Saturday, August 31, 2019

Law Research Essay

â€Å"An agreement without consideration is void†. Do you agree? Justify your response on the basis on what you have learnt about this rule and its exceptions. Use suitable illustrations to substantiate your answer. A legally binding contract needs consideration as it is an important element. So, a valid contract will not exist without consideration. By promise someone sacrifices or gives something and other people take something. This kind of giving or taking and sacrificing is called consideration by law. If one party promises without any consideration that is a gift. Consideration is an essential element for the formation of a contract. It may consist of a promise to perform a desired act or a promise to refrain from doing an act that one is legally entitled to do. S2 (d) Contract Act 1950 defines consideration, when, at the desire of the promisor, the promisee or any other person has done or abstained from doing, or does or abstains from doing, or promises to do or to abstain from doing, something, such act or abstinence or promise is called a consideration for the promise. It can also be defined as a detriment suffered in exchange for a benefit received, each party must promise to give or do something for the other. Consideration must exist in every contracts and it must have monetary value. There have been a number of case law definitions of consideration, for example Currie v Misa (1875): â€Å"A valuable consideration in the sense of the law may consist either in some right, interest, profit or benefit accruing to one party, or some forbearance, detriment, loss or responsibility given, suffered or undertaken by the other.† S26 Contract Act 1950 states that, an agreement made without consideration is void, unless (a) it is in writing and registered; it is expressed in writing and registered under the law (if any) for the time being in force for the registration of such documents, and is made on account of natural love and affection between parties standing in a near relation to each other. Besides that, (b) or is a promise to compensate for something done; it is a promise to compensate, wholly or in part, a person who has already voluntarily done something for the promise, or something which the promisor was legally compellable to do. Also, (c) or is a promise to pay debt barred by limitation law; it is a promise, made in writing and signed by the person to be charged therewith, or by his agent generally or specially authorized in that behalf, to pay wholly or in part a debt of which the creditor might have enforced payment but for the law for the limitation of suits. An agreement is a contract in any there cases. Illustrations for S26 Contract Act 1950, (a) A promises, for no consideration, to give to B RM1, 000. This is a void agreement. (b) A, for natural love and affection, promises to give his son, B, RM1,000. A puts his promise to B into writing and registers it under a law for the time being in force for the registration of such documents, this is a contract. (c) A finds B’s purse and gives it to him. B promises to give A RM 50. This is a contract. (d) A supports B’s infant son. B promises to pay A’s expenses in so doing. This is a contract. (e) A owes B RM1, 000, but the debt is barred by limitation. A signs a written promise to pay B RM500 on account of the debt. This is a contract. (f) A agrees to sell a horse worth RM1, 000 for RM 10. A’s consent to the agreement was freely given. The agreement is a contract notwithstanding the inadequacy of the consideration. (g) A agrees to sell a horse worth RM1, 000 for RM 10. A denies that consent to the agreement was freely given. The inadequacy of the consideration is a fact which the court should take into account in considering whether or not A’s consent was freely given. In conclusion, I agree with the statement â€Å"an agreement without consideration is void†. If an agreement without consideration is valid, it is unfair to everyone who is protected by the law. Therefore, according to S26 Contract Act 1950, an agreement made without consideration is void, unless it is in writing and registered; or is a promise to compensate for something done; or is a promise to pay a debt barred by limitation law. Question 2 Khalid was interested in buying Siti’s painting which she had names â€Å"Hawa†. Khalid met Siti and told her that he will pay her RM5,000 for â€Å"Hawa†. Siti said she will think about it. 2 weeks later Siti told Khalid that she will sell him the painting for RM7,000. Khalid said that the price was too high and he did not want the painting. One week later, Khalid received bonus from his employer. He immediately contacted Siti and told her that he will pay the RM7,000 for â€Å"Hawa†. Siti refused to give Khalid the painting, saying the price had now gone up to RM10,000. Explain to Siti whether she is bound by any contract to sell the painting to Khalid for RM7,000? Make references to relevant case laws and legislation. Issue: Whether Siti is bound by any contract to sell the painting to Khalid for RM7,000? Identify and Application of Law: The Contract Act 1950 is the law governing the making of a contract. S2 (g) Contract Act 1950 states that an agreement not enforceable by law is said to be void and S2 (h) Contract Act 1950 states an agreement enforceable by law is a contract. Therefore, to determine whether there Siti is bound by any contract to sell the painting to Khalid for RM7,000? Firstly, S2 (b) Contract Act 1950, when the person to whom the proposal is made signifies his assent thereto, the proposal is said to be accepted: a proposal, when accepted, becomes a promise. S2 (c) Contract Act 1950, the person making the proposal is called the â€Å"promisor† and the person accepting the proposal is called the â€Å"promisee†. In this case here, Khalid can be said to be an offerer and if Siti accepted the offer, she would become the offeree. Khalid offered to Siti to pay her RM5,000 for buying the painting â€Å"Hawa†. Siti said she will think about it but she did not accept the offer. In S6 (c) Contract Act 1950, by failure of the acceptor to fulfill a condition precedent to acceptance; or counter offer, the proposal is revoked. Hyde v Wrench (1840), D made an offer to sell his house for 1000 pound. P purposely accepted at 950 pound but when D refused, P accepted the original offer of 1000 pound. Here, the counter offer terminated the original offer. There was nothing to accept. After two weeks, Siti made a counter offer to Khalid that she will sell him the painting â€Å"Hawa† for RM7,000. Then Khalid immediately said price was too high, he did not want the painting â€Å"Hawa†. Besides that, This counter offer also terminated the original offer which was Khalid offered Siti to buy the painting â€Å"Hawa† for RM5,000. So there was no any contract between Siti and Khalid. One week later, Khalid received bonus from his employer. He immediately contacted Siti and told her that he will pay RM7,000 for the painting â€Å"Hawa†. In here, Khalid made an offer to Siti again. However, Siti refused to give Khalid the painting for RM7,000. She told Khalid that the price of â€Å"Hawa† had now gone up to RM10,000. Siti did not accept Khalid’s offer and she inform Khalid that the price of â€Å"Hawa† had gone up to RM10,000. Therefore, there was no any contract between Siti and Khalid in this case. If Khalid really wanted to buy the painting â€Å"Hawa† for RM7,000, he should not refuse Siti immediately at the moment. He should just tell Siti that he would think about it. If he told Siti that he would think about it but not refused it, then there was a contract between Siti and Khalid. In conclusion, Siti is not bound by any contract to sell the painting â€Å"Hawa† to Khalid for RM7,000. S 3 Contract Act 1950 states the communication of proposals, the acceptance of proposals, and the revocation of proposals and acceptances, respectively, are deemed to be made by any act or omission of the party proposing, accepting, or revoking, by which he intends to communicate the proposal, acceptance, or revocation, or which has the effect of communication it. The general rule of S3 Contract Act 1950 is the acceptance must be communicated. In this case, when Siti made a counter offer to Khalid to sell the painting â€Å"Hawa† for RM7,000, Khalid did not accept the offer, but he refused it due to the price was too high. So the offer of selling the painting â€Å"Hawa† for RM7,000 was terminated, the offer was no longer exist. Therefore, Siti is not bound by any contract to sell the painting â€Å"Hawa† to Khalid for RM7,000. List of References The Lawyers & Jurists (2010) Insuffiency of consideration is immaterial, but an agreement without consideration is void- illustrate and explain. [online] Available at: http://www.lawyersnjurists.com/resource/articles-and-assignment/insuffiency-consideration-immaterial-agreement-consideration-void-%E2%80%93-illustrate-explain/ [Accessed: 25th Aug 2012]. Laws of Malaysia. (2009) Contract Act 1950. Kuala Lumpur: The Commissioner of Law Revision, Malaysia, p.12~13.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Cases in global marketing strategies Essay

