Hippies and the Revolution of a Culture Essay

â€Å"Tune In, Turn On, and Drop Out† was the motto of the hippie movement, a significant countercultural phenomenon in the 1960s and early 1970s that grew partially out of young America’s growing disillusionment with U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Hippies were mainly white teenagers and young adults who shared a hatred and distrust towards traditional middle-class values and authority. They rejected political and social orthodoxies but embraced aspects of Eastern religions, particularly Buddhism. Many hippies also saw hallucinogenic drugs, such as marijuana and LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), as the key to escaping the ties of society and expanding their individual consciousness. The immediate precursor to the hippies was the so-called Beat Generation of the late 1950s, including the poet Allen Ginsberg, who became a hippie hero. But where the coolly intellectual, black-clad beats tended to keep a low profile and stay out of politics, the hippies were known as much for their political outspokenness as for their long hair and colorful psychedelic clothing. Their opposition to the Vietnam War became one of the most significant aspects of the growing antiwar movement throughout the latter half of the 1960s. To express their protests, and to â€Å"turn on† others, the hippies used art, street theater and particularly music. Folk music and psychedelic rock-the Beatles album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was a prime example-were both crucial aspects of hippie culture. This culture reached its peak in the summer of 1967, when a concert in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park kicked off the start of the so-called â€Å"Summer of Love.† The event introduced the music and aesthetic of the hippies to a wider audience and inspired thousands of young people around the country to head to San Francisco, some wearing flowers in their hair, a reference to Scott McKenzie’s version of the John Phillips song â€Å"San Francisco,† a ubiquitous hit and a kind of hippie theme song. In 1969, more than 500,000 people attended the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in Bethel, New York, an event that for many epitomized the best aspects of the hippie movement. There was a dark side to hippie culture, however, and it went beyond the panicked disapproval expressed by conservatives about the â€Å"immorality† of the hippie way of life. A Time magazine article in 1967 quoted San Francisco’s public health director as saying that the city was paying $35,000 per month for treatment for drug abuse for the city’s 10,000 hippies. To Joan Didion, who wrote about her time in San Francisco for her acclaimed 1968 essay â€Å"Slouching Towards Bethlehem,† the hippies were â€Å"missing children† who were the most conclusive proof that â€Å"the center was not holding† in American society. To the hippies, their behavior was the one truly authentic reaction to the oppressive forces of consumerism, imperialism and militarism embodied by America in the 1960s. By the mid-1970s, the hippie movement was on the wane, though many aspects of its culture-particularly music and fashion-had worked their way into mainstream society. The fraught atmosphere of the 1960s that had created the hippie counterculture no longer existed, particularly after the Vietnam War ended, and with the advent of punk and disco music the earnest hippies were often seen as ridiculous. Still, their ideals of peace, love and community became the enduring legacy of the hippie movement, and even today there are a few â€Å"neo-hippies† to be found on college campuses and communes across the country and around the world. The Tet Offensive The Tet Offensive was a large-scale series of battles launched by the Vietnamese Communists (or Viet Cong) against American and South Vietnamese troops during the Vietnam War that resulted in both a military failure and a psychological victory for the Communists. The multi-part campaign was known as Tet because it was scheduled to start on January 31, 1968, the Vietnamese New Year holiday known as Tet. As a diversionary tactic, North Vietnamese units attacked the Marine base at Khe Sahn shortly before Tet and approximately 50,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese forces were involved in defending the base and other sites nearby. Subsequently, the Americans and South Vietnamese were surprised by the Tet Offensive, in which over 100 cities and towns and several dozen airfields and bases throughout South Vietnam were attacked. However, the U.S. and its ally quickly fought back and the Viet Cong, who suffered massive casualties, were unable to hold most of the captured territory for long. In the United States, people were stunned by the intensity and widespread nature of the attacks. Graphic images of the fighting were shown on American television and for the first time, criticism of the war mounted on a national scale. General William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. military operations in Vietnam, requested over 200,000 more troops, believing it would be possible for the U.S. to finally wipe out the enemy in their weakened condition. However, President Lyndon B. Johnsons new defense secretary, Clark Clifford, convinced the president to reject Westmorelands request and in March 1968, Johnson stated that the United States was committed to a de-escalation of the conflict. Johnson also announced he would not seek a second term as president. The Viet Cong and North Vietnamese launched additional Tet campaigns in May and August of that same year. American combat units finally withdrew from Vietnam in 1973 and South Vietnam fell to North Vietnam in 1975. Vietnam War Protests Opposition to American involvement in the Vietnam War began slowly but grew steadily throughout the second half of the 1960s, eventually becoming the largest and most powerful anti-war movement in American history. By the time U.S. planes began regular bombings of North Vietnam in February 1965, liberal public opinion had begun to question the government’s assertion that it was fighting a democratic war to liberate the South Vietnamese people from Communist aggression. The anti-war movement then began in earnest, mostly on college campuses, as members of the leftist organization Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) began organizing â€Å"teach-ins† to express their opposition to the way in which it was being conducted. Though the vast majority of the American population still supported the administration policy in Vietnam, a small but outspoken liberal minority was making its voice heard by the end of 1965. This minority included many students as well as prominent artists and intellectuals and members of the hippie movement, a growing number of young people who rejected authority and embraced the drug culture. By the end of 1967, the Vietnam War was costing the U.S. some $25 billion per year, and disillusionment was beginning to reach greater sections of the taxpaying public. More casualties were reported in Vietnam every day, even as U.S. commanders demanded more troops. Under the draft system, as many as 40,000 young men were called into service each month, adding fuel to the fire of the anti-war movement. Heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali was one of the more prominent Americans who resisted the draft system, declaring himself a conscientious objector and earning a prison sentence (later overturned) and a three-year ban from boxing. On October 21, 1967, one of the most prominent anti-war demonstrations took place, as some 100,000 protesters gathered at the Lincoln Memorial; 30,000 of them continued in a march on the Pentagon later that night. After a brutal confrontation with the soldiers and U.S. Marshals protecting the building, hundreds of demonstrators were arrested. One of them was the author Norman Mailer, who chronicled the events in his The Armies famous book of the Night, published the following year to widespread acclaim. By early February 1968, a Gallup poll showed only 35 percent of the population approved of Johnson’s handling of the war and 50 percent disapproved (the rest had no opinion). Joining the anti-war demonstrations by this time were members of the organization Vietnam Veterans Against the War, many of whom were in wheelchairs and on crutches. The sight of these men on television throwing away the medals they had won during the war did much to win people over to the anti-war cause. After many New Hampshire primary voters rallied behind the anti-war Democrat Eugene McCarthy, Johnson announced that he would not seek reelection. Vice President Hubert Humphrey accepted the Democratic nomination in August in Chicago, and 10,000 anti-war demonstrators showed up outside the convention building, clashing with security forces assembled by Mayor Richard Daley. Humphrey lost the 1968 presidential election to Richard M. Nixon, who had promised in his campaign to deal with the extreme elements of the population-namely the radicals and the hippies-more effectively than Johnson had. Nixon’s war policies divided the nation still further: In December 1969, the government instituted the first U.S. draft lottery since World War II, inciting a vast amount of controversy and causing many young men to flee to Canada to avoid conscription. Tensions ran higher than ever, spurred on by mass demonstrations and incidents of official violence such those at Kent State in May 1970, when National Guard troops shot into a group of protesters demonstrating against the U.S. invasion of Cambodia, killing four students. By the time the war finally ended, after North Vietnamese troops captured Saigon in 1975, the plaintive anti-war slogan â€Å"What are we fighting for?† seemed a prophecy come true, as veterans returned home from Vietnam to find their own nation still bitterly divided. My Lai Massacre On March 16, 1968, a group of U.S. soldiers attacked the South Vietnamese village of My Lai, believed to be a Communist stronghold, and killed between 175 and 400 civilians as well as committing rape and other crimes. U.S. helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson and two crewmen, who were flying a reconnaissance mission over My Lai, saw the dead bodies and stopped to investigate. In the process, they managed to rescue a group of Vietnamese civilians from American troops. Although Thompson reported the incident to his superiors, the American public didnt learn about it until over a year later, after a former soldier named Ronald L. Ridenhour wrote letters about what happened at My Lai to President Richard Nixon and other government officials. Ridenhour had found out about the events a month after they occurred from soldiers who were there. The Army eventually launched an investigation that led to the conviction of platoon leader Lt. William L. Calley, Jr., for the murder of 22 unarmed men, women and children. In 1971, Calley was sentenced to life in prison, which was later reduced to 10 years. Ultimately, he served three years under house arrest. The My Lai massacre left many Americans further disillusioned about the Vietnam War. People were horrified that U.S. soldiers had committed atrocities against innocent civilians and were angered at the potential military cover-up, as well as the fact that Lt. Calley was the only person convicted for the murders. Music and Hippies The American music scene during the first part of the 1960s was dominated by male vocalists such as Elvis Presley, Motown artists like Diana Ross & The Supremes and folk performers such as Bob Dylan with their acoustic-based protest songs. By the mid-1960s, though, psychedelic rock had taken root as an intrinsic part of the growing hippie movement. The Flower Power generation was interested in freedom and self-expression and the kind of mind-altering experiences that could be achieved through the use of psychedelic drugs such as marijuana and LSD. Psychedelic rock, which often used electronic sound effects and was sometimes influenced by music from India, attempted to recreate and enhance the feelings resulting from hallucinogenic drug use. Groups including Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin and Big Brother & the Holding Company were pioneers of psychedelic rock. They all lived in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, which became the epicenter of the hippie scene. The Beatles were at the height of their popularity throughout the 1960s. After bursting onto the scene in their native England in 1962, the band made its first appearance on American television in 1964, on The Ed Sullivan Show, and generated a massive audience. By the second half of the decade, the band’s pop rock sound had become more experimental and psychedelic. In June 1967, the Beatles released their eighth album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band, considered one of the most important records in rock history. Many of the album’s hit songs, such as â€Å"With a Little Help From My Friends† and â€Å"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds† were allegedly filled with drug references. One non-musician who was an important part of the ’60s music scene was concert promoter Bill Graham, whose San Francisco auditorium, The Fillmore, became a major venue for psychedelic rock groups such as Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Grateful Dead and Big Brother & the Holding Company, among others. In 1968, Graham opened the Fillmore East, which became a showcase for counterculture musicians in New York City. In June 1967, the Monterey International Pop Music Festival, the first widely promoted rock fest, took place in California. Over 200,000 people attended the event, considered a highlight of San Francisco’s â€Å"Summer of Love.† Jimi Hendrix and The Who made their first big U.S. performances at the festival, which also showcased performers such as Janis Joplin, Otis Redding and Ravi Shankar. John Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas, who helped organize the festival, wrote a song, intended as a fest advertisement, called â€Å"San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair).† Sung by Scott McKenzie, â€Å"San Francisco† became a Flower Power anthem.Monterey was a precursor to the Woodstock Festival, which took place in August 1969 on a 600-acre farm in Bethel, New York. An estimated half a million young people turned up for the event, which featured the key musicians of the time, including Hendrix, Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Joan Baez, Sly and the Family Stone and Crosby, and Stills Nash & Young, among others. Woodstock later came to be viewed as one of the ultimate events of the hippie era. 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City Controversy surrounded the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City before the Games even began. Athletes were concerned about Mexico City’s high altitude and thin air. Human rights activists were outraged when the Mexican military opened fire on thousands of college students during a campus protest in Mexico City shortly before the opening of the XIX Olympiad. After the Games began, one of the most notable events was the Black Power salute by two African-American athletes during their medal ceremony. On October 16, 1968, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the men’s 200-meter race, and his team member John Carlos, the bronze medalist in the same event, stepped up to the podium shoeless and wearing black socks, civil rights buttons and one black glove each. The lack of shoes and black socks were meant to symbolize poverty among African Americans. When â€Å"The Star Spangled Banner† was played, Smith and Carlos bowed their heads and each raised a fist in the air, in a gesture of protest against racism in America. Australian Peter Norman, the 200-meter silver medalist, wore a human rights badge on the podium as a sign of solidarity. International Olympic Committee President Avery Brundage, who believed the political gesture was inappropriate for the Olympic Games, an event meant to be free of politics, suspended Smith and Carlos from the U.S. Track and Field team and barred them from the Olympic Village. Back home in America, Smith and Carlos faced criticism and even death threats for their actions. However, others praised the men, both of whom went on to graduate from San Jose State, play professional football and later become track coaches. Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy, the crusading U.S. attorney general, senator from New York and presidential candidate, was instrumental in helping protect and shape civil rights law in America during the 1960s. Kennedy, born November 20, 1925, in Brookline, Massachusetts, attended Harvard University and University of Virginia Law School and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served as U.S. attorney general during the presidential administration (1961-63) of his elder brother John F. Kennedy. As attorney general, Bobby Kennedy championed social justice causes and later helped draft the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Kennedy announced his presidential candidacy in March 1968 and spoke out against urban poverty and the Vietnam War during his short-lived campaign. In the early hours of June 5, 1968, after giving a speech to his supporters at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Kennedy, a father of 11, was shot by Palestinian immigrant Sirhan Bishara Sirhan. Kennedy died the next day and was buried near John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery. Democratic National Convention Politics turned violent when local police clashed with anti-war demonstrators and journalists at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, which took place in Chicago from August 26 to August 29. The convention, held to select a Democratic nominee for the U.S. presidency, occurred during an already tumultuous year that had seen the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, as well as growing disillusionment with the Vietnam War by many Americans. During the convention, Democrats were divided over Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy, an anti-war candidate, and Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who was associated with President Lyndon Johnson’s Vietnam War policies. In a symbolic gesture, political activist Abbie Hoffman and his fellow Yippies nominated a pig called Mr. Pigasus for commander-in-chief. Humphrey won the nomination, but would go on to lose in the general election to Republican Richard Nixon. Following the convention, Democrats instituted reforms in the nomination process which overhauled the methods for delegation selection and put greater emphasis on primaries. hicago Mayor Richard Daley, a powerful, hardheaded figure known to dislike hippies, vowed to use whatever means necessary to control the crowds of demonstrators who had threatened to shut down the convention. Daley ordered a large police presence, instituted an 11 p.m. curfew and refused to grant permits for rallies and marches. The police took an aggressive stance, attacking and clubbing protestors and journalists on a nightly basis outside the convention hall and in nearby Lincoln and Grant parks. The violence was broadcast on national television, stunning Americans and leaving a black mark on the city of Chicago. Remarkably, no one was killed. A group of protestors that included Abbie Hoffman, Tom Hayden and Black Panther Bobby Seale and became known as the â€Å"Chicago Eight,† were arrested and charged with conspiracy to incite a riot. The men, later referred to as the â€Å"Chicago Seven† when Seale was tried separately, were ultimately acquitted or had their convictions overturned.

