Marketing Strategy For Lululemon Athletica Inc. - 1523 Words

When examining Lululemon Athletica Inc., there was more to the critical issues than addressing them. There was also the necessity to go beyond this and provide key alternatives that lululemon should consider in order to tackle these issues. Issues related to marketing, market structure for both consumers and products, quality control/supply chain, and major markets are difficult to change, but our group is confident in the alternatives we have identified and believe they can serve as a tool for Lululemon Athletica Inc. to grow and expand in the industry. Marketing Strategy It is important for Lululemon Athletica Inc. to improve the marketing strategy for the company. It is apparent that the current strategy is to use word-of-mouth and work within local communities is not working. Being unable to reach the important customers outside of the community is a failure to lululemon, and leaving segments of the market unable to be able to recognize the company’s high quality products. It is important for them to address this issue to ensure larger market recognition. Options for new marketing techniques that could help lululemon would include advertising campaigns via Internet and cable outlets, as well as billboards in highly populated areas. Being able to hit areas outside the communities reach can help drive sales and give potential consumers an understanding of what the company has to offer. The draw back to doing all this marketing is the costs that comes with it. This willShow MoreRelatedMarketing Strategy Of Lululemon Athletica Inc.2930 Words   |  12 PagesExecutive Summary The brand discussed in this report is Lululemon Athletica Inc. The brand is an athletic apparel retailer, whose main objective is building a community with a healthy lifestyle. Lululemon’s target market is middle/upper class 30-year-old woman. The brand is positioned as a premium high fashion brand for the athletic community. Some of Lululemon’s main competitors include Nike, Under Armour and Gap. Some of the key findings were: †¢ Limited global brand awareness due to a lackRead MoreThe Global Fitness And Athletic Clothing Stores1637 Words   |  7 Pages I. SITUATION ANALYSIS The global fitness and athletic clothing stores industry generates more than 1.9 billion US dollars per annum (IBISWorld, 2015). Lululemon Athletica provides high quality apparel for the ever-growing global health conscious population (WHO | World Health Statistics 2015, 2016). A SWOT analysis (Appendix 1) illustrates potential and weakness of this hugely successful brand. Furthermore, environmental factors can play a role in the company s operations. Macro EnvironmentalRead MoreQuestions On The Marketing Strategy1021 Words   |  5 PagesIssues – Andrew Deihl (1) Luluemon Athletica Inc. has done well to get into the yoga market and maintain their leading role in the market. However, they have also struggled in a few key areas of their business model. These areas are important to for lululemon athletica inc. to address in order to improve their stand in the market. Marketing A major issue with Lululemon Athletica Inc. is their marketing strategy. Currently, they are following a marketing strategy similar to word-of-mouth, focusingRead MoreLululemon Swot Essay671 Words   |  3 PagesSWOT Analysis Company name: Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU; TSX:LLL) Product: Lululemon Athletica produces yoga-inspired athletic apparel for both women and men. Strengths #1. Innovative Design Process Lululemon offers high-quality premium athletic apparel that is designed for performance, comfort, functionality and style. The innovative design process is attributed to a number of factors such as, real-time customer feedback. Lululemon seeks real-time customer feedback on theRead MoreLululemon2544 Words   |  11 Pagesanalysis 5 Value chain 5 Strategy 7 Financial and operating performance. 8 RECOMMENDATION 10 In term of strategy 10 In terms of management 10 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Lululemon Athletica Inc., founded by Dennis Chip Wilson,  is a self-described  yoga-inspired athletic apparel company, which produces a clothing line and runs international clothing stores from its company base in  Vancouver,  British Columbia,  Canada. Since 1998 when it was formed, Lululemon Athletica has performed as a niche marketRead MoreLululemon Athletica Analytic Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesCase Analysis #1 Problem Essay Lululemon Athletica Inc Samuel Ellison Presented for: Professor Kannangara Sunday, March 6th, 2016 BUSI4003 Introduction Lululemon Athletica Inc., founded in 1998 in Vancouver by Chip Wilson, is a company which designs and produces high-end yoga and technical athletic clothing. They have operated primarily in North America and Australia; their initial target customer was an educated woman who lives an active and healthy lifestyle. They opened their firstRead MoreLululemon Case Analysis Essay4336 Words   |  18 Pagesï » ¿ Lululemon Athletica, Inc. Created by: Kelsey Davis GBA 490-901 March 21, 2014 Table of Contents Executive Summary To: Laurent Potdiven Chief Executive Officer Lululemon Athletica Inc. This report has been created with the intent to analyze the athletic apparel industry with a specific focus on Lululemon Athletica, Inc., further refered to as Lululemon. In this report you will find that the strengths and weaknesses of Lululemon’s current strategies and future goals areRead MoreLululemon Case Essay examples8018 Words   |  33 PagesConfirming Pages CASE 6 lululemon athletica, Inc. Arthur A. Thompson The University of Alabama I n early 2012, investor interest in lululemon athletica— a designer and retailer of high-end, yoga-inspired athletic apparel under the lululemon athletica and ivivva athletica brand names—was surging. Over the past 30 months, growing numbers of female shoppers were patronizing the company’s stores to pay premium prices for lululemon-branded items that offered performance, fit, and comfort and wereRead MoreMarketing Plan For The Company1489 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Lululemon is a company that has based itself around a value proposition of ethical production, healthy living and quality athletic gear designed to encourage and support an active lifestyle (Lululemon, 2014). Unfortunately for the company in the last year it has come under fire for a run of clothing that was far below their standard quality, and was in fact recalled for being too sheer (Peterson, 2013). This incident was exacerbated by CEO Chip Wilson’s comments that effectively blamedRead MoreLululemon2462 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction Lululemon is one of the Canada’s best retailers of technical athletic yoga apparel. Lululemon’s yoga inspired apparel is marketed under the two brand names Lululemon Athletica for more mature women and Ivivva Athletica for younger girls. Lululemon primary target customers are educated and hard working women, who understand the importance of healthy and active lifestyle. Majority of these women are Caucasian who are mainly urban and have higher income, since Lululemon is an expensive

Personal Statement On Energy Bars - 848 Words

Things you probably didn’t know have high calories In the age of diets, tons of products are branded as healthy and marketed as a saviour to us. We tend trust these labels and often don’t pay too much attention to the nutritional content of product. After all, we are told they are healthy, so why should we doubt them? Unfortunately, there are plenty of things we assume are good for us, but which actually consists plenty of calories that might be hurting your waistline. Here’s a look at the biggest culprits. Energy Bars Energy bars are typically found right next to the weight loss products in supermarkets. They are also marketed as a quick way to get your energy back up, something many of us suffer from in this era of hectic lifestyles. But if you are not working out like a professional athlete, you are definitely better of skipping those bars. In fact, a single energy bar often contains nearly 500 calories, which you could instead get from a health lunch. If you need a quick lunch alternative, preparing a sandwich at home might be a good idea or you can try some of the homemade energy bar recipes available online. Muesli Most people consider it a victory when they move from the sugary cereals or fried breakfasts to waking up with muesli. It’s one of those products heavily marketed as a health product, but all is not as it seems with muesli. A typical bowl of muesli (without even adding the milk or the yoghurt) can provide you with nearly 500 calories. This is almostShow MoreRelatedBusiness Case Study Example1078 Words   |  5 Pagesplayed sports, and more importantly was a Medical Administrative Specialist. From there she spent 21 years in the healthcare industry working for multiple private practices and hospitals. In the true spirit of â€Å"givers gain† Gale volunteers time and energy with many local non-profit organizations such as Final Salute Inc, Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, Loudoun First Responder’s Foundation, Bite Me Cancer, Tigerlily Foundation and many more! Gale was recently a breakout speaker at the 2013 NationalRead MoreEssay on Management, Growing Leaders Study Case1030 Words   |  5 PagesRobbins and Coulter Golden Gate University 1. What do you think about Buckley’s statement that leaders and managers differ?   Do you agree?   Why or why not? I agree fully agree with Buckley’s Statement. He stated that a leader is the inspiration behind the scenes. The leader needs to show proper ethics and work attitude for the employees to follow. When a leader is not fulfilling his or herRead MoreSolar Warming Essay1012 Words   |  5 Pagesin the University of Jordan’; this article is published in ‘Energy Conversion and Management’ journal in 2013. This article is written by collaboration between many researchers and professors in two universities in Jordan; The University of Jordan and Al-Zaytoonah Privet University of Jordan. This article available online from SienceDirect search engine. The authors wrote this article to investigate the ability of utilizing the solar energy in cooling purposes in order to ameliorate the air qualityRead MoreThe International Justice Mission : Christopher Newport University Campus Chapter1511 Words   |  7 Pagesemotional, or spiritual need, I have a desire to help in any way I possibly can! Are you willing to take the time to communicate and intentionally relate with leaders of other campus organizations? Yes, absolutely! I love people so much and a personal goal of mine this year is to actually intentionally pursue the people around me. Jesus lived a life loving and intentionally pursuing people around him; I want to do this as much as I possibly can. In this position I will be able to connect withRead MoreCommunity Based Occupational Therapy Interventions For Clients With Human Immunodeficiency Virus993 Words   |  4 Pagesof Human Occupation (MOHO) with Conceptual Framework for Therapeutic Occupation (CFTO) to aid in explaining and guiding the intervention used in the case studies. Occupational therapist are known for addressing problems of daily living , skills in energy conservation, adaptive equipment use and many more, as well as expertise in establishment of roles, interest, autonomy and so on. The author anticipates the restoration of some/all occupational performance in all 3 case studies in order to increaseRead MoreThe particular causes of Enrons failure1416 Words   |  6 Pagesto do with the Enron collapse. Enron is a company that was called as Houston Natural Gas and then Enteron. It becomes politically connected player in the new deregulated market of energy. At one time Enron appears to have been a successful and innovative enterprise, principally engaged in trading and dealing in energy-related contracts. At some point it expanded by making substantial investments in a variety of large-scale projects. Although some of these were initially successful, others resultedRead MoreA Brief History Of Brand : Origins, Key Stages Of Its Growth1362 Words   |  6 Pageswhich increase brand knowledge and changes the previous notions of the brand. Initially the Red Bull’s slogan was â€Å"Red Bull gives you wings†. Later on as the taste changed with the change of its ingredients. Earlier it was an energy drink and later it was functional energy drink. Mateschitz devised the brand positioning that Red Bull â€Å"Revitalizes Body and Mind† This phrase conveyed the tangible benefit of the product in an easy grasping manner. It meant that Red Bull can be drunk any time whetherRead MoreWhat Do We Call People Who Start Their Own Businesses?1504 Words   |  7 PagesCreativity, High energy levels, Need to achieve, Self – Confidence and optimism, Internal locus of control, Tolerance of failure and tolerance of ambiguity. Having a vision is extremely important because without one, you a rent able to picture where you want the business to be and work towards the goal. A vision is a business dream for a product/service; it can be created out of a need for something or by an accident and still become successful. There should always be a mission statement attached asRead MoreWhy Are Employers Making These Comments? Essay986 Words   |  4 Pagesthat college is beneficial and therefore disagree slightly with Michael Price, because I believe college teaches one how to apply to something (sustained energy in difficult classes) long term, however, with that said I think there is something to be said for being job ready, and for that I am in agreement with the statement above. From my personal experience, college isn’t enough. True, there are certain situations where college can be skipped, however what you achieve with a college degree is theRead MorePestle Analysis On The Environment1259 Words   |   6 Pagesinitiative was taken by HUL managers to introduce health and hygiene drives in rural areas TECHNOLOGICAL: During 1991, for the first time a soap bar was introduced by the company :-VIM bar and ODOPIC bar LEGAL: HUL has so far abided by all the laws pertaining to the land in regional as well as national level ENVIORNMENT : First company in its vision statement to address the growing economic damage 4 Ps OF MARKETING This process is one of the e=best ways of defining marketing mix, and was first expressed

