Socrates-Trial and Death free essay sample

A discussion on the trial and death of Plato as depicted by Plato. This essay examines the trial and death of Socrates as shown by Platos Apology and The Crito. The trail of Socrates was not so much against the individual as against the intellectual class. It took place at a time when Athens had been defeated in war and the moral of people was low. The state needed a scapegoat who could be punished as a cause of the defeat. Thus, Socrates then represented the intellectuals who had begun questioning the state and thus, had to be suppressed in authority was to be held in the traditional manner. At his trail in The Apology Socrates had asked what morality was but was given no definite answer. In The Crito as he awaits death he suggests that morality explores the concept of the good things in life and is the determining factor in the happiness of the human life. We will write a custom essay sample on Socrates-Trial and Death or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Interest rates in Europe and Canada

Interest rates in Europe and Canada Introduction Interest rate is a percentage of the total amount of money that a person or organization took as a loan. The rates of interests that a country or a bank bases it rates depend on the standards set by the central bank of the country or of a union. The interest rates used by the member countries of the European Union are under the control of the European Central Bank or the ECB.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Interest rates in Europe and Canada specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is an institution in charge of the monetary policies in the union. The European central bank is also in charge of stabilizing the interest rates of the member countries, keeping the inflation rate at a low level and ensuring that the foreign money reserves are stable. It acts as a last resort for lending money to its members banks. The bank managed to maintain the lending rates to its members stable until 2010 when it resorted t o saving some of its member states from foreign debts. Greece was also a target of European Central Bank had to save from sovereign debts by buying the debts and paying them off. This led to instability in assets and liabilities of the European central bank. This forced the bank to increase its lending rate in an effort to maintain stability in the European Union Market. Canada’s rates, on the other hand, are under the control of the Bank of Canada which is Canada’s central bank. The bank was not originally there, but began its operation in 1934 due to an act of parliament that led to its creation. The bank lends money to banks and institution as a last resort and acts as a central reserve for Canada’s money. Like the European Central Bank, the central bank of Canada also focuses on maintaining a low inflation rate. It also concerns itself with the maintenance of a stable financial state, effective control of the countries foreign debt and provision of valuable currencies. The bank achieves all his by having the absolute control of the countries’ borrowing and lending rates. However, this power is applicable only to exceptional circumstances, and the central banks rely heavily on the foreign market exchange rates and demand for the Canadian Dollar to control its interest rates, (The Coming Depression Editorial Staff, 2009, October 9) Effects of the financial crisis The interest’s rates in the European Union have been under the control of the European Central bank, which acts as a central reserve for all funds in the Union. The central bank has successfully been in control of inflation and interest rates until the 2008 financial crisis that hit the some of its member countries.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The crisis forced the European Central Bank to review some of its policies, and save the other countr ies from sinking into the crisis with the other countries like Spain, Greece and Portugal. The union was in a tight spot because its members use the assets of the European Central Bank as securities to borrow money. This means that all members are at stake if the other countries are unable to repay their debts. The European Financial Stability Facility got incorporated in to the union to help the countries in a financial crisis to service their debts. The European Central bank resorted to increasing its lending rate to the central banks of the member countries from 1% to 1.25%. The move aims at improving the value of the euro in the foreign market leading to increased foreign investment in the Europe zone. This will be a boost to the economy of the member countries that got badly hit by the financial crisis. The effect of the increased rates in Europe is an influx of investors into the market. The result of the increases in Europe will be a decreased in foreign investments, in the U nited States of America that will lead to a drop in the price of the dollar, ( Neate, Farrer, Batty, 2011, December 8). The rise in the interest rates in the European zone is also crucial in making their goods more affordable than those of the other key players in the market, like the United States of America. People will buy their products leading to a high foreign income will lead to an improvement of the countrys economy. However, the interest rates did not remain at the 1.25% mark for long because the European central bank cut it down again to 1% on 8th December 2011. The move aims at speeding up the growth rate of the economy, (Vancouver bc, 2012 September 2). Canada, on the other hand, is also sinking into debt due to its low interests on the lending rate to households. This is according to statistics done by the Canada statistics department. The report stated that Canada was sinking in to debt in the first three months of the year. The debt rose from the previous $1.526 trill ion dollars to of $1.548 trillion dollars. This is as a result of favorable lending rates in the region. However, the low interest rates have led to accumulation of household debts. Therefore, the Central Bank of Canada will have to increase the interest rates on loans given to households in order to make the accumulation of debt more stable than it is now. Bonds Bonds play a key role in determining the rate of growth of the countrys economy. The European unions bonds have been increasing in the past few months. The meaning of an increase in the value of the bonds is a decline in the number of investors. This means that the European central bank has to shoulder the burden of paying the lenders the money owed by its member countries.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Interest rates in Europe and Canada specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This has been a difficult task for Germany which is the only member of the Euro zone that did not suffer from the financial crisis. The German government failed to sell its bonds in the market making the situation worst. This is the cause of the appreciating interest rates that seek to attract more investors than when the interest rates are low, yet the bonds are trading at high prices, (Larock, 2011, November 28). On the other hand, Canada managed to sell of its government bond. The bonds’ value was on the rise, but the situation is better when compared to that of the Euro zone. The country is in a better financial state when contrasted to the countries in the European Union. The situation in Canada makes it the best option for investors as compared to the European zone where investors fear to invest their money to the high possibilities of losses. The Central Bank of Canada has to deal with a crisis as its interest rate is 0.5 %which is lower than that of the Euro countries. Effects of interest rates in Canada The difference between the interest rates set b y the European Central Bank and the Central bank of Canada is a key player in the choice of investment site of most investors. This is because investors are more secure when investing in countries that have high interest rates than in countries that have a low interest rate. The cause of this preference is the value of the currency used in the country. An increase in the interest rate means that the demand of the currency will rise due to the influx of foreign investors. The increase in foreign investors, in the country, will increase the need for the local currency which will automatically increase the buying price of the currency. When comparing the interest rates of the European Union and the interest rates in Canada, it is evident that many investors will rush to the Euro zone to make their investments as compared to those who will invest in Canada. The result of the rush to the EU on the value of Canadian dollar is a fall due to its low demand in the market, (Langton, 2012, Jan uary 9). Therefore, an increase in the interest rates by the European Union will affect the levels of foreign investments in Canada negatively. This is because many investors will not want to spend their capital in a country whose lending rate is low. However, an increase in the interest rates by the Canadian central bank will lead to a healthy competition for foreign investors with the European nations. This is because the difference in the lending rates will be minimal.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The high interest rates in Europe is more likely to affect the exports and imports in Canada from the European Union and exports to the union. The increase in interest rates in the European Union means that the Euro will trade at a higher price. This means that business people importing goods from the countries in the Euro zone will be spending more money buying goods than they were spending before the rise. However, the business people in Canada in the export business will gain more profits as they will be selling their goods at lower prices in the foreign markets. This will lead to a higher foreign income from the sale of these goods. This will also affect the export business to these countries. This is because the business people will incur losses due to the high prices they have to incur while exchanging the Canadian dollar with the euro. The difference will also affect the Canadians because of the low levels of foreign investments caused by the low lending rates. This will lead to an increase in the inflation rate in the country leading to lower wages. This means that the people who suffer from the difference in the interest rates are the low class citizens who depend on foreign investments for jobs and incomes. The inflation rates will continue with its upward trend unless the central bank does something to increase the interest rates that will attract foreign investors. The increase of interest rates, in European nation, means that the dollar will depreciate making the prices of oil go up. This will make the cost of running businesses in Canada and any other country expensive. The increase in oil prices is due to the relationship of the dollar to oil; oil prices depend on the value of the dollar. Many countries buy or sell oil using the US dollar. Therefore, a decrease in the dollars price in the foreign exchange leads to high oil prices. The business people will have to raise the prices of their products as they try to protect themselves from incurring loses. Conclusion The interests rates set by central banks of different countries have diverse effects not only on the internal environment, but also on the external environment. The financial crisis in Europe forced the European central bank had to relieve the member countries that sunk into debt, and could not afford to repay. The bank had to reverse the situation, and one of the things it resolved to do was to increase the rates. This increase means that investors would rush to the zone to invest hence help increase the Gross Domestic Production in the affected countries. The effects of this increase were evident in the oil, and its by products which rose after the announcement, (Langton, 2012, January 9). The rise in the interest rates also affected other countries like Canada whose interest rates are lower than that of the Euro zone. Many investors rushed to the European nations to make their investments leaving countries with lower interest rates behind. This also led to an i ncrease in the value of the Euro meaning that businesses had to spend more money to import goods. However, the exporting businesses were at an advantage because they were selling goods at a cheaper price in the European markets. References Langton, J. (2012, January 9). Low interest rates impairing the outlook for insurers. Canada Mortgage News, pp. 34. Larock, M. (2011, November 28). Mortgages and Finance, Home Buying. Morning Interest Rate Toronto Real Estate Blog. Neate, R., Farrer, M., Batty, D. (2011, December 8). ECB cuts interest rates as crunch summit begins, New York News, pp 12. Schultz, S. (2005, December 28). Calls made to strengthen state energy policies. The Country Today, pp 1.A. The Coming Depression Editorial Staff. (2009, October 9).Canadian Interest rates set to rise in 2011.Economist. Under Creative Commons License,pp. 28. Vancouver bc, Canada. (2012, September 2). ECB Keeps Interest Rate at 1%. Trading Economic, pp. 2A.EC