Medical School and Pediatrician Essay

Many job opportunities are available in different types of careers. Pediatricians like children and science; they help take care of sick patients. Becoming a pediatrician requires a lot of schooling and training; it involves many different skills for every day work. The salary of a pediatrician varies on the amount of education and on the skill level. There are many job opportunities in this profession; it is most likely to increase with openings. A pediatrician requires a generous amount of education after high school. The minimum education required to become a pediatrician is 4 years of college, 4 years or medical school, and 3 years of residency(YourPediatrician. com 1. ) The basics that most medical schools recommend are Biology; 1 course of genetics, 1 course of microbiology, and 1 course of molecular biology(2. ) Also, Chemistry, 1 -2 courses of organic chemistry, Physics, I course is basic, and Math 2 courses in calculus (2. ) A good way to get into colleges and medical schools is to have a lot of volunteer work on the applications, colleges love to see people are getting involved with your community and getting hands on training (Prerequisites for Becoming a Pediatrician 2. ) It may take a lot of schooling and be very time consuming to become a pediatrician but it defiantly pays off. Pediatricians need to have many different skills and talents. To be a successful pediatrician they need to have a strong love for children and a lot of patience (Prerequisites for Becoming a Pediatrician 1. )Children respond best to people who care about them (1. ) Students must get hands-on training and care for children with illness and their unique problems (1. ) They need to be exposed to a hospital setting as well as an office setting and be familiar with critical care issues (1. ) Some other major skills needed is to be able to instruct people on what to do, coordinating and using scientific rules to and methods to solve problems(California Career Zone 2. ) Being a pediatrician is a hard thing to do, not just talking about the education but about all the skills and experience needed.

