Research Methodology Used For Research - 1207 Words

Research Methodology Introduction This chapter discusses the methodology used for this research. Describing type of methodology in research study and define the chosen method and approach for this research. Then, the outline of research strategy used, framework this research conducted and data sources collected to obtain valid and reliable research as the objective determined. Review of Research of Methodology Broadly speaking, there are several purpose of research. It depends on the objective of the research itself. First, research is conducted to get review from existing knowledge. Second, to investigate the problem and existing situation. Third, to provide solutions to problems. Fourth, to explore and analyse more general issues. Next, to construct or create new procedures or systems. After that, to explain new phenomenon. Then, to generate new knowledge. Otherwise, combination of any previous purposes. The purpose of research will determine the suitable method used to get the objective. Type of research In general, research works commonly classified into four categories, namely: exploratory, descriptive, analytical and predictive research (libguides, 2015) . Exploratory research. This type conducted for a problem that has not been clearly defined. It looks for pattern, hypotheses or ideas that can be tested. Can help determine the best research design, data collection method, and selection of the subjects. Used when few or no previous studies exist. Will oftenShow MoreRelatedMethodology. The Type Of Research Used In This Exploration1811 Words   |  8 Pages Methodology The type of research used in this exploration is qualitative data, Qualitative data utilizes the idea of multiple realities, this is that it rejects the positivist idea of one â€Å"real† certainty. To reflect the ideas of my research I will review several instances in which a Trump Presidency will impact the United States and the morale of the American people. As cases of President Trump’s, verbiage either reflects divisive language that is harmful to culture and the well-being of AmericaRead MoreDifferent Types Of Research Methodologies975 Words   |  4 PagesResearch Methodologies With the various types of research methodologies, one can classify them as medical, social, computer, or life science research. However, in computers and bioinformatics research methodology, the methods used are computational, computer simulation, iCloud, omics, and theoretical. Before starting any research, a literature review is required, for example, magazines, books, scholarly/peer reviewed journals, company sales, customer, and employee records. If in the medical fieldRead MoreWeek 1 RSCH 8300860 Words   |  4 Pagesare faced with the decision of choosing a methodology of research; either Quantitative or Qualitative that they think best fits their study and objectives. This choice is guarded by the topic of study, the advantages and disadvantages, and the strengths and weaknesses of using either one or the other type of the methodologies. Researchers are sometimes using Quantitative and Qualitative research methodologies interchangeably, or all three of the methodologies including the mixed approach, Creswell (2009)Read MoreQualitative And Quantitative And Qualitative Methodologies953 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant to have the balance of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies in a combined methodologies research study. It is interesting to note that, one clear practical issue in combining both methods is the issue whether the combined methodologies are â€Å"genuinely integrated† (Bryman, 2007). Bryman further argued, to what extent do researchers who combined both methodologies analyse, interpret and write up their research in a way that both qualitative and quantitative components are mutuallyRead MoreThe Social Construction Of Experience1437 Words   |  6 Pagesas observable and external so that they are interested in conducting research which is based on measurement or calculation. Therefore, it is the ontological and epistemological beliefs that usually drive the methodological preferences, but what helps the researchers make their final decisions about research methods is the guiding research question(s). Sechrest and Sidani (1995) point out the commonality that both methodologies â€Å"describe their data, construct explanatory arguments form their dataRead MoreResearch Methodology For Adopting Mixed Method Approach1282 Words   |  6 PagesMethodology: In this chapter, the research methods commonly employed in social sciences, namely, qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods will first be discussed. I shall then describe my own research design, including the philosophical approach I adopted. This approach will be explained by identifying the ontological and epistemological standpoints assumed. The research strategy will be clarified, and the sampling procedures and participants of the study will be described. The processes of dataRead MoreMethodology: Scientific Method and Research785 Words   |  4 PagesHow Do You Write a Methodology If you want to make your research appear more credible there is no option but to understand in detail, how to write a methodology. A research methodology will help you showcase your knowledge of using alternative methods that help in presenting your research topic more valid. The best way to demonstrate your research is by using a qualitative or quantitative research process. The following are the general guidelines that you should follow depending on the type ofRead MoreTypes of Experimental Research Methodologies1387 Words   |  6 Pagesthe participants are in and the researchers do nothing to change the behavior of the participants. Natural observation is used when researchers are looking for a particular behavior but this can be a very time consuming method of research. The researcher has no guarantee that he or she will witness the particular behavior he or she is looking for. The second methodology used in gaining qualitative and quantitative data is the survey method. The survey method is a method that polls or questions aRead MoreWhat Is The Generic Qualitative Approach? Essay1266 Words   |  6 PagesPART A 1. What is the ‘generic qualitative approach’? There are various research methodologies in qualitative research. However researches sometimes do not find one particular methodology to fit the all types of research. When researches face this kind of challenging situation, they tend to accept ‘generic qualitative approach’. Generic qualitative approach is not guided by an explicit and set of philosophic assumptions in the form of one established qualitative method. Generic qualitativeRead MoreSurvey Paper961 Words   |  4 Pagesa problem statement that unambiguously identifies and defines the problem to research. Sekaran (2003) said, â€Å"No amount of good research can find solutions to the situation, if the critical issue or the problem to be studied is not clearly pinpointed† (p. 69). The area of research for this paper focuses on software development, in particular, the study of agile software development methodologies and if these methodologies are successful in delivering software on time, within budget, and includes the

Mill Happiness Theory Free Essays

The moral of utilitarianism, especially in reference to John Stuart Mill, was the proportion of rightness or wrongness in action and living is ultimately determined by the action that produces the most happiness through its endeavor, and by the amount of people affected by it.   The most good that can come from an action then is the purpose of utilitarianism, as Mill states, â€Å"The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness† (42).   Thus, the moral of utilitarianism involves achieving the greatest happiness through actions, which was the original basis for the government. We will write a custom essay sample on Mill Happiness Theory or any similar topic only for you Order Now Pleasure, and freedom are must both be free of pain if they are to be considered true to the moral of utilitarianism.   The theory does not only address the fulfillment of happiness for the ‘doer’ but the lack of pain in any action accomplished.   The desire for pleasure is the supreme goal of the theory, and the prevention of pain is the underlining supposition. Mill states that being of higher intelligence thusly requires more to satisfy him.   Although man is more than capable of great joy, this joy is always coupled with great sorrow, yet, man would not trade the sorrow for the happiness of the pig because the joy of man’s life is go much more than that of a dunce. Happiness, joy, or good for the utilitarian is that which is righteous in mankind, his power to achieve greatness sometimes lies in his ability to sacrifice for the greater good and in this is found the pinnacle of the moral of utilitarianism as Mill writes, â€Å"Utilitarianism, therefore, could only attain its end by the general cultivation of nobleness of character, even if each individual were only benefited by the nobles of others, and his own, so far as happiness is concerned, were a sheer deduction from the benefit.   But the bare enunciation of such an absurdity as this last, renders refutation superfluous† (45). On the opposite side of the spectrum of good and bad according to utilitarianism, bad means the selfish nature of man; that is, sacrificing for egotistical reasons.   If a man sacrifices, becomes a martyr, and they seek personal gain instead of the aim of increasing happiness for the world, then their actions are deplorable because they were not given for the world but for the self. Man achieves the Greatest Happiness Principle by not always sacrificing himself for the good of the whole, but by being virtuous on a daily basis, and by acting out of charity, not by gainful employment towards the self and with this fact is found the foundation of political liberalism in its perfect state.   For utilitarianism, and the good that is meant in its concept of moral, Mill states, â€Å"To do as you would be done by and to love your neighbour as yourself constitute the ideal perfection of utilitarian morality† (49). Utilitarianism construes good to mean a variety of things such as power, knowledge, beauty, moral quality, etc. and because of these parlayed meanings other forms of utilitarianism are endorsed from the original meaning.   Modern utilitarians believe that good is not the sole aim of the theory but other items (as listed above) have intrinsic value.   Ideal utilitarianism states that the actions of a person in the gaining of power, beauty, knowledge, etc. should also increase happiness, which in turn fulfills life.  Ã‚   On the other side of the spectrum, Classical utilitarianism suggests that pleasure is the main component of intrinsic good. This assignment has been given in order to distinguish Mill’s philosophy as well as to understand more thoroughly what is meant by individual happiness and a person’ s right to pursue such happiness. Work Cited Mill, John Stuart.   On Liberty.   Modern Library; New Ed edition (2002).    How to cite Mill Happiness Theory, Essay examples