Korean Agriculture Essay Example For Students

Korean Agriculture Essay Non-competitive structure Compared with the industrial sector, Korean Agriculture Essay is less developed, with small farms , aged farm population, low productivity, and underdeveloped marketing structure. Therefore, the agricultural sector is highly dependent on government support and intervention. Rice intensive Rice is the dominant crop, accounting for about 31 percent of the total agricultural production value, and 51 percent of the total area cultivated in 1996. Rice consumption per capita, at around 120.4kg in 1997, has fallen from its peak of 136kg in 1970, and remains at a significantly higher level compared to other Asian countries. Productivity growth Agricultural output has increased greatly as a result of productivity gains which have been derived mainly from high-yielding variety seeds and increased investment in the agricultural sector. Despite the dominance of rice, rising income and population growth have created increased demand for livestock products, vegetables and fruits. Because of the dominance of rice production and barley, corn, and soybean production, policies pertaining to food grains have been central to agricultural policy. Farmers welfare Most farmers still live on the income generated mainly from rice and a number of other crops. Korean farmers cultivate a variety of other crops including barley, pulses, potatoes, apples, pears, Chinese cabbage, onions, and red-pepper. Agriculture has become very intensive with respect to its use of input such a fertilizers, pesticides and machinery. Average farm household incomes are below the average level of the urban incomes although rural living conditions have improved significantly. As a result of government attention and investments focused on the industrial sector, the gap between the rural and urban sectors widened at a steady pace and infrastructure, educational facilities, and medical services in rural areas are far inferior to those in urban areas. Changing policy Over the past decades, agricultural policy orientation has been aimed at maintaining a high degree of self-sufficiency. Korea has become almost self-sufficient in major staple food crops such as rice. However, due to increased demand for other food such as beef and processed food, Korea has imported large quantities of agricultural products. Korean agricultural imports increased by almost 50 percent from 5,425 million dollars in 1994 to 8,152 million dollars in 1996. These facts must be seen in relation to the enormous socio-political unrests in Korea which occurred at the time of the final stage of the Uruguay Round negotiations. There is growing demand from both domestic consumers and policymakers, and the major trading partners for changes in Koreas agricultural policy. The Korean government is moving toward new directions for agricultural policy, faced with the difficulties of adjusting to market opening, a rapid decrease in and aging of the agricultural labor force, frequent natural disaster and price fluctuation. A series of agricultural policy reform is aimed at preparing the sector to compete in world markets and to proceed to a more advanced sector. This and other changes mean that the Korean agriculture sector is in transition and it is becoming more market-oriented, although the pace is gradual. .

The external pricing decision Essay Example

The external pricing decision Paper The uses of Hubbart formula can have certain advantages and disadvantages. The Hubbart formula can establish the price over a period of time or a wide range of establishments. However, it requisite rate of return on owners capital employed, and works back to the total revenue that needs to be generated from accommodation. In addition to the required data, it also calls for the full cost, that is all the variable costs plus some share of fixed cost, and hence it is in fact a cost based pricing through the external pricing decision. Definitely, the company would like to attain what they are yearning for, nonetheless, this kind of approaches may appear to be too subjective and arbitrary, and it is acting as a method of allocating the fixed costs as well. Apparently, tourism is a seasonal industry and always influences by the global changes; therefore the occupancy of the hotel may vary according to different seasons and different incidents. Such as, a few months ago, there was a terrorism in Bali, after the Bali Blast, the travelers are not willing to travel to Bali since Bali seems to be a considerable dangerous place for them to travel. As a result, the occupancy of the hotels in Bali decreases significantly. Furthermore, we have to concern about the location of the hotel too, if it situates in Britain Brighton (the southern part of England where it is along the coastal area where it is a seaside resort), then the summer time will be the peak period of tourism, as a result, the seasonal prices should incline as well. We will write a custom essay sample on The external pricing decision specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The external pricing decision specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The external pricing decision specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As long as the hotel does not concern about this factor, then they will suffer from a great loss since there will be less visitors during the winter, and hence the occupancy within that period will be relatively lower. It appears that the occupancy that we use in the Hubbart formula is the average rate, yet it will amend noticeably in different months, so it is necessary to anticipate the monthly occupancy. It is certain that the demand for the tourism industry (e. g. hotels bedrooms) is always elastic, so it is unlikely that the tourism operating sectors (e.g. accommodation sector hotel) to set the prices according to the cost of the goods and services produced. As a result, it is essentially important for the company to realize the significance of charging the price that the market will bear, instead of charging the price according to their wishes. Thus, the full cost techniques can then applied to see if this obtainable price covers the full cost of the product or services, and how much profit can be made at this price. Last but not least, it is often said that pricing decisions are extremely complex. In addition to the incorporation of the basic cost and financial data, the Star Hotel should also add in other internal and external considerations, including macro-economic, environmental, political and social factors and also it should take the other factors non-financial and non-quantifiable nature (such as behavioral factors) into their concerns and considerations. To put it briefly, if the above disadvantages can be avoided, it may escape from the inefficiencies that automatically built into the costing system and the uncompetiveness and ongoing to the track of success. Pricing is closely related to the decision that managers in both profit-making and non profit-making sectors. Providing that the total revenues are not in excess of total expenses the firm must subsequently go into liquidation. Overwhelmingly, there are defined rules of pricing. In my point of view, the Star Hotel can either use the Hubbart Formula or Market-based Pricing, which is one way of the external pricing methods as well. It implicates that the price will be charged for goods and services offered to the travelers outside an organization on market prices. It is because the goods and services produced by the Star Hotel are in reality sold in a highly competitive market since there are other suppliers offering identical or near-identical products. Consequently, the suppliers will be competing fiercely in respect of price, quality, reliability, and services. Undoubtedly, the Star hotel is one of the participants in the tourism industry, and we can identify it as a tourism-operating sector. Moreover, the demand for the tourism products is actually elastic, meaning that the lower price is offered, the more units will be sold. By using this method, Star Hotel should firstly categorize its target market and evaluate its position in the market. Afterwards, the price can be set. Overwhelmingly, different markets will have its own price since dissimilar demands occur and also hotels have different abilities, such as some are better in services and some are famous for its quality products. Then an interpretation of the sales according to the source of reservations and category of client is necessary for a further review since it will disclose the standard achievable room rate. As a result, it is indispensable for the Star hotel to base its price per room on what is being charged in the market. Or else, if it charges more than the market price, their sales will be reduced. On condition that it charges less than the market, its sales will increase in short term but the market will quickly adjust to a lower level of selling prices. Furthermore, the market conditions largely determine a suppliers selling prices; it is particularly significant to ensure that tight control is exercised over costs. Otherwise, the gap between total sales and total costs (i. e. the profit) will be insufficient to guarantee an adequate return on capital employed. In case, external price determination is concerned, including both market oriented and cost oriented methods, we can generalize by arguing that prices tend to be governed by the market. And so it is important to ensure that unyielding management is exercised over costs, as there will normally be little opportunity to raise the selling price.