If you call yourself a movie fanatic, then 21 August, 2009 was a day you will always have to remember. Movie lovers and anyone who love going to cinemas were defiantly in a rush that day to be in any near IMAX Theater. In more than a hundred IMAX 3-D cinemas all over the world watched just 16 minutes preview of the footage from the new James Cameron movie the Avatar. Just on the same day, Ubisoft debuted a preview on a video game based on the movie, and Mattel unveiled action toys based on the movie characters. On the other hand, a day earlier, the teaser made for this movie broke records on Apple.com, this was after the teaser was streamed more than four million times during the first day. On that day August 21, it was a celebration for all movie lovers and movie productions and for that it was a holiday and till now it is remembered as â€Å"Avatar Day.† Today it is remembered as the dawn of the most planned and successful digital marketing campaign ever created to support a movie (Evan, 2011). In this movie James Cameroon and his crew went to all limits and for sure they deserved what the movie gave them in return. For Avatar to stand out above the rest of the movies as it did, there are a lot of strategies and plans which were put in motion for all this to happen. Below are some of the details of key components of how the marketing campaign of the movie became such a success, in some I will illustrate with a character and creature within â€Å"Avatar.† The Home tree: Avatar’s Website The clarity and visual perfection of the home tree on Pandora portrays what has been cultivated on the movies official website. On the websites visitors have more than they can get on a standard trailer, this is by images and all background materials. In the website, you will find 14 side scrolling square boxes that will show a lot of digital products that make this movie different from the rest. On top of this the fans have the capability of accessing the story, character information, music, and picture downloads. And to make the website more interesting the fans can also be able to share their views and showcase their personal interests on the movie. In the movie just about when humans destroyed the home tree for wealth and pursuit of personal interests, the movies website home page had its own destructions in mid-August when the movie fans crushed the site in the process of trying to get free tickets for â€Å"Avatar Day.† The Banshee: The AIR Interactive Trailer The movies interactive trailer comes before other previous movie trailers, and this is all because of integration of social media feeds, and eleven points of interaction that gives viewers the opportunity for one click access to each character. This means that the fans can choose the characters they want to view in a trailer and by this they unlock additional contents. The creation of this trailer was made possible by the use of adobe AIR software, which creates a flexible platform for developers. The outcome of this achievement is that the fans get to enjoy more exciting experience like never before, which more of less the same as to the one is offered in Banshee skipping in the movie. The preview is a motion and frequently refreshed gateway to the movie, which appears to be real and capture the moment it begins. The other advantage is that the preview comes with three options to purchase tickets. The Tree of Souls: Social Media: In the movie the character Na’vi believes that in the tree of souls, which a resting place for the souls of ancestors, was the main link of what connected them to one another. Through this idea, there is a connection to social media that is always connected to our past in one way or the other. Social media being one of the fastest ways to pass information around all over the world, film movie makers had to use the advantage when marketing Avatar. The movies unbelievably got the attention it required on social sites for example it got about 1.5 million fans on Facebook alone, in Myspace the fans were about 800,000 and on twitter I gained about 26,000 followers. According to one of Americas social media analytic firm, they said that Avatar was the most talked about movie in the year 2010 in twitter. However, some tweets resulted to tweet and listen promotion that required the fans to send messages via twitter and after doing that then they will be able to listen to music used in the movie as soundtracks. The social media strategy Avatar used also extended to YouTube that gained over 12 million views, on flicker it got 1.5million people viewing the photos and a type pad blogging community of about 5000 people. Hallelujah Mountains: Augmented Reality In the movie, the gravity opposing Hallelujah Mountains appears to be challenging the ability to hear or see, which is also what had been made greater and reality pushes to do by tabling an interesting experience that floats in front of the viewer’s eyes. The creation of â€Å"Avatar† toys which could be activated and brought to life through the help of webcams and special product tags. While on the other side Coke zero introduced soda cans that opened up a world of Pandora. The final result is that â€Å"Avatar† is so far the biggest movie ever made in the box office of all times. This movie sold over $2 billion in tickets sales which was mostly influenced by 3-D taxes and international interests. Through â€Å"Avatar† James Cameron became one of the greatest movie makers of all time having two of the top-grossing movie topping on the box office at the same time. The question remains to be what lead to the success of this movie? The primary objective of any marketing strategy in the movie industry is to make sure that the fans get the product you are marketing. While at the same time gets to theaters to watch the movies that they have to pay about $10 to $15 and have to watch the movie for several hours. After the campaign made by the advertisers, millions of people all went out to theatres just to enjoy the movie and 3-D glasses, and the fans also got to bring a phrase from the movie to life which was used by Na’vi: Oel ngati kameie meaning â€Å"I see you.† This is the processes in which the improvements in the movie made it unique as compared to other films. However, they are not just the only methods James Cameron used to make â€Å"Avatar† a success in the digital movie era. The introduction of 3-D camera and stimulcam were not just the technology’s that turned James Cameron’s sci-fi unique and a success. Many other small movies have also turned to social media to spread the word guerrilla-style, but so far no other blockbuster movie has turned to social media marketing like Avatar did. After using this method to market its film, the results they got from the first opening weekend Avatar made $232 million and ranked the movie on #2 highest grossing movie of all times. Cameron’s $500million act of hubris finally bared fruits. Reinventing the Movie Trailer Online Knowing that Avatar was never the first film to make a trailer in a different manner online. Then it means that it was never the first to try out most of this things required for online advertising. But using an expensive strategy, and at the same time combine it with several existing ideas was what made this movie’s social media campaign go big. In the beginning it started with ideas which many movies use now: a preview debut from Apple, which was announced on twitter and the anxiety was too high from the fans to such an extent that the servers had to get the trailer out to the people who wanted it. Afterward, about a month later the movie released the second trailer, this became a success since many fans were eagerly waiting to see the trailer for a whole month and with that the fans made their own mash-up trailers which involved Avatar and other movies. However, after making the second preview they did not stop there and they went forth and made the third trailer and to their surprise the preview was the best they had achieved so far, and to an extend it blew everyone away beyond their expectation. An interactive preview was introduced using Adobe Air software and therefore in required one to download that is a bit hectic, but to all Avatar fans the download was worth it. The download had special features such as featured contend, and the fans could read all updated social media updates on the movie from the trailer. This move was the biggest move that Avatar had taken since it got press coverage and buzz (Dave, 2011). The Facebook and MTV Webcast On 3 December, Facebook joined forces with MTV.com and were sponsored by LG webcast known as â€Å"Avatar Live.† An interview was made to get word from the great minds behind the creation and success of the movie and this were people like James Cameron the Director, the producers Jon Landau, the Actors Zoe Saldana and Sam Washington. In this interview, the fans also got to ask them any questions they wanted to about the movie. Even though the interview can be said to have been short and brief, it is still considered to be one of the amazing webcast to have been seen up to date (Mitchell_A_Zucker) . This is because it is not always that simple to see big Hollywood names all sitting at the same place answering questions from their fans all at the same time. Even though having the community come to interact with a director of such caliber is a once in a lifetime opportunity, it made us remember of director Peter Jackson’s daily updates from the famous set of The Lord of th e Rings. What was experienced in both cases is the fact that people who did not know much about the movies also turned out for the sale and learn more about the film while on the other hand the fans also showed up in large numbers to also get to know all what they did not know yet and get new words to spread around to friends and other people they interact with. Broadcasting the Premiere Live On UstreamOne of the most respected way for any celebrity or movie to go down is by using the red carpet. Avatar was premiered at the red carpet and broadcasted live to the audience on a video streaming site Ustream. Besides the technology media coverage this pulled, this idea was not a new stunt since movies like twilight saga New moon had already put it on trial, however, we can say it made many people happy that day. The point is a movie should use all ways possible it gets to get the awareness of the movie out. This broadcast made at the red carpet was sponsored by Myspace, and with this it means that the move reached fans who got to miss the presentation in Facebook or any other social media site. The fans of Avatar had the opportunity to watch the preview and the video in bot Myspace web page in addition to Ustream website. The fact that the red carpet was one week before the movie was released and aired in cinemas was another way to get the awareness of the movie to the fans during the final days of marketing before the final release date of the eagerly awaited movie. Avatar is one of the most thrilling Sci-fi, fantasy, adventure movie ever made. The story line is with no doubt captivating to the audience. Due to these features it was made easy for Cameron and his crew to market the movie since all the fans were thrilled and eager to see the movie after watching the trailers offered on the movie. However, in marketing Avatar the movie had to also come up with action figures which would symbolize the characters and through this they got to attract more children fans to get to buy the toys and also want to watch the movie (Dave, 2011). Coming up with unique posters of the movie was also another marvelous move Avatar came up with, since everyone who was a fan wanted to at least have a poster of the movie in the house or even in their bedrooms and through that all the friend of people with the posters would end up being drawn slowly into liking the movie. According to (Mesa, 2009). another reason many people ended up liking the movie is the fact that we were all amazed by the work made by the make-up artist in the movie, actually they made the characters look so real in such a way that has never been seen before. The details on the characters and the make-up were just out of this world. Conclusion From this essay, it is evident that James Camron went to all measures to make Avatar such a success. However, many movies might have tried using the same marketing strategies but the little details and changes that James Cameron brought to the production and marketing of the movie are what actually made the difference and ended up make this movie the greatest movie of all times. However, this made it everyone’s business to play the marketing roles which were to be played by everyone during the movie sale and we even see how the fans got the chance to market the movie and also comment on live updates about the movie. This time it is with no doubt that James Cameron overdid himself in this movie. Having such a big movie is not something people see every day it takes practice and experience to be what James Cameron is, but we cannot be so surprised about this since James Cameron had another blockbuster â€Å"Titanic† which was also top of the box office before he broke his own record with Avatar. This movie â€Å"Avatar† did not just be successful it changed the movie industry as we knew it and for that I have doubt that Avatar will be a movie that will be remembered for several decades to come or even a century. Reference Jeannet, J. (2004). Cases in global marketing strategies. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Evan, S. (2011). Avatar. Pittsburgh, PA: Six Gallery Press. Mesa, A. (2009). Brand Avatar: translating virtual world branding into real world success. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Kautonen, T. (2008). Trust and new technologies marketing and management on the Internet and mobile media. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Dave, D. (2011). Think before you engage 100 questions to ask before starting a social media marketing campaign. Indianapolis, IN: John Wiley & Sons. Paul, A. (2009). Digital strategies for powerful corporate communications. New York: McGraw-Hill. Mattias, B. (2011). How Cool Brands Stay Hot. Kogan Page Matthew, S. (2011). Handbook of research on digital media and advertising: user generated content consumption. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Roger, A. (2009). Marketing. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Article Source: Mitchell_A_Zucker. http://teammaz.wordpress.com/about/oliveborden.blogspot.com/†¦/identify-your-target-market-with-this.html Marketing Strategies of movies —-Avatar. http://blogs.ubc.ca/daisydong/2013/02/24/marketing-strategies-of-movies-avatar/ Source document

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Information Technology Essay

