply chain management was defined by Christopher (1998) is Supply chain management involves the management of upstream and downstream relationships with suppliers and customers to deliver superior customer value at less cost to the supply chain as a whole. Supply chains have been shown to high contributors to the carbon footprint of most goods (van Hoek 2001) with Eyefortransportv (2008) claiming that up to 75 % of a companys carbon footprint is derived from supply chain activities. The Green or Sustainable supply chain is an approach which seeks to minimise a product or services ecological footprint (Bearing point 2008). The concept covers all the phases of a products life cycle from the extraction of raw materials through the design, production and distribution phases to the use of the product by consumes and their eventual disposal of same. Sustainable logistics is a key element in the development of environmentally conscious /Green supply chain design. Green Design: Green design can be described as an approach which seeks to reduce a products environmental impact throughout its complete lifecycle through the design of the product. Green sourcing or Green Procurement: It is where environmental criteria are included in the decision making process when sourcing products or services. Green manufacturing: Has the goal of reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing function in supply chains through the reduction of the environmental impact of the use of materials and energy. Green logistics: Has the aim of meeting cost targets and customer service levels with reduced pollution from the transport, warehousing, inventory management and distribution function in the supply chain. Sustainable logistics is a key element in the development of environmentally conscious/ green supply chain design. Reverse Logistics: It represents all operations related to the reuse of products and materials. It is vital component of green supply chains providing a means for products/materials to be returned from the user to the producer in order to be recycled, reused or reconditioned. Logistics and the Environment Freight transportation by road is the dominant mode of freight transport in many economies due mainly to the flexibility and speed that the movement of freight by road offers When compared to railway, inland waterway or Sea transport (Mason and Lalwani 2004).This is particularly true for Ireland as 90 % of freight traffic occurs in the road( Ryan et al 2003). In freight transport the burning of petrol and diesel fuels in internal combustion engines leads to the chemical by-product of Nitrous Oxide, Methane and most importantly Carbon Di Oxide. Transport in Ireland is a major contributing factor to Irelands overall emissions accounting for a 20.8 % share of total emissions in 2007, 97% of which is from road transport (EPA 2008) Aronsson (2006) highlighted major source of environmental problems have received during the last decade by transportation. Recommendation: As highlighted by Tenekcioglu (2004) certain mode of transportation such as rail and maritime transport are considered green modes because their effects are less detrimental to the environmental to the environment. These modes produce less pollution, less noise and account for less accident. GLOBAL WARMING The stern (2006) report on climate change outlines that it is now widely accepted that if no action is taken on reducing GHG emissions and in particular carbon Dioxide (co2) emissions that based on current trends in the next 50 years or so 2-3 Celsius increase in global temperature can be predicted causing disastrous effects in the areas of Food sources, water, Health, Land, Environment. For example Ireland National Climate change strategy 2007- 2012 report states that continued emissions of green house gases at or above rates would result climate system over this century than those observed to date. The department of transport Ireland (2009) estimate that over 30 % transport emissions in Ireland come from freight transport. If atmospheric concentration of green house gas had been stabilized at 2000 levels, warming and sea level rise would continue at least until the end of this century due to the time scales associated with climate process and feedback. (Department of the Environment heritage and Local government Ireland 2007) Effects: 1) A temperature increase of 0.2 Celsius per decade for the next two decades with a warming of 1.8 to 4 Celsius by 2100. 2) Global average sea level rise in the ranges 18- 38 cm for the low emissions scenario and 26-59 cm for the high emissions scenario. 3) It is very likely that hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation events will continue to become more frequent and likely that future tropical cyclones will become more intense. 4) Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations lead to increasing acidification of the ocean. Standards, Tools Methodologies for sustainable supply chain management Sustainable supply chain implementation requires standards to allow measurement of environmental impact methodologies and support tools to allow adoption of environment practices. This provides an overview of standards, tools and methodologies for the implementation of sustainable supply chains. Environmental Management system EMS standards have been developed as tools to allow the management of organizations to better identify, manage and control their activities that can impact the environment.EMS standards were developed in the early 1990s in several countries. The standards was approved by the British Standards Institution (BSI) IN 1992 and became a model for the ISO standard 14401, which was elaborated in the years 1991-1996.The European Eco-Management and Audit scheme( EMAS) was adopted in 1993.(EEB 2003). ISO 14000 Specifies a set of measures to be incorporated into a companys management system aimed at dealing with environmental aspects in a systematic way including the following major elements. Definition of an environmental policy including performance objectives Assessment of environmental aspects Identification of legal obligations Establishing an Environmental management programme. Definition of procedures to achieve the objectives Monitoring of the systems and improvement The European EMAS scheme is based on the international standards but contains additional requirement Initial environmental review. Independent verification An accreditation system for verifiers Validated environmental statements Employee involvement Industrial carbon foot printing standards and Methodologies. A carbon footprint is The total set of green house gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual event, organisation, and product expressed as carbon Di Oxide (Carbon Trust 2007) The British standards Institute (BSI) developed the publicly available specification (PAS) 2050 as a method for measuring the embodied GHG emission from goods and services. Conclusion and Recommendations: Tackling waste in Freight transport. Lean supply chain management is a technique that analyses ways to eliminate wastes in the production process thus increasing efficiency. In supply chain management Mason and Lalwani (2006) identify some hidden wastes in transport and logistics management which eventually have to be paid for by supply chain customers. These wastes includes Slow vehicle turnaround times Low back haul levels Low fill rates Duplicated administration Poor fleet utilisation. If we avoid all those things we can maintain the sustainable logistics without damage the environment or with minimum damage of the environment.

