Current Issue Assignment - Article Summary and Analysis Essay

Current Issue Assignment - Article Summary and Analysis - Essay Example ility for the company’s financial misstatements,† according to a news article published in Business Week on 30 October 2006, â€Å"Taro Pharma CFO Resigns after Report,† and submitted through The Associated Press (Hawthorne, NY). Taro has hired a law firm to probe the details of the case gathered by its own audit committee. Furthermore, the company has reported that â€Å"a member of the company’s senior financial management caused Taro to make misleading statements† to the SEC and the company’s auditor, Ernst & Young. The CFO of Taro and the unidentified financial management officer â€Å"vigorously disagreed† with the report before they both resigned. At present, the company has an interim chief administrative and restructuring officer, whose main job is to help Taro reduce its costs and restructure debt. The company is looking to obtain bank waivers as it cannot be compliant with some of its creditors because of the late filing of the annual report. For a company to ensure that it is legally safe and financially sound in the short as well as the long run, it is crucial to have financial statements that are both accurate and foolproof (Spiro 1996). Any financial management officer may blunder with numbers, either deliberately or not so. Inaccurate financial statements may wreck the budgeting process, cause significant damage to a company’s reputation, and make it rather difficult for it to obtain loans in future. True financial statements are the lifeblood of an organization. A company is connected with the public at large through its products and services, and also its shareholders, suppliers, and the families of its employees, besides its lenders (Spiro). A financial misstatement – depending on the discrepancy between a correct financial statement and a financial misstatement – may hurt all the members of society it interacts with, no matter who is responsible for the error. Finally, it is vital for all financial managers to team up with

Going to Disney World Essay Example for Free

Going to Disney World Essay I had been planning our trip for three months for me and my five children to go to Disney World. I had gone and got book and done research on the computer, I wonted everything to be perfect and organized. We were going to go the week before Christmas and be there for a week. Has it got closer to the day before we would be leaving the excitement been building in all of us. Four days before we were going to leave I got the dreaded stomach flu. All I could think about was I had to get better before we would be leaving. Has the days went on I was feeling better and started packing and getting everything together for my first family trip since my divorce. I packed the car up the night before we were going to leave and it took hours, first the suitcase, then car seats and then checked the list so we would not forget anything that we might need for our adventure. The next morning woke the kids up at four am, with sleep still in their eyes, got all situated in the car and we were off to Disney World. The kids were so excited, they all was talking at one time about what they wanted to see and what the wonted to do. About lunch time they all settled down enough where I could understand what they were saying. I decided that we would take our nine hour drive and make a two day drive out of it so we were not in the car all day, so our first stop would be Birmingham, Alabama. I told the kids to look out the windows and the first hotel that they see that they would like to stay yell and we would go check it out. My oldest two at this time was tired of sitting in the car so it did not take long for them to really start looking for something nice and that would maybe have an indoor pool so they could get out of the car for at least for a while. We had passed two exits by now and I was thinking I hope one of them would yell soon, because I was getting tired of driving for the moment. Then out of Jackson’s mouth he yelled â€Å"There is one and it looks really nice Mom†, so off the next exit I went to check it out. Has we pulled up to the Hilton I knew this was going to cost me, but not saying a word I went through the front doors and ask if I could get a room for a night. Has we went to our rooms they kids was trying to get in the bags to get their bathing suit to go to the pool. That night we swam, played game in the arcade and ordered pizza for dinner. Knowing we had to get up early I started trying to settle the kids down for bed a nine o’clock, but they were so full of excitement and anticipation to get to Disney World none of them wonted to sleep. Midnight came and I looked around they all had fell asleep, Jackson on the floor where he had been watching television, Briar in the chair were he had been coloring , Summer had curled up in a ball in the bed, and the babies was safe in their travel cribs. At that moment I knew we were going to have a great and amazing time when we got to Disney World. Has the sun come up in the morning it was shining through the window right in my eyes and I could hear the kids already up and ready to leave. We loaded back into the car, four hours to go to we got to Florida. Has we arrived in Florida we had to find the house that my mother and rented us for the week, that was our entire Christmas gift. Finally, we found it and when I drove up it looked like a castle. Has the kids could not wait to jump out and check out the house I was overwhelmed that my mother would have rented us this house for a week, that was so gorgeous. Has we walked in the house it was like a house you would see in the movies, seven bedrooms, five baths and it had its own pool that was shaped like Nemo. The kids was running and yelling saying â€Å"This room is mine and I claim this one†. As we got all unpacked and settled in, we started making a plan for the morning, it would be our first day a Disney World. We got out our book of How To Do Everything You Wont To Do At Disney World In A Week. We had made reservations for breakfast with Mickey for in the morning; to start our first day and then we would be going to Magic Kingdom the rest of the day. The morning had arrived for us and we were all smiles and full of excitement. Has we rode through the gate at Disney World all the kids yelled â€Å"We made it†. I wanted to cry, because I knew I could never replace this memory. We could see the parks and some of the rides has we pulled close to where we would be eating breakfast. I had set it up where I could valet park, because I did have five kids by myself and I knew that it would not be easy trying to get everybody settled in strollers by myself. Breakfast was very hectic, feeding the babies, taking pictures and trying to eat all at the same time. The kids really enjoyed the waffles shaped like Mickey Mouse and loved to see all the charterers has they were eating. People was looking at me like I was crazy, but I did not care I was with the five most important people in my life and I was enjoying every minute of it. Jackson pulled out our map and planning book, he was our event planner for the day; he said it was time to go if we wanted to stay on a schedule for the day. Tickets were our first stop, and then here was the moment we had been waiting and planning for. It was a warm day in December, there was a feeling of mist in the air as the sun was coming up and we could already smell cotton candy in the air. Our first stop was going to be the Dumbo ride, they say that is the most popular ride for little kids, and our goal was to do all the baby rides first and when they took a nap for the day the big kids would be able to ride space mountain and many more big roller coasters that we have read about. We stood just 45 minutes in line to ride the Dumbo ride, It is flying elephants and they go up and down, the babies giggled the whole time we were on the ride and their eyes was shining like diamonds was in them. After hours of line waiting and ride the teacups, it is a small world and see all the princess, the babies had fell asleep in their stroller. Has we made our way to the big kids rides there was a parade and Jackson could not resist his self to get right in the middle of it, I could not get to my camera fast enough. He danced and sang as we stood on the side of the path of the parade and cheered him on. I could not how planned this most memorable moment if I would have tried. As the sun was setting, the park was lite up with a million Christmas lights and it was a beautiful sight. We were trying to make it to the fireworks, which are shot off Cinderella’s castle. As we were walking we went down a street that looked like a small town. Stores on both sides, vendors selling popcorn, and then we started to see it snow. They were blowing fake snow on the street. It was a feeling of Christmas, without it being cold and stressed. At the end of the street you could see the castle lite up and it changed colors with every firework that was shot off. As we are standing there watching fireworks my three oldest children put their arms around me and said â€Å"love you mom and thank you for being the best mom ever†. It was at that moment I knew Disney World was the place were dreams come true. As we got back in the car that night to go back to the house the kids ask† we are coming back tomorrow aren’t we mom.† I replied â€Å"Yes, and I cannot wait to see what memories we can make then.†

Stereotypes and Stereotyping of Columbus in 1492: Conquest of Paradise :: Movie Film Essays

The Stereotyped Portrayal of Columbus in 1492: Conquest of Paradise There is no document of civilization which is not at the same time a document of barbarism. Walter Benjamin, "Theses On The Philosophy Of History," 256. [1] Walter Benjamin in Illuminations reminds his readers that each history of civilization is tainted by barbarism since the prevailing civilization's history is dependent upon the suppression and eradication of alternative histories that might challenge the legitimacy of the existing civilization's rule. The problem with traditional history that asserts a stance of "objectivity," according to Benjamin, is that it overlooks how the existing powers-that-be superimpose upon past events a history that justifies the present ideological structure's control; or, put more simply, history is always viewed through the biased lenses of the victor. Colonization and history go hand and hand. History is always written by the colonizer, since the colonizer owns and controls the means of production that allows history texts to be reproduced and proliferate. As a result, "The history which he [the colonizer] writes is not the history of the country which he plunders but the history of his own n ation in regard to all that she skims off, all that she violates and starves" (Fanon 51). [2] No matter who the colonizer is, the problem with all historical documents is that they cannot be separated from the subjective interests that create them. Mexican poet and novelist Octavio Paz writes, "Historical circumstances explain our character to the extent that our character explains those circumstances. Both are the same" (72). Our history implicates how we, as individuals and a culture, judge ourselves. There is always a vested present interest in how we view ourselves in the past. And even for those historians who are trying to voice the oppresseds' counter-histories, the historical text will still be inscribed through his/her present ideological limits that bind historical circumstances to character. [3] But claiming that history is biased is not to imply that it is irrelevant and should stop being written. According to Walter Benjamin, history should stop masking itself as objective and homogeneous and instead focus on the monad: "where thinking suddenly stops in a configuration pregnant with tensions, it gives that configuration a shock" (262). Instead of charting the victor's path, history must examine how colonizer and colonized interact during a specific moment of time.

Communication in Individual and Collectivist Societies Essay

How do people in â€Å"individualist† cultures behave differently to people in â€Å"collectivist† cultures? People in collectivist cultures: Each person is encouraged to be an active player or role in society, to function as a whole. The rights, as a whole, trump those of the individual. Rules promote unity, and selflessness. Working with others is considered the norm. Community strength is their main focus. People in individualistic cultures: They promote the â€Å"I† for identity. Strive for goals, initiative, esteem and achievement. Independence is valued, less motive to help others. Not relying on others is viewed as a norm. Doing things on your own, depending only on one’s self. As you were growing up, in what ways were you reared to be individualistic or collectivistic? Which orientation was the predominant cultural value of your family?  For what I can remember, as a child, I was raised to be more collectivistic but with a little bit of individualistic as well. Growing up with a large, caring and close family, it only came natural to me to fit into the collectivistic category. When you are young you are still learning therefor depend on others to gain knowledge and understanding to learn. One can only view themselves as collectivistic when it comes to being technical when viewing how you were raised. Also, I was involved in many friendship groups and multiple sports growing up. I had to learn from others how to play the sport, but once I grew in my skill of that sport, I then depended on myself to get better. So, both collectivistic and individualistic were used in upbringing. But as far as a predominant role, I would have to lean to collectivistic. Explain the connections between these two cultures with the dialectic approach. Which of the six dialectics is the most predominant in assisting  people in communicating more effectively in intercultural interactions? Provide examples to support your response. In this article, the two approaches that stood out to me were the cultural-individual and personal-contextual approaches. Seeing how there were several people in an argument from different cultures doesn’t surprise me there was conflict amongst them. Plus the context-personal played into each person differently and how they responded. And because of that, each person’s cultural background came into play.