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 36

Marketing - Essay Example In the paper we will analyze how the companies operating in retail businesses are currently managing their customers through marketing with the help of tools like BCG Matrix, Mintzberg intended strategy, 7P/8P analysis and techniques described in the case. The companies operating in retail businesses starve for obtaining customer loyalty. Conventional wisdom of loyalty describes that customers show loyalty towards companies and brands that tend to go above and beyond others. But according to Dixon & Freeman (2010), customers are more loyal to the companies that exceed their expectations in terms of products and services. Many retail companies like Tesco, Wal-Mart and M & S offer a refund or free product or even some other benefit in lieu of that in case the product has undergone expedited shipping. This helps them in retaining loyalty of their customers even in case of delay in product delivery or service. Product: The products of the companies operating in retail format vary from format to format. Whilst companies like Tesco and Wal-Mart have SBU structure and their products have similarity of being a departmental and multipurpose stores whereas the companies like GAP, Zara and French Connection are mainly apparel stores with specialized products. The product of a company is the first phase of generating loyalty from them. A product delivered in acceptable and good condition delights the customer whereas a product which defects and expedited delivery upsets him and tends to reduce his loyalty. Providing service to customer performs an integral part of gaining loyalty from them. According to Dixon & Freeman (2010), bad service by a company has its ripple effects in a way that it even repels perspective customers from a company. The research showed by them highlights that only 25% of the customers say positive about their experience of service with a company whereas almost 65% of them are likely to speak negative about the experience.

Business Research Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Research Methods - Assignment Example ....6 Ethical Considerations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦......7 Management Team Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦...7 Profit and Loss Performance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦...8 Introduction The Morgan Stanley Company has investments in over forty two countries across the globe. The Company is a worldwide financial institution that is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York. The thesis is written on behalf of the company’s management for the purpose that they make the right investment decisions as most economies across the globe are experiencing slow growth after the recent monetary recession. Industry/ Company Overview The Morgan Stanley investments company offers facilities in the management of worldwide wealth, offering of securities internationally along with management services for global investments by other companies (Venzin, 9). This therefore raises the question whether the investments company should expand its activities globally to include issues such as risk management, at a time that the global economy is recovering from the recent fiscal recession and experiencing slow growths? It was formed in the year 1935 as a response to the Glass-Steagall law, which required that commercial along with trade in investment banking is spilt. It dwells in serving varied conglomerates, governments, economic institutions along with affluent individuals (Venzin, 15). The company operates in around forty two countries across the world and has over a thousand and three hundred offices around the globe. In their recent reports, the company was estimated to be managing or supervising assets owned by other companies that were worth over 287 American dollars. During their first year of operation, the company operated using an initial market share that was estimated at 24% of public offerings along with private placements. The company has not had a smooth transition throughout the years since it suffered a crisis in its management, which resulted in the company losing many of their staff members and the sacking of their senior chief officers about three months after (Venzin, 19). An Assessment Of Past (Actual) and Future (Projected) Performance Due to the introduction of the Glass-Steagall legislation in the year 1935, the Morgan Stanley Corporation was barred from investing in both the commercial along with the investment banking industries. The Corporation opted to indulge in the commercial sector thereby making some of its prominent members to leave the J.P Morgan Company in order t o form the Morgan Stanley Corporation (Venzin, 39). The Corporation in turn began its operations in the month of September achieving a market share worth 24%, which was estimated at over a billion dollars of the total market in its public offerings. They involved themselves in distributing over a hundred million dollars in the form of debentures to several companies within the steel industry. The organization underwent several reforms to facilitate the performance of more operations in their business of providing securities. It additionally won several major contracts such as the financing of the American railway system in the year 1941 and the provision of steel to the majority of the American industries