The Mind-Body Connection :: essays research papers fc

The mind has an incredible power. We see it as we go through our everyday activities, constantly displaying the wonders of logic, thought, memory and creativity. Yet, can the mind be more powerful than we know? Is it possible to reduce or even eliminate pain, illness and disease by using the natural powers it possesses? Can the mind heal? Many of our finest researchers and scientists have explored that question, and while the exact answer still eludes us, the facts seem to bear out that the mind does have the power to assist in both healing, and conversely, bringing on "disease" as well. Two such examples of mind and body healing are hypnotherapy and meditation. There are others such as ionization, which focuses on thinking positive instead of negative. But first, I will describe the reasoning behind the mind-body connection. Psychoneuroimmunology is the name for the study of the min-body connection, or PNI for short. PNI has been around for the last 20 years or so and has revolutionized the way we look at health and wellness. There was a point in human existence when the connection between the mind and the body was taken for granted. A couple of centuries ago, science had grown to understand the "mechanical universe" concept. The laws of Sir Newton and the science of physics had begun to infiltrate the science of medicine. If the universe followed mechanical laws, so might the body. To prove this theory, scientists needed to open a body up to observe how it worked. The Church was very adamant about the body being the temple of the soul and could never be desecrated. After much haggling and several smoke-filled back room discussions, an agreement was reached. The Church would maintain it’s jurisdiction over "the mind" for that is were the personality and soul "truly" resides and science could have the body, which is just a "machine for the mind" and upon death, would become simply an empty vessel. Furthering the rift, more recent science has discovered that specific diseases can be "cured" through specific medicinal formulas or drugs. This "magic bullet" mentality spread throughout medicine and science. Truly the body was a mechanical thing that responded to specific stimulus and could be counted on to respond the same way every time. Wonderful news, the body did not respond as intended. Science has tried to brush aside or explain away this phenomenon y saying, "Oh, it’s just the placebo effect" or "It’s spontaneous remission" as well as other innocuous terms seemingly to lessen it’s importance. It is human nature when something is not understood to either dismiss it, diminish it or ignore it all together. This search to seek out answers to this reoccurring phenomenon is the basis for PNI, the way the mind-body connection is made and how

Monday, August 19, 2019

Dantes Inferno Essay -- English Literature Essays

Dante's Inferno In Canto I, Dante has strayed from the True Way into the Dark Wood of Error. He opens his eyes and sees the mount Mount of Joy which is lit up by the sun. He sets out to try to climb the mountain, but his way is blocked by the Three Beasts of Worldliness: The Leopard of Malice and Fraud, The Lion of Violence and Ambition, and The She-Wolf of Incontinence. He then starts to lose all hope when Virgil, Dante’s symbol of Human Reason appears. Dante is very frightened and nervous by Virgil’s presence as you can tell by his response towards Virgil saying â€Å"Have pity on me, whatever thing you are, whether shade or living man† (Dantes Inferno pg. 30). Dante doesn’t know who or what Virgil is and is really scared of him. Virgil then explains to Dante why he is here and reassures h...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Great Skater :: Personal Narrative Essay

