Satellite Radio: A Closer Look

The twenty first century marked a new turning point for the radio industry. In 2001, satellite radio was introduced to the public by Sirius and XM companies. The two companies remain to be the leading players in the satellite radio industry. Sirius and XM companies obtained their lead when they were awarded in an auction with the license to utilize the frequencies developed by Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS). The said radio service was commissioned in 1992 to establish radio frequency segments for satellite broadcast in the radio (Kevin). Among the two broadcast satellites initially launched by XM radio are Rock and Roll. The launching was made in San Diego and Dallas last September 2001. After the successful turnout of the launching, XM radio decided to introduced satellite radio to the entire nation in November 2001 (Satellite Radio USA). Through the satellite radio, listening to one’s radio while traveling has become more convenient. Radio frequency is a common problem among radio listeners who are traveling. Oftentimes, they need to change stations because the frequency of the radio stations which they initially listen to has limited frequency. The average frequency of traditional radio is 0 to 40 miles from the source. The radio satellite on the other hand can reach to as far as 22, 000 miles from the source. Thus, a traveler need not frequently change the radio station that he is listening to. How Satellite Radios Work Unlike the analog radio which broadcasts radio frequency to local stationary transmitters and thereafter to the listeners, satellite radio utilizes mobile satellites in ord er to transmit programs to the listeners. The use of mobile satellites allows the radio system to cater to a wider audience since satellites have the capacity to transmit signal from all over the globe. Satellite radios allows the radio frequency transmitted to bounce off and reach the listeners (Walker). Interested listeners can avail of the service after they have purchased the necessary programming service. A device is given to the client to enjoy the service. The said device is programmed into a database in order to allow it to receive radio transmissions from specific radio satellites. Entry into the database allows the sending of signal to the devise in order to decrypt the satellite frequencies and give the listener radio reception (Walker). In contrast to traditional radio which can be accessed for free, satellite radio needs subscription before one can be enjoy the use thereof. Satellite radio companies do not earn money from advertisements but through subscription. Just like cable television, programs on satellite radios are not bombarded with lengthy advertisements. One can enjoy the comfort of listening to his favorite music or programs without any interruption. Benefits from Satellite Radio Since satellites radios allow a more liberal way of listening to radio programs by extending the limit of the coverage, there are more benefits that can be generated from it. Among the benefits is the wide array of radio programs that could be accessed. Listeners can choose to listen to many different programs. They have the liberality to choose which is more adept to their taste and interest for the day. There are more than 60 music channels and 50 other channels dedicated for news, sports, weather, traffic and talk (Satellite Radio USA). Satellite radio is recommended for people who have penchant for listening to the radio for long hours and for those who are in search for specific programs such as ESPN, FOX or BBC among others. The subscription paid for such services is cheaper compared to cable television. Thus, satellite radio does not only provide specialized program listening but it also gives the pocket a breather. If one is only after news in cable television or sports, then he could just opt for this service. The same amount of information could be generated at a cheaper price. Jobs Created Aside from the wider coverage that satellite radio provides to listeners, it also gives an avenue for more jobs in the broadcast industry. Since there is a growing market for the satellite radios, there is a need to employ people who will maintain the system and update the devices that the listeners utilize. People from the engineering department as well as those who are knowledgeable with technical matters, can find good jobs in this field. In addition, people who man the broadcast are also given job opportunities. Among the jobs opportunities are: writer for news, sports, talk programs and many others. Proof readers, editors, news readers, news anchors and assistants for such individuals can have fulfilling jobs in this industry. They have an avenue to exercise their skills and interests in their field of interests. With the rising number of subscribers, there is a possibility that employment in the satellite radio industry will continue to prosper. More programs and maintenance of the existing programs will need more people to man it. If the satellite radio reaches worldwide then there will be more job opportunities for the said field. However, if there are jobs that are created in this industry there are also jobs which are lost or on the verge of being lost. Jobs Lost Among the jobs that are being threatened by the satellite radio industry are those which are related to the terrestrial radio industry especially those who are employed in small radio companies which only have limited coverage. Each city has its own radio company which caters news and other events to the locality. Due to the satellite radio innovation, these companies are being threatened with the possibility of closing. They can hardly compete with the satellite radio which provides an array of program line up. Through the said innovation, people are no longer left with merely an AM or FM radio. They have the capability to explore other genres and listen to the type of program which will suit their taste. The growing interest of the people for such programs make cause the local radio companies, especially those which are only operating on a small scale, to collapse and be erased in the radio industry. Disk Jockeys or DJs, radio commentators and technical support of such companies may kiss their jobs good bye if the advertisers would see that there are only a few people patronizing these programs. Local radio industries operate based on the number of people who listen to their programs. They adjust to the tastes of the listening public in order to convince companies to advertise their merchandise in their programs. Advertisers will only waste their resources if there are no significant number of people who are listening to their programs. Aside from employees of the local radio companies, people who specializes on advertisement for radio may also lose their jobs. They will have to shift their interest for television advertisement or print advertisements. Effect on local terrestrial broadcasters As indicated earlier, satellite radio threatens the existence of local radio companies. The existence of which may not be significant for avid listeners of satellite radios however, for those who are interested in listening to local news, traffic and talk programs, the lose of local radios has a great weight. The advantage of local radios is their regionalization or focus only to a specific locality. News, traffic updates and issues pertaining to the locality are widely aired by such radio companies. Their limited jurisdiction allows them to have better focus with the issues as well as with the programs that they create. Most likely, they will adjust their programs based on the interest of the most people in the locality. They will try to please their market as much as possible and give them the satisfaction that they long for a radio station. They also have an advantage in terms of advertisement since they reach their the people locally and regionally. Local companies can advertise their products with such radio stations, unlike in satellite radios which caters to a wide area. Another advantage thereof is the fact that it is free. There are no special devices or subscription fees that needs to be paid. One only needs his radio in order to have access to the programs (Colliano1). Despite these advantages, terrestrial radios are still on the verge of losing their space in the radio industry. Such phenomenon cannot solely be attributed to the introduction of satellite radios but also because their have lost their edge which is to provide the latest song in the music industry. Through the introduction of MP3s, internet downloads and other music gadgets, the edge of radio continued to fade. The latest songs can be availed of easily through other means than by listening to the radio. This reduces the anticipation from the clients to listen to the latest songs. In addition, radio industries have also abused their good will by infusing too many commercials between their programs (Colliano2). Although advertisements are meant to inform while providing entertainment, too much of it in between programs may irritate the listeners. It suspends their eagerness to listen to the program and thereafter leads to the lose of interest to listen further. Effect on other industries Through the development of satellite radios, other industries are also affected, some positively and others negatively. Among those industries which can benefit from the introduction of satellite radios are cable programs and channels. Aside from television they can have a new avenue to simulcast their programs. Technical and manufacturing industries can also benefit from the manufacture thereof especially if the number subscribers have increased to greater numbers. More subscribers would mean more devices which will ensure the working of the system. The industry which are feared to suffer, aside from local radios is the radio advertising sector. They will have no avenue to market their products if the local radio are abolished by the society. Another industry is the music industry. The local radio provides a good avenue for musicians to advertise their music. The wider the avenue for the launching of their music, the greater is their chance of topping the charts. Rising singers or musicians have lesser chance of introducing their music to a larger audience. Profitability of the Satellite Radios It has been predicted that the two companies which have licenses to operate satellite radios will start to generate great profits by the year 2009. Although it is enjoying profits now, it is still small considering the high cost of maintenance and operations of the system (Seeking Alpha). Financial writer Robert Walberg (2006), indicated in an article that Sirius, one of the two licensed companies to operate satellite radio is in serious trouble with its finances. The company fails to gain significant profit during the span of years that it has been operating. Walberg fears that if the trend continues, then Sirius may face serious financial burdens in the future. The company, however, aims of increasing its profits and presumed that more money will be credited to the company as radio satellites continue to be known globally. Among the factors which contribute to low profit are the high costs for product marketability, limited number of subscribers and the high cost that it pays to those who maintain their radio programs. Compared to the traditional radio which does not pay much for its maintenance, satellite radio operators have more to lose and to earn in order to survive. If the trend continues then, the two companies, Sirius and XM may also face downfall. Sirius intends to increase it market and gain more subscribers in order to generate higher profits and more investors in the future. Nevertheless, financial analysts still maintain a positive view regarding the viability of satellite radios in the market. The introduction of satellite radios in the market both have its positive and negative effects, however, more than just providing strong competition in the radio industry, satellite radios shows the ingenuity of man and its unending quest for improvement. The use thereof and the elimination of local radios is left to the public to be decided on. Only the people can determined which type of radio broadcasting should dominate the airwaves. The pros and cons should be adequately waived in order to determine the best system which will serve the public at large and at a more beneficial state.