A technologically enabled organization is a technologically capable company. Data and information will be at the heart and information re-use shall be constant. In other word, everything is integrated, finance, services, customer files, support database, helpdesk, quality management, customer satisfaction, email, attachments†¦ The information both flow in and out where you can get an holistic view of every information, communication, exchange concerning a specific project that might affect multiple customers, or every bits and pieces of information that pertain to a specific customer. It is a an organization where you have a symbiosis between the customer, who request and the customer who contribute, again, idea bounce in and out and might potentially be shared among interest group, much like a social network, the organization being the enabler between various customers with similar issue, reason why they are the customer of organization XYZ. The information is on the ecommerce site, in the corporate portal, in the intranet, on the mobile phone, the communications are interactive and customers share whiteboard, desktop, files, document management with the organization. Every relation the organization have with its customer contact is managed through a unique ID assigned to each of those contact, nothing complex, maybe an OpenID since so many people already have them or a simple challenge response via SMS, Text Message, Email to login your customer/employee experience center†¦ I hope this will help you understand my perspective of a technologically enabled enterprise, it is a only a vision for now, but it might be the future, who knows 🙂 For now, to me, any subset of those features with integration within a specific business workflow would classify has a technology enabled organization. 2. How does an Organization acquire & disseminal knowledge? First respondent meant from technical perspective . data 1s and 0s .knowledge can be acquired by working in a domain . no other legitimate shortcut. both for a business and anindividual. it is the collective experience that resides in a non physical plane of existence.it can be imparted/propogated to others in the form of a processor documentation( paper or electronic ) or it will be ingrained in the team members even without documentation.this process or documentation should not be dependent on a single person. ie nobody should be indispensableincluding top leadership. many business entities thrive as leaders even without proper documentation of theirworking knowledge . it is ingrained in their employees& stakeholders.There are a number of ways, but all are connected with a common link-experienced workers need to share bestpractices. Formal Mentor programs encourage face to face meeting where mentors can monitor and validate theirprotege’s progress. Another method that we are implementing is wikis where we ask very specific questions andmonitor the responses. This has been a good way for the organization to share the collective knowledge anddefines our corporate culture. 3. Why do you suppose inquiry – only applications were developed instead of fully on lines system? Participation constraint – a participation constraint determines whether relationships must involve certain entities. An example is if every department entity has a manager entity. Participation constraints can either be total or partial. A total participation constraint says that every department has a manager. A partial participation constraint says that every employee does not have to be a manager. Overlap constraint – within an ISA hierarchy, an overlap constraint determines whether or not two subclasses can contain the same entity. Covering constraint – within an ISA hierarchy, a covering constraint determines where the entities in the subclasses collectively include all entities in the super class. For example, with an Employees entity set with subclasses Hourly Employee and Salary Employee, does every Employee entity necessarily have to be within either Hourly Employee or Salary Employee? Weak entity set – an entity that cannot be identified uniquely without considering some primary key attributes of another identifying owner entity. An example is including Dependent information for employees for insurance purposes. Aggregation – a feature of the entity relationship model that allows a relationship set to participate in another relationship set. This is indicated on an ER diagram by drawing a dashed box around the aggregation. Role indicator – If an entity set plays more than one role, role indicators describe the different purpose in the relationship. An example is a single Employ ee entity set with a relation Reports-To that relates supervisors and subordinates. 4. What kind of technology is least flexible? Most flexible? I would say that it is dependent on the licensing. The most flexible being that which comes from the Open Source family. At the root of it all, Open Source software allows any to read edit and redistribute any technology they encounter(based on the licensing). The closed source model, is exactly that closed, you can not even view the code usuallywithout first signing a non-disclosure agreement, if you can even see it at all. This means you can not audit thecode that may be entering your environment, nor can you make any real modifications or taylor it to your own specific needs. In the Software Industry an example of this is the adoption of Unix (Free BSD) by Apple to develop their Softwareon. The BSD licensing has been a favorite of big business due to its flexibility. However it would seem Apple hasshot themselves in the foot by alienating the open source community, the lack of support from Apple for theOpenDarwin project resulted in its end of life. This was a community who was actively contributing to the core of their Operating System for free. There is still a wealth of portable code that is available to anyone looking todevelop on their platform, however the closed source elements within due definitely inhibit growth. Linux is often deemed the champion of Open Source Software, however since its inception it has been a mixed bagof software licenses. This has been brought to light by the influx of lawsuits over the years, its licensing GPL may beless favorable for the corporate developer. 5. How does strategic planning differ between a firm that offers services & one that manufacturers a product? Is there a difference in the impact of technology on strategy in any two types of firms? The Strategic Planning Process So let’s step back and take a look at what an end-to-end product planning cycle might look like when integrated with the company’s strategic planning cycle. Assuming that a company resets its corporate strategy, financial plans, and product plans once per year, the planning process would ideally occur during the 3rd and 4th quarters of the fiscal year in preparation for the upcoming year. The five basic steps in the planning process (as depicted in figure 1) are: 1. Market review.  2. Financial review. 3. Corporate strategy. 4. Product strategy. 5. Product Roadmap and Release schedules. During the first step, product management presents a market review to executive management sharing facts on market trends and opportunities, key customer needs, and competitor moves and positions. Though product management will keep tabs throughout the year on many of these items, this is the opportunity to update the information to make sure it is complete and current. Other functions may be invited to provide their perspectives on the market and customers as well. During the financial review phase, the finance organization presents results on the financial performance for the company overall, for its sales channels and for its products. Providing revenue and profitability by product is critical to making good product decisions and developing effective strategies. The next step is where the company’s executive team outlines its corporate strategy in terms of its vision, financial goals and its plan for achieving those goals. The corporate strategy should be explicitly presented to the product management team to facilitate development of a product strategy. For some smaller businesses, steps 3 and 4 may be combined into a single step. During step 4, product management develops its product strategy considering market dynamics, customer needs, financial goals, and corporate strategy. It specifies what changes to the products are needed and indicates the financial plan for each product area. The product strategy should be reviewed by the executive team to ensure alignment with the corporate strategy before proceeding to the next step. The final step involves the development of a product roadmap and more detailed release plans for the coming quarters consistent with the product strategy. This roadmap becomes the official â€Å"product plan of record† and should be managed with formal change control procedures. This step is executed at the conclusion of the annual planning cycle and is repeated every 3 or 4 months to allow responses to changing market conditions and deployment schedules and should be re-approved by executive management.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

EUROPEAN UNION LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EUROPEAN UNION LAW - Essay Example The reason why Costa wanted an application of Article 177 is to be able to draw an interpretation of Articles 102, 93, 53 and 37 of the said Treaty, all alleged by Costa to have been infringed by the new law. These provisions deal with proscribed legislative acts of Member States. In February 1964, the Milan Court filed for an application of preliminary ruling before the European Court of Justice (ECJ). 3 (a) Costa. The position of Costa was that ECJ acquires jurisdiction by the mere application of a preliminary ruling whereby the application clearly shows the need for Court interpretation of any of the provisions of the Treaty. Moreover, it is not within the prerogative of the Court to determine how a court of a Member State has arrived at the fact of the referral. 5 (b) Italian Government. The Italian Government contended that the application for preliminary hearing was in itself inadmissible because it asked the ECJ not only to interpret the Treaty but also rule on the compatibility of the Italian law with the Treaty. A national court, according to the Italian government, does not have recourse to the ECJ on the basis of an application for preliminary ruling when the dispute attendant to the case requires only the application of a domestic law and not one of the provisions of the Treaty. The only way to involve the ECJ, according to the Italian government, is through Articles 160 and 170 which deal with the European Commission’s direct intervention by bringing case to the ECJ after determination of Member State’s non-compliance with its orders and when a Member State brings a matter against another Member State to the ECJ, respectively. 6 Rationale for the Decision: Whether or not a case involves the application of domestic law and not the Treaty itself, the ECJ can acquire jurisdiction over it once an application for preliminary ruling is submitted showing a need for the interpretation of any of the Treaty

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Social Responisbility and marketing ethics Coursework

Social Responisbility and marketing ethics - Coursework Example Employees also require more than just a paycheck and the society generally requires the firm to be a better corporate citizen, employ from the community, take care of the environment and so on. Regulators require the firm to tow the legal line and communities expect firms to be philanthropic enough and give back by reaching out to the community and assisting them in what they do. Milton Friedman, who was an American statistician, economist as well as a writer is accredited with the above statement. Some examples of socially responsible product decisions include; the Body Shop created a lasting business model by virtue of investing in the development as well as encouragement of products that shun animal testing in addition to using ingredients that are environmentally friendly. The second is decision by Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics –spent 3 years on research and development to come up with a soap not made from palm oil (Bryan, 2010). The concept of sustainability is a step in the right direction and that businesses should embrace since it creates the potential to maintain a system functioning indefinitely without necessarily depleting resources, maintains economic viability as well as nourishing the requirements of not only the present but also future generations. Though there are rising indications that many American businesses at present are not sustainable, there have been efforts to make others sustainable. A number of visionary business managers and owners are already assisting create consensus by building and maintaining organizations that are sustainable (Steven, 2013). To those who feel that marketing is manipulating the consumer, the answer would be that they need to realize that marketing exists since there is a product developed by a company that it needs to sell to people. A company therefore will use any possible means to make sure that consumers are aware of the product so they can go out and buy the

