Discussion paper Statistical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion paper Statistical Analysis - Essay Example (Gibson, W., 1997). There are several data collection techniques, and the most commonly used data collection techniques are use of available information, observation, interviews, use of written questionnaires, and focus group discussions. There is a large amount of useful data that has already been collected by others, and this makes a useful starting point in the collection of data. It requires locating where the data is available, and identifying data that is useful and relevant to the current exercise, and retrieving it. Using such available data is an inexpensive means to collection of data, and still it may be difficult to get access to the relevant record and reports, and there is the added disadvantage that the data may not be accurate, and complete. Observation calls for the systematic selection, watching, and recording of the behavior and characteristics of living beings, objects or phenomena. It is a commonly used data collection technique in the study of human behavior. There are two ways in which observation can be done. In the first called participant observation, the observer is involved in the situation that is being observed. In the second called non-participant observation, the observer watches the situation either in an open manner, or in a concealed manner, and is not a participant in the situation. The advantage with observation is that it provides more accurate and substantial information, especially where studies of human behavior is concerned. This data collection technique makes use of oral interviews either with a target group or individuals. The responses to the questions posed are recorded in writing, or by recording on a machine, or a combination of both methods may be used. Flexibility is a determining factor in interviews. High flexibility is used, when the researcher is unsure of the subject, or if the subject is sensitive. Low flexibility is used, when the researcher is well informed on the subject, or if the sample group is

Goals Statement Essay Example for Free

Goals Statement Essay When I first sat down to write my educational goals statement, I thought it would be easy. I am an extremely goal oriented person, with my entire life being spent focusing on â€Å"what’s next†. So, how difficult could it be to simply write down those goals? When I began writing, however, I discovered it was going to be a little more difficult than I anticipated. I realized that it may be possible to have too many goals. My list was long and confusing with some goals very specific, and others vague. I thought to myself, how can I produce a smart goals statement out of this? So I re-evaluated my list and discovered that my goals could actually be divided into three predictable categories: immediate goals, short-term goals, and long-term goals. I decided then to choose one from each category to focus on for this report. My immediate goals were fairly general, but all related to my success as a student, so my main goal as student is to get an A in all of my online subjects, and this is a goal that I will go reaching slowly, day by day over the course of this course and in my following online courses. I feel a little intimidated when taking these online courses because my native language is Spanish and having to study in English is an extra challenge for me but I know that with effort and dedication I will get the A that I’m hoping for.

Social influence

Social influence Social influence has a number of meanings in psychology, it is generally used to summarise the field of social psychology. Studying how thoughts, feelings and behaviour of individuals are influenced by actual, imagined or implied presence of others (Allport, 1968). Our social life is characterised by social influences; influences we are aware of and some we are not. As individuals we occasionally give way to social influence to fit in and at times we do it because we are not sure of the right way to feel or act and so use others as a resource of information. Our social life is also characterised by social norms, which are usually accepted ways of thinking, feeling and behaving that are shared among others in a social group. When a social group has well recognised norms, pressures arise for individuals to maintain such norm (to conform). This essay will explore a variety of examples of social influences (majority and minority effects and obedience) and explanations of why people yield to such influence. An individual is said to conform if they choose a course of action that is preferred or considered socially acceptable by the majority. Because the individual is influenced by how the majority thinks or behaves is referred to as majority influence. The fact that an individual conforms along with the majority in public, does not necessarily mean they have changed their private outlook or beliefs. Therefore, most majority influence is characterised by public compliance rather than private acceptance. Asch (1956) conducted a well recognised experiment on majority influence. The aim of the study was to find out how individuals would behave when given an unambiguous task (asking participants which of the three lines of different lengths were the same length as the standard line). All but one of the participants were confederates, who were instructed to give the same incorrect answer. Asch found, 36.8% of the responses were incorrect, indicating participants conformed to the incorrect res ponse given by the confederates. 25% of the participants never gave a wrong answer; therefore 75% conformed at least once. The study shows a strong tendency to conform to group pressures in a situation where the answer is clear. Asch later interviewed some of his participants and found that they gave one of the three reasons why they conformed. Distortion of perception (they really thought their wrong answers were right), distortion of judgement (felt some doubt with their judgement and therefore conformed) and distortion of action (they did not want to be ridiculed). This study itself does suggest individuals are sometimes aware of social influences but yield to such influences for different reasons. Asking people to judge the length of lines is a rather irrelevant task to real life; the findings only tell us about conformity in special circumstances. For example, Williams and Sogon (1984) tested people who belonged to the same sports club and found that conformity may be even high er with the people you know. Asch was not the first psychologist to investigate majority influence. Jenness, 1932 (cited in Cardwell Flanagan, 2004) asked students to guess the number of beans in a jar. After being given the opportunity to discuss their estimates, they were asked to give their individual estimates again. Jenness found that individuals estimates tended to converge to a group norm. It seems, reasonable to suggest that in an ambiguous situation, people look to others to get some ideas about a sensible answer. Similar study by Sherif, 1935 (cited in Cardwell Flanagan, 2004) found answers to an ambiguous stimulus become quite similar after discussions demonstrating a tendency to establish and conform to group norms. People conform for various reasons, ranging from complete acceptance of the majority viewpoint (informational influence), to simply going along with the crowd (normative influence). Normative influence is the result of wanting to be liked and informational influence is the result of wan ting to be right (Morton and Harold, 1955). Factors that affect majority influence include size of the majority: Asch (1956) found that the size of the opposing majority did affect conformity and, cultural factors: compared to individualist cultures, conformity appears to be higher in societies where group harmony is a priority (Smith and Bond, 1993). Minority influence is an alternative form of social influence where people reject the established norm of the majority of group members and move to the position of the minority. Minorities generally have less power or status and may even be dismissed as troublemakers, but this raises the question, how do they have any influence over the majority? Moscovici, 1976 (cited in Cardwell Flanagan, 2004) claims the answer lies in their behavioural style. Moscovici, Lage and Naffrenchoux (1969) aimed to investigate the process of innovation. They found that the participants agreed with the minority on 8.42% of the trials (saying the blue slides were green). Notably, 32% gave the same answer as the minority at least once. The findings demonstrate that minorities can influence majority opinion. Group identification and social cryptoamnesia are the key explanations why people yield to minority influence. Maass, Clark and Haberknorn (1982) arranged for a group of heterosexual participants to hea r arguments about gay rights. If the minority group was gay, it had less influence on the participants than if it was straight, seemingly because the participants were able to identify with the straight minority and this led to greater influence. Social cryptoamnesia refers to major attitude changes which only take place when the zeitgeist changes. By the time change occurs people have forgotten the original source of opinion change, but innovation is due to minority influence. (Perez, Papastamou and Mugny, 1995). Within a social group, after some members have started to agree with the minority, the minority turns into a majority. Van Avermaet (1996) referred to this as the snowball effect. So far, the essay has looked at types of indirect social influence where people can choose whether or not they will yield to the perceived pressure of the majority or minority, suggesting we are completely aware of such social influences on our behaviour. Obedience to authority (a direct form of social influence) refers to an alternative type of social influence whereby someone acts in response to a direct order from a figure with perceived authority. Milgram (1963) set to investigate whether ordinary people will obey a legitimate authority figure, even when required to injure another person (electric shocks). The findings of the study suggest that ordinary people are surprisingly obedient to authority when asked to behave in an inhumane manner. Gradual commitment, agentic shift and the role of buffers are explanations to why people obey (in terms of Milgrams study). As participants have already given lower-level shocks, it becomes harder to resist the experimenters requirement to in crease the shocks. Having committed themselves to a particular course of action (giving shocks), it becomes difficult for participants to change their mind. Essential to Milgrams explanation of obedience is what he termed the agentic state, by which he meant, the condition the person is in, when he sees himself as an agent to carrying out another persons wishes. Milgram, 1974 (cited in Card, 2005) argued that people move between an agentic state and an autonomous state (state a person is when they see them self acting on their own. Entering an authority system, Milgram claimed the individual no longer views themselves as acting out of his own purpose but sees themselves as agents for another. In Milgrams classic study into obedience, the teacher and learner were in different rooms, with the teacher protected (buffered) from seeing his victim. When the learner was in the same room, this buffering effect was reduced. The role of buffers/buffering effect is similarly used to explain the apparent willingness to dispatch weapons of mass destruction (Solomon, Mikulincer, and Hobfoll, 1986). Milgrams research has been quite controversial; however, it can be argued that the great value of this research, in helping us understand obedience to authority, justifies the deception and the distress caused to the teachers. Society itself can influence the behaviour of people in many ways. It can pass laws through governmental establishments, develop a strong desire for ethics and morals, hold its professionals to strong ethical codes of conduct, educate and inform through school systems and the media. But the primary reason why a society can control the behaviour of most people is our innate psychological need for intuitive growth and maturity. There seems to be a natural preference within the human psyche to behave in a moral or ethical manner. (Schueler, 1997). To conclude, there is evidence to suggest people are in fact aware of social influences whether it is majority and minority effects or obedience to authority; people yield to such influences for a variety of reasons: normative and informational influence, group identification, social cryptoamnesia, gradual commitment, agentic shift and the role of buffers; nevertheless, social psychologists continue to argue that people are often unaware of th e influences on their behaviour, thoughts and emotions. (Nisbett Wilson, 1977)

Who do you blame most for King Duncans Death? :: English Literature Essays

Who do you blame most for King Duncan's Death? Who do you blame for king Duncan’s death? Consider the role of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and the Witches. When answering this question you need to consider the roles of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and the Witches. From this we need to also consider when the play was written and in what context the audience saw the characters in the time when the plays were written. Shakespeare was commissioned to write the play by James I of England who was also James IV of Scotland in the same period and was the new King of England. James I was obsessed and paranoid about witches, so much so that he wrote a book on the subject titled Demonology; at this time everyone believed in the existence of the supernatural, and when the Witches came on to the stage they would not be seen as funny or laughable but as sinister and scary. James I mother, Mary Queen of Scots had been executed on the charge of treason, his father Lord Darnley had been assassinated. James I had inherited a time of political turmoil and confusion through the church and the monarchy’s ideology; and a time where political murder and revenge murder were commonplace. James I himself had, had two assassination attempts made on his life. The second of these was in 1605 and is well known to this day it was the Gunpowder Plot; this may be why the murder of King Duncan isn’t in the play be cause it may insight ideas about murdering King James I, also showing the murder may make James I seem less divine. James I would be seen as less divine because if a King is seen to be murdered on stage while he is asleep with no struggle them he may be seen by the public as faulted and fallible. In Shakespeare’s period people believed there was a greater power controlling life, and as long as this divine order was maintained chaos wouldn’t take control. The murder of the king would throw the system into chaos; the murder would not only be a crime against the state but more importantly a crime against god. At the top of the chain is god with ultimate power over everything, then King, Thanes, citizens, and finally animals. Macbeth is thane of Glamis at the start and is then also Thane or Cawdor, this gives him a duty to the King and god that he must obey as they are his superiors.