Young Latina Mothers

Latina Recently, the Latino population in the US has become the largest ethnic group. According to the Census data, the Latino population grew by 58% from 1990 to 2000, whereas the total population grew by 13% in the same period (Skogrand, 2005). The number is estimated to be much larger but due to their undocumented status many Latino people did not participate during the 2000 census. The term â€Å"Latino† includes a wide variety of immigrant subgroups that speak Spanish, and encompasses a number of groups from Central and South Americas, with migrants from Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba being the largest, and â€Å"Latina† is the feminine form. Young Latino Mothers A research conducted by Berkowitz and Kahn (1995) titled, Sources of Support for Young Latina Mothers, highlighted the plight of young Latina mothers in the US and ways to address their problems. Due to high rates of immigration and fertility of young Latina women, which is twice compared to the rest of the US population, their numbers are growing rapidly. According Berkowitz and Kahn, many young mothers and their children are poor, and young mothers who raise their children independently bear the brunt of hardship compared to those who live with husbands or parents or other adults who are financially sound. However, neither getting married nor outside support to cushion the young mothers from poverty and other adverse affects. There is no single to pattern to describe Latina mothers as they are diverse; however, there are certain features each of the subgroups. Puerto Rican mothers are impoverished compared with other groups, remain single, live away from parents or relatives, and are welfare dependents. Cuban mothers are economically well off with low rates of welfare benefits. Central and South American mothers living patterns are similar to Anglos, though they are poorer to the Anglos. Young teenage mothers who raise the children on their own are found to be the most vulnerable. Teen mothers who live with their parents and relatives tend to remain in school and less likely to be poor. Married teen mothers are better off compared to single teen mothers who live with relatives or parents. However, married teen mothers are less likely to attend school than unmarried, resulting in lower education levels. Mothers who delayed their first births after the teen years had done well compared to parents who became teen mothers – they completed school and college. Social and cultural influences Acculturation and biculturalism, according to several researchers, influence the parenting style among young mothers. Acculturation is the process in which an individual acquires the skills required for life in a new environment. Hence, the impact of acculturation has altered traditional gender roles that resulted in women taking up employment, yet they fall into low income groups. Latinas who are less acculturated have traditional gender role beliefs, whereas more acculturated Latinas see more life choices (Latina Adolescent Health, 2007). Within the community, there are large cultural differences, however, there are commonalities within many Latino families. According to research the Latino families give importance to family, religion and gender roles. The importance of the family is the pervasive value in the Latino culture, extended family is essential. Both parenthood and partnerships are considered to be same as family affiliations are given importance. The main purpose of the marriage is to have children and the subsequent family life. Traditional roles play a critical role in reinforcing the gender roles: Machismo alludes to maleness or manliness and a man is expected to be physically strong, authority figure in the family who sustains the family. On the contrary, the role of the woman is complementary or Marianismo, who is self-sacrificing, religions and a homemaker. In Latino culture, motherhood for women is an important goal, apart from taking care of the elderly relatives and children. The importance of family and motherhood in the culture encourages young Latinas to become mothers during their teenage years. Due to high value for motherhood in Latino culture, young women do not see pregnancy negatively. Latino cultural traditions are found to be barriers to young women's ability to communicate openly with their partners. Some young women have babies with a hope that will bring attention from baby’s father, and later he will take up the responsibility of fatherhood; in Latino culture he is the sustainer of the family. They have the highest unmarried birthrate in the nation, over three times that of whites and Asians, and nearly one-and-a half times that of African-American women. Nearly half of the children of Latina mothers are born out of wedlock, and there is no sign lessening of the rate as there numbers are increasing rapidly. This is due to one of the traditional Hispanic values to have children and often. It is seen as a honorable thing for a young girl to have a baby, and it is difficult to persuade young single mothers to give up children for adoption. The tight-knit extended family assists unwed child rearing. Documenting fathers of illegitimate children is problematic as the impregnators of younger women are sometimes their uncles, boyfriend of the girl’s mother, older men who have a false notion that virgins are not capable of motherhood and who avoid sexually transmitted diseases.   Often, the mother’s family do not view see anything bad of these activities (Mac Donald, 2006). Although older men take advantage of younger women, the age difference between the mother and the father of an illegitimate is child is narrowing. An agency in California found that fathers as young as 13 to 14 years of age and it quite common to find an 18-year-old to have children with different girls, and boys feel getting a girl pregnant is peer approval thing. A large majority of fathers abandon their children and mothers, for a father may be already married or doing drugs or in prison. Though they know about the fathers’ whereabouts but do not know if they are working or in jail. The young women’s mothers are callous and overlook what is happening in their daughters’ lives, and the existing social milieu perpetuates the child-bearing activities. References Berkowitz, R. ; Kahn, J. (1995). Sources of support for young Latina mothers. Retrieved on June 19, 2007, from http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/cyp/xslatina.htm Latina Adolescent Health. (2007). Retrieved on June 19, 2007, from http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/iag/latina.htm Mac Donald, H. (2006). Hispanic Family Values? Hispanic trending. Retrieved on June 19, 2007, from http://juantornoe.blogs.com/hispanictrending/2006/11/hispanic_family.html Skogrand, L. (2005). Understanding Latino families, implications for family education. Retrieved on June 19, 2007, from Utah State University, Extension Web site: http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FR_Family_2005-02.pdf ; ;

Environment Threat and Opportunity Profile

ENVIRONMENT THREAT AND OPPORTUNITY PROFILE (ETOP) : ENVIRONMENT THREAT AND OPPORTUNITY PROFILE (ETOP) A VIEW FROM:-Anish CONTENT : CONTENT Definition of environment Overview of environment scanning Techniques of environment scanning DEFINITION : DEFINITION Environment means the surroundings, external objects, influences or circumstances under which someone or some thing exits. ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING : ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING Environmental scanning is a process of gathering, analyzing, and dispensing information for tactical or strategic purposes.TECHNIQUES OF ENVIRONMENT SCANNING : TECHNIQUES OF ENVIRONMENT SCANNING SWOT ETOP ETOP : ETOP It is a process of dividing the environment into different sectors and then analyzing the impact of each sector on the organization. ETOP FOR BICYCLE COMPANY : ETOP FOR BICYCLE COMPANY CONCLUSION : CONCLUSION ETOP provides a clear picture to the strategists about which sectors & different factors in each sector, have a favorable impact on the orga nization.Organisational Capability Analysis †¢Internal Environment -strength & weakness in different functional areas Organization capability -Capacity & ability to use distinctive competencies to excel in a particular field -Abilty to use its ‘S’& ‘W’to exploit ‘O’& face ‘T’in its external environment Organization resources – Physical & Human cost, availability -strength / weakness Organization behaviour Identity & character of an organizationleadership, Mgt.Philosophy, values, culture, Qly of work environment, Organization climate, organization politics etc. ResourceBehaviour Distinctive competence -Any advantage a company has over its competitor -it can do something which they cannot or can do better -opportunity for an organization to capitalize -low cost, Superior Quality, R&D skills METHODS & TECHNIQUES USED FOR ORGANIZATIONAL APPRAISAL Comprehensive, long term Financial Analysis -R atio Analysis, EVA, ABCKey factor rating -Rating of different factors through different questions Value chain analysis VRIO framework BCG, GE Matrix , PIMS, McKinsey 7S Balanced Scorecard Competitive Advantage Profile Strategic Advantage profile Internal Factor Analysis Summary Organizational Capability Profile (OCP) -Weakness(-5), Normal(0), Strength(5) Financial Capability Profile Sources of funds (b) Usage of funds (c) Management of funds Marketing Capability Profile (a) Product related (b) Price related (c) Promotion related (d) Integrative & Systematic

Analyzing a Poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Analyzing a Poem - Essay Example Thus, the basic journey of the poem can be considered to be that of coming of age of the adolescent as they move from dependent childhood to independent adulthood. It can also be considered a poem of discovery as the person discovers their own voice. In either case, the speaker of the poem takes on an exterior role, speaking to the actor rather than taking part in the action itself yet still having a knowledge of the events that have occurred. Within the poem, it is suggested that the person must have tried to leave before but couldn’t. This is heard in the voices crying out and the trembling of the house, putting in mind the way that older people tend to live vicariously through their children. The poet also indicates that â€Å"it was already late / enough, and a wild night, / and the road full of fallen / branches and stones† (19-22). The traveler has taken the advice that was shouted out before, gaining them nothing but the ability to recognize bad advice when they hear it. The road is not sunny and promising because of the time wasted, they have missed some of their opportunities. However, this time they were able to break through the boundaries that kept them home before, prompting the speaker to recount what the traveler has overcome and providing a comforting, reassuring voice that the traveler has done the right thing for themselves. The poem is not divided along a simple rhyme scheme pattern or even along structured metrical rhythm. Instead, its first two divisions are indicated by the words â€Å"you knew what you had to do,† appearing in the first lines as well as line 13. In the first of these sections, the poet illustrates the clinging nature of the people of the house. They cling to the traveler through guilt and through pity. The second section talks about the desperate emotional struggle of the traveler in trying to take his leave. While the third section ends with the repetition of the key phrase

Introdution to business and economy of China Essay

Introdution to business and economy of China - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to identify the financial and banking reforms in China. Furthermore, the essay will also analyze whether or not these reforms have enhanced and transformed the economic sustainability and the overall economic performance of China. According to Ash et al., (2013), China has remained for many years as one of the fastest growing economies in the world (cia.gov, 2014). However, the background to the economy of China is totally conflicting. The financial sector of China was completely dependent of its banking sector while the banking sector was under serious threats as it was under debts and was facing challenges (Garnaut, 2013; Liao et al., 2013). If the speed and scale of the transformation that China has gone through is observed, then it certainly has no historical match. According to a survey conducted in 1978, China was among one of the poorest countries in the world as its per capita GDP was 1/40th compared to the United States (Das, 2012; Naughton, 2007). Zhu (2012) stated that since China was not doing very well economically and was left far behind in the economic world, therefore, it had to come up with strategies and reforms that may enable its entire economic system to enhance the overall operations. By 1976, many Chinese leaders agreed to the idea that reforms in the field of finance and banking are essential as they will boost up the economy (Lin, 2012). The Chinese leaders were looking for ideas and solution to counter the serious issue of economic instability and challenges that were faced by the country. To counter these issues, the financial and banking reforms were introduced in 1978 (Das, 2012; Cai, 2010). Naughton (2007) has discussed that, before the introduction of the financial and banking reforms, Chinese economy went through major issues and faced numerous obstacles. It was only during the 1930’s that the economy of