Performance Pay and Productivity

Question: Discuss about thePerformance Pay and Productivity. Answer: Introduction Over decades, firms across the word have introduced various payment schemes to compensate their employees for their contribution to their success. Among the most prevalent reimbursement packages used by the majority of the organizations in both private and public sector, currently is the performance-related pay, whereby workers are paid based on their individual or group productivity. Enterprise executives utilize such incentive programs to motivate staff members to become more efficient at their places of work, enhance their commitment, augment job satisfaction, lower absenteeism rates as well as employee turnover ratios. Most of the entities that apply performance-based schemes do not establish them by themselves rather as an aspect of the organization transformations on operations, for instance, teamwork, employee engrossment committee or in some cases a total quality management that improves employee participation in decision-making (Park, and Sturman, 2015). Despite the fact that a lot of research has been made to investigate the effectiveness of performance payment programs, little is known about its impact on the productivity of workers in any organizational setting. The majority of the studies provide that performance-based pay is closely associated with improved productivity among the labor force as well as enhanced quality of the employee-firm match. However, some researchers offer opposing opinions arguing that this type of compensation plan may not always yield anticipated results of increased worker performance since it is often associated with some setbacks (Heywood and Parent, 2012). While it is true that performance-related schemes often supplement employees' morale and as a result develop their efficiency, it is critical for the firms advocating for their implementation to consider the related setbacks and execute other programs to motivate their labor force rather than using financial incentives to encourage them towards pro ductivity. This literature review paper examines in depth the issue of Performance-based rewards by examining several theoretical works provided by different theorists and academics over the years. It identifies significant findings of these theories and their common trend in addressing the impact of this remuneration program on productivity of groups and individual employees in various organizations in diverse environmental settings. Literature Review According to Lavy (2007), implementation of performance based pay in an organization aids substantially in improving employee overall productivity. He holds that workers remunerated based on their enactment will tend to work harder since they are assured of direct gains in productivity. Lavy points out that financial incentive gives an opportunity to augment staff output in the public sector and as a result governments can apply them in order to deliver loftier public services. Lazear (2000) tended to have a similar school of thought as Lavy since according to him financial rewards not only increase employees output but also attract a splendid pool of new applicants with the passion for delivering. Based on Lazears study, paying a worker depending on his or her work accomplishments often augments the quantity and quality of new job seekers thus helping to bring more employees in the labor force, with obvious results for general productivity. Chiang and Birtch (2010) also provide a related point of view on the correlation between pay for performance and employee attitude towards job. In the course of the research, they surveyed the employees level of work satisfaction, managerial commitment towards administrative functions, as well as the overall turnover ratio and how the various parameters were affected by pay for performance remuneration system. The study sample selected by the researchers included the tourism industry in the region and some hotels located in Hong Kong. With the help of various departments at the company, they distributed questionnaires randomly to a sample of workers working in the respective firms. The investigators received about 258 valid rejoinders from seven hotels sampled. Descriptive measurements as well as correspondence coefficients which were used for all research variables were tabulated. In the analysis part of the hierarchical research regression technique was employed. The outcomes of th e investigation reveal that when workers anticipate for a high financial reward association they tended to demonstrate augmented positive attitude towards work. In other words, reward systems, such as pay for performance, take a significant part in the configuration of worker-firm service eminence values. Apart from creating a noticeable association between payment and performance, this remuneration scheme help in enhancing job satisfaction and staff devotion as well as reducing turnover ratios, all of which may consequently boost service quality (Muhammad, 2012). Financial rewards or penalties often result in desirable consequences for the attraction and retention of exceptionally qualified and able pool of high achievers as well as the turnover of non-performers over time. Besley and Ghatak (2003) figured out that the implementation of pay-per-performance schemes associated with being a productive headmaster in schools resulted in non-performing head teachers resigning from their jobs rather than accepting lower remunerations. Besley and Machin scrutinize the pay levels of principal teachers in the UK in relation to the performance of the learning institutions they are associated with. They realized that headmasters salaried in accordance to their enactment seemed highly incentivized, and their learners' overall performance was consisted reflecting the great deal of splendid contribution of the institution leadership. Burgess and Ratto (2004) expounds on the phenomenon of ratchet effect which occurs when employees lessen their efforts so as to convince their employers to believe that the task assigned to them is extremely difficult to carry out than it really is. They argue that Majority of the incentive plans remain active for considerable period of time during which the productivity of workers is assessed and rewards are bestowed multifarious times. In this case, the staff members can, thus, note the capability of the company from the preceding productivity capacities and come up with an assessment of the difficulty of the assigned task. Managers desiring to decrease the expenditures of their remuneration system can then readjust inceptions and elevate objects to restrain the dissemination of monetary rewards at every productivity stages. In anticipation of such vicissitudes, workers are probably going to lessen their performance in prior stages to misinform the managers into trusting that the w ork is extra complicated than it is commonly perceived. These theorists, therefore, conclude that ratchet effects have the capacity to affect the efficiency of pay-per-performance systems negatively. Dixit (2002) however, provide a contrasting view. He holds that career concerns can function in opposing direction to the phenomenon of ratchet effect described above. Whether this occurrence can be overcome depends entirely on the age of a particular worker, his potentials as well as their level of uncertainty in regard to their capability to, amongst other influences. Dixit further maintains that in case an employer is not aware of the real ability of a staff member, the employee can work extra harder at the inception stages, to reveal the impression that they are high achievers. As a consequence, the pay off at this initial stage for the member may emerge in the long term, concerning exceptional job opportunities as well satisfying future earnings. Dixit therefore, concludes that financial incentives may sound unnecessary in motivating younger, untried workers towards productivity. Propper, Wilson, et.al (2003), on the other hand, address the issue of pay-per-performance from a distinctive point of view. They say that in most of the cases, the public amenities are multidimensional and as such, the goals of a firm are challenging to describe and also to assess. They give an example of a school whose primary goal is to offer good education, ' but this is not easy to describe. Even breaking into sub-components this general school objective can be challenging; there is, for instance, considerable deliberation about what encompasses a commendable degree of a high quality of education. Therefore, it becomes harder to initiate proper performance assessment techniques thus imparting little information about the productivity of a group or individual staff member. As a result, relating financial incentives to the achieving of performance objectives fail to provide adequate inducements, might contribute to particular rudiments of strategic conduct and levies superfluous j eopardy on organization workforces. In as much as career concerns of an individual employee offer an inner inspiration to put additional exertion even in the nonexistence of monetary inducements, a civic segment (intrinsic) incentive could have a comparable effect, this phase irrespective of the workers stage of development and their level of indecision about their productivity (Bonesrnning, 2011). Workers in the public sector may tend to care about the consequences or vision of the public entity and acquire gratification, from knowing that their exertion of effort is directly leading to it. Francois (2000), in anattempt to address this point of argument, suggests that intrinsically encouraged workforces ought to primarily function preeminent when inducements are trivial or even lacking, and managers obligate not to avert any superfluities or public proceeds away from the establishments undertaking . Besley and Ghatak (2005) advance this point of view in depth, holding that if civic segment corporations post undertakin gs in the course of their conscription process, the normal categorization of job candidates will perform the function of monetary rewards. In contrast, pay-per-performance schemes may aid to concentrate determination on other business objectives which might have remained derelict if workers depend entirely on public service incentive only. These points of view bring back the efficiency argument in which pay-per-performance programs aid well showing that intrinsically motivated labor forces tend to prioritize responsibilities in a veracious manner. Another source of substantiation on the effectiveness of financial incentives is derived from the United States Job Training Partnership Act abbreviated as JTPA. This is a centralized recruitment and preparation Programme which endorses anticipated worker code of conduct by use of agency level monetary inducements instead of a consummate directive. In JPTA, the United States Department of Labor rewards training institutes and the bonuses used to award them cannot be used to increase worker remunerations (Plesca, and Smith, 2007).Therefore, though socially motivated workers can acquire benefits from improved amenities and noticing developed member numbers, personal productivity is compensated indirectly. The definite magnitude 16 of the recompense hinges on a particular organizations productivity in accordance with an array of measures, deemed to have mottled over the existence of JTPA and from State-run to another. Initially, productivity was gauged in consideration of cost for each member along with their pay levels, engagement ranking, and paychecks up to a period of 3 months following their graduation. Bonuses in this Programme have increased the operational budgeting of training centers by approximately 7% but could not be utilized in employee salary increments (Courty and Marschke 2004). Related conclusions from experimental researches of the JTPA Programme are abridged by various theorists including (Besharov Cottingham, 2011). At first, they obtained variegated substantiation inclusive of cream-skimming, the process of choosing job candidates most probable to aid agencies to achieve their productivity objectives. Moreover, Heckman and Smith (2004) in their work view the 16 training centers and, by the act of disintegrating the assortment procedure, figure out that deficiency of cognizance of system suitability instead of cream-skimming by training agency member is accountable for motivating the majority of the striking dissimilarities amongst suitable a pplicants and chosen members. Scrutinizing a single training center carefully, Heckman, Smith, and Taber realize that the training agencies are intentionally choosing less employable applicants notwithstanding the existence of productivity interrelated pecuniary rewards. Barnow and Smith (2004) on the other hand, recommend that regression-founded approaches to regulating the productivity processes employed in the systems for case assortment have been to some extent efficacious at decreasing the inducements to cream-skim suitable candidates. Conclusion As depicted by the majority of the theoretical works, pay per performance remuneration scheme and employee productivity in any organizational setting have a strong positive correlation. Workers recompensed depending on their level of contribution often exhibit advanced motivation, job satisfaction, declined absenteeism rates as well as commitment. Holding other factors constant which have potentials of influencing the productivity such as working environments, operational hours, and managerial practices, staff members tend to perform optimally with the existence of performance-based compensation programs. Nevertheless, some theorists argue against the natural hypothesis of the connection between worker productivity and remuneration based on performance. They maintain that scheming employees can especially during the work inception stage deceive on their experience with a certain task so as to lure managers to be lenient when assessing their productivity. While it is common knowledge that pay per performance schemes augment employees productivity, it is critical for organizations to consider possible repercussions which might befall. Besides, it can be argued that intrinsic form of motivation helps significantly in improving a corporation's overall output and since it is not tied to any material gain, it might emerge better comparatively. Financial incentive in some cases may seem efficient in the short run but deemed inefficient over time. Workers working harder for material gain like bonuses may often exhibit declined motivation in cases when the benefits are affected by other external factors like competition, seasonal variations as well as demographic influencers. References Lavy, V. (2007). Using Performance-Based Pay to Improve the Quality of Teachers. The Future of Children, 17(1), pp.87-109. Lazear, E. (2016). Performance Pay and Productivity. [online] The American Economic Review, Vol. 90, No. 5 (Dec., 2000), pp. 1346-1361. Chiang, F. and Birtch, T. (2010). Pay for performance and work attitudes: The mediating role of employeeorganization service value congruence. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 29(4), pp.632-640. Besley, T. and Ghatak, M. (2003). Incentives, Choice, and Accountability in the Provision of Public Services. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 19(2), pp.235-249. Burgess, Simon; Propper, Carol; Ratto, Marisa and Tominey, Emma (2004) Incentives in the Public Sector: Evidence from a Government Agency CMPO Working Paper Series No. 04/103 Dixit, A. (2002). Incentives and Organizations in the Public Sector: An Interpretative Review. The Journal of Human Resources, 37(4), p.696. Propper, Carol and Wilson, Deborah (2003) The Use and Usefulness of Performance measures in the Public Sector Oxford Review of Economic Policy Vol. 19 No. 2, 250-268 Francois, P. (2000). Public service motivation as an argument for government provision. Journal of Public Economics, 78(3), pp.275-299. Besley, T. and Ghatak, M. (2005). Competition and Incentives with Motivated Agents. American Economic Review, 95(3), pp.616-636. Barnow, S. and Smith, A. (2004). Performance Management of U.S. Job Training Programs: Lessons from the Job Training Partnership Act. Public Finance and Management, 4(3), 2004 pp. 247-287. Courty, Pascal and Marschke, Gerald (2003) Dynamics of Performance Measurment Systems Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Vol. 19, No. 2 Plesca, M. and Smith, J. (2007). Evaluating multi-treatment programs: theory and evidence from the U.S. Job Training Partnership Act experiment. Empirical Economics, 32(2-3), pp.491-528. Top of Form Besharov, D. J., Cottingham, P. H. (2011).The Workforce Investment Act: implementation experiences and evaluation findings. Kalamazoo, Mich, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Heckman, J., C. Heinrich, and J. Smith (2002) The Performance of Performance Standards The Journal of Human Resources 37: 778811 Heywood, J. and Parent, D. (2012). Performance Pay and the White-Black Wage Gap. Journal of Labor Economics, 30(2), pp.249-290. Park, S. and Sturman, M. (2015). Evaluating Form and Functionality of Pay-for-Performance Plans: The Relative Incentive and Sorting Effects of Merit Pay, Bonuses, and Long-Term Incentives. Human Resource Management, 55(4), pp.697-719. Bonesrnning, H. (2011). Public employees and public sector reform implementation. Public Choice, 156(1-2), pp.309-327. Muhammad, G. (2012). Determinants of Employee Motivation - A Case Study of Afroze Textile Industries Limited, Karachi, Pakistan. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 4(3), pp.22-25.