Hamlet and His Problems Essay

Eliot offers, as we have seen, what has come to be called an ‘impersonal theory of poetic creation. ’ Eliot would not have denied either that poets have feelings or that poetry inspires certain feelings in the reader. He offers, rather, an account, centered around his notion of the objective correlative, of how such feelings enter the poem in the first place that differs significantly from the expressive model of poetry promulgated by the Romantics. In â€Å"Tradition and the Individual Talent,† you might recall, using a chemical analogy, Eliot compares the poet’s mind to a catalyst and the emotions and feelings (he draws a distinction between these two that is unclear) universally inspired by particular objects and events to two chemicals which react with each other only in the presence of the catalyst. The product of the ‘chemical’ reaction is a poem which, when properly executed, then in turn inspires the same emotions and feelings in its audience. In short, the poet does not inject his personal emotions into the poem, that is, the best poetry does not ‘express’ the personality (thoughts and feelings) of the poet concerned. In â€Å"Hamlet and Its Problems,† Eliot gives further insight into exactly how emotions are included in poems without the poet’s own feelings becoming personally involved. According to Eliot, the best poets seek to verbally describe suitable objects which, when included in the poem, are responsible for generating a particular kind of emotion that, in turn, strikes the appropriate chord in the reader. The ‘object’ captured in words in this way serves, as Eliot puts it, as the ‘correlative’ of a particular kind of emotion. Eliot puts it this way: the only way of expressing emotion in the form of art is by finding an ‘objective correlative’; in other words, a set of objects, a situation, a chain of events which shall be the formula of that particular emotion; such that when the external facts, which must terminate in sensory experience, are given, the emotion is immediately evoked. 124-5) For example, the description of death inevitably involves the generation of sadness and related emotions in the audience as it would if it happened on real life. Given that Eliot is of the view that the best poetry is divorced from the personal feelings and involvement of the poet, the death described has little to do with the poet’s personal experiences of mortality. From this point of view, Eliot contends, the reason why Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is a failure is that the â€Å"essential emotion of the play is the feeling of a son towards a guilty mother† (124). However, the character Hamlet is â€Å"dominated by an emotion† (125) that is â€Å"in excess of the facts as they appear† (125). That is, the play Hamlet’s difficulty is that the character Hamlet’s â€Å"disgust is occasioned by his mother, but . . . is mother is not an adequate equivalent for it; his disgust envelops and exceeds her† (125). In short, the in fact not entirely unsympathetic figure of Gertrude in the play is not an adequate object for the emotions which she is meant to generate in her son. The play fails because Gertrude is a badly executed character who does not function as she is intended to by Shakespeare and thus fails as an objective correlative for emotions of disgust.

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge essays

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge essays The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1960 in northeastern Alaska to protect and maintain its naturally functioning community of arctic and sub-arctic ecosystems. A variety of wildlife, including 36 fish species, 36 kinds of land mammals, over 160 bird species, and 9 marine animals, reside in this protected area. However, beneath this beautiful land, is a black gold mine. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that below the permafrost of the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain, lies 11-31 billion barrels of oil. This has lead to a constant fight over oil drilling vs. wildlife preservation and conservation. Oil industry representatives argue that the demand for energy, and high prices of gasoline and heating oil, justify exploiting the refuges oil resources. Oil drilling in ANWR will have a variety of negative effects on its delicate ecosystem including disruption of wildlife patterns, noise, pollution, and alteration of the land. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was created to protect and maintain the lands relatively undisturbed condition, and thus oil drilling should not be allowed in this protected area. The oil industry believes that the amount of oil located in the Arctic Refuges 1002 area is a substantial amount, and is a resource that should be exploited. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated in 2000 that there is a 95% chance of finding 1.9 billion barrels of economically recoverable oil in the 1002 area. At the current price of $24 a barrel, there is a 50% chance of finding a nine months supply of oil (Potential, 5). Rather than deplete the oil resources in Alaska as well as endanger habitat and wildlife for nine months of domestic oil consumption, the United States should look into other sources of fuel. Natural gas, solar power, and hydroelctric power, are forms of energy that can be taken advantage of. The United States could also look into lowering consum...

Alchemy Essays - Hermeticism, Paranormal, Alchemy, Esotericism

Alchemy Essays - Hermeticism, Paranormal, Alchemy, Esotericism Alchemy Alchemy There are many ways to examine the subject of alchemy, including alchemy as a source of symbolism, psychology, and mysticism. It has also been an influence on the world view of various writers, artist, and musicians. The focus of this report is alchemy as a pre-chemistry, which gave a new impulse towards the preparation of medicinal remedies and also was a major influence on today's scientific investigations. Alchemy is an ancient art, practiced in the Middle Ages. The fundamental concept of alchemy stemmed from Aristotle's doctrine that all things tend to reach perfection. Because other metals were thought to be less perfect than gold, it was reasonable to believe that nature created gold out of other metals found deep within the earth and that a skilled artisan could duplicate this process. It was said that once someone was able to change, or transmute a base chemical into the perfect metal, gold, they would have achieved eternal life and salvation. In this way, alchemy turned into not only a scientific quest, but a spiritual quest as well. Although the purposes and techniques were often times ritualistic and fanciful, alchemy was in many ways the predecessor of modern science, especially the science of chemistry. The birthplace of alchemy was ancient Egypt, where, in Alexandria, it began to flourish during the Hellenistic period. Also at that time, a school of alchemy was developing in China. The writings of some Greek philosophers may be considered to be among the very first chemical theories, such as the theory that all things are composed of air, earth, fire, and water. Each of these were represented by different elements, such as sulfur, salt, mercury, and, ideally, gold. Other ideas held by alchemists were that each of the known elements were represented by heavenly bodies. Gold was earth's representation of the sun, silver for the moon, mercury for the planet Mercury, copper for Venus, iron for Mars, tin for Jupiter, and lead for Saturn. The typical alchemist's laboratory in Renaissance Europe was a dark, cluttered place that stank of smoke and mysterious chemicals. Many alchemists worked at home, in order to save money and avoid outside interference. Some settled in the kitchen, to take advantage of the cooking fire. Others chose the attic or cellar, where late-night activity was less likely to be noticed by inquisitive neighbors. These small, makeshift laboratories were often filled with a grimy jumble of instruments, manuscripts, skulls, animal specimens, and assorted mystical objects. Most alchemists also had an alter in their lab, which was a aid they deemed necessary to the spiritual aspects of their pursuit- eternal life and unimaginable power. In these surroundings that owed more to mysticism than to science, attempts to discover the magical substance that would turn base metals into gold inadvertently laid much of the groundwork for the later discipline of applied chemistry. Alchemists were the first to isol ate a number of chemicals, from phosphorus to hydrochloric acid, and they also developed new equipment and methods for distilling fluids, assaying metals, and controlling chemical reactions. One method the alchemist helped to develop was the use of heat to start reactions. Thomas Norton, a fifteenth century alchemist wrote A perfect Master ye may call him true, that knoweth his Heates both high and lowe. The alchemist experimented with a number of furnaces, water baths, and other heating apparatus. They also refined the process of distillation and created many flasks and stills. As the world approached the late 18th century, people grew skeptical of alchemy's mystical and astrological attempts at turning common metals into gold. The alchemists of Europe then divided into two separate groups. One group took up the visionary, metaphysical side of the older alchemy and developed it into a practice based on imposture, necromancy, and fraud, which is the prevailing notion of alchemy today. The other group, however, devoted themselves to the scientific discovery of new compounds and reactions. These few scientists were the legitimate ancestors of modern chemistry.

Anglo Saxon Boast Essay Example

Anglo Saxon Boast Essay Example Anglo Saxon Boast Paper Anglo Saxon Boast Paper I am the astute descendant of Martha and John and the imposing model of two gallows, puckish boys. My superlative childhood was engulfed with the colors of my parents motherland, the aroma of family cooked meals, on a lukewarm summer nights, and with my household walls Jam-packed with melodious tempos. My oddly hazy adulthood entailed of incalculable hours painfully tackling books, constantly interpolating on the completion of the cruelty. Now, allow me drape your ears with my dear dexterity, And take my word that all shall be dumbfounded. Today, I shall reveal my superb language proficiencies: With godly talent, clutching new languages, Came like a breeze, as foreseeable. Nothing is of challenge to this genius learner, As it is sadly for the senseless societies. For this glorious conqueror sees no boundaries, As other weaklings do. Needing nothing more than a few days, To subjugate the nameless words. Amusing all who have had the advantage to Meet the authority of all languages, Understanding every word articulated. Doubt if you wish, for both you and I are mindful of Your minute probability to ever draw close to a revered Intellect. However, do not let my mere audacity seize your Insignificant enthusiasm. For I know you can always study.

Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Organizational Change - Essay Example PWRC typically employs 5 case managers and 35 correctional officers. The average age of the members of staff is 40 years. A large number of staff is male however; during the first couple of years of data collection, approximately 70% members of the staff were female. In the third year, this percentage dropped to 60%. Around 70% of the staff has obtained their high school diploma and around 90% of the staff in based on African-American employees. PWRC has implemented a change process that emphasized on modifying the climate and culture of the facility. The goal of PWRC is to create a learning environment that supports the results of offenders. A training model, as part of change process, was implemented to evaluate the organizational change. The change process comprised of 2-day communication process, which focused on building communications skills of staff so that they can communicate with offenders in an effective manner. The purpose of this training was to create a sustainable change (Rogers, 2003; Armenakis, Harris, & Mossholder, 1993). This training system addresses the need to external facilitators and coaches in order to help the staff members for learning material in training session. On-site training is a tool that comprises of intensive coaching as well as coaching after training sessions. The most appropriate method for implementing organizational change in correction agency is ‘Continuous On-Site Training’. This method focuses on implementing change for communication strategies, which are utilized by staff as well as for organizational readiness. It has been observed that the most important factor to address in any organization while implementing change is communication skills. If communication skills are appropriate then any change can be implemented easily. If staff members are taught that change is for their own benefits then they will be eager to adopt the change. Therefore, the most appropriate method is to implement ‘Continuous On-Site

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Research Paper Example Some misrepresentations however aim at esteeming an organization’s financial position to present a better image to stakeholders. I, in this paper, review cases of accounting fraud. Worthen reports a claim by Hewlett Packard that Autonomy, a United Kingdom based company that it acquired two years ago, had misrepresented its financial position to the harm of Hewlett Packard. Hewlett Packard reports that the acquisition was overvalued and the transfer of ownership led to an almost nine billion dollar write off and a consequent loss in hp’s trading. hp claims that its internal audit detected gross misrepresentation by Autonomy prior to the 2011 acquisition with claims of intentional motive to overstate both income and profitability of the organization. The perpetrators, according to the article, further intended to conceal such acts but Autonomy’s founder dismissed the claims as false. The founder, Mr. Lynch who worked with hp after the acquisition however cited poor management by the new owner of his former software enterprise as the possible cause of the financial conditions at Hewlett Packard. Reports of formal action by hp for legal investigations and action by both United States and United Kingdom authorities identified significance of the case that would transcend international legal systems. History of Hewlett Packard, prior to the acquisition, had however been marred with integrity compromises that led to reorganization of its top management and the departure of its two chief executives in 2010 and 2011. While Mr. Hurd had to resign in the year 2010 for conflict of interest that manifested in relationship with a client, his successor who also spearheaded the Autonomy deal bowed down to pressure after barely a year (Worthen 1). Investigations into the fraud case were initiated in May 2012 after Hewlett Packard’s lead legal personnel reported allegations from a member of Autonomy’s management team that gross manipulation of accounting records occurred before the property’s transfer to Hewlett Packard. While the informant’s anonymity was maintained, Autonomy’s auditing firm expressed its positions of having no interest of knowledge of such malpractices though the accounting firm did not express confidence in its client’s accounting records prior to the sales. Mr. Lynch however maintained that his former business was developed on integrity and was stable before internal differences among hp’s management team led to its collapse. Supporting Lynch’s allegations are reports of other managerial challenges such as mobility among hp’s top executives, reduced costs, increasing liabilities and reducing demand for some of the organization’s products. Even though private audit identified inconsistency in classification of items for recording, hp’s allegations of gross misrepresentation was downplayed by its representation by distinguished accounting fi rms during the acquisition and the fact that the firms did not detect such claims (Worthen 1). Even though existing information does not establish validity of the claim, Autonomy appears to have misrepresented its accounting records to portray a profitable and competitive enterprise that it was not. The primary motives of such misrepresentations have however not been established but occurrence prior to Autonomy’s sales suggest that the misrepresentation aimed at deceiving potential

The search for authenticity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The search for authenticity - Essay Example In this respect, humans have the capacity to make sense out of the world and out of situations, and through making such sense, they are able to act on their own in different circumstances and situations, if they refuse to be drawn to the usual cultural and social standards and norms that the society has established as the standardized ways of responding to circumstances. Authenticity presents the sense of being practical in addressing matters that are likely to arouse great anxiety, within the abilities of humans, and without having to depend on the spirituality or on the help that might come from outside of the man (Heidegger, 3). The social norms and cultural standards that have been established by the society have made everything in life like just a cycle of regurgitating what others have done in the past. In this sense, there lacks the difference between the current man and the ancient men, because the current man just follows some standardized norms that the society established culturally centuries ago, a concept that Martin Heidegger refers to as unauthenticity (Heidegger, 7). This has been the essence of the reference of human beings as ‘Dasein’, which has just to do with being there (Heidegger, 14). According to Martin Heidegger, humans have existed in the world more or less as a matter of being there, without doing things differently according to their own human capacities, and without depending on external forces (Polt, 54). Humans are born in the world of conformity, where everything that we say, think, believe or act has been done before by the generations that were before us (Heidegger, 22). Human beings pursue the issues they perceive to be worth of their time and effort in a manner that has already been done before, such that the life of one human can be likened to that of the other, since the past

Google in China Analysis 2 Vo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Google in China Analysis 2 Vo - Essay Example een identified among the Chinese internet users as they prefer localized search engines over foreign ones, here Google encountered a positioning enigma as well. As for the usage patterns are concerned then Chinese market is substantially different in more than one ways. They do more blogging, a more thorough browsing and more localized way of searching the internet. Apart from these, censorship and repressive strategy over internet browsing are some more barriers that are placed to Google’s progress in the Chinese market. However with a population of more than 1 billion people and one of the fastest internet penetration rates, Chinese market cannot be ignored by a player like Google (Lawrence, 2009). The Chinese Internet market comprised of 103 million internet users in 2005 and this number grew exponentially to 316 million till April 2009. In 2005, entertainment was the main reason for internet usage in China with around 38% of the users identifying it as their sole purpose of browsing; however till 2009 the trend has shifted to more sophisticated browsing habits such as news 79%, Blog 54%, Search 68% and Email 57%. In 2005, 69% of users had internet access at home while 38% at work, in 2009 the scenario has changed and internet cafes and schools have also emerged as centers with internet access (Lawrence, 2009). In 2009 dimensions of entertainment have also developed and gaming and social networking have also become integral components of the category. Internet penetration rate in China is 25% and this makes China a great market for players like Google to capitalize up on. In 2005 one in seven users was above 30 years of age but in 2009 the average age group is 25 years, indicating youth dominance among internet users. In all in all Chinese internet market shows sustainability and signs of growth and further development. In US average internet user age is 42 with annual penetration rate of 3% suggesting that it has reached the saturation level and newer

Cystic fibrosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cystic fibrosis - Essay Example It is possible that several hundred different mutations of the gene exist than can cause cystic fibrosis. The gene was discovered in 1989. The underlying defect stems from a mutation in a gene on the long arm (q) of chromosome 7. The protein product acts as a chloride channel. It is called the cystic fibrosis trans membrane conductance regulator (CFTR). This controls the cellular transport of sodium chloride and water. It is inherited and is a recessive gene. Some may be unique to certain families so testing of families in which the disease is present may yield results that will help to determine the specific mutation. People having this disease in the past were not expected to live long enough to reach adulthood but improved diagnoses and treatment now allows them to live even beyond fifty years of age. The usual form of death is from respiratory failure. In normal people chloride the chloride and sodium that is presented in sweat are reabsorbed by epithelial cells in the sweat dust as the sweat finds its way to the surface of the skin. In people with cystic fibrosis the defective gene inhibits the reabsorbing of chloride and sodium ions resulting in an excess of sodium chloride or very salty sweat. In normal people, the function of respiratory tract epithelial cells is to transport chloride ions into the lumen thereby maintaining the adequate hydration of mucus. In the respiratory tract of persons with cystic fibrosis there is a reduction of the secretion of sodium ions and water caused from the inability of epithelial cell membranes to influence the hydration of mucus. Consequently the mucus becomes very thick. This mucus affects the clearance of irritation and micro-organisms from the lungs. The following events occur in the lungs. Genetic testing is now available. Cells are collected from inside the cheek of patients and then examined for the

Managing Organizational Deviance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Managing Organizational Deviance - Assignment Example Ethics in an enterprise include salespeople being honest, just and fair to all. Some individuals may perceive sales ethics as being an oxymoron or rather a contradiction depending on a number of factors including the culture of the people, the product itself, way the product or service is produced and delivered to customers as well as the behavior of the salespersons. The factors listed above are varied across cultures, nations and every action have both benefits and costs, which may render sales ethics an oxymoron. However, sales ethics is not an oxymoron. In most cases, it is the behavior of a salesperson, who connects the company and the customer (consumer) that largely contributes to the debate whether sales ethics is an oxymoron. If a salesperson creates and sustains a relationship that is based on honesty, commitment and trust, then the customer will be a lifelong and sales become ethical. The reason why sales ethics is oxymoron First, nothing is perfect. At times, matters beyo nd the control of the sales persons hamper him or her from delivering their value proposition. For example, if a salesperson promises a customer that the product will be delivered in an hour’s time and it delays, the salesperson will appear a cheat. But the delay may be occasion by traffic jam or breakdown among other genuine reasons. Secondly, the goals of the salesperson may make sales ethics a contradiction. This is true when a salesperson is driven by temptation and greed in the sense that he or she wants to make more commissions at the expense of the value delivered to the customer. For example, if a salesperson is fast-talking and extremely convincing, he or she often sells products to customers that have no value. According to Blocher (2008, 34), most adverts and salespersons do not reveal the complete story of products or services, which the buyer may not like. As a result, the customer purchases products or services that they do not need in the first place and they w ill feel cheated. Thirdly, salespersons may report inaccurate sales. In an enterprise, there are various forms of rewards systems which include salary, promotions, and bonuses. Among the salespeople, these systems are put in place based on their performance. However, it can result in employees being involved in unethical behavior. In order to attain sales targets employees may opt to use unethical practices such as using pressure and recording false sales. Lack of transparency may be costly to a company in the long run. It may spoil the sales, personal credibility and interfere with sales (Thorne 2008, 224). Such unethical behaviors may become persistent leading to other unethical acts, which may drive the company’s sales down significantly (Kidwell and Martin 2005, 44). Fourth, competition drives companies and their salespersons to act against good morals. Duska (2007, 90) attest that the perception that every business is in a competition, and focuses mainly on how to improv e profits may conflict with the existing ethics.  