Free Essays on William Wordsworth

worth decided to construct this poem because his memory alone was not serving the purpose which was to keep the Abbey alive. He had taken a mental picture of the Abbey and tried to hold onto it for as long as he could but it became too difficult to relay the message and sight to others so thus came the arrival of â€Å"Lines Composed a ... Free Essays on William Wordsworth Free Essays on William Wordsworth William Wordsworth In William Wordsworth’s poems, â€Å"Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey† and â€Å"She Was a Phantom of Delight,† the theme of memory is used as a powerful and creative force. In â€Å"Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey,† Wordsworth recalls a time five years ago when he took a trip to the Abbey. Through his words he is able to convey the emotion and beauty of the Abbey to his audience. In the first several lines alone, you can visualize the Abbey and Wordsworth’s memory is what brings it to life. â€Å"Five years have past; five summers, with the length of five long winter! And again I hear these waters, rolling from their mountain-springs with a soft inland murmur,† (lines 1-4, page 47). With one glance at the sight before him, William Wordsworth has again been hypnotized by the presence of the Abbey. He talks about the time that has passed and the sounds that he can hear echoing through the air. All of this is traveling back to him and he begins to remember the first time that he saw this same sight. There is one particular part of the poem where it becomes completely obvious that Wordsworth has dreamt about this sight for quite some time. â€Å"†¦The picture of the mind revives again: while here I stand, not only with the sense of present pleasure, but with pleasing thoughts that in this moment there is life and food for future years, † (lines 63-67, page 49). The picture that Wordsworth has been carrying all these years was just a memory that he has had to hold on to until the next time that he would see the Abbey. I believe that William Wordsworth decided to construct this poem because his memory alone was not serving the purpose which was to keep the Abbey alive. He had taken a mental picture of the Abbey and tried to hold onto it for as long as he could but it became too difficult to relay the message and sight to others so thus came the arrival of â€Å"Lines Composed a ...

The Most Popular Countries as Tourist Destinations

The Most Popular Countries as Tourist Destinations Tourism to a location means big money is coming to town. Its No. 3 in the biggest economic sectors in the world, according to the report from  the UN World  Tourism Organization. International travel has been on the rise for decades, as increasing numbers of locations invest in bringing people in to visit and spend money. From 2011 to 2016, tourism grew faster than  international trade of goods. The industry is only expected to grow (the report projects out to 2030). Peoples increased purchasing power, improved air connectivity around the world, and more affordable travel overall are reasons for the increase in people visiting other countries. In many developing nations, tourism is the top industry and is expected to grow twice as fast as growth in more mature economies with established tourist spots and a high number of visitors each year already.   Where Are People Going? Most tourists visit places in the same region as their home country. Half of the worlds international arrivals went to Europe in 2016 (616 million), 25 percent to the Asia/Pacific region (308 million), and 16 percent to the Americas (nearly 200 million).  Asia and the Pacific had the biggest tourist number gains in 2016 (9 percent), followed by Africa (8 percent), and the Americas (3 percent). In South America,  the zika virus in some countries didnt affect travel to the continent overall. The Middle East saw a 4 percent drop in tourism. Snapshots and Top Gains France, though at the top of the list for receiving tourists, had a bit of a drop (2 percent) following what the report called security incidents, likely referring to the Charlie Hebdo and simultaneous concert hall/stadium/restaurant attacks of 2015, as did Belgium (10 percent). In Asia, Japan had its fifth straight year of double-digit growth (22 percent), and Vietnam saw an increase of 26 percent over the previous year. Growth in Australia and New Zealand is attributed to increased air capacity. In South America, Chile in 2016 posted its third straight year of double-digit growth (26 percent). Brazil saw an increase of 4 percent due to the Olympics, and Ecuador had a slight drop after its April earthquake. Travel to Cuba increased by 14 percent. Former President Barack Obama had eased restrictions for U.S. travelers, and the first flights from the mainland touched  down there in August 2016. Time will tell what President Donald Trumps changes to the rules will do to Cubas tourism from the United States. Why Go? Just over half of the visitors traveled for recreation; 27 percent were people visiting friends and family, traveling for religious purposes  such as a pilgrimage, receiving health care, or for other reasons; and 13 percent reported traveling for business. A bit more than half of the visitors went by air (55 percent) than land (45 percent).   Whos Going? The leaders in countries residents heading elsewhere as tourists included China, the United States, and Germany, with the amount spent by tourists also following that order. The following is a listing of the 10 most popular countries as destinations for international travelers.  Following each tourist destination country is the number of international tourist arrivals for 2016. Around the world, international tourist numbers reached 1.265 billion people in 2016 ($1.220 trillion spent), up from 674 million in 2000 ($495 billion spent).   Top 10 Countries by Number of Visitors France: 82,600,000United States: 75,600,000Spain:  75,600,000  China:  59,300,000Italy: 52,400,000United Kingdom:  35,800,000Germany:  35,600,000Mexico:  35,000,000*Thailand: 32,600,000Turkey: 39,500,000 (2015) Top 10 Countries by Amount of Tourist Money Spent United States: $205.9 billion  Spain: $60.3  billion  Thailand: $49.9  billionChina: $44.4  billionFrance: $42.5 billionItaly: $40.2 billionUnited Kingdom: $39.6  billionGermany: $37.4  billionHong Kong (China): $32.9  billionAustralia: $32.4  billion * Much of Mexicos total can be attributed to residents of the United States visiting; it captures American tourists due to its proximity and its favorable exchange rate.

Training Programme for Production Manager Assignment

Training Programme for Production Manager - Assignment Example Top-Toy AS is a multinational company headquartered in Denmark with offices and outlets in Finland. This company produces and markets toys in many countries. In order to reduce manufacturing/production costs Top-Toy AS has moved its production of some toys to China. Top-Toy AS has also begun a new policy of shipping its products directly to its distributors in various countries rather than to Denmark to eliminate some of the costs of getting the product to market. Top-Toy has positioned a manager in China to facilitate communication between its headquarters and the manufacturing plant in China. One of the tasks of the China based manager is to help establish Top-Toy's global organizational culture that has made Top-Toy so successful in other markets. The managerial position in China is a three-year posting of an employee from either the Denmark headquarters or their Finland branch. This is a highly sought after post because it increases the value of the employee to Top-Toy AS and alm ost assures that employee a promotion upon their return to Europe. Top-Toy AS's challenge has been to set up an appropriate training programme for prospective managers. The prospective manager chosen for the next three year rotation is Finland native Frans Gustafsson (hypothetical character). Frans is a thirty-five year old married man with two young sons. Frans attended university in the United Kingdom and holds an MA degree. His native language is Finnish and he also has a good command of the English language. Frans' wife Hanna and his two sons Bo and Luukas will accompany him on his rotation. He has one year before his rotation begins and must use that time wisely to prepare. Frans is in luck! Top-Toy AS has developed a training programme for its managers. Frans will complete the training programme with an alternate candidate (chosen in case Frans can't go) who is first in line for the following rotation. The men's wives have been invited to attend various portions of the training programme as well. The first issue to be addressed are the language skills the Fran's will need to communicate with his Chinese counter parts. Both couples were provided with a programme called "RosettaStone level one Chinese that claims that you can "Learn a language naturally with Dynamic Immersion" (Rosetta Stone website). Both couples were also enrolled in an intensive Chinese language and culture course at the University of Helsinki. A very important part of the course at the university is a study in the cultural differences that exist when conducting business. Frans, and the others, were encouraged to focus on the cultural differences that exist between Chinese workers and Scandinavian workers. In China, managerial relationships with workers have traditionally focused on relationships and family backgrounds. The factory took care of your family while you worked hard for the factory (Su Yi, pg 1.). In contrast, western European managerial/worker relationships are based upon qualifications, compete ncy, and performance. Fran's, and the others, have to learn how to effectively manage in the Chinese workplace. Frans, and his alternate, will communicate frequently with the current manager in China to get a feel for the managerial style that is currently being used at the factory. Both

MOD (Ministry of Defence) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MOD (Ministry of Defence) - Essay Example Moreover, dedicated biometric solutions facilitate to provide smooth secret financial transactions as well as personal data privacy. It has been viewed in the case study that Biometric Identification Verification (BIV) System was the initial UK biometric access control system that was deployed and designed especially for the military users. This particular system was mainly designed in order to deliver a high availability as well as reliable security solution (Business Reporter, 2011). The perception of a role based authentication is typically regarded as a system in which the users possess certain major roles that are allotted to them. The roles can demonstrate the capabilities as well as the limits of making any significant change and access various areas in the technological process (Choukse & Singh, 2011). One of the leading edge approaches to role based authentication is that it is correlated with information security that significantly aids in lessening the complexities of secu rity administration. The other leading edge approach of role based authentication is that it determines the risk exposure from the employees who access efficient Information Technology (IT) system. However, the idea of role based authentication has been currently criticised due to certain problems that have risen in constructing an initial role arrangement as well as owing to its inflexibility in quickly transforming domains (Kuhn, Coyne, & Weil, 2010). Spring Security is regarded as one of the alternative solutions that can be applicable to the context of using biometric solutions. It is principally viewed to be a greatly customisable authentication and a strong access-control framework (Mularien, 2010). Moreover, another alternative that can be pertinent within the background of using biometric solutions is Apache Shiro. This particular alternative has been observed to be an easy as well as a powerful security framework that significantly deals with cryptography, authorisation, se ssion management and authorisation functions (The Apache Software Foundation, 2012). In relation to determine the distinction between the two aforementioned alternatives i.e. Apache Shiro and Spring Security to rule-based authentication mechanism, it has been observed that the aforesaid alternatives are quite easy to learn, manage as well as deploy as compared to role based authentication (The Apache Software Foundation, 2012). Question b Computer security is incessantly becoming a crucial concern for all. In this regard, biometric solutions are playing an imperative part in providing utmost security as well as authenticity by validating the individuality of a person through various media such as fingerprints, facial features and hand geometry among others. Similarly, in this connection, PALM biometrics also plays a decisive role in increasing security along with authenticity by a significant extent. It can be affirmed that this particular system i.e. PALM vein system of biometrics is viewed to be a modern progression in the systems of biometric security (Lee, 2012). PALM biometrics performs its operational functions quite differently as compared to other biometric systems. It generally takes the digitalised image of the veins of the users and evaluates it with the templates that have been stored in a particular