The Spirit and Personality of Man free essay sample

The Spirit and Personality of Man In your opinion, how is the spirit and personality linked? Where does the idea of a spirit fit within your own theory of personality? What is the spirit of a man? Where did our personalities come from? What influences our personality? We know that our environment which includes our family, culture and communities’ influence us but what is behind our personalities? Should we think of the self as a complex chemical substance or as a spirit?We find ourselves identified with God in Genesis 1:26 (New International Version) in this book the Lord God is found speaking to other members of the Godhead and says, â€Å"Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule†, in Genesis 2:7 (NIV), he continues to tell us about our creation in the next chapter by saying, â€Å"the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. We will write a custom essay sample on The Spirit and Personality of Man or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This tells us that our personality comes from God and that it is he that has made us and not we ourselves† Psalms 100: 3 (NIV). From a biblical standpoint of view it tells us that we come from God and that our personality is mostly spiritual since Adam had no life until God breathed into him and we likewise. When people die the body is lifeless and is returned to the ground. The Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities believe in the God of heaven (who is a Spirit, John 4:24) and that we took our personalities from him.On the flip side of that Satan worshipers believe that Satan (who is a spirit) is greater than God and they devoutly worship him and are lead by his Principalities, Power and Rulers in their everyday life. That seems to be about or close to half of the world’s population which believes that a spirit being controls their mind, will, and emotions. This informs us of where (I believe) we come from and where our personalities come from. No one, or no thing, is an island unto itself (Hoffman, 1993). Many people believe that we are sovereign unto ourselves, and that there is God’s ways (personality), my ways, and the Devils ways and that is not true. When Adam sinned against God, he gave authority over to Satan which allowed the kingdom of darkness a legal obligation to oppress, and possess me when they sin. Although we did not see happen physically nor do we see it reoccurring physically today, we see the result of the relationship between sin, personality and evil spirit.Every week or two I log on to scoan. org to watch Christian services by Prophet T. B. Joshua. Prophet T. B. Joshua is a Christian, minister, televangelist and faith healer. He is leader and founder of the ministry organization The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) located in Lagos, Nigeria. Most of time during his services before he begins to pray he says, â€Å"Whatever your situation is, whatever your problem is, it might be sickness, disease, cancer, bad luck; whatever your problem, a Demon is behind it†.Then when he begins to lead his congregation in prayer people who are possessed or oppressed by demons began to crawl, slither, gag, spit, and sometimes even want to fight him. What about these people’s personality causes them to behave inhumanly? I would say they are faking but I grew up around the same church environment, plus it is common to read about Demons reacting to Jesus the same way in Mark 9:14 – 20 (New International Version), the man with a deaf and dumb spirit, Mark 1:23-24, King James Version, a man with an unclean spirit in the synagogue, and the man with a legion of demons (Mark 5:15 NIV). When the man with the legion of demon had them cast out he was instantly changed from being a savage, into a man of solitude, a sound mind and peace. I do not understand how our spirit and personality actually connected but I do understand that the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of darkness are in a war to save or destroy the spirit and personality of man. The bible says that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Benazir Bhutto - Former Prime Minister of Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto - Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto was born into one of South Asias great political dynasties, Pakistans equivalent of the Nehru/Gandhi dynasty in India. Her father was president of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973, and Prime Minister from 1973 to 1977; his father, in turn, was prime minister of a princely state before independence and the Partition of India. Politics in Pakistan, however, is a dangerous game. In the end, Benazir, her father, and both of her brothers would die violently. Early Life Benazir Bhutto was born on June 21, 1953 in Karachi, Pakistan, the first child of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Begum Nusrat Ispahani. Nusrat was from Iran, and practiced Shia Islam, while her husband (and most other Pakistanis) practiced Sunni Islam. They raised Benazir and their other children as Sunnis  but in an open-minded and non-doctrinaire fashion. The couple later would have two sons and another daughter: Murtaza (born in 1954), daughter Sanam (born in 1957), and Shahnawaz (born in 1958). As the eldest child, Benazir was expected to do very well in her studies, regardless of her gender. Benazir went to school in Karachi through high school, then attended Radcliffe College (now part of Harvard University) in the United States, where she studied comparative government. Bhutto later said that her experience in Boston reconfirmed her belief in the power of democracy. After graduating from Radcliffe in 1973, Benazir Bhutto spent several additional years studying at Oxford University in Great Britain. She took a wide variety of courses in international law and diplomacy, economics, philosophy and politics. Entry into Politics Four years into Benazirs studies in England, the Pakistani military overthrew her fathers government in a coup. The coup leader, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, imposed martial law on Pakistan and had Zulfikar Ali Bhutto arrested on trumped-up conspiracy charges. Benazir returned home, where she and her brother Murtaza worked for 18 months to rally public opinion in support of their jailed father. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, meanwhile, convicted Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of conspiracy to commit murder  and sentenced him to death by hanging. Due to their activism on behalf of their father, Benazir and Murtaza were placed under house arrest off and on. As Zulfikars designated execution date of April 4, 1979 drew closer, Benazir, her mother, and her younger siblings were all arrested and imprisoned in a police camp. Imprisonment Despite an international outcry, General Zias government hanged Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on April 4, 1979. Benazir, her brother, and her mother were in prison at the time  and were not allowed to prepare the former prime ministers body for burial in accordance with Islamic law. When Bhuttos Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won local elections that spring, Zia canceled national elections and sent the surviving members of the Bhutto family to prison in Larkana, about 460 kilometers (285 miles) north of Karachi. Over the next five years, Benazir Bhutto would be held either in prison or under house arrest. Her worst experience was in a desert prison at Sukkur, where she was held in solitary confinement for six months of 1981, including the worst of the summer heat. Tormented by insects, and with her hair falling out and skin peeling off from the baking temperatures, Bhutto had to be hospitalized for several months after this experience. Once Benazir was sufficiently recovered from her term at Sukkur Jail, Zias government sent her back to the Karachi Central Jail, then to Larkana once more, and back to Karachi under house arrest. Meanwhile, her mother, who had also been held at Sukkur, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Benazir herself had developed an inner ear problem that required surgery. International pressure mounted for Zia to allow them to leave Pakistan to seek medical care. Finally, after six years of moving the Bhutto family from one form of imprisonment to the next, General Zia allowed them to go into exile in order to get treatment. Exile Benazir Bhutto and her mother went to London in January of 1984 to begin their self-imposed medical exile. As soon as Benazirs ear problem was remedied, she began to publicly advocate against the Zia regime. Tragedy touched the family once more on July 18, 1985. After a family picnic, Benazirs youngest brother, the 27-year-old Shah Nawaz Bhutto, died of poisoning in his home in France. His family believed that his Afghan princess wife, Rehana, had murdered Shah Nawaz at the behest of the Zia regime; although French police held her in custody for some time, no charges were ever brought against her. Despite her grief, Benazir Bhutto continued her political involvement. She became the leader in exile of her fathers Pakistan Peoples Party. Marriage Family Life Between the assassinations of her close relatives and Benazirs own frantically busy political schedule, she had no time for dating or meeting men. In fact, by the time she entered her 30s, Benazir Bhutto had begun to assume that she would never marry; politics would be her lifes work and only love. However, her family had other ideas. An auntie advocated for a fellow Sindhi and scion of a landed family, a young man named Asif Ali Zardari. Benazir refused to even meet him at first, but after a concerted effort by her family and his, the marriage was arranged (despite Benazirs feminist qualms about arranged marriages). The marriage was a happy one, and the couple had three children - a son, Bilawal (born 1988), and two daughters, Bakhtawar (born 1990) and Aseefa (born 1993). They had hoped for a larger family, but Asif Zardari was imprisoned for seven years, so they were unable to have more children. Return and Election as Prime Minister On August 17, 1988, the Bhuttos received a favor from the heavens, as it were. A C-130 carrying General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and several of his top military commanders, along with US Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel, crashed near Bahawalpur, in the Punjab region of Pakistan. No definitive cause was ever established, although theories included sabotage, Indian missile strike, or a suicidal pilot. Simple mechanical failure seems the most likely cause, however. Zias unexpected death cleared the way for Benazir and her mother to lead the PPP to victory in the November 16, 1988 parliamentary elections. Benazir became Pakistans eleventh prime minister on December 2, 1988. Not only was she Pakistans first female Prime Minister, but also the first woman to lead a Muslim nation in modern times. She focused on social and political reforms, which rankled more traditional or Islamist politicians. Prime Minister Bhutto faced a number of international policy problems during her first tenure in office, including the Soviet and American withdrawal from Afghanistan and the resulting chaos. Bhutto reached out to India, establishing a good working relationship with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, but that initiative failed when he was voted out of office, and then assassinated by Tamil Tigers in 1991. Pakistans relationship with the United States, already strained by the situation in Afghanistan, broke altogether in 1990 over the issue of nuclear weapons. Benazir Bhutto firmly believed that Pakistan needed a credible nuclear deterrent, since India had already tested a nuclear bomb in 1974. Corruption Charges On the domestic front, Prime Minister Bhutto sought to improve human rights and the position of women in Pakistani society. She restored freedom of the press  and allowed labor unions and student groups to meet openly once again. Prime Minister Bhutto also working assiduously to weaken the ultra-conservative president of Pakistan, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, and his allies in the military leadership. However, Khan had veto power over parliamentary actions, which severely restricted Benazirs effectiveness on matters of political reform. In November of 1990, Khan dismissed Benazir Bhutto from the Prime Ministership and called new elections. She was charged with corruption and nepotism under the Eighth Amendment to the Pakistani Constitution; Bhutto always maintained that the charges were purely political. The conservative parliamentarian Nawaz Sharif became the new prime minister, while Benazir Bhutto was relegated to being the opposition leader for five years. When Sharif also tried to repeal the Eighth Amendment, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan used it to recall his government in 1993, just as he had done to Bhuttos government three years earlier. As a result, Bhutto and Sharif joined forces to oust President Khan in 1993. Second Term as Prime Minister In October of 1993, Benazir Bhuttos PPP got a plurality of the parliamentary seats  and formed a coalition government. Once again, Bhutto became prime minister. Her hand-picked candidate for the presidency, Farooq Leghari, took office in the place of Khan. In 1995, an alleged conspiracy to oust Bhutto in a military coup was exposed, and the leaders tried and jailed for sentences of two to fourteen years. Some observers believe that the putative coup was simply an excuse for Benazir to rid the military of some of her opponents. On the other hand, she had first-hand knowledge of the danger a military coup could pose, considering her fathers fate. Tragedy struck the Bhuttos once more on September 20, 1996, when Karachi police shot dead Benazirs surviving brother, Mir Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto. Murtaza had not gotten along well with Benazirs husband, which sparked conspiracy theories about his assassination. Even Benazir Bhuttos own mother accused the prime minister and her husband of causing Murtazas death. In 1997, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was dismissed from office once more, this time by President Leghari, whom she had supported. Again, she was charged with corruption; her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, was also implicated. Leghari reportedly believed that the couple was implicated in Murtaza Bhuttos assassination. Exile Once More Benazir Bhutto stood for parliamentary elections in February of 1997  but was defeated. Meanwhile, her husband had been arrested trying to get to Dubai  and went on trial for corruption. While in prison, Zardari won a parliamentary seat. In April of 1999, both Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari were convicted of corruption  and were fined $8.6 million US each. They were both sentenced to five years in prison. However, Bhutto was already in Dubai, which refused to extradite her back to Pakistan, so only Zardari served his sentence. In 2004, after his release, he joined his wife in exile in Dubai. Return to Pakistan On October 5, 2007, General and President Pervez Musharraf granted Benazir Bhutto amnesty from all of her corruption convictions. Two weeks later, Bhutto returned to Pakistan to campaign for the 2008 elections. On the day she landed at Karachi, a suicide bomber attacked her convoy surrounded by well-wishers, killing 136 and injuring 450; Bhutto escaped unharmed. In response, Musharraf declared a state of emergency on November 3. Bhutto criticized the declaration  and called Musharraf a dictator. Five days later, Benazir Bhutto was placed under house arrest to prevent her from rallying her supporters against the state of emergency. Bhutto was freed from house arrest the following day, but the state of emergency remained in effect until December 16, 2007. In the meantime, however, Musharraf gave up his post as a general in the army, affirming his intention to rule as a civilian. The Assassination of Benazir Bhutto On December 27, 2007, Bhutto appeared at an election rally in the park known as Liaquat National Bagh in Rawalpindi. As she was leaving the rally, she stood up to wave to supporters through the sunroof of her SUV. A gunman shot her three times, and then explosives went off all around the vehicle. Twenty people died on the scene; Benazir Bhutto passed away about an hour later in the hospital. Her cause of death was not the gunshot wounds but rather blunt force head trauma. The blast of the explosions had slammed her head into the edge of the sunroof with terrible force. Benazir Bhutto died at the age of 54, leaving behind a complicated legacy. The charges of corruption leveled against her husband and herself do not seem to have been entirely invented for political reasons, despite Bhuttos assertions to the contrary in her autobiography. We may never know whether she had any fore-knowledge about her brothers assassination. In the end, though, nobody can question Benazir Bhuttos bravery. She and her family endured tremendous hardships, and whatever her faults as a leader, she genuinely did strive to improve life for the ordinary people of Pakistan. For more information about women in power in Asia, see this list of Female Heads of State. Sources Bahadur, Kalim. Democracy in Pakistan: Crises and Conflicts, New Delhi: Har-Anand Publications, 1998. Obituary: Benazir Bhutto, BBC News, Dec. 27, 2007. Bhutto, Benazir. Daughter of Destiny: An Autobiography, 2nd ed., New York: Harper Collins, 2008. Bhutto, Benazir. Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy, and the West, New York: Harper Collins, 2008. Englar, Mary. Benazir Bhutto: Pakistani Prime Minister and Activist, Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2006.