Analyzing an Ad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analyzing an Ad - Essay Example In the life of a human being in today’s world the advertisements implant different ideas in our minds from childhood to adulthood with some having devastating results. These ideas influence our perceptions towards life with a majority of the ideas resulting in fuzzy perceptions. Some advertising works of today portray ideas that stimulate the imagination of the audience to capture their attention and drive the message home. This essay seeks to show how the people behind the adverts incorporate this technique to sway the market consumers into purchasing their products. The Oreo advert manipulates the audience into thinking that their products improve family bonding by portraying scenes involving good family relations because of the use of the product. This idea is the basis of many ideas in various prints and TV ads like the Oreo Bedtime advert  ("Oreo: Bedtime | Ads of the Worldâ„ ¢"). Advert description The advert tells the story of a small girl and the feeling she gets from eating an Oreo cookie, which the advert describes as â€Å"wonderfilled†. It uses images and text to spread its message of a young girl who would like to spend time with her father over an Oreo cookie so that they can bond and maybe talk to her grandma  ("Oreo: Bedtime | Ads of the Worldâ„ ¢"). ... reo cookie as a tasty product fit for the kids that improve family ties and bonding while stimulating the creativity of the children  ("Oreo: Bedtime | Ads of the Worldâ„ ¢"). Implied messages Family Other than the cookie itself, the advert tries to sell other messages to the audiences, which support the marketing of the cookie. The first message that the advert implies is family. The advert starts with the girl asking â€Å"what if she had shared an Oreo cookie with her father, would he have sent her to bed?† she concludes they would still be up â€Å"telling jokes and watching monster movies†   ("Oreo: Bedtime | Ads of the Worldâ„ ¢"). They would sing and play while eating more cookies. This tries to bring out the importance of family in every setting. Although the little girl has gone to bed, she still feels the need to stay up with her father and do fun things. This shows that Oreo cookies promote bonding among family members and keeps the fun going beyond the bedtime hours. This gains further support as the girl continues to say they would play and call â€Å"grandma† after eating the cookies. This portrays the importance of keeping in touch with all family members and not just those who live around you. It also shows that Oreo encourages good relations with family as the little girl remembers to call her grandma after sharing cookies with her dad  ("Oreo: Bedtime | Ads of the Worldâ„ ¢"). Importance of play In the advert, one of the key arguments portrayed is play. In the larger portion of the advert, the little girl is playing various games. She starts by jumping on the bed, before playing with dolls and drawing before she finally goes to sleep  ("Oreo: Bedtime | Ads of the Worldâ„ ¢"). All this comes after she â€Å"twists, dunks† and eats the Oreo cookie. This shows

Health Nutrition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Health Nutrition - Research Paper Example In this paper, I conduct such an assessment using two methods- Diet History and Food Record. Specifically, I would be using a 7 day food record. There are actually four methods : 1) Diet History (DH), 2) Food Record (FR), 3) 24 hour recall and 4) Food Frequency Questionnaire. Although there have been significant literature regarding the comparison of the four methods such as that of Hopkins (2000) and Lubrok (2002) report on the appropriateness of using the four. Each method had its strengths and weaknesses. One of the most important issues is the degree to which the data can change temporally and spatially. Nonetheless, the study supports some of the earlier findings like that of the work of Buzzard et al (1996) where the use of more than method can complement the weakness of the others. That is, they can relate the consistency of the findings thereby making the researcher and the audience more confident in the findings. Why focus on only two methods The reason behind this is that DH and FR are the ones that are prominent and used extensively in the field. In an assessment study of what nutritionists recommend to use, Darwin et al (1998) found that DH and FR stands out above the rest. Nonetheless, most of the respondents favored DH better than FR because of the intensiveness of DH and because of the time span covered. FR usually takes a few days as compared to DH. In this study, I aim to compare Diet History with a 7 day Food Record thru a statistical report using a population of 41 respondents 19-41 years old. This study also provides an opportunity for me to better appreciate the use of these methods and gain some important insights in the process. Methodology Respondents For this study, data regarding food intake of from 41 respondents were obtained. To address the issue of biases regarding age, the respondents were chosen so as to provide a 19-41 age spectrum. Of the 41 respondents, 5 were males and 36 were females. Relevant anthropometrical data such as age, weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) were collected and compiled. Dietary assessment The data collection process involved the collection of the Diet History and the 7-day food record of the respondents. With a knowledge of the food intake, the total energy uptake (in kJ) and the total fiber (g) were determined along with the breakdown of the components comprising the total energy. The energy percentages included %protein, % fat, % carbohydrate and % alcohol. The fat category was further categorized into Polyunsaturated Fat (%PUFA), Monounsaturated (%MUFA) and saturated fatty acids (%SFA). All of this were determined so as to provide a complete picture of the fodd intake of the respondents. Data analysis In the past, statistical computations were conducted manually. With the advent of computers, such a tedious task has been automated. There are many statistical software currently available in the market but the most popular of which is the SPSS. I will be using the Version 14.0 for this study. For the purpose of consistency, all of the analysis was conducted using a statistical significance of 0.05. Using the Descriptive Statistics feature of SPSS, the mean and standard

Welfare policies in relation to people with disabilities tend to focus Essay

Welfare policies in relation to people with disabilities tend to focus on what people with disabilities are unable to do rather than what they can do - Essay Example The policies of states for people with disabilities usually reflect the level at which the needs of these people are respected by the local society. However, again problems and delays are identified in the development of these policies in practice. Most commonly, the welfare policies for people with disabilities focus on what these people are unable to do – rather on what they can actually do. This problem is reviewed and analyzed in this paper. Reference is made to the level at which welfare policies address the actual needs of people with disabilities; the barriers that these policies have to face are also presented aiming to show the reason why the policies referring to the needs and the rights of people with disabilities are based on these peoples’ inabilities rather and not on their potential/ capabilities. It is concluded that the specific strategy – using this criterion for developing the welfare policies for people with disabilities – can be explai ned using different approaches. These approaches are differentiated in each country; however, similarities exist on which the relevant explanations can be based. Another important finding of this study has been the fact that this trend – focusing on these people’s inabilities – seems to be expanded, probably because specific interests are served, as explained analytically below. It should be noted that the criteria used by the legislators when developing policies related to the needs/ interests of people with disabilities are not standardized; the political characteristics of each country – as these characteristics are changed through the decades – are of crucial importance for deciding on the terms under which disabled people will be supported (Chaudhary 2006, p.12). However, often the reasons for which welfare policies refer to the inabilities rather than the abilities/ skills of disabled persons are independent from the political and social ethi cs and trends – for instance, when these policies are applied across a particular organization, the criteria on which these policies are based cannot be controlled using the common ethical rules (Krieger, 2003); this issue is also explored in this study at the level that it helps to understand the trend of welfare policies to focus on the inabilities of disabled persons. 2. Welfare policies for people with disabilities – why these policies tend to focus on what people with disabilities are unable to do rather than what they can do The welfare policies developed within each society are usually related with the local social needs and culture; however, infrastructure available for the relevant policies is also considered to have a critical role in deciding the welfare policies that would be most appropriate for a specific country. On the other hand, the increase of the number of people with disabilities who do not work (Cousins, 2007, p.252) leads to the assumption that m ore funds are required for the financial support of these people; the identification of these funds can be a challenging task for a government – especially in periods of financial crisis and in countries that face severe financial turbulences – like Ireland; the deterioration of a country’s economy can be used as a justification for the limitation of the financial support provided by the state to people with disabilities. In countries where the support provided to disabled people has been traditionally related to the social ethics, the challenges that the local government has to face for retrieving the relevant funds are more; for instance

Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social and Behavioral Sciences - Research Paper Example Hypertension is very rampant today affecting even young people when it was considered the disease for the old. It must be understood that it affects all gender, races, and economic levels equally. Hypertension accounts for 45% of deaths due to cardiovascular related diseases making it a more lethal killer than any other known heart disease thus being a significant public health problem (Myat, Redwood, Qureshi, Spertus, & Williams, 2012). The etiology of hypertension is very elaborate and complex since there are several factors falling into two interrelated classifications. There are uncontrolled factors that cause hypertensions, factors that an individual has no capacity to change whichever way he or she tries. Different from uncontrolled factors are those that individuals can influence, manipulate and control. These are factors within the environment and in most cases; people significantly determine how they interact with them. Heredity- this is the likelihood of certain families to have a gene responsible for hypertension. This trait is passed on from one generation to another. There is nothing in plan to stop or control it (Ng et al., 2010). This therefore means that individuals from families with history of hypertension are more at risk of hypertension than those with no history. Gender- men are more susceptible to hypertension than women. The fact that gender cannot be changed makes it had to control hypertension in male gender. The probability is also determined by age and ethnicity. Men prefer dealing with stress intrinsically rather than seek help from counselors or psychologists. Furthermore, men are known to have poor coping skills when under pressure than women (Mounier-Vehier et al., 2012). Age-older people have a greater risk of hypertension than young ones, aging brings with it a period of physical inactivity physiological as well as structural alterations of the cardiovascular system such as arteriosclerosis that make