Renaissance Medicine and Medical Practices Essay Example for Free

Renaissance Medicine and Medical Practices Essay In the beginning of the Elizabethan Era medicine was the beginning of advancements. During the Renaissance, disease was a big problem. Medicine was not as advanced as it is today, but being discovered from witchcraft and superstitions, to cures for the sick. Medicine was not advanced then so the citizens looked for cure from the witches and their beliefs just led them to their deaths. Religious citizens prayed, or consumed blood from someone else as they believed to contain the soul of the deceased. â€Å". octors sought for explanations [for illnesses] in the stars rather than in the blood stream and preferred magical to clinical experiment. † (Netzley 70). They believed the illness or sickness was spiritual rather than from the body. Superstitions were a big thing in this era. Black Death a plague that spread in Florence in 1348 was believed to be punishment from God. As medicine was being discovered the new knowledge was slowly being accepted by the citizens. Medicine discovered by the Europeans was not as accurate though. As time passed, medicine was then based on Aristotle ideas; on four humors in the body. They are blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile; which determine the imbalance and were thought to be related to their personality. Leonardo Da Vinci had sketched accurate anatomies at which influenced medicine studies. that his ideas were familiar to the scientific environment in which he found himself, the likelihood is that Leonardos thoughts was important landmark in the development of scientific ideas, (Walker 94). Eventually the Hippocrates studies were discovered, they had lived in B. C. era. Their studies were used for comparison at which proved their discoveries and solutions wrong and the Hippocrates were very accurate as they had sketched the structures and their thoughts on how the human body functioned which led them to new discoveries. There were many medical practices that were believed to cure the person and in contrary some made them more sick or led them to death, Bloodletting was a popular practice done at which they would cut the patients artery on their arm or sometimes both arms, and were bled until they felt drowsy which was consider to be when the felt better. This practice sometimes was done too often the patient would simply die of lack of blood supply. The medical practice of the four humors determined imbalance in patients. In order to diagnose the doctors would check patient’s pulse and urine; looking as color and smell. The remedy or are used where herbs and spices. Spices were believed to balance the humors rated on a scale from hotness, coldness and wetness. Renaissance doctors . . . . . followed the traditional herbal medicine practiced throughout the Middle Ages† (Walker 96). Most common used herb was the theriac for medicinal recipes, an antidote for poison. Cinnamon and pepper were two spices commonly used and were rated hottest. Surgeries were not very popular and were rarely ever done, in small towns the barbers will be the surgeon as they couldn’t afford to pay a qualified doctor. Medicine advanced through the years till today, but the Renaissance era seemed to be the discovery of new medicine that help cure the sick. Never less did they learn more about the human and animal body but discovered diseases and several cures for them.

Indoor Tanning and Cancer Essay -- Cancerous Tan Tanning Bed Salon Ess

Indoor Tanning and Cancer Guaranteed brown, beautiful and golden skin in only a few tans! Indoor tanning promises and creates a beautiful tan in only a few sessions. The result from this tan is dark and clear skin that makes a person feel and look better. No wonder this craze is so popular. Who wouldn’t want to look like they just came back from the Caribbean with beautiful skin? I mean having tan skin does make a person look better right? This question is obviously a personal opinion, but this new habit of tanning indoors has become a growing concern. There are many long term effects to indoor tanning that are harmful to a person. But most people do not understand this because the short-term effects are the most satisfying. In order to understand the process of indoor tanning one must see how the human skin tans, what UV radiation does to DNA, and the positive and negative effects of tanning. In order to understand this tanning craze, we must look at the history of the beginning of this â€Å"need† for tan skin. In the 1920s-1930s, â€Å"Sun Therapy" became very popular and was prescribed as a cure for everything from simple fatigue to tuberculosis. Hollywood movies began to use colored films that emphasized the importance of rosy cheeks and colored skin. In the 1940s-1950s, Baby oil was used for sun-worshipers everywhere as a tan accelerator. Coppertone created their first sun- screen in order to help people not burn from the sun. In the 1960s-1970s, Cocoa butter was used in tanning lotions and the first tanning beds appeared. In the 1980s-1990s, indoor tanning salons became widespread, California Tan was formed (a popular tanning product), and models and famous people started promoting being tan all year round. ... ..., however, is that skin is resilient; it can and does repair most of the damage done to cells. Indoor tanning is all based on personal opinion. Having the experience of working at a tanning salon offers much important information about tanning lamps that most people do not know. Therefore it is a choice to tan indoors or not. But it is very important to understand that all tanning, whether it be indoors or outdoors will damage the skin. And there is much more to just lying in the bed and coming out with a tan. The tanning process is a complicated process and affects more than your skin; it affects your DNA also. So if being exposed to ultraviolet light is not an option than there are many safe alternatives to having that beautiful dark skin. Bronzing powder, self-tanning creams and sprays offer a golden glow with out the harmful UV waves from indoor tanning. Indoor Tanning and Cancer Essay -- Cancerous Tan Tanning Bed Salon Ess Indoor Tanning and Cancer Guaranteed brown, beautiful and golden skin in only a few tans! Indoor tanning promises and creates a beautiful tan in only a few sessions. The result from this tan is dark and clear skin that makes a person feel and look better. No wonder this craze is so popular. Who wouldn’t want to look like they just came back from the Caribbean with beautiful skin? I mean having tan skin does make a person look better right? This question is obviously a personal opinion, but this new habit of tanning indoors has become a growing concern. There are many long term effects to indoor tanning that are harmful to a person. But most people do not understand this because the short-term effects are the most satisfying. In order to understand the process of indoor tanning one must see how the human skin tans, what UV radiation does to DNA, and the positive and negative effects of tanning. In order to understand this tanning craze, we must look at the history of the beginning of this â€Å"need† for tan skin. In the 1920s-1930s, â€Å"Sun Therapy" became very popular and was prescribed as a cure for everything from simple fatigue to tuberculosis. Hollywood movies began to use colored films that emphasized the importance of rosy cheeks and colored skin. In the 1940s-1950s, Baby oil was used for sun-worshipers everywhere as a tan accelerator. Coppertone created their first sun- screen in order to help people not burn from the sun. In the 1960s-1970s, Cocoa butter was used in tanning lotions and the first tanning beds appeared. In the 1980s-1990s, indoor tanning salons became widespread, California Tan was formed (a popular tanning product), and models and famous people started promoting being tan all year round. ... ..., however, is that skin is resilient; it can and does repair most of the damage done to cells. Indoor tanning is all based on personal opinion. Having the experience of working at a tanning salon offers much important information about tanning lamps that most people do not know. Therefore it is a choice to tan indoors or not. But it is very important to understand that all tanning, whether it be indoors or outdoors will damage the skin. And there is much more to just lying in the bed and coming out with a tan. The tanning process is a complicated process and affects more than your skin; it affects your DNA also. So if being exposed to ultraviolet light is not an option than there are many safe alternatives to having that beautiful dark skin. Bronzing powder, self-tanning creams and sprays offer a golden glow with out the harmful UV waves from indoor tanning.