The Best Of Both Worlds Introducing HubSpot for CoSchedule

The Best Of Both Worlds Introducing HubSpot for Remember why you purchased HubSpot? How excited you were to have an â€Å"all-in-one marketing tool†? to finally get your sh*t organized (and move projects forward)? Only to find while you can do a lot in HubSpot†¦ Planning out your marketing schedule†¦ Collaborating on projects AND keeping some semblance of sanity over what’s going on today, tomorrow, and next month†¦ isn’t exactly their forte. Only to be left managing timelines, collaboration, tasks, and outbound tactics in spreadsheets, Teamwork, Basecamp, Airtable, email, and other misc. tools. If only there was a better way. 😠 Enter the perfect solution: ’s *NEW* HubSpot Integration. With the new integration, you’ll be able to: Visualize your ENTIRE marketing strategy in one dynamic calendar. Marketing is more than just inbound. Add every active marketing project and campaign in , so you can make sure your teams priorities are focused on reaching company goals. Improve productivity + streamline your marketing process. Give your team access to everything they need to get work done. Including task lists, project timelines, files, and even direct access to HubSpot emails and landing pages. Keep conversation relevant + connected to every project. Collaborate on projects in real-time. Share feedback, status updates, and more in discussions so your team stays on the same page. Upgrade your social strategy with better publishing tools. s social scheduling allows you to promote your top landing pages and blogs in seconds and build out entire campaigns in just a few clicks. It’s the best of both worlds! Unite the Hubspot features you love with the project management tools + marketing calendar you’ve always dreamed of. 😠 The Best Of Both Worlds: Introducing @HubSpot for @Visualize your ENTIRE marketing strategy in one dynamic calendar. Marketing is more than just your inbound strategies. With , you can map out all of your marketing projects and campaigns including projects from HubSpot so you can visualize your ENTIRE marketing strategy in one calendar. The calendar gives you visibility into how your content + campaigns interact and overlap. So when you’ve got one too many email drafts on the calendar for next week, you can drag and drop it to another date before it’s scheduled to create a more strategic messaging cadence without missing a beat. 👠 This flexibility plus visibility lets your team stay super agile. Making it a breeze to adapt when new projects come in, fire drills happen, priorities change, and marketing goals evolve. Improve productivity + streamline your marketing process. Without the right processes in place, your team can basically say goodbye to productivity. via GIPHY But when HubSpot and work together your team works faster and eliminates unnecessary roadblocks. Assign tasks for every project on your team’s roadmap. You can even add required approvals to make sure projects get completed AND reviewed before they go live. Quickly visualize if projects are on track using the progress bar. This gives you an active pulse on how your team’s trending towards meeting their deadlines. Use project attachments to upload files, Google docs, and other resources your team needs to get their projects done. You can stop digging through emails, Dropbox, or file folders to find the latest drafts and templates. Now you can access it all right inside the project. And by implementing the HubSpot integration inside , your team will have direct access to your HubSpot landing pages, emails, and blogs in just one click. By streamlining your marketing process, you can get more done in less time! Cos’ when time = money $$$ that’s a win-win for everyone. Keep conversation relevant + connected to every project. 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures. Yet your team still shares project updates and feedback via emails, IMs, Google Docs, and quick on-the-fly conversations. Leaving collaboration and conversation siloed in different places (and not accessible to everyone who may need to know the latest info). The solution? Discussions in . Discussions help your team share feedback, status updates, and notes on projects in real-time. PLUS anyone can jump into a project and see exactly where they left off. Which means if someone is on vacation, out sick, or projects need to get reassigned, another team member can easily pick it up and get it done. Upgrade your social strategy with better publishing tools. Sure, HubSpot has social publishing†¦ But switching to for social can give your strategy a major upgrade. Manually entering social messages†¦.one at a time to promote your upcoming blog post†¦ It’s mind-numbing. Especially when they follow the same cadence every time. With , you can build out robust, predefined social promotion plans for your landing pages and blogs. Then apply them to any new post in just a few clicks using social templates. Best of all, you can draft the content for your messages that fast, too! Use social helpers to autofill your posts in your campaign with default or custom content. Filling your social queue has never been easier! It’s obvious ’s HubSpot integration can transform how your team works. You’ll improve efficiency + productivity†¦ gain full visibility over your entire strategy†¦ get projects done faster with fewer roadblocks†¦ And eliminate unnecessary project management + collaboration tools from your marketing stack. What are you waiting for?