Google in China Analysis 2 Vo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Google in China Analysis 2 Vo - Essay Example een identified among the Chinese internet users as they prefer localized search engines over foreign ones, here Google encountered a positioning enigma as well. As for the usage patterns are concerned then Chinese market is substantially different in more than one ways. They do more blogging, a more thorough browsing and more localized way of searching the internet. Apart from these, censorship and repressive strategy over internet browsing are some more barriers that are placed to Google’s progress in the Chinese market. However with a population of more than 1 billion people and one of the fastest internet penetration rates, Chinese market cannot be ignored by a player like Google (Lawrence, 2009). The Chinese Internet market comprised of 103 million internet users in 2005 and this number grew exponentially to 316 million till April 2009. In 2005, entertainment was the main reason for internet usage in China with around 38% of the users identifying it as their sole purpose of browsing; however till 2009 the trend has shifted to more sophisticated browsing habits such as news 79%, Blog 54%, Search 68% and Email 57%. In 2005, 69% of users had internet access at home while 38% at work, in 2009 the scenario has changed and internet cafes and schools have also emerged as centers with internet access (Lawrence, 2009). In 2009 dimensions of entertainment have also developed and gaming and social networking have also become integral components of the category. Internet penetration rate in China is 25% and this makes China a great market for players like Google to capitalize up on. In 2005 one in seven users was above 30 years of age but in 2009 the average age group is 25 years, indicating youth dominance among internet users. In all in all Chinese internet market shows sustainability and signs of growth and further development. In US average internet user age is 42 with annual penetration rate of 3% suggesting that it has reached the saturation level and newer

Managing Organizational Deviance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Managing Organizational Deviance - Assignment Example Ethics in an enterprise include salespeople being honest, just and fair to all. Some individuals may perceive sales ethics as being an oxymoron or rather a contradiction depending on a number of factors including the culture of the people, the product itself, way the product or service is produced and delivered to customers as well as the behavior of the salespersons. The factors listed above are varied across cultures, nations and every action have both benefits and costs, which may render sales ethics an oxymoron. However, sales ethics is not an oxymoron. In most cases, it is the behavior of a salesperson, who connects the company and the customer (consumer) that largely contributes to the debate whether sales ethics is an oxymoron. If a salesperson creates and sustains a relationship that is based on honesty, commitment and trust, then the customer will be a lifelong and sales become ethical. The reason why sales ethics is oxymoron First, nothing is perfect. At times, matters beyo nd the control of the sales persons hamper him or her from delivering their value proposition. For example, if a salesperson promises a customer that the product will be delivered in an hour’s time and it delays, the salesperson will appear a cheat. But the delay may be occasion by traffic jam or breakdown among other genuine reasons. Secondly, the goals of the salesperson may make sales ethics a contradiction. This is true when a salesperson is driven by temptation and greed in the sense that he or she wants to make more commissions at the expense of the value delivered to the customer. For example, if a salesperson is fast-talking and extremely convincing, he or she often sells products to customers that have no value. According to Blocher (2008, 34), most adverts and salespersons do not reveal the complete story of products or services, which the buyer may not like. As a result, the customer purchases products or services that they do not need in the first place and they w ill feel cheated. Thirdly, salespersons may report inaccurate sales. In an enterprise, there are various forms of rewards systems which include salary, promotions, and bonuses. Among the salespeople, these systems are put in place based on their performance. However, it can result in employees being involved in unethical behavior. In order to attain sales targets employees may opt to use unethical practices such as using pressure and recording false sales. Lack of transparency may be costly to a company in the long run. It may spoil the sales, personal credibility and interfere with sales (Thorne 2008, 224). Such unethical behaviors may become persistent leading to other unethical acts, which may drive the company’s sales down significantly (Kidwell and Martin 2005, 44). Fourth, competition drives companies and their salespersons to act against good morals. Duska (2007, 90) attest that the perception that every business is in a competition, and focuses mainly on how to improv e profits may conflict with the existing ethics.  

Oneself Changes Essay Example for Free

Oneself Changes Essay God image’ is the subjective emotional experience of God. It is shaped by our experience of our parents and enables us to continue earlier learned relational patterns. The term, God Image is used to refer to one’s internal, intra-psychic, emotional representation of God. The God Image develops during childhood as the children are confronted with their limitations, and recognizes powers beyond their own work in their environment. This essay will focus on the ‘God image’ as it will be trying to explain ‘how Rizzuto show that as the image of one changes, so too, does one’s image of God change’. Before that, this paper will start by briefing a history of Rizzuto. Ana Maria-Rizzuto was an American psychoanalyst who began her interest in looking at Religion through the eyes of her discipline in 1963 when she was asked to teach a course in the seminary on the psychological foundations of belief. She was inspired by Freud’s insights into the role of parents in search of project with patients admitted to a private psychiatric hospital. Twenty patience were studied, ten men and ten women. The goal of her project was to study the possible origins of the individual’s private representation of God and its subsequent elaborations. Rizzuto took her basic hypothesis from Freud who had connected the individual’s ‘father in flesh’ with God. Freud claimed that all people create their own gods on the basis of early relationships shaped in childhood. In doing his project, Rizzuto had each one fill out detailed questionnaire and then she interviewed each to gain a comprehensive life history. In order to understand her subjects thoroughly, Rizzuto asked them to talk about themselves at the different stages of their growth, about their relationships, conflicts and problems. Her end goal was to be able to make a complex assessment and come to a clinical interpretation of the quality of each subject’s relationships in those private and subjective areas of experience which do not lend themselves easily to statistical analysis (Graham13-5). Rizzuto focused on the formation of an individual’s private representation of God during childhood, its modifications and uses during the entire course of life. She calls this process of formation the â€Å"Birth of the Living God†. As the image of one change, so, too does the one’s image of God change. Rizzuto says that the images and experiences from the earliest years, before oedipal struggles, seem to play a key role. The child alone does not create a God. According to Rizzuto, the development of a child throws light on the way the image and the concept of God come into being and interact. The new born baby has no interpersonal experience. The infant has the experience of the mother, the father and the siblings. The child has a multitude of interpersonal experiences. It is at age of three when the child becomes consciously curious about God. â€Å"A three year old oedipal child, for instance, has great curiosity and wants to know the why of living† (208). The child is especially interested in the causes of things like, ‘why do trees move? Where does the wind come from? The child ceaseless chaining of causes or animistic notions of causality will inevitably lead her/him to think of a superior being. The idea of God suits a child well because her parents and adult are already in her mind superior beings of great size and power. The child easily moves to an anthropomorphic understanding of God as a powerful being like her parents†(Rizzuto qtd in Winnicott 97) The child soon discovers that God is invisible; therefore, he is left to inner resources to fill the image of God as a living being described for him as a person. The powerful fantasy of the child has to ‘create’ the powerful being. As a result, as the image of o ne change, so, too does the one’s image of God changes. Also, an image of God can be created for a new human being through parental and societal devotion to God as like its parents. The child observes its parents and adults giving devotion to God. Since the child’s parents are like God to the child, the parent’s devotion to someone even greater than themselves is a mystery to the child. The parents and God then become associated and not clearly distinguished. The parents as objects become internalized, form the self and become symbolized by God image (Rizzuto qtd in Nelson 35). Horowitz writes, Rizzuto claims that, it is not known what psychic processes take place inside the child at that early age or the selective procedures that bring him/her to use one type of interpersonal experience and reject nother to form his/her image of God. What is known is that, the child has an image of God which he/she spontaneously uses in his/her questioning about him and in his own religious behavior? This early image may, to be sure undergo changes in later life. â€Å"This does not alter the fact that the child has formed his image of God out of interpersonal ex periences before he is intellectually mature enough to grasp the concept of God†( Horowitz 63). When the time comes for the child to receive formal religious teaching, his image of God and the concept of God will also change just as the image of one change (64). Furthermore, Rizzuto acknowledges the idea of Winnicot who says that, when a child grows and matures, he/she will come to his intermediate area of experience, which constitutes the greater part of infant’s experience, and â€Å"throughout life is retained in the intense experiencing that belongs to the arts and to religion and to imaginative and to creative scientific work† (14). At this stage, â€Å"instead of God losing meaning, his meaning becomes heightened by the oedipal experience and all other pre-genital events that have contributed to the reelaboration of his representational characteristics† (Rizzuto 178). Sometimes, however he may seem to lose meaning, paradoxically, on account of being rejected, ignored, and suppressed or found temporarily unnecessary. Lawrence broadened the understanding of what influences the development of the God Image in line with the idea of Rizzuto. It is now more commonly recognized that other relationships and experiences also impact the development of the God Image. One may again ask that, â€Å"Does young people who have not received any kind of religious education in general develop images of God? † This question can be answered with the findings of Rizzuto. She claims that in a very early age every child begins to form its image of God through parental messages about God. The image of God gets a clearer shape when the child begins to create so called fantasy companions, which help the child till adolescence to master inner conflicts. Amongst others, the fantasy companions can take over the role of a scapegoat, which allows the child to repulse negative impulses or they can help the child to strengthen their feelings of omnipotence or they can become caring companions of the lonely, neglected or rejected child (Lawrence 119 and Winnicot 140). Moreover, Rizzuto claims that even if a child is to be brought up in a religious or unreligious way, he/she will create God as a fantasy companion, whose existence is formed from his/her personal experience with parents and what he/she will learn about God in the environment he/she grows up in. he goes on to say that, nothing can be predicted on how the child will use the information which he/she gets about God. This means that no general statements can be made about the childlike image about God and its further development. For some children God may become very meaningful, for others God might have an evil, destructive character and for some he might not be of any importance at all. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that the as the image of a child or one changes, so, too, does the child’s or one’s image changes (Winnicott 143). Rizzuto agrees that Freud was basically correct in suggesting that God has his origins in parental imagos and that God comes to the child at the time of resolution of the oedipal crisis. That implies that all the children in Western world form a God representation- one that may later be used, neglected, or actively repressed. In all cases the type of representation the child has formed as a result of his personal experience with his self-perception. This is not because the God representation can exert any influence of its own but because the child actively uses his God representation and his transformations of it as an element in maintaining a minimum sense of relatedness and hope. Sometimes this is best archived by totally rejecting God; at other times ‘closeness’ to God offers a better solution (208). To sum up, Rizzuto tries to show that as the image of one change, so, too does the one’s image of God change. He does that by focusing on the development of a child. He writes that, the child create God image through experience and fantasy. Freud believes that only the father provides the imago for an ‘exaltation’ to Godhead but Rizzuto would then argue saying that it is either the father or the mother or both who helps in the formation of the God’s image in the child which can also affects his/her ideas and images of God later in life. Other primary objects like grandparents siblings may also provide some representational components. The entire representational process occurs in a wider context of the family, social class, organized religion and particular subcultures. All these experiences contribute a background to the shape, significance, potential use and meaning which the child or adult may bestow on their God representations.