Morals and Ethics of Cloning

Regardless of what our future holds, it will be based on the decisions we make today.   Those decisions can be made using the Utilitarian Theory which states that we are doing good for the greatest number of people.   Using Rule Utilitarianism â€Å"which maintains that a behavioral code or rule is morally right if the consequences of adopting that rule are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone. (IEP)† is justifiably noted that if a consensus is formed on the basis of rules that govern cloning, and these rules are broken, the appropriate punishment will result.This is because cloning a human will not benefit the society as a whole; it would do more harm than good.   We all have rules that govern our society over what is right or wrong and we know that these rules are set forth to maintain order.   We have laws because it benefits the majority of the people.Principles of Consequences state that when looking at the end result, the correct action will be the action that produces the greatest amount of happiness (Usury).   To decide if human cloning produces the greatest amount of happiness we have one question still in need of an answer is â€Å"Are human embryos really human?† Well, the term ‘human' proceeding the term 'embryo' should adequately answer the question.The embryo are cloned from human tissue, contain human DNA, thus there is likely a 100 percent chance that the embryos are indeed human, as opposed to being tadpole embryos. Therefore, biologically speaking a clone is no less a human than you or I. And using that human for tissue simply because he/she was cloned rather than conceived does not validate the notion, nor skip around the moral and ethical implications of taking the life of another human being.   Death is not a happy occasion therefore it does not produce the greatest amount of happiness to the majority of the population.Cloning is the process of taking cells from a donor, placing them in a culture dish where the nutrients are  minimal, so the cells stop dividing and switch their â€Å"active genes†. The cells are then put next to an unfertilized egg. The nucleus is sucked out of the egg leaving an empty egg cell containing all the cellular machinery necessary to produce an embryo. An electric shock is used to fuse the egg and cell together. A second shock is then used to mimic the act of fertilization and help begin cell division. After the egg has successfully moved to the stage of an embryo it is then placed in to the uterus of a surrogate mother. When born, all the genes are the same as the donor of the cell.In 1997 Dr. Ian Wilmut, a British scientist successfully cloned a sheep named Dolly.   This turned the scientific world upside-down. The success of the experiment is considered by all as an amazing achievement in science. However, ethics and morals must surface to regulate cloning. It is understood that individuality is the most important part of life. Individual ity is given to a person at birth and considered a right they will have for rest of their life.There is also a fear that the clone may only be produced to live the life of the clone, thus causing severe emotional damage as well pain and suffering for the clone. The progression of the clone may be limited, the advance in idea development will slowly die off. Evolution could come to a halt, because with clones, diversity will be limited and there will not be as many advances in society. The cells, in all humans, will all be the same and there will not be a process of natural selection and diversity.Another controversial question facing the cloning process is: How will the clones be treated? The emotions of the clones need to be taken in to consideration; after all they are humans too. â€Å"What is common to these various views, however, is a shared understanding that being a ‘person' is different from being the manipulated ‘object' of other peoples desires and expectatio ns†(Biomedical Ethics).   People, as clones, will be studied, prodded, and poked which in turn will cause much unwanted anxiety and emotional distress.There will also be problems with relationships between parents and the clone for understandable reasons.   It will bring up a lot of unwelcome stress for the clone when one â€Å"parent† is an anonymous donor of an egg and the other is Dr. Frankenstein. Some may argue that a child is a child and the parents should love their child unconditionally.   However, the bond between the clone and the parents who care for the clone may have awkward encounters.   The love and affection that is provided for most children will not be the same due to the fact that the clone is considered to be more of an experiment rather than a child. Another argument may be that artificial insemination has already taken the step of engineering babies.   However, artificial insemination is used for parents who can not have children but feel they could provide a loving environment for them.Despite the abundant differences and backgrounds of the world today all most people agree that coitus (sex)  is the naturally preferred way to conceive a child.   With the cloning process the necessity to have coitus will not be needed.   â€Å"Is there something about the individual that is lost when the mystical act of conceiving a person becomes standardized into a mere act of photocopying one† (Time)?The parent's will not have to conceive a child, just order one from a catalog and have it arrive next day air.   It will take away the personal feeling and romance   that having â€Å"a child of   your own† creates. Part of the bliss of having a child is the mystery behind it. Is it a boy? A girl? Who does it look like?   Cloning will take away from the pleasures that have been happening for countless years and the elements of surprise will fade in to mail order babies.Another very touchy issue is the ques tion of, is the medical world   taking to much control?   It is stated by scientists that if they are allowed to clone people, one won't have to worry about organ donations or blood drives in order for people to survive. The scientists will  simply clone an organ and replace the faulty one in the human. As simple as this seems, the issue of who they can use to clone comes up.   Finding the ideal person to clone is hard enough, now try to get one with the right blood type, size, and gender.The numbers decrease and it seems as if the scientists would have to clone someone for each person.   If this is true, would the clones be stored somewhere, or able to roam around the world until they were needed to fill their role?   Once again the rights of the clones come up and the thought of clone farms creates a sort of â€Å"yuck† factor for everyone.According to Time Magazine,   â€Å"Out of 277 tries, the researchers eventually produced only 29 embryos that survived l onger than six days† out of the remaining 29 only one survived and was born. The percentage is very low leaving people wondering if it is  even worth the time and effort put in.   â€Å"Some clones may indeed be growing old before their time†(U.S. News).   The research states that the clones will not live a whole life due to the one cell that has been cloned is older and effects the rest of the clones cells making them advance prematurely.  Ã‚   Instead of using science to lengthen the life of a human cloning will decrease the length of life by half.Scientists need to reconsider how they are manipulating the world.   Based on the information provided through the research, doctors should step back and take a look at the morals and ethics of cloning humans and evaluate if it is really worth the risk doctors are taking.The bad consequences out way the good, therefore we cannot assume that the benefit of human cloning will solve life's problems.   To this day we have yet to find a cure for the common cold.   This is because most diseases have a way of surviving, as did the human race during the ice age.   Everything finds a way to adapt to it's environment and if the benefits major benefit for cloning is to cure diseases, then we are at a loss.   The fight for life â€Å"survival of the fittest† can sum it up.If we result to cloning as a means for reproduction, then who is to say that our bodies might not adapt to this, only allowing for this type of reproduction?   Only then will we realize that in our effort to gain knowledge and power over every other living thing, did we fail.   Everything on this earth has to be in perfect balance, and when we continue to tamper with Mother Nature, she finds a way to fight back.  Ã‚   For example, the ozone layer is being depleted because of chemical agents produced and released into the atmosphere by man.   As a result, the ozone layer can longer protect our skin as it used too, causing more cases of skin cancer every year.   I believe that if you push someone, or in this case, something (Mother Nature) hard enough, she will push back.   We need to take things as they are given to us, the good and the bad.   When we try to beat the odd, sometimes the odds beat us.BibliographyBiomedical Ethics Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc, 1998 Cloning (1998).   How to Clone a Human (Version 1.1). [On-line] Biofact November 8, 1999. Available: http://www.biofact.com/cloning/human.html Cloning (1998).   Human Cloning Plans.   [On-line] NPR  Ã‚   November 8, 1999 Available â€Å"Dolly, Polly, Gene-send in the clones† Science News.   January 23, 1997.   pp.127 Cloning (1999).   Should Cloning Be Banned?   [On-line] Reasons  Ã‚   November 5, 1999 Available: http://www.reasons.com /biclone.html Kluger, Jeffrey.   â€Å"Goodbye, Dolly† Time  Ã‚   June 7, 1999. pp.70 Nash, J.   â€Å"The Age of Cloning†Ã‚   Time   March 10, 19997. pp.60-75 Macklin, Ruth.   â€Å"Human cloning?   Don't just say no†. U.S. News &World Report. March10, 1997. pp. 64 Couzin, Jennifer   â€Å"What's Killing The Clones?†Ã‚   U.S. News & World Report.   May24, 1999.   pp.65

Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-Seven

I THINK ADRIAN would have agreed to anything to get his own place. He didn't waste any time in moving his few possessions over to Keith's old apartment, much to Clarence's dismay. I had to admit, I felt kind of bad for the old man. He'd grown fond of Adrian, and losing him right after Lee was especially tough. Clarence still opened his home and feeder to our group but refused to believe anything we told him about Lee and Strigoi. Even once he accepted Lee was dead, Clarence continued blaming vampire hunters. Shortly after his move, I went to check on Adrian. Word had come to us that the â€Å"research party† from the Moroi was due to arrive in town that day, and we'd decided to meet with them first before bringing in Jill and Eddie. Like before, Abe was apparently escorting the newcomers, who included Sonya and Jill's new roommate. I had the impression there might be others with them but hadn't heard the details yet. â€Å"Whoa,† I said when Adrian let me into his apartment. He'd only been there a couple days, but the transformation was startling. With the exception of the TV, none of the original furniture remained. It was all different, and even the apartment's layout had changed. The decorating scheme was new as well, and the scent of fresh paint hung heavy in the air. â€Å"Yellow, huh?† I asked, staring at the living room walls. â€Å"It's called ‘Goldenrod,'† he corrected. â€Å"And it's supposed to be cheerful and calming.† I started to point out that those two traits didn't seem like they'd go together but then decided against it. The color, slightly obnoxious though it was, completely transformed the living room. Between that and the blinds that had replaced Keith's heavy drapes, the room was now filled with color and light that went a long way to obscure the memory of the battle. I shuddered, recalling it. Even if the apartment hadn't been needed to buy Adrian's help, I wasn't sure I could've accepted it and stayed here. The memory of Lee's death – and the two Strigoi women's – was too strong. â€Å"How did you afford new furniture?† I asked. The Alchemists had given him the place, but there was no other stipend involved. â€Å"I sold the old stuff,† Adrian said, seeming very pleased by this. â€Å"That recliner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He faltered, a troubled look briefly crossing his features. I wondered if he too could imagine Lee's life bleeding away in that chair. â€Å"That recliner was worth a lot. It was appallingly overpriced, even by my standards. But I got enough for it to replace the rest. It's used, but what choice did I have?† â€Å"It's nice,† I said, running my hand along an overstuffed plaid sofa. It looked ghastly with the walls but appeared to be in good shape. Plus, much like the brightness of the yellow, the clashing furniture helped diminish the memories of what had happened. â€Å"You must have done some savvy shopping. I'm guessing you don't buy a lot of used stuff.† â€Å"Try never,† he said. â€Å"You have no idea the things I've had to lower myself to.† His pleased smile dimmed as he regarded me carefully. â€Å"How are you holding up?† I shrugged. â€Å"Fine. Why wouldn't I be? What happened to me isn't nearly as bad as what Jill went through.† He crossed his arms. â€Å"I don't know. Jill didn't watch a guy die in front of her. And let's not forget that same guy wanted to kill you only moments before in order to rise again from the dead.† Those were things that had definitely been on my mind a lot in the last week, things that were going to take a while to get over. Sometimes, I didn't feel anything at all. Other times, the reality of what had happened descended on me so swiftly and heavily that I couldn't breathe. Strigoi nightmares had replaced the ones of re-education centers. â€Å"I'm actually better with it than you might think,† I said slowly, gazing off at nothing particular. â€Å"Like, it's terrible about Lee and what he did, but I feel I can get over it in time. Do you know what I keep thinking about the most, though?† â€Å"What?† asked Adrian gently. The words seemed to come forth without my control. I hadn't expected to say them to anyone, certainly not to him. â€Å"Lee telling me I was wasting my life and staying aloof from people. And then, during that last meeting with Keith, he told me that I was naive, that I didn't understand the world. And it's true to a certain extent. I mean, not what he said about you guys being evil†¦ but well, I was naive. I should've been more careful with Jill. I believed the best of Lee when I should've been more wary. I'm not a fighter like Eddie, but I am an observer of the world†¦ or so I like to think. But I failed. I'm no good with people.† â€Å"Sage, your first mistake in all of this is listening to anything Keith Darnell says. The guy's an idiot, an asshole, and a dozen other words that aren't suitable for a lady like yourself.† â€Å"See?† I said. â€Å"You just admitted it, that I'm some kind of untouchable, pure soul.† â€Å"I never said any such thing,† he countered. â€Å"My point is that you're leagues above Keith, and what happened with Lee was dumb, ridiculous bad luck. And remember, none of us saw it coming either. You weren't alone. It casts no reflection on you. Or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyebrows rose. â€Å"Maybe it does. Didn't you say that Lee considered killing Keith for Alchemist blood?† â€Å"Yeah†¦ but Keith left too soon.† â€Å"Well, there you go. Even a psychopath recognized your worth enough to want to kill someone else first.† I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. â€Å"That doesn't make me feel better.† Adrian shrugged. â€Å"My earlier point remains. You're a solid person, Sage. You're easy on the eyes, if a little skinny, and your ability to memorize useless information is going to totally hook in some guy. Put Keith and Lee out of your head because they have nothing to do with your future.† â€Å"Skinny?† I asked, hoping I wasn't blushing. I also hoped if I sounded outraged enough, he wouldn't notice how much the other comment had disarmed me. Easy on the eyes. Not exactly the same as being told I was hotness incarnate or drop-dead gorgeous. But after a lifetime of having my appearance judged as â€Å"acceptable,† it was a heady compliment – especially coming from him. â€Å"I just tell it like it is.† I almost laughed. â€Å"Yes. Yes, you do. Now tell me about a different subject, please. I'm tired of this one.† â€Å"Sure thing.† Adrian infuriated me sometimes, but I had to admit, I loved his short attention span. It made dodging uncomfortable topics so much easier. Or so I thought. â€Å"Do you smell that?† An image of the bodies flashed into my head, and for a moment, all I could think he meant was the smell of decay. Then I sniffed more deeply. â€Å"I smell the paint, and†¦ wait†¦ is that pine?† He looked impressed. â€Å"Damn straight. Pine-scented cleaner. As in, I cleaned.† He gestured to the kitchen dramatically. â€Å"With these hands, these hands that don't do manual labor.† I stared off into the kitchen. â€Å"What did you use it on? The cupboards?† â€Å"The cupboards are fine. I cleaned the floor and the counter.† I must have looked more puzzled than amazed because he added, â€Å"I even got down on my knees.† â€Å"You used pine cleaner on the floor and counters?† I asked. The floor was ceramic tile; the counters were granite. Adrian frowned. â€Å"Yeah, so?† He seemed so proud to have actually scrubbed something for once in his life that I couldn't bring myself to tell him pine cleaner was generally only used on wood. I gave him an encouraging smile. â€Å"Well, it looks great. I need you to come over and clean my new dorm room now. It's covered in dust.† â€Å"No way, Sage. My own housecleaning's bad enough.† â€Å"But is it worth it? If you'd stayed at Clarence's, you had a live-in cook and cleaner.† â€Å"It's definitely worth it. I've never really, truly had my own place. I kind of did at Court†¦ but it might as well have been an over-glorified dorm room. This? This is great. Even with the housecleaning. Thank you.† The comic look of horror he'd worn while discussing housecleaning had been traded away for utter seriousness now as those green eyes weighed me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny and was reminded of the spirit dream, where I'd questioned if his eyes really were that green in real life. â€Å"For what?† I asked. â€Å"For this – I know you must have twisted some Alchemist arms.† I hadn't told him that I'd actually passed on taking the place for myself. â€Å"And for everything else. For not giving up on me, even when I was being a major asshole. And, you know, for that saving my life thing.† I looked away. â€Å"I didn't do anything. That was Eddie – and Jill. They're the ones who saved you.† â€Å"Not sure I would've been alive for their rescue if you hadn't set that bitch on fire. How did you do that?† â€Å"It was nothing,† I protested. â€Å"Just a, uh, chemical reaction from the Alchemist bag of tricks.† Those eyes studied me again, weighing the truth of my words. I'm not sure he believed me, but he let it go. â€Å"Well, from the look on her face, your aim was right on. And then you got backhanded for it. Anyone who takes a hit for Adrian Ivashkov deserves some credit.† I turned my back to him, still shy with the praise – and nervous about the fire reference – and walked over to the window. â€Å"Yeah, well, you can rest easy that it was a selfish act. You have no idea what a pain it is to file paperwork for a dead Moroi.† He laughed, and it was one of the few times I'd heard him laugh with genuine humor and warmth – and not because of something twisted or sarcastic. â€Å"Okay, Sage. If you say so. You know, you're a lot spunkier than when I first met you.† â€Å"Really? All the adjectives in the world at your disposable, and you pick ‘spunky'?† Banter I could handle. So long as I focused on that, I didn't have to think about the meaning behind the words or how my heartbeat had increased just a little. â€Å"Just so you know, you're a little more stable than when I met you.† He came over to stand by me. â€Å"Well, don't tell anyone, but I think getting away from Court was a good thing. This weather sucks, but Palm Springs might be good for me – it and all the wonders it contains. You guys. Art classes. Pine cleaner.† I couldn't help a grin and looked up at him. I'd been half-joking, but it was true: he had changed remarkably since we'd met. There was still a hurting man inside, one who bore the scars of what Rose and Dimitri had done to him, but I could see the signs of healing. He was steadier and stronger, and if he could just continue to hold the course, with no more crises for a while, a remarkable transformation might truly happen. It took several seconds of silence for me to realize that I'd been staring at him while my mind spun out its thoughts. And, actually, he was staring at me, with a look of wonder. â€Å"My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?† That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. â€Å"What about them?† â€Å"The color,† he breathed. â€Å"When you stand in the light. They're amazing†¦ like molten gold. I could paint those†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached toward me but then pulled back. â€Å"They're beautiful. You're beautiful.† Something in the way he was looking at me froze me up and made my stomach do flip-flops, though I couldn't quite articulate why. I only knew that he looked as though he was seeing me for the very first time†¦ and it scared me. I'd been able to brush off his easy, joking compliments, but this intensity was something different altogether, something I didn't know how to react to. When he looked at me like this, I believed that he thought my eyes were beautiful – that I was beautiful. It was more than I was ready for. Flustered, I took a step backward, out of the sunlight, needing to get away from the energy of his gaze. I'd heard spirit could send him off on weird tangents but had no clue if that's what this was. I was saved from my feeble attempts to muster a witty comment when a knock at the door made both of us jump. Adrian blinked, and some of that rapture faded. His lips twisted into one of his sly smiles, and it was as though nothing weird had happened. â€Å"Showtime, huh?† I nodded, reeling with a confusing mix of relief, nervousness, and†¦ excitement. Except, I wasn't entirely sure if those feelings were from Adrian or our impending visitors. All I knew was that suddenly, I was able to breathe more easily than I had a few moments ago. He walked across the living room and opened the door with a flourish. Abe swept in, resplendent in a gray and yellow suit that coordinated bafflingly well with Adrian's paint job. A wide grin broke out over the older Moroi's face. â€Å"Adrian, Sydney†¦ so lovely to see you again. I believe one of you already knows this young lady?† He moved past us, revealing a lean dhampir girl with auburn hair and big blue eyes filled with suspicion. â€Å"Hello, Angeline,† I said. When they'd told me Angeline Dawes was going to be Jill's new roommate, I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. Angeline was one of the Keepers, that separatist group of Moroi, dhampirs, and humans who lived in the wilds of West Virginia. They wanted nothing to do with the â€Å"civilization† of any of our races and had a number of bizarre customs, not the least of which was their abominable tolerance for interracial romance. Later, when I'd thought about it, I decided Angeline might not be such a bad choice. She was the same age as Jill, possibly giving Jill a closer connection than I could manage. Angeline, while not trained the way a guardian like Eddie was, still could hold her own in a fight. If anyone came for Jill, they'd have their work cut out for them getting through Angeline. And with the aversion Angeline's people had toward â€Å"tainted† Moroi, she would have no reason to further the politics of some rival faction. As I studied her and her threadbare clothes, I wondered, though, just how well she was going to adapt to being away from the Keepers. She wore a cocky look on her face that I'd seen when visiting her community, but here it was underscored with some nervousness as she took in Adrian's place. After living in the woods her entire life, this small apartment with its TV and plaid sofa was probably the height of modern luxury. â€Å"Angeline,† said Abe. â€Å"This is Adrian Ivashkov.† Adrian extended his hand, turning on that natural charm. â€Å"A pleasure.† She took his hand after a moment's hesitation. â€Å"Nice to meet you,† she said in her odd southern accent. She studied him for a few more seconds. â€Å"You look too pretty to be useful.† I gasped in spite of myself. Adrian chuckled and shook her hand. â€Å"Truer words were never spoken,† he said. Abe glanced over at me. I probably had a look of terror on my face because I was already imagining the damage control I'd have to do with Angeline saying or doing something completely wrong at Amberwood. â€Å"Sydney will undoubtedly want to†¦ debrief you on what to expect before you begin school,† said Abe diplomatically. â€Å"Undoubtedly,† I repeated. Adrian had stepped away from Angeline but was still grinning. â€Å"Let Jailbait do it. Better yet, let Castile. It'll be good for him.† Abe shut the door but not before I got a glimpse behind him to the empty hallway. â€Å"It's not just the two of you, is it?† I asked. â€Å"I heard there were others. Sonya's one, right?† Abe nodded. â€Å"They'll be right up. They're parking the car. Street parking's terrible around here.† Adrian looked over at me, hit by revelation. â€Å"Hey, do I inherit Keith's car too?† â€Å"Afraid not,† I said. â€Å"It belonged to his dad. He took it back.† Adrian's face fell. Abe stuffed his hands in his pockets and strolled casually around the living room. Angeline remained where she was. I think she was still sizing up the situation. â€Å"Ah, yes,† mused Abe. â€Å"The late, great Mr. Darnell. That boy's really been beset with tragedy, hasn't he? Such a hard life.† He paused and turned to Adrian. â€Å"But you, at least, seem to have benefited from his downfall.† â€Å"Hey,† said Adrian. â€Å"I earned this, so don't give me any grief about bailing on Clarence. I know you wanted me to stay there for some weird reason but – † â€Å"And you did,† said Abe simply. Adrian frowned. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"You did exactly what I wanted. I'd suspected something odd was going on with Clarence Donahue, that he might be selling his blood. I'd hoped keeping you on hand would uncover the plot.† Abe stroked his chin in that mastermind way of his. â€Å"Of course, I had no idea Mr. Darnell was involved. Nor did I expect you and young Sydney to team up to unravel it all.† â€Å"I'd hardly go that far,† I said dryly. A strange thought occurred to me. â€Å"Why would you care if Keith and Clarence were selling vampire blood? I mean, we Alchemists have reasons for not wanting that†¦ but why would you feel that way?† A surprised glint flashed in Adrian's eyes, followed by insight. He eyed Abe carefully. â€Å"Maybe because he doesn't want the competition.† My jaw nearly dropped open. It was no secret to anyone, Alchemist or Moroi, that Abe Mazur trafficked in illegal goods. That he might be moving large amounts of vampire blood to willing humans had never occurred to me. But as I studied him longer, I realized it should have. â€Å"Now, now,† said Abe, never breaking a sweat, â€Å"no need to bring up unpleasant topics.† â€Å"Unpleasant?† I exclaimed. â€Å"If you're involved in anything that – â€Å" Abe held up a hand to stop me. â€Å"Enough, please. Because if that sentence ends with you saying you'll talk to the Alchemists, then by all means, let's get them out here and discuss all sorts of mysteries. Say, for example, like how Mr. Darnell lost his eye.† I froze. â€Å"Strigoi took it,† said Adrian impatiently. â€Å"Oh, come now,† said Abe, a smile twisting his lips. â€Å"My faith in you was just being restored. Since when do Strigoi do such precision maiming? Very artful maiming, I might add. Not that anyone probably ever noticed. Wasted talent, I tell you.† â€Å"What are you saying?† asked Adrian aghast. â€Å"It wasn't Strigoi? Are you saying someone cut his eye out on purpose? Are you saying that you – â€Å" Words failed him, and he simply looked back and forth between me and Abe. â€Å"That's it, isn't it? Your devil's bargain. But why?† I cringed as three sets of eyes stared at me, but there was no way I could acknowledge what Adrian was starting to put together. Maybe I could have told him if we were alone. Maybe. But I couldn't tell him while Abe looked so smug and certainly not with an outsider like Angeline standing there. I couldn't tell Adrian how I'd found my sister Carly a few years ago, after a date with Keith. It was when he'd still been living with us and just before she went off to college. She hadn't wanted to go out with him, but our father loved Keith and had insisted. Keith was his golden boy and could do no wrong. Keith believed that too, which was why he hadn't been able to take no for an answer when he and Carly were alone. She'd come to me afterward, creeping into my bedroom late at night and sobbing while I'd held her. My instant reaction was to tell our parents, but Carly had been too afraid – especially of our father. I was young and nearly as scared as she was, ready to agree with whatever she wanted. Carly had made me promise I wouldn't tell our parents, so I sank my efforts into assuring her that it wasn't her fault. The whole time, she told me, Keith had kept telling her how beautiful she was and how she'd left him no choice, that it was impossible for him to take his eyes off of her. I finally convinced her that she'd done nothing wrong, that she hadn't led him on – but she still held me to my promise to stay silent. It was one of the biggest regrets of my life. I'd hated my silence but not nearly as much as I hated Keith for thinking he could rape someone as sweet and gentle as Carly and get away with it. It wasn't until much later, when I had my first assignment and met Abe Mazur, that I'd realized there were other ways Keith might pay that would allow me to keep my promise to her. So, I'd made my deal with the devil, not caring that it bound me – or that I was stooping to barbaric levels of revenge. Abe had staged a fake Strigoi attack and cut out one of Keith's eyes earlier this year. In return, I'd become Abe's sort-of â€Å"retainer Alchemist.† It was part of what had driven me to help Rose with her jail break. I was in his debt. In some ways, I reflected bitterly, maybe I'd done Keith a favor. With only one eye left, maybe he wouldn't find it so â€Å"impossible† to keep it off uninterested young women in the future. No, I certainly couldn't tell Adrian any of that, but he was still looking at me, a million questions on his face as he tried to figure out what in the world would have reduced me to hiring Abe as a hit man. Laurel's words suddenly rang back to me. You know, you can be scary as hell sometimes. I swallowed. â€Å"Remember when you asked me to trust you?† â€Å"Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Adrian. â€Å"I need you to do the same for me.† Long moments followed. I couldn't bring myself to look at Abe because I knew he'd be smirking. â€Å"‘Spunky' was kind of an understatement,† Adrian said. After what felt like forever, he slowly nodded. â€Å"Okay. I do trust you, Sage. I trust that you have good reasons for the things you do.† There was no snark, no sarcasm. He was deadly earnest, and for a moment, I wondered how I could have earned his trust so intently. I had a weird flash to the moments just before Abe had arrived, when Adrian had spoken of painting me and my feelings had been a jumble. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. â€Å"What,† demanded Angeline, â€Å"are you guys talking about?† â€Å"Nothing of interest, I assure you,† said Abe, who was really enjoying this all too much. â€Å"Life lessons, character development, unpaid debts. That sort of thing.† â€Å"Unpaid?† I surprised myself by taking a step forward and fixing him with a glare. â€Å"I've paid that debt a hundred times over. I don't owe you anything anymore. My loyalty is only to the Alchemists now. Not you. We're finished.† Abe was still smiling, but he wavered slightly. I think my standing up for myself had caught him off-guard. â€Å"Well, that remains to be – ah.† More knocking. â€Å"Here's the rest of our party.† He hurried to the door. Adrian took a few steps toward me. â€Å"Not bad, Sage. I think you just scared old man Mazur.† I felt a smile of my own begin to form. â€Å"I don't know about that, but it felt kind of good.† â€Å"You should backtalk people more often,† he said. We grinned at each other, and as he regarded me fondly, I felt that same queasy feeling return. He probably wasn't experiencing that exact sensation, but there was an easy, bright mood about him. Rare – and very appealing. He nodded toward where Abe was opening the door. â€Å"It's Sonya.† Spirit users could sense each other when they were close enough, even behind closed doors. And sure enough, when the door opened, Sonya Karp strode in like a queen, tall and elegant. With her red hair swept into a bun, the Moroi woman could have been Angeline's older sister. Sonya smiled at us all, though I couldn't help a shiver as I thought back to the first time I'd met her. She hadn't been nearly so pretty or charming then. She'd been red-eyed and trying to kill us. Sonya was a Strigoi who'd been restored back to a Moroi, which really made her the ideal choice to work with Adrian on figuring out how to use spirit to prevent people from being turned. Sonya hugged Adrian and was walking over to me when someone else appeared in the doorway. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been surprised at who it was. After all, if we wanted to figure out what special spirit magic in Lee had stopped him from being turned again, then we needed all the data possible. And if one restored Strigoi was good, then two were better. Adrian paled and went perfectly still as he stared at the newcomer, and in that moment, all my high hopes for him came crashing down. Earlier, I'd been certain that if Adrian could just stay away from his past and any traumatic events, he'd be able to find a purpose and steady himself. Well, it looked like his past had found him, and if this didn't qualify as a traumatic event, I didn't know what did. Adrian's new research partner stepped through the door, and I knew the uneasy peace we'd just established in Palm Springs was about to shatter. Dimitri Belikov had arrived.

