Wednesday, October 30, 2019

International marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 7

International marketing - Essay Example Marketing communication is the main element, which is responsible for developing a customer’s demand for a product or service by providing brand information as well as facilitating purchase intention (Pelsmacker, 2006). Currently, there are a lot of issues concerned with global marketing communication, such as those related to how much effective the advertising is, testing various marketing and promotional methods, (Onkvisit and Shaw, 1999) the design of content and language used in the advertisement (Hollensen, 2014) etc. For example, although sales volume can be used as a yardstick to measure the effectiveness of advertising, other important factors such as economic conditions and pricing strategies can also affect sales volume. However, the decision regarding whether to standardise a particular advertising strategy or adopt another a new one is one of the most critical issues that business organisations face. This topic has been regarded as an endless debate from 1950 to 1990 (Solberg, 2002). Standardisation means that a company maintains the same advertising strategies in all the countries where it markets its products or services. It is in line with the idea of global marketing strategies, which was first established by Levitt (1983). The globalism concept suggests that the world is becoming a common place where people desire the best product and lifestyle no matter where they live. Particular to international advertising, the globalisation strategy concept was praised by marketing practitioners. By adopting global advertising, companies can create massive economies of scale to maintain a consistent brand image in the minds of the consumers. On the other hand, the conventional view is to localise marketi ng and advertising strategies because every market is unique (Zhou and Belk, 2004) and since consumers have different needs and lifestyle all around the world. Jobber

Monday, October 28, 2019

Nike and Vietnam Essay Example for Free

Nike and Vietnam Essay Globalization is a phenomenon that has become a fact in today’s business world. Companies, always looking to cut costs and improve productivity, often look overseas to either expand current business operations or to outsource existing business operations. Companies often make the decision to go global with the hopes of taking advantage of more favorable business environments, better technologies, or relationships with suppliers and customers. While these facts are a part of globalization, there are also positive benefits, which range from lower prices to consumers, increased education for individuals within the countries where expansion occurs, and a higher standard of life for the individuals in these countries. While arguments can be made that globalization is a positive or negative force on a country or on the world economy, the debate is not likely to end any time soon. This paper will take a look at the positive impacts of globalization by examining Nike in Vietnam. Nike has long been viewed as the poster child for problems associated with globalization. Many have accused Nike of employing workers in sweatshop like conditions in poorer countries like China, and more recently Vietnam. In addition to the sweatshop claims, people often say that Nike employs child labor, often even claiming that the child labor is forced and takes place in sweatshops. Many of these same people also suggest that Nike has taken jobs from the United States to these countries where there are fewer laws regarding work conditions and wages so that they can pay their employees less in an effort to make a higher profit with no regard to the value of human life. These are just a few of the accusations that people often make against multinational corporations such as Nike, and this list is much longer. While it is true that there have been problems at certain factories that make Nike products, the company has taken aggressive steps to ensure that all of its factories now comply with basic human rights. It is hard to argue that the conditions experienced by workers at factories in Vietnam are not still vastly different from what we experience in the West, but the culture is much different as well. Therefore, what we may view as harsh conditions may not, in fact, be so to the actual employees. What are often unnoticed, or at least is not mentioned, are the positive effects that Nike has brought to countries like Vietnam. As stated previously, many of the benefits of globalization within a company like Nike must be looked at within the context of the culture being examined. A primary example of this would be the pay. While some may argue that a monthly pay of $72 per month is essentially the same as employing slave labor, the employees at the Nike factory in Ho Chi Minh City might say otherwise. As Johan Norbert (2004) notes, the pay of $72 per month is â€Å"almost three times the minimum wage for a state-owned enterprise,† which typically involves endless days in intense heat or rain in rice fields surrounded by water and bugs. In addition to being higher paying than previous jobs, working in a Nike factory also provides a stable source of income. These higher wages have afforded the employees other benefits as well. When the first factories opening in Ho Chi Minh City, the workers had to walk to the factories, but, within a few years, they saw significant improvements to their transportation options. Norberg (2004) also writes, â€Å"After three years, they could afford bicycles three years later, they could afford scooters [and after eight years], the first workers [could] afford to buy a car. † This is a reality that few people in Ho Chi Minh City experience, with less than 5% of the population owning a car. But perhaps one of the greatest benefits that globalization has brought to Vietnam is the availability to afford higher education. In the past, many children would have been put to work on farms in order for their families to survive, yet â€Å"In ten years, 2. 2 million children have gone from child labour to education† (Norberg, 2004). Millions of children attending school as a result of globalization is a far cry from many of the child labor accusations previously mentioned. Globalization is, and probably will always be, a topic that has very passionate people on both sides of the debate. While arguments both for and against globalization have valid points to make, few people really have really taken the time to look at the direct impact of this ever growing trend. From strictly a consumer standpoint, Nike’s decision to go global and create factories in a variety of countries has led to an increase from under 200 styles to almost 1200 different styles available for purchase (Locke Siteman, 2007, p. 6). More importantly, though, are the points mentioned above, that employees in countries like Vietnam make almost 3x the wages made in their previous employment. Rarely will you hear that these employees are able to afford items such as cars while the majority of people even within their own city cannot. You will also almost never hear that, despite past abuses of child labor, millions of children have been able to get an education. This is a reality that would not have been possible if their parents were still stuck working in rice fields. This education has the abolition to create a positive cycle of growth, wealth, and education for new generations that will continue for years. If you want to see the direct impact that globalization can have, the case of Nike in Vietnam provides a solid starting point to see the positive effects that have come about as Nike has expanded to have workers in over 50 countries.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Class Struggle and the Communist Manifesto Essay -- Karl Marx Communis

Class Struggle and the Communist Manifesto The Communist Manifesto is profoundly marked by the history of class struggle and social inequality throughout history. In fact Marx suggests that history is in essence merely a timeline of class struggle, unchanging apart from the alteration in mode of production. The document is the story of the conflict between the Proletariat and the Bourgeois, the oppressed and the oppressor, the haves and the have nots, etc? However, this is not a new idea and Marx is really not all that radical. In his Politics, Aristotle wrote, ?Those who have too much of the goods of fortune, strength, wealth, friends and the like, are neither willing nor able to submit to authority?On the other hand, the very poor, who are in the opposite extreme, are too degraded.?[i] As Marx states it in the document, modern history is the manifestation of centuries of a system that was and still is built on the delicate balance of inequities. [ii] For our purposes we will begin this timeline with the 17th century in Europe. It is a time period marked by a hierarchy of ranks and sub ranks. These positions were hereditary and binding for the duration of someone?s life bar any incredible circumstance. These ranks were also marked specifically by wealth. In this time period serfdom, a system in which peasants worked land that was owned by a wealthy member of the nobility was the standard. The very distinction of classes was what the wealthy had; what they wore, where they lived, and how they lived. The countryside was marked by sets of self-reliant villages with the noble?s manor at the center. [iii] According to Marx serfdom was a step above slavery for the people were laboring but not benefiting... ...e Communist Party. Transcribed by Allen Lutins with assistance from Jim Tarzia. Appearing at http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/treatise/communist_manifesto/mancont.htm. [iii] Sherman, Dennis, and Joyce Salisbury. The West in the World. 2nd ed. Boston, McGraw Hill Publishing, 2001. [iv] Landtman, Gunnar page 77. [v] Hoch, Stephen. Serfdom and Social Control in Russia: Petrovskoe, a Village in Tambov. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986. [vi] Hoch, Stephen page 4. [vii] Ossowski, Stanislav. ?The Marxian Synthesis.? In The Logic of Social Hierarchies, edited by Edward O. Laumann, Paul M. Siegel, and Robert W. Hodge. Chicago: Marham Publishing Company, 1970. [viii] Sherman pages 488-515 [ix] Sherman pages 517-520 [x] Sherman pages 570-582 [xi] Engels webpage

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Third Landscape Design

Characteristics of a Third Landscape we were looking for : -Third landscape as no scale but it has limits . These limits are usually biological limits. -Third landscape is not in a constant evolution . It is rather Inconstant depending on the modality Of the environment . -Third landscape is an opportunity as it is a global landscape without function Inspired by our task we had to the landscape we have in mind. This landscape is situated inside the ring of Tirana. Despite its location it is a forsaken inhabited space.In its prime it was a chemical attack shelter for its nearby inhabitants. Now it's just a lump on the ground covered by uncontrolled vegetation . Its entrances are used as rash bins and its borders are occupied by abandoned and illegal parked cars. Our imagination did not dare to go inside there and think what kind of flora and fauna could actually grow inside of a humid 50 year old closed basement. Based in these first sight analysis we decided this place was the opport unity we were looking for.To start the action on this newly found Third Landscape we turn our attention to Gilles Clement and his words: â€Å"Acting on the Third Landscape is going with, not against nature, complying, observing and intervening as little as possible. Avoiding the regulations and remaining indifferent Avoiding the assumption of wanting to create models. The game of leaving things as they are (and as they evolve) does not, of course, avoid a decision. The action is there and it is traditional, wise, calling the skills of observation, classification and deduction into play.It is that of the scientist, not of the DID enthusiast, although in this case you start from what is already there and try to turn circumstances into opportunities. â€Å"(Cit. Gilles Clement Manifesto del Terror Passages. We began to work on the primal analysis of the area. First on a larger scale we divided the area based on its functions. After this on a smaller scale around our Third Landscape. We also divided the area based on the building types such as apartment buildings , villas etc.After this we tried to go deeper inside the history of this place. We went to the Military Archive and to find plants of this Communist era shelters. Fortunately the archivist helped us even with further information about communist era shelters. Apparently every building build back than had a shelter planned as a basement in case of air attacks or chemical attacks. Many of this actually still exist today but used in different functions such as lavender rooms or even apartments. Our shelter however was of a different kind.This kind was implemented in- between already existing buildings without a shelter to offer protection to everyone equally. The plan is very simple. Double entrance door with ventilation room in-between ,tight corridors with 2 rows of sits and 2 bathrooms on each side. If a chemical attack would happen we can only imagine how terrible it would have been for 50 plus people to fight to enter this narrow place. Back on the Third Landscape we start to study the vegetation biologically growing on top of the shelter. Plants found on top of it are typical vegetation for urban areas .Essence vagaries Canonicals European Acre obtuse Ruckus Calculate Panic Sanguine As last round of analysis we start to sketch the paths and itineraries created by our Third Landscape around the area along with walking paths , bicycle paths , road paths and car parking spaces. After gathering all the above material we state the cons of our existing Third Landscape Bad Space Management No trash control and recycle Illegal parking Lack of social function Hygiene problems inside shelter Uncontrolled vegetation growth Based on this problematic and Gilles Clement words we start to brainstorm or the final result of the project.Leaded by our project leader Laura Pedant we decide to turn the Third Landscape into Tirana first ever seed bank. The idea of the seed bank was our interpretatio n of Gilles Clement words as if the only way to treat a Third Landscape is going with the flow of nature and not going against it. A seed bank stores seeds as a source for planting in case seed reserves elsewhere are destroyed. It is a type of gene bank. The seeds stored may be food crops, or those of rare species to protect biodiversity The reasons for storing seeds may be varied.In the case f food crops, many useful plants that were developed over centuries are now no longer used for commercial agricultural production and are becoming rare. Storing seeds also guards against catastrophic events like natural disasters outbreaks of disease, or war . Unlike seed libraries or seeds swaps that encourage frequent reuse and sharing of seeds, seed banks are not typically open to the public. (courtesy of Wisped IA). As for the other problems affecting the outside of the shelter we decided to build a small park for the neighborhood to encourage recycle and a car free zone so it will be ore g reen and less smoke.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Project Management and Critical Path Essay