The Great Skater Like any other sport, ice-skating is obliged to creative people who bring something new to it. These people are known to everyone as the inventors of particular jumps, splits, spins. They are given credit for their work and, sometimes, the skating moves they invented carry their names. For instance, the Lutz jump was invented by Alois Lutz before World War II; the Walley jump was attributed to Bruce Mapes who performed with the Ice Follies in the 1930s. With Mabel Fairbanks that was never the case. The spins she invented never have been officially admitted to be exclusively her creation. For me, it was a profound experience to be coached by her, as I was learning not only the art of skating, but also many things that one can learn from a wise person. I treasure her advice very much. Mabel Fairbanks was a brilliant and a hard working skater. The only problem she experienced over and over was the unwillingness of the skating world to admit that she was deeply talented. It was the second quarter of the 20th century, and she was not allowed to perform the major skating movements--the elements she found the most fun to perform. She was black, she was too good, and the other girls in the show wouldn't look as skillful having Mabel performing next to them. In fact, Sonja Heini once refused to allow Mabel to join Sonja's popular skating troupe because Mabel was too gifted. Mabel was restricted in her skating to the simple elements. But, Mabel wouldn't be Mabel if she didn't extricate herself from the restrictions. How? The solution was ingenious: "If they don't let me skate the conventional way, I'll invent something of my own. This way, nobody and nothing can prevent me from skating to my full abilities." Necessity turned out to be the mother of invention. In a short period of time, Mabel, the first black superstar skater in the history of the United States, came up with the new variations of basic spin. They were so gorgeous! She was the star of the shows at British West Indies with the famous Ice Follies, and in Mexico with the Ice Capades. The only sad thing is that the spins she invented have never been called anything more than just spin's variations. If it were for me, I'd call them Fairbanks spins.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

For Success in a Future Job, the Ability to Relate Well to People Is More Important Than Studying Hard in School.

We all know that students nowadays are studying hard in the school. And many educator and parents are willing to see the students are doing so. They believe that studying hard is more important for success in the future. Although studying hard is very essential for students, the more imperative thing modern children should acquire is the ability to keep a good relationship with others. Relating well and cooperating with others contributes remarkably to students’ success in the future job market.It is become more and more difficult for a single person to deal with the complex issue. In the past, the jobs were usually very simple, such as sending the mails to the home, repairing the bicycles or other simple machines. But now the task turns to be very complex. When doctor meet a strange disease, he could not know the real reason that cause the illness before talk with other doctors in hospital. The engineering also cannot design the whole building all by himself, and he need a te am of engineering to concern all of the aspects when constructing the whole building.So even though a man have a lot of knowledge keep in their brain, when confront the complicated tasks, relate to others seem to be more important. A good interpersonal relationship will make the person feel happy and have a nice life. It is because that as a modern human being, everybody has tons of work to do in daily life, so they always feel very tired and frustrated after work. At this time a good relationship will help to relieve pressure. Lily got a perfect score after she graduate, and she got a good job in an economic company.There are a plenty of work for her to finish every day. Since she studied very hard at school and didn’t have any time to play with her classmates, so she has little friends around her. Even though the salary is handsome, she still felt her life is not blissful. But one day she read a book named how to win friends and influence people, she learnt the importance o f keeping touch with others and a lot of experience about how to make friends. Then she successfully makes a lot of friends around her and they usually go shopping, go swimming and go hiking together after work or in the weekends.Now she felt very glad about her life and she performs much better in her jobs. This is just the relationship between friends that bring so much benefit to a person's success in one's career. Admittedly, studying hard in school might do student a favor to be successful in the future jobs to some degree. For one thing, studying hard could help students to acquire knowledge from the books, which is important when you need these knowledge’s to solve problems in the job. For another thing, it will make your parents and teachers feel happy.However, relating well with others not means to study badly. A person keeps good relationship with schoolmates should also have a good performance in their study. I think the parents and teachers would more willing to s ee the children not only study hard but also have a lot of good friends around them. Although I agree that a good study is very important for students in school, I feel that the good relationship with others will bring more benefits to individuals and will play more important role in the future career.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Case Analysis- Colgate Max Fresh: Global Brand Rollout Essay