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Philosophy - Assignment Example I asked him if he had ever been discriminated against in any way. He said yes, saying that he was often discriminated against because of his race, but more so in public and on the streets than in a work setting. Finally, I asked Mark if he had ever defended himself or someone else against discrimination. He said that when the opportunity arises for him to say something in his or someone else’s defense, he takes it. He further went on to say that he does not want to always open his mouth because he wants to avoid arguments that may arise from his defense. Mark seemed to be against every form of discrimination, believing that everyone deserves a chance to be treated equal, regardless of their race, gender, or sexual orientation. He also acknowledges that while the majority of people have made attempts to live without discrimination, there are still many that believe that they are better than others because of their gender or race. I was pleased to hear that he tries to defend himself and others when possible, and was further pleased when he said that he tried to avoid arguments, as they could only worsen the situation. Lillian is a 26 year old white female. When I asked her if she believed if racial equality exists in our country, she responded by saying not entirely. She went on to explain that while many people treat others equally, there are still incidents that involve the mistreatment of others because of their skin color. I then asked her if gay couples should receive the same treatment and benefits as heterosexual couples, to which she responded with a yes. She believes that if gay couples love the same way as heterosexual couples then they should be allowed the same benefits. I asked Lillian if she thinks that women are treated equally in our society. She simply said no, saying that most people that treat women equally are only doing so

Synthesis and Properties of Liquid Crystals for VAN

Synthesis and Properties of Liquid Crystals for VAN Synthesis and properties of liquid crystals for vertically aligned nematic (VAN) displays Introduction Liquid crystals where first observed in 1853 and 1855 by Rudolph Virchow and C. Mettenheimer respectively, both observed a flowing fluid like compound which was birefringent (brightly coloured) between cross-polarisers much like a crystalline solid, hence the compound was both liquid and crystal thus liquid crystal. [3, 4]. It was not until the late 1980’s that Liquid crystals and their truly fascinating fundamental properties began their tremendous success in commercial applications.1–5 Subsequently giving rise to the vertically aligned nematic (VAN) mode in the early 1990’s. The liquid crystalline phase can be best described as a hybrid of the two most common phases of matter, Liquids and Crystals. LC compounds diffuse about much like the molecules of a liquid giving them a fluid nature, combined with this they manage to maintain a small magnitude of orientational order and sometimes some positional order in a similar manner as a crystalline solid would. Hence, liquid crystals are anisotropic fluids. Properties of Liquid crystals and the nematic mesophase The nematic phase of calamitic (rod like) liquid crystals is the simplest liquid crystal phase. In this phase the molecules maintain a preferred orientatioanl direction as they diffuse throughout the sample. There is no positional order in the phase as depicted by figure 1.1. Synthesis of Liquid Crystals General Synthesis Generally, the most common liquid crystals are based on aromatic sub units due to their ease of synthesis and obtainability. The vast majority of LC building blocks are commercially accessible or fairly simple to synthesize via electrophilic substitutions such as Friedel-Crafts acylation, bromonation and nitration. For those functional groups that cannot be directly substituted interconverions usually take place with bromine often being the chosen leaving group (e.g., CO2H, NH2, CN and OH). Due to the individual nature of substituents their specific directing effect and a specific effect on the rate of reaction must be taken into consideration. By taking this into account reactions must be carried out in the appropriate order to arrive at the desired product. Figure 1 Electrohpilic Substiutions of Benzene A key advancement in synthesis arrived with the recognition that a wide range of intermediates could be efficiently prepared from alkyl-bromo-benzenes due to the ease of conversion of the bromo substituent into a previously inaccessible groups. From a range of synthetic methods described in scheme 1 a valuable number of carboxcylic acids and phenols can be prepared. This follows on to the synthesis of multi-aryl LC materials where esterification (see Scheme 2) is employed to couple multiple aryl units. Esterification commonly occurs in two processes firstly, the traditional method (Method A) of converting the carboxcylic acid into the acid chloride derivative with either thionyl chloride or oxalyl chloride. The acid chloride is then reacted with the phenol in the presence of a base to remove the hydrogen chloride as it is formed. The second and more recent method (Method B) involves an in-situ reaction which uses N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) to activate the acid towards nucleop hilic attack from the phenol and a proton transfer catalyst ( 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine ) (DMAP). Scheme 2 Esterification coupling reaction LC materials with multiaryl cores (e.g., biphenyls and terphenyls) are somewhat more difficult to produce due to the direct bond between aryl sections. However, the development of palladium-catalysed cross-coupling reactions has created a means in which to form the direct carbon-carbon bonds needed. There are a vast number of methods to facilitate the generation of these carbon-carbon bonds but by far the most prolific involves the use of aryl bromides (4) and arylboronic acids (5). Figure 3 Palladium catalysed cross-coupling Alternative to the use aryl bromides are the aryl iodides, there increased stability as a leaving group provide a reaction pathway with an increased rate of reaction. Chloro and triflate are also other viable leaving groups, where the triflate group is essential in the synthesis of alkenyl-substituted LCs. Perhaps the most important palladium-catalysed cross-coupling reaction is the selective coupling that can occur by using a bromo-fluoro-iodo-substituted system (see Scheme 4) Figure 4 Dicouplong reactions of Benzene derivatives As the iodo group is a better leaving group it can be coupled with an arylboronic acid, following purification a second coupling reaction can occur on the bromo site giving rise to the synthesis of LC materials with more than two aromatic core units. In order to control the mesomorphic and physical properties of LC lateral substitutions are often employed, the fluoro substituent is the most commonly used lateral unit, as it is electron withdrawing in nature it renders adjacent H atoms acidic and thus making them vulnerable to strong basic conditions. By taking advantage of this vulnerability the desired functional groups for example the boronic acids needed for cross-coupling reactions are far more easily obtained. The only consistent approach for introducing a fluoro substituent into an aromatic system is via the diazotisation and successive fluoronation of the chosen aromatic amine, which in turn generated from the reduction of the nitroarene generated from the nitration of the bas ic aryl unit. Nonetheless, a broad variety of simple fluoro-substituted materials can be easily acquired commercially and thus synthesis often begins with fluro substituents already present (see Scheme 5). Unfortunately this gives rise to complications when trying to introduce terminal alkyl chains to the fluorinated compounds. Accordingly, a different approach is required and thus bromo-fluoro-iodo-benzene units are needed for successful synthesis of fluoro-substituted LC materials. Scheme 4 shows some reactions of these units to synthesis some adavance LC materials. The finishing touches Liquid crystals for VAN mode displays must have one vital property in order to be considered for this application, negative dielectric anisotropy. Negative dielectric anisotropy can be introduced by creating a strong lateral dipole within the LC material this is done by introducing lateral groups with high electronegativity such as fluorine as explained previously in this section, lateral chloro substitutents have also been considered in order to create negative dielectric anisotropy as they create a greater dipole than fluorine. However, the greater size of the chloro substituent renders it of little use as this subsequently gives the material low liquid crystal phase stability and high viscosity making it useless in VAN mode displays. Figure 5 Subsitution reactions of difluroaryl compounds Vertically aligned nematic (VAN) liquid crystal displays About the VAN displays The vertically aligned nematic (VAN) mode first came into development in the early 1990’s, first generation LC materials were based on rod like molecular structures and managed to achieve fast switching times of around 25ms. Unfortunately, the early attempts to introduce displays of this kind failed. This was for two major reasons, a switching time of What makes up a VAN display? VAN devices are made up of two parallel glass plates separated by a small gap of 3-10Â µm containing the nematic liquid crystal phase, on the top piece of glass sit a thin film of material which polarises a light that passes through it. On the inside of the top piece of glass there is a indium oxide (ITO) layer which acts as a conductor, this layer is linked to a surfactant. The inner layer of the bottom piece of glass is also coated with the ITO layer and the surfactant. The surfactant enables the liquid crystal to be connected with the conductor thus enabling the flow of a current. The display can be designed to be either passive or active. When passive the display does not generate any light itself it instead uses ambient light from surroundings which is reflected by a mirror like surface below the bottom piece of glass. When designed to be active the display is built with a light source behind the display which passes directly through the display rather than being reflected Working principle of VAN displays The average molecular orientation (director orientation) without the electric field is perpendicular to the substrate of the display. With this homeotropic orientation and crossed polarizers, the VA mode is working in the so called normally black mode. For the incident light the liquid crystal in the off state behaves like an isotropic medium (the light sees only the ordinary refractive index). As a consequence very good black states can be achieved independent of the wavelength of the light and the operating temperature. Pixel and electrode design of VA displays allow for a high aperture ratio resulting in a high brightness of the display. These two points are the main reason for the good contrast of VA LCDs.. Since the directors are oriented homeotropically in the off state, they can be tilted randomly in any direction by the electric field. This leads to disclination lines between domains of equal orientation, thus deteriorating the optical performance. Figure 6 VA Mode working display As VAN displays use LC materials with negative dielectric anisotropy, application of a voltage to the ITO films cause the director to tilt away from the normal to the glass surfaces as show in figure 2. This introduces a birefringence because the index of refraction for light polarised parallel to the director is different from the index of refraction for light polarised perpendicular to the director. Some of the resultant elliptically polarised light (all of it if the retardation is 180) passes through the crossed polariser and the display appears bright. In fact, since the retardation depends on the magnitude of the voltage applied to the display, this type of display can be used to produce a range of intensities of light. This is called a grey scale. For VA you have perfect black in the off-state and if apply a voltage the VA materials moves into the parallel position and this is bright. Therefore, you get a better contrast ration in VA displays. The second advantage is the switch ing process. It’s intrinsically faster to move the molecules this way.