Plyler v Doe Essay

When state and local governments try to pass restrictions for education based on legality of the student they are, for the most part, brought to a halt by the court system. The courts cite Plyler v Doe, but why? What does Plyler v Doe do for undocumented students? Before 1982, the year when Plyler v Doe was put into action, some Texas local governments were denying funding for undocumented students and charging them a tuition fee of $1,000.00 per year. The original policy stated that the school district could withhold funds for educating children who were not legally documented within the United States. It allowed these districts to determine who was denied access to enrollment. The Supreme Court found this policy to be a violation of the children’s Fourteenth Amendment. The fourteenth Amendment states a broad definition of citizenship claiming that children born to immigrants were still citizen’s here. The Supreme Court stated that children were powerless, they had absolutely no control that their parents had crossed the boarder into the country illegally. They also thought that not educating these children would lead to progressively worse problems. Undocumented children have the same right to free public education and are obligated to attend school until they reach the age mandated by the state laws. Plyler v Doe also states that schools may not require children to prove, by document or green card, their legal citizenship but just that they live within the attendance zone of the school district. It also states that schools cannot require a social security number by the children or force them to obtain one. If a school system wants them on file, they may send out a request (in all appropriate languages) stating that if the parents want to put it in their child’s file, they may. Free and reduced lunch is determined based on the income of the family and not the student’s family legal status. In order to obtain free or reduced lunch a student needs the social security numbers of all members in the family 21 years of age and older. If there are members in the family without a social security number they must indicate it with a â€Å"none† on the worksheet. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prohibits outside agencies from getting the information from these lunch worksheets without a court order. Along those same lines, schools are not allowed to give any information to the INS either. If I were to have been one of those voting on Plyler v Doe, I would have been with the five who had decided that it was wrong to deny these children of their education. I also believe that these children had literally no control over their parent’s decisions. If a parent decides that they are going to illegally reside in a country, a child has no vote whether or not they go. Who are we to decide that a child does not get an education? Wouldn’t denying an education cause more harm and more problems than allowing them access to school? I think that all children, no matter their documented status, deserve the same things one of which being an education and the opportunity to better themselves, their families and their future.

Television essays

Television essays Television will take over your way of living and change your childrens habits,but the change can be a wonderful improvement ( Winn 270 ). Little did this commentator know how true his statement would become. Television has become a necessity in life, in some states the TV is a legal necessity and cant be repossess in case of debt ( Winn 270 ). When the television was first introduced it was regarded as a favorable, beneficial, wondrous influence upon the family ( Winn 270 ). The television was thought to bring the family closer together, by bringing them all together in one room. In those days most families had only one TV .Now a days there is a T.V in almost every room of the house, mom watching her soap in the kitchen, kids watching cartoons in the living room, and dad yelling at the TV in theden while watching the ball game. No one ever predicted the television to dominate family life, or its effect on child-rearing methods ( Winn 271 ). Television has diminished the time spent with family and it takes away what distinguishes one family from another ( Winn 271 ). Winn says that families still do things together, but their daily, ordinary life together is squashed by the ever constant TV watching ( Winn 273 ). Winn also points out that family rituals such as meals, bed time, and holidays have been changed to evolve around television programs ( Winn 273 ). Winn also says that television is a one-wayrelationship, there is no interaction or communication with the TV screen (Winn 274).Studies show the importance of eye-to-eye contact in real life relationships ( Winn 274 ). Children who have been trained to watch the TV screen all day, often have trouble dealing with real people because it requires more effort than sitting in front of a TV screen ( Winn 275 ). Winn states that people use the TV as a way of avoiding problems or arguments ( Winn 275 )....

Technology and Human Discourse essays

Technology and Human Discourse essays James Burke in the book entitled: "The Day the Universe Changed" relates that the Europeans in the course of overrunning the country of Spain came across libraries as well as universities and other optical, mechanical and philosophical knowledge that changed the face of the academics in Europe and sparked the founding of universities based on the philosophy of Aristotle that replaced the Augustinian philosophies of the day. Later notes Burke individuals such as Kepler, Galileo and Newton, through their study and research stated more knowledgeable explanations for natural phenomena than those given by Aristotle for man's place in the universe and how the universe actually works. Burke also notes that the advent of print spurred information and knowledge forever changing the world in which we live. In today's world new discoveries are taking place at a rate much faster than ever before in the history of mankind and Newton's theory has been, as pointed out by Burke, to be found lacking in explaining all that man is able to observe. At different points in history mankind has assumed that it has reached what it perceives to be the pinnacle of available knowledge however, Burke points out in his work that this simply is an assumption and is one that has not lasted for very long in the history of mankind. For instance Burke points out that during the time of Copernicus that mankind looked up into the sky and supposed that the sun was rotating around the earth and because the Church and Aristotle both held this belief then the medieval individual held that it must be the correct belief. How many times in the life of an individual who is presently 70 years old has the belief system, or those beliefs based on science changed or transitioned? Certainly it can be stated that it must be many times. For instance in the life of someone who was born in the 1930s and who was a young adult prior to ma ...

The Oxford Short List 2015

The Oxford Short List 2015 The Oxford Short List 2015 The Oxford Short List 2015 By Maeve Maddox As I pointed out in a recent post, the Oxford â€Å"Word† of 2015 is a pictogram. In this post, I’ll take a look at eight other words that placed in Oxford’s annual list of frequently used English words and phrases. Of the eight, I had heard of three of them, had written about two of them, and had never heard of five of them. sharing economy Merriam-Webster has an entry for the phrase and defines it as â€Å"economic activity that involves individuals buying or selling usually temporary access to goods or services especially as arranged through an online company or organization† and gives 2007 as the date of its first-known use. Wikipedia defines it as â€Å"peer-to-peer-based sharing of access to goods and services (coordinated through community-based online services).† The phrase does not yet appear in my subscription edition of the OED. It seems to mean â€Å"online bartering.† they The appearance of this ancient word on the 2015 list is in the context of its growing use to refer to a person of unspecified gender. See Gendered Pronouns for a discussion of this usage. on fleek I couldn’t even guess at what this one could mean. According to the Oxford site’s explanation, this phrase originated with the user of a social media called Vine. She uploaded a video in which she displayed her eyebrows and described them as â€Å"on fleek.† The phrase is now taken to mean â€Å"extremely good, attractive, or stylish.† ad blocker This is a type of software that prevents ads from popping up on a web page. I had heard of this one. refugee This has been an English word since the seventeenth century. The renewed interest derives from the frequency that refugee and migrant have appeared in the news this year. I recently wrote about the words in Migrants vs Refugees. Brexit This creation- a combination of Br(itish)+exit- is a term for â€Å"potential or hypothetical departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union.† Dark Web I’d heard of the Deep Web, but not the Dark Web. The Deep Web refers to parts of the Internet that can’t be accessed in the usual way with browsers and search engines. The Dark Web â€Å"refers specifically to websites which use encryption tools to hide the identities of hosts and users of a site, often in order to facilitate illegal activities.† lumbersexual I guessed this one to mean the type of man who imagines that beard stubble looks attractive. I was close. It merges lumberjack with metrosexual and refers to urban males who sport checked shirts and facial hair. Mind you, I like beards; it’s the not-quite-shaven-but-not-really-a-beard look that gives me the fantods. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Compared "to" or Compared "with"?7 Tips for Writing a Film Review20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

The resources mobilization theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The resources mobilization theory - Essay Example Social movement based on the definition shows that there are different conflicting groups engaging in a conflict to achieve certain objectives. Social movement is characterised by a number of features such as leadership, organization of the group and the activity the social movement group want to solve. The resources mobilization theory applies to social movement because social movement uses non-violent ways to inform the public and thereby making them aware of their goals. Achievements of the goals would happen because most of the pursuant know more about the community and the problems they are facing. Because of this, they pursue them to demonstrate peacefully and solve their grievances such as unemployment. Small community facing problems are acted upon by small networks, after that, more networks are created which would be strong to pursue the governing body such as federal government. Some of the social movements that work together to achieve their goals include the gay and lesb ian rights movement. Gay and lesbian rights movements have been demonstrative to express their rights and to be recognised by others. The groups have achieved their goals using available resources such as the formation of strong organizations (Costain and McFarland 59). Political revolutions arise when there is poor governance, which could be because of the changes the government made or the situation of governance is worse than the previous government. Political revolutions use both non-violent and violent ways to express their grievances to the governing body. The theory of relative deprivation relates well to political revolution; this can be shown by one of the political revolution which took place in US. The... The resources mobilization theory The framing theory is a process by which people change their ideas based on issues (Shepard 543). The resources mobilization theory is compelling because it directly points out that it is the resource which determines the rise of social movements. According to the theory, resources can be used by individuals to criticise the organisation or government. The resources in few are money, knowledge, internal or external support. Such resources help in supporting the social movements because their availability facilitates groups of individual to organise themselves. According to Shepard (543), resources such as money, power and leadership skills helped the civil rights movements in 1960 to stage wide spread protest. The author further shows that it is the resources at the centre of any uprising. In cases where resources are limited or not available, revolutions would not happen. This can be explained from one of the gay rights movements which failed because of unavailable resources. The ot her theories are close to the resources mobilization theory; the theory of relative deprivation shows the comparison done by persons thinking that they do not have enough or equal resources as others. The decision is made on the theory of resources mobilization because it is an instant way of rise in political revolution which can be facilitated by available resources. Despite the high expectation of digital media, the platform has some pitfalls to social and political revolutions.

Effects of Accounting, Taxes and Regulations on Merger and Research Paper

Effects of Accounting, Taxes and Regulations on Merger and Acquisitions - Research Paper Example It is the objective of numerous medium and small-sized organizations, as they look to reduce the cost per unit through the enhancement of economies of scale. It makes simpler for the companies to enter and gain access to cheaper markets when they look for purchase in bulk as their requirement is also enhanced. The main factor that leads to a merger and acquisition is the motivation for revenue enhancement. The expectation to sell the product to a larger base of consumers by an increase in the distribution channels of the combined entity. (Schubert) Some companies also embark the use of product diversifications as they merge with other organizations in different geographical locations where they have no access previously such that their market becomes available in other places as well. It is also argued that the revenue enhancement is a more difficult aspect to realize compared to that of cost reduction as only a few firms are able to expand in a new market and procure further distribution channels. Companies in quest of mergers and acquisitions are always looking to reduce the risk that they bear in the market environment by adding up further capital, means of expansion and steady growth which could secure their place in the market. There is a great impact of risk management on the merger and acquisition transaction as the firms that are looking to merge share the burden of each other and can put forward more capital input together, therefore sharing the risk of capital exhaustion. Since the companies together have a better strength of payback, they are able to acquire more loans in time of need as their payback capacity also enhances through their combination. The mitigation of risk is the prime factor of merger and acquisition as entities that merge or acquire other entities have access to more resources where they can handle more pressure at a difficult time.