Religion in Crime and Punishment

Religion in Crime and Punishment Dostoevsky was a very religious an after he got out of jail. Because of this, when he wrote Crime and Punishment he incorporated teachings and symbolism from his own religion to help the characters progress. There are several instances where the use of symbolism along with water portrays rebirth and regeneration. There are also instances where water represents death, whether it is because of murder or suicide. Another symbol used in the novel is the cross. As if the cross did not represent enough already in Christianity, Dostoevsky uses it to represent the ordinary, along with its classic representation of suffering. Finally, Dostoevsky incorporated the stories of Lazarus and Jesus. These are meant to represent the characters spiritual awakening and spiritual death. The outstanding strands of symbolic imagery in the novel are those of water, and stories of Lazarus and Jesus (Gibian 2). Dostoevskys personal beliefs are portrayed through the use of symbolism within Crime and Punishment including the use of religious symbols such as water and the cross, and through biblical stories such as that of Lazarus, which help the characters evolve. The use of water is a recurring theme within Crime and Punishment. To the protagonist of the book, water is a symbol of rebirth and regeneration, always there when something positive occurs (Gibian 2). This is saying that whether it be when Rodya (Raskalinkov) is turning himself in, or when he returns to his faith, water is always present. Inside of Raskalinkovs inner fight, there is still receptivity to water as beauty (Gibian 2). This is saying that no matter how difficult life can get, Rodya always sees the beauty in water which has a calming effect on him. For him, water is soothing and a source of life, such as with the flowers along the bank of a river. He understood the beauty of the river, and therefore that of the water (Gibian 2). Even though he sees this beauty, the rest of his life is so confusing he contemplates suicide within the river. HE then realizes that the river is life, not death. The river which Raskalinkov sees is no longer a means for committing suicide, nor a sight inducing melancholy; it is the river of life (Gibian 4).This is a major step because he realizes he needs to fall onto the road of redemption, which ironically begins by the river as well, along with Sonia (A woman Rodya meets who helps him on his road to redemption.) Rodyas regeneration begins with Sonia at his side at the bank of the river (Gibian 6). During his regeneration, he realizes that even though he has seen the beauty of the river, it was not as it was; he used to see it with more concentration. It occurs to Rodya that he has not fully enjoyed the beauty of the river because his thoughts have banished him (Gibian 6). His reaction to water has changed since becoming a student with his new views (Gibian 4). The religious symbol of water represents rebirth and regeneration to many characters such as Raskalinkov. Even though water can be seen as rebirth and regeneration, it can also be a representation of death, whether it is murder or suicide. For the protagonists, water has a generally positive effect, but this is not the case when dealing with the antagonists. Water has a negative influence on the antagonists, always there when bad events occur (Gibian 2). Whenever anything negative happens to an antagonist, water is involved. One example of this is the situation with Svidrigalov, who, to Raskalinkov, is threatening. Instead of being a positive influence, water is negative for Svidrigalov because it is in the rain that he decides to take his life and shoot himself (Gibian 2). Before this, he also confirms his repulsion of water. Water holds the terror of death for the corrupt Svidrigalov who confirms his depravity by saying Never could I stand water, not even in a landscape painting. (Gibian 2). This shows that water holds a position above Svidrigalov, as a higher power causing harm to him . Unlike the protagonists, the antagonists have a negative reaction with water leading to death. Dostoevsky used another symbol from his religion, the cross, to help develop the characters. The main representation of the cross is suffering. Raskalinkov wears the cypress cross that Sonia gives to him, because now he is ready to suffer for his murdering of the pawnbroker. Sonya gives Raskalinkov the cross as if saying You are no forgiven. Go suffer. (Knopps 1). Sonia convinces Raskalinkov to wear the cross as he confesses which shows he is ready to suffer (Gibian 3). The other reason Dostoevsky used the cross was to show that Raskalinkov and his victim were ordinary people. The cross that Sonya gives to Rodya once belonged to his innocent victim, Lizavita. The cross was also made of an ordinary wood, cypress. Rodya wears the cross of his innocent victim, which is made of an ordinary wood cypress. This represents how his victim was random and innocent (Salvation 2). His victim was ordinary who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like the ordinary cypress. The other connection that can be made is between the ordinary cypress and Raskalinkov being ordinary. After he killed the pawnbroker and her sister, Raskalinkov believes he is a higher power, above the law. This is why he has trouble with religion; he believes he is a god. However, when he takes the cross, this changes. When he takes the cross, he admits he is an ordinary man, now part of society (Salvation 5). This is cutting Rodya down to the level of everyone else. Now he is not above the law and must turn himself in. It also means that he can have faith again and believe in God and Jesus, coming back to religion. Since Dostoevsky was religious, it is not a surprise that he incorporated stories from the bible into his novel. The author uses parallels to the stories of Jesus and Lazarus from the main characters in his novel. The first comparison is to show how Raskalinkov is spiritually dead, but with hope of being awakened. The reading of the story of Lazarus is important because Rodya has experienced a sort of spiritual death (Hutt 1). Before the story of Lazarus, a man whom Jesus raised from the dead after four days, was read to him, Rodya had abandoned faith and was spiritually dead. He asks Sonya to read him the story because he is spiritually dead and needs hope (Salvation 2). Even though Sonya is trying, Raskalinkov doesnt understand and is still not figuring out the connections between him and Lazarus. Even though there is seems to be no chance of it working, Rodyas soul can be raised. The other comparison to Jesus and Lazarus is to show how Raskalinkov can be spiritually awoken. Raskalinkov feels like Lazarus in that one day he may have a resurrection that would end his spiritual depravity (Hutt 1). Rodya asks Sonya to read him the story of Lazarus to give him hope that he can gain faith. Dostoevsky has Raskalinkov ask Sonya to read him the story of Lazarus because it is the best example of a human being resurrected to a new life (Gibian 3). This is because there was a need for Rodya to overcome his feelings of being somewhat God-like. Not only does Raskalinkov identify with Lazarus, but also with Jesus. Rodya is raised from his spiritual death just as Jesus ad, while there were many who did not believe it was possible. Also, as Raskalinkov is going through his regeneration, he keeps a bible under his pillow to symbolize Jesus resurrection (Gibian 5). Raskalinkov can identify with Lazarus and Jesus because of their resurrections back to life. Dostoevsky uses his religion to influence his novel and help develop the characters. The author, a deeply religious man, uses allusions to stories of his faith heavily in order to show how religion can bring about redemption (Hutt 1). There are several instances in which Dostoevsky uses his own religion to influence the characters. One of the main symbols is water. Water is used to help the regeneration and rebirth of the protagonists, helping them realize the beauty of life. On the other side, water is used to show death for the antagonists. The Christian symbol of the cross is used in a traditional sense of suffering and a new view, as ordinary. There is also evidence of stories such as Lazarus helping the characters progress. Dostoevsky used his own religion to impact the characters within his novel.