Simple Network Management Protocol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Simple Network Management Protocol - Essay Example For instance, network operating on SNMP will be associated with three components i.e. managed devices, agents and network management system (NMS). A managed device can be any node configured with SNMP within the network. The primary task of these managed devices is to perform information management in order to publish the information on the NMS (Protocols guide: TCP/IP protocols: Application layer protocols: SNMP: Simple network management protocol. 2007). Example of managed devices includes routers, hubs, switches etc. Moreover, an agent is considered as an application that is installed in a managed device. In addition, an agent also translates information that will be compatible with SNMP. Furthermore, NMS publish information related to performance, power and any conflict that may occur between these managed devices on the network. Currently, there are three versions of SNMP, these versions share some commands and features that are described in the below table (Protocols guide: TCP /IP protocols: Application layer protocols: SNMP: Simple network management protocol. 2007): Management information base (MIB) is a component of SNMP that assist network engineers and managers to monitor the network functionality via interfaces. For instance, if an organization is developing a new application that will be administered remotely, the developer will integrate a MIB within the application. The MIB will illustrate information and variables for generating alerts (SNMP overview, n.d). Moreover, RFC1213-MIB is also referred as MIB 2, it is compatible with all SNMP agents that may operate on TCP/IP supported devices. The MIB-2 management group is essential, as SNMP supported devices must support MIB-2, in order to work adequately (A closer look at MIB-II (essential SNMP, n.d)). The MIB file hosts a sketch that is associated with the object hierarchy on the network device along with ID of the object i.e. OID, permissions and syntax for every single variable.  

Healthcare Fraud Resulting in Fewer Referrals to Homecare Services Research Proposal

Healthcare Fraud Resulting in Fewer Referrals to Homecare Services - Research Proposal Example In fact, considering that the data on direct losses that is available regarding health care fraud today quite significantly underestimate the real value of the cost. While the healthcare fraud may not be very pronounced in the public domain currently, it may not be ignored as it has a potential of growing to astronomic levels given time and left unattended. Fraud has undermined the value of studies on healthcare practices, organization, and financing. In the healthcare sector, fraud has presented itself as a multi-faceted demon involving both individuals and corporate organizations. While some officials engaging in the provision of fraudulent or inaccurate data with an aim of getting corporate approval, some organizations engage in the withholding of data that may damage their reputation, the reputation of their products or researchers. The effects of health care fraud have far-reaching effects on the overall performance of the sector. Cases of fraud have for example impacted negatively the relationship between physicians and patients, and by extension, their relatives. In a bid to curb the problem of health care fraud, a number of measures have been introduced by the US government. The new measures have also impacted the way physicians provide services to patients – both in-patient and out-patient. This being the case, it may be postulated that healthcare fraud has had an impact on referrals to healthcare services. This research seeks to establish the existence of a correlation between health care fraud and the referral to home care services. Homecare caters for a wide range of social, medical and support services. Homecare services are entitled to people such as; the elderly, disabled people, those with long-term health conditions, terminally ill, chronically ill and to people who are recovering (Piper, Roberto, and Wacker, 2002).  

The loss of humanness for slaves and slaveholders Essay Example for Free

The loss of humanness for slaves and slaveholders Essay The history of slavery cannot and should not be forgotten, because it represents one of the chapters of human history, when humanity was not humane at all. The â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass† depicts an autobiography of an American slave, Frederick Douglass, who has risen from the pits of slavery to the echelon of free men. The first few chapters narrate the harrowing experiences of slaves, under the hands of their white masters and mistresses. This paper focuses on chapter 1 of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. † The main argument of chapter 1 is that slavery dehumanizes slaves, by not allowing them to nurture human bonds or have memories of important aspects of their lives that remind them of their humanness, and slavery also dehumanizes slaveholders, because it allows masters to perform the most inhumane acts to their slaves. Slavery dehumanizes slaves, by not allowing them to nurture human bonds. Douglass recounts the practice of slaveholders of separating infant slaves from their mothers. He reckons that this may be due to the belief of slave masters in the importance of erasing maternal relations, which can impact the work and loyalty of the slaves to their masters. Douglass says that the primary goal of the separation between mothers and their young children is to prevent â€Å"the development of the childs affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child† (Douglass, ch. 1). This practice seems to have been successful, because when Frederick’s mother died, he did not feel anything for her: â€Å"I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger. † Having lack of emotion at this critical point in his life portrays how slavery dehumanizes slaves by eradicating human emotions that would have otherwise been developed in normal life circumstances. Furthermore, slaves are not supposed to develop positive social relationships, and so families and lovers are commonly torn apart. Douglass remembers Aunt Hester, whom her master has been discovered with another black slave, and so his aunt was incessantly whipped, and he also knows slave families that are also broken, by separating parents from their children and siblings from their siblings. Slavery also dehumanizes slaves by not allowing them to have memories of important aspects of their lives that remind them of their humanness. Douglass does not remember his birthday, which the text indicates as a way of stressing how slaves are less human, because they cannot remember the date that they have been born humans. Douglass also asserts the inhumanity of not knowing his birthday, by saying: â€Å"†¦ the larger part of the slaves knows as little of their ages as horses know of theirs. † By saying this, Douglass creates the relationship between slaves and animal treatment, an indication of how slaves were treated as animals. In addition, Douglass also does not even know who his father is. Not knowing one’s real parents also affects one’s idea of humanity, because it is equal to not being aware of one’s origins, which can negatively influence the formation of human identity. Slavery also dehumanizes masters by making them emotionally distant enough to do the most inhumane acts to their slaves. Douglass remembers the atrocious whippings of her aunt: â€Å"The louder she screamed, the harder he whipped; and where the blood ran fastest, there he whipped longest. † Masters have become hungry for blood. Because of this lust for blood, even the masters have disengaged from being humans, because they have lost their compassion for their fellow human beings. Their violent natures turned them into animals too. Slavery represents the process of turning people into animals. Slaves and masters are both converted into animals, because slavery removed critical aspects of their humanness. Slavery took away social relations and human memories from slaves and ignited bloodlust among slave masters. The outcomes of slavery, as well as its processes, are all inhumane, and so inhumanity was developed. Thus, slavery reverses the gift of humanity to humans and it has provided a way of enslaving the essence of humanity. Work cited Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Web. 17 July 2010 http://sunsite. berkeley. edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/01. html.

The Clever Use of Diction in Mary Shellys Frankenstein :: essays research papers

Frankenstein is the story of an eccentric scientist whose masterful creation, a monster composed of sown together appendages of dead bodies, escapes and is now loose in the country. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly’s diction enhances fear-provoking imagery in order to induce apprehension and suspense on the reader. Throughout this horrifying account, the reader is almost ‘told’ how to feel – generally a feeling of uneasiness or fright. The author’s diction makes the images throughout the story more vivid and dramatic, so dramatic that it can almost make you shudder. A clear example of the use of diction to provoke fear is seen in Chapter IV. Mary Shelley uses words such as â€Å"wretch†, â€Å"yellow skin†, â€Å"horrid†, â€Å"white sockets† and â€Å"shriveled† to describe the monster, thus making our stomachs churn. Later on, she uses words such as â€Å"livid†, â€Å"grave-worms†, â€Å"crawling†, â€Å"dim† and â€Å"convulsed† to describe a terrifying nightmare Victor Frankenstein, the main character, had had the night his monster came to life. Mary Shelley carefully picked which words to use when describing a certain object, place, or situation. She obviously knew what words would arouse our trepidation and make us quiver at the thought of such a horrifying description. Whether it’s because of the way the word fits in the sentence or because of the sound of it, words like â€Å"disturbed† and â€Å"chattered† simply make us feel uneasy. When the author was describing the petrifying appearance of the creature, she made sure to use words that would make us sick to our stomachs in order to get a really good idea across about how simply disgusting this now-animate creature was. She does this by explaining to us how the creature’s â€Å"yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath†. The thought of seeing something so sickening even makes us make a wry face and try to get the image out of our heads – and that’s exactly the reaction the author is hoping to see from us. This also helps us know how Mr.

Outline for the Good Earth Essay

One Man’s survival and triumph over the land and nature leads to a prosperous life. Thesis: Man’s triumph over the land and nature rewards with wealth and profit and respect from other. II. Introduction- How Wang Lang is connected to the earth and his strong relationship with it and how his good work ethics and moral judgments guide him on becoming one with his land. How Wang Lung tries to establish a connection with the land, the rewards and wealth from having a strong connection with the earth, and the respect from other while leading to a prosperous life. A. Establishing a connection- How Wang Lung attempts to have a strong connection with the earth. 1. Wang Lung starts connecting with the land a. Farms through own physical labor at first but O-Lan help his after they are together. b. He maintains his farm constantly through the changing seasons. 2. Wang Lung respect for nature guides him through his future success, How the nourishing power of the land comforts Wang Lung. b. The Earth producing for Wang Lung for his hard work and dedication B. Disasters for the land- How the nature damages Wang Lung connection with the Earth 1. Wang Lung and his family trying to survive against the elements of nature a. Wang Lung tries to survive from the famine that has struck the village because of the drought and is forced to move away from his land for a while. b. The flood affects Wang Lungs crops but because of his success from farming he is unaffected but becomes severed from his connection with the Earth. Wang Lung is forced to sever his connection with the earth because of nature a. When the famine struck Wang Lung is forced to move away from his land severing his connection and losing his strength to stay upon the land. b. Almost coming to the decision upon selling his daughter to return to the land corrupts Wang Lung moral judgments. C. Triumph over nature and the land- How Wang Lung connection with the land is restored and the wealth he is rewarded with. 1. Wang Lungs connection with the Earth is stronger than before. When returning from the city with money him able to purchase property and profit from his expanding land he has gained because of the Earth providing him with more resources. b. Through hard work he has become more profitable and wealthier than before and is able to provide for his family. 2. Wang Lung leading a prosperous lifestyle with the current wealth he has gained. a. He is able to become wealthier and afford many lavished items in his household and lead a good lavished life while he is now old. b. He becomes well respected within his village and is looked upon as one of the great family’s to the villagers.