Foreign Relations of the US and China 1958-1960 Essay

Foreign Relations of the US and China 1958-1960 - Essay Example During the period of 1958-1960, there were a number of issues of contention between these two nations. Some of critical issues included the Taiwan Strait Crisis, the Tibetan rebellion, the rift between China and Soviet Union as well as the fluctuations between the relationship between the United States and the Chinese nationalists. Therefore, this period saw some incidents of significant between the relationships of the two countries.   Taiwan Strait Crisis During the period 1958-1960, the most important and critical event that took place was the Taiwan Strait Crisis. In this crisis, the government of the mainland attempted to attack the islands of Quemoy which were held by the nationalists, where as the United States supported the government that they recognized, which is the Chinese Nationalists of Taiwan. This increased the tension between both these countries and efforts were carried out to end this crisis (Bush, 2006). The context and the details of the crisis are mentioned be low. During 1958, the Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek began to express his unrest at the restrictions of the United States that blocked his desired intention to return to the mainland. Chiang wanted to exploit the situation of instability in Taiwan. This had created a level of caution among the United States officials. In July 1958, there was a campaign launched to liberate Beijing and along with that, two nationalist planes were shot down. Chiang Kai-shek had already warned of an attack on Taiwan. This led to anxiety among the US policymakers that the control of airspace over the Taiwan Strait by the communist would result in the cutoff of supplies to the islands held by the Nationalists. As speculated, the forces of People's Republic of China began to attack Quemoy in 1958 with artillery (Carpenter, 2006). The President of the United States, Eisenhower got involved in this matter and agreed to help the ROC as per the terms of the U.S-ROC treaty. They reinforced the naval units to p rotect the lines of supplies leading to Quemoy. The Sidewinder air to air missiles were set up in defense.   The attacks continued and caused a causality of over 2500 soldiers in ROC (Tucker, 2005). The attacks resulted in many US allies getting concerned over the issue. Furthermore, the Premier of the Soviet Union Khrushchev wrote a public letter to the President Eisenhower taking a very aggressive stand of support of the Chinese of Taiwan, saying that any action on PRC would be a direct attack on China. Therefore, the crisis took a three dimensional turn. There was a series of communication between the two leaders of the countries. According to the US intelligence, it was found out that the Soviet Union was not prepared for any attacks and hence, the United States rejected the letter or Khrushchev publicly. There was immense international pressure building up to end the crisis and the President as well as the officials made efforts to convince Chiang Kai-Shek. The government of PRC was not at all ready to involve a third party such as the United Nations. Only in October 1958, the PRC agreed for a de facto cease fire, where the PRC Defense Minister P'eng Te-huai stated that they are ready to declare the cease fire and during this period, there should not be any convoy escorts for the supply. Even though Kai-Shek opposed it, the United States relented to it. Thus, the attack was withdrawn on the days of the Ceasefire. Towards the end

Juvenile Delinquency in Context Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Juvenile Delinquency in Context - Research Paper Example This study does not just look at victims first in and effort to determine if they then become juvenile criminals themselves, but it also look at juvenile offenders who subsequently become victimized themselves. The authors also look at other possible causes of juvenile delinquency, such as bully and experience some form of traumatic stress. The Development Victimization survey forms that basis for much of the study, and it uncovers evidence that quite a few groups of adolescents are labeled as delinquent, but do not suffer from victimization themselves. Also, it is discovered that being a victim does not necessarily lead someone to become a juvenile delinquent himself or herself. Iravani, M. R. (2012). A social work study on juvenile delinquency. Management Science Letters, 2(4), 1403-1408. The authors of this article present the findings from an empirical study that examined the effects that different factors in society played on adolescents become labeled as a juvenile delinquent. The study design employed the distribution of a survey to 100 adolescents who are known to have committed a crime. Specifically questioned were such areas as family conditions, religion, economic situation, the impact of media, and physical and psychological characteristics. The authors wanted to see to what extent each of these factors played, if any, in the incidences of juvenile delinquency. ... Khurana, A., and Gavazzi, S. (2011). Juvenile delinquency and adolescent fatherhood. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 55(5), 756-770. This is an interesting study that explores the prevalence of juvenile delinquency amongst teenage fathers. A good sample size of nearly 3,000 males participated in the study, and the findings are explored in the 14-page study article. It was discovered, among other things, African American youth have equal rates of fatherhood as other European races who are also offenders. This study leads to the conclusion the juvenile delinquency as a whole can lead to risky sexual behaviors contributing to teenager fatherhood, and this has little to nothing to do with race. It was also reported that European youth you commit crimes have higher rates of drug and substance abuse than others, and are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors. In essence, the authors of this study contradict other research, and commonly held b eliefs, that racial stereotyping has a great deal to do with the rates of certain minority groups having a higher propensity toward behavior leading to juvenile delinquency. Kirschbaum, K., Grigoleit, L., Hess, C., Madea, B., and Musshoff, F. (2013). Illegal drugs and delinquency. Forensic Science International, 226(1-3), 230. While much research has been conducted about the influence of drugs and other types of substance abuse on an individual’s behavior, not much is known about the factors involved. This study takes different types of juvenile crimes and determines if there is a correlation between a particular type of substance abuse. In the end it was discovered that there is no set tie

Should same sex marriage remain legal in the United Kingdom Research Paper

Should same sex marriage remain legal in the United Kingdom - Research Paper Example The research will be conducted using online materials and books on Gender and Sexuality. In 2010, Wales and England were moving towards legalization of same sex marriages. Scotland was given control over its marriages but in Northern Ireland, there were no plans for such legislations. Full recognition of gays, lesbian and bisexuals same sex couples in UK began in the 1960s where same sex sexual behaviour was decriminalized. In 2005, same sex couples were able to enter into civil partnerships. Civil partnerships are indistinguishable from opposite sex marriage in terms of rights. This means that they grant the same privileges, obligations, and rights to the couples. Lee (2010, pp, 18) supported this view. According to Piercceson (2014, pp, 22-25) in 2009 public support had risen to 61%. Politicians were debating on changing the definition of marriage to allow all couples to marry. In 2011, the media reported that the government would allow gay church marriage. In 2013, there was a bill to legalise same sex marriage in England and Wales and in July 2013 the House of Lords approved the Marriage (Same sex Couples) Act. Couples of the same sex were able to register and marry and this resulted in England and Wales recognising same sex marriages. Same sex marriages should remain legal in United Kingdom to avoid violation of human rights. The United Nations of Human rights states that all rights are inherent to all human beings regardless of nationality, gender and religious views etc .Every human being has the same right to do as they please as long as it does not cause harm to another person. Same sex marriages are a matter of civil and equal rights and the decision to remain married should remain with the two individuals in the union. Most people are usually not comfortable with same sex relationships however; the dignity of such couples should be respected. Therefore, the law should remain to avoid a severe violation of

Case in technical and ethical issue of financial accounting Study

In technical and ethical issue of financial accounting - Case Study Example A reflection of imperfect information on the financial records can affect the concurrent transactions and cost. Accountants are guided by a set code of ethics in their roles. Ethical behavior among accountants is vital to prevent fraudulent activities and gain public trust in the management of any business venture (CIMA, 2010). Professionals serving in the accounting department have a great responsibility to the public in general. Public trust emanates mostly on the information given to them by accountants. Based on the case of JINX Magazine Corporation, the operating manager persuades the accountant to fulfil his request by giving a contradicting financial statement. The conduct is against the norms and ethics that should be upheld by accounting professionals. Accountants have an ethical obligation not to present erroneous and conflicting statements intentionally. There is no justification in supported of professional accountants’ conduct that defies the rules of accounting. They should not do that irrespective of any compulsion from the authority or other parties. Furthermore, accoun tants should observe ethical conduct by maintaining records that are not falsified. Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). (2010). Code of ethics. Retrieved April 3, 2015 from

Should same sex marriage remain legal in the United Kingdom Research Paper

Should same sex marriage remain legal in the United Kingdom - Research Paper Example The research will be conducted using online materials and books on Gender and Sexuality. In 2010, Wales and England were moving towards legalization of same sex marriages. Scotland was given control over its marriages but in Northern Ireland, there were no plans for such legislations. Full recognition of gays, lesbian and bisexuals same sex couples in UK began in the 1960s where same sex sexual behaviour was decriminalized. In 2005, same sex couples were able to enter into civil partnerships. Civil partnerships are indistinguishable from opposite sex marriage in terms of rights. This means that they grant the same privileges, obligations, and rights to the couples. Lee (2010, pp, 18) supported this view. According to Piercceson (2014, pp, 22-25) in 2009 public support had risen to 61%. Politicians were debating on changing the definition of marriage to allow all couples to marry. In 2011, the media reported that the government would allow gay church marriage. In 2013, there was a bill to legalise same sex marriage in England and Wales and in July 2013 the House of Lords approved the Marriage (Same sex Couples) Act. Couples of the same sex were able to register and marry and this resulted in England and Wales recognising same sex marriages. Same sex marriages should remain legal in United Kingdom to avoid violation of human rights. The United Nations of Human rights states that all rights are inherent to all human beings regardless of nationality, gender and religious views etc .Every human being has the same right to do as they please as long as it does not cause harm to another person. Same sex marriages are a matter of civil and equal rights and the decision to remain married should remain with the two individuals in the union. Most people are usually not comfortable with same sex relationships however; the dignity of such couples should be respected. Therefore, the law should remain to avoid a severe violation of

Class Constitutional Convention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Class Constitutional Convention - Essay Example citizens do. Otherwise, this creates a rift between naturalized citizens and natural-born U.S. citizens. It denotes that naturalized citizenship is somehow less important than the natural-born U.S. citizen’s right. This is not true, but basically that is what our society is saying to immigrants who have become naturalized citizens—sending the message that they may be citizens, but they will never be accepted in the way natural-born U.S. citizens are. The cons of taking such a position would include the following: people might possibly think that a foreign-born President of the U.S. might only have the interests of his or her native country at heart instead of the United States. Also, Americans would probably see it as an area of concern that someone who was not necessarily originally from the United States might have other agendas in mind than besides having the nation’s interest at heart. Another element that might prevent foreign-born naturalized citizens in becoming President is that he or she might be scrutinized based upon his or her accent or appearance more than the content of what the candidate would actually be saying. It’s not polite to say, perhaps, but people profile others as to how they think their candidate should look, speak, and act. These are just a few examples of why this position has some cons. Hopefully these issues can be analyzed more in-depth so that we can give our natur alized brother and sister citizens the same possibility to believe in the dream of becoming President if they wish to do so. Whether one believes that foreign-born naturalized citizens should be able to become President or not is not so much the issue as this is an issue of fairness. No one has control over the fact of where in the world they are born; that is just a matter of consequence. However, foreign-born naturalized citizens should not be punished just because