What is project management, and what are its main objectives? What is the relationship between tasks and events, or milestones? What is a work breakdown structure? How do you create one? What are task patterns, and how can you recognize them? Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Gantt and PERT/CPM charts. Define the following terms: best-case estimate, probable-case estimate, and worst- case estimate, and describe how project managers use these concepts. How does a project manager calculate start and finish times? What is a critical path, and why is it important to project managers? How do you identify the critical path? What are some project reporting and communication techniques? What is risk management, and why is it important? In Poor Richard’s Almanac, Benjamin Franklin penned the familiar lines: â€Å"For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, for the want of a shoe the horse was lost, for the want of a horse the rider was lost, for the want of a rider the battle was lost, for the want of a battle the kingdom was lost — and all for the want of a horseshoe nail.† Looking at the outcome in hindsight, could project management concepts have avoided the loss of the kingdom? Explain your answers. At Countywide Construction, you are trying to convince your boss that he should consider modern project management techniques to manage a complex project. Your boss says that he doesn’t need anything fancy, and that he can guess the total time by the seat of his pants. To prove your point, you decide to use a very simple example of a commercial con- struction project, with eight tasks. You create a hypothetical work breakdown struc- ture, as follows: Prepare the foundation (10 days). Then assemble the building (4 days). When the building is assembled, start two tasks at once: Finish the interior work (4 days) and set up an appointment for the final building inspection (30 days). When the interior work is done, start two more tasks at once: landscaping (5 days) and driveway paving (2 days). When the landscaping and driveway are done, do the painting (5 days). Finally, when the painting is done and the final inspection has occurred, arrange the sale (3 days). Now you ask your boss to estimate the total time and write his answer on a piece of paper. You look at the paper and see that his guess is wrong. 1. What is the correct answer? 2. What is the critical path? 3. Create a Gantt chart that shows the WBS. 4. Create a PERT/CPM chart. ————- What are the five questions typically used in fact-finding? What additional question can be asked during this process? What is a systems requirement, and how are systems requirements classified? What are JAD and RAD, and how do they differ from traditional fact-finding methods? What are their pros and cons? What is total cost of ownership (TCO), and why is it important? Provide examples of closed-ended, open-ended, and range-of-response questions. What are three types of sampling, and why would you use them? What is the Hawthorne Effect? Why is it significant? What is a functional decomposition diagram (FDD) and why would you use one? Explain how to create an FDD. What are agile methods, and what are some pros and cons of this approach? To what three different audiences might you have to give a presentation? How would the presentation differ for each? ——– A group meeting sometimes is suggested as a useful compromise between interviews and questionnaires. In such a group meeting, one systems analyst meets with and asks questions of a number of users at one time. Discuss the advantages and disad- vantages of such a group meeting. ——- Elmwood College Situation: The school is considering a new system that will speed up the registration process. As a systems analyst, you are asked to develop a plan for fact-finding. 1. List all the possible techniques that you might use. 2. Describe an advantage for each technique. 3. Suppose the development budget is tight. How might that affect the fact-finding process? 4. What are five important questions to use during fact-finding?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Demonstration Speech Essays

Demonstration Speech Essays Demonstration Speech Essay Demonstration Speech Essay Public Speaking Assignment #1- Introduction Speech Cat Downs TOPIC: THE SUCCESS OF SHAWN COREY CARTER SPECIFIC GOAL:  Ã‚  I want my audience to know about Shawn Corey Carter INTRODUCTION 1-(ATTENTION GETTER): Hello everyone 2-(CREDIBILITY STATEMENT): I have research on our Guest speaker, and I familiarize many of his achievements. Possibly but uncertain if you know about our guest speaker, if not it will be the speech of a lifetime. 3-THESIS: This evening, I will introduce you to an entrepreneur and an artist/Producer. BODY 1-(1ST MAIN POINT): He is a caring man A- He teamed up with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and an important cable network MTV to bring water to the kinds of countries that don’t have water. B- Shawn JAY-Z Carter and Sean P Diddy Combs join together to donate $1 million to the American Red Cross to help the victims and refugees of this national disaster call Katrina. Transitional statement: I talked about how the topic that would effect you, I will now talk about our guest speaker’s expertise. 2. What makes this speaker an expert? He has global experience and expertise in its success as an entrepreneur, and he is very popular around the world as a Hip Hop artist. A- CEO of Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. He co-owns The 40/40 Clubs and the New Jersey Nets NBA team. B-The New York Times announced that Jay-Z is on the verge of a partnership with Live Nation for $150 million - among the most expensive contracts ever awarded to a musician C-He owns his own record label, clothing line and movie production company generating almost half a billion dollars a year in sales. Armadale Vodka. D- First hip Hop artist to signed a $1 million shoe line with Reebok. E- His works which include many records, articles, movies are best sellers nationwide. F- He is recognize in the United States, and around the world, as the best hip-hop lyrist alive. Transitional Statement: Now, that I have talked about the speaker’s expertise, let’s now talk about the topic our guest speaker will discuss. 3-What topic will he discuss? You are in a treat for some interesting topics, Our speaker’s topic is â€Å"How smartly you can increase your wealth†. A-The topic is one that the speaker specialty. B- Business matters of the choices he made. He will provide a lot of scenarios. Transitional Statement: Now, that we have covered our speaker’s topic , let me tell you what makes this topic important. 4-(what event or occasion will soon make this topic important) Next month, he iso planning on owning a major European soccer team. A- That soccer team is a well known sport team in Europe. B-There will be some update about that soccer team in the tournament. CONCLUSION -(Restate thesis): Today I am going to introduce you to Sean Corey Carter also known as Jay-Z 2-(Catchy phrase): Put your hands together and let me bring out Jay-Z BIBLIOGRAPHY Books The People’s Book †Mike Phillip† Success of Hip Hop Artist May 1, 2005: XXL Books Articles The Island Def Jam Article Staff. † Aid after Katrina to New Orleans from Hip Hop Artist† Jan 2, 2008: Def Jam news Internet Sources Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia) â€Å"Protected user† Biography of Jay-Z 1994-Presentwww. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ja-Z

Monday, October 21, 2019

Cabildos in Puerto Rico essays

Cabildos in Puerto Rico essays In around 1515, Juan Ponce de Len established two Cabildos: Cabildo of San Juan and Cabildo of San Germn. The Cabildos were the local representative assemblies; they served strictly under Governors appointed by the Crown and at their pleasure. In the last moments of the colonial era, Cuba and Puerto Rico managed after much struggle to win representation in the Spanish courts. However, these Cabildos played an important role in the community life of Puerto Rico at the time. They provided the aid and representation that the people needed, regardless of economic struggles. Cabildos were essential to community life because of their help in eclectic problems and the representation they gave to the people. An oligarchic structure of the Cabildos, although made up of relatives and friends from the elite, was rather successful, and played an important part in the Cabildos success in community life. The Cabildos were not a democratic institution; they were organized and controlled by the laws of the Indies. Both Cabildos, San Juan and San Germn, were composed of an Alcalde Ordinario, and several Regidores Regidores, who elected the alcaldes, were appointed by the King or posts were sold at auctions. Sugar mill owners, also known as hacenderos, and ganaderos were also part of the economic oligarchy of the Cabildos. This structure, although most positions were held by relatives and friends of the Regidores and Alcaldes of the elite group, was somewhat effective, even when most of the time it was against the law. Cabildos as well gave the people representation. The Father of the Republic, or the Cabildo, met weekly o monthly to discuss community matters. Besides from these regular meetings, they held Cabildos Abiertos, or open meetings, when they had urgent municipal problems. It was only in Cabildos Abiertos where community members chosen by the council could participate. Ev...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Top 10 Confused Words in English [A-B]