Global Brand Roll-Out Essay

Gross world product up 2.5% in 2005, following two years of < 1% growth. Overall emerging market economies exploding; + 10% GDP growth in China and + 6% growth in Latin America. Political values in emerging markets may make it difficult for foreign competition to enter market without domestic partner and / or; foreign investment & market diversification less attractive (import / export tariffs). Situational Analysis Situational Analysis Industry Purpose of the Oral Personal Care industry is to prevent teeth and gum diseases and deliver cosmetic benefits. Scope of the industry includes toothpaste, floss, mouth rinses and toothbrushes. Industry Definition Competition Colgate has dominant market value share in China (32%) and Mexico (82%). China market fragmented with Colgate & P&G representing 53% of share. Situational Analysis Industry Product Development growth strategy with launches of premium tier brand extensions Crest Whitening Expressions (US) Crest With Scope (US), Colgate Icy Fresh (China), Crest Cool Expressions (MX). Brand Position: Competition Strategy (P&G) C+S = toothpaste + mouthwash + whitening CWE / CCE = flavor + toothpaste + whitening Entering Emerging Markets under its Crest brand without JV partners. Leveraging x-brand scale with Crest + Scope. Built its brand around therapeutic benefits, while cosmetic benefits market growing fastest in Emerging Markets. Innovating in cosmetic segment; a historic Colgate stronghold. Heavily invests in advertising behind new product launches. Situational Analysis Growth Market Strategies Porter Five Forces Analysis Global Oral Personal Care Colgate Palmolive Oral Care SWOT Analysis Situational Analysis Marketing Strategy Pricing: Positioned as a super-premium brand, price parity to Crest Cool Expressions (14.99 – 15.99 pesos). Marketing Budget: $2MM marketing budget aimed to drive trial through in-store merchandising, sampling, and public relations. Corporate Marketing Strategy Objectives Colgate Max Fresh (CMF) Mexico Marketing Plan Strategic Growth driven by high margin core business. Advertising focused on high margin products and high potential markets. Innovation driven: 40% of sales from products launched in past 5 years. Tactical Growth Strategy: Product Development; Super Premium segment Growth Targets: China 2% YR1, 2.8% YR2; MX 5% YR1, 6% YR2 value share. Will require trading up consumers. Value Proposition: CMF would drive new dimension of freshness Target Market: Geared towards 18-34 yr. old adults (female oriented); augment Colgate’s strong competitive position in Value & Mid-Tier. Situational Analysis Marketing Strategy Will US developed media plans translate? Can Colgate effectively trade-up consumers? What impact will cannibalization have on profitability? Is market large enough in Mexico for premium segments? Will benefits of CMF convey to Mexico consumers? BASES testing and Consumer Viability Index showed marginal promise.. CMF Marketing Concerns for Mexico Symptoms of Colgate Palmolive’s Primary Problem Emerging Market consumers are price sensitive Crest attacking cosmetic segment Consumers experiment through trial vs. large initial purchase Despite Growth in key areas Colgate-Palmolive operating profits and net income are down. +6.5% unit volume growth +7% sales dollar growth +0.1% growth in gross profit margin -2% Operational Profit -7% Net Income To drive growth Colgate-Palmolive is looking to focus on higher margin core businesses. Core Elements of the Strategic Problem In the US toothpaste market CP is seeing a 3.1% increase in volume of sales attributable to the Super Premium Toothpaste Category. Global Strategic Opportunity exists in the Premium Toothpaste market. Represents $75 M sales dollar increase and total market cap of $409.5 M dollars Only the Premium Toothpaste Category is growing at a substantial rate. In 2004 CP captured ~60% of that Sales Dollar Increase in the US largely dues to the introduction of Colgate Max Fresh. In order to continue to grow CP must find a way to develop their Premium Toothpaste product CMF in emerging countries. Colgate Palmolive’s Primary Problem Would the costs of adopting CMF in each new country provide sufficient incremental sales and profits to justify the added complexity of localized marketing and rollout plans associated with those new markets. Colgate-Palmolive must continue to globalize its Premium Toothpaste Strategy. Any solution must balance they cost of localization with the expected sales and profit increase for each new market. Also it is in Colgate-Palmolive’s best interest to develop reusable guidelines as it approaches other new markets similar to China and Mexico. Colgate Palmolive’s Secondary Problems Type 1: Establish a tactical marketing plan for the CMF rollout in an emerging market where Colgate-Palmolive has little previously established presence(China) Type 2: Establish a tactical marketing plan for the CMF rollout in an established market that has high competitor activity(Mexico). In order to establish an effective global strategy two types of secondary problems must be solved in the Colgate Max Fresh Case Study: Any solution must balance they cost of localization with the expected sales and profit increase for each new market. Secondary Problem Detail Need to introduce a product to push Colgate-Palmolive profitability Colgate has worldwide share, the only way to expand is to drive high margin business. China(new markets) have strongly entrenched local brands. Colgate Max fresh will need to compete with its own joint venture brand Darlie(High End). Due to new product introduction at the Super Premium Toothpaste Market competitor Crest has 3% growth year to year, Colgate Equity Brands have been stagnant for 3 years. CP is not only loosing out on possible profits but also slowly loosing market share to its #1 competitor. Market is unfamiliar with CMF â€Å"breath strips† US Marketing Video will be ineffective due to the US Star involved. Is it worth creating new celebrity backed marketing content? Will the Go Big or Go Home strategy work in China and other similar markets? How can Colgate-Palmolive best enter the Chinese Market with CMF. China Secondary Problem Detail Colgate-Palmolive knows P&G will be introducing Crest Cool Expressions(CWE) in Mexico in the near future. CO must develop the best marketing plan to stunt P&G Crest Cool Expressions while protecting their overwhelming market share. 82% Value share for Colgate-Palmolive CP needs to create a marketing plan to introduce CMF with limited budget and maximize regional utility. Due to CP’s large inherent market share, the goal of the Mexican campaign will be to maximize the product funnel. There is a large opportunity present to upsell customers from the Big Red Brand toothpaste to the new CMF toothpaste. Mexico See Exhibit 17 – Will waiting to introduce CMF until after the CWE product introduction change the company estimates of profitability? Can the Mexico Snowsurfer commercial be better standardized for global marketing plans? Going forward how will CP utilize this marketing plan for future markets? Colgate-Palmolive Company Alternatives Locally make the clear bottle Works for China, not Mexico China Allows for ease of expansion of the Colgate Max Fresh brand in clear bottle to other regional locales Also, provides future capabilities for use in other new products Problems: This does add 20% variable cost to COGS Initiates a 6 month delay on production $1.5 M sunk cost before production Alternatives Colgate-Palmolive Company Alternatives Regional Market Alternatives Mexico China Colgate-Palmolive Company Alternatives Provide more trial availability with the smaller packages to sway more to give CMF a try CMF has the breath strips or â€Å"cooling crystals† within the toothpaste, therefore bundle the breath strips package with CMF to build awareness. Stop utilizing celebrities to promote CMF Provide regional flavors Keeps product as a premium product Cost of $200,000 per flavor Has shown promising outcomes in other regions In China, Crest utilized a tea flavor and Colgate a salt flavor In Russia, after releasing a local flavor, the toothpaste market share rose from 11.8% in 2002 to 24.9% in 2005. Colgate-Palmolive Company Alternatives Allows for greater differentiation between the CWE toothpaste In Mexico, drop the price from 15.99 pesos to 14.99 pesos to protect a greater share of CP market share. In Mexico and other markets CP is highly entrenched in, utilize clear bottle In Mexico, Keep the price at 15.99 pesos Implementation Strategic Vs. Tactical Plans The strategic plan moving forward for emerging markets will be to use an easily customizable commercial and adapt it to multiple countries Colgate is the dominant toothpaste brand world wide, so our primary goal will be to prevent Crest from gaining market share and also to upsell our existing customers to the super premium segment We agree with the decision to use a celebrity commercial in China due to the size of the market share the Crest is cultivating Each region and culture has a different set of values and preferences Each region will have a unique tactical plan to maximize effectiveness Jay Chou Colgate Max Fresh Commercial Implementation in China Dispensing the toothpaste in clear bottles to build brand awareness Colgate-Palmolive has invested a large amount of capitol in the Max Fresh marketing campaign Maximize the return on investment by: Transition to less expensive packaging once consumers are familiar with product Include breath strip samples with Max Fresh tooth paste in selected markets Snowsurfer Commercial (English Dub) Implementation in Mexico Our strategies in Mexico will be very similar to our plan in other emerging markets Focus will be on preserving our market share instead of new growth Use clear bottle and breath strip samples in select markets to increase brand awareness Colgate accounts for 82% of total market share compared to 10.2% of Crest’s total market share Crest + Scope only accounts for 3%of total market share Set price at 14.99 pesos per 100 ml We will re-evaluate our Colgate Total (19.36 pesos per 100 ml) marketing campaign to focus on the affluent 40+ age group to minimize cannibalization Implementation in Brazil Characteristics of the Brazilian Market 71% of Brazilians agree that â€Å"music is an important part of my life† 33% have participated in trips to the beach in the last 30 days 76% agree that â€Å"it is important to be attractive to the opposite sex† 65% agree that â€Å"it is important to keep young looking† 32% express the desire for plastic surgery in order to improve their appearance Statistics from Geoff Wicken, KMR Group Tactical Strategy Brazil Vollyball is the 2nd most popular sport in Brazil To become a sponsor on the FIVB circuit, we must apply by July 31, 2006 Update packaging to include â€Å"Made in Brazil† The busy season in Rio De Janeiro December to March, so we recommend kicking off a medial marketing campaign in October 2006 This will give Colgate-Palmolive a chance to evaluate the success of the BreathStrip samples in China and Mexico If we do not see the return on investment we will not include the promotional packaging in Brazil Brazilians place a high emphasis on being attractive to the opposite sex, which means there could a tremendous opportunity to market Colgate Max Fresh as a product that will whiten teeth and make you more â€Å"kissable† Adapt the SnowSurfer commercial to the Brazilian market Sponsor a national beach vollyball tournament Conclusion Colgate-Palmolive is actively seeking ways to increase their operating profit and net income Introducing new high margin products to emerging markets will be critical to their success Marketing Colgate Max Fresh as efficiently and effectively as possible will be necessary in helping us achieve our financial goals UNILEVER

Examples of Art and the Historical Aspects They Give Article - 1

Examples of Art and the Historical Aspects They Give - Article Example The present research has identified that the Magenta, Black, Green on Orange painting expressed religious experiences that Rothko had during the painting. People who viewed the paint experienced the same feelings. This was evident as some people would even cry when they viewed the painting. It shows deep emotions that manifested when man faced certain circumstances. Martha Knowles and Thomas Henrietta’s painting of my sweet sister Emma is a piece of art that has used warm colors to give a warm feeling. This piece of art is slightly similar to Rothko’s art, in that they both used blocks of color, which seems to give almost the same visual effects. Emma received this piece of art as a gift for her wedding. This piece shows warmth that families share. This piece moves from one family member to another over time that is from one generation to another. This has the effect of spreading love and strong family bonds. The piece also shows how people interacted back in history an d how strong bonds of love and family warmth took place. The picture displays exceedingly strong bonds that are evident in human life. Michelangelo Buonarroti is a painting, well known as Doni Tondo. The painting has a wooden frame that is magnificent. It has five heads that symbolize Jesus, two sables and two prophets. The frame is a symbol of court of arms of the Strozzi and Doni families. The piece of painting demonstrates Mary taking up Jesus from Joseph. On the background, John, the Baptist appears. This painting shows a transition from the times of paganism. It demonstrates early Christianity. The painting primarily features the holy family. The painting shows the humans salvation and mortality. It shows Jesus as the Christ and the way humans look up to Him for salvation.

Module Title- Journalism and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Module Title- Journalism and Society - Essay Example The increasing contentious role of journalism is a major concern and therefore, we would be studying the role and impact of news media in the wider interest of the public. It is true that media, in all formats, exerts powerful influence. It is therefore, not surprising that in the last thirty years, number of ownership has been reduced to just 9 major media conglomerates (Bagdikian) who now own all the major media outlets which include TV, newspaper, radio, publishing houses and movie production houses. Since Media has the power to change public perception, news channels mostly have different channels for domestic and international audience and as per the coverage, content and the authenticity of the news, the media often gains an enviable status and popularity among the masses. The pressure on the journalists to conform to the diktats of the management has intensified. Richard Keeble has asserted that ‘In the face of the enormous cultural, ideological and financial power of the dominant media and their hierarchically organised management structures, it is not surprising that isolated journalists (driven by their consciences) feel impotent to effect change’. (2005, p58). Looking through the last two decade of media evolution, one finds that the democratic and conscientious approach towards various issues that so characterized the media in earlier years, has gradually turned towards capitalistic values. Initially, media served as a link between the community and the government. The newspapers and radio made conscious effort to raise the problems and issues which directly affected the community and their welfare. It acted as the watchdog of the public and made sure that the government adhered to policies and plans best suited for national and regional development. Gradually all that changed and the various media like newspaper and publishers, radio, TV network, motion picture etc. gravitated

Writing an abstract and finding related Referencing Coursework

Writing an abstract and finding related Referencing - Coursework Example The need to find alternate sources of energy is greater than ever before. The main objective of this paper is to find ways of how other alternate sources can be used to produce clean energy for the next generation. Hydropower is one of the major alternate sources of energy available. Hydropower can be a solution to the lack of electricity over the world. The research will be aimed at finding ways of harnessing this potential alternate source of energy on a large scale to meet the global power needs of the future. Evaluation methods will use both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in order to achieve the objective of the research. The success of this research will have a positive impact on the environment and the society. It will lead to the production of clean energy and at the same will be a solution to the electricity crisis around the world. References Anderson, W. (1994). Energy and the environment: the new case for conservation. Energy Studies Review 6(1) , pp. 16-33. Atkins, W. A. (2003). Hydroelectric Power. Water:Science and Issues , 19-23. Benjamin, A. H., Marques, C. L., & Tinker, C. (2005).