Intel’s Capital Budgeting Decision in 2013 Essay

An arguable capital budgeting decision in Intel’s Financial Plan 2013 Thursday 17 January 2013, Thomson Reuters, the world’s largest international multimedia news agency, has highlighted some concerns about Intel’s Financial Plan 2013. Noel Randewich, the report’s writer, thought Intel Corporation’s current-quarter revenue forecast disappointed Wall Street analysts. The reason behind is Intel will spend more $2 billion of its increased spending on expanding researching facility. This action is a controversial one because it has feedbacks from different sides. Essentially, one major worry is probably that the predicted personal computer market size is going to be smaller in 2013 while Intel lays a bet on very huge investment. However, Chief Executive Paul Otellini said that modern long-term assets could help Intel maintain the lowest cost as possible. On the other hand, some other Wall street analysts advocate Intel’s decision due to fact that it would be a plus for company ‘s operating efficiency. Intel was founded in 1968 with a vision for semiconductor memory products. It is best known for producing the microprocessors found in many personal computers. The company also makes a range of other hardware including network cards, motherboards, and graphics chips. Yet Intel became reputed after Wintel alliance with Microsoft Corporation, which enabled Intel to possess 80% of personal computer chip market. Back to the new event in the 2013 first quarter, the $2 billion investment on long-term assets belongs to capital budgeting decision type. Undoubtedly, it is very important decision because Intel has to face a great number of effects. The first clear limitation could be that Intel would run the operation under its capacity due to unused space of new plant as well as to the reduced market size. At the same time, another stumbling block might be that its higher fixed cost than previous years unquestionably harms the company’s bottom line. Intel estimated first-quarter revenue of $12.7 billion, plus or minus $500 million whereas analysts expected $12.91 billion for the current quarter. Wall Street analysts assumed that Intel has been making a risk bet for 2013 and Intel should not expand its business while the PC chip market is not growing much. It is very reasonable for those analysts to think like that because Intel now has a absolutely strong competition with other competitors for the new market segment of mobile phone chip making. It has recently entered this market territory in 2012 and its market share for smart phones is less than 1 percent, trailing Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, ARM and others. Therefore the whole market size for Intel is not really large when compared to some previous years. However, Intel’s investment decision definitely holds positive aspects for the reason that the long-term implications of said decision is to keep the cost lowest on a per unit basis owing to the leading edge capacity. Besides this, a second plus point could be Intel has prepared a plan to raise the market share in the whole industry with a new facility of researching future manufacturing technology. It seems to be a sign of innovations, new products, new market share and of course higher returns in 2013. In conclusion, this Intel’s capital budgeting decision is surely a bet but times and the company’s efforts itself will answer us how it can uphold the leading position in chip making industry in 2013 and following years. Works Cited Noel Randewich, Liana B. Baker. â€Å"Intel CEO to retire as chipmaker struggles with mobile.† Reuters.com, 19 Nov 2012. Web. 18 Jan 2013. Noel Randewich. â€Å" Intel weak outlook, spending hikes unnerve Wall Street.† Reuters.com, 17 Jan 2013. Web. 18 Jan 2013. Patrick Darling. â€Å"Intel Reports Full-Year Revenue of $53.3 Billion, Net Income of $11.0 Billion.† Newsroom.intel.com, 17 Jan 2013. Web. 18 Jan 2013. Discussion Questions 1. Are there any different pros and cons for Intel’s capital budgeting decision apart from ones said in the analysis? 2. With this new investment, give the probability that Intel can raise its share more 1% in smart phones chip making market. 3. How can Intel stabilize the profit margin after a huge investment in 2013 first quarter?

Free Essays on Charles Ponzi

The Life and Times of Charles Ponzi Charles Ponzi was one of the greatest con artist to ever come to the United States. He arrived on a boat that came from Italy. The majority of people don’t exactly know who Charles Ponzi was but they surely have heard of the â€Å"Ponzi Plan†, and even those who haven’t heard of that know about its modern version, the â€Å"make money fast† schemes that were popular at one time on the internet before they were replaced by better scams (Goebel). He was a notorious liar, so nobody knows for sure how is life really went. He was born in Parma, Italy, in 1882, and immigrated to the United States in 1903. He would later claim that he had been a student at a university in Italy and decided to immigrate when he ran out of money. Other people say that he was constantly in trouble and his family kicked him out by shipping him across the Atlantic (Goebel). When he arrived in the U.S he had big ambitions. He stood only 5 feet and 2 inches, but had an incredible amount of self -confidence, and from what I’ve read; he had the line of talk that could sell bubble gum at a lockjaw ward. The only problem was that he was too cocky. His ambitions were larger than his actual talent. He had some money on the voyage over here, but due to his excessive greed, he lost it all in a few card games on the boat (Goebel). He was still undiscouraged. He learned how to speak English, and got a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant. He was going to do whatever it took to get some cash. Eventually he worked his way up to waiter. But once again, his greed got him in trouble and he was fired from the restaurant. This didn’t really faze Ponzi much. In 1907, he moved to Montreal, Canada, and became an assistant teller in a bank. Among his talents, was his talent with numbers and he found out that the bank was in some financial troubles because of bad real-estate loans. He schemed to take over the bank, but was caught forging ... Free Essays on Charles Ponzi Free Essays on Charles Ponzi The Life and Times of Charles Ponzi Charles Ponzi was one of the greatest con artist to ever come to the United States. He arrived on a boat that came from Italy. The majority of people don’t exactly know who Charles Ponzi was but they surely have heard of the â€Å"Ponzi Plan†, and even those who haven’t heard of that know about its modern version, the â€Å"make money fast† schemes that were popular at one time on the internet before they were replaced by better scams (Goebel). He was a notorious liar, so nobody knows for sure how is life really went. He was born in Parma, Italy, in 1882, and immigrated to the United States in 1903. He would later claim that he had been a student at a university in Italy and decided to immigrate when he ran out of money. Other people say that he was constantly in trouble and his family kicked him out by shipping him across the Atlantic (Goebel). When he arrived in the U.S he had big ambitions. He stood only 5 feet and 2 inches, but had an incredible amount of self -confidence, and from what I’ve read; he had the line of talk that could sell bubble gum at a lockjaw ward. The only problem was that he was too cocky. His ambitions were larger than his actual talent. He had some money on the voyage over here, but due to his excessive greed, he lost it all in a few card games on the boat (Goebel). He was still undiscouraged. He learned how to speak English, and got a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant. He was going to do whatever it took to get some cash. Eventually he worked his way up to waiter. But once again, his greed got him in trouble and he was fired from the restaurant. This didn’t really faze Ponzi much. In 1907, he moved to Montreal, Canada, and became an assistant teller in a bank. Among his talents, was his talent with numbers and he found out that the bank was in some financial troubles because of bad real-estate loans. He schemed to take over the bank, but was caught forging ...

Identifying a Bug vs Insect

Identifying a Bug vs Insect The word bug is often used as a generic term to refer to any type of small crawling critter, and it is not only kids and unknowing adults who use the term this way. Many scientific experts, even trained entomologists, will use the term bug to refer to a wide range of small creatures, especially when they are speaking conversationally to the general public.   The Technical Definition of a Bug Technically, or taxonomically, a bug is a creature that belongs to the insect order Hemiptera, known commonly as the true bugs. Aphids, cicadas, assassin bugs, ants, and a variety of other insects can claim rightful membership in the order Hemiptera. True bugs are defined by the types of mouthparts they possess, which are modified for piercing and sucking. Many members of this order feed on plant fluids, and so their mouths have the structures necessary to penetrate plant tissues. Some Hemipterans, such as aphids, can badly damage or kill plants by feeding in this way. The wings on Hemipterans, the true bugs, fold over one another when at rest; some members lack hind wings altogether. Finally, true bugs always have compound eyes. All Bugs Are Insects, but Not All Insects Are Bugs By the official definition, a large group of insects arent considered bugs, although in common usage they are often lumped together under the same label. Beetles, for example, are not true bugs. Beetles are structurally different from the true bugs of the Hemiptera order, in that their mouthparts are designed for chewing, not piercing. And beetles, which belong to the Coleoptera order, have sheath wings that form hard, shell-like protection for the insect, not the membrane-like wings of the true bugs.   Other common insects that do not qualify as bugs include moths, butterflies, and bees. Again, this has to do with structural differences in the body parts of these insects.   Finally, there are a number of small crawling creatures that are not insects at all, and so cannot be official bugs. MIllipedes, earthworms, and spiders, for example, do not possess the six legs and body segment structures found in insects, and are instead members of different animal orders- spiders are arachnids, while millipedes are myriapods. They may be creepy, crawly critters, but they are not bugs.   Common Usage Calling all insects and all small crawling creatures bugs is a colloquial use of the term, and when scientists and otherwise knowledgeable people use the word in such a way, they are usually doing it to be down-to-earth and folksy. Many highly respected sources use the word bug when they are writing or teaching certain audiences:   Gilbert Waldbauer is a respected entomologist from the University of Illinois. He authored an excellent volume called The Handy Bug Answer Book  which covers everything from scorpions to silverfish.The University of Kentuckys entomology department hosts a website called the  Kentucky Bug Connection. They include information on keeping pet bugs, including tarantulas, mantids, and cockroaches, none of which are actually bugs.The  University of Floridas entomology department  has sponsored a Best of the Bugs award honoring for outstanding insect-related websites. Among their honorees are sites on ants, beetles, flies, and butterflies- no actual true bugs.Iowa States entomology department hosts one of the best arthropod sites around- Bugguide. The site is a database of information and photographs collected by amateur naturalists, covering virtually every North American arthropod. Only a small portion of the species listed belong to the order Hemiptera. A bug is an insect, but not all insects are bugs; some non-insects that are called bugs are neither bugs nor are they insects.  Is everything clear now?

