Behavior finance and market efficiency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Behavior finance and market efficiency - Essay Example In this report, the main causes and underlying drivers of the recent global, financial crisis are explained. Also, comparison and contrast of behavioural and non-behavioural explanations commonly provided by finance academics have been made. The main causes behind the recent global, financial crisis include deregulation by financial institutions, accompanied by rapid financial innovation, which stimulated powerful financial booms. As the financial institutions became flawed, leading to the financial crises, governments responded to such crises with bailouts that allowed new expansions to begin (Crotty, 2009, p, 563). First, the integration of modern day financial markets with the era’s light government regulations, which is also referred to as the New Financial Architecture (NFA) led to the global, financial crisis (Crotty, 2009, p, 563). It should be noted that the New Financial Architecture is based on light regulation of commercial banks, lighter regulation on investment ba nks and little regulation on the shadow banking system. The shadow banking system represents hedge and private equity funds and special investments that are created by banks (Crotty, 2009, p, 563). Minimal regulation of financial institutions led excessive risk taking by numerous financial institutions because of the existing incentives in the market, without fear of restriction or limitation. The assumption that rational investors can make optimal decisions, and that only those who could handle risk, could take it is based on poor theoretical foundations, with no convincing empirical support (Crotty, 2009, p, 563). On the contrary, many investors and financial institution took excessive risk, which they could not manage. Consequently, the global, financial crisis had to arise when the potential losses associated with high risk occurred. Separately, it should be noted that perverse incentives affect key personnel of vital financial institutions such as commercial banks, insurance co mpanies, investment banks, hedge and private equity funds, as well as, mutual and pension funds to take excessive risk when financial markets are buoyant (Crotty, 2009, p, 563). For instance, the provision for no return of fees for securities for mortgage loans, if the securities suffered large losses made most market participants to take loans, as much as the loans may have not been viable or sound (Crotty, 2009, p, 563). Problems arose when the loan takers failed to service or repay the loans because their investments could not profit due to the prevailing market conditions. Financial innovation contributed to emergence of recent global, financial crisis because it led to the creation of financial products that are so complex that they are not transparent (Crotty, 2009, p, 563). This means that such financial products cannot be priced correctly. They are also illiquid and are not sold on markets. In the current financial market, there is a higher value of securities that are not s old on the markets than the existing securities (Crotty, 2009, p, 563). The fact, that sale of securities derivatives is mostly carried out by an investment bank negotiating with customers over the counter, led to

Science Paper on Tropism Essay Example for Free

Science Paper on Tropism Essay A tropism is a growth in response to a stimulus. Plants grow towards sources of water and light, which they need to survive and grow. Auxin is a plant hormone produced in the stem tips and roots, which controls the direction of growth. Plant hormones are used in weedkillers, rooting powder and to control fruit ripening. Tropisms The direction of plant growth Plants need light and water for photosynthesis. They have developed responses called tropisms to help make sure they grow towards sources of light and water. There are different types of tropisms: Positive phototropism in plant stems * Tropism – growth in response to a stimulus * Positive tropism – towards the stimulus * Negative tropism – away from the stimulus * Phototropism – growth in response to the direction of light * Geotropism – growth in response to the direction of gravity Responses of different parts of the plant Auxin is a plant hormone responsible for controlling the direction of growth of root tips and stem tips in response to different stimuli including light and gravity. Auxin is made at the tips of stems and roots. Its moved in solution to older parts of the stem and root where it changes the elasticity of the cells. More elastic cells absorb more water and grow longer, causing bending in the stem or root. Its thought that light and gravity can interfere with the transport of auxin causing it to be unevenly distributed. Auxin experiment 3 groups of seeds are grown in a cardboard box. A when the tips are removed, no auxin is made so the stems do not grow B – when the tips are covered, auxin moves to all parts of the stem causing all parts to grow C when the tips are lit from one side only auxin accumulates on the shaded side causing it to grow more than the illuminated side Nervous System And Nerves Function: To transmit messages from one part of your body to another Neurons: Messenger cells in your nervous system Nerve impulses: Electrical signals carrying messages Neurotransmitters:Chemicals released by one neuron to excite a neighbouring one Millions of messengers Your nervous system contains millions of nerve cells, called neurons. Neurons are highly specialised to transmit messages from one part of your body to another. All neurons have a cell body and one or more fibres. These fibres vary in length from microscopic to over 1 metre. There are two different kinds of nerve fibres: fibres that carry information towards the cell body, called dendrites, and fibres that carry information away from it, called axons. Nerves are tight bundles of nerve fibres. Teamwork Your neurons can be divided into three types: * Sensory neurons, which pass information about stimuli such as light, heat or chemicals from both inside and outside your body to your central nervous system * Motor neurons, which pass instructions from your central nervous system to other parts of your body, such as muscles or glands * Association neurons, which connect your sensory and motor neurons Electrical and chemical signals Your neurons carry messages in the form of electrical signals called nerve impulses. To create a nerve impulse, your neurons have to be excited. Stimuli such as light, sound or pressure all excite your neurons, but in most cases, chemicals released by other neurons will trigger a nerve impulse. Although you have millions of neurons that are densely packed within your nervous system, they never actually touch. So when a nerve impulse reaches the end of one neuron, a neurotransmitter chemical is released. It diffuses from this neuron across a junction and excites the next neuron. Protecting cells Over half of all the nerve cells in your nervous system do not transmit any impulses. These supporting nerve cells are located between and around your neurons to insulate, protect and nourish them. Chromosomes Every human cell has 46 molecules of double-stranded DNA. This DNA is coiled and supercoiled to form chromosomes. Each chromosome has around 50 to 250 million bases. Image Credit: genome.gov Human cells contain two sets of chromosomes, one set inherited from the mother and one from the father. The egg from the mother contains half of the 46 (23) and thesperm from the father carries the other half 23 of 46 chromosomes. Together the baby has all 46 chromosomes. There are 22 pairs of autosomes and 1 pair of sex chromosomes. Females have an XX chromosome while men have an XY chromosome. DNA DNA resides in the core, or nucleus, of each of the bodys trillions of cells. Every human cell (with the exception of mature red blood cells, which have no nucleus) contains the same DNA. The DNA is a double, stranded spiral forming a double helix. Each strand is made up of millions of chemical building blocks called bases. There are only four types of bases making up the DNA adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. The order of these bases are changed with permutation and combination in a sequence and unique sequences code for proteins. The concept is similar to combination of alphabets to form words that further combine to form sentences. Genes The DNA in each chromosome constitutes many genes. The DNA also contains large sequences that do not code for any protein and their function is not known. The gene of the coding region encodes instructions that allow a cell to produce a specific protein or enzyme. There are nearly 50,000 and 100,000 genes with each being made up of hundreds of thousands of chemical bases. In order to make proteins, the gene from the DNA is coped by each of the chemical bases into messenger RNA (ribonucleic acid) or mRNA. The mRNA moves out of the nucleus and uses cell organelles in the cytoplasm called ribosomes to form the polypeptide or amino acid that finally folds and configures to form the protein. The human genome All the DNA in the cell makes up the human genome. There are about 20,000 important genes located on one of the 23 chromosome pairs found in the nucleus or on long strands of DNA located in the mitochondria. The DNA in the genes make up only around 2% of the genome. For some years now each of the sequences and genes discovered are carefully recorded as to their specific location, sequences etc. The whole information is stored in a database that is publicly accessible. Nearly 13000 genes have been mapped to specific locations (loci) on each of thechromosomes. This information was initiated by the work done as part of the Human Genome Project. The completion of the project was celebrated in April 2003 but the exact number of genes and numerous other genes in the genome of humans is as yet unknown. Genetic switches and non-coding DNA regions The genes that contain the information to make the necessary proteins are therefore ‘switched on’ in some of the specialized cells while the remaining genes are ‘switched off’. For example, the genes that are ‘switched on’ in kidney cells are different to those that are ‘switched on’ in brain cells because the cells of the brain have different roles and make different proteins. In addition to the Human genome project, more information is needed to find what each of the genes as well as the vast amounts of non-coding regions do. These non-coding regions form nearly 90% of the chromosome and earlier much of it was termed â€Å"junk DNA† as it appeared that this DNA did not contain the information for gene products that the cells use and produce. Now it is increasingly clear that the non-coding DNA has a very important role to play. That role is still largely unknown but is likely to include regulating which genes are ‘switched on’ or ‘switched off’ in each cell. The non-coding regions of the DNA is also important for forensic investigations and determining biological relationships – paternity etc. Promoter regions, exons introns of genes A gene can have more than one promoter, resulting in RNAs that may vary in lengths. Some genes may have strong promoters that bind the transcription machinery well, and others have weak promoters that bind poorly. Weak ones allow for less transcription to protein than strong ones. Other possible regulatory regions include enhancers. These enhancers may help the weak promoters. Many prokaryotic genes are organized into operons. These sequences are genes that have products with related functions. Long stretches of DNA that are coded to proteins are called introns and non-coding regions are called exons. Genes mutations Around 20,000 genes in the cell guide the growth, development and health of the animal or human. The genetic information contained in the DNA is in the form of a chemical code, called the genetic code. The code is similar in many ways and in most of the sequences across all living organisms. An allele is one variant of that gene. In many cases, all people would have the gene, but certain people will have a specific allele of that gene, which results in the trait. This could be a simple trait like hair or eye color. There are, however, variations in the genetic code that makes each individual unique. Most variations are harmless. However, variations to the genetic information can sometimes mean that some proteins are not produced properly, produced in the wrong amounts or not produced at all. Variations that make the gene faulty are called mutations. SNPs or single nucleotide polymorphisms are changes in a single base or single letter in the sequence and may code of a different protein altogether making it akin to a genetic mutation. Mutations of genes that are important for functions in the body can lead to a genetic condition that may affect growth or health of the individual. Some mutations do not directly cause disease but may make a person more susceptible to developing a genetic condition.