Top 10 Confused Words in English [A-B] Top 10 Confused Words in English [A-B] Top 10 Confused Words in English [A-B] By Maeve Maddox In compiling a list of the top ten confused words, it’s difficult to choose between simple misspellings and words whose meanings are mixed up in the mind of the writer. For example, the word altar (raised structure for sacrifice) is frequently misspelled as alter. The writer probably knows the difference between the noun altar and the verb alter, but hasn’t learned the fact that they are spelled differently. Likewise, the pair its/it’s usually tops lists of â€Å"confused words,† but it seems to me that writers who commit errors with this pair have problems with the correct use of the apostrophe in general. The words in the following list represent misunderstanding of the words’ meanings and not simply an inability to spell them correctly. Notice that this post covers words starting with the letters a and b. 1. affect / effect These two words have specialized meanings in psychology, but in ordinary speech and writing, affect is most often used as a verb meaning â€Å"to act on or to cause a change† and effect as a noun meaning â€Å"a change that is the result of some action†: How will the move to New Orleans affect the family? (verb) What is the effect of this move on the children? (noun) Note: Effect can also be used as a verb meaning â€Å"to cause† or â€Å"to bring about†: The new mayor has effected positive change in the police department. 2. advice / advise The error with this pair results from mispronunciation and failure to distinguish between a noun and a verb. The c in advice is pronounced with the sound of /s/. The s in advise is pronounced with he sound of /z/. Advice is a noun meaning â€Å"recommendation regarding a decision.† Advise is a verb meaning â€Å"to recommend†: She always gives me good advice. (noun) What do you advise me to do? (verb) 3. aisle / isle Both words are nouns. An aisle is a passageway between rows of seats, shelves, or other fixtures or obstacles that people need to move between. An isle is an island: You’ll find the children in the toy aisle. Robinson Crusoe was stranded on a desert isle. I want a modern kitchen with a work isle in the middle. 4. adverse / averse Both words are adjectives that imply a form of opposition. Something that acts against one’s interests or well-being is adverse. The word averse describes feelings of repugnance towards something: The jury delivered an adverse verdict against the defendant. Ferris Bueller was averse to attending school that morning. 5. amoral / immoral Morals and morality relate to considerations of right or wrong. For anyone who has internalized a code of moral behavior, acting against it is immoral. For example, Macbeth acknowledges that it is wrong for a host to kill his guest, but he and his wife do it anyway. Their murder of Duncan is immoral. When the sharks in Jaws kill people, their behavior is amoral. They don’t feel that it’s wrong to kill a human being. Here are two examples of current uses of amoral: Nature is  amoral. Nature is neither good nor bad. It just is. Mr. David Coleman once said that no one really cares about what a student thinks and feels. What is important is writing and reading information text. Thus, the Common Core is an amoral curriculum. 6. appraise / apprise Appraise means â€Å"to set a value on something.† Apprise means â€Å"to inform†: A new Audemars-Piquet limited-edition womens pocket watch with Swiss movement  appraised at  $13,500. As stated in  Marby, only when it develops that the defendant was not fairly apprised of its consequences can his plea be challenged under the Due Process Clause.    7. aural / oral The adjective aural relates to the ear or to hearing. The adjective oral relates to the mouth or speaking. The study investigates  listening  and aural  experience in a New York City community devoted to avant-garde jazz. A good  oral presentation  is well structured; this makes it easier for the listener to follow. After the accident, Jones required extensive oral surgery. 8. bring / take Both of these verbs have multiple meanings, but as a pair, they form opposites in the context of conveying something from one place to another. Bring is â€Å"to carry along from one place to another.† The word implies motion towards the place where the speaker or auditor is. Take also means â€Å"to carry something to another place,† but the movement is away from a place. The Chicago Manual of Style explains the difference this way: The simple question is, where is the action directed? If it’s toward you, use bring (e. g., bring home the bacon). If it’s away from you, use take (e.g., take out the trash). You take (not bring) your car to the mechanic. 9. bated / baited The error with these words occurs in the idiom â€Å"with bated breath.† The error is to write baited for bated. In the context of the idiom, bated means â€Å"in great suspense.† In another context, baited means â€Å"with bait attached,† as in â€Å"The hook is baited with a worm.† 10. broach / brooch Both words are pronounced the same. Broach is a verb meaning â€Å"to open up.† Literally, one might broach a cask of wine. Figuratively, one might broach a subject in conversation: I sat and waited in the awkward silence, trying to decide if I wanted to  broach the  subject of  his  hesitation  in Belgrave Square. Brooch is a noun. Originally, a brooch was used like a safety pin to fasten clothing together. Those who could afford it wore decorative brooches fashioned of precious metals set with precious stones. No longer essential to secure clothing, a brooch is usually just an ornament pinned to something: Create a choker necklace using a narrow scarf and  flashy brooch. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Signs and Symbols You Should Know"Owing to" vs "Due to"7 Sound Techniques for Effective Writing

Saturday, October 19, 2019

East Asia Politics, South Korea development Essay

East Asia Politics, South Korea development - Essay Example This paper briefly analyses the East Asian miracle focusing mainly on and South Korea based on World Bank report and some articles written by Atul Kohli and Bela Balassa. The 1993 World Bank policy research report states that private domestic investment and rapidly growing human capital were the principal engines of growth in South Korea like East Asian countries. Agricultural growth, population growth rate decline, better educated workforce effective public administrative system and high levels of financial savings also contributed heavily for the growth of this region (A World Bank Policy research report, p.5). South Koreans are hardworking population like most of the other Asian people. They have realized the importance of developing indigenous resources like agriculture for their economic development along with industrialization. They also realized the dangers of population growth and implemented many policies to restrict the population growth. Family planning policies were implemented in order to achieve this objective. World Bank report also mentioned the role of governmental intervention through multi channels, in the development of South Korea like East Asian country’s developments (A World Bank Policy research report, p.5). It is difficult for a country to develop properly if the problem is tackled from one side only. The economy of a country depends on many aspects and it is necessary to address all these aspects correctly in order to boost the economic growth. South Korea adopted a market friendly functional approach for their economic developments. Unlike many other countries they never looked the foreign direct investments suspiciously. They have welcomed and accepted FDI with both hands and formulated specific policies to; subsidize credit for some specific industries, keep the interest rates low, protect

MIS in Local Government Education Centers within East Africa Dissertation

MIS in Local Government Education Centers within East Africa - Dissertation Example The report will also, question, whether the MIS only enforces the administrative managerial role – towards domination and reinforcement of operational power relations. The faltering conclusion is that an MIS, throughout its development and changing attributes, is extolled with the interests and values of the delivery of education services, which is to happen within the operational power structure. Keywords: MIS, Giddens’ structuration theory, Actor-network theory, institutional theory, power relations, organizational practice. Introduction This paper goes over some of the basic considerations from an area study on the progression, as well as usage of an administration info process (MIS) in Department of education, as well as learning institutions in the Town of Arusha, Tanzania. The study question is: Does an artifact like an MIS, when proposed and also put into utilization, contribute to the production of a new practice that makes things achievable, to regulate in an a ssorted and more desirable method the trouble of integration? Or does the MIS system – just enhance the ability of the management control, to prevail over others as well as correctly just reinforce the being present power relations? In this paper I am reviewing these inquiries by focusing on the changes that have developed during the development method. From 1989 to 1993, I worked as an inner expert at the administrative level, at this association. I had studied theoretical literature concerning the way decision processes at the public industry unravel as well as presently I had the chance to experience and contemplate, just what took place in practice. I learned a great deal pertaining to practical organizational complications as well as exactly how they are regulated in this context. I experienced the well recognized, but for me, interested gap in between what transpires in practice and how we believe, act, and write as well as speak when making conclusions.1 Through this p aper, I shall discuss, as well as evaluate such a gap by focusing on a project that has definitely created a computer-based supervision data system. There has actually been a massive gap in between the goals, deals and also activities taken by the management supervision that initiated the venture, as well as what was in fact happening in practice. This paper documents a complicated process with unanticipated troubles and also outcomes. There seems to be a reason in this process that accords with what Scott (1992) has certainly identified a logical view focusing on lucid targets and also the formal organizational framework as the ways to achieve them. This is not interesting in the context of the management level of the company. This level is placed between the grass-roots degree where the solutions are delivered as well as the political level where the formal and also legitimate right to choose is positioned. It belongs to the normative framework that the administrative authority ne eds to cope with issues of performance and also usefulness. From this viewpoint the focus on transparent targets and formalized ways is easy to understand.2 However, it appears that this kind of incorporated rationality is an ideal that has a tendency that constrains all the players. It is an important part of the organizational process and has an impact on what can legitimately be reviewed. This

Friday, October 18, 2019

Health Care Reform in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Care Reform in the United States - Essay Example   I believe that although it would be a great idea to have a good national health care plan where everyone could have care when they needed it, I believe that this may not be possible. As an example, Medicaid spending is already a government paid program and there are many services that it does not provide. If they do not provide it now, there is nothing to say that they will provide these services with the new plan. According to the report by the White House, the Obama plan wants to make sure that everyone has insurance regardless of their health status. This plan will also stop insurance companies from denying people who have pre-existing conditions. The plan will also create tax credits for working people who do not have insurance and those who cannot afford insurance will have a "public health insurance option" so that they can have a better choice of plans (Obama, 2009). The plan will also provide a panel of doctors and other medical experts that will act as an "independent commission" that will be watching what happens with the plan to stop it from being abused and stop fraud from happening (Obama, 2009). According to Zwillich (2009), Americans feel divided on how this plan will work. Zwillich reports on a survey that was done of approximately 2,000 registered voters to see what they thought of the plan. The voters were told some of the pros and cons of the plans before they were asked for their opinions. The results of the survey showed several issues: 1. The first issue was the requirement of requiring everyone to obtain health insurance whether they could afford it or not: 43% were in favor of this and 40% were opposed. Others thought this would raise taxes too far.  

Inclusion of EBD students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inclusion of EBD students - Essay Example Eventually, the United States federal government made numerous legislative changes to address this issue and have helped change public opinion to give special needs students many more advantages. Today the goal of the United States’ special education program is to enable children with special needs to become full members of society. One of the problems that the United States faces with special needs programs is that teachers are not preparing all special needs students as several slip through the cracks of an overburdened system. Students with invisible handicaps have been left behind and pushed aside. For example, students with emotional behavior disorders are not fully included in the school programming. The easiest way to deal with them has been to push them away into specially designed ‘behavior’ classrooms. Lack of funding has prevented many systems from including the kind of real support these students need to help them become successful in the classroom and, in turn, become full members of society. Throughout history the treatment of students with special needs has been troubled with injustice and inappropriate practices. Many special needs students were placed in asylums and institutions. The asylums and institutions of the early 1900’s were replaced with â€Å"special classes† by the 60’s and 70’s where students with disabilities were segregated and labeled. Although these classes were improvement over the asylums, the children in these programs were stigmatized and were given little opportunity to interact with the general population in the schools. These students had little understanding of the social networking necessary for integration into society and therefore had little chance of success. With time, these special classes gradually began to include students with less obvious disabilities. In these classes students were taught by

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Supply Chain of the Video-entertainment Industry Essay