Intercultural Humour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Intercultural Humour - Essay Example One of the challenges of understanding the place and value of humour within the multi-cultural environment is that it is not entirely translatable. In usual cases, humour is culturally-specific. A speech act with some content of humour may not apply across the cultural spectrum. In other cases, humour relates to the context and the personality of an individual. This would imply that an idea or phrase with humorous content may not be understood easily or may be distorted in the process of translating into another language or culture. Findings Case reviews have shown that humour could be used to bridge cultures by identifying some mutual linkages within the discourse of communication (Holliday, Kullman & Hyde, 2012). Andrew (2010) distinguished between humour and laughter by identifying some of the problematic areas, which define the essence of humour. In his effort, he established that humour does not necessarily translate into laughter. He sought to establish the theoretical basis on which humour is founded. In his study, Andrew identified three theories as fundamental to the understanding of humour. These include incongruity theory, relief theory, and superiority theory. He explains incongruity theory as being informed by a reaction to a logical impossibility, or to an ambiguity. This kind of humour is associated with the thinking of Kant and Kierkegaard particularly due to its drift from the conventional flow of logic. Superiority theory, according to Andrew (2010) arises out of a feeling of euphoria, which basically comes to the surface when the person making the humorous statement relates to the audience from a real or presumed higher level of seniority. Superiority theory is defended in the philosophies of Aristotle and Plato (Andrew, 2010). A third theory, which is embraced within the Freudian conception of humour, argues that the release of repressed feelings often translates in the form of humour. These theories put together provide a comprehensive fram ework that could be relied upon to furnish deeper connections between the element of humour and inter-cultural connections. The theories have helped in the establishment of important linkages that define life in terms of meanings and underlying meanings of words. Evidence adduced from multiple studies has established that a proper understanding of the structure of humour provides a resourceful entry point into the inner details of any given culture (Holliday, Kullman & Hyde, 2012). Humour should be understood within certain contexts, situations, origin, and other factors that situate it within some specific categories of identification. The element of humour manifests an entire corpus of ideals that are buried beneath the substance of any given culture. As such, it becomes necessary to conceptualize such evidence in light of some of the issues that attend to the general beliefs, practices, and cultural assumptions of that particular culture. Humour provides the framework of understa nding the worldview of a given culture. Broadly, the study of humour involves an investigation into the various connecting points of the different genres that fall under the umbrella name. According to Andrew (2010) some of the genres that are included within the corpus of humour are satire, sight gags, stand up comedy, sarcasm, bending joke, irony, variety shows and word play. These aspects of humour usually involve various issues that work together to form a comprehensive understanding of

Alternatives technologies to Gas flaring Dissertation

Alternatives technologies to Gas flaring - Dissertation Example The gas is emerged due to the drilling of oil and then separated from oil; it is released by pressure relief valves through vertical pipes. Gas flared through combustion affects the green house gases up to a considerable extent. The flaring and venting of gas from oil drills plays a very important role in emissions of greenhouse gas. The emission of greenhouse gas was at peak during 1970s around 110 million metric tons per year but it has been declined since then by more than three quarters and now estimated around 0.5% of all carbon dioxide emissions. As per the Kyoto Protocol, a carbon bonus had been announced for garbage collecting companies in some developing nations for installing combustion devices for the methane gas. These devices will help in preventing methane to reach the atmosphere by burning it. The burning effect converts the methane into water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and heat. As methane is twenty three times more powerful than carbon dioxide, it will also help in reduci ng greenhouse gas emissions with the same proportion. The gas flared and vented during the drilling process is very worth while and can be used for various purposes. According to a report by World Bank, "Over 150 billion cubic meters of natural gas are flared or vented annually, an amount worth approximately 30.6 billion dollars, equivalent to 25 percent of the United States’ gas consumption or 30 percent of the European Union’s gas consumption per year." The flaring and venting is condensed within some countries. According to the Wikipedia, "10 countries account for 75% of emissions, and twenty for 90%. The largest flaring operations occur in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The leading contributors to gas flaring are (in declining order): Nigeria, Russia, Iran, Algeria, Mexico, Venezuela, Indonesia, and the United States.[6] In spite of a ruling by the Federal High Court of Nigeria (that forbade flaring) in 2005, 43% of the gas retrieval was still being flared in 2 006. It will be prohibited by law as of 2008." Research Topic: The effects of gas flaring on the environment and to find alternative techniques to reduce its impact on green house gas emissions. Research Objectives / Purpose of study: The research objectives include some overall objectives that will be generalized and also some specific quantitative objectives as discussed under: To identify the risks associated with excessive gas flaring; To identify factors that influence the high and accelerated rate of greenhouse gas emission; To explore past trends of gas flaring; To identify strategies that have been implemented around the world to reduce gas flaring effect; To research and evaluate the possible alternate technologies that can be used to reduce the effect of gas flaring on the environment; & To identify the finest and environment-friendly technology for the purpose of gas flaring. Expected Outcome: The expected outcome of this research work is to achieve all the research objec tives stated above by testing the authentic and established approaches used previously for reducing emission of gas flaring and venting. Literature Review: According to the Fuel for thought: an environmental strategy for the energy sector (a report from the Environment Department of World Bank, 2000), there are many reasons of gas flaring and venting. The most significant one is the lack of resources to utilize the gas emitted

Societal Impact & Cost vs. Benefit Research Paper

Societal Impact & Cost vs. Benefit - Research Paper Example Combustion of diesel also pollutes the environment by producing smoke, which is hazardous to survival, and removing diesel engines would reduce the levels of poisonous gases and smoke hence improve the health of people. However, cost of transportation would greatly increase since diesel offers lower costs of transportation than other fuels used for transportation. Alternative fuels would replace diesel in all forms of road transport, and this will make the energy sector sustainable over the years. The alternative fuels can be a mixture of bio fuels, synthetic fuels, methane and liquefied petroleum gas, which significantly reduce the amounts of poisonous gases in the atmosphere (Business Green). These alternative fuels produce minimal or no amount at all of greenhouse gases, and this means that global warming will be significantly reduced. Pollution will also be reduced through elimination of the smoke and poisonous gases emitted by combustion of diesel in the diesel engines. This implies that the environment will be protected from pollution hence healthy surroundings. Alternative fuels will enhance locomotion using electric and fuel cell vehicles, which will meet the demands for all transportation needs. Taking diesel engines off the roads will protect the environment from pollution, prevent air pollution from smoke and reduce health disorders related to the gases emitted from combustion of diesel. Bio fuels have the potential to meet all transport costs as well as reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other green house gases, which cause health complications and environmental degradation

Basic Laboratory Techniques Dilutions

Basic Laboratory Techniques Dilutions Dilution is a process of making a weaker or a less concentrated solution. Substances which are highly concentrated can be problematic to carry out tests. For instance, when a blood sample is placed on a slide it would be difficult to count cells due to overlapping. As a result dilutions are carried out so that the cells will be more spread. Moreover a large amount of reagent would be needed to react with a highly concentrated substance. This is inadequate since large amounts of reagent would be wasted. In addition it is impractical to use large volumes of substances example buffers. Generally a concentrated form is present and then the necessary dilutions are made for different tests. A manual of how the dilutions are made is typically present with the reagent. Adequate apparatus must be used for dilutions. Basically, there are two types of dilutions. One, where the final specific concentration only is significant and the other where both the final volume and concentration are significant. Dilution symbols are significant. 1/10 refers to 1ml sample with 9mls diluents for a total volume of 10mls. This is the same as 1+9. 1:10 refers to 1ml sample with 10mls diluents for a total volume of 11mls. This is the same as 1+10. Serial dilution is a method used to dilute a substance into solution stepwise with a constant dilution factor in each step. The dilution factor is the volume of stock / total volume. The first step in making a serial dilution is to take a known volume (example 1ml) of stock i.e. the original sample and place it into a known volume of water (example 9ml). This produces 10ml of dilute solution. The dilute solution has 1ml of original sample / 10ml. The technique used to make a single dilution is repeated using the previous dilute solution. At each step, 1ml of the previous dilution is added to 9ml of distilled water. This is repeated sequentially until the required dilution is achieved. The volumes of substances used vary accordingly. During dilutions it is essential to pipette the larger volume first and then the smaller volume. Diagram of how serial dilutions are made: Rule : Original concentration = New concentration Dilution factor Since the dilution-fold is the same in each step, the dilutions are a geometric series i.e a constant ratio. Example: 1/3, 1/9, 1/27, 1/81. Each dilution is a three-fold. A two-fold and a five-fold also exist where it is multiplied by 1/2 and 1/5 respectively. Serial dilutions are principal for several situations. In the lab there are a number of volumetric flasks however there is not a lot of 1000ml flasks. Hence serial dilutions are the only way to get the desired concentration. Serial dilutions are essentially used for calibration curves to ensure the accuracy of the measurements. This is useful since if a minor mistake is done, it is not noticed since the mistake will be repeated in all the dilutions and as a result there will be no effect. Furthermore serial dilutions are used for antibody titres. A test can be quantitative example the concentration of glucose in blood is 6 or qualitative if the test is positive or negative example when testing for the human immunodeficiency virus if it is present in the blood sample, the result is either positive or negative. However there is another test known as the semi-quantitative test where the result is neither numerical nor positive or negative. When serial dilutions are carried out, the resu lt can be that the antibody titre is positive up to 1/320. It shows that the patient is immune up to a certain limit. This is often used to monitor treatment. Six test-tubes were placed in a rack. To the first tube 500Â µl of water were added. To each of the remaining tubes 100Â µl of water were added. 20Â µl of solution B were added were transferred to tube 1 and mixed well. 100Â µl of tube one were transferred to tube 2 and mixed well. 100Â µl of the contents of tube 2 were transferred to tube 3, and the procedure was repeated for the remaining tubes. The dilution of the serum in tube 6 is 1/832 since the dilution of tube 1 is 20/520 = 1/26. The dilutions are 2-fold. As a result 1/26 x 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/832