Taxidermy in Victorian England :: Victorian Era

Taxidermy in Victorian England: The â€Å"Bone Articulators† â€Å"Taxidermy† is Such a Funny Word! The word â€Å"taxidermy† has its roots in Greek, and it means â€Å"to arrange skin† (Historical Review of Taxidermy 1). The text from which I found most of my material (A Historical Review of Taxidermy) stated that taxidermy could have meant many things in ancient times, such as preserving mummies, or even leather working (arranging of animal skins) but by the time it reached England it was known quite solely as the arrangement of animal skins to represent life (1). A Compressed History Taxidermy was then not the art that we know today. In its earliest days (18th century) birds were especially difficult to reproduce. After the long and tedious procedures, specimens were often unrecognizable. This changed with the ideas of a Frenchman named Becoeur (1718-1777). He was the first man to use a paste containing arsenic to preserve bird skins and his methods reaped amazing results. You could actually tell that the specimens were birds. Becoeur never published his recipe during his life so that he might protect his business, but in 1820 a French taxidermist named Louis Dufresne (1752-1832) did. This was a landmark in the history of taxidermy, for it allowed many people to be able to create life-like specimens very similar to Becoeur‘s (3). The British read Dufresne’s books, and thus much of their taxidermy mimicked the French styles for a time. However, new styles and methods of preservation began to appear, such as the non-poisonous preservative formulae developed by Rowland Ward (1848-1912) and Montague Brown (1837-1923) in the mid to late 19 th century (4). For the first half of the 19 th century, taxidermy was still trying to become established. The difficulty owed much to the fact that the art was still being perfected. Most specimens from this period were rather stiff and un-lifelike in appearance. The idea of creativity combined with taxidermy had not yet taken flight, but this changed with the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. This show exhibited some of the first â€Å"creative† â€Å"taxidermical† (coined by me) works of art; the particular works created by John Hancock of Newcastle especially grabbed the attention of the judges. Hancock’s works, such as his tableaux of a falcon grappling with a heron, were â€Å" unsurpassed at the time for their quality and realism† (5). A judge commented that they â€Å"... will go far towards raising the art of taxidermy to a level with other arts which have hitherto held higher pretensions† (5).

Criminology Reaction Paper

Lea Harebells Guest Speaker Reaction Paper Principles of Criminology When I began listening to guest speaker, Marie Allen, I knew all the given information on heroin was going to be very informative and important. Vive heard many lectures on how drugs affect a person and what kind of life drugs create for someone. Although, when listening to Marie Allen, I realized that this information was going to be much different than other lectures. What I didn't know was that the Marie Allen was truly going to put an impact on my heart and in my life.Marie Allen presented he class with more knowledge and factual information on heroin then any website or television show could ever tell you. There were many things about heroin and heroin addiction that I have never heard before this presentation. Learning that heroin use usually begins in middle school, 7th and 8th grade, really surprised me. I couldn't imagine seeing such a young person addicted to this awful drug. When I heard this, I remembere d that I have a niece who will be starting 8th grade this year and eventually there may come a time that she is offered to try this drug.I feel that now that I know more information on heroin and addiction that I will be able to pass it onto her so if and when that time comes, she will make the right decision. I have also learned that addiction to heroin does more damage to a person than most drugs; it not only creates addicts but it paralyzes them and their lives. We learned that when a person is addicted to heroin they are not the person they use to be. These people become untrustworthy, and their physical and mental health declines terribly.The effects of heroin go deeper than the surface affecting things such as a persons weight, coordination, and heart rate. Towards the end of Marie Allen's presentation, she informed us about many of the people who have lost their lives to heroin. It was devastating to hear about how many people, and many children, who have lost their lives to this drug. The last thing Marie Allen showed us was a video. This video showed a girl when she was very young until she was in her late teens. At the end of this video we found out that the girl was Marie Allen's daughter.What Marie Allen said next was probably one of the most heart wrenching things I have ever heard. She went on to tell us about her daughter and her life long addiction to heroin. We heard about her struggle to fight the addiction, and the many times she thought her daughter was finally free from the drug. Marie Allen then went on to tell us how her daughter was not able to break free from the drug and she was no longer with us. My heart truly went out to Marie Allen. Hearing this information was definitely an overwhelming moment for me.I have eared so many stories about people who have been addicted to drugs and have not lived to see the rest of their lives, although I have never actually met someone who knew someone addicted to this drug or any drug. In my life I have never been in the situation to see someone go through drug addiction. To meet someone whose daughter suffered from drug addiction made me put addiction into a whole new perspective. After hearing and seeing this presentation from Marie Allen, I feel that I am more interested in what these drugs are doing to people and how they are effecting our country.The last time that I heard a presentation or lecture on any type of addiction or drug use, I was probably in the first years of high school. Before this presentation began I was wondering what the speaker would talk about that I didn't already know. I have been taken back by this presentation and the information that Marie Allen provided us with. I have nothing but respect for Marie Allen and everything she has been through. Now that I have heard this presentation on heroin, I definitely have a new outlook on drugs and addiction.

Murderer – creative writing

It was an exquisite day. A 15-year-old boy called Tom who is in year 11 at Charlton high school. Tom is a skinny boy with brown hair and blue eyes. Tom walks to school every school day. As Tom walked he thought back at the day he had yesterday. â€Å"It wasn't bad† Tom said to himself. But there is always something in your self, which says opposite to whatever you say or do. It's of course your mind and it said â€Å"No you didn't you had an awful day yesterday. You killed a man!† Yes, Tom did kill a man and he is called Mr.Diver. It's not because he wanted to kill him it's because he had to if he want to see his mum and dad together. He wanted his mum and dad together since they divorced. They divorced when Tom was very little so he doesn't have that much memory of his mum and dad together. Mr.Diver is Tom's mum's future husband. Tom hated Mr.Diver since he first met him. Mr.Diver is a fat man with hardly any neck. Mr.Diver is a bus driver. If you ask Tom what is his favourite day is he would say Friday because that is the day Tom meets his dad. Mr.Newton is his dad and there is a big difference between Mr.Newton and Mr.Diver maybe this is the reason why Tom hates Mr.Diver. Mr.Newton is a skinny man with long neck. Normally Tom and his dad spend Friday afternoons either playing football or go to a restaurant. In restaurant they talk about what happened during the week. Since Tom heard that his mum is going to marry Mr.Diver he thought he must stop this marriage if he doesn't his dreams will be shattered. So he planned to kill Mr.Diver. He came up with a brilliant plan. The plan was to kill Mr.Diver when he comes around Tom's house. But there shouldn't be anyone in Tom's house apart from Tom and Mr.Diver. The day came when Tom's mother told Tom and Mr.Diver that they have to stay alone. That night Tom made a plan that he is going to stab Mr.Diver and he kept things normal as possible. He didn't make sudden movements or speak to Mr.Diver too much because he never speaks to Mr.Diver normally. Tom kept penknives in his pocket and waited for exact moment to come. The moment came when Mr.Diver asked Tom if he want something to eat? Tom thought that when Mr.Diver is preparing the food he could go behind him and stab him. â€Å"Do you want anything to eat Tom?† asked Mr.Diver again. â€Å"Can I have a sandwich please?† said Tom. â€Å"I'll make one quickly,† said Mr.Diver. When Mr.Diver went to the kitchen to make a sandwich Tom went quietly behind him. Tom stopped near the kitchen door for a few seconds and took two penknives out. Tom saw that Mr.Diver is showing his back to him so Tom seized the chance and walked behind Mr.Diver and stabbed him once in the back and once in the neck. Tom put the body in Mr.Diver's car, which was a bit far away from Tom's house so it would look like when Mr.Diver got on the car someone stabbed him. When his mum Tom said nothing he just watched TV. â€Å"Where's Mr.Diver?† asked Tom's mum. â€Å"Oh he left already,† said Tom. â€Å"You should go to bed,† said Tom's mum. â€Å"Why what is the time?† asked Tom. He wants to keep things as normal as possible. â€Å"It's ten,† said Tom's mum. â€Å"Ok,† said Tom. At school Tom didn't concentrate on anything apart from Mr.Diver. He wanted to find out if the police had found it out. Third lesson the receptionist came and asked Tom to take his things and come with her and Tom knew that it was about Mr.Diver. His mum was in the reception and she said Tom to come with her and tom asked why and she said that she'd tell him on the way. â€Å"Why did you come to the school? What's wrong? â€Å"Mr.Diver is dead,† said Tom's mum â€Å"Who did a such a terrible thing?† asked Tom. â€Å"That's what police trying to find out. He was found in his car stabbed and the police things that someone tried to steal his car and didn't succeed so they killed him,† said Tom's mum. Tom was about to ask why didn't they take the car but he thought better leave it. When he and his mum came to their house they saw that the police was in. â€Å"Don't worry they just taking photos of the scene,† said Tom's mum. Tom now felt that his next step was to tell his father what happened and say to him that he should speak to Tom's mum and tell her exactly what happened and the reason for Tom to kill Mr.Diver and Tom believed by this his mum and dad would come together. The following Friday Tom met his dad and his dad asked him what happened to Mr.Diver and Tom told him exactly what happened and told him to say to his mum. His dad told him that he will talk to her and advised him to don't kill any one again. The following day when Tom woke up he saw that his dad was with his mum and his mum was crying and asked Tom â€Å"Why did you do this? You should've told me that you don't like Mr.Diver and you shouldn't have killed Mr.Diver† † I'm sorry mum,† said Tom â€Å"Now on we'll forget what happened in the past and thing of what will happen in future,† said Tom's dad.