Intermediate coporate finance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Intermediate coporate finance - Research Paper Example But of late the U.S. has become to a lesser extent reliant on China’s funding of its deficits predominantly as the U.S. classified saving rate has increased and the current account shortage has decreased. However, the mere scale of the U.S. shortage funding need which is approximately $1.6 trillion budget deficit in 2010 and forecast of almost $9 trillion of shortages over the next decade in the markets of bond and currency are delicate (Prasad, 2010). On the other hand an abrupt activity by China to move uncompromisingly out of U.S. dollar designated instruments, or even a declaration to such an extent, would work as a set off around the jumpy market sentiments resulting to a quick plunge in bond prices and the rate of the U.S. dollar. At the same time China would also be facing huge capital loss since its majority holdings are in the U.S. Treasury market. This would also end up in reduction of the Treasury bond rates due to increase in interest rates or even if the renminbi appreciated in value comparative to the U.S. dollar (Prasad, 2010). Over the past years trade amongst the two economies has seen consistent increase in quantity and China’s foremost export market is US. The exports from China, to the U.S. sprang up from $100 billion in 2000 to $296 billion in 2009, and at the same time the imports increased from $16 billion to $70 billion. Thus there has been a fixed percentage of export to the US by China which is 21% right through from 1998 to 2006 but this percentage fell to 18 during 2007-2009. On the other hand even though there has been increase in the exports of US to China the percentage still remains below 5 (Prasad and GU, 2009). Many of the spiny consequences in the bilateral relationship amongst these two countries can be described as the growth of the mounting bilateral U.S. trade deficit with China. This shortage sprang up from about $84 billion in 2000 to nearly $227 billion in 2009. This figure of

Alcohol consumption Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alcohol consumption - Literature review Example The personality factors of young people have an influence on the drinking motive. One of the reasons for motivating a young person to drink is anxiety. A person with anxiety most often has fear and feels difficulty in coping with lives. So they drink in order to ease their situation and get some relaxation. Anxiety can be due to many reasons like relationship problems, stress or illness. While drinking gives a soothing effect, the person may gain control over inner experience. According to ( Hardy,2011) In the study, which included a nationally representative sample of 34,653 American adults, 13% of the people who had consumed alcohol or drugs in the previous year said theyd done so to reduce their anxiety, fear, or panic about a situation. When people are young they have less ability to cope up with anxiety, fear and panic and hence they get motivated to consume alcohol. Social reasons are another motivation which induces alcohol consumption among young people. People across the culture drink alcohol for social or enhancement reasons as a sense of enjoyment. In many culture around people drink on festivals, rituals occasions, custom requisite and gatherings. In European and American culture drinking wine is a daily affair and youngsters get more inclined to drink alcohol at tender age. When young people gather for functions, party, festivals and on weekend they tend to join their friends who are drinking and often get motivated. So every gathering they get motivated to drink if some of the friends in the group are drinking and it slowly becomes a habit. As per Hoops( 2011, pg.135-142) â€Å"It is widely believed that peer pressure has many effects on students, particularity in the use of drugs and alcohol†. Young people also drink alcohol to enhance their personality. At young age people go through much transition on emotional and physical basis and alcohol is a way to give them emotional strength. Also young people think that drinking

The U.N’s attempt at peace in Bosnia Essay Example for Free

The U.N’s attempt at peace in Bosnia Essay In this essay the question that I am going to answer is â€Å"Was the United Nations effective in its activities in the Bosnian War?† I am going to show that the U.N was not effective in the activities regarding Bosnia Herzegovina by first providing background on the cause of the war. I will then talk about the U.N’s beginning mandate and the formation of UNPROFOR and how they have attempted to aid Bosnia. That will transition into different perspectives on the U. N’s effectiveness in this world. I will end my paper with the resolution for the Bosnian war and finally conclude with a summary of the essay. Yugoslavia was once a country that bordered Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Albania. In the 1990’s there were a lot of disputes with Yugoslavia from the U.S and Germany. The U.S wanted Yugoslavia to break up because they â€Å"were interested in the more recently established states† (Mahiras) because they controlled key routes through the Balkan Mountains. Germany was interested because as territory of its â€Å"vital interest† Slovenia and Croatia.† In order to obtain this goal the U.S decided to give Yugoslavia and ultimatum that was backed by Germany, and other countries that the U.S â€Å"influenced†, the ultimatum was that â€Å"If Yugoslavia did not announce multi-party elections, it would face economic isolation.† This was the ultimate cause of Yugoslavia’s dismemberment into six different republics which included Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The individual states turned countries sovereignty would be put to the test in the Bosnian war. In each separate republic of what was formerly known as Yugoslavia they had a majority ethnic group. This, however, was not the case of Bosnia, Bosnia in 1991 â€Å"Muslims comprised 44% of the population, Serbs 31%, and Croats 18% with the remainder mixed.† (GOA pg 1)When Bosnia achieved independence there was a civil conflict between the Bosnian Government and the Bosnian Serbs. In order to try and keep the peace the UNPROFOR was first established (UNPROFOR stood for United Nations Protection Force) and they later created a mandate that was extended to Bosnia. Their original mandate was as follows, â€Å"UNPROFORs mandate was to ensure that the three United Nations Protected Areas (UNPAs) in Croatia were demilitarized and that all persons residing in them were protected from fear of armed attack†. (Department of Public Information) The mandate was then extended â€Å"In June 1992, as the conflict intensified and extended to Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNPROFORs mandate and strength were enlarged in order to ensure the security and functioning of the airport at Sarajevo, and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to that city and its environs.† There were also hidden dilemmas in the U.N. People were beginning to question whether they were keeping the peace, or forcing the peace unto others. Author Ivo Daalder brought up a controversial point when saying, â€Å"U.N. Protection Force in Bosnia confronted a fateful dilemma. UNPROFOR could actively oppose the Bosnian Serb effort and side with the Muslim victims of the war. But this would entail sacrificing the evenhandedness that is the hallmark of U.N. peacekeeping. Alternatively, UNPROFOR could preserve its much-vaunted neutrality and limit its role to protecting humanitarian relief supplies and agencies. But this would effectively leave the Muslims to face the Bosnian Serb assault virtually unprotected.† (Daalder). After the war the U.N is criticized with not having allocated enough time and effort into the Bosnian War. They did not help out enough until the very end and in some regards are held accountable for the Mass Genocide that occurred on their watch. This is what happened with the case in Rwanda. They did not offer aid or assistance until the very end and because of that countless people die. Back on topic, the UNPROFOR was fighting to keep Sarajevo open. They tried to keep Sarajevo open in order to deliver much needed aid however much of the aid did not reach them. It was later recorded that only about 50% of the total aid reached the areas that were most affected. The reasoning behind this was that the continued fighting prohibited the cargo from reaching certain places. In an US Secretary-General Report â€Å"one UNHCR convoy on its way from Zagreb to Sarajevo had to pass some 90 roadblocks, many of them manned by undisciplined and drunken soldiers of no clear political affiliation† (US Secretary General). In addition to the Mandate the U/N also enforced a â€Å"No Fly Zone†. This meant that they banned all military flights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The U.N also established â€Å"safe areas† around Bosnian and the city of Sarajevo where an airport they were using was located. The public as well as the people in the safe areas expected UNPROFOR troops to protect them, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, and, possibly, get them out of these places. However, none of this could be easily delivered. This was because Humanitarian convoys were often halted on the way, usually prior to some military intervention of the Bosnian Serb army. The Bosnian Serbian Army would halt aid because it was going toward the Muslim communities that they were fighting. The UNPROFOR troops did not have sufficient enough numbers or weapons to protect themselves against the Serbian Army. Word was being spread around the world about the war in Bosnia. The media would â€Å"include footage from World War II concentration camps to draw parallels between the past slaughter of Jews and the current slaughter of Muslims by European Christians.† (Hedge). The Serbians were sweeping across Bosnia raiding in destroying predominately Muslim communities. They were better armed, allowing them to slaughter the Muslims who had barely any weaponry. They would leave death and destruction in their wake. When they would go into the villages they would commit as they called it â€Å"Ethnic cleansing† and mass rape. It would later be discovered that most of the people who committed these heinous crimes were mostly from the Bosnian Serbian community. Due to these crimes the United Nations Security Council created Resolution 808 which read an international tribunal shall be established for the prosecution of persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991. As of 2011 they had finally caught the last fugitive to be indicted for his war crimes â€Å"The Yugoslav war crimes tribunal crowned 18 years of operations on Wednesday with the capture of the last of 161 suspects from the wars of the 1990s† (Traynor). Culture played a huge card in this war. â€Å"a cultural dimension, marked by the intentional destruction of historical monuments and cultural artifacts — it has been estimated that by the end of 1992 up to 70 percent of the architectural inheritance of Bosnia-Herzegovina had been damaged or destroyed, including over 300 mosques, 150 Orthodox churches, and 50 Catholic churches†.(Vreme) As the Serbians were going through villages they were destroying any religion affiliated with the enemy. They only wanted things left standing that were important to them. â€Å"Many of these atrocities had an explicitly anti-Muslim character, and were justified as acts of historical revenge directed against the Ottoman legacy, â€Å"the continuation in an extreme form of a process of de-Islamization that had begun decades earlier.†(Mazower)† (Nation) Around this same time there was a treaty that would negotiate peace plans in Bosnia. It called for a multiethnic Bosnia. This plan was presented to the Bosnian Serbian Army. They went on to reject the initial plan and the continued fighting. Due to this turn of events NATO was on reserve to initiate and air strike in accordance the U.N. In 1994 Nato began its first air strikes killing 64 people and injuring plenty other. They became more involves with some of their jets were gunned down. Things starting looking bleak and the war continued through most of 1995. After this time the Clinton Administration decided to take action. This is how the war ultimately got decided. The Clinton Administration created a solution with the help of Madeleine Albrigh who went on to say that the UNPROFO hindered rather than help peace agreements in Bosnia. Instead she along with her follow people helped find a new solution, â€Å"The outlines of such a solution, which was based on the Contact Group plan of 1994, included: recognition of Bosnias sovereignty and territorial integrity within its existing borders; division of Bosnia into two entities—a Bosnian Serb entity and a Muslim-Croat federation; entity borders would be drawn in a compact and defensible manner, with the federation territory accounting for at least 51 percent of the total; and acceptance of special parallel relationships between the entities and neighboring states including the possibility of conducting a future referendum on the possibility of secession† (Daalder). The war end ed with the Dayton Peace Agreement signed on 21 November 1995. The final version was signed on 14 December 1995 in Paris. In conclusion, the U.N was ineffective in its efforts to stop the Bosnian War. They tried to send supplied but the cargo did not reach its destination half of the time. The troops were not armed well enough to put up a fight against the Serbians. Countless people died because they refused to take the drastic measures necessary to stop the War before it escalated. The U.S had to intervene and with them came the plan that ultimately ended the war peacefully. After the war the TCPY arrested and charged 161 people with War crimes that violated Resolution 808. I will conclude with saying that the U.N was not effective in its activities in the Bosnian War. Bibliography. Department of Public Information, United Nations. UNPROFOR. Welcome to the United Nations: Its Your World. http://www.un.org/Depts/DPKO/Missions/unprof_p.htm (accessed November 20, 2012). Daalder, Ivo. Decision to Intervene: How the War in Bosnia Ended | Brookings Institution. Brookings Quality. Independence. Impact.. http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/1998/12/balkans-daalder (accessed November 20, 2012). HEDGES, CHRIS. Muslims From Afar Joining Holy War in Bosnia New York Times. The New York Times Breaking News, World News Multimedia. http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/05/world/muslims-from-afar-joining-holy-war-in-bosnia.html (accessed November 20, 2012). Mahairas, Evangelos. The Breakup of Yugoslavia . IACenter.org. http://www.iacenter.org/folder02/hidden_em.htm (accessed November 20, 2012). Nation, R.Craig. WAR IN THE BALKANS, 1991-2002. WAR IN THE BALKANS, 1991-2002. www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/00117.pdf (accessed November 20, 2012). THE SECRETARY-GENERAL PURSUANT TO SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION. Security Council . Security Council . daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N92/202/18/PDF/N9220218.pdf?OpenElement (accessed November 20, 2012). The Role of UN During and After the War in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Role of UN During and After the War in Bosnia-Herzegovina. www.google.com/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=1ved=0CDMQFjAAurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ceeisaconf.ut.ee%2Forb.aw%2Fclass%3Dfile%2Faction%3Dpreview%2Fid%3D166445%2Fgoga.docei=zKSrUM6NE_K40AHHvoDQDwusg=AFQjCNHsaKAUo7bXMPbP_Hie99RnTfYLXwsig2=tCOCOkY0Y (accessed November 20, 2012). Traynor, Ian. Goran Hadzic capture a milestone for Yugoslav war crimes tribunal | World news | The Guardian . Latest US news, world news, sport and comment from the Guardian | guardiannews.com | The Guardian . http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/20/goran-hadzic-capture-war-crimes-milestone (accessed November 20, 2012). United States General Accounting Office . Effectiveness of U.N, operations in Bosnia. Humanitarian Intervention. www.gao.gov/assets/80/78825.pdf (accessed November 20, 2012).