Topic CRITICAL REFLECTION AND DECISIONMAKING REPORT RELATED TO THE Essay

Topic CRITICAL REFLECTION AND DECISIONMAKING REPORT RELATED TO THE UTILISATION OF EVIDENCE - Essay Example Therefore, it is a necessity on the part of the nurse to review appropriate research in the area to check if her approach to that particular clinical problem is appropriate, effective, and ethical. In this assignment, I will present my critical thinking and reflective practice on the issue of use of restraint on patients, which I encountered in my practice based on analysis of evidence as indicated in literature and as summarised in Joanna Briggs Evidence Based Practice Information Sheet for Health Professionals Part I for use in acute and residential care facilities in the following format. The Part II of the document could not be retrieved due to copyright issues (Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery, 2002). This document has been created from the systemic reviews of evidences reflected in literature. There is a guide for level of evidences so the reader can evaluate the effectiveness, meaningfulness, and appropriateness of the evidence. The authors succinctly present the overall objectives of the guidelines in relation to use of restraints in acute and residential care settings. ... Therefore this document presented the findings from a systemic review on this topic as the best evidence-based guideline that can be used in practice. This design is appropriate to the objectives since this can lead to more vigorous evidence than personal opinion, and the evidence can be tailored to the specific focus of the review. This objective identifies an area of practice where practice needs summarised evidence through systemic reviews of international research. This puts an emphasis on rational action through a structured appraisal of empirical evidence, where unquestionably effective healthcare may be delivered (Evans D, et al. 2002). Aspect ii The clinical question(s) covered by the guideline is (are) specifically described. This document elicits the clinical questions, and the guidelines clearly address these problems. The first part of this document talks about the use and impact of restraints and the possible adverse effects from their use. Although the second part is not available here, the need to minimise restraints has been projected, which links to the guidelines. The guidelines have been derived from the recommendations in the literature which can be examined based on level of evidence. Thus this document both generates evidence and synthesise them so they can be utilised. The problem essentially is routine use of physical restraints and bed side rails in acute and long-term care facilities in an attempt to reduce liability and fall events that these patients are prone to suffer, even to the extent of 25 to 85% and in many cases unnecessary. Restraints themselves may be associated with many complications. As a result, these should be used minimally and

Monday, August 26, 2019

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT - Case Study Example hat is also critical to note that management structure of the firm is largely de-centralized with Regional control exercised through regional hierarchy of management and structure is largely decentralized with strong delegation at the local level. Shell has extremely decentralized organizational environment wherein most of its subsidiaries work independently under the Regional control. As such the corporate governance issues that are faced by local subsidiaries of the firm. At the international scene, Shell therefore faced mostly the local corporate governance regulations and modeled itself according to the local regulations rather than forming a centralized corporate governance mechanism. It is however, also important to note that Shell has been criticized for the higher compensation of its executives and it was because of this reason that shareholders in 2009 rejected the executive compensation plan.(Lublin & Chazan,2009). Shell works in petroleum industry in which the overall cost of doing business is really high because of high cost of capital involved. Apart from this, the output in the industry is mostly dominated by the States wherein the direct control of oil resources is in the hands of the State. OPEC is the largest cartel in the world which controls the output of oil to be produced and as such industry is largely concentrated in nature. Shell Plc is the largest organization in the world in this industry however; major competitors included British Petroleum, Exxon Mobil as well as Total. (Hoovers, 2010). It is however, also important to note that competition is largely concentrated and firms are mostly price takers with little influence over the output as well as prices. Oil and Petroleum products are not manufactured rather they are minerals which are extracted from the soil. As such their presence depends upon the availability of reserves in any particular market therefore Shell has to operate at the international level in order to take advantage of

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Investment on BHP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Investment on BHP - Essay Example This tells us about the company's efficiency in using current assets as the ones that generate income. The stable cash flow from the years also tells us that the current liabilities are in control, which is within the limits of the company's assets and cash flows. The operational income of the company in the year 2005 is US$8.5billion. This gives reliable earnings per share. Due to the largest market capitalisation of the company one can recommend that not only investing he can hold the shares or debentures of the company for long time as the market capitalisation was being increased constantly from the past years. It is listed on LSE, Australian stock exchange, Johannesburg stock exchange and American Depository receipts listings and New York stock exchange. The Customer sector groups, to which the company gives more importance than its operations concentrate on Aluminium, Base Metals, Carbon Steel Materials, Energy Coal, Stainless Steel Materials, Petroleum, Diamonds and Specialty Products, At first let us examine the return/risk characteristics of the investment in the company, which is a indicator of past performance. The returns for the company are at a high stake as the company generated turnover of US$31.8 billion, earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of US$9.3 billion, and net income was at US$6.5. The available cash flow after Accounts Payable was US$8.7. This implies that the net income of the company was almost 20% of the turnover which is a sound fundamental for any corporate entity. As the net income decides the future expansion, earning per share, available cash for the coming financial year, capacity to invest in new projects and R&D it is considered as a fundamental which assures return on the investment. The cash flow was just above the net income. This implies that the cash flow was in proportion to the assets of the company which tells us that the share price increase in the market can be justified. The fluctuation of the prices of the company's sha res were around 30% of the maximum price. The maximum price was 19$ and minimum price was around 12$ in 2005. This fluctuation and the maximum price, the share enjoys in the market can be justified due to the substantial percentage of net income and recorded growth of 29.5 percent in operational income of the company in 2005. The increase of operational income and net income of over 20% of the turnover implies good return for the investment and security for the money invested. The operational income, net profit, and earnings per share were growing continuously in the past years. The turnover in 2004 and 2005 is US$ 29649 million and 22887 million. The turnover was increased by almost 33 percent but the costs increased only from 17084 to 20697 which indicates good management of operational activities which control cost factor and thereby plays a key role in increasing the net income. The earnings per share had increased by more than 80 percent in 2005 when compared to 2004 earnings. The total current assets stand at staggering US$7822 million which is more than the net income of the company. It is considered as a sound fundamental as the current liabilities of the company were lesser amounting to US$7659 million. The total non current assets stand at US$34288million and total non current liabilities atUS$16087million. This tells us that the domination

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Psychological Effects of Alcohol Consumotion Research Paper

The Psychological Effects of Alcohol Consumotion - Research Paper Example Alcohol is created through a chemical process of fermentation usually involved in a process of brewing or distilling. There are three main classes of alcohol: beer, wine, and liquor. Each one is unique in their strength and how they are made. Beer is traditionally brewed from hops using yeast for fermentation. Wine is made from a variety of grapes which is fermented to increase the alcohol content. Hard liquors have the highest alcohol content and are often created through a process known as distillation. There have been many different legislative actions which have influenced the use of alcohol in United States history. The first major event was the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment which prohibited the sale of alcohol in the United States. This caused an increased crime rate and increased sales of alcohol on the black market. The only way in which a person could get alcohol legally was through the prescription from a licensed physician. This was repealed by the twenty first amendment which once again allowed alcohol to be sold legally. There has also been legislature which has determined that no one under the age of 21 may consume alcohol in the United States and states are given the right to set restrictions on types of alcohol sales and hours of operations for establishments selling alcohol (Gately, 2008). What is alcohol? Alcohol is both water and adipose soluble. The chemical composition for alcohol (ethanol) is C2H5OH. The polarity of the molecule caused by the oxygen is what allows alcohol to interact with the body. This means that alcohol can go in and affect around 90% of the body’s components and systems. It specifically functions as a depressant by lowering the neuroelectrical activity in the central nervous system which in turn affects other parts of the body. Ethanol is specifically linked to dealing with the inhibition of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, GABA, serotonin, and NMDA receptors. Alcohol also stimulates the secretion of dopamine in the dopaminergic reward pathway which is what accounts for the euphoric effect associated with drinking (Begleiter, & Kissin, 1996). This is also seen in the interaction with GABA receptors. GABA is principally used by the body to control stress response. Alcohol stimulates these receptors on GABA neurons which are why people usually report feeling calmer and more relaxed after consuming alcohol. This is also what helps with the psychological effect because this good feeling is reinforcing the alcoholic behavior. In addition to the physiological effects that are caused by the disruption of the levels of these neurotransmitters, there are also psychological effects to be considered. Once alcohol enters the body, it is metabolized in the liver where the alcohol is converted into acetylaldehyde. This organic molecule is then broken down into acetate, water, and carbon dioxide. The human body is able to process approximately one drink an hour. This is however dependent on many factors. The first key difference is in gender. Males can typically process alcohol faster than women due to water to fat ratio. This is because alcohol is soluble in both water and fat. Metabolism is also another important key factor in the process of alcohol. Too much alcohol can cause damage to many different organs. First, the liver is the most susceptible to damage. Even though the liver is the fastest regenerating organ in the body, scarring caused by overdrinking can

Friday, August 23, 2019

Discussion 21 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion 21 - Essay Example Likewise, the video also noted information regarding risk factors for developing varicose veins that included: family history, being overweight, lack of exercise, smoking and even preponderance for standing or sitting at long periods of time (Society for Vascular Surgery). Finally, there were interventions or recommended treatment such as wearing compression stockings and other more advanced techniques like schlerotheraphy, vein stripping, and ablation (Society for Vascular Surgery). What is striking and motivating in the video is that even for a female and old-aged patient such as Durene Bryant, she was not afraid of seeking professional advice and determining which mode of treatment would address her medical dilemma. By using her as the patient to promote the needed information on varicose veins, patients with similar dilemma would not hesitate to seek professional advice and determine which is the most effective option to address the kind of discomfort they could experience from varicose veins. The site was therefore very illuminating and beneficial for patients and researchers who are interested to know more on the