Literature review on entrepreneurial finance The WritePass Journal

Literature review on entrepreneurial finance Introduction Literature review on entrepreneurial finance IntroductionResearch ProposalBackgroundBank FinanceFinancing PreferencesStudy Aims and ObjectivesResearch StatementResearch QuestionsRelated Introduction Research Proposal Although it appears to be contentious whether availability of finance impacts on entrepreneurial entry to markets (Kim et al., 2006, p. 5), it is likely to be a critical factor in determining the early success or failure of any new start-up venture. What is more, it has also been implicated as an important factor in determining the ongoing success of the business (Marlow Patton, 2005, p. 717; Capelleras et al., 2008, p. 688). The literature would also appear to indicate that the balance between the availability to and uptake by entrepreneurs of different forms of finance may have wider effects on the national economy (Deidda Fattouh, 2008, p. 6). Therefore it may be important to gain a better understanding of the level of availability of different forms of finance to start-up ventures, along with different factors affecting their uptake by entrepreneurs. Background This section of the proposal provides a brief overview of the literature on the different financing options available to start-up ventures, focusing on bank finance and venture capital. Bank Finance There is a lack of recent research available as to trends in funding of entrepreneurs in The Netherlands. Understanding of such trends in other countries, where extensive research has taken place in the field of entrepreneurial finance, could result in the understanding as well as the applicability of general findings to The Netherlands and any other country. Evidence confirms that banks continued to provide a major source of finance for SMEs in the 1990s (Hughes, 1997, p. 151) although it would be expected that the recent financial crisis could have impacted this (Udell, 2011, p. 103). While relaxing financial constraints may allow greater access to bank financing for entrepreneurs, it may also encourage excessive entry to the market and may also undermine bank-monitoring incentives according to Arping et al. (2010, p. 26). Evidence from developing nations such as South Africa suggest that access to formal bank financing is likely to be a determinant of start-up rates in any given region (Naude et al., 2008, p. 111). There was however, little consideration in this paper as to whether availability of venture capital had any moderating effect on this relationship, and other sources suggest that this may be less important than availability of human capital (Kim et al., 2006, p. 5). There may not only be issues associated with availability of bank finance, but also access to it. There is some suggestion within the literature that women may be somewhat disadvantaged in securing bank finance when compared to their male counterparts (Marlow Patton, 2005, p. 717; Carter et al., 2007, p. 427). Other authors have disputed this, although it is possible that these differences could be accounted for by different geographical foci (Sabarwal et al., 2009, p. 1). There is also some suggestion that differences may exist between ethnic groups in access to bank finance (Smallbone et al., 2003, p. 291) while other personal characteristics of entrepreneurs could also create barriers (Irwin Scott, 2010, p. 245). The relationship between banks and entrepreneurs could be key to enabling access. Research from Italy suggests that there could be trust issues between young entrepreneurial firms and bank managers. This may be particularly true where there is perceived to be heavy monitoring, and may lead to lower levels of demand for bank financing (Howorth Moro, 2006, p. 495). There is some evidence that the ownership of the bank itself may influence the relationships it forms with businesses of all types, including start-ups. In particular, the evidence suggests that firms are more likely to maintain exclusive relationships with state-owned banks, which may indicate greater levels of trust than compared to foreign or privately owned banks (Berger et al., 2008, p. 37). The literature identifies some strategies that may be effective in helping to overcome these barriers. For example in emerging economies, networking has been implicated as an important strategy in helping small to medium enterprises (SMEs) secure bank financing. This more specifically relates to networking with customers and government officials (Le Nguyen, 2009, p. 867). There is some suggestion that firms in developed countries are more likely to incorporate in order to access formal bank financing (Acs et al., 2008, p. 10). Financing Preferences It has been speculated that young businesses may require more than just monetary input, but also require access to expertise. This argument has been proposed predominantly in the context of technology firms, who may lack experience in research and development. Such businesses may benefit from expertise provided by venture capital firms who possess expertise and skills in this area (Keuschnigg Nielsen, 2005, p. 222). It would however be suggested that this may extend into some other sectors on the basis of research by Kim et al. (2006, p. 5) which found that availability of human capital was instrumental in determining entrepreneurial entry to markets. Quantitative surveys conducted amongst start-up firms has suggested that various characteristics of those ventures may determine the structure and types of finance which are utilized, including size, assets, growth orientation and owner characteristics (Cassar, 2004, p. 261). When selecting venture capital, businesses must consider contracts carefully, as these will have a significant impact on how the firm is able to exit at a later stage (Cumming, 2008, p. 1947). de Bettignies and Brander (2007, p. 808) argue that venture capital may be preferred to bank finance when venture capital productivity is high and entrepreneurial productivity is low. Winton and Yerramilli (2008, p. 51) suggest that there may be different criteria for determining preference, based on preference for risky or safe continuation practices and relative costs associated with finance options. For example, they suggest that if venture capital companies lower their cost of capital, this may entice some entrepreneurs to switch from safe continuation strategies utilizing bank finance, to riskier strategies utilizing venture capital. Study Aims and Objectives It would appear that many of the studies discussed in the previous section have much to contribute to a better understanding of how entrepreneurs select between bank and venture capital financing. However, most have focused on only limited aspects of the issue. A literature review that aims to take a wider perspective may therefore be useful in providing a better understanding of what may be a relatively complex decision-making process. In particular, most of the evidence available has examined the availability and access to bank financing, with much less information available on comparison to venture capital availability and access. Yet contrasting the benefits and limitations of the two may be important in enabling entrepreneurs to make an informed decision when structuring their start-up finance arrangements. Research Statement The research aims to conduct a review of the literature that will enable comparison of benefits and limitations of bank finance and venture capital. Research Questions The following research questions will be addressed by the review:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Are there differences in the availability of and access to bank financing and venture capital to businesses?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Does the availability and access to different types of finance impact choices made by entrepreneurs?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Are there common barriers to bank finance and venture capital or are some barriers specific to one option? When successfully answered, the findings from the previous questions should give answer to the following question by means of a recommendation: Are there any strategies that may enable entrepreneurs to overcome these barriers? References Acs, Z.J., Desai, S. Klapper, L.F. (2008) What does ‘Entrepreneurship’ data really show? A comparison of the global entrepreneurship monitor and world bank group datasets. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 4667. Accessed 13 May 2011, from: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1233043.   Arping, S., Loranth, G. Morrison, A.D. (2010). Public initiatives to support entrepreneurs: Credit guarantees versus co-funding. Journal of Financial Stability, 6(1): 26-35. Berger, A.N., Klapper, L.F., Peria, M.S.M. Zaidi, R. (2008). Bank ownership type and banking relationships. Journal of Financial Intermediation, 17(1): 37-62. Capelleras, J.-L., Mole, K.F., Greene, F.J. Storey, D.J. (2008). Do more heavily regulated economies have poorer performing new ventures? Evidence from Britain and Spain. Journal of International Business Studies, 39(4): 688-704.   Carter, S., Shaw, E., Lam, W. Wilson, F. (2007). Gender, entrepreneurship, and bank lending: The criteria and processes used by bank loan officers in assessing applications. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 31(3): 427-444. Cassar, G. (2004). The financing of business start ups. Journal of Business Venturing, 19(2): 261-283.   Cumming, D. (2008). Contracts and exits in venture capital finance. The Review of Financial Studies, 21(5): 1947-1982.   de Bettignies, J.-E. Brander, J.A. (2007). Financing entrepreneurship: Bank finance versus venture capital. Journal of Business Venturing, 22(6): 808-832. Deidda, L. Fattouh, B. (2008). Banks, financial markets and growth. Journal of Financial Intermediation, 17(1): 6-36. Howorth, C. Moro, A. (2006). Trust within entrepreneur bank relationships: Insights from Italy. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 30(4): 495-517. Hughes, A. (1997). Finance for SMEs: A UK perspective. Business and Economics, 9(2): 151-168. Irwin, D. Scott, J.M. (2010). Barriers faced by SMEs in raising bank finance. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour Research, 16(3): 245-259. Keuschnigg, C. Nielsen, S.B. (2005) ‘Public policy for start-up entrepreneurship with venture capital and bank finance’. In V. Kanniainen C. Keuschnigg (Eds.) Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship, and Public Policy. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, pp. 221-250.   Kim, P.H., Aldrich, H.E. Keister, L.A. (2006). Access (not) denied: The impact of financial, human, and cultural capital on entrepreneurial entry in the United States. Small Business Economics, 27(1): 5-22. Le, N.T.B. Nguyen, T.V. (2009). The impact of networking on bank financing: The case of small and medium-sized enterprises in Vietnam. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 33(4): 867-887.   Marlow, S. Patton, D. (2005). All credit to men? Entrepreneurship, finance, and gender. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 29(6): 717-735.   Naude, W., Gries, T., Wood, E. Meintijies, A. (2008) Regional determinants of entrepreneurial start-ups in a developing country. Entrepreneurship Regional Development, 20(2): 111-124.   Sabarwal, S., Terrell, K. Bardasi, E. (2009). How do Female Entrepreneurs Perform? Evidence from Three Developing Regions. World Bank. Accessed 15 May 2011, from: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGENDER/Resources/336003-1240628924155/Sabarwal_Terrell_Bardasi_Entrep_All_CWE.pdf. Smallbone, D., Ram, M., Deakins, D. Aldock, R.B. (2003). Access to finance by ethnic minority businesses in the UK. International Small Business Journal, 21(3): 291-314. Udell, G.F. (2011). SME financing and the financial crisis: A framework and some issues. In G. Calcagnini I. Favaretto (Eds.) The Economics of Small Businesses: An International Perspective. London: Springer Heidelberg, pp. 103-113.   Winton, A. Yerramilli, V. (2008). Entrepreneurial finance: Banks versus venture capital. Journal of Financial Economics, 88(1): 51-79.