Theories and Practices of Teacher Education

Lecturer: Dr. Carol Hordatt Gentles Course: Theories and Practices of Teacher Education COURSE CODE: EDTE 6003 ASSIGNMENT TWO University of the West Indies, Mona Campus Huntley Anderson 620040068 â€Å"The responsibility for Jamaican teachers’ professional development lies with teachers themselves. The fact that they do not understand this is because the quality of people we are recruiting into the profession is poor. † Teacher autonomy in professional development is both a right and a responsibility of the individual teacher.This can be furthered by the collaborative development of capacity within school communities working together to support professional development through joint planning and execution of professional development activities and events. It is the responsibility of the school to provide mechanisms and resources to ensure both individual teachers and groups of teachers have equitable access to professional development. It is sad to say that many colleag ues view professional development as a work procedure but not as a continuous development of competencies to deliver ones roles and responsibilities.Teacher Cadet EssayThe fact that they the majority of the teaching profession do not understand this is not because of a poor quality of teachers being recruited but because there are no implemented structures on how professional development is executed within the schools or delivered from the Ministry of Education. Until it is viewed as pertinent to ones’ personal development and is conducted in a meaningful way, this requirement to continue in the profession may lose the general objective for providing continuous training to develop individual competencies.Quality professional development has the power to increase educators’ knowledge of academic content and teaching skills, while changing the norm of what may Jamaican teachers believe about student learning and how they interact with students. Not all Jamaican teachersà ¢â‚¬â„¢ have bought into how powerful professional development transforming schools into places in which all adults and students are deeply engaged in learning and making meaning of their lives. Continuing Education The Jamaican experience should be encourage teachers to pursue further studies in teaching pedagogy.Working towards advanced degrees can be both financially and professional rewards such as working towards a graduate degree while there is a disconnect between teacher recruitment into the profession from personal development continuity, these organizations which is affiliate to teachers cannot only encourage teachers to take charge of their own development. There are a number of groups or associations with which the teacher are affiliates and they should help to develop programs to keep in touch with developments in the field, effective teaching practices, and changes in resources.Thus active a membership fees does not mean active participation but it will develop a sense of continuity and meaning to our profession like that of the legal or medical profession where professional development lies with the attorney or medical personnel to be upgraded frequently. Teachers’ views on professional Development will significantly influence their motivation to attend Professional Development and will influence its implementation, sustainability and success in integrating the curriculum and accompanying strategies into teachers’ regular classroom practices.When the quality of people that are recuited into the profession is poor they have no interest in profession development as they are not dedicated teachers. This teaching job for them might just be a means of surviving until a better job that interest comes along. These teachers are normally just qualified in the content area but lack teaching methods, so they just impart knowledge from book and does not provide innovative ways for teaching students. Some of these tea her have no passion for te aching the profession is just a stepping-stone for them.Jamaica Teaching Council believes that professional development should be required throughout the career of teachers. Poor quality teachers are not interested in the professional development programmes as they do not want to be provided with equal opportunities to gain and improve their knowledge and skills, which is important to their positions and job performance, as other dedicated employees in the profession. A lot of people who are being hired as teachers are basically not component. One view is that taxpayers contribute to a ystem, which should be a quality education system, employing quality educators and that poor quality teachers considered ineffective. The Jamaican education system currently has a stronghold power base of mediocrity located in a strong bureaucratic system that is always resisting changes in the teaching profession, so they show no interest in professional development as they are not interested in chan ges. They do not look for any form of opportunity as they are safe remaining in the same classroom, teaching the same subject to the same groups of students within the same programme.According to Spence (2008) great leaders and great teachers equal great student's. It therefore follows that poor quality teachers are choking the overall quality of teaching. Poor quality teachers fabricate excuses, take no responsibility for their actions, and are not very responsible to their students. They show very little or no interest in professional development as they rely soley on textbooks for content and activities and do not always link learning to student’s knowledge base. Once a poor quality teacher is recuited and moves up to permanent position it becomes very difficult to remove them from the system.These teachers continue to resist change and may even actively contribute to the removing of quality and innovated teachers from the system. Spence and Sawchuk shared a similar view t hat the classifications of poor performance are consistent average across the workplaces; at least twenty-five percent of teachers are of poor quality. With that percentage of poor quality in the education system, that is showing little or no interest in professional development, one can see that they not only sponsor poor performance of students, but they affect leadership and quality of teaching within the school.Research carried out on professional development (Sawchuk, Nov. 10, 2010) shows that professional development is a challenging one to study. Hard data which equates professional development and better quality teachers are difficult to come by. Professional development relies on a two-part transfer of knowledge, which indicate that teachers behaviour change in accordance with the new knowledge and skills and those changes must subsequently result in improved student mastery of subject matter.These complex matters relating to those transactions make professional development a challenging one, so one still does not have enough evidence to say that the quality of people that are being recruited into the teaching profession is poor because they do not feel that the responsibility for professional development lies with the teachers themselves but as a teacher of information technology I believe that it is pertinent to participate in professional development as it allows me to keep abreast with the rapid changes in technology and be able to use and impart this new and updated knowledge to my students.I am sure professional development for teachers who view it as ongoing learning opportunities believe it is vital to school success and teacher satisfaction. Reference Spence, Earline (2008) NAE (National Education Association) Great Public Schools for every student- Professional Development Harris, D. N. Sass, T. R. , â€Å"Teacher Training, Teacher Quality and Student Achievement† Journal of Public Economics,95, 2011. Sawchuk, S. , â€Å"EWA Research Brief: What Studies Say About Teacher Effectiveness,† 2011. Sawchuk, S. â€Å"Studies Link Classroom Observations to Student Achievement,† Education Week, April 26, 2011. Sawchuk, S. â€Å"New Teacher-Evaluation Systems Face Obstacles,† Education Week, Dec. 16, 2009. Sawchuk, S. , â€Å"TAP: More Than Performance Pay,† Education Week, April 1, 2009. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. I believe that I have a responsibility for on-going professional development. Autonomy is determine my professional development needs based on my professional practice. Thus engaging in reflective practice to determine my professional development needs. Theories and Practices of Teacher Education Lecturer: Dr. Carol Hordatt Gentles Course: Theories and Practices of Teacher Education COURSE CODE: EDTE 6003 ASSIGNMENT TWO University of the West Indies, Mona Campus Huntley Anderson 620040068 â€Å"The responsibility for Jamaican teachers’ professional development lies with teachers themselves. The fact that they do not understand this is because the quality of people we are recruiting into the profession is poor. † Teacher autonomy in professional development is both a right and a responsibility of the individual teacher.This can be furthered by the collaborative development of capacity within school communities working together to support professional development through joint planning and execution of professional development activities and events. It is the responsibility of the school to provide mechanisms and resources to ensure both individual teachers and groups of teachers have equitable access to professional development. It is sad to say that many colleag ues view professional development as a work procedure but not as a continuous development of competencies to deliver ones roles and responsibilities.Teacher Cadet EssayThe fact that they the majority of the teaching profession do not understand this is not because of a poor quality of teachers being recruited but because there are no implemented structures on how professional development is executed within the schools or delivered from the Ministry of Education. Until it is viewed as pertinent to ones’ personal development and is conducted in a meaningful way, this requirement to continue in the profession may lose the general objective for providing continuous training to develop individual competencies.Quality professional development has the power to increase educators’ knowledge of academic content and teaching skills, while changing the norm of what may Jamaican teachers believe about student learning and how they interact with students. Not all Jamaican teachersà ¢â‚¬â„¢ have bought into how powerful professional development transforming schools into places in which all adults and students are deeply engaged in learning and making meaning of their lives. Continuing Education The Jamaican experience should be encourage teachers to pursue further studies in teaching pedagogy.Working towards advanced degrees can be both financially and professional rewards such as working towards a graduate degree while there is a disconnect between teacher recruitment into the profession from personal development continuity, these organizations which is affiliate to teachers cannot only encourage teachers to take charge of their own development. There are a number of groups or associations with which the teacher are affiliates and they should help to develop programs to keep in touch with developments in the field, effective teaching practices, and changes in resources.Thus active a membership fees does not mean active participation but it will develop a sense of continuity and meaning to our profession like that of the legal or medical profession where professional development lies with the attorney or medical personnel to be upgraded frequently. Teachers’ views on professional Development will significantly influence their motivation to attend Professional Development and will influence its implementation, sustainability and success in integrating the curriculum and accompanying strategies into teachers’ regular classroom practices.When the quality of people that are recuited into the profession is poor they have no interest in profession development as they are not dedicated teachers. This teaching job for them might just be a means of surviving until a better job that interest comes along. These teachers are normally just qualified in the content area but lack teaching methods, so they just impart knowledge from book and does not provide innovative ways for teaching students. Some of these tea her have no passion for te aching the profession is just a stepping-stone for them.Jamaica Teaching Council believes that professional development should be required throughout the career of teachers. Poor quality teachers are not interested in the professional development programmes as they do not want to be provided with equal opportunities to gain and improve their knowledge and skills, which is important to their positions and job performance, as other dedicated employees in the profession. A lot of people who are being hired as teachers are basically not component. One view is that taxpayers contribute to a ystem, which should be a quality education system, employing quality educators and that poor quality teachers considered ineffective. The Jamaican education system currently has a stronghold power base of mediocrity located in a strong bureaucratic system that is always resisting changes in the teaching profession, so they show no interest in professional development as they are not interested in chan ges. They do not look for any form of opportunity as they are safe remaining in the same classroom, teaching the same subject to the same groups of students within the same programme.According to Spence (2008) great leaders and great teachers equal great student's. It therefore follows that poor quality teachers are choking the overall quality of teaching. Poor quality teachers fabricate excuses, take no responsibility for their actions, and are not very responsible to their students. They show very little or no interest in professional development as they rely soley on textbooks for content and activities and do not always link learning to student’s knowledge base. Once a poor quality teacher is recuited and moves up to permanent position it becomes very difficult to remove them from the system.These teachers continue to resist change and may even actively contribute to the removing of quality and innovated teachers from the system. Spence and Sawchuk shared a similar view t hat the classifications of poor performance are consistent average across the workplaces; at least twenty-five percent of teachers are of poor quality. With that percentage of poor quality in the education system, that is showing little or no interest in professional development, one can see that they not only sponsor poor performance of students, but they affect leadership and quality of teaching within the school.Research carried out on professional development (Sawchuk, Nov. 10, 2010) shows that professional development is a challenging one to study. Hard data which equates professional development and better quality teachers are difficult to come by. Professional development relies on a two-part transfer of knowledge, which indicate that teachers behaviour change in accordance with the new knowledge and skills and those changes must subsequently result in improved student mastery of subject matter.These complex matters relating to those transactions make professional development a challenging one, so one still does not have enough evidence to say that the quality of people that are being recruited into the teaching profession is poor because they do not feel that the responsibility for professional development lies with the teachers themselves but as a teacher of information technology I believe that it is pertinent to participate in professional development as it allows me to keep abreast with the rapid changes in technology and be able to use and impart this new and updated knowledge to my students.I am sure professional development for teachers who view it as ongoing learning opportunities believe it is vital to school success and teacher satisfaction. Reference Spence, Earline (2008) NAE (National Education Association) Great Public Schools for every student- Professional Development Harris, D. N. Sass, T. R. , â€Å"Teacher Training, Teacher Quality and Student Achievement† Journal of Public Economics,95, 2011. Sawchuk, S. , â€Å"EWA Research Brief: What Studies Say About Teacher Effectiveness,† 2011. Sawchuk, S. â€Å"Studies Link Classroom Observations to Student Achievement,† Education Week, April 26, 2011. Sawchuk, S. â€Å"New Teacher-Evaluation Systems Face Obstacles,† Education Week, Dec. 16, 2009. Sawchuk, S. , â€Å"TAP: More Than Performance Pay,† Education Week, April 1, 2009. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. I believe that I have a responsibility for on-going professional development. Autonomy is determine my professional development needs based on my professional practice. Thus engaging in reflective practice to determine my professional development needs.