Stephen Kings Influence On American Literature Essay -- essays researc

Stephen King is one of the most influential authors of today. His award-winning novels and short stories are known world -wide. His many awards and nominations have created a space for him in the literary world. King is a true â€Å"Horror King†, for his books, turned movies, have scared millions world- wide. Stephen King has helped bring America to prominence through his many books, essays and short stories. Stephen Edwin King was born on September 21, 1947 at the Maine General Hospital in Portland, Maine. His parents were Donald Edwin King and Ruth Pillsbury King. Stephen being the only natural born child in the family and his older brother David having been adopted at birth two years earlier. â€Å"The Kings were the typical, â€Å"nuclear† family of the fifties until one night when Donald King said he was stepping out for cigarettes and was never heard from again.† At this point Ruth took over raising the family with help from other relatives of the family. They traveled throughout many states over several years finally moving back to Durham, Maine in 1958. (P.R. 5 pg.1) Stephen King began his actual writing career in January of 1959 when David King and Stephen decided to publish their own local town newspaper named Dave's Rag. David bought a mimeograph and they created a paper that sold for five cents an issue. Stephen King attended Lisbon High School, in Lisbon, Maine in 1962. Collaborating with his best friend Chris Chesley, in 1963 they published a collection of 18 short stories called People, Places, and Things-Volume I. King's stories included "Hotel at the End of the Road", "I've Got to Get Away!† "The Dimension Warp", "The Thing at the Bottom of the Well", "The Stranger", "I'm Falling", "The Cursed Expedition", and "The Other Side of the Fog." A year later King's amateur press Triad and Gaslight Books, published a two part book titled "The Star Invaders". Stephen King made his first actual published appearance in 1965 in the magazine Comics Review with his story "I Was a Teenage Grave Robber." The story ran about 6,000 words in length. In 1966, Stephen King graduated from high school and took a scholarship to attend the University of Maine. Looking back on his high school days, King recalled that "my high school career was totally undistinguished. I was not ... ...p; In conclusion, Stephen King is not an easy person to write about. There are thousands of websites and books devoted to him and yet, none mention his international fame. Though my findings were slim, I feel that, given the information available, I have successfully proved that Stephen King has helped bring America into prominence through his writings. King is a dedicated writer and there is no end to his writing in site. â€Å"†¦And aside from being a force of nature, he’s a pretty good guy.† As said by Robert Parker, introducer of speakers at a benefit, Voices Louder Than Words, at Harvard. (P.R. 1 Pg. 161) 1. Beahm, George. America’s Best Loved Boogeyman Stephen King. Andrews McMeel Publishing Kansas City 1998. 2. Beahm, George. The Stephen King Story. Andrew’s McMeel Publishing Kansas City 1991. 3. â€Å"Accident Recovery Update.† Stephen King Official Web Presence. http://www.stephenking.com (30 Jan. 2000) 4. â€Å"Novel Database.† http:///www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/1947/kingworks.htm (10 Feb. 2000) 5. â€Å"Stephen King Biography.† http://utopianweb.com/king/bio.html (10 Feb. 2000) 6. King, Stephen. ‘Salems Lot. Doubleday and Company New York 1975.

An Argument for Euthanasia Essay -- Argumentative Essays, Persuasive Es

An Argument for Euthanasia Euthanasia is defined as, "The act or practice of putting to death painlessly a person suffering from an incurable disease." Euthanasia can be traced back as far back as the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. It was sometimes allowed in these civilizations to help others die. Voluntary euthanasia was approved in these ancient societies. Today, the practice of euthanasia causes great controversy. Both pro-life groups and right-to-die groups present arguments for their different sides. Pro-life groups make arguments and present fears against euthanasia. I contend that the case for the right to die is the stronger argument. I will begin my by listing the arguments against euthanasia and my criticism of each argument. 1. Euthanasia is a violation of medical ethics. The American Medical Association has consistently condemned euthanasia as an unethical practice. Today, attitudes may be changing. Recent surveys indicate that a majority of doctors in some areas, (60% in Oregon, 56% in Michigan, and 54% in Great Britain.) favor euthanasia in extreme cases. 2. Euthanasia weakens the trust relationship between the doctor and the patient. We expect doctors to heal and save lives, not to kill. I feel that I should be able to trust my doctor to do what is best for me as an individual in any situation, including ending unbearable suffering, even if it is my choice to die in order to end my suffering. Doctors may lose the trust of their patients by not helping them to end their suffering. 3. Choosing the time and place of a person?s death is God?s decision. This argument suggests that we should never intervene in any life-threatening situation. If a person is having a heart attack, should we just... ...admit that they have given heavy doses of morphine to relieve the extreme pain of terminally ill patients, knowing that such high doses will cause a quicker death. Because their primary aim is to relieve pain, these acts are considered moral. It would not be morally right to give the same high doses of morphine if their primary aim was to cause death. This is in my opinion wrong. In either case, the ultimate end is death. I believe that it is immoral of society to force caring, compassionate people to lie and go to such morbid lengths to help their patients and loved ones end their suffering. These illegal acts would be entirely unnecessary if euthanasia were regulated and legalized. Value Premise: Everyone deserves to live a life free from suffering. Factual Premise: Euthanasia ends suffering. Conclusion: In order to end suffering euthanasia should be allowed.

Gary Soto Guilt Essay Essay

Guilt is the price we pay willingly for doing what we are going to do anyway -Isabelle Holland. Guilt is something we create for ourselves. In the passage, Gary Soto emphasizes how guilty, paranoid, and shameful he felt in his inner conscience after stealing an apple pie. He expresses his guilt, shame, and paranoia by describing his outer self, his inner self, and the people around him. How Soto describes his inner self emphasizes on how fearful he is. The great sense of paranoia that overcame him caused him to believe that the people around him knew about his sinful deed of stealing the pie. A car honked and the driver knew. Mrs. Hancock stood on her lawn, hands on hip, and she knew. My mom, peeling a mountain of potatoes at the Red-Spud factory, knew. Soto also says that the pie tin glared at him and rolled away when the wind picked up. This impossible image exposes the fear in Sotos mind that even the pie tin is aware of his corrupt actions. Religion also causes Gary Soto to feel shameful and disgraceful. His references to God and being thirsty reveal his fear. Soto playing with his frisbee, states I flung it again until I was bored and tired† and â€Å"I returned home to drink water†, Soto attempts to get away from the anguish of his guilt by playing around and distracting himself. He also refers to Adam and Eve and their thirst after taking the forbidden fruit. Soto refers to himself and young and innocent, holy in every bone. However, he still steals the pie, and is paranoid of punishment from God for the rest of the day. How Soto describes his outer-self emphasizes on how ashamed and disgusted he was about himself stealing the pie. He refers to the sweat under his arms as the juice of guilt. As if sweat isnt gross enough, when described as juice, from guilt, its quite repulsive. Gary Soto obviously felt disgusted with himself, and nervous, after committing this crime. When Cross-Eyed Johnny whispers to him, Your hands are dirty, Soto takes it literally in a way, his hands sticky and dripping. Soto, feeling gluttonous and dirty, and took Cross-Eyed Johnnys comment as an insult, saying he felt bad, and even more guilty. By emphasizing the effects of paranoia, religion, and feelings of shame, Gary Soto is able to revive and recreate his traumatic childhood experience. His paranoia caused his intense insecurity and anxiety about everyone and everything around him, whereas the ideas of religion emphasized morally in ethical values of the sin he has committed. The shame Gary Soto felt led to regret in the bad deed he has committed and awakened his moral conscience that he has done something wrong and enjoyed it. Because of these three major factors, Gary Soto has clearly revived his experience of his first theft as a young innocent child.

Race and Ethnicity Essay

Throughout the course of this twisted Monopoly, many themes and stereotypes arose to become apparent. However the two main themes that I observed were gender biases and stereotypes involving race and inequality. These two themes became apparent through the traits and personality the players began demonstrating as the game went on. It was obvious that the blue male (which would represent a white male in real life) became greedy and aggressive as he was set up to be successful and of course was. You then see how player three and five become unsuccessful because of how the game is set up. This represents the stereotype of a woman who is considered an inferior. As the game went on these players were very cautious of every decision they made because it was made obvious that each one was indeed very critical to any success they strived to achieve. By the end of the game it was extremely apparent to everyone that certain opportunities were given to certain people in the game. This basically made it impossible for them to lose this game. This theme however then transfers to reality in that the stereo typical white male will usually be given a much better opportunity then say an African American female. The two articles that I chose reflects the two themes of race and gender stereo types and how they correspond with success or opportunities. In the first article, Workplace Gender Bias: Not Just between Strangers, they discuss how there is â€Å"substantial inequalities between genders in the modern workplace and the evidence for stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. † They then also discuss how this concept can then be applied to race or age minorities as well. The article also explains the significant difference in that studies show that there are gender differences in career choices, salary, harassment, etc. This directly relates to our theme in our game in that the money and income the blue male (which represented a white male) was much greater than that of the red female (who could represent a female minority). In addition, the article explains how many women â€Å"face significant challenges in career advancement,† and â€Å"Women are more likely to self-select into less prestigious and lower paying careers compared to men (Konrad, 2003). † There were many similarities between this article and our monopoly game in that stereo types and feminization of women occur and are apparent in real life just like our game. It is similar in that just like how the article describes and how it is true in society, women are treated as inferior in our game. Because in society women are stereotyped and made the inferior. Like in the game, in real life a women of a minority will struggle so much more to become successful making every decision critical because of the way they are viewed in society. It is also relative in that this is to be true not only for just women, but for race and other minorities of society as well. In society and in the game, these people are not given as good of opportunities as the superior and it is much more difficult to succeed. There is a direct correlation between what is described in the article and what happened in the game. In conclusion, this article relates to one of the themes of our game in that there is gender inequality in reality and the male is more likely to succeed with a higher income and greater opportunity. Within the second article, Racial Mismatch in the Classroom: Beyond Black-White Differences, demonstrates our theme of race inequality. The main point the article is trying to show is that research shows that when the teacher is of the same race or ethnicity of the student, they receive more positive and helpful instruction than if the student is of a different race or ethnicity of the teacher. The research and analysis was mostly based on black and white subjects however. This article not only can relate to just race, but also class, gender, background, IQ, and other factors like we would see in our game. The second article directly corresponds with our game and our other theme in that people of different race are given different opportunity to succeed in life quite often and are stereotyped as well. We see that a white student with a white teacher would be getting a 1 / 2.better education which then sets them up in that they are more likely to succeed in life than the black student. In our game we see that the player who represents our white male is set up to succeed, while our player who represents a minority is set up to fail. This is similar to our game because certain people would work well together and bargain, while some people were just cast aside or not even given the opportunity to bargain because of the unfortunate circumstances they were under. Both of these articles relate to our game in that they represent the opportunities and stereo types of  not only race and class, but gender as well. These stereotypes are also apparent and can be true in reality also. So we see that the changes made in our monopoly game, and the articles found, directly relate to real life and how society works. Although it may be harsh, it is true and can be proven by not many studies and articles, but our twisted monopoly game as well that certain people (like the white male) are going to succeed much more often than someone like a black female. There are these stereotypes because in reality a majority of people fit into them. They fit into them not in the way people normally believe they do, but because society and the superior have created them. That then changes the opportunities in life and the circumstances in which they are under. Works Cited Nadler, J. T. , & Stockdale, M. S. (2012). Workplace Gender Bias: Not Just Between Strangers. North American Journal Of Psychology, 14(2), 281-291. McGrady, P. B. , & Reynolds, J. R. (2013). Racial Mismatch in the Classroom: Beyond Black- white Differences. Sociology Of Education, 86(1), 3-17. doi:10. 1177/0038040712444857 POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