The Elite Report Essays - Electronic Music, MIDI, Fanshawe College

The Elite Report Essays - Electronic Music, MIDI, Fanshawe College The Elite Report Music Industry Arts A Two Year Diploma Program Program Code MIA1 Campus Code LC LC - London September Admission Program Description The Music Industry Arts program educates students in all relevant aspects of the contemporary audio industry. The program promotes the professional attitude required to function in the musical, technical and commercial areas of Audio Production Engineering and Business. The program approach is intensively hands-on, with professional media and recording facilities exclusively dedicated to student use. Course curricula include functions of consoles and recorders, digital recording, video interlock, MIDI recording and sequencing, analog/digital techniques, contracts, sales and promotion music publishing, copyright, arranging, music theory, ear training, microphone techniques, studio operation and management. Computer literacy and MIDI techniques relevant to the disciplines of music and post-production recording are offered through theory and practical applications. Career Opportunities This program offers a unique opportunity for learning the skills required for the music recording industry, the post-production field, and general audio industries. The graduate may find career opportunities with sound recording studios, post-production facilities, recording companies, merchandising, touring commercial artists, cruise ships, publishing, management, promotion, sales, MIDI/sound design or studio recording for broadcasting and television. Program Eligibility CriteriaRequired Academic Preparation OSSD with courses at the General Level with: - Grade 12 English Or BTSD-Level 4 Certificate Or Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate (GED) Or Mature Applicant with standing in the required course stated aboveRecommended Academic Preparation - Courses in Communications Technology, Keyboarding, Computer Studies, Marketing, Development of Entrepreneurs, Analog and Digital Electronics, Computer Technology - Interfacing.Recommended Personal Preparation It is an advantage to the student to have a broad background in music theory, knowledge and appreciation of all types of music, an interest in the recording industry and its role in today's entertainment field, experience with computer and/or synthesizer/MIDI applications.Applicant Selection CriteriaWhere the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be: A. Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario. B. R eceipt of Application by February 1st. C. Achievement in the Required Academic Preparation. D. Achievement in the Recommended Academic Preparation. E. Assessment of personal suitability based on: . Supplementary Form Approximate Costs (2000/2001)Fees for: Levels 1 & 2 Levels 3 & 4 $2143.90 $2143.90 Books and Supplies: $2613.00* $2087.00* *this fee includes access to facilities and equipment in the program Recording Industry -Digital Applications A One Year Post-Graduate Certificate Program Program Code MRM2 Campus Code LC LC - London September Admission Program Description The Digital Applications program is a post-graduate program which provides intensive practical instruction and application opportunities for acquiring proficiency in the MIDI/digital multi-media field through hands-on equipment application and process-oriented instruction. Career Opportunities Career opportunities with sound recording studios, record companies, independent production houses and other 'sound related' industries, music publishing conglomerates and anywhere that 'sound' production and/or mixing is required. Program Eligibility CriteriaRequired Academic Preparation Music Industry Arts Diploma Or An equivalent qualification from another institution as judged by the College Or Professional background and experience assessed by the College to be equivalent to the aboveApplicant Selection CriteriaWhere the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be: A. Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario. B. Receipt of Application by February 1st. C. Achievement in the Required Academic Preparation. Students applying for the Recording Industry - Digital Applications program with a two year Music Industry Arts Diploma should have obtained a 'B' average in all MIDI and RCRD or PROD courses in the second year of the Music Industry Arts program at Fanshawe College, or a 'B' average in all MIDI courses from another institution. Applicants with less than a 'B' average will be considered only on the recommendation of the Program Chai r. D. Preference will be given to graduates of the Fanshawe College Music Industry Arts program, with most recent graduates having priority.Note: Applications received by February 1st will be guaranteed consideration. Applications received after February 1st will be considered only if places remain available in the program. Approximate Costs (2000/2001)Fees for: Levels 1 & 2 $2143.90 Books and Supplies: $2082.00

Super Tuesday Definition - Date and States That Vote

Super Tuesday Definition - Date and States That Vote Super Tuesday is the day on which a large number of states, many of them in the South,  hold their primaries in the presidential race. Super Tuesday is important because a large number of delegates are at stake and the outcome of the primaries can elevate or end a candidates chances at winning their partys presidential nomination later in the spring.   Super Tuesday 2016 was  held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton emerged with the most number of delegates on Super Tuesday 2016, thrusting both toward their eventual nominations at that years conventions in Cleveland, Ohio, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Twelves states  hold primaries or caucuses on Super Tuesday. Voters in those states  go to the polls about one month after the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucus are held.   Super Tuesday 2016 was  the first presidential primary day under Republican National Committee rules designed to give states that vote later in the year more influence in the nomination process and at the GOP convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in the summer. Why Super Tuesday  Is a Big Deal The votes that are cast on Super Tuesday  determine how many delegates are sent to the Republican and Democratic national conventions to represent their respective candidates for the presidential nominations. More than a quarter of the Republican Partys delegates are typically  up for grabs on Super Tuesday, including in the top prize of 155 delegates in Texas. More than a fifth of the Democratic Partys delegates are up for grabs that day. In other words, more than 600 of the 2,472 total Republican delegates to the partys national convention are awarded on Super Tuesday. Thats half the amount necessary for the nomination - 1,237 - up for grabs in a single day. In the Democratic primaries and caucuses,  more than  1,00 of the 4,764 Democratic delegates to the  partys national convention in Philadelphia  are at stake on Super Tuesday. Thats nearly half of the 2,383 needed for the nomination. Super Tuesday Origins Super Tuesday originated as an attempt by southern states to win greater influence in the Democratic primaries. The first Super Tuesday was held in March 1988.   Super Tuesday 2016 Delegate Rules Under the Republican Partys new rules, states that hold their primaries and caucuses on March 1 through March 14  awarded delegates on a proportional basis instead of winner-take-all. That means no candidate can likely win enough delegates to secure the nomination before late-voting states get to hold their primaries. The rule is designed to prevent states from  trying to leapfrog each other for influence and attention during the primaries. List of States Voting on Super Tuesday The number of states holding primaries and caucuses on Super Tuesday 2016 was  larger than in the previous presidential-election year, in 2012. Only ten states held primaries or caucuses on Super Tuesday in 2012.   Here are the states that hold primaries or caucuses on Super Tuesday, followed by the number of delegates being awarded to the party conventions: Alabama: 50 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 60 delegates at stake in the Democratic primaryAlaska: 28 delegates at stake in the Republican caucuses (the 20 delegates at stake in the Democratic caucuses are awarded on March 26, not on Super Tuesday)Arkansas: 40 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 37 delegates at stake in the Democratic primaryColorado: 37 delegates at stake in the Republican caucuses, 79 delegates at stake in the Democratic caucusesGeorgia: 76 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 116 delegates at stake in the Democratic primaryMassachusetts: 42 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 116 delegates at stake in the Democratic primaryMinnesota: 38 delegates at stake in the Republican caucuses, 93 delegates at stake in the Democratic caucusesOklahoma: 43 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 42 delegates at stake in the Democratic primaryTennessee: 58 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 76 delegates at stake in the Democratic primary Texas: 155 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 252 delegates at stake in the Democratic primaryVermont: 16 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 26 delegates at stake in the Democratic primaryVirginia: 49 delegates at stake in the Republican primary, 110 delegates at stake in the Democratic primary

Why did the Greeks build temples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why did the Greeks build temples - Essay Example Classical temples can be grouped in two categories and these are Ionic and Doric. These styles are known as orders that can be identified in types of column used in temples. Ancient Greek temples were not built for worship or for receiving spiritual comfort. These were basically built for god or goddess who protected the community. Gods controlled the natural calamities and other hazards as well. Gods were capricious at some times and they could harm the community. That is why it was important for everyone to take care of god’s comfort to avoid problems. Their houses were specimen of good construction especially those built during the Dark Age. Gods were keenly looked after. Gods received share in food, harvest, business, trading and military activity. Peripteral, Doric and Ionic orders were the masterpiece constructions in ancient Greek. All the orders differ in type of construction, style and usage of material1. Cult images were mostly used in all the temples to represent go d. These images still speak of the mastery of designers. Statue representation at centre of the temple was either sitting of standing. Initially statues were made of wood but with the passage of time cut stones and different materials were used. Zeus statue was liked worldwide and for some time it remained the part of Seven Wonders of the World2. Another purpose of Greek temples was to house statues of deities. Varieties of statues were placed in a single temple for worshipping and offerings. Specific offerings were a feature of Greek temples in Greece. Offerings might include flowers, jewellery, precious belongings of a person. All the offerings presented by citizens were permanently preserved in the temple. Great construction work reflects the attachment of ancient Greeks with their gods. Temples also served as linkage between sacred and secular in ancient Greece. Altar was the place specified for sacrifices and offerings in a temple. Olympia and Delphi were the places where treas ury was a small building introduced for offerings to god and goddess. The other important parts of the temples which were not part of the religious practice places includes council house, law court, fountain house, separate place for women to fill their vases with water from community fountain. The temples were also linked with open assembly area or market place in the rear3. Normally the part of temple opened for the public was either a cave or line of trees for worship. The sacred enclosure of the temple building was commonly known as Temenos. This place reflected the rural origin of cults. Public was not allowed to move around in the complete temple. Only priests had the privilege of divine presence for showing and performing as representatives of the whole community. Common public was normally not allowed to perform in religious festivals and gatherings. Although they were encouraged to contribute financially as temple was the house of gods. People usually offered lavish sacrifi ces to gods in the shape of livestock and personal belongings4. Different occasions of athletics and dramatic production was a regular feature in ancient Greek. Gods and goddess were presented with rare objects, garments, jewellery and cutlery by the community. Community normally loved to gift statues of young men and women as symbol of deep reverence towards gods. Kore was found in sixth century BC in Athens. Offering of joint prayers with the community normally took place in temple at the end of any gathering or festival5. There is no doubt that temple is the most important building of the Greeks. Statues in temple were placed facing east so that rising sun is first seen from