Consumerism and Culture: Designing Brands

Consumerism and Culture: Designing Brands 1. Introduction Shopping is timeless and is part of our everyday life. It is a necessity and shopping can bring joy and pleasure. Although the economic crisis is increasing, people from all over the world will always go shopping. It is a basic/common and fun thing to do and it brings enjoyment and entertainment. Consumerism is used to describe the tendency of people identifying strongly with products or services they consume, especially those with commercial brand names and perceived status symbolism appeal, e.g. a luxury vehicle, designer clothing such as Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton, or expensive jewelry. A culture that is permeated by consumerism can be referred to as a consumer culture or a market culture. When designing commercial space it is necessary to consider not just the type of activities that will be carried out, but also the different locations, functions and environment that they will require. All commercial premises, however, need a basic infrastructure that creates an efficient working environment and provides facilities that ensure excellent customer service. 2. Analysis 2.1. Consumerism and Design All products that are commercially successful would have had the consumer in mind at one point or another. Designs have added value when it can be traded and has potential to make an impact on the consumer market even if it already has apparent artistic merit and may not necessarily require to be bought and sold as would a commodity. An enviable and attractive project in this sense attracts investments because of their commercial potential, and in due course attains marketability, and fundamental value or quality. Capital and creativity and good design alone cannot promise commercial success. Design is the new currency for commodities of the next generation and must be tailored to meet the ever-changing cultural and demographic pattern of consumers. Social behavior affects the long-term investments that design companies will make. Ultimately this implies that branding companies will soon look at demography studies as an important element in the development strategy of their products. 2.2 THE STORE AS A HOME FOR THE BRAND Nowadays, all aspects of life are branded. Brands function literally as labels representing the attitude or lifestyle that an individual has chosen. Therefore brands stores need to offer much more than product for sale. They have to sell an identity, which the customer can literally make his own by buying a particular product. This identity is taken home not only in the form of purchase items but also as amenities that come with the product. People who are strongly connected to a brands talk about the brand store as if it were their second home. Stores fall into one of two categories, such as multi brand and a single brand, where the store sells only one brand. Single brand stores sells only a particular brands and therefore has no other competition. The brand has complete control over the entire situation. Products are displayed in a sea of space, and visual merchandising is powerful. The biggest danger faced by single brand store is the predictable product supply, which requires a careful effort to avoid the perils of boredom. Change is not easy to illustrate, especially when the turnover rate is low. [Ill. 1- Tods Building] [Ill. 2- Tods Facade] As we can see from Illustrations 1 and 2 of Tods building and Tods faà §ade, this boutique is an Italian shoe and bag brand Tods. Tods building has been design by Toyo ito and this building is organized by seven floor, which is the lower floors are boutique space, while the central and upper floors house administrative, multifunction area and commercial offices; the top two floors are used for conferences and events and as a roof garden. Keen to give Tods an identity that would make it stand out from the crowd of places devoted to conspicuous consumption, the Tokyo architect Toyo Ito with the specific brief to employ high quality materials and colors that would reflect Tods notion of ‘naturalness. The leather-good brand well known for its impeccably handcrafted shoes and bag as well as its great attention to the natural quality of leathers. The nature metaphor that has been applied to the store was drawn from Omotesandos long row of zelkova trees. According to toyo ito, ‘the tree is an autonomous, natural object and therefore its shape has an inherent structural rationality. In a sense, producing a reasonable flow of structural loads with a pattern of superimposed tree silhouettes is a result of a perfectly rational through process. Toyo itos fondness for the outer skin that wraps a building is once again well represented. His pao(wrap) philosophy underpins much of his work. (up)this case study is so weird- and dunt know how to link with the next paragaph(down) What people stand for and what they believe in used to be an issue which were largely defined by the culture in which they were raised: family, local environment, education and religion influenced the way they see themselves. The local culture provides them with the symbolic tools to create a sense of identity. In the current global environment, people no longer limit themselves to traditional choices offered by local culture. The world has opened up. The Internet and all its possibilities form a whole new digital world, while the ease of travel makes physical distance appear shorter. For an Indonesian, talking to a Singaporean friend through an online chatting such as: Skype, MSN and etc, or visiting a relative who lives in the Singapore is easier and more convenient in the current day and age. Globalization is giving people the possibility to see the world out there, and it result in broadening many interests among people (consumers). They have become more open to different culture s and are able to relate to various lifestyles. It also resulted in a growth of cross-cultural contact and in the realization of a global market. Experiences are no longer determined completely by local elements: the world is the playing field. Roots will continue to define people, but the exposure to new experiences will provide them with different perspectives. As part of this process, traditional lifestyles start to lose authority and choices enter the picture. 2.3. Customer loyalty Retailers pay attention to customer relations and the retention of existing customers by means of loyalty programs and saving schemes. For example, we all have loyalty cards in our wallets. Where the main aim is t gain a price reduction, programs like these are not sufficient to develop client loyalty and to build up a mutually satisfactory relationship between retailers and customer. A company cannot buy a consumers loyalty. Trust and the beginning of a reciprocal relationship ensure that the customer keeps coming back. To achieve this, the retailer must be a good example and deliver added value. The challenge for retailer is to take advantage of the opportunities by organizing themselves in such a way that they fulfill a bridge function and by become the connecting factor between consumer and producer. The communities, feedback groups and testing panels that offer customers the chance to try out products and exchange experiences are sources of inspirations. The involvement of customer in the develop of services on offers and the realization of a transparent and efficient manufacturing process require completely new integral approach. The retail industry has the chance to develop into a platform that offers people the possibilities to create together, to share, and to further extend knowledge and experience. In this way, we can achieve supported solutions in areas such as innovation, logistics, resources deployment and time-to-time advantage. And, ultimately, customer will become satisfied ambassadors of their own brand. 2.4 Connecting to a Functional and Emotional brand element The search for personal identity helps define what is important and what you need to know to gain self-esteem, approval and recognition. People like to feel a sense of belonging, to be part of something bigger then themselves. One way to define oneself is to connect a brand to its culture. Consumers no longer buy products only because of their functional quality but also buying a brand that stand for something. A brand needs to find a way and to differentiate itself from its competitor. It needs to connect with the consumers and creating emotional elements can do this. The emotional side of the brand and the personality help people connect to the brands. Brands can have personalities as much as the same way people do. It is the brands personality that defines brands in terms of human characteristics. 2.5 Sizes and Location The crucial importance is the size and location of the store. There are department stores, boutiques, shopping arcades, stores representing only one brand (single brand store). A flagship store is the most exclusive type of single brand store. The primary focus of a flagship store is not a sell product but to persuade customer to adopt the brands lifestyle. Consequently, a single brand store or flagship store is a suitable retail environment for commercial charity, for the persuasion and obtaining of customers. 3. Design proposal The chosen site location for the design is located at no51-53 shop house at Armenian street, which is beside SMU (Singapore Management University), in front of vanguard building, under fort canning park and in the middle of city hall and Dolby Gout MRT area. This site is surrounded by parking area, and most of it behind of the shop houses. Base on the survey about human traffic car circulation, most of the user of this parking lot is the student from SMU(Singapore Management University),business man, shopper, that going to vanguard building, Stanford House and Stanford Court are also parked their cars behind the shop houses. The problem is after they park their car they will use a small path and it is located at the corner of the site. Physical phenomenon that people tent to use a shorter route or short cut rather than a longer route to get to a certain place. After analyses the trends of shopper I come out with a design solution. The program is to propose a flagship store together with a new design, which is to create a new shopping experience. This design will increase the number of shopper. The Shortcut will attach to the old building and creates a contradiction between the exiting old shop house and the new design (short cut). The shortcut will be built within the retail space to link from Armenian street to the car park. The design of the short cut will attract people attention to walk in and coincidently they might be going to the flagship store. (I havent arrange this part, should be 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 ) ling jie†¦, help me to think about the abstract and conclusion.. :'( cant think†¦. huhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhhuhuuhh CONSUMERISM A PERSPECTIVE OF FLAGSHIPSTORE CREATE A NEW SHOPPING EXPERIENCE References: Lloyd Jones, Peter, 1940-Taste today. United Kingdom: BPCC Wheatons Ltd,exter. Rem koolhaas, 2005-s,m,l,xl. New York: The monacelli press. Curtis, Eleanor, 2007-Fashion retail. New York: Liz sephton. Judy chung,Chuihua, leong,Sze Tsung 2002-Guide to shopping, project on the city. New York: Taschen Msnuelli,sara.2006-Design for shopping. London: Laurence king Messedat, Jons, 2007- Flagship stores. Los angles: Avedition Gmbh Manuelli, Sara, 2006- Design for shopping. united Kingdom: Laurence King Publishing Ltd Cheng, Kelley, 2005- Style shopping: shops showrooms, Singapore: Page one Publishing Ltd Bibliography: http://usj.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/35/5-6/981 www.ianlambertdesign.com