The Supply Chain of the Video-entertainment Industry - Essay Example With revolutionized digital technology, now movies and other shows can be watched on various devices including the traditional television set and even mobile phones. All of this has been made possible due to the fast speed of internet connection through optical fiber cables (â€Å"Fiber to Home†, n.pag.). Television subscribers like Comcast Corp. even offered live TV streaming on mobile phones although they were not able to provide as many shows (Nakashima, n.pag.). The concept of mobile television started even earlier in Japan (â€Å"Desperate Housewives on the Phone†, n.pag.). While the supply chain of the video-entertainment industry is not entirely digital, the development of online video services for television such as that by Intel (Ramachandran & Sharma, n.pag.) shows proves to be a threat for television subscribers as this development may provide faster digital delivery. What segment of the supply chain has the largest sunk costs? It could be said that the HDTV (high definition television) segment of the video-entertainment industry has incurred a great sunk cost due to the arrival of high internet speeds and mobile television in the recent years. The demand for video on-demand via Netflix, Hulu.com, and other providers is increasing slowly but steadily. Even Intel has arrived on the scene with an online television streaming service. The television pay services have ranked in the bottom having an American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) of 68 (Donner, n.pag.). Therefore, as internet connections keep getting faster due to gigabit-per-second connections (â€Å"Fiber to Home†, n.pag.), it is likely that demands for online television streaming may increase. Had the FTC not stepped in the IE-Netscape case, would have Window’s market power ?been challenged by Netscape? Why or why not? Indeed, Window’s market power would have been challenged by Netscape Communications of its monopolistic practices that promote a non-compet itive economic environment. The investigation done by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) allowed the legal workers of the Justice Department to find out evidence regarding Netscape’s claims of Windows trying to dominate the market by distributing its web browser Internet Explorer as part of the operating system (â€Å"Play nicely, or not at all†, n.pag.). The FTC intervened with a legal investigation that might allow other Windows competitors like Sun Microsystems and others to file antitrust lawsuits claiming that Windows has monopolized the market. It could also be that If you are AT&T, how do you become the most dominant player in the industry? Although television sets are popular among Americans, television pay subscribing companies like AT&T rank really low in the ACSI. In order to become a key player in the industry, AT&T should positively take up opportunities present in the external environment. Also, it should come up with new ideas that cater to the needs and demands of its consumers rather than ignoring them. It should focus on improving the quality of its services so as to retain its customers. Also, more options should be considered as the environment provides various opportunities to counter its competitors, mainly online video streaming companies like Netflix and Hulu.com, so as to build its market shares and have satisfied customers. If you are Hulu, how do you become the most dominant player in the industry? Hulu could improve its position in the market and be a dominant player by increasing its database of movies and shows to provide streaming of television programs so that its customers can have a similar show-watching experience as that provided by a traditional pay subscription. The

Owner Controlled Insurance Programs versus Traditional Insurance Term Paper

Owner Controlled Insurance Programs versus Traditional Insurance Programs - Term Paper Example It is purchased by construction owner for the benefit of builders or contractors engaged with the project, which includes compensation of workers, general liability, pollution liability, builders risk and professional liability among others. OCIP is a comparatively new vehicle in insurance sector for residential projects. Due to rapid growth of defective constructive designs, these policies are becoming highly popular among the builders and the contractors (Grenier, 2001). The study is mainly based on the analysis of OCIP versus Traditional insurance programs. Both the insurance policies play vital roles in the construction sector but OCIP provides advanced reliability than traditional insurance policies, as OCIP wraps up multiple policies provided by the owner to the contractors or the developers in a project including the facilities which are not supported in traditional insurance policies. Risks Associated with OCIP OCIP is commonly known as Wrap-Up Policy in United States. Both the OCIP and traditional policies were developed in 1950’s. The difference between the owner controlled insurance program and traditional insurance program lies with those who procure the policy. In OCIP, an individual party purchases insurance policies for all contractors involved in the project but in case of traditional insurance program, it is not applicable (Olson, 2006).... Although OCIP provides numerous benefits, there are various risks associated with it both for owners as well as contractors which are stated below: Risk of Owners The risk can be identified through various factors including administrative burden which signifies that if OCIP is not managed accurately, it can provide huge administrative load on the contractors. Subsequently, the liability of the construction owners is also likely to increase. OCIPs are useful mainly in large projects, small construction owners are deprived from the facilities of this policy. The small contractors of United States have been witnessed at times to prefer acquiring higher limits of insurances than that provided by owners which can place a negative impact on the contractors (Gibson, 2006). There is always a market risk associated with every program. The market risk signifies that if the market of insurance hardens, there is a possibility of financial risk which can result in increase of premium cost. Bid Pr eparation aspect signifies that there are certain additional costs involved in it, such as retention of a risk consultant, a complete study of advantages and disadvantages of OCIP, submission of proposals and detail interviews (Taylor, 2011). Risk of Contractors The risk of the contractors can also be observed by certain significant factors. For example, limited insurance coverage is one of the vital aspects which focuses on the limitations in the insurance policies provided through OCIP to contractors. This acts as a barrier which the contractors have to face in this policy. Further, is the complicated bidding which highlights on the view that if bidding is done with the contractors of the United States, the insurance also gets included. The contractors would not be able to recover

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Supply Chain of the Video-entertainment Industry Essay

The Supply Chain of the Video-entertainment Industry - Essay Example With revolutionized digital technology, now movies and other shows can be watched on various devices including the traditional television set and even mobile phones. All of this has been made possible due to the fast speed of internet connection through optical fiber cables (â€Å"Fiber to Home†, n.pag.). Television subscribers like Comcast Corp. even offered live TV streaming on mobile phones although they were not able to provide as many shows (Nakashima, n.pag.). The concept of mobile television started even earlier in Japan (â€Å"Desperate Housewives on the Phone†, n.pag.). While the supply chain of the video-entertainment industry is not entirely digital, the development of online video services for television such as that by Intel (Ramachandran & Sharma, n.pag.) shows proves to be a threat for television subscribers as this development may provide faster digital delivery. What segment of the supply chain has the largest sunk costs? It could be said that the HDTV (high definition television) segment of the video-entertainment industry has incurred a great sunk cost due to the arrival of high internet speeds and mobile television in the recent years. The demand for video on-demand via Netflix, Hulu.com, and other providers is increasing slowly but steadily. Even Intel has arrived on the scene with an online television streaming service. The television pay services have ranked in the bottom having an American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) of 68 (Donner, n.pag.). Therefore, as internet connections keep getting faster due to gigabit-per-second connections (â€Å"Fiber to Home†, n.pag.), it is likely that demands for online television streaming may increase. Had the FTC not stepped in the IE-Netscape case, would have Window’s market power ?been challenged by Netscape? Why or why not? Indeed, Window’s market power would have been challenged by Netscape Communications of its monopolistic practices that promote a non-compet itive economic environment. The investigation done by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) allowed the legal workers of the Justice Department to find out evidence regarding Netscape’s claims of Windows trying to dominate the market by distributing its web browser Internet Explorer as part of the operating system (â€Å"Play nicely, or not at all†, n.pag.). The FTC intervened with a legal investigation that might allow other Windows competitors like Sun Microsystems and others to file antitrust lawsuits claiming that Windows has monopolized the market. It could also be that If you are AT&T, how do you become the most dominant player in the industry? Although television sets are popular among Americans, television pay subscribing companies like AT&T rank really low in the ACSI. In order to become a key player in the industry, AT&T should positively take up opportunities present in the external environment. Also, it should come up with new ideas that cater to the needs and demands of its consumers rather than ignoring them. It should focus on improving the quality of its services so as to retain its customers. Also, more options should be considered as the environment provides various opportunities to counter its competitors, mainly online video streaming companies like Netflix and Hulu.com, so as to build its market shares and have satisfied customers. If you are Hulu, how do you become the most dominant player in the industry? Hulu could improve its position in the market and be a dominant player by increasing its database of movies and shows to provide streaming of television programs so that its customers can have a similar show-watching experience as that provided by a traditional pay subscription. The

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Impact of social media on management of information systems Research Paper

Impact of social media on management of information systems - Research Paper Example Social media has a great impact on management of information system because it allows easy gathering of knowledge and gives a connection between image, text and video. Social media is practically changing the way we communicate and it has transformed the information technology of business within and outside the company boundaries. Social media has been integral to finance and human resource management and for the understanding of consumer preferences, peer to peer marketing and demand prediction. The management of information system is an important function in an organization as it collect and process many data relevant to a business. Management of information system has achieved great height due to many social media like face book, Twitter and Linked In. The business management and consumer and suppliers have become more interactive and responsive. Social media is an interactive platform and allow input and output of data along with smooth communication. Social media has a large role to play in management of information sytem. Social media is the interaction on a virtual platform where people create, share or exchange information. The different social media like Face book, Twitter and Linked In have been the best informative sites since technology has ever created. As per (Daniel) â€Å"Media is an instrument on communication, like a newspaper or a radio, so social media would be a social instrument of communication†. Now social media has specific importance in every sphere of life especially in the business world. Since globalization, social media has become more and more significant as it is medium through which people in various countries communicate and share information. Social media is of so much importance because of its reach, quality, frequency usability and performance. Social Medias can be internet forums, social network sites, blogs, and content communities. The most famous social media like Face book, Twitter, You Tube and Linked In has

Monday, October 14, 2019

Toyota Hr Policies Essay Example for Free

Toyota Hr Policies Essay INTRODUCTION Toyota is one of the worlds largest automobile manufacturers, selling over 8.8 million models in 2006 on all five continents. A Top 10 Fortune Global 500 enterprise, Toyota ranks among the worlds leading global corporations and is proud to be the most admired automaker, an achievement the company believes stems from its dedication to customer satisfaction. Toyota has been shaped by a set of values and principles that have their roots in the companys formative years in Japan. The Toyota story begins in the late 19th century, when Sakichi Toyoda invented Japan’s first power loom, which was to revolutionize the country’s textile industry. In January 1918, Sakichi founded the Toyoda Spinning Weaving Company, and with the help of his son, Kiichiro Toyoda, he fulfilled his lifelong dream of building an automatic loom in 1924. Two years later, he established Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. Like his father, Kiichiro was an innovator, and during his visits to Europe and the U.S. in the 1920s, he became deeply interested in the nascent automotive industry. Making the most of the  £100,000 that Sakichi Toyoda received for selling the patent rights of his automatic loom, Kiichiro laid the foundations of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), which was established in 1937. From looms to cars, the Toyota experience has been shaped by extending the boundaries of manufacturing. GENERAL HR POLICIES The Toyota company-wide culture is the key ingredient in its success as the global leader in operational excellence. They achieved by the following means * Attracting, developing, and engaging exceptional people * Encouraging problem solving at all levels of your organization * Making management accountable to employees * Inspiring your people to be committed to the company, family, and community * Turning your HR department into the arbitrators of fair and consistent daily practices DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPURTUNITY 1. Toward Promotion of Womens ParticipationIn 2002, based on the principle of respecting diversity and with the aim of reforming management throughout the company, Toyota set its sights on womens participation, reviewing its arrangement with regard to female employees, and taking steps to put a better environment in place. In order to promote the creation of an environment more conducive to participation by motivated female employees, Toyota has made a three-pronged effort to: * Help enable women to work and raise children at the same time; * Assist in womens career building, * Reform the working environment and employee awareness. Toyota has also introduced flexible working arrangements and constructed child-care facilities at business sites. 2. EMPLOYMENT FOR DISABLED PERSONAs of March 2003, Toyota employed about 800 disabled people in many kinds of positions at various workplaces. Toyota believes in helping the disabled achieve autonomy within society, and makes it a basic rule to have them work together with other employees. Human consideration is given to the conditions of their disability at the business sites and ways are devised to accommodate them in workplace facilities so as to create a workplace environment that is safe and easy to work in. As of the end of March 2003, Toyotas disabled employee’s ratio was 1.95%, exceeding the 1.8% Legal Employment Quota.| 3. TOYOTA CHILD CARE BUBU LANDIn March 2003, the Toyota Child Care Bubu Land, an on-site childcare facility (in Toyota City, Head Office area), was opened so that all employees, both male and female, who wished to continue working while raising children could do so without worry. The facility has many useful features, which include having a resident nurse on the staff and staying open until 10:30 pm. One female employee using the facility (with a one-year-old child in care) expressed her sentiments in the following way: Its located at the company, so drop-off and pick-up are easy, and I can continue working without having to worry if extra work should suddenly crop up. PRACTICE OF THE TOYOTA WAY| Toyota Way| Values and ways of thinking that should be held by those working for Toyota| Toyota problem-solving techniques| Techniques for improving current conditions in order to realize ideal working conditions| Ji Kotei-Kanketsu (Built-in quality with ownership)| How to work in order to continually produce the best output| Education of subordinates| Systems for training subordinates through ones daily work| Policy management| Managing implementation items that should be initiated in order to accomplish workplace missions and create new value| Basic skills| Minimum skills necessary for production line work| Production skills| * Knowledge regarding recognizing irregularities and work points * Trouble-shooting capability| Skills and Roles of Management and Supervision| * Manager and supervisor skills for soundly managing standard operations * | | ICT PROGRAM FOR SELF-RELIANCE OF AFFILIATES AND CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL COMMUNITIESIn order to promote self-reliance in overseas affiliates, the ICT (Intra Company Transferee) program temporarily transfers employees of overseas affiliates to TMC for human resource development through on-the-job training. Transferees learn skills and know-how throughout their training periods which range from six months to three years. As of the end of April 2012, a total of 450 transferees from 48 affiliates in 27 countries were working in Japan under the program| |