Do violent video games lead to violent behaviour among young people Essay - 1

Do violent video games lead to violent behaviour among young people - Essay Example Such games have a very negative impact on the mind-set of the young children who play such games. The fictitious events are often considered reality by innocent children who lack a proper sense of direction. The events portrayed in the game change the mind-set of young children. Children very often try stunts on their friends which are shown in violent video games. Playing violent video games increases aggression among people who play it and there are no two ways about it. â€Å"One study reveals that young men who are habitually aggressive may be especially vulnerable to the aggression-enhancing effects of repeated exposure to violent games," said psychologists Craig A. Anderson, Ph.D., and Karen E. Dill, Ph.D. "The other study reveals that even a brief exposure to violent video games can temporarily increase aggressive behavior in all types of participants† (Violent Video Games Can Increase Aggression). â€Å"On average, there is a significant tendency for the studies to yield an increase in aggression by those who have played the violent games," said Craig Anderson, an Iowa State University professor and leading researcher on the effects of media violence.† (Violent Video games under Attack). There are enough evidences which prove that playing violent video games give rise to violence in the society. This is extremely bad for the society, it is high time that this is realized and something should be done about it sooner rather than later. Every coin is two sided, playing games also has benefits. It relaxes a person and it is very entertaining to play games. The relaxation derived from playing games is immense and cannot be out into words. Research also proves that playing games makes the mind sharper and the response rate of the mind goes up by a significant level. â€Å"Nottingham Trent University professor Mark Griffiths said they can be a

Effect of a Brief Seminar on Retirement Planning for Senior Dental Article

Effect of a Brief Seminar on Retirement Planning for Senior Dental Hygiene Students - Article Example rences in relative risk aversion, a variable that derives its theoretical relevance and explanatory power from the life-cycle hypothesis of consumption and saving (Jefferson, 2007). These studies would be a back ground in the investigation of the knowledge and attitudes of senior dental hygiene students in regard to personal financial investing and retirement planning for their future through a brief pre-test survey. However a number of literatures are available inquiring into the factors affecting the decisions differentiating consumption and saving. An individual’s holdings might be influenced by the asset holdings of other household members and thus portfolio composition appeared to be affected by factors that go beyond an innate gender difference in approaches to risk. Other relevant institutional factors might include the workplace and peer groups (Clark-Murphy and Gerrans P, 2001). In the analysis of information on pension coverage and pension plan characteristics in the 1992 and 1995 Survey of Consumer Finances, indicated that both gender and marital status affected the way individuals chose to allocate their retirement investments across different assets and the investment behavior of married men and women was significantly different from that of single men and women. (Lyons A & Yilmazer T, 2004). Studies by Sunden A & Surette B(1998) also had suggested similar impact of gender and marital status on retirement investment. Further, Lundberg and Ward-Batts (2000) had studied the effect of age and education on the saving behavior of individuals and families. The household decision taking process was further added as a factor affecting the investment decision as collective modeling study done by Lyons A & Yilmazer T (2004) assumed that whoever controlled the resources within the household had a greater impact over the financial decisions within the household However the relevance of retirement planning has been reiterated by a number of literatures

Form Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Form - Case Study Example Furthermore, technological advancement and economies of scale necessitates the need to apply project management skills and know if quality services and goods are to be delivered to the customers. Shell is an American based company that specializes in oil and petrochemical product. It is a company that has an excellent record in its provision of goods services not only in America but also other countries around the world. Part of the success of the company especially considering its scale of operation can be attributed to excellent project managers with outstanding project management skills. Project managers at Shell follow a specific pattern of ensuring maximum profits and quality delivery of goods and services. The first initiative is the project estimation process. Undertaking this activity enables the managers to determine the feasibility of a particular project by considering resourcing and expenditure. Prior knowledge of such enables the managers to know it the project is worth undertaking. Information on resource capability proves critical to the success of the business. Analysis of resource capability of a project equips the managers with the necessary skills to improve productivity of the business and be able to manage customer expectation. Such a scenario would ensure that whoever is seeking services from such a company would not be disappointed as one gets what is promised. Project planning is the other crucial factor in project management. It enables the concerned parties to organize projects in cases of large organizations and also the various activities within a project. Project planning requires careful analysis of the situation putting into consideration uncertainties that may affect the cost and timely completion of the project. Improvement of budget and cost control proves vital to the success of a business. Project managers at Shell scrutinize minor details of an existing business and upcoming projects. Such an activity would ensure that

Cities have the right to ban smoking in public Essay - 1

Cities have the right to ban smoking in public - Essay Example All cities around the world have a right to ban smoking in order to safeguard the health of its masses. On that note, it is going to follow the five steps of persuasion that entails the establishment of credibility, acknowledging the audience’s position, constructing a rationale, transplanting root elements, and seeking for a response (Lakhani, 2005). For instance, in the establishment of credibility, it is significant to observe that smoking causes health problems both to the active and passive smoker. Experts note that out of the 4000 chemical compounds that are found in cigarettes, 400 are noxious substances and cause various diseases and health risks. Similarly, the tar contained in all cigarettes causes both lung and mouth cancer. Additionally, addictive nicotine raises the cholesterol levels in a human body. Apart from the harmful effects of tar and nicotine, there is carbon monoxide that depletes the oxygen levels in the body. Another fundamental factor why banning of smoking in the cities is paramount is it reduce risks to non-smokers. These are the people also called the passive smokers. It is said that passive smokers are more exposed to the harmful effects of smoking than the active smokers (Haneline & Meeker, 2010). They, for instance, are prone to asthmatic attacks and the infections of the bronchia. Alternatively, according to Action on Smoking and Health group, the risk of heart attack increases for non-smokers if they are exposed to 30 minutes of smoking. On the same account, in a BBC News report released in 2002, many people in London succumbed to heart disease because of secondhand smoke. Therefore, despite the doubts that the audience may harbor against the banning of smoking in the cities around the world, there are other valid reasons. For example, my rationale construction postulation states that the ban of smoking will have many positive effects. This means that there will be

Form Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Form - Case Study Example Furthermore, technological advancement and economies of scale necessitates the need to apply project management skills and know if quality services and goods are to be delivered to the customers. Shell is an American based company that specializes in oil and petrochemical product. It is a company that has an excellent record in its provision of goods services not only in America but also other countries around the world. Part of the success of the company especially considering its scale of operation can be attributed to excellent project managers with outstanding project management skills. Project managers at Shell follow a specific pattern of ensuring maximum profits and quality delivery of goods and services. The first initiative is the project estimation process. Undertaking this activity enables the managers to determine the feasibility of a particular project by considering resourcing and expenditure. Prior knowledge of such enables the managers to know it the project is worth undertaking. Information on resource capability proves critical to the success of the business. Analysis of resource capability of a project equips the managers with the necessary skills to improve productivity of the business and be able to manage customer expectation. Such a scenario would ensure that whoever is seeking services from such a company would not be disappointed as one gets what is promised. Project planning is the other crucial factor in project management. It enables the concerned parties to organize projects in cases of large organizations and also the various activities within a project. Project planning requires careful analysis of the situation putting into consideration uncertainties that may affect the cost and timely completion of the project. Improvement of budget and cost control proves vital to the success of a business. Project managers at Shell scrutinize minor details of an existing business and upcoming projects. Such an activity would ensure that

EXAM PREPARATION (MARKETING RESEARCH) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EXAM PREPARATION (MARKETING RESEARCH) - Essay Example For a company that wants to differentiate its existing products or to innovate, the marketing department has to conduct exploratory research. With this research design, the marketing department will see how its customers respond to these new products in terms of their attitudes to buy these products or their feedback about its features, quality and utility etc. Most innovative firms such as Apple, Microsoft, Cisco, Vodafone etc almost always used exploratory research design to further discover new ideas. Apple Inc used exploratory research to develop iPod, by learning about how consumers wanted a portable device that could play favorite songs with increased volume quality and with ample storage capacity. Exploratory marketing research can help the researcher identify strategic management practices, financial or auditing approaches, marketing opportunities that may lead the company to achieve competitive advantage etc. Basically, the exploratory research is to provide the researcher w ith preliminary information about the problem or the opportunity to be studied. Descriptive research design attempts to obtain data that can describe the characteristics of the topic of interest in the research. Descriptive research is mainly designed to help the researcher to determine the frequency with which some incident occurs or to determine the relationship between two variables. This type of research is relatively rigid in nature, because the researcher assumes certain underlying characteristics of the market or he has some precise question of the statement of the research. Marketing management of a company may have to study about seasonal trends that affect their marketing. Descriptive research is the appropriate design for this type of research. Descriptive research is frequently used by companies to segment the potential market. With segmentation, the marketer initially identifies