Q1. Did China and Mexico each do a good job of adapting the launch to meet local consumer needs? What is the likely profit impact of each plan? Which of the proposed adaptations were â€Å"must haves† versus â€Å"nice to haves†? China Though freshness accounted for 28% of consumer reason for a toothpaste purchase was a new concept Responses of the customer were above the norms for new toothpaste products in terms of buying behavior, perceived quality, value for money, and uniqueness Sales in first year of 3882 tons, COGS as 50 % of sales and marketing expenses of 78% Sales in second year of 4370 tons, COGS as 41 % of sales and marketing expenses of 42% Given this trend the expected contribution margin will go up to nearly 70% and if marketing expenses comes down to 35% we have an operating profit of 985,000$ in 3rd year. This adaptation is â€Å"a must have† as it clearly describes the need of the consumer that can be satisficed profitably. Mexico The main reason for purchase was cavity protection and freshness was an appealing concept. Responses of the customer were below norms for new toothpaste products in terms of intention to buy, buying behavior, perceived quality, and uniqueness. Sales in first year of 1600 tons, COGS as 47 % of sales and marketing expenses of 15% Sales in second year of 1850 tons, COGS as 40 % of sales and marketing expenses of 10% Given this trend the expected contribution margin will go up to nearly 70% and if marketing expenses comes down to 8% we have an operating profit of 700,000$ in year 3 This adaptation is â€Å"a nice to have† as it has acceptance that is slightly below par while at the same time preventing crest to gain acceptance in the market. Q2. From a global CMF perspective, what is the short- and long-term impact of the complexity born out of these local adaptations? Is this added complexity good or bad for the global CMF business? China Globally, the short-term affects of the complexity born out of these adaptations is rather expensive. Though it was expensive to adapt the Chinese advertisements, but in the long-term it will profitable since fressness is a important factor in china while making the purchase and the sales are increasing. Mexico In Mexico, the cost of adaptation is about a third of that in China, but they havent reached the market as well as they would have liked. It may have just held off Crest in the short-term for value share, but in they should meet the expectation of the customers while adapting marketing plan for Mexico. Global Implication Added complexity is crucial to Colgate Max Fresh’s global business as it shows that they have put lot of emphasis in meeting the customers needs and demand and positive reponse will be delivered. Had they not spent this time in studying customer needs the demand for the product would have dropped. Burton and Colgate-Palmolive need to make sure that they adapt all the aspect of their product to meet the consumers need and demand in local as well as global markets .It may be expensive in the short-run, but it will pay off in the long-run. Q3. What guidelines could Burton propose going forward to optimize new product introductions for CP worldwide, for the regions, and for the country subsidiaries? Global marketing strategy involves: Keeping the Balance in the global brand and appeal to distinct regions. Successful global marketing campaigns, leveraging similarities to deliver same message and limit costs while also modifiying advertising to align with regional cultural preferences. Forces to drive the globalization of marketing and demands: Market Drivers: Global customers, basic customer needs, Cooling crystals Cost Drivers: Economies of scale potential of campaigns, different icon as per the different regions or countries, importance of Trade-off between icons and opportunistic locations. Competitive drivers: Realisation of global competitors, first mover advantage,threats from competitors innovation Government drivers: Consideration of regulation and censorship, unique promotion strategy when there is inability to mention competitors name, understanding the market potential while entering new territory, Identify the antecedents of brand value, objective seting for brand development, allocation of resources across products.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Case Study Concerning The Well-Being Of Mrs. Nancy Jamison