The Riemann Hypothesis Essay Example for Free

The Riemann Hypothesis Essay The Riemann Zeta Function is defined by the following series: Here s is a complex number and the first obvious issue is to find the domain of this function, that is, the values of s where the function is actually defined. First of all, it is a well known result in calculus that, when s is real, the series is convergent for s1 (see [2]). For example, a simple application of the theory of Fourier series allows to prove that . For s=1, the series diverges. However, one can prove that the divergence is not too bad, in the sense that: In fact, we have the inequalities: Summing from 1 to , we find that and so which implies our claim. As a function of the real variable s,   is decreasing, as illustrated below.   for s real and 1 The situation is   more complicated when we consider the series as a function of a complex variable. Remember that a complex number is a sum , where   are real numbers (the real and the imaginary part of z, respectively) and , by definition. One usually writes   There is no ordering on the complex numbers, so the above arguments do not make sense in this setting.   We remind that the complex power   is defined by and Therefore, the power coincides with the usual function when s is real. It is not difficult to prove that the complex series is convergent if Re(s)1. In fact, it is absolutely convergent because where |z| denotes as usual, the absolute value: .   See [2] for the general criteria for convergence of   series of functions. Instead, it is a non-trivial task to prove that the Riemann Zeta Function can be extended far beyond on the complex plane: Theorem.   There exists a (unique) meromorphic function on the complex plane, that coincides with , when Re(s)1. We will denote this function again by We have to explain what ‘meromorphic’ means. This means that the function is defined, and holomorphic (i.e. it is differentiable as a complex function), on the complex plane, except for a countable set of isolated points, where the function has a ‘pole’. A complex function f(z) has a pole in w if the limit   exists and is finite for some integer m. For example,   has a pole in s=1. It is particularly interested to evaluate the Zeta Function at negative integers. One can prove the following: if k is a positive integer then where the Bernoulli numbers   are defined inductively by: Note that : the Bernoulli numbers with odd index greater than 1 are equal to zero. Moreover, the Bernoulli numbers are all rational. Of course, the number   is not obtained by replacing s=1-k in our original definition of the function, because the series would diverge; in fact, it would be more appropriate to write   where the superscript * denotes the meromorphic function whose values are defined, only when Re(s)1, by the series . There is a corresponding formula for the positive integers: 2 It is a remarkable fact that the values of the Riemann Zeta Function at negative integers are rational. Moreover, we have seen that   if n0 is even. The natural question arises: are there any other zeros of the Riemann Zeta Function? Riemann Hypothesis. Every zero of the Riemann Zeta Function must be either a negative even integer or a complex number of real part =  ½. It is hard to motivate this conjecture in an elementary setting, however the key point is that there exists a functional equation relating   and   (in fact, such a functional equation is exactly what is needed to extend   to the complex plane). The point   is the center of symmetry of the map It is also known that   has infinitely many zeros on the critical line Re(s)=1. Why is the Riemann Zeta function so important in mathematics? One reason is the strict connection with the distribution of prime numbers. For example, we have a celebrated product expansion: where the infinite product is extended to all the prime numbers and Re(s)1. So, in some sense, the Riemann Zeta function is an analytically defined object, encoding virtually all the information about the prime numbers. For example, the fact that   can be used to prove Dirichlet’s theorem on the existence of infinitely many prime numbers in arithmetic progression. The product expansion implies that   for every s such that Re(s)1. In fact, we have: and it is not difficult to check that this product cannot vanish. The following beautiful picture comes from Wikipedia. Bibliography [1] K. Ireland, M. Rosen, A Classical Introduction to Modern Number Theory, Springer, 2000 [2] W. Rudin, Principles of Mathematical Analysis, McGraw Hill, 1976 [3] W. Rudin, Real and Complex Analysis, , McGraw Hill, 1986

I Hate You, Yet Thank You Essay -- Personal Narrative Cancer Essays

I Hate You, Yet Thank You Dear Cancer, Did you know, that I thought that the one thing in life that wouldn’t change was my family? I thought that no matter what we would always be there for each other. September 27, 2000, all of those beliefs were shattered because of you. Four years ago you killed Nana, my only grandma. That date will forever be etched in my heart because of you. You caused so much pain and so much sadness when you took her from us. She was so loving, so caring, and so giving. I see why you wanted her, but why did you have to steal her? Did you even know anything about her? She was a good person who didn’t deserve anything that you did to her. We, as a family, are good people who didn’t deserve to be hurt by you. You see, before you took Nana from us, I thought that family was just there. I thought that they would always be there, just because. I remember being annoyed when Nana would ask me to help her do something. I would always think, â€Å"Can’t you ask Leslie or Katie instead?† Whenever my grandpa would drive, he would make sure he went five miles per hour under the limit. Let me just tell you, that made me so mad! I remember crouching on the seat in the car so that when people sped past us with their dirty looks, they wouldn’t see me. Even the way I acted towards my parents changed after my Nana passed away. Before, I would always roll my eyes when they told me what to do. I didn’t think that they knew what they were talking about when they would tell me to do something. Like most teenagers, I thought I was always right. Did you know that every summer Nana and Poppy, my mom and dad, and sisters and I would go to our summer house in Maine? It was a tradition. My birthday always fell when we were up ... ...enly arguing with my sisters doesn’t seem worth it. What if something ever happened to them? The last memory that they would have of me would be a negative one. I tell my parents I love them every single day, because it’s the truth. I know they love me, so I want to let them know how much I love them. I felt bad for every negative thought that I had towards my grandma. I thought that she would somehow figure out how I used to feel, but then I realized that she always loved me and my sisters unconditionally. That is why I loved her so much, and that is why, no matter what, I will always love her. Basically, the point of this letter is to thank you for one thing. Thank you for strengthening our family bond. Thank you for helping me realize just how important family is. You helped me realize how much we mean to each other. Thank you for that and only that. Sarah*

Laura Searing :: essays research papers

Laura Searing was one of only a few women of the 19th century who was a respected journalist. She was on the staff of several publications and acted as a war correspondent during the American Civil War. She conducted interviews with soldiers and Union Army Commander Ulysses S. Grant on battlefields along with interviewing President Abraham Lincoln for a story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura’s poetry was published extensively and praised by literary greats like John Greenleaf Whittier and William Cullen Bryant. She was the first woman during her lifetime to have a town named after her. All of this is great but it becomes amazing when you consider that from the age of 11 Laura Searing was deaf.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She was born on February 9, 1840 in Somerset County, Maryland. Her family moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1851 and that is when she contracted cerebrospinal meningitis. This left Laura deaf and with a speech impediment that left her only able to speak in sepulchral tones. Throughout her life, Laura depended on written communication until she was 15 and attended the Missouri School for the Deaf. This is where she learned sign language.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While attending the institution Laura composed essays and poetry on subjects such as religion, politics, nature and her own deafness. For her class graduation Laura wrote a farewell poem and gave a speech at commencement which was both published in the American Annals of the Deaf. Her first professional work was done for a church in St. Louis. Her work impressed the editors at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch so much that they hired her. When the Civil War began the newspaper sent her to Washington D.C as its war correspondent. To avoid offending other readers who thought that journalism was â€Å"man’s work,† all of her writing was published under the name Howard Glyndon. But it was not very effective. It was largely known that Howard Glyndon was a woman and it was accepted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laura’s first two books were published during the wartime period. â€Å"Notable Men in the House† was a series of informal mini-biographies that were each based on a different congressman. â€Å"Idyles of Battle and Poems of the Republic† was a group of war poems. Laura went to Europe in 1865 where she continued to write stories for the St. Louis Republican and the New York Times and the New York Sun. She returned to the U.

Idea of a marriage Essay

It is said that one has no choice with their blood relations, but the most important decision one makes is deciding whom one would marry. One couple I interviewed for this article is one who has been successfully married for seven years. Interestingly, they had a semi-arranged marriage. I call it semi-arranged because the couple’s parents had first had the idea and then the couple had interacted for a while to check whether they were truly compatible with one another. This factor had a major role to play in the success of their marriage. When interviewed the couple mentioned that they both felt they had reached the age for marriage as per the family tradition and they were both open to the idea of a marriage. Though introduced to each other by the parents, they were surprised that they were attracted to each other by their simplicity and sense of humor. Each one of them felt that they could be comfortable and natural with the other right from day one. Several factors helped them decide that they wanted to spend their life with each other. One of them was that their families were close, secondly logistical issues in their marriage sorted out easily. The fact that they enjoyed each other’s company only confirmed their belief that marriage was destined for them. One interesting fact that contributed to making their marriage a success was that neither of them had any unreal expectations out of the marriage. Having their families support also helped, as they received counseling and help to see them through every time they had difficulties and conflicts. The lady did admit that her husband did not have all the qualities she had been looking for in a potential mate. With a smile she said, she had wanted someone tall (her husband barely 5’ 6†). But it was her ability to look beyond the physical characteristics alone that helped her choose a mate who she could live happily with. The fact that they were from culturally similar backgrounds also helped them get along easily with each other’s families. Both felt that they had been fortunate to find the other, though they also agreed that they had to struggle to keep their relationship smooth and healthy. They agree that marriage is harder than what they thought but they are determined to make it a success. One factor that has tremendously helped them has been their spending constructive time with each other. Holidaying together, eating together, watching movies, working out together has helped them nurture and grow their relationship into one that they cherish with their lives. One thing I noticed was the absence of any passionate romance in their relationship, and was surprised to see that that hardly diminished the success of their relationship.?

Analysis Of “Here’s Herbie” Essay

This short story by Mike Feder, is about his own life as a discouraged teen in the 70’s society. When Mike was a young boy he was in a constant state of teenage depression, and one of the major reasons why, was his mother’s both mental and physical illness. This sickness of hers, made him sick as well, and it didn’t become any easier when his mother constantly reminded him, that he wasn’t wanted and that she wished she had never had children (p.62). This was just one of the many obstacles, that Mike had to face during his teenage years. Especially this factor is very clear to see in the story, since the narrator Mike, describes himself as a boy who was â€Å"possessed of great many psychosomatic complaints† (p. 62) We know in forehand that this is a true story, but when a narrator is writing about himself, it is very hard to determine if he is reliable or not, and to be honest I do not want to draw any conclusions since there could be solid argumentations for both parts. This story could easily be an exaggerated version of a childhood memory, but could also be an actual event. Some elements could indicate, that we have an unreliable author as for instance the long gab between the year he wrote the story and his age in the story, which we know by looking at the many passages of the story which reveals it as: â€Å"When I was a kid† or â€Å"When I was about fifteen† (both on p. 62) As a little wimp boy, Mike had a lot of fears, but on the top of the list was the long and adventurous trip to his allergist in Manhattan. He lived at the edge of the city, which meant, that there was a long way to his destination. The trip held a lot of terrors for Mike and he had â€Å"a department full of fears to play with† (p. 63). First of all he was quit afraid due to the violence in the train, but also other things as the powerful machines and the darkness of the underground frightened him. The funny thing is; as much as he hated the whole experience, he felt this kind of crazy excitement as soon as the train came rumbling and roaring into the station. Every single time he felt this adrenalin rush, which he love very much, and that made him forget about all his other fears. This could indicate that the theme in â€Å"Here’s Herbie† had something to do with the initiation of adulthood, since he is so passionate about this, that he forgets some of his childish  anxieties. This is obviously just one of the themes, where the main theme is growing up which in this case also contains being different. Mike liked to sit in the front of the train, because of two things, firstly because he felt â€Å"some sort of identification with the surge of power in the front† and then also because he could peek out of the front window. He wanted to stand up and look out of the window, but he could never seem to find any courage to do so. He speculated too much about what the others passengers might think of him, and the attention that position would draw. So he had to live with just glancing out of the window, from the corner of his eyes, every now and then. But this whole thing changed one day, because of one specific man named Herbie. Herbie was slump shouldered and had a nutty lopsided look on his face. He looked funny with his dim eyes and big hairy ears, but seemed careless anyways. This man just walked to the centre and started shouting: â€Å"Here’s Herbie! Here’s Herbie!† with absolutely no care in the world, and it was this kind of confidence Mike wanted to possess. Herbie then walked straight up to the front window of the train, with a plastic steering wheel and started â€Å"steering† the train, as if it was nothing. The one thing that Mike thought about doing every single time, Herbie did so abruptly. So despite Herbie’s shaggy appearance he actually achieved that one dream, that the narrator was embarrassed to fulfill. I think this was the point where Mike realized that he could never reach any of his own goals if he kept being afraid of what others might think of him. Experiencing Herbie just shouting into the void and pursuing his dream really got to him and changed him. (p. 67) This is a very simple goal, and is nowhere near something impossible, but no matter what the dream is or how big or small it is, the same rules apply. Nothing should stop you from pursuing your dreams, even if it’s just to look out of a train-window. This is why the message of this short story is so simple, yet so deep. It really applies to so many different occasions and almost everyone can relate to it. No matter if you want to be a president, or an artist or if your biggest dream is to try an awesome rollercoaster or climb Mount Everest, I really believe that nothing should keep you from doing what you want. Because at last Mike was so inspired by this odd man Herbie that he decided to look out  window, without thinking about the other passengers, and this really changed him. He might have gotten some pitiful stares or judgemental comments, but this was the first time in his life that he felt he was in command of it. So a lesson we can learn from this short story could be: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel Decision-Making Model Essay