Bertrand Russell disagreed with Berkeleys argument Essay Example for Free

Bertrand Russell disagreed with Berkeleys argument Essay George Berkeley was an Irish bishop and empiricist. His core philosophy was ‘esse est percipi’ this translates to, to be, is to be perceived. Berkeley believed that both primary and secondary objects were perceiver dependent believed that the world was not was not separate from the mind ergo; he was an immaterialist (we perceive things in the mind). He started his argument for empiricism by stating that in order for things to exist they must be perceived, due to holding this view point he thought that everything depends on the mind. This raises an immediate problem. If everything is perceiver dependent, what happens when an object is not being perceived? Does it simply pop out of existence? This argument does not seem coherent. This is due to the idea being an extremely irrational understanding of the world. The concept can also be disproved. This is because if we could put a video camera into a room and leave it so no one perceived the room and the objects in it and it would not disappear. Berkeley later added to his argument, as an attempt to solve this problem that no object is un-perceived. He claims objects do not disappear out of exist due to there being a constant perceiver, God. This is as God is omnipresent therefore, he always perceives the world. Thus objects do not pop out existence as they are constantly perceived. However by adding the existence of God to his argument it became weak. This is due to a huge assumption. This assumption is that God exists. There are many arguments both for and against God’s existence, such as the teleological argument and the problem of evil. It seems strange to base a theory of object’s existence on a being whose existence is unproven. Bertrand Russell disagreed with Berkeley’s argument for objects existences. Russell argued that if he was sat in his chair and his cat was in one corner of the room and he turned round on his chair and the cat was at the other side of the room, according to Berkeley there was only two possible ways this could have happened. Firstly the cat could have popped out of existence when Russell turned on his chair and then popped back into existence when he had turned back round. Or secondly, the cat could have walked across the room when he was turned on the chair due to God perceiving it. Russell claimed that these two possibilities were irrational and we could not use these two claims for the existence of objects.

Human Trafficking problems and effects in Sudan

Human Trafficking problems and effects in Sudan Sudan is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked internally for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation. Sudan is also a transit and destination country for Ethiopian women trafficked abroad for domestic servitude. Sudanese women and girls are trafficked within the country for domestic servitude. Local observers report the recruitment sometimes by force of Darfuri girls to work in private homes, including those occupied by soldiers from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), as cooks or cleaners; some of these girls are subsequently pressured by male occupants to engage in commercial sexual acts. Sudanese women and girls are trafficked to Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, for domestic servitude and to European countries, such as Poland, for sexual exploitation. Sudanese children are trafficked through Yemen to Saudi Arabia for forced begging. Sudanese gangs coerce other young Sudanese refugees into prostitution in nightclubs in Egypt. Sudanese children are unlawfully conscripted, at times through abduction, and exploited by armed groups including the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), all Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) factions, the Popular Defense Forces, Janjaweed militia, and Chadian opposition forces in Sudans ongoing conflict in Darfur; the Sudanese Armed Forces, associated militias, and the Central Reserve Police also continue to unlawfully recruit children in this region. There were confirmed reports of forcible child recruitment in 2008 by the JEM in several refugee camps in eastern Chad, as well as villages in Darfur. Forcible recruitment of adults and particularly children by virtually all armed groups involved in Sudans concluded north-south civil war was previously commonplace; thousands of children still associated with these forces await demobilization and reintegration into their communities of origin. Although the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) high command committed to preventing recruitmen t and releasing the remaining children from its ranks, reports suggest some local commanders continue recruiting children. In certain states, the SPLA also persists in using children for military activities, even after these children have been formally identified for demobilization and family reunification. A recently released report by a consortium of NGOs found that government-supported militia, like the Janjaweed and the Popular Defense Forces, together with elements of the SAF, have systematically abducted civilians for the purposes of sexual slavery and forced labor as part of the Darfur conflict. This practice was far more common, however, at the beginning of the conflict in 2003 than during the reporting period, when the conflict in Darfur had largely subsided. Some were released after days or weeks of captivity, while others escaped after a number of months or even years. The vast majority of those abducted are from non-Arabic speaking ethnic groups like the Fur, Massalit, and Zaghawa. Abducted women and girls are subjected to rape, forced marriage, and sexual slavery, as well as forced domestic and agricultural labor. Abducted men and boys are subjected to forced labor in agriculture, herding, portering goods, and domestic servitude. Thousands of Dinka women and children were abducted and subsequently enslaved by members of the Missiriya and Rizeigat tribes during the north-south civil war. An unknown number of children from the Nuba tribe were similarly abducted and enslaved. A portion of those who were abducted and enslaved remained with their abductors in South Darfur and West Kordofan and experienced varying types of treatment; others were sold or given to third parties, including in other regions of the country; and some ultimately escaped from their captors. While there have been no known, new abductions of Dinka by members of Baggara tribes in the last several years, inter-tribal abductions continue in southern Sudan between warring African tribes, especially in Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria States; Murle raids on Nuer villages in Jonglei State resulted in the abduction of an unknown number of children. The terrorist rebel organization, Lords Resistance Army (LRA), continues to harbor small numbers of enslaved Sudanese and Ugandan children in southern Sudan for use as cooks, porters, and combatants; some of these children are also trafficked across borders into Uganda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UN/OCHA reported 66 LRA-related abductions in southern Sudans Western Equatoria Province in 2008 and early 2009. The Government of National Unity of Sudan (GNU) does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. This report discusses the problem of human trafficking as it impacts the country in its entirety and analyzes the efforts of the national government, the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), and the state governments to combat the problem. Sudans Tier 3 ranking reflects the overall lack of significant anti-trafficking efforts demonstrated by all levels of the countrys governing structures, each of which bear responsibility for addressing the crime. While the GNU and the GOSS took greater steps to demobilize child soldiers, combating human trafficking through law enforcement or significant prevention measures was not a priority for any Sudanese government entity in 2008. The national government published neither data nor statistics regarding its efforts to combat human trafficking during the year; it did not respond to requests to provide information for this report. Prosecution The governments anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts were negligible during the reporting period; it did not investigate or prosecute any suspected trafficking cases. Sudan is a large country with porous borders and destitute hinterlands; the national government had little ability to establish authority or a law enforcement presence in many regions. Sudans criminal code does not prohibit all forms of trafficking in persons, though its Articles 162, 163, and 164 criminalize abduction, luring, and forced labor, respectively. No trafficker has ever been prosecuted under these articles. In May 2008, the Council of Ministers received the Child Act 2008 for review; the act must be approved by the council and ratified by the parliament before it can be implemented. The Act prohibits the recruitment of children under the age of 18 into armed forces or groups and ensures the demobilization, rehabilitation, and reintegration of child victims of armed conflict. Several states subsequently d rafted their own Child Acts based on the national act; in November 2008, Southern Kordofan State ratified its Child Act. In December 2008, Sudans National Assembly approved the Sudan Armed Forces Act of 2007, which establishes criminal penalties for persons who recruit children under 18 years of age, as well as for abduction and enslavement; the act prescribes penalties of up to five years imprisonment for child recruitment and up to 10 years imprisonment for enslavement. In August 2008, the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly passed the Southern Sudan Child Act of 2008, which prohibits the recruitment and use of children for military or paramilitary activities and prescribes punishments of up to 10 years imprisonment for such crimes. The President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) signed the act into law in October 2008. The Southern Sudan Penal Code Act, enacted in July 2008, prohibits and prescribes punishments of up to seven years imprisonment for unlawful compulsory la bor, including abduction or transfer of control for such purposes; the Act also criminalized the buying or selling of a minor for the purpose of prostitution and prescribes a punishment of up to 14 years imprisonment. In December 2008, the Minister of Justice issued a decree establishing offices with specialized childrens attorneys in Southern Darfur, Gedaref, Southern Kordofan, Sennar, Blue Nile, Western Darfur, and Kassala States to supervise investigations. The government neither documented anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts nor provided specialized anti-trafficking training to law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial personnel during the year. At the request of the Sudanese Police, in January 2009, UNPOL trained 122 women police officers who staff gender desks in child protection. UNPOL also conducted a five-day training program on human rights, gender, and child protection for 25 police officers in Aweil. Protection Sudans Government of National Unity (GNU) made only minimal efforts to protect victims of trafficking during the past year, and these efforts focused primarily on the demobilization of child soldiers. The government continued to demonstrate extremely low levels of cooperation with humanitarian workers in the Darfur region on a broad spectrum of issues, including human trafficking. The GOS and GOSS provide little to no protection for victims of trafficking crimes; Sudan had few victim care facilities readily accessible to trafficking victims and the government did not provide access to legal, medical, or psychological services. The government did not publicly acknowledge that children are trafficked into prostitution or domestic servitude in Sudan or take steps to identify and provide protective services to such victims. The Khartoum State Polices child and family protection unit, which offers various services such as legal aid and psychosocial support, assisted an unknown number of c hild victims of abuse and sexual violence in 2008 and could have potentially provided these services to trafficking victims. In 2008, similar units were established with UNICEFs support in Western Darfur, Northern Darfur, Southern Kordofan, Northern Kordofan, and Gedaref States. The government did not have a formal referral process to transfer victims to organizations providing care or a system of proactively identifying victims of trafficking among vulnerable populations. In January 2008, the government and its UN counterparts established a forum to share information and coordinate an appropriate response to children affected by armed conflict; the group met three times during the year. In May 2008, the Northern Sudan DDR Commission (NSDDRC) and the Southern Sudan DDR Commission (SSDDRC), with support from UNICEF and the Integrated UNDDR Unit, demobilized 88 children formerly associated with the SPLA in Kurmuk, Blue Nile State. In December 2008, the SSDDRC demobilized 46 children from the SPLA training academy in Korpout, Upper Nile State; they were part of a group of 68 children registered for demobilization in July 2007. Identification and registration programs were ongoing for remaining children still serving under the SPLA in Unity and Jongley States, as well is in South Kordofan. In July 2008, NSDDRC in Blue Nile State and UNICEF commenced an interim program to monitor demobilized childrens participation in reintegration opportunity programs; in October 2008, the program provided training to NSDDRCs child DDR workers on DDR standards and communicating effectively with children. In August 2008, the GOSS opened a child protection unit to ensure that no children are part of the SPLAs ranks. In December 2008, the Sudan Armed Forces, the National Council for Child Welfare, and UNICEF signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the protection of children in Sudan and prevention of recruitment into the armed forces. During the reporting period, the government punished trafficking victims for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked. Following the May 2008 clash between JEM and government forces in Omdurman, a suburb of Khartoum, Sudanese authorities arrested 110 children on charges of attempted violent overthrow of the state and held them with adults for several days. The government then established a Presidential High Committee to care for the children under the leadership of the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner. The National Council for Child Welfare (NCCW) took custody of 100 children, placed them in a National Security detention center, and provided medical care and psychosocial support; international NGOs certified the quality of the center as good and in keeping with international standards. However, 10 children were not sent to the separate facility and remained in detention with adults and an estimated 30 children were used as witnesses in trials of JEM combatants. The govern ment pardoned and released 103 children for family reunification; tried, acquitted, and released four children; and sentenced one child to death, pending appeal. The whereabouts of one child is unknown. The Committee for the Eradication of Abduction of Women and Children (CEAWC), established in 1999 to facilitate the safe return of abducted and enslaved women and children to their families, was not operational during the reporting period. Its most recent retrieval and transport missions took place in March 2008 with GOSS funding; since that time, neither the GNU nor the GOSS provided CEAWC with the necessary funding for the transport and reunification of previously identified abductees with their families. The government made no efforts to address issues of abduction and enslavement in Darfur during the reporting period. Basic Info The U.S. State Department ranks Sudan on Tier 3, meaning that the human trafficking prevention, protection, and prosecution there is about as stable and functional as the rest of their infrastructure. Of course, they would probably love to prevent the various armed factions from recruiting and abducting child soldiers, if for no other reason than to reduce the insurrectionists ranks. The brutal combination of ongoing conflict, poverty, and a lack of rule of law and infrastructure has meant Sudan is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking victims. So does Sudan have the political and economic stability to truly tackle trafficking? Trafficking prevention efforts in Sudan are, to use my favorite euphemism, a bit of a fustercluck. The ongoing conflict makes it nearly impossible for the government to get a handle on human trafficking and the significant child soldier problem. Not that theyve shown much serious effort. Who Are the Victims and What Are They Doing? The image of Sudanese children being lured or kidnapped from their homes to become child soldiers has become a cliche, but one steeped in a painful reality for many Sudanese families. Several different rebel factions use child soldiers in Sudan, as well as the Sudanese army and affiliated groups. Less-publicized but also a significant issue is the rampant use of Sudanese men, women, and children for forced labor within Sudan. This is especially true for women and girls, who are often forced into domestic servitude in private homes and sometimes used for sex there. Women and girls are also forced into commercial sex, and children are forced into begging on the streets. Where Are They Coming From and Where Are They Going? A significant portion of human trafficking in Sudan is internal, but it is also a source and destination country. Sudanese women and girls are trafficked to the Middle East and Europe for commercial sexual exploitation, where they can fetch a higher price. Children are also trafficked to the Middle East, primarily Saudi Arabia and Yemen, to beg. On the flip side, children from other African countries have been trafficked to Sudan girls usually as domestic servants and boys usually as soldiers. Whats Gotta Happen? Sudan wont be able to seriously address human trafficking until they address the conflict, poverty, and displacement which seriously exacerbate the problem. They recently took a good first step by enacting anti-trafficking legislation, but have yet to really enforce it. They need to arrest people for forcing others into labor and make an effort to identify cases when that happens. They also need to demobilize all the child soldiers in the country and work to reunite them with their families or find them other shelter. And yes that means the child soldiers in the Sudanese Armed Forces and affiliated militias.