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Disease Trends and the Delivery of Health Care Servies Essay Example for Free

Disease Trends and the Delivery of Health Care Servies Essay INTRODUCTION Americans use health care services every day, and they use them for a number of different reasons. Whether it is for preventing or curing illness, mending broken bones, delivering infants, or perhaps long term care in a nursing home there has been and will always continue to be a consistent need for the health care industry. According to an article published by the National Center for Health Care Statistics, there are a number of different factors that determine how much health care people use, the various types of care that they use, and the timing of care that they seek (Bernstein, Hing, Moss, Allen, Siller and Tiggle, 2003). These factors could include many different variables; however, for the purpose of this paper we will discuss how trends such as the aging population, and the growing rate of obesity in America are likely to influence the delivery of health care services in the future. THE AGINING POPULATION The population of the United States on April 1, 2010 was 308.7 million people. This is according to an article regarding the 2010 Census report (Howden Meyer, 2011). In the same article the age composition of the population is broken down. It shows that those aged infant to 18 accounted for 24.0 percent of the country’s population. In addition citizens between the ages of 18 and 44 represented 36.5 percent, and those 45 to 64 made up 26.4 percent of the population. Finally, individuals aged 65 or older accounted for 13.0 percent of the United States population (Howden Meyer, 2011). These numbers are expected to change significantly over the next few decades. More specifically, the older population which consists of  individuals 65 or older is expected to grow rapidly. This expected growth is largely in part due to the generation known as the baby boomers. This concept is supported in another article published by the U.S. Census Bureau. It states, Between 2010 and 2050, the United States is projected to experience rapid growth in its older population. In 2050, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to be 88.5 million, more than double its projected population of 40.2 million in 2010. The baby boomers are largely responsible for this increase in the older population, as they will begin crossing into this category in 2011. (Vincent Velkoff, 2010, para 2). In addition, there are other factors that support the population growing older. These factors include a decline in fertility rates, and an increase in the age of average life expectancy. It goes without saying that older generations have different medical needs then do younger generation. Furthermore, as the populations grows older there will be a greater demand for health care services. According to a summary report published by the University of Albany it is estimated that 84 percent of people 65 or older are likely to suffer from at least one chronic medical condition. Such conditions include cancer, heart disease and diabetes to name a few (2006). Along with rising health care needs there will be a greater demand for prescription medications as well. In conjunction with these factors the need for long term care facilities will grow also. As we know already when there is a demand for something there must also be an adequate supply. There is great concern that as the population ages it is probable that the supply of health care services may not be enough. In the same summary published by the University of Albany it states, The expected growth of the older adult pop ulation in the U.S. over the next 50 years will have an unprecedented impact on the U.S. health care system, especially in terms of supply and demand for health care workers. The supply of health care workers may decrease as they age and large numbers retire and/or reduce their working hours. At the same time, older adults consume a disproportionately large share of American health care services, so the demand for health services will grow. The aging population will also affect the nature of the skills and services the health care workforce must be equipped to provide, and the settings in which this care is provided.  (2006, page 2) In addition, there will not just be a greater need for health care professionals such as psycians, nurses, lab technicians and more. There will also be a large necessity for advancements in health care technologies and facilities. We know that there is nothing that can be done to stop the process of aging itself; however, there are measures that can be taken to reduce the health complications that are related to aging. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a few opportunities to improve health and quality of life in older generations include promoting healthy lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking, and increasing the use of preventative services (2011). THE GROWING RATE OF OBESITY Obesity is a disease that is associated with having an excess amount of body fat. It is condition that has been linked to a number of different medical issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke to name a few. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one-third of the population is considered obese costing the United States an estimated $147 billion in 2008 (2013). Although the numbers are already astonishing they are only expected to grow in the future. An article featured in the American Medical News predicts that if the obesity trends continue to rise by 2030 an estimated 50 percent of America’s men and 45 to 52 percent of its women will be obese (Henry, 2011). There are many factors that contribute to the growing trend of obesity. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the environment around us does not support healthy lifestyle habits (2012). This is because we live in a world with advance d technologies and conveniences. With busy schedules it is often easy for people to give in to fast food or microwave dinners because they are quick and easy. It can also be difficult for people to get physical exercise because many neighborhoods around the country lack safe places for recreation, or affordable gyms (The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). A few different demographic factors linked to the obesity trend include age, sex, and race. As mentioned previously, Americans spent as estimated $147 billion for health care services in 2008. This number is expected to grow substantially  over time. One author wrote that the cost of obesity is expected to reach $344 billion by the year 2018 (Thorpe, n.d.). These numbers are outrages. In addition to the rising health care cost that stems from obesity we have to be concerned about the health complications that can come with the disease. Obesity has been linked to an insane number of health conditions including type II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, some forms of cancer, sleep apnea and many more. There are steps that can be taken to prevent obesity, and the health issues that are associated with it. Eating healthy is vital, and not always as easy as it sounds. It can be so very easy to fall into food traps but we should focus our time and energ y towards foods that are rich in nutrients and low in calories. These foods include lean meats and proteins, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. It is also important to exercise on a regular basis. Exercises such as walking, swimming, or running are excellent. In addition, reversing the obesity epidemic in America is going to require a community effort. Schools, places of business, and government agencies should all be involved in this mission. CONCLUSION As our population ages, and obesity rates rise in America there is no doubt that the health care industry will need to adapt. These issues will require many advancements is medical technology, as well as a larger supplies of health care professionals including doctors, nurses, mental health providers, lab technicians, long term care providers, and administrators. The list could go on and on. Therefore, in the next few decades it will be important for the industry to recruit, and adequately train new health care professionals as the baby boomer population nears retirement. Moving forward, it will also be important for the community, and not just the health care world, to implement new ways to encourage preventative care. This will require many different organizations to become involved, most especially schools because the key to prevention is education. If the younger generations are taught the healthy way to live, and if more parents lead by example the future of this country would i n turn be much more healthy. The world of health care is ever changing, and there are many different  trends that affect it. As the future rolls forward it will be most interesting to see how health care professionals adapt to each trend. REFERNCES Bernstein, A. B., Hing, E., Moss, A. J., Allen K. F., Siller A.B. Tiggle R. B. (2003). Health Care in America: Trends in Utilization. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/healthcare.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/aging.htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Obesity and Overweight. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html Henry, T. A. (2011). U.S. Obesity Rate Expected to Reach 50% by 2030. Retrieved from http://www.amednews.com/article/20110912/health/309129951/4/ Howden, L. M., Meyer, J. M. (2011). Age and Sex Composition: 2010. 2010 Census Briefs. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-03.pdf Thorpe, K. (n.d.). New Data Shows Obesity Costs Will Grow to $344 Billion by 2018. Retrieved fr om http://www.fightchronicdisease.org/media-center/releases/new-data-shows-obesity-costs-will-grow-344-billion-2018 University of Albany. (2006). The Impact of the Aging Population on the Health Workforce in the United States: Summary of Key Findings. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/news/pdf_files/impact_of_aging_excerpt.pdf U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). What Causes Overweight and Obesity?. Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.html Vincet, G. K., Velkoff, Victoria A. (2010). The Next Four Day Decades the Older Population in the United States: 2010 to 2050: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p25-1138.pdf