Sunday, October 13, 2019

A Students Observations on Three Consumer Electronics Websites :: Sell Websites Buy Web Sites

A Student's Observations on Three Consumer Electronics Websites In today’s world of technology, electronics have become an essential part of our lives. With the advances in technology and communication systems, the sizes of integrated circuits or chips decrease every year, which in turn make the electronics smaller, more reliable and more powerful. In addition, due to the economic crisis, customers’ demands are becoming more crucial. They prefer cheaper products with better functions which consume less power. Therefore, it is useful to evaluate those websites in the market that will lead us to a better idea of how to choose better and cheaper products. The evaluation of these websites will be based on user friendliness, the organization and layout of the websites, contents, and how effective the site is at conveying the information it is trying to present. The three websites that I will be evaluating are www.cnet.com, www.buy.com and www.amazon.com First of all, cnet.com is evaluated. Most consumers are concerned with the duration it takes to load the website. The consumer will be frustrated if the website takes a long time to load. Although cnet.com is loaded with pictures, information and links on the webpage, the loading of the webpage is instantaneous. Furthermore, cnet.com is a very informative and user friendly website. The main page of cnet.com provides information on new products release and many safety precautions while using electronic equipments. The content of cnet.com is large; the consumers are able to find many electronic products, such as notebooks, desktops, television, digital cameras, peripherals, handheld and home videos on cnet.com. In addition, this website also provides customer reviews, specifications and the manufacturer of a certain electronic product. For example, if you are buying digital cameras products, you can simply click on the digital camera link and you will be directed to an option page. In this option page, the consumer will then choose the desired price range, the manufacturers and the resolution. After choosing a particular manufacturer, you will be forwarded to a page where the website will compare the price of the chosen digital cameras with other digital cameras of the same functionality and requirements. The best price will be highlighted. Customer reviews about a certain product and its manufacturer are provided. Therefore, the consumer will not need to worry about the reliability of a certain product of an unknown manufacturer.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Chushingura :: essays research papers

In the play Chushingura, retainers have the highest respect for their masters. Retainers in this play will fight to the death to honor their masters. Loyalty is expected of each retainer even if the samurai must disturb public order to honor their master’s name. Enya’s retainers stay loyal to him even after his death. Forty-seven men swore to revenge their master’s death, risking their lives and disturbing public order. Even when a retainer fails his duty, he will seppuku so to die honorable for his failure. For example, Kampei believes he has shot his father in law because of the bag of gold the mistress described that Yoichibei was carrying. In reality Kamei shot Yoichibei’s killer, but ironically Kampei believes he has shot Yoichibei himself. Kampei seppuku’s for a horrible crime that he unknowingly didn’t commit because it was so dishonorable to him. Suicide was his only way to die with any honor. Kampei portrayed so much loyalty for his family that when he believes he has failed, he commits suicide. Kampei is allowed to join the attack on Moronao after the retainers see his loyalty to his family. Enya, on his deathbed, tells Yuranosuke to avenge his death. Now it is Yuranosuke’s duty to ful fill his master’s request. Enya’s loyal retainers form a group of forty-seven men and conspire to kill Moronao to honor their master. The retainers wear black and white coats that symbolize unfailing loyalty when they invade Moronao’s compound and behead him. Samurai’s have a duty to be loyal and fulfill the request of his master. Justice is a theme that the play implies about the samurai. Throughout the play Moronao insulted people, so in the ending, Enya’s retainers serve justice. For example, Moronao insults Wakasanosuke because lady Kaoyo turns him down. Wakasanosuke plans to kill him and is ready to

Friday, October 11, 2019

Explain key influences on personal learning processes

Learners must complete 100 hours work experience s a requirement of this unit. Unit introduction Initially, learners will explore factors that affect learning, then plan and monitor their personal and professional development and reflect on it. They will gain a key understanding of the health and social care sectors, including aspects of service delivery and the fundamentals of research methodology. Learners will consider their personal and professional development holistically, linking different units within their programmes and also their personal experiences.This unit explores the different ways in which learning can take place and how earning from individual experiences can be used to enhance the quality of knowledge, skills and practice. Learners will explore concepts of learning and relate these to their preferred learning styles and other factors that influence their learning. Learners will initially consider their knowledge, skills, practice, values and beliefs in relation to working in health and social care. They will then draw up a personal plan personal abilities, goals and career aspirations.Learners will review their progress against these plans at intervals throughout the programme, adjusting them as appropriate to changing circumstances. They will develop the ability to draw on a range of sources of information to assess their personal and professional development, including their vocational experience and other relevant experiences such as their formal study, employment and/or voluntary activity. The unit introduces learners to health and social care service provision and research methodology, both of which can be extended in other units within the programme.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Development as a second language teacher