The merits and shortcomings of quantitative and qualitative research

The merits and shortcomings of quantitative and qualitative research Research methods are technique(s) for gathering data (Harding, 1986) and are generally dichotomized into being either quantitative or qualitative. It has been argued that methodology has been gendered (Oakley, 1998), with quantitative methods traditionally being associated with words such as positivism, scientific, objectivity, statistics and masculinity. In contrast, qualitative methods have generally been associated with interpretive, non-scientific, subjectivity and femininity. Quantitative Research Techniques and Procedures Qualitative analysis is a process that is often the precursor to quantitative, statistical work; a process to make the tacit underpinnings of an issue explicit; a process you can use to deepen your understanding of complex social and human factors that cannot be understood with numbers; a process that helps you figure out what to count and what to measure (Kerlin, 1999, p. 1). A common way of conducting quantitative research is using a survey. Surveys usually involve filling in a questionnaire. There are, of course, many different kinds of quantitative research besides the survey. Observational research involves watching or observing various behaviors and patterns. More complicated forms of quantitative research are experimental research or mathematical modelling research (Peter J.P. Donnelly J.H, 2000). In the social sciences, quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships. Quantitative research is used widely in social sciences such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, and political science. Research in mathematical sciences such as physics is also quantitative by definition, though this use of the term differs in context. In the social sciences, the term relates to empirical methods, originating in both philosophical positivism and the history of statistics, which contrast qualitative research methods. Qualitative methods produce information only on the particular cases studied, and any more general conclusions are only hypotheses. Quantitative methods can be used to verify, which of such hypotheses are true. Qualitative Research Techniques and Procedures Qualitative research is a generic term for investigative methodologies described as ethnographic, naturalistic, anthropological, field, or participant observer research. It emphasizes the importance of looking at variables in the natural setting in which they are found. Interaction between variables is important. Detailed data is gathered through open ended questions that provide direct quotations. The interviewer is an integral part of the investigation (Jacob, 1988). This differs from quantitative research which attempts to gather data by objective methods to provide information about relations, comparisons, and predictions and attempts to remove the investigator from the investigation (Smith, 1983). According to Andrew (2007), qualitative research is a method of inquiry appropriated in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts. Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. The qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, when. Hence, smaller but focused samples are more often needed, rather than large samples. According to Andrew (2007), qualitative research is used to denote approaches which are supported by a set of hypotheses concerning the way the social world functions. It deduces many of its basic principles from the perspective that there are fundamental differences between the science of human world and science of natural world and consequently needs to use distinctive methods. Here, attention is focused upon looking at the world through the eyes of studied objects and upon evolving concepts and theories which are grounded in the collecting data. So, qualitative research connected with own accounts of the individuals of their attitudes and behavior. The significance of qualitative research consists in setting stress on describing, understanding complex phenomena. It investigates, for instance, the relationships and patterns among factors or the context in which the activity happens. It is concentrated on understanding the full many-dimensional picture of the subject of investigatio n. Qualitative methods produce information only on the particular cases studied, and any more general conclusions are only hypotheses (informative guesses). The aim of qualitative research is to deepen our understanding about something, and usually this means going beyond the numbers and the statistics. Qualitative research helps us to give reasons why the numbers tell us what they do. It is often contrasted to quantitative research and they are very often used together to get the bigger picture of what we are trying to find out. Qualitative research helps us flesh out the story. Face-to-Face Interviews and Focus Groups The most common forms of qualitative research are face-to-face interviews and focus groups. Face-to-face interviews are just that: Meeting someone in person and discussing various issues. The informant or person you are interviewing may be an expert in a particular field (e.g. the editor of a newspaper) or they may be someone who is affected by the issues you are researching (e.g. someone who is HIV positive or who reads the media). Focus groups involve discussions with two or more participants. While questions for focus groups need to be prepared to guide and focus the discussions, the responses are often free-ranging, as the participants are encouraged to explore the issues at hand in an in-depth way. While focus groups and interviews will help you develop explanations for quantitative data, sometimes they can provide you with quantitative data themselves Basic Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research Techniques Quantitative and qualitative research methods differ primarily in: their analytical objectives the types of questions they pose the types of data collection instruments they use the forms of data they produce the degree of flexibility built into study design The key difference between quantitative and qualitative methods is their flexibility. Generally, quantitative methods are fairly inflexible. With quantitative methods such as surveys and questionnaires, for example, researchers ask all participants identical questions in the same order. The response categories from which participants may choose are closed-ended or fixed. The advantage of this inflexibility is that it allows for meaningful comparison of responses across participants and study sites. However, it requires a thorough understanding of the important questions to ask, the best way to ask them, and the range of possible responses. Qualitative methods are typically more flexible that is, they allow greater spontaneity and adaptation of the interaction between the researcher and the study participant. For example, qualitative methods ask mostly open-ended questions that are not necessarily worded in exactly the same way with each participant. With open-ended questions, participants are free to respond in their own words, and these responses tend to be more complex than simply yes or no. In addition, with qualitative methods, the relationship between the researcher and the participant is often less formal than in quantitative research. Participants have the opportunity to respond more elaborately and in greater detail than is typically the case with quantitative methods. In turn, researchers have the opportunity to respond immediately to what participants say by tailoring subsequent questions to information the participant has provided. Merriam (1988) provided a basis for differentiating qualitative and quantitative research techniques based on their characteristics. Characteristics of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Point of Comparisons Qualitative Research Quantitative Research Focus of research Quality (nature, essence) Quantity (how much, how many) Philosophical roots Phenomenology, symbolic interaction Positivism, logical empiricism Associated phrases Fieldwork, ethnographic, naturalistic, grounded, subjective Experimental, empirical, statistical Goal of investigation Understanding, description, discovery, hypothesis generating Prediction, control, description, confirmation, hypothesis testing Design characteristics Flexible, evolving, emergent Predetermined, structured Setting Natural, familiar Unfamiliar, artificial Sample Small, non-random, theoretical Large, random, representative Data collection Researcher as primary instrument, interviews, observations Inanimate instruments (scales, tests, surveys, questionnaires, computers) Mode of analysis Inductive (by researcher) Deductive (by statistical methods) Findings Comprehensive, holistic, expansive Precise, narrow, reductionist However, there is a range of flexibility among methods used in both quantitative and qualitative research and that flexibility is not an indication of how scientifically rigorous a method is. Rather, the degree of flexibility reflects the kind of understanding of the problem that is being pursued using the method. Merits of Quantitative Analysis The use of surveys permit a researcher to study more variables at one time than is typically possible in laboratory or field experiments, whilst data can be collected about real world environments. The usefulness of a survey is that the information you get is standardized because each respondent the person who fills out the questionnaire is answering the exact same questions. Once you have enough responses to your questionnaire, you can then put the data together and analyze it in a way that answers your research question or what it is you want to know. Since case studies follow a structured format, different situations can be compared or analyzed comparatively. Case studies are typically short (often no more than 5 pages long) and usually only contain the essential information needed to present a situation and, if necessary, to describe and properly analyze a problem. Quantitative data can determine when students have achieved or failed a task, and they can provide national ranking, percentiles, and allow researchers to conduct comparison analyses. Nevertheless, they cannot provide the total picture of why a particular student has either succeeded or failed (Burnaford et al., 2001; Gall et al., 1996 and Mc Bride Schostak, 2000). In quantitative research, the researcher neither participates in nor influences what is being studied; thus, he/she examines the circumstances objectively. In some qualitative research, the researcher may play a more subjective role and participate by being immersed in his/her research. That is, the observer may be the teacher or the facilitator. This role is often the case with when action research, case studies, and focus groups are used in educational research. Advantages of surveys Good for comparative analysis. Can get lots of data in a relatively short space of time. Can be cost-effective (if you use the Internet, for example). Can take less time for respondents to complete (compared to an interview or focus group) Specific concrete example; Can help with problem solving; Are often interesting to read. Demerits of Quantitative Analysis A key weakness of quantitative analysis is that it is very difficult to realise insights relating to the causes of or processes involved in the phenomena measured. There are, in addition, several sources of bias such as the possibly self-selecting nature of respondents, the point in time when the survey is conducted and in the researcher him/herself through the design of the survey itself. It could be argued that the quantitative researcher is more precise, but the response would be that with people it is not possible to be so precise, people change and the social situation is too complex for numerical description. Quantitative research has a tendency to clarify where clarification is not appropriate. (Mc Bride Schostak, 2000, pp. 1-2) Disadvantages of Surveys Responses may not be specific. Questions may be misinterpreted. May not get as many responses as you need. Dont get full story. Can take time to develop; Depending on format, may need some level of good writing skills; Do not usually give broad overview of issue at hand. Merits of Qualitative Techniques The approaches of the qualitative research differ from the methods of the quantitative research. Quantitative methods have their aim in dividing into clearly defined parts, or variables. When we research an issue which we know how to quantify, for example, what can be quantified for sure, we may leave out the factors which are crucial to the real understanding of the phenomena under study (Andrew, 2007). Qualitative methods are helpful not only in giving rich explanations of complex phenomena, but in creating or evolving theories or conceptual bases, and in proposing hypotheses to clarify the phenomena. Besides, value of the qualitative research consists in validity of the information received; people are minutely interviewed so as the obtained data would be taken as correct and believable reports of their opinions and experiences. Its major disadvantage is that small group of interviewed individuals can not be taken as representative (Andrew, 2007). Case studies involve an attempt to describe relationships that exist in reality, very often in a single organization. Case studies may be positivist or interpretivist in nature, depending on the approach of the researcher, the data collected and the analytical techniques employed. Reality can be captured in greater detail by an observer-researcher, with the analysis of more variables than is typically possible in experimental and survey research. Another type of qualitative analysis is site visits. Site visits help you understand your research better; site visits (e.g. when you visit an organization, a manufacturing plant, a clinic or a housing project) are very useful and sometimes even necessary ways of gaining additional insight and making your theoretical information concrete in your mind. They allow you to observe what is going on, and to ask questions you may not have thought about. Qualitative research has a phenomenological focus that can provide an enriched and detailed description of the participants actions and/or viewpoints (Veronesi, 1997). Advantages of Face-to-Face Interviews Can allow for in-depth knowledge sharing; Helps to develop the bigger picture; Helps with analysis of results; Good for networking (e.g. you may be referred to other people to interview). Advantages of Focus Groups Good for community participation (grassroots input); Helpful in developing ideas and sharing latent, or hidden, knowledge spontaneously; Enables you to get information from a number of individuals simultaneously. Advantages of Site Visits and Observation Demerits of Qualitative Analysis Case studies can be considered weak as they are typically restricted to a single organization and it is difficult to generalize findings since it is hard to find similar cases with similar data that can be analyzed in a statistically meaningful way. Disadvantages of Face-to-Face Interviews Can be time consuming; May be difficult to arrange an interview time; Can be difficult to compare and analyze information. Disadvantages of Focus Groups Can be difficult to set up; Participants may need to be paid; Need to be sensitive to who the facilitator is; May need a translator; Sometimes difficult to organize and analyze information. Disadvantages of Site Visits and Observation Take time; Can be expensive (depending how far you need to travel); With observation in particular, you need to be careful how you interpret what you see. With site visits, you may want to make sure you have a guide so that you can ask questions However, the disadvantage of the quantitative as well as qualitative research is that they do not always underpin understanding of multi-dimensional pictures (Andrew, 2007).