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

America in the 1920s Essay Example for Free

America in the 1920s Essay In 1919, soldiers from World War One returned back to America and were not used to society. Many Americans wished for normalcy and believed the United States should go back to the way it was before the war. President Warren Harding was most popular for his promised actions toward normalcy. After becoming President, Harding did not change much of America and also died of a heart attack eight hundred and eighty one days into office. The main objective of normalcy was to get rid of fear from WWI and fears from future wars. The act of prohibition upon Americans, the delivery of a new mass culture, and changes in social conflicts marked the 1920s, in many ways. With all of these new inventions and ideas being made, there were still some ideas like the rebirth of prohibition that did not succeed. During the 1920s, women and children created a prohibition to stop the unnecessary abuse of alcohol. The first attempt at a prohibition was the Temperance Movement of the 1800s. It was an organized effort to end alcohol abuse and all of the problems it created. Women and children were suffering because of husbands and fathers abusing alcohol. In the times of WWI, a support for prohibition grew again. Veterans who were having problems when returning home from battle began to abuse alcohol to cope. The main goal of prohibition was to cut down on drunkenness. Without alcohol, there would be fewer accidents at work because people sober people have more awareness and coordination. The first effect of prohibition was it becoming the eighteenth amendment in the U. S. The prohibition created bootleggers who would secretly make and transport the alcohol illegally. With the supply of alcohol, speakeasies began to occur where secret clubs and parties would happen illegally. The growth of organized crime developed in cities. Local gangs began to supply alcohol to speakeasies. This organization of gangs started to encourage prostitution, gambling, and fighting again. The mobs became so powerful and wealthy that they could remain free of crimes by simply paying off the police. The Amendment did not last long because in 1933, prohibition was ended in America. The stop to prohibition was known as the twenty first Amendment. Even with most people in the city still drinking, there was a reduced amount of alcoholism and related deaths overall which led to new ideas and a new mass culture. In the 1920s, several forms in culture like music, movies, radio broadcasts, art, and literature began to spread across the U. S. Soldiers were returning from WWI scared and lacking sources of happiness. There was a need for new inventions and for the American citizens to feel happy again. A type of entertainment available at the time was movies without words and would only play music in the theater. Another kind of entertainment was radios, but they did not have any broadcasting stations. The newest craze in music was Jazz. Jazz would come from African American roots with improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm. Harlem, New York became the capitol of Jazz with over five hundred clubs. The most famous club was the Cotton Club. Movies became one of the most popular types of entertainment in the 1920s. At the time, eighty million tickets were being purchased per week. The movie industry quickly grew to the fourth largest industry in the U. S. The first talkie, or movie with words, was the â€Å"Jazz Singer,† starring Al Jolson. In 1924, the Hollywood Land sign was built to reflect on the success of the movie industry. Radios were not a new device in 1920, but had new features that would change the world forever. The first radio broadcast was KDKA in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Stations involved with the broadcasts were CBS and NBC. Citizens would listen to music, jokes, and shows from NBC on their radios. All the new forms of culture from African Americans is however what sparked all the racial problems and discrimination in the North and the South. During the 1920s, many changes in society like the challenge on religious beliefs, the possible truth and explanations of science, and lack of equality for all races were put into play. The prior religion of America has been closely linked to Christianity. The nation was founded itself off of Christianity. Fundamentalism is what interpreted the bible as truth, rather than science. Besides religion, inequality was a big problem in America. Slaves were African Americans in the U. S. since the 1600s. During the times after the Civil War when the South lost, the Ku Klux Klan began to terrorize the African Americans. In the 1920s, people began to question their God or Gods. The truth of the bible was also being questioned. Many Americans were still against the belief that a God does not exist. Another part of the science versus religion was the Scopes Trial. John Scopes taught the theory of evolution in a Tennessee Science class. 22 States did not allow teaching against the bible in the 1920s. The case was taken all the way to the Supreme Court and was ruled in favor of Scopes. In the 1920s, there was a rebirth of the KKK and the development of other organizations. Violence began in the North and South against African Americans; this was odd because the North was usually with the African Americans. The Africans faced discrimination, lynching, and the threats from the KKK. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Marcus Garvey’s establishment of the Universal Negro Improvement Association were organizations trying to stop discrimination towards the blacks. The extreme amounts of racism and discrimination that is in American heritage during the 1920s cannot be covered up. The 1920s of America were influenced by prohibition, a new mass culture, and social conflicts. In the 1920s, Prohibition was established in an attempt to rid America of alcohol because of its unnecessary effects of gambling, prostitution, accidents, and fighting. Several new forms of entertainment came out like talking movies, new forms of art, Jazz music, and radio broadcasts. Several social conflicts in the U. S. like racism and discrimination happened in the U. S. Even though the 1920s was filled with unforgettable racism and discrimination, it still was marked as one of the most economically boosted periods of U. S. history.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Importance Of Work Environment Construction Essay