Contemporary Retail Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Contemporary Retail Environments - Essay Example Shopping is no more a simple act based on the human need, exchange of the currency and the goods but much more. The perception of shopping and its experience differs as few people perceive it to be a part of entertainment, act of expression, path for happiness and stress therapy (Tuttle, 2010). The experience of the shopping is judged by the accomplishment of the individual perception in the retail environment. Shopping can be deciphered as a contradiction that yields both pleasures and anxieties among the people based on their experience. The concept of shopping experience has changed to a greater degree for the modern shoppers based on their psychology, lifestyle and requirements. Consequently, the shopping experience is the point at which the tension, promises of modernity and postmodernity are apparent. The experience of shopping can be evaluated by the people on the basis of the information gathered, product variety and wide range of products. The easy accessibility of the servi ces and goods through the use of online sources and mobiles has made the shopping experience convenient, economical and exciting (Falk & Campbell, 1997). Shopping experience can be a recreational aspect depending on the consumer behaviour and their considerations. Shopping experience is cherished by meeting the emotional value and affect behaviour of the individual. As illustrated by Levy, â€Å"People buy products not only for what they can do, but also for what they mean† (Hirschman, 1986). The objective of the essay is to emphasise the shopping behaviour and experience of the individuals in the retail environment. It evaluates the component, motivational factors, role of environment and the models to explain the shopping experience. Explanation of Shopping Experience The shopping process is initiated by the need recognition of the individuals. It the behaviour by which the unwanted needs of the individuals are realised and are being fulfilled in the retail shop. The needs of the people differ and so the choice of buying, some prefer design over brand, some look for uniqueness and some consider budget. It is observed that before buying a product customers tend to gather information by searching for the same products in various shops. This process of gathering information and taking advices are part of the holistic shopping experience. Information gathering through various sources to get the knowledge about the price of the product, availability and features influence the shopping decision of the individuals. Moreover, the evaluation of the alternatives is a part of shopping wherein the personal views and opinions along with advices from the friends influence the decision process of the individual. The huge displays of the products in the retail environments affect the process of evaluation of the individuals and make their shopping process easier or at times complex. Individuals tend to shop based on their need but at times due to the influence of ret ail environment they tend to buy products which are not desired by them before coming to the retail shop. The impulsive shopping makes the experience of shopping great as it signifies the fulfilment of the undesired

Peace According to John Locke and Thomas Hobbes Essay

Peace According to John Locke and Thomas Hobbes - Essay Example Fundamentally, it is human nature that is focused upon in such theories, and this helps to explain the manner in which situations develop through time. Generally, it can be asserted that any theory that applies to society needs to have some kind of perspective on human nature too that would help to explain the situation in which man lives today. Whichever way one views human behavior, the present condition today has to be explained through that particular perspective. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes are two social theorists that took human nature into great consideration in their work, and they each explained the manner in which society developed through this behavior. They also explained how society functions and how things have come to be socially and politically speaking through this behavior. Specifically, one of the their main areas of focus is 'peace' and how human beings up hold the idea of peace. Locke and Hobbes each have interesting views on this subject, and address it in the ir renowned works: John Locke's Second Treatise of Government and Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan. The subject of peace for John Locke in his 'Second Treatise of Government' is viewed from a particular angle. ... t is not a state of licence: though man in that state have an uncontroulable liberty to dispose of his person or possessions, yet he has not liberty to destroy himself" (C H A P. II. Of the State of Nature: Sect. 6). This clearly refers to suicide, and that in a liberal society people are not supposed to take their lives. Locke further asserts that it is wrong to take anyone else's life too. He asserts that man " has not liberty to destroy himself, or so much as any creature in his possession" (C H A P. I I. Of the State of Nature: Sect. 6). If one takes his or her own life or anyone else's, peace in society would be disrupted, as people would be disturbed. Also, others might resort to the same action and worsen the situation. Natural Law: With regard to John Locke's idea above, he bases his reason for this on his explanation of mankind's origin. He asserts that human beings do not have complete freedom to make decisions. Human beings must consider what is right and what they are answerable to. Locke refers to belief in God through this view, and this is evident when he writes about the state of nature. Locke asserts, "The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions: for men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent" (C H A P. II. Of the State of Nature: Sect. 6). Therefore, Locke asserts that whenever one takes a step in society, s/he ought to consider what a higher authority expects of him or her. It needs to be emphasized here that this view requires one to have a firm belief in a superior being. Undoubt edly, it may be asserted that such belief does aim

The Effect Of Light Intensity On Photosynthesis Of Pondweed Plant Coursework

The Effect Of Light Intensity On Photosynthesis Of Pondweed Plant - Coursework Example Limiting factors are the features, which affect the rate of reaction or control the process depending upon their presence or absence. The law of limiting factor states that,† Those reactions which depend on more than one factors to be favorable, then its rate is limited by least favorable value of its limiting factors. For the reaction to be at optimum speed, all... factors need to be at an optimum stage.† Concentration of CO2 is one of the main limiting factors of the process, after light intensity. Usual concentration of CO2 in the environment is 0.03%, and it does not change much. There are places where more CO2 is present and the rate of Photosynthesis is higher in those areas. The more concentration of CO2 in the surrounding faster will be the process. Temperature is another factor, which affects the rate of the process by influencing the efficiency of the enzymes working in the process. Optimum temperature for photosynthesis is between

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 39

Response - Essay Example There is clearly scanty investigation leading to insufficient evidence to incarcerate the two friends of Absalom. The case should have been adjourned. If justice was to prevail, the judge should have adjourned the case until adequate investigation is done and plenty of evidence is brought forth to aid in just and informed judgment. The judge’s law lecture was to expose unjust legal system, which works to oppress a section of the society. Though sympathetic with Absalom, the judge is imprisoned by the unjust legal system in his decision making. By â€Å"going into a community," Msimangu meant joining the church and becoming a monk. He is doing this to spread the gospel of love amidst injustices facing black South Africans, which can only be triumphed by selfless love. Kumalos emotional reaction to seeing his brother is show forgiveness. Kumalo call Msimangu "Friend of friends" because of the latter’s decision to join the church, which is a home for Kumalo. It is a welcome expression to Msimangu. In book III, Kumalo is healed form grief caused by land and family. When rains end drought and Kumalo receives Absalom’s letter, happiness creeps in from land and family easing Kumalo’s grief. Arthur’s son unites separate worlds leading to reconciliation between whites and blacks. Msimangu gives up worldly possessions, which is an indication of

LLB UNIT 10 SUCCESSION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LLB UNIT 10 SUCCESSION - Essay Example Henry and Len call in to see you and ask the following questions:- Having died without leaving a will or without having made a valid will, Mrs Mould will be considered to have died intestate and therefore the rules of intestacy governed by the Administration of Estates Act 1925 (as amended) and the Intestates Act, 1952 (and various other amendments contained in the Family Provision Act, 1966, The Family Law Reform Act, 1969 and The Family Provision (Intestate Succession) Order, 1972) apply to her estate, which is worth approximately 238,000. By not leaving a will any wishes Mrs Mould had for the allocation of her estate to friends, relatives and other beneficiaries will be ignored. How the estate will be allocated depends on the value of the estate and the deceased's family circumstances. The law in this area is concerned with bloodlines, rather than merit, or the verbally expressed will of the intestate. Not only does it recognise human improvidence, but also that calamities and unfairness occurs within human affairs. It sets out to ensure that there is no discrimination on personal whim. It is not concerned with blame. Due to the increasing complexity of family trees, this area can become ripe for litigation. However, Mrs Mould could be described as being from a 'once-normal nuclear family' where the bloodlines are easily ascertained. If there is both a spouse and children then all personal poss... 2. Surviving children (referred to as 'issue'). 3. Surviving parents. 4. Surviving brothers and sisters of whole blood ie having the same biological parents. 5. Surviving relations of a lesser degree. In the event that the surviving spouse is the only living relative of the deceased (ie no parents or siblings of whole blood), then the estate passes absolutely to that spouse. If there is both a spouse and children then all personal possessions (except business property) and the first 125,000 goes to the remaining spouse free of death duty (inheritance tax) and costs absolutely, with (if possible) interest. The remaining spouse is also entitled to a life interest in half of the residue which is to be invested in a trust from which the spouse will receive income during his/her lifetime. The remaining property then goes to the children via 'statutory trusts'. The definition of 'Statutory trusts' can be found in s.47 Administration of Estates Act 1925. The deceased's property will be held in equal shares for all 'living' (including unborn) children of the estate. On the death of the remaining spouse the children automatically inherit the remaining capital once they reach their majority, ie under current UK law, the child either attains the age of eighteen and/or marries before that age. If there are children but no spouse the estate is shared equally among the children via a statutory trust. Importantly, the child or children of any deceased child (ie grandchildren) will get the share of their deceased parent and if more than one, in equal shares. Where the only remaining relatives are the spouse and whole blood relatives as described above, then the spouse inherits all personal chattels, the first 200,000 plus a life-interest in half of the