Thomas Hardys The Sons Veto, Graham Greenes The Basement Room and al

Thomas Hardy's The Son's Veto, Graham Greene's The Basement Room and alan Sillitoe's Uncle Ernest In each of the three stories, 'The Son's Veto' by Thomas Hardy, 'The Basement Room' by Graham Green and 'Uncle Ernest' by Alan Silitoe, the respective writer conveys a sense of isolation regarding the central character. There are numerous similarities between the characters based on their common plight, but each story differs in the portrayal of these characters. The writer's effectively present the characters using a varying range of literary styles. In 'The Son's Veto' the disabled Sophy is denied happiness from not fitting in to a higher social class. Graham Green in 'The Basement Room' employs a surreal situation to demonstrate the vulnerability and naiveity of youth. 'Uncle Ernest' is a story, which adopts a dreary approach to Ernest's life. The opening descriptions of the three characters are very effective and induce stereotypical views. This applies to Ernest especially in 'Uncle Ernest' as we first hear of him wearing a "dirty raincoat" and looking as though he "hadn't washed for a month". These observations imply that Ernest is homeless and the use of "dirty" further emphasize the fact that something is wrong in his life. Sophy also stands out from everyone else in 'The Son's Veto' but for different reasons to Ernest. Hardy creates Sophy's character to be misplaced in society, as she is a "young invalid lady" and wheel chair bound. In contrast to this her "nut brown hair was a wonder and a mystery". Her hair is used to make reference to her history suggesting a mysterious and dark background yet its vibrancy allowed her to maintain a part of her character. The wheel chair depicts isolation espe... ...he war. The reader is overwhelmed with sympathy for Ernest, as nothing ever seems to result in happiness for him. Our sympathies lie with all three characters as their isolation has been conveyed to the reader effectively by each author. Philips loneliness is a result of a troubled up bringing which leaves him mentally scared for life. Sophy and Ernest on the other hand are similar to each other and unlike Philip. They both induce a sense of helplessness in the reader after a life of persistent disappointment denies them from any chance of happiness. It becomes almost inevitable that Ernest and Sophy would end up completely isolated as events throughout the stories favor this outcome. On the other hand Philip's situation is different, he is portrayed as a very vulnerable character and it's as if he is prevented from ever having a chance to live a life.

Voltaire’s Views of Religion and State Expressed In Candide Essay

Voltaire’s Views of Religion and State Expressed In Candide  Ã‚  Ã‚      Throughout Candide, Voltaire uses satire as a tool to reveal his controversial views regarding religion and State. He reveals the corruption, hypocrisy and immorality present in the way in which government and religion operated during his lifetime. Most particularly, he criticizes violent government behaviour (ie; war) and the behaviour of members of the aristocracy, who constituted the bulk of high ranking government and religious leaders. Through satirical comments made in Candide, Voltaire exposes the corruption and greed rife in the government. He also reveals his displeasure with the manner in which the parliamentary system operated, expressing the ineffectiveness and ineptness of power hungry politicians who refused to agree or compromise. â€Å"Let us work without arguing, that is the only way to make life endurable.† (Voltaire: 1947). Voltaire also makes a poi... ...ugh powerful, intelligent use of satire, Voltaire makes his personal views clear and encourages the reader to challenge the way in which religion and the State operate. Bibliography Andrews, Wayne. Voltaire. New York: New Directions Pub. 1981 Gay, Peter.   Voltaire's Politics.   New York: Random House,1965 Weitz, Morris. Philosophy in literature. Detroit: Wayne State Univ. Press.1963 Volatire, Francois-Marie,   Candide, Penguin Publishers, New York, 1947.