Man is not truly two, but truly one Essay

Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde explores the duality of human nature. Jekyll believes he can extract his evil side as Hyde to destroy this part of himself; however, he realizes that he enjoys his secret life pursuing illicit pleasures. At first it appears that the primary struggle lies between the well-respected Dr. Jekyll and the evil Mr. Hyde, but what is actually more threatening is the fact that the binary does not hold. The evil cannot be isolated and contained, thus it is impossible to separate and kill off. Jekyll is not completely good and Hyde is not purely evil. Some evil must have existed in Dr. Jekyll in the beginning for him to transform into Mr. Hyde. Hyde is not completely evil because he is somewhat â€Å"natural and human† (Stevenson 58). By combining good and evil in both characters, Stevenson reveals the complexities of human nature rather than the strict â€Å"divided self† that Jekyll believes he is creati ng. The flaw that leads to Jekyll’s downfall is his thinking in binary terms when he says, â€Å"man is not truly one, but truly two† (55). On the simplest level, Jekyll is a respectable scientist, but upon closer analysis Jekyll is not purely good evinced by the many temptations to which he succumbs. As a scientist, he â€Å"gave into the temptation of discovery† to create a drug that would painfully transform him into the evil Hyde (57). Jekyll’s curiosity gives him the power to play God, which might be considered unethical by many. The fact that Jekyll believes this breakthrough to be a â€Å"temptation† also demonstrates his recognition of the potential disaster that could ensue due to his self-experimentation with drugs. In order for Dr. Jekyll to transform into Mr. Hyde, some evil must have originated in Jekyll. Jekyll supports this idea in his confession when he calls himself and â€Å"incongruous compound† of good and evil (59). In chemistry, a compound is a homogenous mixture that cannot be separated. The fact that he is an â€Å"incongruous compound† indicates that both good and evil can come out of Jekyll in an unpredictable manner, but they can never be truly separated. Stevenson describes Jekyll as â€Å"composite†¦now with greedy gusto, projected and shared in the pleasures and adventures of Hyde† (63). Jekyll knows that Hyde’s adventures are dangerous to the community, yet Jekyll still selfishly allows himself to enjoy the disguise of Hyde. The fact that Jekyll is not perfect, but really a mixture of good and evil, questions the possibility of separating these two poles. Jekyll calls Hyde purely evil, but there is evidence suggesting that Jekyll’s theory is flawed and that Hyde is actually a mixture of good and evil. When Jekyll characterizes Hyde as wholly evil Jekyll prefaces his statement by stating that it is based on his personal â€Å"theory alone† (58). This indicates that Jekyll could be speculating about the results of his experiment. There is no way to prove this theory because Hyde is inherently part of Jekyll and the research cannot be repeated. This gives reason to believe his confessions are potentially biased. The character portrayal of Hyde as a â€Å"small† man with a â€Å"murderous mixture of timidity and boldness† points to the complexities of human nature in Hyde (16). Jekyll and Hyde are one and the same because they have â€Å"memory in common† and can be transformed between the two forms, but they are not proportionally represented (63). Hyde’s small stature reinforces the idea that Mr. Hyde is part of Dr. Jekyll since a part must always be smaller than the whole. If he is a part of Jekyll, then he is at least partly human including good and evil, thus not strictly evil. Hyde’s â€Å"murderous mixture of timidity and boldness† provides more insight into his character. He is criminal, but a â€Å"mixture† and not a pure compound of evil as Jekyll asserts. One who is timid and bold is unpredictable: at one moment they may hide their evil plots, whereas at other times they act on their devastating impulses. Humans are multifaceted because their actions are not always rational or foreseeable. Jekyll’s unreliable science and Hyde’s â€Å"murderous mixture† cast doubt on the claim that Hyde is completely devilish. Just as Hyde and Jekyll both contain good and evil within, their shared home represents two sides of one character. Dr. Jekyll enters the front of the house with a great faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade and elegant interior, whereas Mr. Hyde enters through the back laboratory door with a dilapidated structure. Hyde’s door â€Å"was well equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained† (6). The doors strike an incongruous note and contrast with the rest of the houses on this pleasant and wealthy street. The back door lacks a bell and knocker which is unwelcoming to visitors. Stevenson personifies the door as â€Å"blistered† indicating an element of pain that occurs due to the transformation that occurs within this lab. Ironically, when Utterson and the detective go inside Hyde’s house, they find it â€Å"furnished with luxury and good taste† (26). This suggests that Hyde is civilized and refined underneath his devilish exterior. Underneath the exterior is the scientist, Jekyll who works and lives in this house. Hyde dwells and hides in this home after going out on sinister adventures. This structure reveals the complicated interactions between moral and sinful nature within humans. The house with distinct doors represents Jekyll and Hyde residing within a single individual. The Carew murder reveals another aspect to Mr. Hyde’s nature as animalistic and impulsive, but still human. A maid witnesses this tragedy by the light of â€Å"the full moon† (21). The