My family recently purchased a Toyota Prius.   This is a magnificent car which has a positive effect on the environment.   The Toyota Prius runs on both petrol and electricity thus saving both money and the rapidly decreasing ozone layer.   My family has always been environmental conscious and this was an important decision considering the current state of the environment and global warming.   Not only was there much research put into this purchase but there are also incentives in places such as Westminster City where Eco-cars receive FREE parking permits (â€Å"Free Parking†).   Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel have been working together for many years to determine the consumer decision making process.    Together they have created many models and completed much research to support their theories of consumer behavior.   Using the Blackwell, Miniard and Engel decision-making model I will show how my family came to the decision of the purchase.   There are many steps that one goes through before making an important decision such as a purchase of a new car. Reviewing these steps in sequence and having an inside look of the though that went into each step will help establish the process of consumer behavior. Beginning with stimuli, we will review the exposure, attention, comprehension, and retention stage that occurred to cause the thought of this purchase to hold steadfast in the memory, then moving on to need recognition, environmental influences, individual differences influencing the purchase decision, we will see what cause the purchase to became complete, and what happens thereafter with satisfaction/dissatisfaction and divestment stages of the consumer process. Stimuli: Product Exposure What better stimuli for a new product are available to the consumer than media exposure?   There has been a lot media exposure to global warming and the effects green house gases on having on the ozone layer.   There have also been many celebrities choosing to go green and help save the world.   Stars Penelope Cruz and Leonardo DiCaprio hosted a Pre-Oscar green party to show their support of electric cars.   They, along with several other celebrities, opted to drive themselves to the Oscars in their new electric cars. The point was clear; everyone needs to take steps to prevent global warming (and you should hurry up and jump on the band wagon celebrities are giving up limo rides!).   The Pre-Oscar green party is was a genius idea as the Oscars are huge and people from all over the world partake in the nights events.   The   marketing behind such an event draws attention to the eco friendly cause and covers all of the beginning stages of the Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel decision making model; exposure, attention, comprehension, acceptance, and retention. Of course these five characteristics contribute to memory and that is where the consumer behavior process begins.   My parents had already decided that it was time to purchase a new car. Need recognition was already determined.   But at this point they were just beginning to take a look around.   The genius of the marketing ploy/awareness campaign for Eco-friendly cars stayed with my parents as they began to make some decisions about their new car purchase and once again reinforced to memory the importance of eco-friendly vehicles. Social Influences Eco-friendly cars are a hot topic and many friends of my parent’s had also started to think about or start purchasing green cars over the last year.   Now with the price of petrol constantly on the rise how could you not consider it?   The influences of friends have always helped my family move along and make a final decision.   In this case all of my parents’ friends were considering taking a step towards a cleaner environment or at least taking a step to stay trendy and up to date with the current issues concerning the world.   Of course this is a tough cause to turn your back on as many people are adamant and taking firm stand to lower the rate fossil fuel is burned. Research With this heavy exposure to both the cause and the solution my family chose to reevaluate the current car situation and see if it was time for an upgrade which would be the need recognition stage of the model.   After a quick internet search on the status of the ozone and the effect of fossil fuels on the greenhouse gases my father discovered; the effects of global warming are being felt worldwide.   â€Å"Global warming and the melting of polar ice cover is predicted to raise ocean levels worldwide, directly impacting on island nations who plead most strongly for restraint of fossil fuel consumption by industrialized nations† (Mayer). Some alternative fuel methods have been tried and found to be very successful.   â€Å"Another strategy for reducing fossil fuel emissions from vehicles is to shift to alternate fueled vehicles. Various choices include electric, natural gas, methane, and fuel cell vehicles† (Mayer). He decided it was time to step in and help the cause.   During the pre purchase evaluation my father decided it was time to upgrade the vehicle and began an internet search to find out everything he could about the Toyota Prius, and other green cars including the Volkswagen Touran, the Peugeot 407, and the Honda Accord.   He learned everything possible about each car including the gas mileage, cost, efficiency.   He read consumer reports, company reports, and online reviews and eventually evaluated the positives and negatives of each car. Personality, Values, Lifestyle Choices permit Consumer Buying My parent’s liberal nature permitted personality, values, and lifestyle choices to properly fall into place with the purchase. For years my organic food was the only thing available in my house and my parents have supported many environmental causes.   After the Oscars my father’s motivation to purchase a green car increase ten hold and he begun his thorough investigation.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The individual differences of the cars and manufactures had much to do with my family’s purchase of the Prius. The internet provided all the consumer resources my parent’s needed to come to a narrowed the decision down to either the Toyota Prius or the Volkswagen Touran. The next step was for my parents to go and see both cars.   They met with salespeople; test drove each car, learned how much fuel each car consumed per kilometer, and investigated the electric components of the car.   Although comparable in design, boot space, and kilometers to the liter, my parents both choose the Prius and after much research were happy to take it home. Consumer Satisfaction My parents are very happy with this vehicle at home.   Consumer consumption is a concept that can be defined as â€Å"a mean’s of producing one’s self and self-image† (Arnould & Price, 2000, p. 141).   The image my parent’s are trying to produce is one of a trendy and environmentally aware people.   The Toyota Prius definitely portrays this image.   In terms of satisfaction this may be the best purchase my parents have every made.   They are more than happy to show it off and tell all of the perks and special features to anyone who cares to listen.   In retrospect if Toyota ever needs spokes person for the Prius they should definitely consider my parents. Divestment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At this time divestment is not a concept that is considered with this purchase.   The social value alone has causes an investment in the environment which is never a lost cause.   Friends and neighbors are impressed and this is important to my parents. Conclusion My parents played out each step of the decision making process in almost the exact layout of the model provided by Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel. Beginning with stimuli, we will review the exposure, attention, comprehension, and retention stage that occurred to cause the thought of this purchase to hold steadfast in the memory, then moving on to need recognition, environmental influences, individual differences influencing the purchase decision, we will see what cause the purchase to became complete, and what happens thereafter with satisfaction/dissatisfaction and divestment stages of the consumer process.   Overall this has been an interesting investigation into the thought process behind such a purchase for our family.   Consumers as a whole have a difficult time choosing environmental friendly products â€Å"Until (recently), industrialization had enjoyed an extraordinary and almost continuous success–except for occasional wars. Technological development and its products were widely accepted. Standards of living, prosperity, and welfare were and are closely tied to the successes of industrial society. Energy, particularly in the form of fossil fuels, has been and continues to be essential to an advanced, industrial society. The enterprises and authorities involved in energy production and supply–and the decision making and planning relating to them–enjoyed respect and support. They had well established legitimacy. An ample supply of energy was seen as crucial for industrial development and for providing important ingredients to everyday comforts and welfare. Since the â€Å"golden age of energy† came to an end (around 1970), there have occurred significant changes in our consciousness, in our policies, and to some extent in our practices. In part, this is reflected in the results of energy research. In response to the energy problem, policymakers and planners have tried–and continue to try–a variety of strategies: Attempts to reduce energy consumption, save energy, and increase energy efficiency† (Monnier et al., 1986, p. 54). These are issues that need to be clear in every consumers thought process.   I applaud the thoughtful efforts of celebrities, manufacturers, countries, and individual states that support the cause and try to encourage consumers to be conscious about their buying decisions.   It is important to consider the consequences of all of our actions and this includes our action when we purchase a new product. References Arnould, E. J., & Price, L. L. (2000). 8 Authenticating Acts and Authoritative Performances. In The Why of Consumption: Contemporary Perspectives on Consumer Motives, Goals and Desires, Ratneshwar, S., Mick, D. G., & Huffman, C. (Eds.) (pp. 140-163). London: Routledge. Donnelley, Astrakhan. â€Å"Natural Responsibilities: Philosophy, Biology, and Ethics in Ernst Mayr and Hans Jonas.† The Hastings Center Report 32.4 (2002): 36+. Questia. 21 Mar. 2007 . Johansen, Bruce E. The Global Warming Desk Reference. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. Questia. 21 Mar. 2007 . Lackner, Klaus S., and Jeffrey D. Sachs. â€Å"A Robust Strategy for Sustainable Energy.† Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (2005): 215+. Questia. 21 Mar. 2007 . Lee, J., & Geistfeld, L. V. (1998). Enhancing Consumer Choice: Are We Making Appropriate Recommendations?. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 32(2), 227+. Retrieved March 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001394368 Mayer, Donald O. â€Å"Corporate Governance in the Cause of Peace: An Environmental Perspective.† Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law 35.2 (2002): 585+. Questia. 21 Mar. 2007 . â€Å"Free Parking Permits for Eco-Cars.† BBC News 15 Mar. 2007. 21 Mar. 2007 .   

Sabmiller Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sabmiller - Case Study Example From the above tabular form, it is apparent that more than pursuing organic growth, SAB Miller has concentrated on consolidation and expansion; the latter achieved through acquisitions and strategic alliances. Porter's five forces model helps in analysing the forces or aspects that influence an industry. This analysis, however, is relevant for a particular industry and not in assessing the performance at the company level. This model thus helps in studying the effects of the external factors that drive a company's performance and output in terms of the other elements operating in the same industry. The five forces constituting the model - competitive rivalry, threat of new entry, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers and threat of substitutes. All these forces ultimately affect the profitability of the company. However, these forces that affect the profitability of a company make up the business environment of any organization and are beyond the sphere of influence of the company's control. So, it is important for the company to develop and adopt tactics to combat these competitive forces and keep a tab on them to foresee the upcoming trends and accordingly brace thems elves with suitable strategies. Following are the forces described individually. (Ehmke C. et al, September 2004) Competitive Rivalry- The main competitor of SAB Miller was Anheuser-Busch.