Romeo and Juliet: Act 1 Scene 5 is a Microcosm of the Entire Play Essay

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy about a pair of lovers, from two opposing families, fated to their death, Act 1 Scene 5 is a microcosm of the entire play, it contains a rollercoaster of emotions and many different themes such as love, hate and death but they are all expressed at their best in this part of the play. The build up to the scene creates tension and expectation for the audience. The prologue, said by the Chorus who have no character or emotion, gives the overall structure it tells the audience they will meet, fall in love and then die, it briefs them as to what is going to happen but does not let them in on too much information. From the start they are described as ‘star crossed lovers’ that are fated to disaster. Romeo has a vision that a chain of events starting at the party will lead to his death, he says he feels like fortune’s fool and whatever he does, it’s inevitable; he cannot escape or change fate. The overall information given in the prologue is not too much for the audience; it gives them a brief overview of the play but does not spoil it for them. In a way it makes them feel as if they are being let in on a little secret because they get a hint of what is going to happen, without learning too much. Shakespeare describes Romeo and Juliet as victims in love as if they are caught in a trap, and cannot escape. However, Brooke the original playwright presents them as fools in love, which gives a different message to the audience, it comes across to them that Romeo and Juliet know that they won’t be accepted by either family but they still choose to love each other and everything that happens is their own fault. In the prologue, the quote ‘ A pair of star crossed lovers take their life’ tells you they a... ...y. This scene also appeals to the audience because it is a calm moment in an otherwise busy place, the party. In conclusion, Shakespeare makes this scene appeal to an audience by the build up to it, by the prologue telling you what happens and giving a brief summary, The range of action in it and the mood changes; from aggression with Tybalt to when Romeo and Juliet first lay their eyes on one another, Also, the use of language, Our pair of lovers talk in a religious form in the sonnet that they share to come across to the audience that they do have a good side and to make them seem more innocent. And finally, the character development, we learn more about the main characters in this scene than we do in any other, we get to see the different sides to them which changes the mood and why it makes it more appealing and keeps the audience entertained and interested.

Strategic Management and Ikea

1) How has IKEA succeeded in expanding across the world using a standard range of products and a standard strategy in the home furniture and furnishings industry, in which divergent cultural influences are likely to be at their strongest? First of all, seems reductive say that IKEA provides a standard range of products having regard to the incredible width of this range (which allows, therefore, to offer many variables of many types of heterogeneous products: in this way is almost completely bypassed the limit traditionally connected with the offer diverse depending on the country of destination).In fact, the product range is so vast (â€Å"The IKEA products on offer Exceed 12. 000 items in number†) to allow a lack of diversification for export market: every type of consumer that is part of the target audience can find products of his choice, ignoring the others (which will be desirable by other consumers focused on other features). In this way this strategy exceeds its tradit ional limit.As it is written in the text under consideration â€Å"IKEA has achieved the impossible, to create a range of products attractive to consumers everywhere, in countries with very different cultures, and to apply a formula for presentation and sale of those products which reinforces the attractiveness† . With regard to the standard strategy used by IKEA in my view its success relies on a few points well described in the article. First, the target is well defined (and wide, and in all countries without exception). It may sound corny but the self-proclaimed focus of IKEA is ‘young people of all ages’. In reality the market is primarily young people, who are well educated, liberal in cultural values, white collar, but with limited means because of their stage of career and family cycle, and in the process of setting up or expanding their homes because they are having children†. The second successful point of the unitary strategy of the company is the interest to achieve and maintain a cost advantage (in light of the needs of the target, of course). This cost and price leadership is achieved by a combination of strategies – large-quantity purchasing, the push to discover ever-cheaper suppliers in ever-cheaper markets (sourcing in developing economies has risen from 32% to 48%), low-cost logistics, store location in relatively cheap suburban areas, and a do-it-yourself approach to marketing and distribution. Low costs are translated into low prices as IKEA pursues a deliberate price leadership strategy†.In addition to this, the Distribution and Promotion system is modern and inexpensive and easily replicable and acceptable to consumers around the world. So, everything in IKEA works to create a great opportunity, overcoming (as already said at the beginning of my answer) the limits of the not-diversified offer per country and culture in this particular industry sector, characterized by strong cultural differences. 2) Is there a limit to this expansion? Does IKEA’s history illustrate the nature of such a limit?I think the main limit to the expansion of the business of IKEA is cultural and, therefore, be able to contain production costs, while continuing to adapt its products to markets other than those served today. The example of the American market is helpful in this regard. On that occasion, IKEA had to wait a long time before being accepted in the United States, producing profits. That was a very risky investment, yet the American market in that commodity sector has its own characteristics, presumably, very well known and different from European ones.The entry into the U. S. market, to be profitable, had to wait an important adaptation activities never done before. I think in this case when it comes to expansion it is done in a geographical sense (and not profits), so an entry into other markets to IKEA today seems to be quite complicated (making reference only to markets and economies very different from those faced up to date) for the reason just expressed.America is a huge market, strategic and inviting for which is undoubtedly good to do what IKEA decided to do (invest with the initial losses, if necessary adapting their products), but I doubt that this can be repeated for other markets less strategically important than the American. From the point of view of the enlargement of the volume of business and profit, I have no knowledge to be able to express with certainty, however IKEA in the text is placed at the highest levels of Globality and Added Value, therefore I do not think there are great possibilities of strong growth even in this sense.The most important thing is to keep their volumes trying to increase it as much as possible. 3) How has IKEA managed to creatively combine the benefits of mass consumption and mass production with the desire for style and modernity of product? IKEA is able to take full advantage of the cost benefits of mass production ( carefully selecting its employees and suppliers are able to meet stringent quality standards at very competitive set from IKEA) and mass consumption because the citizens of all the world, belonging to the target specified by the company and reported above, and have an idea of odernity and style quite comparable, therefore the need to adapt its products to different markets is quite limited in this field (happened only for America). However, the need for fashion and modernity today is constantly evolving. A company structured differently from IKEA would have difficulty to be continuously ready to offer something desirable. Instead, IKEA, through a work of upgrading its products (however, wherever standard) can not only meet the needs of customers, but also to anticipate them! IKEA makes low-cost trend. This is amazing.At this point it is clear and understandable as reported in the article: IKEA â€Å"has combined the cost-reducing benefits of mass production and consumption with at tention to the style required to persuade consumers to buy items which will be on display and in the eye of the purchaser for many years, unlike the humble hamburger or cup of coffee which are consumed quickly and as quickly forgotten. In short, like Harley-Davidson, it has created a global brand. It has managed to innovate and respond to Continuously changes in the world, continuing to convey a sense of excitement and modernity. Most important is the contribution of the catalogue of the Swedish firm, which â€Å"has become something of a design icon† imitated by competitors from around the world. 4) Has IKEA chosen a strategy of cost/price leadership or one of product differentiation? We could say that IKEA has merged the two strategies in a single large successful director. At first glance, without a careful study of the phenomenon IKEA, it would seem easy to classify the choices made by the company as cost and price leadership helped by a not differentiated offer.But in an swer to the first question, I have already explained how, for me, one can not speak of a lack of differentiation. It is absolutely not possible to speak of a strategy or the other in the case under study. IKEA has been able to be innovative in all aspects: product and design, mass production delocalized and strongly supported, distribution channel, promotion type, location of stores and their structure. Thus, it has managed to combine the two strategies in a single strategy that brings together and makes something completely new.In other answers I have given a part of my interpretation of what is required in this question, but I think the best summary is that given by the authors of the article: â€Å"IKEA’s strategy has been described as a focused cost leadership strategy, focused because it is targeted at a particular market niche, those who want style at low cost. However, this oversimplifies the approach adopted and underplays the complexity of the product, with its pack aging of different services. If it were true that the strategy was no more than a form of focused cost leadership, it would be difficult to understand why IKEA has been so successful.Rather it is the combination of low price and high quality which attracts the consumer, which is not an unusual situation. The attributes of the product offered by IKEA differ markedly from those of other retailers. Instant accessibility, customer participation in value-adding, the combination of low cost and high quality – all mark the product out as unique and therefore as carrying a competitive advantage, one which is continuously renewed as products are improved and renovated. IKEA is always ready to innovate†. ) How far do you think that IKEA can look into the future in framing its strategic management? I believe that this model of strategic management is winning. It is and it will be due to the fact that creates something new from what is already well known to everyone. What is even m ore important and that bodes well for the future of IKEA is that it has always been the first mover. Being first means being able to reap the benefits from it. Be consistently first mover means being able to store the successes and failures of the past, learning from heir mistakes and their victories better and more quickly than your competitors are able to do by copying you. Achieve great results and be always ready for change (in fact, promote it! ) is a symptom of a far-sighted and enlightened strategic vision. Follow this structure means continue in a context that is the company itself to â€Å"manage† and, presumably, to command. The key word today is not to sit on themselves. I think that IKEA is not ever sat on.