The Importance Of Work Environment Construction Essay 3.1 Introduction This chapter reveals the importance of work environment and gives an over view on different types of office designs and its applications. Unit also provides an insight in to the evolution of the modern offices. Workplace and Its Importance A workplace is the physical work environment and it is very important to a person. The physical work environment is ranked one of the top three factors employees take into account when deciding to accept, decline or leave a job according to research carried out by the American Society of Interiors (ASID, 1999). Employee comfort, flexibility, access to equipments and privacy all depends on the physical work environment. Thus an unsatisfactory physical environment can lead to occupant dissatisfaction. The prime factors the employees value in a work environment (ASID, 2001); Comfort of the work environment, which includes the climate, ergonomics, lighting, noise, privacy, cleanliness and the overall atmosphere. Communication, which is the effective means of communicating internally and externally with co-workers and customers. Easy access to people, equipments and things needed in a workplace. Functionally Efficient making the employees perform their task in an easy and efficient manner and with the effective utilization of space. Workplace Productivity According to Clements-Croome (2000) workplace productivity depends on the following variables; Personal characteristics- the job itself Characteristics of indoor climate- lighting, acoustic, temperature, air quality and workplace layout Social factors- coworkers and the relationships with them Organizational characteristics- structure of the organization and the management Office productivity is a composite of the physical environment and the behavioural environment (Barry P. Haynes, 2007). Physical environment of productivity falls into two main categories: office layout and office comfort. The components distraction, interaction and informal interaction points relate more to the behavioural environment of productivity. Fig 3.3 Validated Theoretical Framework of Office Productivity (Barry P. Haynes, 2007) Factor Name Attributes 1 Comfort Ventilation, heating, natural lighting, artificial lighting, dà ©cor, cleanliness, overall comfort, physical security. 2 Office layout Informal meeting areas, formal meeting areas, quiet areas, quiet areas, privacy, personal storage, general storage, work area-desk and circulation space. 3 Interaction Social interaction, work interaction, creative physical environment, overall atmosphere, position relative to colleagues, position relative to equipment, overall office layout and refreshments. 4 Distraction Interruptions, crowding, noise Table 3.3 Components of Office Productivity (Barry P.Haynes, 2007) The primary goal in building design is designing spaces that are conducive to the tasks being performed in these spaces and to operate building systems in an efficient manner. The indoor air quality (IAQ) deteriorates and energy is wasted when the building systems that regulate and control indoor environmental conditions do not function properly. Conflict in performance requirements between several attributes, such as ventilation, lighting, or temperature can result from poor building performance. The cumulative effect of less than satisfactory performance culminates in environmental stresses perceived by the occupants. Building integrity depends on satisfaction of various factors (Preiser, 1989); Functional/ Spatial Quality Thermal Quality Air Quality Acoustic Quality Visual Quality The researchers have, for the most part, ignored the effects of building indoor environment on productivity and job satisfaction considering the great importance of the workplace, and the stresses related to it. The field studies were usually carried out by industrial organizations to determine the effects of extreme temperature and humidity conditions on workers. Most of the occupants in recent case studies have been highly dissatisfied with an environmental attribute even though some of the technical measurements indicate that current standards are being met. This shows the need to reassess the measurements and standards as they apply to more specific and newly emerging functional requirements. 3.4 Evolution of Modern Office Office is where people come to engage in activities for enterprise persevere and prosper. Office buildings in mid 1800s where rooms rented to a single company or to several firms for clerical and executive business. With a single purpose office building the workplace evolved with advances in construction technology, improvements in office equipment, and developments in organization theory. As the workforce grew, they were accommodated in larger general-purpose office spaces. Bullpens were the placement of enclosed offices on the perimeter created sizable interior spaces where hundreds of clerical workstations were placed in these expansive interior spaces. Fig 3.4 Open bullpen office space in 1926 (Adopted from Denice Jaunzens, 1997, RICS browsed on 09-07-09) It consisted of a rigid arrangement of desks in rows. With no visual or acoustic privacy, noisy, poorly lit environment they provided individual workers uncomfortable places to work. Ergonomics was not considered. A new office design called the Burolandschaft was developed in the late 1950s in Germany, which provide flexible office. Spacious layouts and high-quality furnishings were used. Space was divided into individual work areas tailoring to the occupants needs. Robert Propst, in 1960, developed an unconventional approach to furnishing offices by replacing traditional office furniture as desks and credenzas with furniture components and panels that could be assembled into a wide range of work settings. Storage units, work surfaces and other elements were hung on freestanding panels, which could be arranged as needed to form a complete office work setting. This was the beginning of systems furniture (GSA). Changes occurring in the organization, communication techniques as well as functional conceptions of office space are presented in table. Conventional Contemporary Pattern of Work Routine Individual tasks Isolated 9-5 Creative Group, project work Interactive Extended Occupancy Own desk/office Low utilization Low density Shared as needed High utilization High density Settings Status based Single setting Task based Multiple/varied Settings Table 3.4 Changes in functional concepts of office space (Adopted from Denice Jaunzens, 1997, RICS) 3.5 Types of Office Layouts in Modern Buildings 3.5.1 Closed Plan/Cellular Office In closed plan, full height walls or partitions divide the space into offices and support space by floor-to-ceiling partitions (walls) with doors. It usually has a desk and chair. The people (one or two) working in a cellular office use the same office everyday and leave their working material there. Private offices are situated along the window wall. Administrative support is housed in workstations along corridors or in shared rooms. 3.5.2 Open Plan Office (More Working in Less Space) Open plan office has a large open space and minimizes the use of small, enclosed rooms such as private offices. An open plan office saves spaces as compared to cellular offices. Cost, efficiency and communication are the major advantage of open plan. Fig 3.5.2 An open plan office in Abu Dhabi, UAE Open plan provides greater opportunity to maximize the utilization of space than closed plan and minimizes the circulation space required because workstations can be modified slightly to fit available space. The use of systems furniture in open plan can also improve space utilization because a job function can normally be accommodated in less space in a systems furniture workstation than in a closed-plan office. Most of the modern buildings in UAE are implementing open plan offices. This design saves money, promotes teamwork and improves flexibility for future renovations. But many employees view this design as a series of compromises in terms of space, prestige and privacy. As employees consider changing from closed plan to open plan cubicles, they often have concerns about their abilities to work productively in what they anticipate to be noisier, more distracting workplace. The most overwhelming complaint about open plan office design is the lack of acoustic privacy. New Environments for Working The behavioural component of productivity, interaction signifies the importance of work interaction with the functional spaces such as hive, den, club and cell and link analysis which relates to the position relative to the equipment. 3.6.1 Francis Duffy Theory Francis Duffy, chairman of international architectural practice DEGW and one of the leading thinkers and practitioners in the field of office design theorized that office design is closely related to increasing productivity at work through work-based layouts. Francis Duffy bases his theory on two organizational needs privacy and teamwork. This explains the dynamics of change in office design and throws light on the ways in which office layouts are likely to differ and to change. Privacy and teamwork are interrelated with many aspects of office design because they affect workers expectations about the layout and work settings. Duffy identified organizational types as hive, cell, den and club in a way to capture the distinct work patterns and distinctive design features of each. The implications of modern working practices for the specification and performance of building form and environment systems were studied in 1997 by DEGW in collaboration with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) (Laing et al, 1998). This led to the development of a model for design logic in new office comprising of four alternative office layout topologies according to the activities they support. These were designated as; Hive Hive office is characterized by individual routine process work with low levels of interaction and low autonomy. The user sits at the workstations for continuous periods of time. Examples are call centre, customer support offices, BPOs etc. Den Den office is associated with group work, interactive but not highly autonomous. This office is for group working in a simple setting, typically arranged in the open-plan or group room example, workstations in Advertising agency, Sales offices etc Cell Cell offices are for individual concentrated work with little interaction. Individuals occupy the whole office in an intermittent irregular pattern with extended working days, working elsewhere some of the time. This space is highly autonomous for example, CEOs cabins, lawyers Office etc. Club Club offices are for knowledge workers and are highly autonomous and  Ã‚   interactive. Occupancy is intermittent and over an extended working day. For example, conference rooms, meeting area, break-out areas and cafeteria where there are one off meetings, not ongoing interaction between the same people. ` Fig.3.6.1a Arrangement space based on functionality (Adopted from Denice Jaunzens, 1997, RICS) Cell Hive Den Club Fig:3.6.1b Typical arrangement in modern offices according to functionality (Source: http://ergo.in/paw_funatwork.html browsed on 08-08-2009 original source: unknown) 3.6.2 Spaces for Performance For the performance of workers three types of spaces are identified (BCO, 2008); Spaces to concentrate This is to provide space for workers for performing tasks, which require high levels of privacy and attention. These can be separate rooms, designated areas or rooms separated from noise and distraction of the office. These spaces are equipped with furniture and adjustable settings. Spaces to collaborate A collaborate space is a dedicated area for the teams to work and communicate freely. It should be well equipped with white boards, pen, paper, AV equipment etc. Movable furniture and flexible work settings should be there for personalized use. To suit the task and time of day, the lighting should be adjustable. Spaces to contemplate Contemplate space provide a space for the people to recover from stress and noise of the office environment. It should provide calm and noise free environment. Plants and adjustable lighting can make the contemplate space more relaxing. 3.6.3 Integrated Workspace The result of a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to developing and providing workspace, bringing together the organizations strategic real property plan with strategic business goals is Integrated Workplace. It provides the people in a workplace the physical space and tools needed for their success. Integrated workplace provides a flexible, efficient and cost-effective office environment that enhances productivity and retains quality work force. 3.7 Functional arrangement of office space 3.7.1 Link Analysis Link analysis is a technique used to represent relationships between elements in a design. It assesses the links or connections between areas, such as the frequency of peoples movements between two spaces. Applying this technique to the existing office environment will contribute to a conclusion of who needs who for the new office floor layouts. Avoiding any unnecessary movement around the office shall free up any possible hint of congestion. This technique will indicate where links are and most useful, but will not give the frequency. Therefore, an observational study of the current office structure will be concluded to see the frequency of events within the linking system. (Brooks, 1998) Link Analysis before reorganisation Link Analysis after reorganisation layout Fig 3.7.1 Link Analysis (Adopted from Brooks, 1998) Avoiding unnecessary journeys around a workplace can ease areas of congestion and reduce annoyance levels for workers seated near walkways. 3.8 Conclusion The selection of the work place is truly based on the work culture, work style and nature of the job. Workplace selection should be primarily based on the job demands. Each Job has its own requirements and if the facilitator is not able to meet the job demands that will lead to a decline in the productivity of the office workers. Chapter-4 Factors Affecting Workplace Satisfaction and Productivity 4.1 Introduction Before analysing the satisfaction level of the occupants we need to understand the factors related to workplace. This chapter provides and insight to the factors affecting the workplace, sick building syndromes (SBS) and indoor environment quality (IEQ) parameters. 4.2 Common Complaints in a Workplace Key aspects affecting workplace satisfaction and productivity (Hilary Davies, 2005, RICS ): Workplace layout: Most of the modern offices are open-plan to increase flexibility and allow changes in organization size and structure. Open-plan was intended to allow more communication among the co-workers. But according to study conducted by Pekala (2001) the work-success ratio for those who worked in open-plan was 74% less than those in enclosed offices. Thus the occupants were not satisfied with their work environment affecting their productivity. Distractions: In most of the modern offices, noise is more because of workstation density and use of more office equipments. Workplace grids create more distraction. Workers in open plan are 65% more distracted than in private offices (Olson 2000). Increased errors and stress is generated as a result of working in a noisy environment. Thus noise impacts productivity (Leaman and Bordass 1999) and 70% of the occupants agreed that productivity can be increased by decreasing the office noise (Carsia 2002) . Comfort, Health and Well-being: Air quality and ergonomics are the major areas which affect the occupants health and work environment. Repetitive strain injuries affect the health of the occupants leading to back pain and rehabilitation. Studies conducted by Kruk (1989) showed that an ergonomically designed chair can increase the occupant satisfaction in an office by 15%. Indoor air pollution also affects the occupant productivity which inturn can cause sick building syndrome (SBS). Indoor Environment: Indoor environmental factors such as insufficient day-light, lighting, smelly air, acoustics causes occupant dissatisfaction and discomfort. Occupant satisfaction and productivity is inter-related. 79% of the employees surveyed in a Steelcase survey (2003) believed that the physical environment had an impact on occupant satisfaction. Frequently reported unfavorable conditions in UK offices were: high/low temperatures, stale air, noise problems, low quality lighting and insufficient day-light (Clements-Croome and Kaluarachchi , 2000). Personal Control: This is one of the major problems affecting occupant satisfaction. Most of the occupants can be satisfied with individual control over their environment and when they are allowed to participate in the design decisions. Efficiency and morale increases when occupants are allowed to reconfigure their workplaces (Stern, 1991). The difference between a tolerable and intolerable workspace is the ability to fine-tune locally. The ability to control climate, reducing glare by able to move the desk, able to open the window, quiet space, storage space all boost employee satisfaction and productivity according to the survey by Knoll. Employee Stress: Stress affecting the occupants can be various. This can be work-related stress due to increased workload or inadequate resources or less time, stress from home and life aspirations. High stress office environment can result from unsupportive, monitoring supervisors and low levels of job control (Kaplan and Arnoff, 1996). An open plan office with less privacy, increased noise and disturbances can also lead to low levels of psychological privacy. Thus dissatisfaction with the physical environment lead to decreased job performance. 4.3 Spatial Comfort Productivity As the offices shrink in size, dimensions of the office furniture become more important to the worker. Occupant in a building evaluates spatial comfort in terms of the amount of space they have, storage and ergonomic comfort of furniture. Key aspects of office furniture, such as work surface dimension, file storage; partition height and choice of accessories also affect spatial comfort. Smaller offices and workstations at higher densities cause users to be more aware of the amount of work surface they have. All these have a direct impact on the functional comfort and performance of work in an office. Although modern office furniture is physically comfort, corporate tendency to standardize office and workstation layouts (one size fits all) and to density layouts at the cost of spaces to meet and work together makes a certain percentage of users functionally uncomfortable. Factors such as proximity to co-workers, varying partition height to enable contact with some colleagues and protect from contact with circulation areas and other workgroups, proximity to spaces to meet and work together and convenient access to shared storage and equipment all have a direct effect on how well people work. Spatial comfort affects productivity of the occupants in a building as workspace size, configuration, storage and shared work areas directly affect the performance of individual and team tasks. Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a term used to describe a situation where the occupants in a building experience acute health or comfort problems during the time spent time in a particular building. The complaints can be widespread in a building or confined to a particular room or zone. The condition is temporary and most of the occupants find relief once they are out of the building. But some buildings can have long-term problems. According to the World Health Organization (1984 Committee Report) 30% of the new and re-modeled buildings may be the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality (IAQ). Frequently reported symptoms or complaints of SBS are (Thad Godish, 1995); Sensory irritation in eyes, nose and throat Neurotoxic or general health problems such as headache, sluggishness, mental fatigue, dizziness, reduced memory Skin Irritations Nonspecific hypersensitivity reactions as running nose, asthma-like symptoms Odor and taste sensations 4.4.1 Causes of Sick Building Syndrome According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigation, the primary contributor to SBS is inadequate ventilation. Air contamination from sources within the building such as copying machines was reported to be major cause of contamination. Other indoor sources like adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood products, pesticides, and cleaning agents may emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including formaldehyde, which can affect the health of the occupants, and at high concentrations be carcinogens. Chemical contaminants from outdoor sources which can enter the building through poorly located air intake vents, windows, and other openings and biological contaminants like bacteria, molds, pollen, and viruses can also cause sick building symptoms. 4.5 Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) The IEQ in a building can affect the health, comfort and well-being of the occupant and intern the productivity of work. Indoor Environment Quality is used to describe air quality and the attributes of enclosed spaces. The key components of IEQ are; Indoor air quality Thermal comfort Acoustic environment quality Luminous and visual environment quality 4.5.1 Indoor Air Quality Indoor air quality is a major concern as it can have a major impact on occupant health, .90% of the people spent their time indoor and most of their in an office environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency studies show that there can be more indoor pollutant levels than found outside which can increase the risk of illness. Indoor air pollution is ranked the most important environmental health problem. An improved indoor air quality can result in higher productivity. The factors that affect indoor air quality are; pollutants or odors; building ventilation systems; moisture and humidity occupant perceptions and susceptibilities Fig 4.5.1 Under floor air distribution system (Source:http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/underfloorair/typicaloffice.htm browsed on 10-07-09) 4.5.2 Thermal Comfort Thermal comfort is defined as the subjective satisfaction with the thermal environment (Bligh and Johnson, 1975). Thermal comfort is the psychological state of mind and affects the overall morale of a person. Productivity decreases in a workplace as employee complaints may increase and in some cases people may refuse to work in a particular environment. Air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and air movement are factors of thermal environment which may also contribute to the symptoms of sick building syndrome.(HSE Guidance) 4.5.3 Acoustic environment quality An important attribute of commercial office building design is acoustics. One of the most prevalent annoyance sources in offices is noise which can lead to stress for occupants to maintain a high level satisfaction and moral health among occupants a good acoustic environment is very essential. The major sources of dissatisfaction include: Speech interruptions, such as people talking over the phone, in adjacent areas and corridors Equipment noise Excessive background noise from HVAC and lighting systems Lack of conversational privacy Lack of personal control over noise levels Space being acoustically too lively or too dead Fig 4.5.3 An open plan office with no acoustic privacy (Source:http://www.rockwool.com/acoustics/acoustical+comfort/acoustic+in+special+buildings/offices browsed 10-07-09) The levels of background noise and speech privacy and separation between particular types of spaces have important implication for the work environment and productivity of building occupants. Distractions due to the sound of speech have been found to be significantly problematic especially in open plan offices. This is because speech is more distracting than unintelligible speech or sounds with no information content. Conversely, office spaces with low background noise can have poor levels of speech privacy, which can also hinder communication. (Peter Newton, Keith Hampson, 2009) 4.5.4 Luminous and visual environment quality The luminous and visual environment quality is the totality of the characteristics of a building, which affects the occupants visual perceptions. The occupants abilities to perform tasks will be affected by the luminous and visual environment if they are visually intensive. Occupant perceptions can be affected by the following (Peter Newton, Keith Hampson, 2009): Luminance levels (ambient and task) for different task and their uniformity Glare levels and reflections in computer screens Levels of personal control through task lighting, shading or dimmers Access to daylight and views Lighting characteristics, such as color temperature and ballast flicker Visual appeal and color scheme of interior design Fig 4.5.4 An Office with abundant daylight for the entire office to gather (Source: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/12/1201_idea_factory/source/8.htm 12-07-09) Dissatisfaction with the visual environment can be due to limited access to daylight, inappropriate light levels, glare levels and lack of control over the environment. Appropriate task lighting and integration of day lighting and electric lighting systems for ambient lighting wherever feasible can be introduced for improving the luminous and visual environment and maximizing occupant comfort,. 4.6 Office Ergonomics Ergonomics incorporates the scientific and engineering disciplines that are concerned with the humans at work. An ergonomically designed workspace enhances peoples well-being, make work easy to do and allow people to perform efficiently (Kroemer, 2001). The elements of ergonomic assessment include general physical activity, lifting and handling, work postures and movements, accident risk, job content, job restrictiveness, worker communication and personal contacts, decision making, repetitiveness of the work, the need for attentiveness, lighting and vision, thermal environment and noise. Ergonomic parameters which are required in the design of a workstation are (Craig A. Langston, 2003); seat height with feet flat on the floor height to top of thigh when seated (for desk height) eye height above seat level (for use of computer) height from seat to underside of elbow (for arm rest height) near reach when seated and far reach when seated, affecting spread of equipment and functions on a desk and adjacent surfaces Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is the common type of injury due to poorly designed workstation. The RSI develops slowly and affects many parts of the body. An ergonomically designed workstation can reduce the possibility of RSI. Fig 3.8 An Ergonomically designed Workstation (Adopted from David A. Madsen, 1990) 4.7 Conclusion Every workstation has pros and cones while comparing openness, flexibility, privacy etc. While analysing the workplace satisfaction level the selection of type of workstation is an important factor. Furniture, accessories, flooring, ceiling, HVAC System, lighting, sound insulation, color schemes, interior design themes and corporate identity are the other ]factors affecting the satisfaction level of the occupants. Low Quality building design or interior design and poor maintenance will lead to sick building syndromes (SBS). Next chapter elaborates the method of research conducted to identify the facts.