Newborn Thermoregulation at birth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Newborn Thermoregulation at birth - Essay Example The temperature of the baby is dependent not only on the thermoregulation of the baby, but also on the environment and the clinical condition of the baby. It is a very interesting fact that, an unattended baby loses heat very fast and the temperature can decrease by several degrees (British Columbia Reproductive Care Program Policy Manual, 2003). Nurses and midwives who attend to deliveries have a major role to play in helping newborn babies maintain temperature. They are the first people to come in contact with the little ones and they have a major responsibility to ensure that the baby is able to maintain appropriate temperature. They also need to make sure that the environment of the baby, including the towels, resuscitation equipment and the room are pre-warmed much before the baby is delivered. Attending to the needs of temperature in babies is very important because thermal disparities can lead to devastating metabolic consequences and can contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in the newborn. In this essay, thermal regulation in a newborn will be discussed. In this context, the role of a midwife in promoting the health of the newborn will also be reviewed. The capacity of the body to maintain equilibrium between production of heat and loss of heat for sustenance of temperature of the body within a normal range is known as thermoregulation. Neutral thermal environment is that environment in which the infant uses only minimal oxygen and expends minimal energy for maintenance of temperature. Thermoregulation of newborn is a much studied and important topic because; disruptions in thermal regulation can lead to hyperthermia and cold stress, both of which can lead to devastating metabolic consequences in the newborn. The normal core body temperature of the newborn is 36.5- 37.2 degree C. Severe hypothermia is when the temperature is

Knowledge, Innovation and New product Development Essay

Knowledge, Innovation and New product Development - Essay Example rowth rate as compared to the already developed markets; and the economically developed countries like US and Germany are facing greater heat of recession with surging economic crises. Therefore one can think of investment in either India or China. I took India as the country to develop new product because cosmetic, especially 100% herbal and vegetarian Lipstick with variety of shades can be a new product that can be developed in an Indian Market. The increasing urbanization and a growth in the number of office workers have resulted in a strong focus on grooming in that country. 65% of the total population of India is below 35 years of age but only around 30% of the women use lipsticks in India, so there is a wide scope to flourish in India. The USP (unique selling proposition) of this product is its attribute of being 100% Herbal and Vegetarian as almost 40% of the total population in India is vegetarian and till now no other company has launched this type of product in the Indian M arket. Cosmetics and toiletries have seen tremendous growth in 2007. Growth was partly due to high levels of inflation but volume sales also saw dynamic growth. Rising income levels resulted in lower-income groups being able to afford more cosmetics and toiletries and also saw many trading up from unpackaged to packaged products. Meanwhile, mid- and high-income consumers in urban areas began to seek out value-added mass brands and premium products. India can be taken as the country to sell the product as Indian females are considered an epitome of beauty and they are more and more becoming beauty and fashion conscious. The product that can be marketed is a wide range of cosmetics (100%Vegetarian) especially lipsticks and it can be launched in the Indian market by the name: This indeed is true because people will not normally forget the hospitability offered at the service based organization like restaurant, beauty parlor, consultancy firm etc and especially the cosmetic

Horizon Human Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Horizon Human Services - Essay Example Funding of Horizon Human Services derives mainly from governmental organizations such as the â€Å"ADHS, DES-CSA† to provide the services for victims of problems like â€Å"domestic violence† (Domestic Violence Services, 2013). So far it relates to funds for services in the areas of housing, they receive assistance from â€Å"US Department of Housing, Urban Development and the Arizona Department of Housing† (Community Housing, 2013). In addition, they also accept donations from the public as well as corporate entities.   Any person intending to avail the services of Horizon Human Services can call their office for an appointment with a screening specialist and once screening is completed, he or she will be sent to the intake specialist who will assess the individual and provide initial counseling to â€Å"help address the reason† for which services have been sought (Getting Started, 2013). People who seek services will have to produce their ID document, proof of income, social security, and any documents relating the problem they wish to address with the help of the organization. Major services, as per information on the â€Å"services† section of their site, include:   Adult Residential Services: It is a program for mentally ill or substance abusing adults, by providing â€Å"clean and tidy† therapeutic â€Å"environment,† as envisaged in quality social work practices, which is free of substances (Malley & Fernandez, 2010, p.561).   Community-Based Services: This is also a program targeted to mentally ill, within the community to help them cope with the problem. The services include counseling and monitoring of medication apart from a variety of other services that the patient requires from time to time.

Catering for a variety of learners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Catering for a variety of learners - Essay Example With the tremendous pace of globalization it is seen that multilingual students exist all over the world and this has created a subject for research. It is believed by many that these multilingual students are at a loss if they do not excel in the primary language which is being used in schools and universities. However this belief is denied by many when it comes to excellence and perfection. This essay would further analyze the works of Cummins and Clarkson in relation to these aspects (Cummins 2006; Clarkson 2006). Multilingual and Bilingual students are able to speak two or more languages which gives them an edge over others who can speak only one language. English is primarily used for educational curriculums and hence these multilingual students are encouraged to excel in that specific language. In many schools English as a language is promoted for these multilingual students whereby their mother language is ignored. The teachers in these schools believe that English as a primary language is more important than other languages when it comes to studies. However this is denied by several researches done by Cummins and Clarkson. It is seen that Cummins in his researches is denying these beliefs and stating that it is necessary for students to learn all the languages and excel in them accordingly. According to his researches it is seen that students who have a grip on different languages are able to build up excellent rational critical techniques (Cummins 1979; Cummins 2006) These techniques he lp them to excel in education and further improve their base. Clarkson affirms this view by researching on Australian Vietnamese students and how their bilinguals help in developing their rationality of mind. Mathematics is a subject of thought and being bilingual helps these students to think even more. The research by Clarkson showed that students who had a grip on many languages showed more positivity when it came to studying mathematics in the

Organized Crime Essay Example for Free

Organized Crime Essay The times are definitely changing. As civilization progresses, human way of living also improves. Sadly, even the negative entities have progressed executing their evil ways; crime has come from petty to being organized. Of course, there are still those who commit crime in their own little ways, so to speak. But the world is now faced with international crime syndicates who operate or influence various institutions, government most especially, and which are harder to combat. There are different definitions for organized crime offered by different individuals or organizations. I have thought of organized crime as being operated by a group having some formal structure which aims to gain profit through illegal activities. Most organized crime syndicates use or threat to use violence, and influence government officials, with some even managing to become one, to control illegal economic sector or jurisdiction. Most of the time, organized crime hide beneath legal operations but gain more on their illegal operations, which includes, but not limited to, drug trafficking, prostitution, illegal gambling and human trafficking. Combating organized crime takes a lot more effort than with the petty everyday crime because of their manipulation of government officials. Some organized crime syndicates may also have the support of unwitting citizen, who are being deceived through the syndicate’s socially accepted operation. Organized crime is mainly different from other criminal groups in that while some groups are motivated by political ideals or religious beliefs, organized crime syndicates operate almost exclusively for profit. They enter the political arena to gain protection for their illegal activities and may raise a new cult to control and manipulate their jurisdiction. Just like any formal organizations, organized crime group have their own hierarchical structure; and just like any crime group, organized crime syndicates would readily resort to violence. There are specialized members doing specific jobs for their illegal operation, which as already specified, may include public officials to protect their business. Usually, higher rank members take care of business. Managing the business, finding new market, business negotiations, all tasks that are essential to the survival of a business just as if it were an ordinary legal business enterprise are some of the specifications of higher rank members. They may also be the ones who have connections within the government, or are government officials themselves. Lower rank members are the ones specified to perform the â€Å"dirty† jobs: murder, arson, or threatening those who oppose or which are dangerous to the group’s illegal operations. Organized crime syndicates also abhor other groups with the same operation. Operating chiefly for profit, they try to eliminate the competition as much as possible. Less competition means greater profit. Organized crime need not worry about losing business as they can always find patrons for the goods and services they render. In other words, organized crime businesses are always in demand. The text defines organized crime as a group of â€Å"three or more persons, with hierarchical links or personal relationships, which permit their leaders to earn profits or control territories or makets, internal or foreign, by means of violence, intimidation or corruption, both in furtherance of criminal activity and to infiltrate the legitimate industry. Reading the text have offered new insights about organized crime but has not changed my perception, which were basically identical. In sum, an organized crime, as the term implies, is a group with a formal structure, just as any organization, that operates with specialized rules and regulations (organized) incorporating various illegal activities (crime) for the purpose of profit.