Teaching a second language means teaching a language to learners who are not originally natives to that language. This form of instruction can either be carried out in the learner’s own nation either within the public school system or privately for instance in a part time language school or with a private tutor. The teachers can either be native or non-native speakers of the language. Teaching techniques Reading There is an increasing popularity in teaching that uses literature targeting the young children and teenagers.Teenager oriented literature provides simpler resources especially the reading material printed by major publishers and mostly gives a more comprehensive method than the one found in the adult literature (Tarone et al, 2009). Communicative language teaching Communicative language (CLT) concentrates on interaction as both a technique and an objective of learning a second language. The method is also described as the communicative approach to the instruction of f oreign languages or the communicative method.CLT is often found to be a response to the audio-lingual method (ALM) and a complementation or advancement of the notional-functional syllabus (Tarone et al, 2009). Blended learning Blended learning is an arrangement that incorporates both classroom teaching and online interactions and is also called CALL or computer-guided language learning which is realized through a virtual learning environment. Input and input processing Input and input processing are major components of developing a second language or second language acquisition.The term input describes all the information that the learner actually processes from the information offered to them. It is not possible to acquire second language without input and input processing. Acquisition models vary in the kind of input which is found to be the most significant factor to second language acquisition. Induction models view acquisition as a product from informal message-centered input w hile instructional models view formal instruction as a significant component of second language acquisition.Any of the acquisition models recognizes the direct relationship between language input which the students are exposed to and the language output they deliver. When input is offered by interaction in natural environment learners concentrate majorly on trying to comprehend and produce a message and end up acquiring the second language as a coincidence. Conversely, if learners emphasize on the language itself, they pick the language intentionally. The above analysis of input however suggests that input is always available to the learners whether in their conscious state or otherwise.Though the intention to learn is not vital to the learning process, attention to the input is essential to begin processing the input in order to acquire or develop the second language (Tarone et al, 2009). Social cultural perspective in language learning A social cultural viewpoint in language learn ing is based on theoretical assumptions and empirical investigation of learning acquired from different fields including human development, linguistic anthropology and social theory.According to this viewpoint, language development starts with an individual’s social world which encompasses a diverse mix of regularly appearing goal-oriented intellectual as well as practical activities. Through the learner’s direct involvement in the activities as well as transformations in the learner’s life, the structural components of language are acquired together with communicative intentions and particular perspectives of the language. It is though ultimate internalization of self-regulation of the particular methods of achievement of success in the activities that characterizes growth in language acquisition.From this view point, learning is regarded as the process of altering the patterns of participating in particular social practices among the communities as opposed to internal assimilation of structural features of language structures. Since schools are significant social setups, the activities constituting their classrooms are regarded as fundamental sites of learning a second language (Tarone et al, 2009). Classroom interaction Classroom interaction is a method in which learning is achieved in classrooms.In language classrooms, interaction assumes a significant role in language acquisition in that it’s both a medium of language acquisition as well as an object of educational attention. By interacting with each other, learners and teachers form a common body of knowledge. They also establish mutual understanding of their functions and relationships and the values and anticipations of their participation as members in the classrooms. This implies that through interactions, learners and teachers socialize into specific understanding of what constitutes the formal curriculum.The forms of interactions also assist in describing the values by w hich individual learners achieve their targets (Duff, 2000). Peer-to-peer dialogue in language acquisition In mutual dialogue, learners share ideas to solve linguistic challenges and/or construct language or ay information about language. Language mediates this activity as cognitive equipment to process and control meaning formulation and also as a social equipment to convey information to others. This implies that any word spoken can be viewed as both a process as well as a product.Peer-to-peer dialogue is important in all the four skills acquired in second language development, that is, reading, writing, speaking as well as listening. Peer-to-peer dialogue can thus be considered as a mediator to second language learning (Oxford, 1993). Value of reflection and reflective teaching Reflection or critical reflection describes an activity or procedure whereby an experience is remembered, considered and assessed normally in regard to a wider purpose.It is a reaction to past experiences and entails conscious recall and assessment of the experience as a basis for valuation and decision making and a directive for planning and plan execution. Reflective teaching has various approaches which include study of oneself and others, group teaching and exploring ones perspective of instructing through writing. In spite of the approach chosen, three parts that are a component of the method include: the event, recollection of the event and review and reaction to the event (Abbott, 2000). Errors and error correctionLearning of a second language involves Errors and error correction. Error analysts differentiate between errors, which are logical, and mistakes, which are not. They are concerned with identification of errors in the acquisition of second languages. An error can be categorized as a basic error, covert errors, overt errors or domain. They can also be classified on the basis of the level of the language. The classification of an error is very important since its correc tion is possible if it is positively identified (Corder, 2001). Qualities of a good second language teacherA good second language teacher is a pre-requisite to the learning of a second language. A good and qualified teacher will motivate the learners by making the lessons more interesting and educational. A good second language teacher should have the appropriate qualification and education. For instance, it is not obvious that a person whose native language is English is necessarily capable of teaching English. Teaching the language requires special training to equip the tutor with the necessary skills appropriate for teaching the language.Qualified tutors should have a firm knowledge of linguistics, language skills and the modern teaching methodologies and theories. The tutors should consistently keep themselves updated, for instance, by extensive or wide reading and participating in language conferences (Tarone & Swierzbin, 2009). Dedication and sense of humor A good second langu age teacher should have a passion for teaching and should be dedicated to the teaching career. The tutor should teach with the intention of making a difference in the learner and assist them to learn.A good second language teacher should not be solely be motivated by money but should have the inner motivation to teach and help. Motivation by money would imply that the tutor is more interested with acquiring money rather than the needs of the learners. The teacher should possess a good sense of humor. Such a teacher will be able to make the learning enjoyable and fun (Tarone & Swierzbin, 2009) Four skills in second language acquisition Listening Listening is the language skill which students mostly find the most difficult to comprehend. This is as a result of the students’ feeling that they not compelled to learn every word.To realize their objectives in relation to this skill, the tutor plays a significant role that is described by the following steps: first, it is necessary to assist all the learners prepare for the listening task properly before the text is introduced to them. It is therefore necessary for the tutor to make certain that the learners comprehend the language they require to finish the task and are fully informed of their expectations in the course. The learners need to be reassured that it is not necessary that they comprehend every word but most of the words especially the common ones.The next significant step is to encourage the learners to anticipate the words they would hear. In real life, the condition, the speaker, and the image clues all assist everyone to decipher oral messages (Duff, 2000). Speaking In teaching the speaking skill, the tutor must take into consideration that the language input used in the instructional process is higher than the level of the language production anticipated from the learners. Learners especially those in primary schools should be exposed to several speaking activities to enable them participate w ith little verbal response.At higher levels however, learners are motivated to start to manipulate language and convey themselves in a clearer and more personal means. In the primary school for instance, the two major speaking activities utilized are: songs, chants, and poems to encourage learners to imitate the model they hear on the cassette. Other activities are the game and pair work activities which should at all times emphasize on a particular model. These motivate the learners to start to manipulate the language by exposing them to certain amount of choice, although within a supposedly controlled situation (Duff, 2000).Reading In order to make reading a relaxed and interesting activity as opposed to a boring and tedious duty, it is significant to ensure that the learners do not struggle to read every word they come across, whether they are skimming for the wording for general meaning or scanning it to look for particular information. At this point, the teachers should select texts while considering the difficulty level. They should also consider the interest of the learners as well as their humor so that the learners are encouraged to read as they would do with their native language.The selected texts should be motivating enough to keep the learners entertained as well anxious to read and learn more of the language. As far as the listening activities are concerned, it is significant to invest more time preparing for the tasks by utilizing illustrations (Duff, 2000). Writing In the lower levels, EFL learners progress from writing secluded words and phrases, to short paragraphs about some specific topics or very common topics like family, home, and hobbies and friends. Since most of the learners at this level are unable to either linguistically or intellectually create written text from the start.The writing activities mainly show towards the end of a course to enable the learners have adequate exposure to the language and practice of the major structures and vocabulary they require. At this point, the learners work will invariably contain errors. The teacher should be more sensitive in the correction process and not focus much on every error that is identified. A piece of written work that is full of correction work is de-motivating and usually counter-productive. In as much as possible the learners should be encouraged to make corrections in their own work (Duff, 2000).Difficulties to the learners Language instructing practice often presumes that most of the difficulties that students encounter while learning the language are as a result of the level to which their native language varies from the second language.. An indigenous speaker of Chinese may for instance encounter more difficulties than an indigenous speaker of German, because German is closely related to English more than Chinese is. This may also apply to individuals of any first language intending to study any other language.Language learners commonly make mistakes esp ecially syntax and pronunciation mistakes due to the influence of their first language like mapping its grammatical structure inappropriately onto the second language, pronouncing certain sounds wrongly or with difficulty and confusing certain aspects of the vocabulary, referred to as false friends. This is known as first language transfer or language interference (Richards & Renandya, 2002). Conclusion A good second language instructor is a significant factor when learners are studying a second language.It has generally been agreed that great tutors are those that still recall what it was to be a learner and treat the learners as equals. When teaching a second language, the tutor must establish an open, free and close relationship with each of the learners and motivate the quieter ones or the slow ones to gather enough confident and courage. The teacher should have enough patience and appreciation and an understanding that everyone can make mistakes. Being in a position to teach a second language is the most rewarding job since it involves assisting learners to advance and communicate abroad (Richards & Renandya, 2002). References Abbott, M. (2000). Identifying reliable generalizations for spelling words: The importance of   Ã‚   multilevel analysis. The Elementary School Journal 101(2), 233-245 Corder, S. P. (2001). The significance of learners' errors. International Review of Applied   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Linguistics, 5, 160-170. Duff, P. (2000). Repetition in foreign language classroom interaction. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Oxford, R. (1993).Research on second language learning strategies. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 13:175-187 Richards, J. C. & Renandya, W. A. (2002). Methodology in language teaching: an anthology of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   current practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Tarone, E., Bigelow, M. & Hansen, K. (2009). Literacy and Second Language Oracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press Tarone, E., & Swierzbin, B. (2009). Exploring Learner Language. Oxford: Oxford University    Press

Practical Criticism of the Poem Futility by Wilfred Owen Essay

The poem begins with an order â€Å"move him into the sun†. The persona seems to be desperate to move someone under the sun. The second line talks about the beginning of life when the rays of the sun must have touched the delicate body of the person as a baby. The following words â€Å"field unsown† refers to immaturity, incomplete life or a half grown state. It acts as a metaphor on the cycle of life. The persona continues to speak about the regular behavior of the person. He seemed to have been acquainted with the sun and life as well â€Å"until this morning† The words act as symbols of contrasts. Whereas the morning and the sun act as symbols of life, snow refers to death and gloom. The last two lines of the first stanza refer to sun as an elderly figure. It is significant through the words â€Å"pld sun†. In the second stanza, the persona talks about the strength of sun. While the sun once brought life to the cold barren earth, it appears unacceptable to the persona that the same sun cannot bring life in the lifeless young soldier. The persona directs the reader towards war and its consequences. He tells the reader that the soldier is still warm. He feels helpless to see the wrecked state of a human being who bears no significance after his death. He is sad at his condition. The reference made to the Genesis and the creation of man from the clay can be seen in the fifth line of the second stanza. He complains that was it for this day that the human being grew up having been created by the Lord himself. The poem is an epitaph considering its style of construction. A melancholic and bitter tone is being carried out. a person , most probably a soldier is a young lad lies in battle field in a half dead condition. The themes such as the brutality of life and the pitiable consequences of war can be observed through the lines. In a nutshell the poem appears an intellectual criticism of war and its horrific consequences.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Problems with instrumental variables estimation when the correlation Essay

Problems with instrumental variables estimation when the correlation between the instruments and the endogenous explanatory variable is weak - Essay Example To be able to understand the dynamics of a problem it is important to begin with determining the number of variables involved and the relationship between each variable and the problem. It is also important to understand how the involved variables affect each other or one another. The attempt of various researchers to understand the existing relationship has been unsuccessful under non-experimental scenery (Bound, Jaeger & Baker 443). The reason for the failure is the fact that some of the variables are endogenous. In other words, the variables are subject to the same factors that influence the research problem. The endogeniety trait of variables makes the ordinary least square biased and inconsistent therefore, making the research conclusion unreliable. Fortunately, there is a method of reducing the influence of variable endogeneity on research outcome has been determined. The method involves the use of an instrumental variable estimation. However, the method also experiences some problems. First, insufficient explanation of the variation of the endogenous explanatory variables. This could increase the error standard thus invalidates the research outcome. Secondly, the approximated limited samples are biased in the same magnitude as OLS when the coefficient of determination, (R2), between the instrument and the variables diminishes (Bound, Jaeger & Baker 443) To conclude, the problems with instrumental variable estimation are insufficient explanation in the deviation of the endogenous variables and the biases of finite samples when the R2 between the instrument and the variables decreases to zero. Bound, John, David A. Jaeger and Regina M. Baker. â€Å"Problems with Instrumental Variables Estimation when the Correlation between the Instruments and the Endogenous.† Journal of The American Statistical Association 90.430 (1995): 443.