Challenger Explosion :: essays research papers

On January 26, 1986, one of the greatest disasters of our time occurred. The shuttle, Challenger, blew up in front of a live audience. The space launch was being broadcasted across the United States live from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This launch was one of the most publicized launches due to the first civilian going into space and also that the launch had been delayed six times before.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission detailed that the launch took place on January 28, 1986 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The skis about Kennedy Space Center were clear and the sun was out in the sky. However the day was very cold the temperature was only slightly above freezing. This launch was going to be the coldest that NASA had ever launched before. The time of lift off was 11:38 AM Eastern Standard Time, this was when the 25th shuttle mission lifted off and headed towards space.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The diverse seven-member crew of the Challenger made it very media friendly because a civilian was going into space. The crewmembers were Commander Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Ronald McNair, Judith Resnik, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. NASA wanted to try a new radical approach by trying to rekindle the excitement that once had surrounded the space program. NASA thought that if an everyday American citizen were involved, they could communicate the excitement of space travel to the American public. President Ronald Reagan made the choice that the first ordinary American to travel into space would be a teacher. NASA and President Reagan thought that one of America’s teachers would be the best candidate for the trip because teachers have the ability to communicate to people and get them interested and excited about almost anything.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The shuttle would never make it into space as it exploded only seventy-three seconds after lift off killing all seven members of its crew. The explosion was blamed on the O-rings, a set of gaskets that sealed the joints between the rocket booster sections. They failed due to being exposed to cold weather. When the O-Rings failed the twin booster rockets separated and few off, the shuttle cabin separated and fell ten miles into the ocean. People who watch the videotape at around one second after ignition could see black smoke coming from the right Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). The black smoke suggested that some type of grease that sealed the O-Rings was being burned.

Questions about map

List four questions about map objectives that would influence the design of a map. What am I making this map for and what am I trying to accomplish? Who will be viewing? Why will it be used? Is there privacy issues surrounding the project? 2. What factors should be considered In evaluating the balance of a map? Placement of features, the size of features, alignment of features, usage of space 3. What types of colors generally work best for maps? How can the psychology of colors be used to enhance a map's meaning?Pastels and earth are good for big map areas. Bold colors are good for emphasis. Some things have associations with colors. For example green for plant life or blue for water 4. List three common pitfalls that amateurs make when creating legends. Cryptic filenames, poor formatting of numeric numbers and not adjusting neatness for balance 5. What is a geographic coordinate system, and why is it a poor choice for creating maps? This is a bad method for making maps because of t he distortion the system makes when projecting the map.A geographic coordinate system does this cause it is a system based on a sphere. 6. What four properties are distorted by map projections? Which tend to be preserved by conic projections? What distortions are present in TM and State Plane projections? Area Shape Direction and Distance can all be distorted. TM and state plane are better for small area mapping as they tend to preserve area and distance. 7. Examine the map projections on the inside front cover of this text.List which projection(s) might be suitable for a (a) map of a county, (b) map of the united States, c) United States map used to calculate travel distances, and (d) United States map used to calculate areas. A)= TM or state plane b)= Equidistant Conic or Lambert conformal conic c)= Equidistant Conic d)= Albert Equal Area Conic 8. When does a north arrow not point up? When should a north arrow not be used? If a projection messes up the direction a north arrow cann ot be used as It does not conform with the data. A gratuities grid can be used to show north 9.If you have an Archive license and wish to create and use annotation In different AP documents, how would you need to store It? An annotation Is stored as a feature class In a sedateness. 10. What Is the difference between the map scale, the scale range, and the reference scale? Map scale- Is the ratio of units from the map to the world Scale range- controls the range of the scale at which the features are allowed to appear Reference scale- scale that determines at which symbols or text labels appear at their assigned size CHI GIS By Will-Huber 2. What factors should be considered in evaluating the balance of a map?Placement rejection(s) might be suitable for a (a) map of a county, (b) map of the United States, a projection messes up the direction a north arrow cannot be used as it does not 9. If you have an Archive license and wish to create and use annotation in different map documents, how would you need to store it? An annotation is stored as a feature class in a sedateness. 10. What is the scale= is the ratio of units from the map to the world Scale range= controls the range of the scale at which the features are allowed to appear Reference scale= scale that determines at which symbols or text labels

I Am From

I'm from â€Å"Let's eat! † and â€Å"Man I sure am stuffed† Cheesy chicken spaghetti and rich death by chocolate. Burned bacon and slimy squash given to the dog to avoid eating. I'm from pineapple cheese pizza with caramelized pineapples atop And creamy chicken Alfredo with delicious golden strands of pasta. I'm from nana's homemade brownies and double chocolate chip cookies Stirred slowly and mixed with a â€Å"secret† recipe and baked with ark chocolate shavings For special occasions such as 4th of July parties and birthdays.FAMILY/MUSIC I'm from a song shared with Shelby. Air Guitar is our main profession. Driving in circles with the windows down Just to find the perfect song to live to Until we were pulled over for screaming the lyrics to We Can't Stop. I'm from Mac Miller blaring through my headphones and car speakers. I'm from Linkin Park. The Lumineers A Day to Remember And always: Maroon 5. Until I grew older and closer to God, and discovered TobyMac.I'm from a brown playful puggle we named Slade; Being lazy and sleeping on any soft surface in 2003. I'm from Alice, the playful powerful puppy. And Daisy our loveable Boston terrier Who chewed up all my socks with her sharp puppy teeth. And unfortunately had to be put down when my step brother was born.I'm from drinking hazelnut coffee beside Shelby on my front porch. Or near the sounds of the waterfall from the creek behind her house. I'm from Heather Hannel in Columbus, Ohio where horses run wild.Silly laughs and precious secrets shared between us. Heathers kindness and guidance Help me through life. I'm trom dreaming And living And my red 2001 Chevy Cavalier. I'm from The Voice And the Carroll family. I'm from wishing and playing and working at ArbVs. Like making roast beef sandwiches. And working with my best friend, Shelby. I'm from stormy Forks, Washington Beautiful Paris, Extravagant England, Exhilarating Disney World. I'm from here. Now. Face-timing my friend and typing my poe m.