Cultural Aspects in India

Cultural Aspects in India If the 20th century was generally recognized to be the American century, then the 21st might very well be regarded as the Indian century. After all, following China, India has the largest population in the world. Like China, it too has a large and fast-developing economy, and it is steadily converting these economic gains into growing political power abroad. Unlike China, however, India is governed by a vibrant, participatory democracy, which, while chaotic, reflects the political values of human rights and pluralism so cherished in the West. Indeed, as countries which have long guided the West in leading the world begin to lose ground to counterparts in the developing world, India is one of the few major future powers in a position to pick up the Wests mantle of human progress and freedom. Though like the West in its commitment to democracy, India brings with a unique set of circumstances, informed by a history and culture, which stretch back for thousands of years. The common theme of Indian history has been heterogeneity. The abundant diversity found in India today was present almost from the beginning. The countrys oldest historical document, the Rig Veda, which is also a religious one, recounts a massive migration of one conceived ‘ancestor group and its intermingling with a loosely described native culture (Keay, 19-56). Scholars have found evidence of civilizations on the Indian subcontinent stretching back to times concurrent with the first city-states of Mesopotamia, Indian history (Keay, 1-18). Between the time of the Harrapan City States of around 3,000 B.C. all the way to Indias current prime minister Manmohan Singh, India has absorbed wave after wave of new peoples, new beliefs, and new ideas and added this to an already heady mix with every passing c entury. As a result, Indias startling diversity and variety were multiplied in countless directions. Nowadays there are over 400 languages spoken in India with over 14 official languages recognized according to the CIA World Factbook. Its population, which had stayed predominately rural until recent years, is becoming more urbanized, and two of the worlds five most populous cities are located there. The Indian parliamentary democracy is multi-party, regional, and highly factionalized, reflecting the drastic differences that exist between districts even within the same province. With all this diversity, it is tempting to impute irreconcilable contradictions between the types of people, institutions, and beliefs found in India. One might ask: how can one form a coherent statement about the existence of an overarching Indian culture? The answer to this has been as much a problem for government leaders as it has been for scholars, but it is one this paper will endeavor to supply in the following ways: We will discuss the major components of Indian culture (people, frames of references / communication, and group interactions) to illustrate the staggering variety of Indian cultural practices. We will focus on the notion of the Indian family and its characteristics, and attempt to make the case that the family as an institution provides a unifying theme for Indian culture, and a vehicle, which simultaneously relieves and reinforces the tectonic tensions brought on by societal diversity. We will discuss the findings of our interviews and outside readings to form a â€Å"big picture† analysis of Indian culture. II. Culture Components Gannon and Pillai supply readers with two metaphors through which to conceive of the sheer magnitude of diversity found in Indian cultural practices: the Dance of Shiva and a Kaleidoscope. In either case, there is a dynamic tension between change and stasis, creation and destruction, and the rules of general and specific; both metaphors create a framework for understanding that heterogeneity is the rule of thumb when conceiving of India as a whole. To view Indian culture in all its staggering complexity, it is necessary to begin with the component parts: people, frames of references / communication and group interactions. A. The Indian People For Westerners seeking to understand the staggering diversity found on the Indian Subcontinent, there is a helpful quote from a Hindu religious prayer, which can assist: â€Å"May good thoughts come to us from all sides† (â€Å"Religions†). Its simplicity reveals an acceptance of variety, heterodoxy and the unconventional; it turns on its head the notion of diversity being a challenge, and refashions it as an asset. To effectively argue that there is a general, overarching Indian culture, it is important to first acknowledge as true that such a culture is also served by many distinct parts, which have guided that nations historic, political, social and economic development. When considering the citizens of India, it is similarly important to perceive the numerous and stark divisions with regards to ethnic / linguistic groupings, social and economic levels, as well as religious and philosophical make-up. i. Demographics; Social and Economic Levels India is the second most populous nation in the world, having an estimated population of 1.17 billion (CIA World Factbook, â€Å"India†). Though the World Factbook only subdivides Indias immense population into four ethnic categories: Indo-Aryan (72%), Dravidian (25%), Mongoloid and other (3%), the plethora of languages spoken in India 400 at last count, plus 2,000 dialects speak to a diversity almost beyond the average Westerners comprehension. India is also a very young nation, with the mean age being 25.3, and with nearly 95% of the population under the age of 64 (CIA World Factbook, â€Å"India†). Indias population is also increasing at a brisk, if not explosive rate; it ranks 84th in the world in terms of highest growth rates higher than the United States (CIA World Factbook, â€Å"India†). Literacy is at 61%, and only 29% of the population is urban—a number which has been increasing at the slow creep of 2.4% over the last five years (CIA World Factbook, â€Å"India†). When adopting a big-picture perspective, noticeable differences appear between men and women: males tend to be younger, more literate and more educated (CIA World Factbook, â€Å"India†). Males also tend to be more plentiful earlier in life, with a higher birth rate of 1.12 males to every female, but their life expectancy is lower by almost five years (CIA World Factbook, â€Å"India†). One of Hinduisms most potent legacies, insofar as demographic effect is concerned, is Indias hierarchical caste system (Lonner; Zhang, 11 and 14). Although the caste system evolved from Hinduism for over 1000 years, some groups of other faiths such as Christians and Muslims adhere to this ancient social structure (â€Å"Religions†). Indias society reveals large gaps between the lifestyles of upper and lower class Indians; the bottom 10% hold only 3.6% of the nations wealth, where the top 10% have accumulated 31.1% (CIA World Factbook, â€Å"India†). By purchasing power parity, India is the 5th largest economy in the world, yet, it remains one of the poorest, with an estimated 53% of the population subsisting on less than one dollar a day in income (CIA World Factbook, â€Å"India†; Gannon and Pillai 469). Compounding economic difficulties are social, geographic and political realities, which prevent equal development for all. In a submission to the periodical Cultural Anthropology, writer Kaushik Ghosh describes the conflicting strains of â€Å"indigenousness, locality and transnationalism,† which combine to blunt social and economic development efforts being made in India. The reality for India is that, given its immense, far-flung borders (greater than the continent of Europe, according to WorldBusinessCulture.com), extreme geographic features, and the extreme multiplicity of the ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups, it is not possible for any change to be applied uniformly and in a way that affects all people equally. Ghosh depicts the isolated tribes of Jharkhand, India, who, in their efforts to lobby their local government and national representatives, become effectively nullified when they are lumped in with other, separate interest groups that are labeled â€Å"indi genous.† Another writer, Navtej Dhillon, shares that â€Å"the majority of Indias 150 million muslimsMuslims suffer relative deprivation when to education and access to public employment.† For a time, the Indian government had utilized socialist economic policies, and today the state is still a large player in economic development. The role taken by government can be paternalistic, and elected officials try to reward their voters and supporters with jobs and economic opportunities. Combine this economic reality with the fact that Indias multiparty, parliamentary government is characterized by heavy regionalism and identity politics, and you get the following: certain groups are sometimes purposefully excluded from lucrative government business opportunities (Bellman, â€Å"Politics Economics: Reversal of Fortune Isolates Indias Brahmins†). In an article published in the Wall Street Journal, journalist Eric Bellman describes a government policy in the State of Tamil Nadu, which allocates 69% of government jobs and public college slots for lower castes. Though this policy actually has its genesis in the Indian Constitution, which itself was formulated to correct concentrations of wealth and privilege in the higher castes, the article documents a new dimension to the state policy, which is considerably less altruistic and more partisan. Yet for all that academics, journalists and political leaders have described the staggering dimensions of social and economic inequality, it is apparent that within India itself, there is consensus insofar as a solution is concerned: education. Gannon and Pillai describe the perceived success of Indias educational sector, which, as mentioned above, has produced an enormous pool of highly-educated and specialized workers (Gannon and Pillai 504). Indias success in these areas also masks startling inequalities, namely the low literacy rates and a general lack of access to education for many people (505). Competition to rise above ones peers is inordinately tough given the limited number of slots open at public and private universities, and in secondary school, a performance test is given to determine which field of study for which a student is eligible (Cheney, Ruzzi and Muralidharan, 8). Despite the systemic challenges like a drastic lack of funding, deficient facilities, and teacher a bsenteeism, the value placed on education and knowledge is so present in Indian culture as to make â€Å"millions of students achieve at remarkably high levels.† It is this valuing of educational attainment, which has established India as a preeminent figure in high technology fields, and paved the way for long-term economic development. Despite the endemic poverty, economic development in India has given rise to a sizeable and growing middle class, which contains in its membership the â€Å"largest number of college-educated scientists and computer specialists in the world.† (Gannon and Pillai, 469). India is now looking inwards to, in the words of Indian President, Manmohan Singh, â€Å"a vast unfinished agenda of social and economic development,† to correct abuses and disparities which occur due to culture, history, politics or environment. ii. Religion and Philosophy Every aspect of Indian culture has been impacted by religion. Prominent Hindu and philosopher Swami Vivekananda stated, â€Å"Each nation has a theme in life. In India religious life forms the central theme, the keynote of the whole music of the nation† (Gannon 470). Martin Gannon wrote, â€Å"For 2000 years of its history, India was almost completely Hindu, but for the last millennium or more, Indian culture has been a synthesis of different racial, religious, and linguistic influences† (470). Tolerance has also sustained religious pluralism of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Secularists, and other persuasions (Census of India). Despite having an 80.5% Hindu population, Indian culture is not only a Hindu culture (Census of India). The other major indigenous religions in India are Jainism (0.4%), Buddhism (0.8 %), and Sikhism (1.9%), and the major imported religions are Christianity (2.3 %) and Islam (13.4%) (â€Å"Religions†). Other smaller religions comprise 0.6% of the population, and are namely, Zoroastrianism or Parsi, Bahai Faith, Jews, and tribal persons who practice the most ancient religion of animism (â€Å"Religions†). 0.1% of Indias population did not state a religion (Census of India). Hinduism is tied with the ancient Vedic tradition estimated to have formed around 1500 B.C. and had continued to be the sole religion of India up until a thousand years ago or more (Gannon, 470; Heitzman). Indian philosophy, with its thematic undercurrents of cycles, owes much to Hinduism and later dharma traditions (Gannon, 471). The dharma and ancient monastic tradition of Jainism, owes much of its religious precepts to Hinduism (Census of India; â€Å"Religions†). Experts speculate the formation of Jainism began in the 9th century B.C. by Parshvanatha whose teachings required a path of non-violence for all living beings and other practices to guide the soul to divine consciousness (â€Å"Religions†). Similarly, Buddhism was inspired by the life and beliefs of Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, between the 6th and 4th centuries B.C. (Census of India; â€Å"Religions†). Buddhism is a dharma religion consisting of varied philosophies, beliefs, and traditions that hav e spread to the East. Buddhists in India near the Chinese border mainly follow Tibetan Buddhism or Vajrayana, which means from Sanskrit â€Å"Vehicle of the Thunderbolt†; and those located near the Myanmar border practice Theravada, translated from Pali â€Å"Way of the Elders† (â€Å"Religions†). Sikhism was established by Guru Nanak in the sixteenth century, who attempted to reform specific Hindu tenants like eliminating the caste system, race, and gender inequities (Census of India; â€Å"Religions†). Islam arrived in India during the early eighth century; largely from the Sunni sect (Census of India; Heitzman; â€Å"Religions†). The division of the British Empire at Indias independence forced many Muslims to migrate to Pakistan and Hindus to India, but Islam still remains the largest minority religion today (Census of India; â€Å"Religions†). Indias Christian inhabitants are majority Roman Catholic, but consist of several other denominations, including both independent and consolidated Protestant churches of Church of North India and South India (Heitzman; â€Å"Religions†). Indias small community of Parsis comprises the last practitioners of Zoroastrianism, which was brought by Iranian immigrants one thousand years ago. There are small communities of Judaism, Bahai Faith, and tribal animists (â€Å"Religions†). After Indias independence in 1947, the establishment of a secular government further facilitated mutual respect of all religious practices in public society through legislation advocating neutrality in all things rooted in an individual or groups faith (Sen, 19). Notwithstanding its constitutional obligation, religion and government do still intermix, shown in the management of Hindu temples by the Tamil Nadu state government or the Sikh political party exerting full authority over the state assembly in Punjab (Heitzman). Furthermore, Indias long tradition of religious tolerance began to be challenged by fundamental ideologues starting from the 1960s. From the 1990s to the present, riots and religious-based political parties continue to impact public life and its relatively neutral governmental body (Heitzman). 