Reflections on the Toyota Debacle + When Theres No Such Thing as Too Article

Reflections on the Toyota Debacle + When Theres No Such Thing as Too Much Information - Article Example lity products developed, acceleration pedals that stuck on the loose floor mats and the sticky pedal materials after exposure to moisture and friction (Cusumano 34). Answer: In my opinion, Toyota was not comfortable with its success. This was because; the company kept on trying to rise far above its competitors. Another thing was the company was keen to give customers the best quality especially after the many complains. A comfortable company could have just sat and continue production without minding the many companies made. Answer: Several things have surprised me about the article. One, the author seems to be so keen on every aspect of Toyota Company as far as automobiles are concerned. Two, another surprise is on how Toyota has managed to remain in the top of the auto industry even after being the company with the most defects detected. Answer: Blockbuster Video rental chain has been a thriving company until the introduction of technology. Majority of the people now are able to access online videos, which has reduced the customers flow to the rental shops. Answer: Pillsbury is a food production company. Due to its growing global market share the business has a growing information need for both its customers and its employees. It now uses StatServer to convey customized data, analysis and educate employees on their desktops (Tibco 1).The tool has enhanced the company’s productivity by allowing employees to upgrade individual desktop data analysis tools. Apex industries deal with plastic fabrications. It employees comprise of a team of engineers, artisans, and project managers. To continue providing high quality products and services to their customers, the company uses a refined ERP system (Localdirectory 1). This has enabled them earn a high customer satisfaction and employee efficiency in

Critically consider the ways in which economists have recognised the Essay

Critically consider the ways in which economists have recognised the psychological, social and corporate influences on consumer choice - Essay Example the use of a popular person like an actor or talk-show host/hostess. Social influences are often attributed to class and culture such as those associated with the consumption of luxury goods. Corporate influences are said to be one of the most influential because they invariably come from the very manufacturers and sellers of those goods. For example businesses adopt a variety of strategies or/and sales tactics including those associated with benchmarking products and creating brand loyalties through value creation (Hallberg & Ogilvy, 1995). Consumers have to make a choice between two or more goods before making an actual purchase. In a free market economy where price mechanism alone allocates scarce resources consumer choice is naturally assumed to be free from any influences because depending on the purchasing ability of the consumer he/she might decide to buy a good at its market price. However the contrary is much truer than this theoretical economic explanation to the consumer’s behavior. In the first instance in a free market economy the producer has an equal amount of freedom to use marketing tactics to attract the attention of the potential customer. Customers are influenced by a variety of sales tactics that producers use in order to increase sales volumes. Psychological, social and corporate influences are the most predominant among them. Economists identify psychological influences such as those related to emotions, impulse or/and ostentation. According to economists emotional involvement in consumer choice though might not be measurable, cannot be ruled out altogether (Luce, Bettman and Payne, 2001). As a result every consumer is assumed to be influenced by positive and negative emotional factors like personal memories associated with a product. Michael Jackson related merchandise and memorabilia for instance have such an emotional impact on many potential buyers because he is associated with the firmament of pop music. When

Cell Wall Biogenesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cell Wall Biogenesis - Essay Example The wall consists of complex mixture of polysaccharides and polymers that secret the cell through a network of bonds. The plant cell walls also have enzymes, natural proteins, and phenol polymers that modify the chemical and physical properties (Carpita 445) Different plants contain unique chemical composition and structures while all have the same role of regulating the cell and providing it with a shape. The plant cells acquire biological and diverse functions crucial in human economics. In its natural form, the plant cell wall has the following commercial purposes textiles, paper, charcoal, wood products, and fibers. One can modify polysaccharides to make adhesives, thickeners, films, coatings, plastics, and gels ( Taiz and Eduardo 45). The primary cell wall has cellulose micro fibrils embedded in polysaccharide matrix. The matrix polysaccharides contain pectin, and hemicelluloses. Some of the pectin contained includes Arabinan, homogalacturonan, and galactan. Some of the hemicelluloses include xylan, callose, and xyglucan. The hydrated matrix has both flexibility and strength. The cell walls have two groups of polysaccharides called hemicelluloses and pectin and few amounts of structural protein. The polysaccharides matrix consists of wide array of polymers that vary according to cell type and plant species. A schematic diagram of major structural components of primary cell wall depicts cellulose micro fibrils with xyloglucan coatings that may cross-links to each other (Loewus 18). All the polysaccharides have their names after principal sugars for instance glucan polymer consists of glucose, xylan consists of xylose, and galactan consists of glucose. A compound name for the hemicelluloses does not mean a branched structure. Xyloglucan contain a chain of glucose residues with xylose sugars on the side chains. Glucomannan is a polymer that contains glucose and mannose. Loewus (4) says that

Ethnic conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethnic conflict - Essay Example Fractionalization and polarization are two specific channels of ethnic division that jointly influence social conflict. Polarization influences social conflict more when winners attain a public prize, for example, political power. On the other hand, when prizes are of a private nature, for example infrastructure, government subsidies, or looted resources, ethnic fractionalization is more influential to social conflict (Ganguly 13). The research paper will seek to use recent theoretical research to provide evidence that social conflict is influenced by pre-existing ethnic tension and differences. Ethnicity, by itself, does not cause violent social conflict with most ethnic groups pursuing similar interests peaceful most of the time, despite inter-ethnic differences. The main causes of ethnic conflict, Ganguly (43) portends, are based on the domestic and systemic level of analysis. The systemic approach contends that ethnic conflict is dependent on the nature of security systems that the different ethnic sides operate, as well as their concerns about their security. The first systemic prerequisite is that more than one group lives live in close proximity. The second one is that international, regional, and national authorities are unable to prevent fighting among the different ethnic groups, as well as assure individual ethnic groups of their security. If anarchy prevails in a specific system, it becomes essential for the groups to defend themselves, especially if none of them can absorb the other culturally, economically, or politically (Ganguly 44). Security concerns become a paramount distress when collective fears about the capability of the state to arbitrate between different ethnic groups. In this case, some of the involved groups mobilize and deploy military resources, as the other group seeks to diminish the first group’s security, with most groups unaware of their actions’ impact on

A Women Of No Importance Essay Example for Free

A Women Of No Importance Essay Explore the ways Wilde presents late nineteenth century women. What he is saying about the fashionable women of the time, their interests, ideas, attitudes and treatment in A Women f No Importance? A woman of no importance is a play about the upper and middle class. Wilde uses the women to portray is attitudes and views on the society of the nineteenth century. He portrays women in a way women would not have behaved at that time; this gives a comical atmosphere to the audience. In 1893 A women of no importance would have been very entertaining to watch, the audience would have found the play amusing however they would have been laughing at themselves as Wilde wrote the play to criticize the society. The plays first setting is a female home with conversation between women; Wilde may have done this to show the importance of women. Lady Caroline is the first character the audience meet; Wilde may have also done this for a purpose. From the title Lady we know Lady Caroline is a wealthy and high up in the aristocracy in England. She is a typical member of the high society; she has a very dominating overbearing personality and shows pride in her position. The Audience would have immediately recognised this from Lady Carolines conversation with Hester. She speaks down to her American guest, Hester who is travailing alone, you have no country houses, I am told, in America? Another theme that Wilde conveys through women is the theme Hypocrisy and double standards. This is again shown through Lady Caroline and her attitudes towards the puritan Hester. Lady Caroline criticises lady Hunstaton choice of guests But Mrs Allonby is hardly a very suitable person but then praises Lady Hunstaton for inviting her to a pleasant party, Wilde is effectively satirising members of high society. Hester vocalises her opinion that she dislikes Mrs Allonby but Lady Caroline patronises Hester I am not sure, that foreigners like yourself should cultivate like or dislikes. suggesting that Hester is not a valued member of society. Wilde mocks the attitude of the high society through the ignorant women. Lady Caroline is not as knowledgeable as she likes to make out, she continually keeps getting the name of the politician wrong, mistaking him for Me kettle Kevil, my love kevil. The audience would mock Lady Caroline for this foolish mistake she keeps making. Hester Worsleys title is changed as the play progresses. Hester is first referred to as Miss Worsley then she becomes known as the American and finally A puritan. Hester is a contrast to all the other women in A women of no importance and all the women take a dislike to her she told me yesterday, and in quite a loud voice, that she was only eighteen. It was most annoying. She has strong morals, values and opinions which she is not afraid to express I dislike London Dinner Parties. Wilde may have used Hesters character to present his on views on the English aristocratic society. Members of the high society frown upon those who are unmarried I dont think that England should be represented abroad by unmarried man being married is more socially accepted. This gives the audience an impression of how shallow the society was and how status and social position dictate how people lived their lives. Lady Carolines and Sir Johns is very different to a traditional Victorian marriage. Usually the man is the dominant one and women were known as mens property. However Wilde contrasts this view, by Lady Caroline having control over her husband, being the dominant one in the relationship John you should have your muffler. What is the use of my always knitting mufflers for you if you dont wear them? Their relationship is clearly showing a lack of love and affection. Their relationship is more like a child and parent relationship because of the idea of Lady Caroline spoiling Sir John. Wilde is suggesting that they are together out of convenience and presentation. Lady Caroline gives her husband orders in the same way lady Hunstaton orders her servants you had better go and put your overshoes at once. During the Victorian times when A women of no importance was written, women rights were begging to increase. In 1857 the matrimonial causes Act was established, in 1882 married womens property act was confirmed, which gave women more rights and power over themselves, property and their children. These factors contributed to the way Wilde presented certain women especially Lady Caroline and Mrs Allonby. Mrs Allonby is very similar to lord Illingworth they are both described as dandies they use language which is intended to shock the audience. At the end of act one is it clear that Mrs Allonby is flirting with Lord Illingworth What a thoroughly bad man you must be! Wilde creates Mrs Allonby as a character who considers being a person who restricts the morals and norms of the society, in Victorian times there would have been very strict morals and social codes. Women adore failures, they lean on us Mrs Allonby is going against the stereotype, the man having control within Victorian marriages. At the end of Act one Lord Illingworth reads Mrs Arbuthnots letter, he says no one in particular A Woman of no importance, the title of the play, which demonstrates Wildes views on the treatment of women in society. Act 1 ends giving the audience an impression of a self-concerned, hypocritical society. Wilde presents these ideas through the use of comedy which give a strong message to the audience.