Essay of william Essay

Scepticism about technological determinism emerged alongside increased pessimism about techno-science in the mid-20th century, in particular around the use of nuclear energy in the production of nuclear weapons, Nazi human experimentation during World War II, and the problems of economic development in the third world. As a direct consequence, desire for greater control of the course of development of technology gave rise to disenchantment with the model of technological determinism in academia. Modern theorists of technology and society no longer consider technological determinism to be a very accurate view of the way in which we interact with technology, even though determinist assumptions and language fairly saturate the writings of many boosters of technology, the business pages of many popular magazines, and much reporting on technology. Instead, research in science and technology studies, social construction of technology and related fields have emphasised more nuanced views that resist easy causal formulations. They emphasise that â€Å"The relationship between technology and society cannot be reduced to a simplistic cause-and-effect formula. It is, rather, an ‘intertwining'†, whereby technology does not determine but â€Å"†¦operates, and are operated upon in a complex social field† (Murphie and Potts). In his article â€Å"Subversive Rationalization: Technology, Power and Democracy with Technology,† Andrew Feenberg argues that technological determinism is not a very well founded concept by illustrating that two of the founding theses of determinism are easily questionable and in doing so calls for what he calls democratic rationalization (Feenberg 210–212). Prominent opposition to technologically determinist thinking has emerged within work on the social construction of technology (SCOT). SCOT research, such as that of Mackenzie and Wajcman (1997) argues that the path of innovation and its social consequences are strongly, if not entirely shaped by society itself through the influence of culture, politics, economic arrangements, regulatory mechanisms and the like. In its strongest form, verging on social determinism, â€Å"What matters is not the technology itself, but the social or economic system in which it is embedded† (Langdon Winner). In his influential but contested (see Woolgar and Cooper, 1999) article â€Å"Do Artifacts Have Politics?†, Langdon Winner illustrates a form of technological determinism by elaborating instances in which artifacts can have politics. Although â€Å"The deterministic model of technology is widely propagated in society† (Sarah Miller), it has also been widely questioned by scholars. Lelia Green explains that, â€Å"When technology was perceived as being outside society, it made sense to talk about technology as neutral†. Yet, this idea fails to take into account that culture is not fixed and society is dynamic. When â€Å"Technology is implicated in social processes, there is nothing neutral about society† (Lelia Green). This confirms one of the major problems with â€Å"technological determinism and the resulting denial of human responsibility for change. There is a loss of human involvement that shape technology and society† (Sarah Miller). Another conflicting idea is that of technological somnambulism, a term coined by Winner in his essay â€Å"Technology as Forms of Life†. Winner wonders whether or not we are simply sleepwalking through our existence with little concern or knowledge as to how we truly interact with technology. In this view it is still possible for us to wake up and once again take control of the direction in which we are traveling (Winner 104). However, it requires society to adopt Ralph Schroeder’s claim that, â€Å"users don’t just passively consume technology, but actively transform it†. In opposition to technological determinism are those who subscribe to the belief of social determinism and postmodernism. Social determinists believe that social circumstances alone select which technologies are adopted, with the result that no technology can be considered â€Å"inevitable† solely on its own merits. Technology and culture are not neutral and when knowledge comes into the equation, technology becomes implicated in social processes. The knowledge of how to create and enhance technology, and of how to use technology is socially bound knowledge. Postmodernists take another view, suggesting that what is right or wrong is dependent on circumstance. They believe technological change can have implications on the past, present and future.[6] While they believe technological change is influenced by changes in government policy, society and culture, they consider the notion of change to be a paradox, since change is constant. Media and cultural studies theorist Brian Winston, in response to technological determinism, developed a model for the emergence of new technologies which is centered on the Law of the suppression of radical potential. In two of his books – Technologies of Seeing: Photography, Cinematography and Television (1997) and Media Technology and Society (1998) – Winston applied this model to show how technologies evolve over time, and how their ‘invention’ is mediated and controlled by society and societal factors which suppress the radical potential of a given technology.

RESEARCH INVESTIGATION AND PROPOSAL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

RESEARCH INVESTIGATION AND PROPOSAL - Essay Example During and after the recent financial crisis and recessionary periods in countries where tourism constituted a major proportion of the overall economy, the hotel industry has been severely affected due to loss of market confidence and volatility in exchange rates. The outcome of this phenomenon has been low customer turnover and consumer spending, and profits for hotels, which has in turn led to overhead costs reduction by hotels. Employees consider such uncertain situations threatening to their careers and also this has negative impact on their training and development which has lead to lower employees’ motivation. Despite of the uncertainties in the employment market, employees in the hospitality industry are found to display lower level of loyalty to their employers. This could have severe impact on hotels performance and therefore, this problem is therefore at the crux of investigation in the proposed research, which needs to be investigated particularly in the context of luxury hotels that operate at high pricing and operating costs and place greater dependency on their employees for delivering high quality of services to their customers. This study can be achieved by investigation employee motivation in different luxury hotels and comparing them for its effects on customer satisfaction. The primary objective of the proposed research is to investigate levels of employee motivation in selected luxury hotels and its impact on customer satisfaction. The secondary objective is to explore the extent of both financial and non-financial factors contributing to employee motivation. Motivation has been defined by many in various possible ways. One definition states, â€Å"it is the process that arouses, energizes, directs, and sustains behavior and performance† (Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998). Another way of explaining motivation is put forth by Zaphiris & Ang (2009) as it is an inner willingness or desire of individuals,

Why oriental simplistic styles can successfully in MUJI shop products Essay

Why oriental simplistic styles can successfully in MUJI shop products - Essay Example Based to a great extent on the noble concept of â€Å"simple, natural and fundamental†, all their products are designed by using this core theory. Another fundamental consideration is the term â€Å"plainness†, which is a cultural aesthetic idea that already exists in Japanese daily life for centuries. Through the establishment of Muji brand image, this Japanese unsophisticated oriental aesthetics has a chance to thrive. A research has been done so as to find more about Muji’s style and its product design in the quest of exploring the significance of its overall brand image. From the cultural point of view, this research also explored the oriental simplistic style of Muji, and its correlation to Japanese culture, as well as the connotation hidden behind this unique style. Another endeavor of this research was to find the essential elements of its oriental plainness and to make available an applicable method for design adaptation, which can be used as a reference for future design implementations on oriental unsophisticated Muji style. A practical design was put into practice after the results of the research and its feasibility was verified. According to the analyzed results, the perceptive degree of the oriental basic factors of the practical design was comparable to that of the studied samples of Muji which meant that the theoretical results and the actual practices had a significant degree of achievability. Aim In recent years, this oriental simplicity style has spread out with design fashion. For instance the Japanese brand "Muji" which is known for its modest style with the unique identity that emphasizes "minimalistic, natural, and basic ", is a concept that has become the core of all product designs; by taking "nativity" as the basis of its ideology in the aesthetics of life and culture that has triumphed since the ancient times of Japan. The establishment of brand image promotes the Japanese oriental modest aesthetic concept and Muj i carries the exact keynote of "nativity" forward and starts to carry out cultural exchange with the rest of the world. It is expected that this study, though the research of the design and style of Muji, investigates the brand's overall image and related brand definition, by progressing from the cultural aspect to discussing the oriental inconspicuous style under the Japanese culture its cultural connotations behind the brand. The early stage of the study will be devoted to the collection of literature associated to the brand image, which includes the brand’s definition, and the brand image of Muji, after which the study will move to the business concept, development principles, and the product characteristics. Based on this knowledge of the brand-related theories and the initial concept of image definition, the study moves from the perception of "minimalistic, natural, and basic" of Muji to investigate the modest design style and the nuance in the Japanese culture in an eff ort to trace the cultural distinction and vein behind the Japanese design. Objectives Through the enterprise of brand image, this Japanese unconventional oriental aesthetics then has a chance to advance. This research studied Muji’s style and product design in the quest of exploring the significance of its overall brand image. From the cultural point of view, this research also examined the oriental unconventional style of Muji, a brand filled with Japanese culture, and the conception hidden in this style. Another endeavor of this research was to get the indispensable elements of oriental simplicity and to make available an applicable method for design adaptation, which could be used as a reference for future design executions on oriental unsophisticated style. A practical design was implemented and the feasibility was