1. Hindu Religion Philosophy The general premise of Hindu philosophy is that truth is organic, pluralistic, and sometimes inconsistent, and should be arrived by multiple sources, rather than dogmatic principles (â€Å"Religions†). In other words, context matters most in India, a culture that Edward Hall refers to as high-context (Hall, 101). Hinduism is an ancient polytheistic faith originating from Vedism, or simply Brahmanism, brought by invading Aryans in 1500 B.C and thus is subsequently deemed to be the oldest â€Å"living† religion (â€Å"Religions†). Hinduisms major groups are Vaishnavism and Shaivism, though membership in these groups is loose, dynamic, and vague (â€Å"Religions†). The leading sects are the Vaishnavas, who worship Vishnu god or a related avatar such as Rama and Krishna, Shaivas which worships the god Shiva, and Shaktis, a cult that worships the manifestations of Shakti, the mother goddess and companion of Shiva. Other smaller sects advocate religious reform and revival, charity to the poor, or follow the teachings of a charismatic leader (â€Å"Religions†). There is said to be â€Å"five tensile strands† in Hinduism: doctrine, practice, society, story, and devotion (â€Å"Religions†). All Hindus follow these strands to varying degrees and accept their distinct tensions and contradictions, favoring religious enthusiasm over â€Å"fundamental rigidities of practice or doctrine† (â€Å"Religions†). To achieve absolute happiness one must live beyond worldly possessions through spiritual enlightenment—a journey in search of salvation or mukti in which leads to an ethereal transcendence called moksha (Gannon, 475). Hindu philosophy guides each person on a distinct path to this exultation from worldly suffering along four fundamental avenues that often are intertwined: intense devotion or love of God (bhakti yoga), selfless work or service (karma yoga), philosophy or knowledge of self (jnana yoga), and meditation or psychological exercise (raja yoga) (Gannon, 475). The difficulty of achieving moksha in ones l ifetime is accommodated by the concept of reincarnation in which souls or jivas enter the world through Gods power mysteriously and ascend from the simplest life forms to the most complicated bodies or human form where the search for mukti begins (Gannon, 475). The degree of these three fundamental qualities is determined by the equilibrium of rights and wrongs done in past lives, called karma and is predicted by astrological charts at birth (Gannon, 476). Hinduism also gave rise to the caste system. A caste or jati (translated as â€Å"birth†) is a social organization into which someone is born. It is also a system purported to provide social support and established economic and social roles, making it the most influential contribution to Indias collective culture (â€Å"Religions†; Zhang, 11-13). There are over 2000 distinct jatis in Indian society today (â€Å"Religions†). Each member marries within the same jati and follows specific rules of behavior such as kinship, profession, and diet, and interacts with other jatis according to their social position (â€Å"Religions†). Each jati is associated with five caste clusters or varnas in descending order: Brahmans which are priests, Kshatriyas as warriors, Vaishyas which were originally peasants but now associated with merchants, Sudras as artisans and laborers, and Panchamas which historically had been excluded from the system because of their occupation an d ways in life (â€Å"Religions†). The fifth varna reveals the mechanism for determining the level of the caste: purity. The rate at which a group comes into contact with pollutants such as dung, menstrual flow, leather, dirt, hair, saliva, and blood, determines its ranking within the social caste system (â€Å"Religions†). Panchamas are avoided for fear of contamination, hence the name â€Å"Untouchables,† but the Constituent Assembly of India adopted legislation after Indias independence outlawing the reference (â€Å"Religions†). More recently, the phrase â€Å"Dalit†, which means â€Å"Oppressed†, has been utilized in contemporary India, but is officially called â€Å"Scheduled Castes† (â€Å"Religions†). One sixth of the population belonging to this caste are typically landless, have agricultural professions, and other ritually contaminating occupations such as leatherwork which is the largest Scheduled Caste (â€Å"Relig ions†). Author Richard Lannoy demarcates mutually exclusive Western conceptions of â€Å"right and wrong† or â€Å"good and evil† from Indias philosophy which stresses finding the middle way (227). Furthermore, the cyclical nature of Hindu thought lends to an â€Å"open-ended sense of perfectibility, less anguish in the face of time, a less fanatical will to achieve everything in a single lifetime† and manifests in Indias holistic, non-linear, and inductive styles of reasoning and dialogue, harmonious existence with its environment, fluid sense of time, and high Long-Term orientation (Hall, 17; Lonner; Zhang, 20). 2. Holidays, Traditions Celebrations Both religious holidays and secular celebrations are observed broadly in India, often time with the same holy day being celebrated in unique ways by the varying religious and secular communities. For example, in Hinduism the festival of Diwali plays a significant role, but is interpreted differently by other related religions, such as BuddismBuddhism, Sikhs, and Jains. In its most generic form, Diwali is the festival of lights. Easter, Christmas, Islamic New Year and many others are also broadly celebrated by the Indian populace. In addition to holidays, the religions of India tend to be very ritualistic traditions as well. One such ritual is the lighting of the lamp before the altar of Lord Brahma while saying a prayer. This lighting represents darkness, knowledge, and ignorance. It is common in many Indian homes to have an altar or a prayer room. This symbolizes the Lord Brahma as the master of creation, and thus reorients the lives of people who occupy the surrounding space towards him and themselves. Hindu women often wear the pottu or tilak, which â€Å"invokes a feeling of sanctity the wearer and others†. The different colors and forms depend on the caste and religious subdivision. Taken as a whole, all these act of devotions large and small present a pattern as to the approach a great many Indians take toward religion and spirituality: integration. Indians of all religions are also known to regularly make pilgrimages to visit certain holy or nationally evocative sites. This attribute attests t o the powerful force of religion in an Indians daily life. B. Frames of Reference / Communication In the latter half of the 20th Century, pioneering anthropologist and culture-expert, Edward Hall conceived of what he called â€Å"the silent language† of culture. By extending the notion of culture from the more well-known and studied â€Å"front-stage† elements, and exploring the rich â€Å"back-stage† of culture, Hall demonstrated how beliefs, schemas, associated meanings and symbolism could affect intercultural communication as assiduously as spoken language might. The second subdivision of the component parts of Indian culture consider the communication patterns and frames of reference utilized by society as a whole, beginning with an exploration of the expressions and general attitudes found in contemporary Indian society, continuing with a discussion of role relationships, and ending with gestures and non-verbal communication. i. Expressions and General attitudes Like few other cultures, the belief systems found in India tend to be exhaustive and encompass a variety of values and philosophical perspectives on a wide variety of issues, such as nature (environment), human nature, privacy, individuality, wealth / material possessions, social positions, government, politics, childhood and child-rearing, time, crime, violence and others. A prominent feature of Indian society, even in non-Hindu cultures, is fatalism, which is an ultimate acceptance of the hand of fate insofar as guiding ones affairs are concerned (www.communicaid.com). Fatalism is tied to the Hindu notion of Karma, that â€Å"everything happens for a reason† and breeds and encourages passivity, and a surprisingly low uncertainty avoidance score for a country with such traditionalistic cultures (www.communicaid.com). Indian society is high context and collectivist; thus a prevalent concern in all interactions is the maintenance of social relationship and the preservation of social face. As such, activities which would provoke harsh judgment from ones peers isare frowned on. Many experts have noted that successful communication in India depends on precise knowledge of the status of the individual with whom one is speaking, and the relative standing between each party. Edward Hall diagnosed India as having a high-context culture, which is characterized by indirect, face-saving and listener-centric communication styles (Hall, p. 101). In India, communication is informed by role relationships, which, reflecting the society at large, are varied and complex. ii. Role relationships Role relationships in Indian society are in some instances outgrowths of the traditional caste system, as well as religious beliefs. The Indian caste system has been and continues to be influential in everyday life of the people. The main purpose of the caste system is to bring a sense of order in the society. The caste system enables people to have their own place in society and keeps away from any conflict. Outside of the traditional, economic and religious strictures of the Caste system, India as a society is marked by high power distance and tends to embrace clearly articulated lines of authority and respect. Indians base this respect on the behavior, title, class, and status of the person with whom he or she is interacting. The status of an Indian is determined in part by his or her possession of a university degree, his or her profession, age, and caste. In terms of professions, given the deference provided to authority figures, it is considered more impressive to work for the government than the private sector. Gender-based differences also exist, despite laws to the contrary. The head of the family is almost universally the eldest male. Male chauvinism is well-established, and women do not have the same privileges as do males. iii. Gestures and Non-verbal Communication As a high context culture, Indian communicators tend to rely heavily on indirect verbal and non-verbal cues to reinforce their message. In addition, Indians rely on a variety of contextual cues for comprehending meaning. For example, the word â€Å"No† or any kind of direct refusal is absent from most Indian discourse because it implicates an aggressive, harsh, impolite, and arrogant tone. Instead â€Å"vague and open-ended answer such as ‘Ill try or ‘I will confirm with you another time† are considered acceptable answers (â€Å"India: Prosperous Entertaining Part I†). Subsequently, a â€Å"Yes† does not always imply agreement or acceptance. Extrapolated further, some of these cues have taken on a life of their own, which is separate and considered standard when interacting with others. For instance, in order to show respect, greetings are offered with what is termed the ‘namaste or the placing of both hands together as if praying coup led with a slight bow. Use of the right hand when touching people or objects is recommended; due to the cultural association, the left hand is viewed as being unclean. Head bobbles, head wobbles, and Indian head shakes refer are a common gesture found in South Asian cultures, most notably in India. The head shake is the non-verbal equivalent of a multipurpose and omnipresent Hindi word, accha, which can mean anything from â€Å"good† to â€Å"I understand.† Shaking a head sideways is taken as non approval of certain things, whereas shaking a head up and down is taken as approval, though the meaning is reversed if you are aan Indian from the South. Similarly, a side to side hand wave is frequently interpreted by Indians as â€Å"no† or â€Å"go away.† Eye contact with an elder or person in a senior position is considered very rude. Avoiding eye contact with the seniors is considered as a sign of respect. Another non-verbal taboo is to touch a persons head because it ; The head is considered sensitive and so shouldnt be touched. Likewise, one should never point with a single finger or two fingers, instead, point with the chin, whole hand or thumb. Prostrating before God and elders and touching their feet is the humblest way of conveying respect in Indian culture. Known as Sashtang Namaskar it is bowing with four limbs of the body touching the ground. Touching feet of the elders is showing respect. Staring is also acceptable, as staring at strangers is a Western cultural taboo that does not carry the same weight in India. Many people feel quite free to stare at anything, or anyone, that is different from them and as part of their culture. Interpreting this as rudeness is unproductive. C. Group Interactions The third component of culture is group interactions, which are limited here to general social interactions amongst friends, peers and professional settings. Generally summarized, interactions can be sub-categorized into greetings, visits, and meetings. i. Greetings Renowned expert organizational behavior and psychology, Dr. Madhukar Shukla, describes Indians as outgoing and friendly, an attitude that is bolstered by a sense of privacy, which is less guarded than in the West (Shukla, â€Å"India: ConversatonConversation Part 1). One should not, therefore, be surprised by the ease with which conversation is started, nor with which it covers ostensibly private subject matters. There are several different naming forms in India, which vary from region to region (Kwintessential.com, â€Å"Global-Etiquette: India-country profile†). In the north of India, it is common to see a given name, followed by a surname or family name, whereas in the south, names commonly begin with a reference to the town or region the person is from, followed by the fathers name, and then lastly their given name. Similarly, in Muslim culture, surnames are not common, instead, have a derivative of their fathers name tacked on after the given name by ‘bin if the person is a male, and ‘binti if they are a female, which in both cases means ‘of; the name ‘Hajji might also have been added if this person had made the pilgrimage to Mecca. Sikhs,Sikhs also have a unique naming system, which is the given name followed by the name ‘Singh (Kwintessential.com, â€Å"Global-Etiquette: India-country profile†). In all cases, however, it is recommended that w hen addressing someone, one should give the correct name, prefaced by Mr.† or â€Å"Mrs.†, or by his or her professional title: doctor, director, chairman/woman, and so on (Shukla, â€Å"India: First Name or Title?†). Furthermore, the same source points out that despite the variety, in many parts of India, people will conform to the Hindu style of naming, which is the most widely used. Upon entering the room, greetings should be offered first to the oldest or most senior person present; in many cases, the oldest person will be the most senior-ranked. Offering a â€Å"Namaste,† a handshake or even a pleasant â€Å"hello† is acceptable, though there are important caveats to note. Depending on the religion of the person with whom one meets if he or she is a muslimMuslim a â€Å"Salaam Wale Kum† might be more appropriate (Shukla, â€Å"India: First Name or Title?†). Handshakes are acceptable for men; however touch is a sensitive area for many Indians, so a handshake might not be as acceptable for women (Shukla, â€Å"India: First Name or Title?†). Experts suggest respecting the physical space of Indian counterparts, and any physical interactions should be at their initiative. The recommendation of the â€Å"hello† and slight wave,wave should only be acted upon if the audience is younger, as it is reasonable to assume they wou ld be familiar with this aspect of western culture. (Shukla, â€Å"India: First Name or Title?†) ii. Visiting â€Å"Hospitality is a key value in Indian culture, and the guest is considered the equivalent to god† (Shukla, â€Å"India: Prosperous Entertaining Part I†). Foreigners and Indians alike can attest to the geniality one encounters from invitations by those they just met to â€Å"drop on by† at any time. The Indian hos