To Kill a Mockingbird-Character Analysis of Scout and Calpur essays

To Kill a Mockingbird-Character Analysis of Scout and Calpur essays Calpurnia acts as a mother to the children since Scout was only 2 years old. She is disciplined and firm towards the children. Scout describes her as a tyrannical presence with a hand as wide as a bed slat and twice as hard we see her use this hand to deliver scout a stinging smack when she comments on Walter Cunningham Jrs eating habits. She is indispensible to the finch household and is always supported by Atticus who says they couldnt operate a single day without her. She imposes stricter discipline on the children than a mother would, as said by atticus to Aunt Alexandra. She is not only a disciplinarian, but she is also affectionate towards the children in her own way and shows her soft side often, like during Scouts first day of School she makes crackling bread and tells her how she missed them during the day. Calpurnia is efficient and brave when the mad dog appears, she gets the children inside, telephones Atticus, and phones Eula May to warn the entire neighbourhood, and runs across the street to tell the Radleys, as they had no phone . Scout is the antithesis of Aunt Alexandra and what she stands for. Scout is the new Southern woman; strong willed, opinionated, and accepting. The relics of racism and classicism that occupy Aunt Alex and her standards are not present in Scout. Although she is still young, and under the guidance of Atticus, we get an impression of what Scout will become as she gets older. She does not carry the racism and double standards that the rest of the town carries. Rather, she forms a code of conduct very similar to Atticus; a code of understanding and acceptance of all human beings. Scout is not nearly as mellow as Atticus, though. She can be very outspoken and isn't afraid to challenge others whenever she sees fit, sometimes with her fists. But Scout is the true heroine of the novel. ...