The Management of US Homeland Security

The US employs a federal state of governance to manage and secure the totality of the individual states as mandated by the Constitution. The federal government’s headquarters is centered in the White House in Washington, D.C. The government is divided into three separate sectors, each with a well-defined role: (1) executive branch, defines the role of the president and his body and the limit to their powers; (2) legislative branch, is a bicameral form consisting of the House of Representatives/Congress and the House of the Senate and is generally concerned with passing of laws and amendments; (3) legislative branch, acts as the forecourt in judging state matters and decision-making on any matters, whether executive or legislative regarding US Constitution.The US Constitution dictum includes freer reign in each individual states meaning that in the federal government, the powers are limited because they are heavily limited and separated in each individual state. Each branch is separated into agencies and smaller branches with a definitive role.US being an industrial and a political giant would be an important target for those who aim to undermine its power. External conflicts, counterterrorism attacks, and mitigation of related disasters are major fora for homeland security. The Executive Office of the President houses 17 councils and since the power vested in the president, aside from being the â€Å"head of the state†, is the military chief –command, then it is concluded that the â€Å"decision-making† regarding national security befalls upon him.There are three offices of import to his role as the military chief-in-command: (1) Homeland Security Council (2) National Security Council and (3) Whitehouse Military Office. Understand that in the insidious role of protecting the homeland security, the council enacted for this task is the Homeland Security Council but this does not mean it is responsible for the safety alone since it harm oniously relates with the National Security Council and the Intelligence and the military to produce and ensure maximum homeland security.The HSC was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 under Executive Order 13228 last October 8, 2001 as a protective and legal response to the attack on the twin towers. The main quota of the act is to guarantee synchronization among executive departments and federal agencies regarding combating terrorism and ensuring homeland security.   Ã‚  Ã‚  It is spearheaded by the President with attendees like the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, Director of National Intelligence, and other â€Å"heads† of agencies are invited to attend the meetings.Currently the homeland security and counterterrorism advisor is Miss Frances Townsend; she facilitates the HSC meetings and the thirty-five member-staff and accepts the and organizes the reports from staff pertaining to (1) peripheral security,   (2) biochemical defense,   (3) continuity of operations between agencies, (4) emergency preparedness (5) anticipation of ‘events’, and (6) nuclear defense. She works hand in hand with the Assistant for the National Security Affairs in combating terrorism.Naturally, homeland security would involve that of the United States Intelligence Community (production and dissemination of intelligence) and the Military of the US (civilian protection). The Intelligence is subdivided into three, namely, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and National Security Agency (NSA); and the Military Unit, into four, Army, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard. Their executive heads work hand in hand with HSC and the transfer of information and job relation of the various agencies all assist in the rendering of the task of bringing about homeland security.Bush’s National Strategy for Homeland Security, which was amended in Oc tober 2007, aims to target security at two levels: (1) terrorist and non-terrorist attacks which may have implications for the security and (2) offense and defense on the face of terrorism.   The conceptual framework on the Strategy is based on the following goals: (1) avert terrorist attacks; (2) protect state members, assets, properties, resources; (3) counteract incidents; and (4) strengthening the foundation to for long-term success.With so many levels or branches of government, would it still be possible for an effective management and delivery of homeland security system? Bush’s strategy and to achieve that of the fourth goal, proposed for a comprehensive Homeland Security Management System at the national, state and tribal level using the scheme guide-plan-assess-execute-evaluate. All complementary processes and practices must be implicated at all levels, employ multidisciplinary education opportunities, use s & t and governmental influences, and working hand-in hand with the Congress.There are problems regarding this area although this is highly resolvable by an ingenius shift of high-performance information technology between sectors. The e-government, as we may call it can facilitate, a more clear connection between the hundreds of agencies whose roles are rather overlapping and who must maintain thousands of information across the different bureaus. This may also facilitate not only more efficient communication between government agency channels but as well as mediated response between the members of the state and the government.The E-government strategy as an agenda for improving efficiency across homeland security channels may facilitate for a good protective homeland security measures in addition to the branching, structure of the Homeland Security.ReferencesForman, M.(2002). E-Government Strategy. Retrieved Dec 17, 2008 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/egovstrategy.pdf.Homeland Security Council. (2007). Retrieved Dec 17, 2008 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/

Audience and Reception Essay

According to Communicating in the Workplace, by Thomas Cheesebro, Linda O’Connor, and Francisco Rios, no matter what type of informative speech or letter you have the opportunity to present, a key step in your preparation process is analyzing your audience. Consequently, you will need to spend some time finding out about your audience. To begin this process, you will want to determine the demographic composition of your listeners. Demographic characteristics are observable or measurable. They include factors such as age, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and so on. (Pearson Education, 2010) Assertiveness is the tone you should use when presenting a letter to management. â€Å"Assertiveness is stating what you think, feel, want, or need in a way that is direct, honest, and respectful of others. Specific purposes identify the desired audience response at the conclusion of your speech.†(Communication in the workplace, 2012) In other words, what do you want your listeners to know, think,or do after they have heard your presentation? Although you do not actually state the specific purpose in the context of your speech, you use this statement to give direction to the development and organization of your information. According to Communicating in the Workplace, by Thomas Cheesebro, Linda O’Connor, and Francisco Rios, to be effective, a specific purpose statement should meet the following guidelines: It should be a complete sentence, It should contain only one key idea. And It should be stated in measurable terms. â€Å"Think of the central idea as the core or foundation of your presentation. A central idea states, in a single sentence, the essence of the speech. It needs to be clear, concise, and focused for the audience. So important is this central idea that the effectiveness of the entire presentation is largely dependent upon it. It tells the audience what the speech is all about and prepares your listeners for the information that is to come.†(Pearson Education, 2010) In summary, â€Å"keep in mind that developing the skills are required to deliver effective presentations can increase your confidence and success both personally and professionally. The process of analyzing your audience, selecting a topic, determining your specific purpose, and formulating your central idea will enable you to achieve a truly memorable presentation.†(Communication in the workplace, 2012) Not doing so can really hurt your presentation, and your credibility.

Philosophy of Judeo Christian Writings Essay

Explain how the Bible portrays the creativity of God. (25 marks) When read in sequence there are many contradictory statements between Genesis chapter one and two. The origins of the world and order of creation are for example different. Although within the same holy text, the two chapters provide contrasting theories on creation. Many Christian beliefs are based around the idea of creatio ex nihilo, creation from nothing. Yet the very first lines of their ancient text contradict this. They imply that in fact God was â€Å"hovering over the waters† before beginning the creation of the earth. If water was already in existence then God did not create from nothing. Some Christians believe this statement to be a metaphor to help us understand. The waters represent the unknown and unseen, the concept of complete nothingness is too difficult to understand so water’s are introduced. Some point to the phrase â€Å"the earth was formless† to show that perhaps creatio ex nihilo is correct. God doesn’t create the world but moulds it into a more recognisable form; he changes from being a creator to being a designer. Many argue this makes the concept of God less impressive, for if God is not the only eternal thing he is no longer unique. The earth is not God’s idea but more his interpretation. A potter can only make so much with clay as God could only create so much from the chaos of the earth. This limitation means the world is not a creation of God’s but the best he could do with what he had. In Genesis 1 the order of creation is: light, land, vegetation, day and night, creatures of the sea, birds, livestock, wild animals and finally humans. Although humans were made in God’s image they are the final addition to God’s world. The phrasing of this produces confusion for God say’s, â€Å"in our image†, this suggests that there is a group of Gods rather than one ruling over all. This is often seen as God’s recognition of human presence becoming inevitable, so when he says, â€Å"our† he refers to him/herself and humanity. In chapter 2 of Genesis the order of creation is much different. Rather than humans creation being the cherry on the top they are the very first creation from which all else is based. Also the verse says the â€Å"Lord God made the earth† which suggests creation ex nihilo rather than order from chaos. Equally different from the first chapter, God only creates man originally and women come much later. These con tradictions are often the basis of many of the criticisms levelled at Genesis. The difference between God the creator and God the builder is very important and is the basis of all Christian belief. Although there is confusion within the text it is interpreted as being a theory of creatio ex nihilo, separating God from all else in existence. God’s omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence are central to his superiority over humans. Yet if God is truly omniscient then why did he plant the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden from which Eve was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. If God is omniscient he would have known Eve would eat the fruit and therefore deliberately tempted her, if this is correct then it brings in the morality of God. If God knew all this then he deliberately caused Eve pain which would be an evil act, and thus God is not pure goodness, but flawed like the human race. Secondly if God is omnipresence how can he take a physical presence and walk through the Garden of Eden and have a face to face conversation with Adam. As soon as God takes a physical form like when he breathes into Adam’s nostrils in chapter 2 he is less divine and less unique. God is worshipped because he isn’t human, because he is separate and omnipotent, a force that is beyond human understanding. If he isn’t omniscient or omnipresent does this make him less divine? Differences within the genesis story raise these questions and are the basis of doubt for many non believers. â€Å"The creative God of the Bible is similar to Aristotle’s Prime mover† Discuss. (10 marks) A creative God and Aristotle’s Prime mover are similar in a variety of ways. Both are separate and more powerful than anything of worldly origins. They are both eternal and thus timeless. The very basic idea of a â€Å"higher power† is followed in both these examples. Yet there are huge differences between the two theories. The creative God of Judeo Christian beliefs is very much an active participant of the world, he can talk to the people and act upon the requests of humanity. He has the ability to participate in life and have a direct effect on life. This is very different to the Prime mover idea; Aristotle believed that there is a higher being that is in its entirety passive to life. The prime mover is the original efficient cause that began all the activity within the universe but from that action, has taken no further action. Aristotle believed that in order for his prime mover idea to work, the higher force must be infallible in all ways. He must have no potential for potential involves change which the PM can never do. The only effect that the PM has on the world is to attract the people of it, to him. They are attracted to his perfection, he takes no action, never intervenes and has no plan for it, and this is why he is perfect. He has no flaws because on a very basic level he never makes a decision that can be â€Å"wrong†. Morally he also is passive and so therefore can never be evil. Many argue that this inability or refusal to act make the PM an imperfect idea, for he is not perfect but truly neutral. Within the Judeo Christian religions the problem of Evil and suffering is often a reason not to believe or question the beliefs of others. This isn’t an issue within the PM theory for, the PM never intervenes and therefore all evil is human made, yet equally so is all goodness within the world. Within the Judeo Christian religions it is equally the ability of God to do good that attracts people to believe as it is the recognition that evil and suffering is a part of life. God has an active role to play within humanities existence whereas the PM is simply an unmoved ideal that all people are attracted to.