Monday, October 7, 2019

Marketing planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing planning - Essay Example The time when company started its business, only 20 smoothies were sold and this figure has increased up to 420,479 smoothies’ everyday which is a considerable achievement. Increasing sales, revenues and consumption of smoothies indicate that the quality of products offered by the company has been remarkable because of which Innocent Drinks is able to achieve a lot. Products offered by the company are made up of natural fruits and the quality management team makes sure that the fruits are fresh so that the quality of the products is maintained. Product life cycle is defined as the stage of the product as the life of the product increases, it moves from growth stage to maturity stage and then it starts declining (Kotler, 2009). Smoothies are at present during the growth stage of product lifecycle (Innocent). Products offered by Innocent Drinks are also at present in the growth stage and the increasing demand of smoothies represents further growth of the product. As the products offered by the company are still growing and generating substantial amount of revenues for Innocent Drinks. The market as well as the company is growing at the moment however major portion of the industry has been captured by Innocent Drinks with approximately 71% of the total market share. At a time when the market growth rate would decline, then Innocent Drinks can be considered as cash cow. Perceptual mapping shows that the products offered by Innocent Drinks are considered as of high quality and at the same time the prices of these products are believed to be relatively higher than the prices of competitors. Although some competitors are offering it at a lower price, but then the quality of products offered by these competitors is a question mark thus Innocent Drink is able to provide quality products at a relatively higher price. According to Ansoff Matrix the

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Final Exam Essay Questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final Exam Questions - Essay Example Recycling helps industries in two ways. First, it helps in making used products usable again and secondly, it helps in the development of new products using the raw material of the recycled used products. Companies need raw material to develop new products. If the process of recycling is stopped for some time, it will affect the product manufacturing processes adversely because in nature, the availability ratio of these materials is already decreasing with every passing day. If recycling is stopped, the raw material will definitely end before time because raw material from recycled products covers a large percentage of the overall raw material being provided to the companies for product development. The process of recycling produces a number of benefits for companies and for the whole environment. Some of which include reduced waste, improved environment, reduced use of energy as recycling of products takes less energy than processing raw material, and reduced pollution. In industrial product design phase, degradability and recycling of waste products help companies in reducing the cost of the product as they do not have to buy expensive raw material from suppliers which eventually increases the overall cost of the product. Recycling of products can help companies in increasing the level of production while decreasing the level of cost associated with product manufacturing. Along with decreasing the cost of product manufacturing, recycling also reduces the amount of energy required to design the products, as companies do not have to bring raw material from distant locations. Moreover, recycling also reduces the time required to manufacture products as companies do not have to arrange virgin materials from outside sources, rather they can use recycling to develop products which helps in reducing the overall duration of product manufacturing. If we talk about the role of economic cost during design phase, we can say that economic cost

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Translation Issues 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Translation Issues 1 - Essay Example But the transmission of the correct information from the source language and its expression in the target language, to a great extent, pivots on the good command of lexical relations of the both of the languages, as they assist the translators to decode the meaning of a text properly. It is also unquestionably true that when the intention and goal of the author behind the original text and its aesthetic purpose are taken into concerns, the task turns into a form of art that is intended to attain the highest possible level of excellence. This paramount importance of the knowledge of lexical relationships of words in a linguistic system is mainly due to the fact that words convey different connotations and denotations in different lexical positions of words in a sentence, therefore utterly changing the meaning of the words. As in most cases a translator has to perform text analysis, semantic explorations, other meaning related investigations of the languages, an in-depth analysis of th ese languages helps greatly. Qualities of a good translation have been assessed by different scholars in different ways. But the web of relations of the words in a sentence and even in whole of the text is important for all of the good qualities of a successful translation. A translation has certain qualities for which it can be marked as a good translation. Scholars have suggested some factors that are to be maintained for the sake of good translation. According to the French scholar Dolet, â€Å"word for word† translation is detrimental for a good translation. Such type of translation may spoil the beauty of both of the content and the forms of the text. It is because that every language has its own sets of words that are especially unique in nature and consequently they have certain annotations and connotations and are interrelated through several lexical relations with the assigned meaning. Very often these

Friday, October 4, 2019

Impact of modern Western social Evolutionism Essay

Impact of modern Western social Evolutionism - Essay Example Even after Buddhism stopped to be the key religion of India, there was prolonged influence of development of material culture in china. Majority of the Buddhist scriptures and philosophers eliminated the existence with great enthusiasm and anxiety. The believers embraced the existing objects and doctrines as a way of expressing their religious beliefs. Majority of the Chinese in the communities tended to reject the roles which seemed to be indifferent (Morreall, John, and Tamara 32). Buddhism was preferable as it was antithetical to Daoism, which was the main religion in China. The major difference was the fact that Daoism started and inculcated harmony while Buddhism was aimed at mastering the internal world. The Chinese aspect was diverse from the religion of the Central Asian travelers and their religions. Concepts such as monasticism and personal spiritual enlighten directly contradicted the Confucian ethics that governed the family and emperors. The Chinese officials questioned how the monk’s personal attainment benefited the empire at whole. Buddhism has transformed into a system that exists and is advantageous among the Chinese way of life. Hence, the Indian sutras have managed to advocate for the filial piety which makes up the main text of china’s monarchial system (Morreall, John, and Tamara 41).... The Red River Delta was used as efficient impede due to the successful trade of the Chinese millennium. There were numerous goods and ideas that were brought by the Vietnamese. Buddhism was brought from India, and during most of the periods a lot of people embraced Buddhism and adopted the indigenous religions and world values. As the Red River Delta thrived, the population began to grow southwards towards the narrow coastal regions (Morreall, John, and Tamara 46). The Vietnamese settlers flooded into the untilled lands and turned them into rice plantations. The inability of ruling the Le dynasty or deal with other predicaments resulted to the partitioning of the country by nobility in the sixteenth century. The Chinese constructed roads and harbors where the government derived their revenue through the public works project to facilitate the administration of new territories. Agriculture was enhanced through the advancement of irrigation methods and the use of plough and animals, the se innovations had been noticed among the Vietnamese who had practiced in a lower scale. When new lands were initiated for agriculture, majority of the Chinese settlers eventually intermarried with the Vietnamese and together they formed and settled on their homeland. During the first and second centuries, there was the rise of the Han Viet class that conveyed large portions of rice plantations (Morreall, John, and Tamara 51). The Vietnamese had settled in China and adopted their society and languages. The Chinese vocabulary and practical words were used in their new generation and culture. During the second A.D, there occurred a rebellion that was a result of the

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Human Resources Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Management Essay There exist major differences between the Brunei HRM compared to HRM in the western world. In the western world, the governments are mainly democratic. The business or the private sector is not in any way under the direction of the government or an individual. However, the Brunei government is a monarchy where the Sultan is the absolute decision maker both for the private and public sector. Given the differences in the political system, these changes are bound to affect the practices that HRM adapts in either country (Pieper, 1990). However, the differences are not just political; there exist major cultural differences between the western countries and that of Brunei. As previously established, the culture in a country manifests itself in the HR practices. Although the Brunei system is open to some extent, it cannot compare to the level of openness that is practiced in the western world. The Brunei system is one where superiors are held in awe, and their word is final. However, the HRM practice in the west is such that there is a lot of decentralization of power to individuals and to institutions. There are no powerful superiors, and thus the supervisor is almost the equal to the employee. The hiring and firing are also very controlled since employees have unions which are very powerful. In the public sector, the Brunei HRM policies are guided by the circulars from the Sultan. However, western governments public bodies have pre-designed HRM policies. The policies are either set by the board, or the HR manager in consultation with the CEO. Each public body is established through legislation. In the West, the government or the head of state cannot direct a public body on how to recruit or fire unless the legislative arm of government makes such a law (Pichault and Schoenaers, 2003). Another area of divergence is on the level of adoption of technology. Western HR practices have fully adopted technology in their operations. While Brunei HRM struggles to empower their employees on the use of technology, the labor force in the west has already adopted the technology, and is well-versed in the use of it. The HRM in the west is vary familiar with and has incorporated technology in such duties as log-in checker, benefits and loan applications (Laughton, 2012). An employee in the west will just need to log in using a given password and can then access the HR from anywhere in the world. In the western countries, there is a lot of individualism which is reflected in the HRM practices. The Brunei culture is more of collective in form, and this also manifests itself in the HRM practices. For example, there are no strong interpersonal relationships in the western HRM, unlike in Brunei. In Brunei, the family and relationship bonds are very strong, and this often leads to favoritism. The western countries are rarely affected by nepotism (Carr and Pudelko, 2006). The hiring process is extremely monitored and competitive such that only the best are qualified. In most organizations within the west, hiring is done by external professionals who are hired to do the job. Therefore, it means that the hiring company will rarely have any familiarity with the prospective employees, especially at a personal level. However, the Brunei HRM is such that the managers in the company do the hiring. Although the process may be transparent, it is possible for managers to favor a participant if they happen to know him or her (Bond, 1988). Moreover, given the absolute power vested on the Sultan, the Sultan may hire a person informally. In such a case, the HRM would have been left out of the loop, yet they would not have any power over it. The divergence here is that, in a western country, the executive absolutely has no power over the hiring of employees. The HR manager is free to make any decisions within his mandate. In terms of complaints and disagreement, the HRM approaches are very different. The Brunei monarch has absolute powers in all areas of decision making. Employees have no power to contest the decisions of the monarch. Furthermore, although the monarchy sometimes consults the stakeholders in decision making, he does not have to under the law. On the other hand, HRM practices must be in accordance with the law which requires public participation. Employees have the power, through their trade unions to contest any decisions they feel are not made in their best interests (Norihito, 2007). The Brunei monarch is also the head of the judiciary. However, the western countries have industrial courts and the arbitration panel that is impartial. This is aimed at adjudicating on such matters.