Essays --

Sierra Battaglia Ms.Green English 1 February 13,2014 Down Syndrome It is believed that people with Down Syndrome has been around for a while. In 1959 Professor JÃ ©rome Lejeune proved that Down's syndrome is a chromosomal irregularity.Parents in that time were ashamed of their children with disabilities.In 1944 kids with disabilities did not have the right to have an education. Not until 1971 it was recognized that it should be legal for people with learning disabilities to get an education.Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has heightened dramatically in modern decades from 25 in 1983 to 60 today. People with down syndrome have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as heart disease,brain atrophy and learning disorders.(downs-syndrome association) Down's syndrome is not a disease and therefore people with Down syndrome do not suffer nor are they victims of their condition.Down Syndrome is a natural disorder coming from a chromosome defect. It is a genetic condition in which a person has 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. Which causes mental impairment and physical deformity.For example short stature , broad facial profile and weak muscle tone.It occurs in approximately one in every 800 live births.It is the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder. Down syndrome is not related to race, nationality, religion or socioeconomic status.(medline plus) Children with Down syndrome are normally smaller, and their physical and mental improvements are slower compared to children who are unaffected.Some of the physical features in children have flattening of the back of the head, slanting of the eyelids, small skin folds at the inner corner of the eyes, depressed nasal bridge, slightly smaller ears, smal... ... in positive ways, particularly during adolescence. Treatments might include going to a behavioral specialist and taking medications.(Eunice kennedy shriver national institute of child health and human development) There is no specific treatment for down syndrome. A child born with a gastrointestinal blockage may need major surgery immediately after birth. Or a Certain heart defect may require surgery depending on how serious it is. Obesity can be a problem in older kids or adults so they need to keep active but before they do so they have to get their hips and neck examined. Behavioral discipline can help people with Down syndrome and their families deal with the frustration, anger, and compulsive behavior that will occur. Parents should learn to help a person with Down syndrome deal with frustration and anger. Although, it is important to encourage independence.

Monday, August 19, 2019

George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984 Essay -- essays research pa

Not so free after all   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Big Brothers eyes are over watching us everyday. The privacy we once had has dissipated. His focal point is in the sky like an eagle stocking its prey. The camera lenses of Big Brother dwell everywhere. Big Brother is always awake and has an eye on us. As of today, Big Brother has risen taller and mightier. He has gained the power to control what we can have knowledge about and has infiltrated into our private lives. George Orwell’s novel 1984, prophesied coming of our democracy of a negative utopia has been proven by current events. Today, the United States democracy is looking much like the totalitarian state of 1984. Tactics of persuasions to make citizens believe their economy is improving occurred in 1984 and now in ours. Big Brother regulated the media in Oceania just as America does now. Reporters fired from speaking to foreigners, lies Administrators from the party tell their citizens, imperialism to gain territory for natural resources, and the rep risal from the government from individuals who seem unorthodox.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the years in presidential elections, much bribery has been conducted to assure another presidential term. Citizens expect and would take pleasure in a president who would improve the economy so they could live in a place that accommodates there budget. A current event that is taking place of such an issue is with Mr. President Bush. â€Å"In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS, Woodward, a Washington Post editor, said that Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, had promised President Bush that the Saudis would cut oil prices before November to ensure the U.S. economy was strong on Election Day.†(Schoen) With this on hand, many citizens with be lulled to believe Mr. Bush is doing a fantastic job with our economy, escalading to a re-election from the voters who were persuaded by Bush’s plan. Of course, not everybody has heard of this prophesied event, because it never was made a real major issue that was broadcasted worldwide through the media. It was introduced once, then vanished so not to make a major scene. Probably when Mr. Bush seen somebody made a degrading report that may effect his re-election, he told his friend Collin Powell, chairman of the FCC, to make it disappear or a least hide it. Just as the Party did in ... ...? Isn’t this after all a democracy? Isn’t democracy defined as a government by the people? Well, Mr. President Bush seems to abolish this definition, and so does Big Brother. The only voice heard is Big Brothers. It seems like Mr. President Bush is an exact clone of Big Brother. He regulates the media on what to let us know and what not to know. Constant lies continuously being thrown at us, and for the most part, we believe them, because the party is in possession of absolute truth. We live in such a time where it is an exact simile of a prison. Where talking to one another is prohibited, freedom of speech is restricted, and forced to believe two plus two equal five. The telescreen is every where in our society, and a thought police exist. America is not viewed as it once was. We no longer can say America is the land of the free, because it isn’t. Lady Liberty no longer stands for land of the free. America is a steal train driven by thieves that high jacked it, and we are the ones in a remote destination fueling it. Clueless on where we are going, and helpless in gaining control. The tracks are not laid out by us, but by the thieves that drive this monstrous machine.