The following document is created to discuss a case study concerning the well-being of Mrs. Nancy Jamison, a 67 rear-old retired woman who is suffering from basilar infiltrates consistent with congestive heart failure. Within this document, the following will be reviewed: Steps in the continuum of care which could have been bypassed in order to expedite care of the patient; observations regarding the care provided for this patient; specialty services in the Philadelphia area that provides care for the following needs: coronary care, trauma care, burn care, complicated obstetrical care, and premature infant care.Upon conclusion, all the previous mentioned will be clearly elucidated. There were a few steps that could have been omitted when Mrs. Jamison arrived to the RediCare located at the local mall. The on-duty care provider there should have checked her insurance and administered her to the appropriate hospital immediately for prompt care. It was very time-consuming to transport he r to other hospitals. Immediately following the medical history and medication list that was provided by the computer system, and the physical assessment was performed, Mrs.Jamison should have been disposition to City Heart Institute cath lab. For prompt attention at arrival, Dr. Miller should contact the cardiologist on call at the City Heart Institute, so that appropriate measures will be applied upon arrival. Other observations regarding the care provided for Mrs. Jamison were the lack of prompt decision making skills, lack of considering the time, lack of administering proper medication for release of pain and various symptoms and lack of researching the insurance information so that Mrs. Jamison is disposition to the correct hospital appropriate for the symptoms she was having.In this case, Mrs. Jamison was provided with the care that she needed. However, the entire process was very time-consuming and much could have been omitted. The entire process took approximately two hours before she received the proper care. It does not take long to have a heart attack or for the problem to worsen. Jana, at RediCare, suggests that Mrs. Jamison is administered to the Marysville Community Hospital, but Mrs. Jamison should have been immediately transported to the City Heart Institute cath lab which would have saved some time.There are several locations in Philadelphia that provide services for various needs: 1. Coronary Care: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The hospital has a special unit for Coronary Care. Located at 3400 Bruce Street in Philadelphia. 2. Trauma Care: Hahnemann University Hospital. Hahnemann University Hospital is a 541-bed academic medical center at Broad & Vine Streets in Philadelphia, Pa. The hospital is a tertiary care institution that specializes in trauma services. 3. Burn Care: Temple University Hospital.The hospital has a Severe Burn Care Unit that specializes specifically on the burn. Located at 3401 North Broad Street 400 Carnell Hall in Philadelphia. 4. Complicated Obstetrical Care: Temple University Hospital. Temple Care University Hospital is a major provider to obstetrical services. Located at 3401 North Broad Street 400 Carnell Hall in Philadelphia. 5. Premature Infant Care: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The hospital has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that provides services for complex problems for premature babies who are in need of intensive medical attention.Located on 34th Street and Center Boulevard in Philadelphia. This review was created to discuss a case study concerning the well-being of Mrs. Nancy Jamison, a 67 rear-old retired woman who is suffering from basilar infiltrates consistent with congestive heart failure. Within this document, the following has been reviewed: Steps in the continuum of care which could have been bypassed in order to expedite care of the patient; observations regarding the care provided for this patient; specialty services in the Philadelphia area that provides care for the specific needs.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Do Managers Need to Develop Concrete Skills in the Political Analysis Essay

Do Managers Need to Develop Concrete Skills in the Political Analysis of Organizations - Essay Example As the discussion outlines the political analysis of the organization literally dissects the different mechanisms through which it takes care of the deliverables that essentially emanate from the organizational stronghold, and for the sake of the common men and women on the street. The managers need to find the best possible ways through which they can present the alleviated stance of the organization. This is done so that the organization understands the needs and requirements of the public, for which it exists in essence. The managers act as the representatives of the organization and hence the face of its varied business entities. Whatever these managers do in the long run signifies the very basis of growth and development, for the sake of the organization. The company’s political position is thus dependent on the way these managers present the real picture as well as give a charter for the things to shape up in the future. This paper discusses the implications of the manag ers as they develop the required skills within the political analyses of the organizational values and principles. From this paper, it is clear that first it is found out as to why the political analysis of the organization is deemed as significant in the time and age of today. The reason for this is that the political analysis gives a good measure of the strengths that exist within the organization and the opportunities that it could touch upon in the future. It can also establish its very basis within the industrial domains and tell the relevant players in the industry that this organization means business just like them. It can easily outline the areas where the organization wishes to emphasize these strengths and create the much-needed difference. So basically what this political analysis does is to create a clear-cut basis for the organization, both from a short-term perspective as well as in the long run scheme of things.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

The Subject of Economics Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Subject of Economics - Personal Statement Example Apart from the theoretical knowledge that intrigued me during my school days, my aunt is also responsible for my liking for the subject. She is a businesswoman, working as an executive director in Li and Fung Trading Ltd, one of the largest trading logistics company in the world. Often my aunt and I used to discuss the business environment of Hong Kong as well as that of other nations where the company has its operation. These discussions molded my thought process and helped me to understand the manner in which economic condition of the domestic country affects the products and services that are offered by companies operating in its market. Such findings further increased my love for the subject and I finally realized that one should gather practical experience for understanding the operation of economics in the day to day life. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to work in Li and Fung Trading Ltd during the summer of 2005. I was sent to Shanghai to work in one of the branches and to learn how a marketing company operates. There, I was assigned a variety of job responsibilities, like conducting paper works, customer dealing, accepting orders from customers and then forwarding them to the respective vendors. All these activities were sufficient for me to understand the manner in which a company operates. I also visited the factory of the vendors for quality inspection of the products that are supplied to the company. In brief, I had actively participated in the supply chain management of the company.