Parasitology (Helminthology) Essay Example for Free

Parasitology (Helminthology) Essay Loa loa is a filarial parasite transmitted by tabanid female flies of the genus Chrysops (C silacea and C dimidiate). The incidence of infection within endemic region of the central and west African rain forest is high with 20-40% of the population being microfilaraemic , and about twice as many habouring adult worms without showing patent microfilaraemia (Dupont et al.,2007). The adult worms actively migrate through subcutaneous tissues at rates of up to 1cm/ min. Female Loa loa measures 50- 70mm in length and 0. 5mm in diameter, while the males measures 30 -35mm in length and 0.4mm in diameter. The microfilariae forms, measures 290-300Â µm by 6-8Â µm in size. During infection the microfilariae forms are released into the blood stream, where they become numerous between 10a m and 2pm(diurnal periodicity). Moreso, the presence of the sheath and three or more terminal nuclei distinguish the microfilariae of L. loa from other blood –borne microfilariae. ( Strickland, 2000) Transmission is by day –biting female tabanid flies, which pick up the microfilaria of L loa during blood meals . The injested microfilariae lose their sheath , penetrate the gut wall of the tabanid female fly, and migrate to the cells of the fat body , where they molt twice . The infective filariform larvae (L3)develop in 10 to 12 days and moves to the proboscis. When new host is biting by the female tabanid fly, the infective filariform larvae are injected and develop into adult worms over the course of 6- 12months .( John and Wayne, 2005) L loa infection ( Loiasis) is quite broad , ranging from asymptomatic infection to life threatening complication, which includes meningoencephalitis ,renal failure and endomyocardial fibrosis. Thus , L loa infection often induces a mild to moderate pathology with patients presenting with pruritis, localized angioedema (Calabar swelling), arthralgia or ocular problems caused by conjunctival migration of adult worms. Also, fibrotic or inflammatory reactions around adult worm may cause hydrocele or intestinal blockage. (Strickland, 2000) The level of microfilariaemia is a critical parameter in the transmission of disease(Piessens and Partono ,2007). Immunity may be seen as a control measure of microfilariaemia, killing of adult worm or a resistance to infection that operates against the infective L3 stage. However, studies of the host immune response mechanisms implicated in the control of microfilaraemia , in the amicrofilaraemic ( Mf- ) individual have shown evidence of antibody- dependent cell cytotoxicity, not only for Loa loa infection, but also for other filariasis. Thus, the circulating anti- sheath antibodies is present in sera of amicrofilaraemic (Mf- ) Loa loa infected individual and absent in heavily infected (Mf+)microfilaraemic individual ( Pinder et al ., 1990) Many studies on molecular biology, concerning cellular immune responses induced by filariae infections and their implication in protection and control of microfilaraemia have been carried out. Although , no studies have been published on the cellular response of Loa loa , but a greater cellular reactivity have been reported in non – endemic individual,who are amicrofilaraemic(Mf) , in comparison with endemic individual who are microfilaraemic (Mf+) infected with Loa loa(ref). Thus , the T -cell cellular response plays an important role in mediating immunity and major role for antibody dependent cellular cytotoxic mechanisms in destroying parasites. (Couissinier and Dessein, 1995) The objective of this term paper aims at looking at the role of pathology , mediated by cellular immune response in an Loa loa infected individuals. Source: (www.cdc.gov) Date :02/19/2011 Figure 1. Diagrammatic LIFE CYCLE OF Loa loa During a blood meal, an infected fly (genus Chrysops, day-biting flies) introduces third-stage filarial larvae onto the skin of the human host, where they penetrate into the bite wound. The larvae develop into adults that commonly reside in subcutaneous tissue. The female worms measure 50 to 70 mm in length and 0.5 mm in diameter, while the males measure 30 to 35 mm in length and 0.4 mm in diameter. Adults produce microfilariae measuring 250 to 300 ÃŽ ¼m by 6 to 8 ÃŽ ¼m, which are sheathed and have diurnal periodicity. Microfilariae are usually recovered from spinal fluids, urine, and sputum. During the day they are found in peripheral blood, but during the non- circulation phase, they are found in the lungs. The tabanid fly ingests microfilariae during a blood meal. After ingestion, the microfilariae lose their sheaths and migrate from the flys midgut through the hemocoel to the thoracic muscles of the arthropod. There the microfilariae develop into first-stage larvae (L1) and subsequently into third-stage infective larvae (L3). The third-stage infective larvae migrate to the fly proboscis and can infect another human when the fly takes a blood meal. PATHOLOGY of Loa loa Clinical manifestations are variable and are more significant in visitors to an endemic region than in indigenous people. Severity ranges from a mild nuisance as the occasional worm passes beneath the conjunctiva of the eye to significant CNS invasion and coma in people with a high microfilaremia. (Strickland, 2000) The most common and characteristic findings in loiasis are Calabar swellings, which are focal regions of angioedema, usually located in the extremities. These erythematous swellings occur suddenly, range in size from 5 to 15 cm, and resolve gradually over hours to days. The cause is unknown, but they may represent an immune response to antigenic material at a region where the worm has migrated. Calabar swellings generally occur at only one site at a time and may recur sporadically for years, even after a person has left an endemic region. Interestingly, they are more common in visitors to an endemic region than in the local inhabitants. Fatigue and arthralgias also are not uncommon. ( Strickland ,2000) Subconjunctival migration of the adult worm, which is the eye worm, is generally accompanied by transient swelling of the eye lid and intense conjunctivitis. Although most episode resolve spontaneously and completely, however rare cases of retinal artery occlusion and macular retinopathy due to aberrant migration of the adult worm have reported (Ralph and Eagle(Jr), 2010). The most serious complication of Loa loa infection is meningoencephalitis, which is associated with the central nervous system CNS and occurs predominantly in patients with high numbers of circulating microfilariae. The severity of CNS involvement ranges from mild headache, meningismus coma and death. More so, the microfilariae are found in the cerebrospinal fluid, and in fatal cases, degenerating microfilariae result to necrotic granulomas in the bra in. ( Oyerinde , 1999) Another serious complication associated Loa loa infection, is membranous glomerulonephritis. It occurs in patients with hematuria and proteinuria, which may be due to immune complex. Also, Loiasis may be one cause of tropical pulmonary eosinophilia. Lymphadenopathy and lymphadenitis are also features of loiasis , but are less prevalent than in other filarial infection. Thus , when Loa loa microfilariae are found within lymph nodes , they may be intravascular or within adjacent microabscesses, they also wander throughout the body and have been reported seen in sleep , lung , gut and CNS.(Oyerinde , 1999) Loiasis have also been implicated in the etiology of some cases of endomyocardial fibrosis in equatorial Africa based on the higher prevalence of endomyocardial fibrosis in Loa – endemic areas than in other regions in Africa and higher level of antibodies detected in some individuals and also higher levels of antifilarial antibodies is reported to have been detected in some ind ividual with endomyocardial fibrosis. (Oyerinde, 1999) (Source. Marty and Anderson, 1995) Figure 2. Adult nematodes migrating beneath the conjunctiva of the human eye. . IMMUNE RESPONSE AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF Loa loa Immunity may be seen as control of microfilaraemia, killing of adult worm or a resistance to infection that operates against the infective L3 stage. Like the other microfilarial nematode , Loa loa is able to survive in it host by modulating the host immune response .However, studies of the host immune mechanism implicated in the control of microfilaraemia in the amicrofilaraemic individuals have shown evidence of antibody -dependent cellular cytotoxicity in Loa loa infection.( Baize et al.,1997 ). Circulating anti –sheath antibodies have been reported to be present in the sera of amicrofilaraemic (Mf-) individual and absent in the sera of microfilaraemic positive individual (Mf+). This antibodies are effective in mediating complement-dependent leukocyte in adherence to micofilariae.( Baize et al., 1997) Many studies on molecular biology, concerning cellular immune responses induced by filariae infections and their implication in protection and control of microfilaraemia have been carried out. Although , no studies have been published on the cellular response of Loa loa , but a greater cellular reactivity have been reported in non – endemic individual,who are amicrofilaraemic(Mf-) , in comparison with endemic individual who are microfilaraemic (Mf+) infected with Loa loa. Thus , the T -cell cellular response plays an important role in mediating immunity and major role for antibody dependent cellular cytotoxic mechanisms in destroying parasites.( Maizels et al,2008). Recently, attention is been paid to the involvement of T helper (Th) subset in antifilarial response. The T – cell response plays an important role in mediating immunity and a major role for antibody dependent cellular cytotoxic mechanisms in damaging parasites. Moreover , many studies have compared the proliferation and cytokine profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from microfilaraemic (MF+)individual and amicrofilaraemic individual(Mf -) infected with Loa loa in response to antigens of several parasitic stage. Thus , a stronger lymphoproliferative response and consistent levels of both Th1 ( IL-2 –interleukin- 2,IFN-ÃŽ ³ interferon gamma) and Th2 (IL -4,IL-5) type cytokine are reported to be observed in response to adult worm and microfilariae antigen in amicrofilaraemic (Mf-) patient, while the microfilariae positive(Mf+) patient is characterized by unresponsiveness of T cell to proliferation and production of cytokine .( Baize et al., 1997) The unresponsiveness of T cell in microfilariae positive individual (Mf+) is reportedly associated with the IL-10 cytokines ,which down regulate the function of both the Th-1 and Th-2 cells by inhibiting the proliferation and production of IFN- ÃŽ ³, IL-4 and IL-5. Moreover, a significant high production of IL-10 by amicrofilaraemic (Mf-) individual, compared with microfilariae positive (MF+) individual and similar expression of IL-10 mRNA support the guess that IL-10 alone is not responsible for the unresponsiveness of the T cell in Mf+.( Karita et al.,2010) Furthermore ,the adult female worm and the infective larva L3 elicit Th2 responses , with high IL 4 production and appearance of IgG1 and IgE antibodies ,whereas exposure only to microfilariae elicits Th1 responses , characterized by high initial IFN-ÃŽ ³ production and IgGa antibody. However, chronic exposure to microfilariae can lead to Th2 responses CONCLUSION. The pathology of filariasis is immune- mediated, in which the host immune response plays a major role in protecting and controlling infection in individuals. Although , study carried out on the cellular immune response, concerning the proliferation and production T cellular response in both amicrofilaraemic (Mf-) and microfilariae ( Mf+) individual , is indicative of Th1 and Th2 cytokines response to adult worm and microfilariae antigen in amicrofilariae (Mf-) , and unresponsive in microfilariae (Mf+)(ref).However, T cell unresponsiveness in Mf+ patients associated with the IL-10 down regulation of the Th-1 and Th-2 cytokines is not a conclusive evidence of T cell unresponsiveness to microfilariae positive (Mf+) patient. REFERENCES Baize ,S, Wahl, G, Soboslay,PT, Egwang,TG, and Georges,AJ, (1997). T helper responsiveness in human Loa loa infection; defective specific proliferation and cytokine production by CD4+ T cells fron micofilaraemic subjects compared with amicrofilaraemics. Clin Exp Immunol 108:272-278 . Couissinier – Paris ,P, and Dessein ,AJ, (1995). Schistosomal –specific helper T cell clones from subjects resistant to infection by Schistosoma mansoni are Th0/2. European Journal Immunology 25:2295-302 Dupont , A, Zue-N’dong , J, and Pinder, M, (2007). Common occurrence of amicrofilaraemic Loaloa filariasis within the endemic region. Trans R soc Trop. Med Hyg, 82:730 John, MG, and Wayne, M, (2005). Filarial infections , pp 6. Parasitic Infections of the Skin, 6th (ed) John Wiley and Sons, New York Karita ,H, Taru ,M, and Sakari ,JT, (2010). Loa loa Microfilariae Evade Complement Attack In Vivo by Acquiring Regulatory Proteins from Host Plasma, pp 3886. In; Infection and Immunity , volume 77, America Society of Microbiology. Maizels , RM, Bundy ,DAP, Selkirk, ME, Smith, DF, Anderson ,RM,( 2008). Immunological modulation and evasion by helminthes parasites in human populations. Nature 365 :797- 805. Oyerinde, JPO, (1999). The filarial worm,pp 256-257. Essential of Tropical Medical Parasitology , 1st (ed) University of Lagos Press. Piessens ,WF, and Partono , F, (2007). Host-vector –parasite relationships in human filariasis. Semin Infect Dis 3:131-5 Pinder , M, Dupont, A, Egwang ,TG, (1990) . Identification of a surface on Loaloa microfilariae the recognition of which correlates with the amicrofilaremic state in man .Journal Immunology 141:2480-6 Ralph , C, and Eagle(Jr), MD, (2010). Ocular Pathology Review . Director, Department Of Pathology, Wills Eye Hospital Strickland, GT, (2000). Filarial Infection , pp 754-755. Hunter’s Tropical Medicine and Emerging Infectious Diseases, 8th (ed).