full moon serves two functions: a practical source of lighting and to set the ominous mood indicating the time when evil lurks. This is a superstitious setting when humans transform into werewolves in horror and fantasy tales. Mr. Hyde tramples the innocent old man until he was destroyed and â€Å"the bones were audibly shattered† (22). The graphic image makes Hyde seem like a madman-uncontrolled, irrational, and violent; however, this crime is without motivation. Hyde simply acts on an impulsive â€Å"ape-like fury† leading him to completely destroy his victim (22). Most animals would not destroy their prey to a pulp as Hyde does indicating that he possesses irrationality of a human. Jekyll even describes Hyde as â€Å"natural and human† (58). This signifies the complexities of a man containing both animalistic impulses and irrational human desires. The name Stevenson bestows on Hyde connotes an animal hide, indicative of his skin in this transgression. He appears animal-like externally but really derives pleasure out of this evil act. At the same time, Hyde knows that what he has done is wrong and it is in his nature to hide from the gallows by becoming Jekyll. Hyde’s nature is not as clear cut as Jekyll would like to believe. After the Carew murder, Dr. Jekyll emerges as a man bound by his rational conscience to repress the evil Hyde. He appears â€Å"deadly sick† which is symbolic of his ill conscience (26). Jekyll knows that a part of him committed a heinous act and he is partly responsible because he acted on his curiosity to experiment scientifically and create Hyde. His weak body also reflects his weakness in controlling Hyde. Jekyll attempts to resume his prior life for two months by hiding Hyde, but he subconsciously does not want to rid himself of Hyde. Jekyll never gives up Hyde’s rented house in Soho nor destroys his clothes. Jekyll subconsciously enjoys Hyde’s freedom from â€Å"the aspirations and remorse of his more upright twin† (56). The fact that Jekyll refuses to sacrifice his liberated, impulsive self leads to Hyde ultimately reappearing without the potion. Jekyll loses the power to control himself when Hyde comes and goes because he refuses to consciously accept him. Both natures are trapped-Hyde cannot reveal his face because he is a wanted murderer and Jekyll loathes Hyde because he knows he cannot control Hyde. Since only one character can exist at a particular time, they are never completely separated. The fact that Hyde takes over Jekyll’s body right after Jekyll drinks the vial of poison shows that the conflict persists until the last minute of this character’s life. The Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde illustrates the existence of multiplicities found in every individual and the need to recognize but minimize the grasp of evil. Seemingly opposing qualities such as good versus evil, civilized versus primitive, and repression versus liberation can all be found competing within a single character. Even though Jekyll calls Hyde â€Å"pure evil,† there is evidence contradicting this belief; Jekyll is not strictly good and Hyde is not wholly evil. Jekyll’s belief in humans as two separate beings that can be divided lead to his death. They cannot concurrently exist because they are ultimately one individual. Jekyll’s dualistic thinking that leads to splitting his personality is problematic because all humans, including Hyde, are composed of multiple qualities. It is impossible to obtain a pure compound by human means such as through science due to the competing forces within every person. Jekyll’s lack of acceptance of his complex nature and attempt to split his identity ultimately led to his death because man is not two, but truly one. Works Cited Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. England: Penguin Books, 2002.

Propliopithecus (Aegyptopithecus) Profile

Propliopithecus (Aegyptopithecus) Profile Name: Propliopithecus (Greek for before Pliopithecus); pronounced PRO-ply-oh-pith-ECK-us; also known as Aegyptopithecus Habitat: Woodlands of northern Africa Historical Epoch: Middle Oligocene (30-25 million years ago) Size and Weight: About two feet long and 10 pounds Diet: Probably omnivorous Distinguishing Characteristics: Small size; sexual dimorphism; flat face with forward-facing eyes About Propliopithecus (Aegyptopithecus) As you can tell from its nearly unpronounceable  name, Propliopithecus was named in reference to the much later Pliopithecus; this middle Oligocene primate may also have been the same animal as Aegyptopithecus, which provisionally continues to occupy its own genus. The importance of Propliopithecus is that it occupied a place on the primate evolutionary tree very near to the ancient split between old world (i.e., African and Eurasian) apes and monkeys, and may well have been the earliest true ape. Still, Propliopithecus was no chest-pounding behemoth; this ten-pound primate looked like a small gibbon, ran on all fours like a macaque, and possessed a relatively flat face with forward-facing eyes, an adumbration of its human-like hominid descendants that evolved millions of years later. How smart was Propliopithecus? One shouldnt have too ambitious hopes for a primate that lived 25 million years ago, and in fact, an initial brain-size estimate of 30 square centimeters has since been reduced to 22 square centimeters, on the basis of more complete fossil evidence. In the course of analyzing skull samples, the same research team that produced the latter estimate also concluded that Propliopithecus was sexually dimorphic (males were about one and one-half times as big as females), and we can infer that this primate scrambled between the branches of trees- that is, it had not yet learned to walk on solid ground.