Monday, August 12, 2019

Reliability of Standardized Testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reliability of Standardized Testing - Essay Example If we take into account the basic ideology of standardized testing, it deals with providing information about performance of individual students and also provides an evaluation of the program. In short, we can say that standardized testing makes not only teachers accountable for the poor performance of the students, but also holds the administration equally accountable for the result as well. This is quite pertinent, because the administration is responsible for providing the teachers the basic facilities in order to carry out their jobs, hence the teachers cannot be made scapegoats under this system. Hence this system does have reliability in the sense that every body involved in the education system is accountable to some extent. The reliability of standardized testing has been put under the scanner several times in the past, in fact, as early as in the summer of 1977, at the National Consortium on testing. In this consortium it was decided to "promote a wider understanding of standardized testing among educators, legislators and public at large" (p.2). At that point itself, there was a lot of criticism from a segment of educators and administrators who felt that there had to be changes made in the system. According to Monroe (1924), the standardized tests provided "scientific" and "standard units" (p.7) for measuring the achievements of a student. These arguments are totally valid and indicate the reliability of standardized testing. However, considering there have been enormous changes in the education system, since these comments were made. If we take the current scenario into question, we have to address a host of issues in order to answer this question. There have been a number of testing methodologies that have emerged since then, and in the current scenario, we have to take these into consideration while evaluating the reliability of standardized testing. One of the strongest proponents of standardized testing was Atkinson (2001), who had argued that for use of only standardized tests in admission process in U.S Universities, as he believed that they were quite reliable and provided were fair. He was right in the sense that standardized tests not only provide comprehensive evaluation of the performance of the student, but also strengthen the basic foundation and principles involved in teaching. There are may be varying opinions over standardized testing, but there is no doubt that standardized testing is quite effective efficient. The reliability has often been questioned partly due to the efficiency and effectiveness of this methodology. As mentioned before standardized testing not only evaluates the performance of student, but also tests the efficacy of the teachers, administration and the school itself. In this way everybody involved in the system is accountable and that raises doubts that people involved may get desperate and adopt illegal mechanisms, so that they are not held accountable and this is the reason why the reliability of standardized testing has been questioned. However, the opponents of standardized education system believe that the problem with accountability is that it could cause a cascading effect; in the sense that the teachers may be influenced to design the

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Lum v rice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lum v rice - Essay Example There was therefore need to correct the wrongs that the ruling had advanced. The solutions were thus to be advanced and the courts to change their position on the equal but separate policy. To solve the racial segregation menace the Waring dissenting in the case of Briggs vs Elliot (1955) seems to be proposing a number of solutions to be resorted to. This was inspired by the reversion of the earlier decisions in the case of Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka (1951) that stated that the courts there was need for quick action I seeing that there is admission of students to schools on a non-discriminatory basis (Briggs v Elliot). The deal with the racial segregation in schools the school authorities had to elucidate, assess and solve the racial issue by proving that their actions had to be guided by good faith. The courts were to be further guided by equitable principles which would call for elimination of obstacles in joining the schools what has been termed as affirmative action against segregation. Further the discriminatory laws were to be revised so as to reflect the non racial admission base to schools. (Briggs v Elliot) Affirmative action in the U.S against racial segregation was aimed at seeing that individuals of all races had equal opportunity to education and other services and to abolish the equal but separated policy that had been seen in the Lum vs Rice Case. As a policy, affirmative action sets up steps that will see the discriminated race is protected by the executive, the judiciary, the legislature and its agents by providing avenues and eliminating any obstacles that would have facilitated the discrimination. This has been seen by the increased lobby by the Civil Rights groups like the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) whose research shows the great success that affirmative action has brought to the discriminated races.(Robyn Kurland) Affirmative action will necessitate the change in law example

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Truth in painting - The kinds of meaning Assignment