Internet Cafe Market Success Entry Strategy Commerce Essay

Internet Cafe Market Success Entry Strategy Commerce Essay Before opening a business in a foreign country we should analyze the market in which we are going to enter. We have to understand how country variables affect our business whether in positive or negative ways. The first part of this paper covers market success analysis in which I will discuss market size, resources, regulations and procedures, and risks. The second part will touch upon the issue of market entry analysis. And the third part will move on with a discussion of market entry implementation strategy. II. Market success analysis Market size (potential to make money by providing the service), Resources (educated or non educated laborers, professional services, raw materials), Regulations and Procedures (government red tape, duties, and taxes), and Risks (financial, safety, and competitive). Indian market has a huge potential and this is explained by the fact that India is the second most populated country in the world. In India, there are 7-8 million internet users (including 2 million subscribers of ISPs). Total population of India is 1 billion people. In Indian companies, there are 5 million computers. Thus, two thousand Internet cafes are an important way to gain access to the Network for Indian users. The number of Internet cafes in India is increasing constantly. In particular, for example, the company Satyam Info way Ltd is planning to open a chain of 500-600 and cyber cafes across the country. This will be a very significant step in the popularization of the Internet, because until recently such a cafe located only in the four major Indian cities Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Madras. Further enhances the significance of this step, the fact that other options for access to the Network for the Indians, almost closed. For example, home Internet access, in fact, sti ll a dream for them, because even today for the 100 residents of the country accounts for only about three phones. All in all, I consider Internet cafà © in India to be very attractive. The great number of population involved in this sector will affect my business only in a positive way. Resources (educated or non educated laborers, professional services, raw materials) The labor force in India is one of the cheapest in the world. In India there are a large number of English qualified workers. This increases the size of the Indian market and attracts foreign companies to establish firms there. India is the largest example of countries that suffer from the problem of child labor. In my opinion it is obvious to all that in India children without education are being exploited and forced into labor. There are about 60 to 115 million working children in India the highest number in the world (Human Rights Watch 1996, 1).In one way the fact that Indian labors are the cheapest it is an advantage to hire children without education for food service workers and underpay them. But there is a disadvantage too. For example, I cant hire uneducated IT experts, administrators because they are the integral part of my business. Will I prosper or lose mostly it will depend on them. There are many Internet cafà ©s in India which provide different services. Almost all cafes provide more than access to the Internet. Also Internet cafà © serves with food, drink, playing room for children and maybe it is crucial factors to become one of the top cafes. Moreover there is a professional cafà © in Delhi for companies and businessmen. Another very important aspect is raw materials. As concerns Internet cafà © I need to rent a building, buy tables. Also I need wireless Internet and food drink services. So My Internet cafà © will have an opportunity to get raw materials right in India. Regulations and Procedures (government red tape, duties, and taxes) India has well-establishes rules of law, stable political environment. As I discussed in previous paper for setting up business in India I have to obtain permission from the Reserve Bank of India to conduct any activity in India, trade, office or other place of business .To put in application for such permission I have to go to the Office of the Reserve Bank in Mumbai. Bureaucracy and corruption affect business in India. Starting a business with contracts in India is very difficult. India has the worst levels of red tape. It takes lots of time to run the business when there are many regulations. On one hand it is negative impact on my business but if we will think in another way we come up with a thought that government regulations and laws protect society. And it seems to me that a country that cares about people attracts foreign firms in spite of its rules, regulations, and duties. Local companies in India are taxed on income from all sources in India. However with an accordance of the Income Tax Act foreign companies are taxed on income earned through business connection in India or from other Indian sources. If a foreign company has no business with India, and the income is not taxable. Tax rate for local companies is 33.22% and for foreign companies is 42.23%. As I am going to set up a foreign company of course I will pay taxes. Taxes are pretty high. But tax rates were lowered in recent years with the governments goal to broaden the tax base and ensure greater observance. In my opinion, India is an appropriate place to set up a business. Actually, the taxation is very high; however the political environment is stable and well-established. Risks (financial, safety, and competitive) In fact there are good and bad sides establishing business in the country where the population is seemingly at its peak. Everyone knows that India is still facing shortage of skilled workers and thus it is risky for my cafà © to hire residents. To raise the productivity of the company I would like to have good qualified workers. Today India is one of the fastest growing economies. Government urges foreign firms to invest in the business and by this to lead the growth of economy. Economic reforms are aimed to regulate the economy. The question arises whether or not to invest in the business In any case, each company has a risk that either it will be burned up with the money or the reverse side to climb up. As India is a rapidly growing economy, I believe that it minimized the risks of Internet cafà ©. India established by the judicial system, complex legal and accounting systems and convenient infrastructure gives foreign companies the opportunity to feel in a safe environment that ensures safe long-term relationship. Vibrant and highly competitive private sector in India offers great opportunities for foreign companies, creating a competition among enterprises. As previously mentioned, there are plenty of Internet cafes in India, and because of that we need to learn some market entry strategies in order to succeed in this business. III. Market Entry Analysis Each of us wants to flourish the business. In order not to fail in the initial stages we have to select the right market entry strategy. There are main market entry strategies: direct investment, joint ventures, licensing, franchising, exporting and importing, turnkey project, and management contract. Im going to set up my business in India and therefore I have to choose the right strategies considering culture of a chosen country, consumers and so on. I think the best entry strategies for my business are Franchising, direct Investment, and Joint Venture. Franchising is a widespread-known marketing strategy. Lets discuss what does Franchising mean? Franchising is an agreement between firms that one firm make an agreement with another one firm to sell its products. The second firm has a right to get the trademark and the logo of products. There are disadvantages and advantages of this market strategy entry. Advantages are that franchising gives an opportunity for the second firm to grow rapidly and to be widespread-known. Also this company is sure that the product will be in demand because it is brand. The benefit of the first company is that it makes more money by providing its products to another company, franchisee. Buying a franchise you will get a support from franchisor-advices, training support, and help for running business. Disadvantages are restrictions from the franchisor in operating the business; you have to share with a profit with franchisor and also franchisee can spoil the good reputation of the brand. I think using fr anchising strategy Internet cafà © will survive and prosper because my business will operate on proven ideas. The second entry strategy is Foreign Direct Investment. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is becoming an increasingly important factor in economic development. In recent years more and more of an increase in foreign direct investment is observed. Foreign direct investment (FDI) occurs when a firm invests in facilities to manufacture the product in another country. The creator of the company is the owner. Advantages: Invested money stimulates economic growth Employment increases Domestic producers can become more efficient Country has more stakeholders Disadvantages: Inflation increases If domestic companies uncompetitive they may suffer Rrequires a high level of resources The direct investment strategy has more advantages than disadvantages and thus this strategy is the right strategy for my business which will increase our efficiency. The last strategy is a joint venture. A joint venture between foreign companies is a popular strategy today for both companies to achieve their goals. Each partner has the opportunity to get their benefits from the comparative advantages of others. Local companies can provide knowledge about domestic and foreign companies can offer know-how and access to foreign clients. Like other strategies joint venture has advantages and disadvantages. When forming a joint venture company has an opportunity to gain new experience and advanced knowledge in technology. Also, the company has an access to important resources, personnel and technology. In addition to this companies share the risks with a partner and they become flexible. Companies can sell the business to another parent company. Approximately 80% of all joint ventures in the end are sold. So, these are advantages of joint venture and lets look at disadvantages. It requires a lot of time and effort to build a proper and strong relation ship and cooperation with other business and thus there may be some problems if the target of the company is not communicated to all parties or incorrectly communicated. There is an imbalance in the level of knowledge, investments or assets are listed in the company by various partners. Different cultures and management styles contribute to deterioration of cooperation. In order to succeed you need to carefully study the targets. I think that this strategy is an appropriate for my business I am going to set up. But I do not want to share my business with another person despite the fact that with a partner running business would be much easier. After all research that was provided by me I have decided that the best market entry for my business is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). As I discussed it earlier, this strategy is more appropriate for my business than another two. Because using FDI strategy you can be the owner of the company and this is what I mostly want to. Another reason why I decided to choose FDI strategy is that I can control all operations, to know consumers needs. In addition to this FDI strategy has law political risks because India is politically stable country. That is why I settled on this decision. Market Entry Implementation To become successful in my business I decided to choose FDI market entry strategy. I have to decide how I will implement this strategy. At the initial stage of opening an Internet cafe, I should control all actions that will be made to create my business. Staff plays an important role in my business and to attract people to my cafà ©, I must carefully choose educated, highly skilled and courteous people. Also I would like to have employees whom I could trust. Each of us knows that the success and prosperity of our business is our clients and to attract them it is very important to select staff that will satisfy all the needs of clients. Since I am not the resident of India, I must understand that for me there are certain rules that I need to follow. I have to determine the budget, control all costs and to be sure that I could pay all bills. Also I should have start-up capital that would help me to open a business in a foreign country. In order to move ahead my cafà © I need to create a marketing strategy that is completely new, something that no one has it. Creating a Marketing Strategy will save me lots of money. Many business owners dont want to do it because they dont know where to start and they feel they dont have the time to spend on it .I want everyone in India to know about my Internet cafà © and have a vivid impression. Summing up I would like to say that India is the best choice to run my business. There are some positive (political, legal environment) and negative aspects (taxes, red tape etc) that will affect my business. But I understand if I want to achieve my goal it is necessary to work very hard and strive to success.