FAQs for Writing Your Graduate Admissions Essay

FAQs for Writing Your Graduate Admissions Essay When graduate school applicants learn of the importance of the admissions essay to their graduate school application, they often react with surprise and anxiety. Facing a blank page, wondering what to write in an essay that can change your life can paralyze even the most confident of applicants. What should you include in your essay? What shouldnt you? Read these answers to common questions. How Do I Choose a Theme for My Admissions Essay? A theme refers to the underlying message that you intend to convey. It may be helpful to make a list of all of your experiences and interests at first and then try to find an overlapping theme or connection between the different items on the list. Your underlying theme should be why you should be accepted into graduate school or specifically accepted into the program to which you are applying. Your job is to sell yourself and distinguish yourself from other applicants through examples. What Type of Mood or Tone Should I Incorporate in My Essay? The tone of the essay should be balanced or moderate. Dont sound too cheerful or too morose, but keep a serious and ambitious tone. When discussing positive or negative experiences, sound open-minded and use a neutral tone. Avoid TMI. That is, do not reveal too many personal or intimate details. Moderation is key. Remember not to hit the extremes (too high or too low). Additionally, do not sound too casual or too formal. Should I Write in the First Person? Although you were taught to avoid using I, we and my, you are encouraged to speak in the first person on your admissions essay. Your goal is to make your essay sound personal and active. However, avoid overusing â€Å"I† and, instead, alter between I and other first-person terms, such as â€Å"my† and â€Å"me† and transition words, such as however and therefore. How Should I Discuss My Research Interests in My Admissions Essay? First, it is not necessary to state a specific and concise dissertation topic in your essay. You only to need to state, in broad terms, your research interests within your field. The reason you are asked to discuss your research interests is that the program would like to compare the degree of similarity in research interests between you and the faculty member you wish to work with. Admissions committees are aware that your interests will likely change over time and, therefore, they do not expect you to provide them with a detailed description of your research interests but would like for you to describe your academic goals. However, your research interests should be relevant to the proposed field of study. Additionally, your aim is to show your readers that you have knowledge in your proposed field of study. What If I Don’t Have Any Unique Experiences or Qualities? Everyone has qualities that can distinguish themselves from other individuals. Make a list of all your qualities and think of how you utilized them in the past. Discuss the ones that will make you stand out but will still have some connection to your field of interest. If you do not have many experiences in your field, then try to make your other experiences relate to your interests. For example, if you are interested in applying to a psychology program but only have experience working at a supermarket, then find a connection between psychology and your experiences at the supermarket that can show your interest in and knowledge of the field and portrays your ability to become a psychologist. By providing these connections, your experiences and you will be depicted as unique. Should I Mention Which Faculty Members I Would Like to Work With? Yes. It makes it easier for the admission committee to determine if your interests match with the faculty members you’re interested in working with. However, if possible, it is recommended that you mention more than one professor you wish to work with because it is a possibility that the professor you are interested in working with is not accepting new students for that year. By mentioning only one professor, you are limiting yourself, which can decrease your chances of being accepted. Additionally, if you only wish to work with a specific professor, then you are more likely to be rejected by the admissions committee if that professor is not accepting new students. Alternatively, it may be helpful to contact professors and find out if they are accepting new students before applying. This reduces the chances of being rejected. Should I Discuss All Volunteer and Job Experiences? You should only mention volunteer and employment experiences that are relevant to your field of study or have helped you develop or acquire a skill that is necessary for your field of interest. However, if there is a volunteer or job experience that is not related to your field of interest yet has helped influence your career and academic goals, discuss it in your personal statement as well. Should I Discuss Flaws in My Application? If Yes, How? If you think it may be helpful, then you should discuss and provide an explanation for  low grades or  low GRE scores. However, be concise and do not whine, blame others, or try to explain away three years of poor performance. When you discuss flaws, make sure you aren’t giving unreasonable excuses, such as â€Å"I failed my test because I went out drinking the night before.† Provide explanations that are reasonably excusable and comprehensive to the academic committee, such as an unexpected death in the family. Any explanations you give must be very very brief (no more than roughly 2 sentences). Emphasize the positive instead. Can I Use Humor in My Admissions Essay? With great caution.  If you do plan on using humor, do so cautiously, keep it limited, and make sure it is appropriate. If there is even the smallest possibility that your statements can be taken the wrong way, dont include humor. For this reason, I advise against using humor in your admissions essay. Should you decide to include humor, do not let it take over your essay. This is a serious essay with an important purpose.  The last thing you want to do is offend the admissions committee or let them believe that you are not a serious student. Is There a Limit to the Length of the Graduate Admissions Essay? Yes, there is a  limit  but it varies depending on the school and the program. Usually, admissions essays are between 500-1000 words long. Do not exceed the limit but remember to answer any assigned questions.

The contemporary Legal landscape in the IT industry Essay

The contemporary Legal landscape in the IT industry - Essay Example For example, use of home made applications mobile applications is not clearly defined thus it’s a challenge. The contemporary ethical environment in the IT industry The main normative approaches to ethics – compare and contrast the main approaches that we have looked at virtue, consequentialist and deontological According to the BCS code of conduct, a professional should be conversant with the ethical issues and the legislations governing their profession. They must observe ethical the codes of conduct to be able to remain morally right. This is deontological ethics. Contemporary ethical dilemmas – how are recent developments in IT creating challenges for ethical behaviour? Can IT be used to make people and or organisation behaviour more ethical? If possible give some specific real-world examples taken from the guest speakers or your reading. The growth of IT has posed serious challenges to the ethical values in the society. The development in IT has brought about several lee ways for breaching ethical codes of conduct. Through development of software with unethical contents. For instance, the development of YouTube made it easy to access pornographic videos. YouTube does not as for age or require any authorization before you are allowed to watch a video(Gattiker, 2004). This makes it easy for even people below adulthood to view the contents that are not in compliance with ethical issues. However, IT can also be used to enhance ethics in our society. This is possible through creation of software that requires authentication and authorisation before someone is allowed to access an application. These applications can be embedded in both commercial and open source applications so that whenever someone uses, the ethical codes are taken into account. Technical aspects of security entail the security management. These are the parties that stand for the daily operation of IT

The Portfolio of Current Issues in Risk Management Essay

The Portfolio of Current Issues in Risk Management - Essay Example Companies however have also sought to establish various steps to manage these risks, including the review of the management of organization risks and the review of the present operating models. Commentary The article above discusses the issue which relates to the global supply chain risk. The normal process of supply and demand in the current context of the globalized economy materializes in the form of the globalized demand and supply process. This means that demand and supply is now governed by a larger market, one which encompasses many countries (Taylor and Brunt, 2001). In the past, the commercial enterprises were mostly based on national activities, with only few multinational corporations venturing into commercial activities outside their home countries. With the eventual spread of globalization however, economic practices soon became significant trends in doing business. This included the globalized supply chains (Taylor and Brunt, 2001). Risks in relation to these supply cha ins however also impacted significantly on various corporations and business processes. Inasmuch as the global supply chain was able to secure more diverse, cheaper, and more bountiful supplies; it has also been vulnerable to various issues within the supply chain (Rainer and Cegielski, 2010). The globalized nature of the supply chain has made the delivery of supplies subject to the events which are unfolding in the countries included in the supply chain (Rainer and Cegielski, 2010). In effect, the risks experienced by the main lines and countries involved in the supply line are felt by all the countries or corporations within the chain. As was mentioned in the article, the earthquake in Japan may have been an ocean away from the western countries, however, its impact was felt in the US, and as far away as the United Kingdom (Hoover, et.al., 2001). The global supply chain, in effect, is affected by the economic crisis felt by countries or regions involved in the supply chain. Raw ma terials are usually sourced from one part of the globe, processed by another country, and then manufactured in another. The finished product is then distributed in different parts of the world (Hoover, et.al., 2001). Issues in the mining of copper in the Philippines for example would affect supply for processing companies. These processing companies would have a higher processing cost and therefore demand higher costs for their sales. In turn, the manufacturing companies would also increase their price. Eventually, the end consumer bears the cost of the price increase. Political instability also increases the risk within the global supply chain. This is very much apparent in the case of conflicts in the Middle East and in North Africa where issues in the region are causing difficulties in the oil supply chain (Hoover, et.al., 2001). The Middle East controls significant oil reserves and where the supply from these countries are curtailed or affected by political conflicts, the price of oil is also affected. Once again, within the supply chain, the costs are increased. Oil is a major source of fuel and any increase in its price affects many industries and most human commercial activities (Hoover, et.al., 2001). In the end, the consumer again bears the brunt of the economic costs

A press kit about Intensive English Program (IEP) at Western Assignment

A press kit about Intensive English Program (IEP) at Western Washington University (WWU) - Assignment Example Pitch letter Western Washington University ‘Western Front’ [Date] Karen Smith Communications Facility 255 Western Washington University (360) 650-3252 Dear Ms. Smith, On November 11, 2013 Open Doors – an Institute for International Education published a report indicating the drastic rise in the number of international students at colleges and universities across the United States with most of the growth driven by students from non-English speaking countries i.e., China and Saudi Arabia, for the 7th consecutive year. The Western Washington University currently houses 63 international students from over 15 countries including Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Russia, Germany, Italy, Venezuela, Columbia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Kuwait, and Japan. Such influx of international students is indicative of a trend that demands a supportive framework in the form of a formal educational / training program tailored to suit the English language needs of such students. The Intensive English Program at the WWU (Western Washington University) in Bellingham is designed especially for international students offering a mix of educational and non-educational programs for students as well as professionals. This program would benefit not only the prospective students planning to enrol in graduate and post-graduate courses but also those intending on learning English purely for business and / or social communication purposes. The program aims to welcome all international applicants including those who do not meet the university's English language requirement and offer appropriate courses for preparation. The IEP promises to open a world of possibilities for all those aspiring to learn the English language from a group of well-qualified and dedicated staff with impressive professional achievements in the field of language teaching. The process of application is relatively easy and does not require the submission of IELTS or TOEFL test scores. Evan Ryan - Assistant secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs stated that "International education promotes the relationship building and knowledge exchange between people and communities in the United States and around the world that are necessary to solve global challenges". An English language program such as the IEP is a step forward in that direction. The Western Front has had an impressive history of catering to its vast student community and has consistently been a source of vital information for them for over 3 decades now. We are sure that the readers of The Western Front would want to access more information about IEP and we look forward to addressing all their queries and concerns in whatever we can. Please do feel free to contact - [include name here], principal / co-ordinator [of the program] at [insert phone number here]. For further information about the program, and other related issues we invite you to explore our website at: [insert link here] or contac t us directly at: [insert email here] for an opportunity to discuss it further. Regards, [Name] [Phone Number] [Organization] 2. Press Release The Bellingham Herald 1155 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Celebrating 30 glorious years of one of the most popular and highly successful educational programs – the Intensive English Program, offered at the country’s best learning institutions- The Western Washington University, Bellingham. The Intensive English Program offered at the Western Washington University's Bellingham campus offers a variety of programs aimed at regular and degree program students with at least 23 hours of instruction per week. WASHINGTON, Date: _ _/_ _/ _ _ _ _ There has been a steady rise in the number of international students in colleges and universities across United States. In the academic