Truth in painting - The kinds of meaning - Assignment Example The purpose of the paper "Truth in painting - The kinds of meaning" is to determine the kinds of meaning made possible by perspective in paintings. The perspectival systems which developed during the following period of Renaissance brought about a contrasting portrayal of space along with the â€Å"illusionistic presentation of objects†. The modern concept of perspective is considered to be a formal and defined branch of mathematics, emerging from Cartesian and Euclidean geometry. It is stated to be â€Å"meaningless† since this perspective refers to equations, and geometric functions such as lines, angles and points. The second perspective has great meaning, encompassing subjectivity, eternity and other concepts, as evidenced in various academic domains. This perspective which Elkins terms as â€Å"metaphorical perspective† is not in a complicated graphic or related to equations. It is the common type of perspective with which people view the world, and understa nd themselves as viewing subjects. The most common manifestation is the linear perspective. In this type, â€Å"all parallel lines or surface edges converge on one, two or three vanishing points located with reference to the eye-level of the viewer†. Linear perspective clearly defines a physical point of view, showing the â€Å"location, vantage and orientation of the viewer†. Linear perspective is one of the significant innovations of European art, with a great impact on the visual arts in the west from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Perspective provides perception.

Friday, August 9, 2019

Student will be required to go to zoo observe two types of non human Research Paper

Student will be required to go to zoo observe two types of non human primates and write two pages on each primate observed - Research Paper Example His movement on the ground is fast and fluid, and he leaps along, using hands and feet, and somersaulting as he goes. He looks left and right all the time, as if to scan for predators, and as soon as he reaches a tree trunk he swings up in an arm over arm gesture. His movement from branch to branch is even faster than his ground movement, showing an adaptation to life in the forest canopy. On the ground slightly apart from the tree equipment there is an older female and a younger orang utan who are engaging in what looks like affectionate teasing. This is probably a mother and child, but the younger individual is not a baby. This may be an adolescent. The pair roll about on the grass, and hug each other from time to time as they do so. Communication appears to be by touch, since they do not have much eye contact, and their interaction is mostly silent. The bond between the two is obviously close. At one point the solitary younger male approaches the two and reaches out as if to touch them, but the two ignore him and he distances himself again from them. None of the orang utans take any notice of the human observers on the perimeter of the enclosure. High up on a shelf there is another adult individual sitting in a crouched position. The full face is hidden, and so it is not obvious whether this is a male or female. It is easy to overlook this one because there was little movement and no sound. The orang utan looked down on the pair playing on the grass, but appeared not to be interested in what was going on. It may be that this orang utan was depressed, or simply bored with the same routine. There were several spells when the young male positioned himself at the edge of the enclosure, looking out and turning his back to the other individuals. This appeared to be a deliberate statement of independence from the rest, as if he were imitating the senior sitting up on the high shelf. He did not sustain this pose for long, however, and soon resumed his hyper-active s winging, grasping the suspended toys, and running along the ground. The key activities viewed were therefore play (both solo and in a mother/child pair) and observation of each other and the surrounding area. There was plenty of independent activity, but only the mother and child had any real close interaction with each other. This suggests that orang utans are fairly solitary creatures outside the mother/child unit. There is evidence of group awareness but it appears not to be the main concern of the orang utans observed. The chimpanzee group is much more vocal and there is a lot of interaction between individuals, with groups forming and dissolving all the time. There is also a larger number present, with at least 12 individuals moving around in a steady walk on their hands and feet. From time to time there is some screeching from one or two individuals, and the rest appear to be uneasy when they hear this. The screeches are made with bared teeth and agitated movements. The other chimpanzees look at the screeching chimpanzee and then look away again, sometimes making lip movements and raising eyebrows. Some chimpanzeess get up and move out of the way when an agitated individual approaches them. Many individuals sit for a time on the grass, picking items up and looking at them which suggests a foraging instinct. They do not appear to be eating what they find. It is not always evident which are males and which are females, especially in the younger individuals. There is one

Rime of the Ancient Mariner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Essay Example In this poem, the supernatural world plays a role of punishing mariner as a result of his misdeed of killing albatross. Mariner did not have enough respect for the supernatural world when he killed the albatross thus the supernatural decision to punish him in combination with the natural world. As he is subjected to the rigors of the dehydration and hunger he is also revealed dreams of the natural world touched with the supernatural as the ocean turns to sickening and rotting as well as spirits weaves through his vision. There is an interaction of the natural world which are the poem characters and supernatural world. For the natural world, the Ancient Mariner, who is regarded as a kind of mysterious figure, the poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariners, deals with two distinct times. The time of voyage and the time of Mariner are retelling. The interaction of the natural and supernatural world that exists here is that at the time of voyage, the Mariner uses a crossbow instead of firearm and that his ship is said to be the first to sail into the Pacific Ocean. It is clear that Mariners fate is decided by a vehicle of random chance and not just any kind of divine judgment. The Mariner acts this way in order to bring it out clear that he is more than just a natural world, thus kind of trying to compete with the supernatural worlds. For the spirits who comprised of the mysterious pole, spirits have some interaction with the natural world. The spirits resemble angles whereby in being wholly immaterial though have no regular place in Christian cosmology. These spirits are said to be the invisible being that are referred to as the epigraph to the poem. When mariner killed the albatross, he was punished by these spirits in essence that he failed to respect the supernatural world. These spirits in the poem act this way to demonstrate that, however, much one may come to know about the physical world, the spiritual one is far much ahead and different