British Imperialism Essay -- Government Britain British Essays

British Imperialism In many respects, the Boer War resembles the struggle toward globalization a century later that Friedman describes in The Lexus and the Olive Tree. The British, with their more advanced industry and technology, attempted to pull the Boer Republics away from the Olive tree and into the new global economy, golden straightjacket and all. The British Empire had much at stake in the conflict, and eventually achieved its main goals. It protected its holding at Cape Town, which was essential in order to control the southern trade route to India, and resisted the threats of increased European presence in South Africa as well as the threat of Afrikaner nationalism in Cape Colony and in the Boer Republics that bordered it. British investors held about half the stock of the mining industries in the Boer Republics, so the protection of the industry was vital not only to the interests of those particular investors, but more indirectly for the protection of free global trade, which Britainâ₠¬â„¢s economy relied upon. With mines running as efficiently as possible, more gold could be produced and put into circulation in the world market, which favored Britain as the primary leader in the global economy. But just as Friedman must address the concerns in the 1990s of those who are late entrants into the global economy, so we must address the concerns of those who represent the Olive Tree in South Africa; namely, the Boers and the native black Africans. While Friedman insists that globalization ultimately empowers individuals through the democratization of technology, political processes, finance, and information, Boers and Blacks seem, in different ways, to be very limited in their empowerment in the short term. Friedm... ...but after the war Blacks were cut off from economic empowerment because Boer racism became legally protected. Friedman’s identifications of the players in the struggle of late twentieth-century globalization applies to the players in South Africa around the time of the Boer War, but Friedman’s optimism is not confirmed by the facts. While South Africa became an increasingly industrialized society, certain social elements overpowered economic shifts to prevent the full empowerment of Blacks especially that Friedman predicts. The long-term outcomes in South Africa—the resurgence of Boer nationalism in the 1940s that brought apartheid, and the movement forty years later to end apartheid—reveal that racism and conservative political ideology were stronger forces than globalization and industrialization were in shaping the lives and futures for Blacks in South Africa.

Business: Mega-Mergers :: Business, Foreign Firms, Corporations, Capitalism

Mega-mergers is a combination of two are more major companies joining together according to Eitzen (365) in 2006 Mergers and acquisitions in the united states alone were worth 1.45 trillion. There are thousands of mergers each year that makes giant corporation become more bigger. For example Time, Inc., and AOL joining with Warner Communications, Texaco buying out Getty Oil, and other mergers that combined with foreign firms like British Petroleum with Amoco and Daimler with Chrysler. There are nsix negative consequences of mega mergers are: (1) It increases the centralization of capital, which causes a reduction competition also raises prices for consumers; (2) It increases the power of huge corporations over its workers, unions, and its governments; (3) The benefits of local communities are diminished; (4) It reduces the number of jobs; (5) It increases corporate debt; and (6) It is non-productive. Corporation rather create profits for their lawyers, accountants, brokers, bankers and big investors than to create and help communities bloom by building new plants or facilities, products or most importantly new jobs. Interlocking directorates is the linkage between corporation that results when an individual serves on the board of directors of two companies (a direct interlock) or when two companies each have a director on the board of a third company (an indirect interlock) (Eitzen 365) Interlocking directorates lowers competition by the sharing of information and the coordination of their policies. The Clayton Act was passed in 1914 which made it illegal for one individual to be part of the corporate board of two companies that were in direct competition to one each other. Transnational Corporation is any corporation that operates in more than one country, which provides the larger companies with enormous economic and political power according to Eitzen (366) 1 Most business and corporation are shifting overseas is for profit, profits higher overseas and manufactures and production are cheaper as well. Work is a universal activity (Eitzen, 368) The system organize work in order to produce good and other types of services for the people like foods, clothing, shelters, education and ETC, the work force gives individuals a social identity, economic resource and a social location. Although the system organize unsafe working environment for its workers in some cases where some worker feel alienated, exploit and often dehumanized. Workers start to feel bored with the job because of the everyday task, doing the same thing over and over again.

The Challange of Space Travel Essay -- Space Exploration Essays

The reasons for space travel are countless. Population growth is a major problem that could be helped if space travel led to discovering potentially viable living environments other than Earth. Currently, the population is doubling every 35 years and may speed up with increased technology (1). There is a vicious cycle of poverty, lack of education, and corruption that is already occurring in third world countries due to the population. A second problem that could be helped is a direct result of the first. Industrial production must be maintained, but space and resources on Earth are limited. Space exploration may allow people to relocate these processes, preventing humans from being ruined by their own wastes (1). Discovering the origins of the universe is a major reason, as moving through space means moving back in time. Eventually, scientists hope to be able to travel back to when the Big Bang occurred, answering questions that are not yet explained by current theories. Also, spin-offs from discoveries made during previous space travel led to our satellite communications systems, GPS, and CAT scanning which has improved many lives (2). The inspiration for further research spurred by space exploration can be phenomenal. The proponents of interstellar exploration have made many advances in space travel. Amazingly, space travel did not begin until halfway through last century! In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first manmade satellite into space, Sputnik 1. Later that year, Sputnik 2 carrying the first animal, Laika, entered into orbit (4). The U.S., through NASA, launched Pioneer 1 in 1958. During the 1960s, the Soviet Union and the U.S. were in a race to be the first to land on the moon. In 1969, the United States successf... ...erse. Works Cited: (1)Meinzer, Dr. Carl. â€Å"Space Travel: A Waste of Our Money or a Necessary Investment in Our Future?† AMSAT-DL Journal, Nr. 1/19 March/May 1992. http://www.amsat-dl.org/space.htm (2)Bush, George W. â€Å"President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program.† Jan 2004. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/01/20040114-3.htm (3)â€Å"Space Travel Increases Some Health Risks† Science @ NASA: Interim Mir Science Results Symposium. http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/msad04nov98_1.htm (4)Armstrong, Dennis. â€Å"Mission Timelines† NASA. October 2004. http://www.nasa.gov/missions/timeline/index.htm (5)â€Å"Future Spaceflight† BBC: Science & Nature. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/exploration/futurespaceflight/index.shtml (6)â€Å"Interstellar Travel† Wikipedia. 19 October 2004. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstellar_travel