Warren commission essays

Warren commission essays The Warren Commission Report was initiated to re- investigate the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy. This report was named after Earl Warren who, at the time was the acting Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Commission was established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The commission was concerned with the circumstances, evidence, forensics and testimony that encompassed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963 and, the murder of Kennedy's accused assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, by a nightclub operator, Jack Ruby. Ruby shot and killed Oswald two days after the assassination of Kennedy. The 26 volumes, 296,000-word report, is based on the testimony of 552 witnesses taken over a period of one year, following the assassination of Kennedy.(www.nara.com) The Warren Commission carried out an intensive, exhaustive investigation and submitting the report the following year on September 24, 1964. The main conclusions were that Oswald and Ruby acting alone and without advice or assistance,(www.nara.com) had fired the shots that killed President Kennedy and that no evidence indicated that either Lee Harvey Oswald or Jack Ruby had any part of a conspiracy, domestic or foreign, to assassinate the former president. Despite the commission's findings, speculation persisted that others had been involved in the assassination and that Kennedy had been the victim of a conspiracy by the Soviet Union, Cuba, The House Select Committee or, organized crime figures. (www.nara.com) At this point of time in history, no body considered the nature of a possible security risk when announcing the route, time and travel for a President in a convertible waving from motorcade. Chronologically, the Presidents aircraft landed at Dallas Love Field. The route was approved by the local authorities and White House representatives on November 18 it pu...

Tourism Business Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Tourism Business Administration - Essay Example Being a very sensitive issue it attracts media attention very easily and consequences often include fatalities and serious injuries. Thus a crisis management scheme is very essential and should be organized and ready to be called upon at any instant. (Fall, 238-250) The crisis management team has to be properly structured and organized in order to operate efficiently. Generally a senior manager is assigned the role of the initial contact who is to be the first person to be contacted in emergency situations. He acts as the head of the crisis management team and oversees the operations of the sub teams. The Media Team acts as the face of the effected organization during crisis periods. It handles all media contacts, interviews and press releases. It constantly monitors the activity of the press and stay in touch with them. It maintains a log of situations that develop in the area of media management. (Tse, 112) The On-site team is deployed for client assistance in the event of a crisis. It deals with various authorities involved. ... The crisis management process consists of four steps: i) Risk Assessment ii) Procedure Development iii) Training of Crisis management team iv) Testing Plans (Goodrich, 573-580) The crisis management team has to be properly structured and organized in order to operate efficiently. Generally a senior manager is assigned the role of the initial contact who is to be the first person to be contacted in emergency situations. He acts as the head of the crisis management team and oversees the operations of the sub teams. The sub teams for a crisis management division are normally divided into four teams. i) The Media Team ii) The On-site Team iii) The Passenger Information Team iv) General Enquiries Team The Media Team acts as the face of the effected organization during crisis periods. It handles all media contacts, interviews and press releases. It constantly monitors the activity of the press and stay in touch with them. It maintains a log of situations that develop in the area of media management. (Tse, 112) The On-site team is deployed for client assistance in the event of a crisis. It deals with various authorities involved. It ensures that medical help reaches the site where the crisis has developed if required and maintains close contact with hospital authorities in cases of serious injuries. It is also responsible for the welfare of the staff affected by the crisis. It inscribes a detailed report of its activities. The Passenger Information Team acts as a liaison for the family members of effected clients. The personnel get in touch with relatives of the clients and keep them informed about the situation. It has to maintain regular and updated logs. The General Enquiry

Marketing an Australian wine to Hong Kong wine market Essay

Marketing an Australian wine to Hong Kong wine market - Essay Example   The paper tells that Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world where full-time education is mandatory between the ages of 6 and 15. More than 90% of the children complete upper secondary education and over 25.5% of the population have attended post-secondary education. This suggests that the Hong Kong population is well-educated. The Hong Kong economy is open and dynamic. Housing in Hong Kong is at a premium and hence even four generations at times live together under one roof. Moreover, Hong Kong is still a conservative society where paternalistic affiliation is given importance. Nevertheless, youth from higher income families are more likely to participate in higher cost activities outside the home, like going to theatres or listening to operas. Those from lower income families would prefer to enjoy their leisure activities at home. Thus the target segment for the marketing plan is the young adults from affluent families. As far as wine consumption is co ncerned Hong Kong is the most mature wine market in Asia. However, the older adults prefer to consume wine and not the young adults. Students in Hong Kong universities generally do not involve in alcohol against the European students where 88% of them tend to consume alcohol beverages. Only 1.4% of the Hong Kong students are regular alcohol consumers and they start consuming alcohol on an average at 15.6 years. The most popular alcoholic beverage was beer followed by table wine. Hong Kong students are influenced by their peers in consuming alcoholic beverages possibly because it is a collectivist society. Only those who have completed tertiary education consume wine, as found in a study by Dewald (2003). Higher the education level, the more likely they are to consume wine. Since the Hong Kong youth stays with their families, home consumption is minimal. Apart from the nationals, the expatriate population in Hong Kong is high. Hong Kong women so far have shown no preference for wine but that is because they do not have much idea about wines (Ong-Wood, 2011). Based on these characteristics of the Hong Kong youth, the marketing plan would be devised. Positioning strategy Lifestyle of the local population has changed due to which food retailing and catering market has also changed. There is an increased trend towards healthy, functional and organic food as the youth has become health-conscious (Austrade, 2010). Women are also turning to wine as a part of their health and beauty regime as they believe that it enhances their skin tone and digestion (HKTDC, 2010). Since Hong Kong is a collectivist society and since the youth stays with their families, wine has to be positioned as a wellness product. Wine in Hong Kong is generally consumed in social settings, in bars and restaurants (Parker, 2010). Health is now a global concern and Hong Kong consumers believe that consuming two glasses of wine is good for health. Australian wines have been receiving recognition among the traders and the consumers. So far French wines have been dominating the Hong Kong market and hence Australian company Brown Brothers has to bear this in mind. Competition prevails in the Hong