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Impacts of Terrorism on Global Events Literature review

Impacts of Terrorism on Global Events - Literature review Example Management issues involved The increasing terror threats demand the stakeholders enforce pragmatic management measures of dealing with the vice. These include enforcing preventive strategies and mechanism for mitigating the ultimate outcomes of terrorism. This project focuses on the impacts of terrorism on global events. It informs the stakeholders of the extensive effects terrorism has had on the sector in the past. To address these effects, I have used the second method of collecting data of past terror attacks targeting global events. I have examined the effects of terror attacks in 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, the attacks at International cricket tournaments in Pakistan in addition to the impacts of September 11 attacks on the attendance of the FIFA World Cup. From the data collected, analyzed relevant themes pertinent to the study. (3c) Statement of the research question The impacts of terrorism on global events (3d) Aims and objective The aim of the study is to examine the eff ects of terrorism on global events. Objectives i. To examine the effects of terrorism on the motivation of tourists attending global events ii. To examine the effects of terrorism on attendance at global events. They were not only carried out in the territory of a global superpower but also by foreigners, who had previously gained entry into a sovereign state. The attack demonstrated the vulnerability of all countries to terrorism and the need to enforce preventive measures became apparent (Baxter and Downing, 2001). Since the attacks, immigration and movement of people across international borders are highly controlled and consequently, the organization of major global events such as sports and musical events was affected. (4a)The significance of hosting global events Events such as sports and music are increasingly becoming an important segment of tourism market (Yuan and McDonald, 1990). According to Bramwell (1998), countries across the world strive to organize global events in order to increase visitations in their countries, mitigate the seasonality of tourist visits and enhance the attractiveness of the destinations to tourism. In addition, organizing global event spurs development in the destination. The achievement of these goals depends on various factors but the numbers of people attending the events play a critical role (Sageman, 2004). Some of the major sports events that attract a high number of people globally include FIFA world cup, Olympic Games, UEFA champions league games, formula 1 racing among others. In addition, music and concerts featuring popular artists such as Live 8 attract numerous audiences across the globe. (4b) History of terror attacks on global events Due to the large number of people that global events attract, terrorists are increasingly targeting them (Toohey, et al 2003).

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Does age matter in reltionships Essay Example for Free

Does age matter in reltionships Essay Relationships shape our lives. People can fall in love without considering nothing at that time. When it comes to the age, sometimes no matter for them how old or how young the partners are. Even if they do not consider about the age, but society criticizes and judges easily. As long as the partners satisfy and bless each other who cares about the age except our society. Mi (2011) explains When it comes to love age is just a number. Many couples who have a large age difference, they are so happy with their relationships(para. 6). Age may cause problems for a lot of people in their relationships sometimes not. However, our society affects most of the time. If older women date with younger   men, the women will be frowned directly in our society. According to Mastery (2013) No matter how common it may already sound, dating scenarios such as; older women dating with younger men are still frowned upon by society. People have heard whining from their family. For example; you cannot date with him, he is too old or too young and if people date with young or old people then everybody says about them. It really influences you and makes you guilty however there is nothing wrong to worry. Curley (2013) says What matters love is love, no matter what age or circumstance with more love in your life, there will be more life in your love.. For example; if people have young partner, they can take care of each other better than having old partner. If you have same age partners then partners will definitely need help because they will not be as energetic as before. For example; if you have young partner, he or she can take care of you better than having old partner. If you have same age partner you and your partner will definitely need help because you and your partner will not be as energetic as before. In conclusion, many people might think the different ages cause so many problems in their relationships. I agree, it might be true, but problem is everywhere in relationships does not matter about age even though people are in the same age still they will have different problems. As long as people are happy with their relationships, there is no necessary to say anything. Schilling (2007) explains When it comes to love, age is just a number