Pros and Cons Capital Punishment Essay

Capital punishment (death penalty) is the severest form of legal punishment today. There are vast differences in the way people view the death penalty. Some oppose it and some agree with it. There have been many studies trying to prove or disprove a point regarding the death penalty. Some have regarded the death penalty as a deterrent, and some have regarded it as state sanctioned murder and not civilized. The death penalty has been attributed to societies for hundreds of years. More recently, as we become more civilized, the death penalty has been questioned to be the right step towards justice. During the course of this paper I will review the pros and cons of the use of the death penalty as we, Americans, know it. The death penalty is a highly controversial subject. No one knows who’s right or whose wrong-it’s fifty percent speculation and fifty percent research. It’s just a lot of thoughts and beliefs from people who have contributed to the death penalty hype . Who’s right and who’s wrong? That is the question. Problem Statements In order to list the pros and cons of the death penalty I will discuss a bit about what exactly is capital punishment. This will help better understand why people feel the way they do about capital punishment. Like mentioned earlier, capital punishment or also known as the death penalty is the most extreme of all sentencing options (Schmalleger, 2012). Almost all nations in the world have had the death sentence and had enforced it in many ways. It has been used in most cases to punish those who broke the laws or standards that were expected of them. There are a lot of methods of execution however not all are legal in the United States. Procedures authorized in the United States now are electrocution, the gas chamber, and the lethal injection. The most common form of capital punishment is lethal injection, with electrocution to be the second most common form (Schmalleger, 2012). When it comes down to sentencing a criminal to the death penalty, many say that it has never been a fair sentencing. Those against capital punishment claim that it has been inflicted on innocent people or that it is costly to execute someone (Schmalleger, 2012). Those for the death penalty claim that the criminals who committed horrifying crimes deserve to die for their actions (Schmalleger, 2012). For the reason being, that anything else other than death does not fulfill as a sanction for the crime (Schmalleger, 2012). Literature review The people who oppose the death penalty have very different reasons than people who agree with it. Those who oppose it feel that no matter how bad of an offense that the criminal has committed, they should not be executed. Arguing against capital punishment, Amnesty International believes that â€Å"The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state in the name of justice. It violates the right to life†¦It is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. There can never be any justification for torture or for cruel treatment.† It has been said that innocent people have been placed on death row for crimes they never committed and then executed. In my opinion, I find that very true and support this very strongly. From 1973 up to late 2009, over 138 people in 25 different states where freed from death row after being determined that they were innocent for the capital crime they had been convicted of (Dieter). One example of this claim is of James Bain, a Florida man, released from jail after being incarcerated for 35 years. He was formerly convicted back in 1974 for supposedly kidnapping and a 9 year-old boy and raping him in a nearby field (Schmalleger, 2012). What helped him gain his freedom in December of 2009 was the modern technology not available back then. Bain requested multiple DNA test, once approved the results came back negative for him meaning he was not the man who committed the crime. DNA test are now huge towards those placed in death row, it has helped freed many innocent citizens. When it comes down to the death penalty cases, there are many appeals that are made in court. The cost for a state for these appeals can run into millions of dollars for each individual case (Schmalleger, 2012). The death penalty is much more expensive than life without parole that is a fact. It is more expensive because it requires a long and complex judicial process for capital cases (Woodford). This is needed to ensure that innocent men and women are not executed for crimes they did not commit (Woodford). Sometime with this careful long process the risk of executing an innocent person cannot be completely eliminated (Woodford). Those for capital punishment may state that although the official cost dealing with capital punishment is high, no cost is too high to bring justice to the world (Schmalleger, 2012). Some say that capital punishment deters crime from occurring. However, there is no credible evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than long terms of imprisonment. States that have death penalty laws do not have lower crime rates or murder rates than states without such laws. States that have abolished capital punishment show no significant changes in either crime or murder rates. In my opinion and from what I have read it seems to be that the death penalty has no deterrent effect. I say this because people commit murders in the heat of passion, under the influence or because they are mentally ill, giving little or no thought to the consequences of their actions. Death penalty laws falsely convince the public that government has taken effective measures to combat crime and homicide. In reality, such laws do nothing to protect us or our communities from the acts of dangerous criminals Arguing for capital punishment, the Clark County, Indiana Prosecuting Attorney writes that â€Å"There are some defendants who have earned the ultimate punishment our society has to offer by committing murder with aggravating circumstances present. I believe life is sacred. It cheapens the life of an innocent murder victim to say that society has no right to keep the murderer from ever killing again. In my view, society has not only the right, but the duty to act in self-defense to protect the innocent.† There are still some who states that the death penalty is favorable in the United States. The proponents state that executing criminals will directly help stop the criminal rate in America; also, they declare that when the criminals that are sentenced are killed, the world is one less a murderer than before. Adding on, the argument that the wrong person would be killed is very slim; as a matter of fact, with the development of technology constantly evolving, the chances of the wrong citizen being executed are also constantly decreasing. Although many opponents state that the capital punishment is racist, there are statistics that more African-Americans do crimes than Caucasians. Research Methods After analyzing all the information towards capital punishment I became interested in doing some research about capital punishment statistics about the process of decision making when sentencing a criminal. If I were to conduct a case study about discrimination in death penalty sentencing, I would create surveys and interviews with inmates on death row and certain cases that appeared to been sentenced by discrimination. This type of study is hard to investigate for the reason that if the judge or jury based their answer off of the gender or race of the person it would be less likely that they would reveal the truth. My research study would be quantitative because I will be recording data about the rates on death penalty discrimination. It will also be a qualitative study because, a part from the data I will be recording I would conduct interviews with former judges and attorneys that have dealt with death penalty cases and what was the process of deciding the sentence like. Conclusion In today’s generation people have very different views on the death penalty. There are many who completely agree with it, and the concept behind it, and there are some who feel it is nothing but a cruel punishment. All in all, the capital punishment is a charge that will always be debated in America. However, the execution is a faster death for the criminal a much easier statement someone can receive. Half of the American population is against capital punishment for the execution of innocent people, discrimination, deterrence of crime and high cost leading to debt for the society. Those for capital punishment agree that this kind of action is what is needed to put a stop to brutal crimes. The criminal deserves to die for their actions and it is the only option to bring justice. The death penalty is and always will be a problem that is arguable from both sides, but, if someone tries to ultimately stop it, it is and always will be impossible. Reference ACLU. (2007, April 09). The death penalty: Questions and answers. Retrieved from http://www.aclu.org/capital-punishment/death-penalty-questions-and-answers Baik, E. (2012). Gender, Religion and National Origin: Latinos’ Attitude toward Capital Punishment. Journal of Social Sciences (15493652), 8(1), 79-84. Hashemi, S. (n.d.). Abolish the death penalty. Retrieved from http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/campaigns/abolish-the-death-penalty?id=1011005 Methods of execution. (2010, April). Retrieved from http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/methods.htm Dieter, R. (n.d.). Death penalty information. Retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/home Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminal justice: A brief introduction. (9 ed., pp. 272-286). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Woodford, J. (n.d.). The high cost of the death penalty. Retrieved from http://www.deathpenalty.org/article.php?id=42

Cultural safety in nursing Essay

The meaning of the term culture in nursing has changed significantly in recent decades. Culture may be seen as the learned, shared value and beliefs of a particular group (Spence, 2001). Cultural expression assumes many forms, including language, traditions, stress, pain, anger, sorrow, spirituality, decision making and even world philosophy (Catalano, 2006).Cultural safety is a process that involves the individual knowing of their self and their own culture, becoming aware of, respectful of, and sensitive to different cultures, asking who is at risk, preventing unsafe situations, and creating a culturally safe environment (Wood and Schwass, 1993). During my first night shift at clinical placement, I provided care for Anna (pseudonym), an 85- year old Maori lady, who was admitted to the ward following suicide attempt, which was related to the second anniversary of her husband’s death. She had a 20 year history of depression. On admission Anna was agitated and fearful, stating that she could not do almost anything that was requested of her. She had some disorganized ideas. For example, she thought she would be scalded by meals, or accidentally fall out of a window. We had just finished our handover when Anna rang the bell. I went to her room and found her sitting on the chair.†Good evening Anna,† I said.† My name is Parisa. I am your nurse tonight†. Anna looked worried and replied: â€Å"I am not sure if I have enough clothes!!!. † From the handover briefing I had understood that she was worrying about not having enough clothes. So I opened the door of the wardrobe and reassured her that she had plenty of clothes. Then I told her she needed to come back to her bed and have a rest. I helped her get back into the bed. Twenty minutes later, while I was doing the ward check, I heard someone crying. The sound of crying came from Anna’s room. I went to her room. It was midnight. Anna was lying alone; fearful, sad, and depressed. Left isolated, she wanted to call a nurse for help but she didn’t know how to explain what she needed. † Anna, what happened?† I asked. â€Å"Are you crying?† She didn’t reply. In this situation, it came into my mind that good therapeutic communication through the use of touch was very appropriate to  calm her. I held her hand, looked into her eyes, and asked her if she wanted to tell me what she was thinking at the time. She replied:† I feel I am a horrible person, can’t you see that? â€Å"I said, â€Å"A horrible person!!, what I see is a frightened person. You are scared, aren’t you?† She replied, â€Å"I am so scared of losing everything and everyone I love. Nurse, I am not a good person, I tried to commit suicide. I took an overdose of my pills, and I made my family worry about me†. She started to cry again. I listened to Anna and let her speak out all her feelings. I said,† I understand you feel it was the wrong thing to do† She replied: â€Å"Do you think God will forgive me? I need to cry, I need to pray†. With my eyes full of tears I asked her,† Would you like it if we prayed together?† She looked at me kindly and said â€Å"Yes, I would like to pray†. We held hands, and both of us started to pray in our own languages†¦ Learning and then not acting on what you learn is like ploughing and then never planting (Unknown). When I was in unit 4, we had a Maori Health paper where I gained lot of knowledge about the Maori view of health. This incident with Anna was an occasion in which I put the knowledge I had learned at university into practice. According to Durie (1998) the traditional Maori attitude toward health is one of holism. Health from a Maori perspective has always acknowledged the unity of: spiritual, emotional, physical, and family aspects. The spiritual perspective is the most necessary perspective for Maori wellbeing. It is defined as â€Å"attachment to religious values,† but does not have the same meaning as â€Å"religious beliefs†. When spiritual needs are met, an individual can function with a meaningful identity and purpose and can relate to reality with hope (Durie, 1998). Nursing is a discipline that professes to address the human person in a holistic manner, focusing on all dimensions of the person: body, mind and spirit (Lemmer, 2005). Care of the spirit is a professional nursing responsibility and an intrinsic part of holistic nursing. The holistic nursing perspective requires nurses to view each person as a biopsychosocial being with a spiritual core. Thus, nurses must be sure to address the spirit  along with the other dimensions to provide holistic care (Calatona, 2006, p.403). In my situation, I had to support Anna’s desire to pray and practise meaningful rituals. To confirm my assumptions about an underlying cultural issue, I asked Anna in a very respectful way about her cultural beliefs. I realized that Anna’s religious beliefs could be a vital way in which she expresses her spirituality. I asked her if she would like the service of a Maori Chaplain, and she accepted. Therefore, during the morning handover I informed Anna’s primary nurse that Anna wish to be referred to the Maori Chaplain Service. Fourie, Mcdonald, Connor and Bartlett (2005) clearly state that handover is a critical time where staff share information from which to base important decisions about patient care and management, particularly clients who appear unsettled and /or those who require extra intervention. Spiritual interventions have been demonstrated to be significant in the client’s recovery from disorder. The dimensions of religious ceremony, prayer and the client, relationship with God have been shown to have positive associations with mental health (Catalano, 2006). Reflecting on this experience I found that my therapeutic communication techniques of presence, and active listening, were very useful. â€Å"The affective aspects of nursing are related to emotional interchange between nurse and patient which includes presentation, active listening, therapeutic communication and discussion of spiritual issues† (Wichowski, Kubsch, Ladwig & Torres, 2003, p.1122). I used touch to help comfort her distress. Touch is a therapeutic tool which can provide sensory stimulation, induce relaxation, physical and emotional comfort, orient people to reality, improve level of awareness, convey warmth, respect, sensitivity and a powerful expression of a trusting relationship (Crisp & Taylor, 2003). I listened attentively to every single word that Anna said to show that I have a genuine interest in knowing more about her beliefs. Listening attentively and reflectively can help the client feel valued, understood and supported (Mohr, 2003). I have found out that through my active listening to her story, I displayed a caring attitude, and she is already participating in a culturally competent care. A nurse who is ready to listen to his/her patients, respects their  cultural and social backgrounds and does not make any stereotypical assumptions delivers a culturally safe practice (Bunker, 2001). My experience of nursing Anna, and learning how her cultural beliefs affected her mood helped me achieve and develop the skills to be culturally competent in my nursing practice. Culturally competent care involves the integration of knowledge, attitude and skills to provide culturally appropriate health care (Mohr, 2003). As I want to be a mental health nurse, my practice should be culturally appropriate through the sensitive and supportive identification of cultural issues (Australia & New Zealand College of Mental health nursing, 1995). I also learned that one of the skills that a mental health nurse should possess is the ability to integrate cultural perspectives within the delivery of appropriate interventions. This experience also gave me the opportunity to demonstrate my skill in communicating Anna’s problem to the primary nurse effectively. It also enhanced my critical thinking skills for I was able to find the link between her beliefs and her illness, and that led to p rovision of a culturally competent care.