Pleading For A Biosocial Perspective In Criminology Criminology Essay

Pleading For A Biosocial Perspective In Criminology Criminology Essay Criminology traditionally has a multidisciplinary character. However, sociology was the reigning paradigm that dominated the study of crime in the 20th century. Despite of tremendous progress in molecular and behavioral genetics, biological knowledge is not yet implemented in contemporary criminology. The present review therefore takes aim at developing a constructive view on criminal behavior by using an interdisciplinary perspective that encompass both sociological and biological frameworks. First, the current position of biosocial criminology in society will be discussed. Second, possible reasons why the biological paradigm is held outside criminology will be examined. Thereafter the various biological disciplines with their added value to criminology will be described, thereby having a closer look on behavioral genetics. Finally, the review will conclude that biological insights are indispensable while unraveling the etiology of criminal behavior. The crime problem Crime is a major problem for society. In the mid 90-ties the annual cost of crime to each U.S. citizen was more than 4000 dollar (Walsh Ellis, 2004). Crime occurs in different forms by varying from simple shoplifting to very serious offenses like homicide and raping. The heterogeneous nature of criminal behavior makes it difficult to unravel the causes of crime. Historically, the explanation of crime shifted from a devil based view in medieval times into a more scientific view, which is theory driven and multidisciplinary (Ferguson Beaver, 2009). Despite of the multidisciplinary character of criminology, the last few decades there has been a purely environmental approach declaring criminal behavior. Although these environmental approaches offer some explanatory power, a more integrated perspective towards crime is needed for scientific progress (Eliaerts Snacken, 2000). In order to develop a more nuanced and broader approach, there is recently more attention on biological factors in addition to sociological factors while explaining delinquency. However, this biosocial perspective has only a handful of supporters and can count on much criticism from environmental criminologists. In this view, it is remarkable that closely related disciplines such as psychiatry and behavioral genetics have applied the biological paradigm in the explanation of psychopathological behavior for many years now (Moffit, 2005). Research has consistently shown that individual differences in psychopathological behavior are partly due to genetic influences (Boomsma, Busjahn, Peltronen, 2002). Crime is behavior as well and can then be explained as the product of both genetic and environmental variation. Insights in biology are thus indispensable in the explanation of crime (Donker, 2000). The present review therefore takes aim at introducing the biological paradigm to criminology and will discuss why biological explanations are still underexposed in the explanation of crime. Furthermore there will be discussed what the relatively new field of behavioral genetics can add to current criminology. Biosocial criminology Biology is pre-eminently the discipline which made tremendous progress in recent decades. Discoveries in the field of genetics have affected the medical community permanently as well as behavioral geneticists who eagerly build upon the insights of contemporary biology (Delisi, Beaver, Wright Vaughn, 2008). A striking example of this is the Human Genome Project: in which an international group of scientists has identified the genetic makeup of human species by determining the sequence of all the nucleotides in human DNA. Completely contrarian to this development, criminological scholars have held the biological paradigm outside their theories for years. Sociological criminology was the reigning paradigm that dominated the study of crime in the 20th century (Walsh Beaver, 2009). There may be multiple reasons to explain the rigid use of this limited approach. The exclusively environmental approach towards crime is partly due to the fact that criminologists traditionally are trained in a predominantly sociological schooling. These scholars often become specialized in one of the classic sociological approaches explaining criminal behavior such as strain theory (deviation as the result of the mismatch between culturally induced aspirations for economic success and structurally distributed possibilities of achievement) or  ¿Ã‚ ½routine activity ¿Ã‚ ½ theory (focuses on crime opportunities in everyday life such as lack of a guardian), thereby not taking other explanations in consideration (Walsh Ellis, 2004; Gottfredson Hirschi, 1990). Another reason is the reputation of early biological research. Current biological approaches still suffer from the image of the Italian school of Cesare Lombroso in the nineteenth century. Lombroso was an Italian prison doctor who believed that crime was (biologically) caused, not chosen. In his most famous work Criminal Man he postulated that crime was caused by biological defects in inferior  ¿Ã‚ ½atavistic ¿Ã‚ ½ individuals who were  ¿Ã‚ ½throwbacks ¿Ã‚ ½ from an earlier evolutionary stage of human development. Although Lombroso has published a lot about the origins of delinquency, he is recognized and criticized most about his idea of physiognomy: the born criminal could be distinguished by physical characteristics such as large jaws and high cheekbones (Gottfredson Hirschi, 1990). It is this reputation, the not very sophisticated methodology used by early founders of biological theory, which still puts biosocial criminology in a bad light (Walsh Beaver, 2009). Another explanation why biology has become common in related disciplines, but not in criminology could lie in the fact that there is a general fear for genetic determinism among social scientists (Delisi, Beaver, Wright Vaughn, 2008). Biosocial criminology urges a greater philosophical question whether an individual still has freedom to act if his behavior is biologically caused. Opponents argue that free will, as the foundation of our legal system, would be undermined if crime has genetic origins (Levitt Manson, 2007). It is clear that there are legal and ethical issues arising from behavioral genetics and neuroscience and these concerns should be taken into meticulous consideration. In biosocial criminological circles it is widely acknowledged that there are ethical drawbacks to a strict biological approach and the large majority of these authors aim to have a biosocial perspective on crime rather than genetic determinism (Walsh Ellis, 2004). However, sometimes scientific findin gs are erroneously used by the uninitiated. Recently an Italian court has reduced the sentence of a murderer after identifying genes linked to violent behavior (Nature, 2009). It is this type of events which shapes the fear of genetic research. Logically, behavioral geneticists from all over the world have challenged this ruling. Contemporary knowledge in genetics is surely not capable of predicting behavior on an individual level, but only in large population statistics (Boomsma et. al, 2006). Therefore allegations which equate behavioral genetics with genetic determinism are based on irrational fear and should be fought against. The paragraph above mentioned that there are multiple causes for the unpopularity of biosocial criminology. The bad reputation is partly due to an unfounded fear of genetic determinism which in itself is linked to methodological shortcomings of early biological criminologists. Nowadays the methodological tools have become one of the strengths of biology which is, as an exact discipline, characterized by empirical research (Walsh Ellis, 2004). Subsequently, the contemporary zeitgeist seems to be more receptive for further insights and the resistance against biology will gradually diminish (Eliaerts Snacken, 2000). So, if we can overcome the fear for genetics and biological knowledge can be used for criminological purposes, what has this discipline to offer then? There are roughly three biological disciplines relevant to criminology: neuroscience, evolutionary biology and genetics. The basics of neuroscience must become part of every criminologist ¿Ã‚ ½s repertoire since the brain is the place where genetic dispositions and environmental experiences are integrated. Scientific data indicates that self-control, as an important concept in criminology, is housed in the frontal and prefrontal cortex and that it involves a complex, dynamic balancing of limbic and cortical functioning (Wright et al., 2008 ). Neuroscience can thus provide criminology with a solid foundation for, and a more sophisticated understanding of, many of its central elements. Evolutionary biology seeks to understand the adaptive function of a mechanism in terms of its survival and reproductive value. Applied to crime the question would be: what was (and still is) the evolutionary relevant purpose of a criminal act? These kind of ultimate-level  ¿Ã‚ ½why ¿Ã‚ ½ questions can complement genetics because it informs us how the genes of interest came to be present in the first place (Walsh Beaver, 2009). Last but not least, genetics has become a rapidly growing discipline which can be very valuable for criminology. Given the strongly expanding nature of the field of genetics and the potential value it has for criminology, behavioral genetics, as an important player in this field, will be further explored. Behavioral genetics Behavioral genetics is the application of quantitative genetics to the study of human traits and behaviors such as IQ, extraversion and delinquency (Boomsma, Busjahn Peltonen, 2002). This approach can also be used to tackle fundamental criminological issues, such as: to what extent can individual differences (variation) in criminal behavior be explained by genetic influences? Nevertheless, as already been mentioned, crime is a very heterogeneous and abstract concept. In order to decompose this variation (in crime) into a genetic and an environmental part, it is necessary to focus on specific crime related syndromes which can be operationalized. Hence, the present review will focus on aggressive behavior and rule-breaking behavior. Aggressive behavior and rule-breaking behavior are considered as behavioral subtypes of criminal behavior (Ferguson Beaver, 2009). Aggressive behavior in children is an enormous public health problem. Longitudinal research showed that childhood physical aggression is a precursor of being violent in adolescence and beyond (Stattin Magnusson, 1989). Furthermore, aggressive children are at higher risk of alcohol and drug abuse, accidents, violent crimes, suicide attempts and long term unemployment (Kokko Pulkkinen, 2000). Developmental studies have shown that aggressive behavior usually starts at a very young age and remains stable during life (Broidy, Nagin Tremblay, 2003). Likewise, early onset of rule-breaking behavior has proven to be a significant predictor for later delinquency. Krohn et al. reviewed nineteen criminal career studies and found that early onset offenders were forty times more likely to become habitual criminals than late onset offenders. With all of that said, t hese syndromes are highly associated with crime and therefore merit criminological attention. However, what could be the role of behavioral genetics in this? Twin studies and crime Individual differences in aggressive and rule-breaking behavior can be regarded as phenotypic variation. A phenotype is an observable characteristic of a certain trait and is the product of the interaction between the genotype and the environment. The phenotypic variation in these syndromes is therefore composed of two sources, the genes and the environment. Behavioral genetics seeks to understand both the genetic and environmental contributions to individual variations in human behavior. In order to determine the relative contribution of the genes and the environment twin studies are used, since they have genetically informative samples. Twin studies are based on the genetic relatedness between twins and their family members. In the classical twin design the correlation between monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs at a certain phenotype is compared with the correlation between dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. Since MZ and DZ twins pairs are exposed to the same prenatal and postnatal environment, D Z pairs form the perfect control group of which the agreement between MZ-twin pairs can be compared with. The only difference between MZ and DZ twin pairs is that MZ twins share exactly the same genetic information, whereas DZ twins share on average 50% of their genes. Differences in MZ correlations and DZ correlations can therefore be attributed to genetic influences (Boomsma, Busjahn, Peltronen, 2002). Based on these twin studies heritability estimates can be made (if MZ twins have a higher correlation concerning aggressive and rule-breaking behavior than DZ twins this suggests that individual differences in these syndromes can be explained by genetic factors). Heritability is defined as the extent to which individual differences in genetic makeup contribute to individual differences in observed behavior. Concerning human behavior most of the estimates of heritability are in the range of .30 to .60. A meta-analysis conducted by Miles Carey (1997) showed that 50% of the variance in aggressive behavior could be explained by genetic effects. Subsequently similar heritability estimates have been reported concerning rule-breaking behavior (Bartels et al. 2004a, Bartels et al. 2004b). Twin studies can thus contribute to criminology, because they provide information on the extent to which individual differences in criminal behavior are influenced by genetics. To conclude: individual differences in aggressive and rule-breaking behavior can be partly explained by genetic factors. The high heritability estimates on these crime related syndromes suggest that there is likewise a strong genetic influence on general criminal behavior. Since aggression and rule-breaking behavior are strongly affiliated with criminal behavior, a study of the genetic etiology of these syndromes can ultimately generate fundamental knowledge for criminology. Conclusion Crime has always made its mark on society. For centuries governments have been trying to suppress crime through all kinds of punishment. In this fight it is of utmost importance that intervention strategies are based on reliable scientific knowledge (Donker, 2000). It is therefore desirable that criminology, which is eminently theoretical, will substantiate its rulings with empirical research. Present review has argued for an integrative view on crime whereby aspects of the biological sciences are added to traditionally criminological approaches. Biosocial criminology is not hostile to sociology and merely advocates for a broader, more powerful paradigm that encompass rather than dismiss the social. Any behavior is always the result biological factors interacting with environmental factors . A striking example of this interwoven theory is the gene-interaction effect. Multiple studies showed that child abuse in combination with genetic susceptibility can lead to an increasing risk of depression and even suicide later in life. Studying crime from a biological point of view has been taboo for decades but is now getting visible again, as demonstrated by the theme appeared in 2005: biosocial perspectives in criminology in the Dutch journal of Criminology. Despite this development, important scientific conclusions are often overlooked in policy. The Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), currently[update] the largest political party in the Netherlands , can serve as an example here. While research constantly shows that more severe punishment is not functional, the VVD is calling for stricter penalties, which illustrates that the criminal law has not only to do with efficiency questions, but also has to deal with phenomena like retaliation. In sum, present review believes that the biological sciences have a bounty of treasures to offer criminology. Biosocial criminology will serve as the new paradigm capable of guiding the study of crime in the 21st century, which will be an important intellectual enterprise!