Public health international perceptives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Public health international perceptives - Essay Example The foundation of public health as advanced by the Canadian government and societies agitate for a healthy society and its people; under the Ottawa charter for health promotion, health promotion is defined as the continuous effort to achieve health for the society. This effort supersedes the basic desires of making health information available to the public, and involves the empowerment of citizens to control their health and to work towards improving their health. In the promotion of public health, the Canadian government has ensured continuous focus on the entire population and sub-populations that may share health problem or concerns. This is based under the ‘population of interest’ and the ‘population at risk’ policy (Taske et al, 2005). In the implementation of the public health promotion program, the Canadian government has established bodies that conduct annual and regular assessments of the health status of the entire population. This is carried out through a community health assessment process facilitated by community health organizations and workers. Public health also has major determinants that must consider in any program that seeks to promote and raise the standards of public health. The public health agency of Canada has a broad classification of health determinants that provides guidance to any process that seeks to uplift the health of the population. The health contributing factors include the income and social status of the population and the presence of social support networks; in addition, education and literacy level of the population are parameters of public health. The social environment, employment status, physical environment and personal health practices are also important health determinants that shape any public health promotion program in the country (Hills, 2004). Primary prevention of new infections is an important public health variable that must also be considered before initiating any health promotion programs. This is well defined and coordinated in Canada under the public health promotion acts. In primary prevention, the source of the infection is dealt with well before any threat of infection is reported. This prevents any infection from occurring and helps in the reduction of health and social inequalities in the society. The development of public health across the world was a continual process that was facilitated majorly by the high level of new diseases that were affecting the entire population. Diseases such as tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS and a number of other highly contagious diseases necessitated the intervention of different governments. The development of public health in Canada occurred in a well coordinated and progressive manner necessitated again by the high emergence of new infections and endemics. The country today has legal bodies that are mandated to ensure the promotion health and the prevention of diseases (ACPHHS, 2005). The co untry has a number of measures that it has adopted over the years to ensure public health promotion and development in the country. To achieve the mandates set forward for these institutions, the public health sectors of Canada have also initiated a number of partnership programs aimed towards ensuring the high cost of maintaining a healthy society and country is shared. The major players

Video game console and Nintendo Essay Example for Free

Video game console and Nintendo Essay In the world of video games, Nintendo has been a household name for nearly three decades. After all, it was one of the pioneers of home video game consoles with the Nintendo Entertainment System in the early 1980s. It continued as the market leader with its Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 systems. But in the mid-1990s, all that began to change. Along came Sony with its Playstation and Playstation 2, and Microsoft introduced the xBox. Before long, Nintendo was reduced to a fraction of its former glory, running a distant third in a highly competitive market. What happened? In certain respects, Nintendo fell prey to the industry model that it had created. More advanced technology led to the creation of more powerful gaming consoles, which in turn paved the road for more sophisticated games with more realistic graphics. As each new generation of product hit the market, Nintendo found that it could not keep up with more technologically advanced rivals. While more than 120 million Sony PS2s became fixtures in homes, apartments, and dorm rooms around the world, Nintendo moved just slightly more than 20 million GameCubes. As the most recent generation of gaming platforms from the gaming industry’s â€Å"big three† came to market, many industry insiders figured Nintendo was destined to continue its downward path. Sony’s PS3 and Microsoft’s xBox 360 were so advanced that it looked like Nintendo was due for another drubbing. Oh what a difference a couple of years makes. For Nintendo, everything is now coming up Super Mario Bros. â€Å"flowers. † Last year, revenues and profits were up by 73 percent and 67 percent, respectively. In the last couple of years, during a time in which the Nikkei Stock Average fell nearly 25 percent, Nintendo’s stock price tripled. In fact, Nintendo’s stock price rose so high during 2007 that its market capitalization exceeded that of the Sony Corporation. On that measure alone, Nintendo became the second largest corporation in Japan, trailing only Toyota Motor Company. How did this struggling number three player go from product loser to product leader in such a short time? FROM PRODUCT LOSER TO PRODUCT LEADER Most people probably don’t know that Nintendo was founded way back in 1889. Obviously, Nintendo did not make video games back then. It began as a playing cards manufacturer. But it also found success in hotels, packaged foods, and toys. When it came time to revive itself as a veteran in the video game industry, Nintendo did something that it had done time and time again. It focused on customers to find true opportunities. For the video game industry, â€Å"the customer† typically means one of two groups: the 18 to 35-year old hard-core gamers and the children/teenagers. The industry earns most of its revenue and profits from these core consumers who spend a great deal of time and money enhancing their virtual skills. Over the years, as hardware became more sophisticated and games more realistic, these tech junkies were all the more pleased. In the process, Nintendo watched its revenues slide and its rivals strengthen. It realized that it could not compete against technologically superior products. So when it set out to develop the Wii console, it didn’t even try. Instead, it focused on something the others were ignoring. It set its sites on the masses. â€Å"Nintendo took a step back from the technology arms race and chose to focus on the fun of playing rather than cold tech specs,† said Reggie Fils-Aime, president and COO of Nintendo of America. â€Å"We took a more intuitive approach and developed something that could be fun for every member of the family. † 298 Part Three | Designing a Customer Driven Strategy and Mix placed on a separate scale. The light bulb went on as Sawano thought about the possibility of tracking a user’s shifting weight on a game pad as they shimmied and twisted their way through virtual worlds. That game pad is now called the Balance Board and lies at the heart (or rather the foot) of the Wii Fit’s portfolio of exercise applications. Users can do aerobic, strength training, balancing, and yoga exercises all in realistic virtual settings. â€Å"It is now possible to go beyond the fingertip controls of past games and now use your whole body,† Sawano told a crowd of game developers. The Wii Fit also facilitates exercise programs as it tracks and analyzes individual performance over time as well as keeping track of stats like weight and body-mass index. Perhaps the most promising part of the Wii Fit is not that it continues to broaden an ever-growing market segment. In addition, the Balance Board component has the potential to be integrated into a nearly limitless number of applications. Already, Nintendo has developed ski jump and slalom games. It’s only a matter of time before Nintendo develops a Balance Board version for just about every sport imaginable. Releasing hit after hit, Nintendo has vaulted to the top of the Wall Street Journal’s latest Asia 200 survey. Placing first in the â€Å"Innovative in Responding to Customer Needs† category, the company placed second overall, trailing only Toyota. For a company that hadn’t placed in the top 10 since 2002, the sudden turnaround is a telling demonstration of consumer confidence. For the Wii, this meant that Nintendo had to do more with less. The Wii boasts a humble combination of low-powered processors and a standard optical disc drive. Compared to the powerful, state-of-the-art chips and high definition lasers contained in the PS3 and xBox 360, the Wii’s graphics are out right scrawny. But at the core of the Wii’s broad appeal lies a revolutionary motion-sensing wireless technology that forces the once sedentary gamer to get up off the couch and get into the game. The Wii controller resembles a television remote. This feature was no accident as Wii designers correctly speculated that the familiarity of a TV remote would be more inviting than the more typical and complex video game controllers. The Wii’s basic software also allows users to custom design avatars from a seemingly infinite combination of characteristics. With this configuration, users play tennis, go bowling, and hit the links by swinging the controller like a racket, ball or golf club, all with characters resembling themselves. The Wii met with immediate and drastic success. Entering the market after the release of the xBox 360 and the PS3, Wii consoles flew off the shelves. Not only did the Wii’s contain an enticing combination of features, it also had a cost advantage. Microsoft and Sony had priced their offerings in the stratosphere. And even at $599 for the top and most popular PS3 model, Sony was still losing hundreds of dollars on each unit that it sold! Nintendo’s low-tech approach allowed it to earn a hefty profit and be the low-price leader at only $250. With such a favorable benefit-to-cost ratio, the Wii easily won the launch phase, outselling each of the two competing consoles by nearly two-to-one in the first few months . 9 Chapter CXXXX 43550 Page 298 08/15/08 MD SECURING THE FUTURE Although the success of the Wii has largely been attributed to attracting non-traditional gamers, hardcore gamers have hardly been absent. In fact, many of the industry faithful saw the Wii as a relatively cheap second gaming platform—as a nice diversion from more graphic-intensive games. The Wii also has the nostalgic advantage of appealing to the gaming elite with characters they grew up with, such as those from the Mario and Zelda franchises. But developers and executives at Nintendo are not content to sit back and risk having hardcore gamers lose interest. Part of Nintendo’s future strategy includes games focused on more serious gamers. CEO Satoru Iwata shocked the industry last year when he announced that Nintendo would soon add games from two Sony allies: Capcom’s Monster Hunter series and Square Enix’s Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. The release of these titles will do more than appeal to traditional gamers. It will elevate the Wii’s image from that of a machine with little firepower to one that will run the industry’s most advanced games. Said one game industry analyst at a tradeshow sneak preview, â€Å"It’s symbolic. I didn’t think the Wii could handle this type of game. Everyone in the room today saw that it can. † As Nintendo has successfully attracted an untapped audience of gamers over the past few years, it has done more than revive its business. It has transformed a market. The competitors that once trounced Nintendo now find that they must play catch-up. Both Sony and Microsoft are now developing easierto-play games that depart from their usual fast-action fare. Game publishers, including powerhouses such as Electronic Arts Inc. , have started putting more resources into developing games for the Wii. And even small, independent shops are getting into the action as Nintendo’s download channel reduces barriers to entry. All this is causing an already huge $30 billion industry to swell. NOT JUST A FAD Although the Wii was an instant smash hit, many analysts wondered whether or not its appeal would hold up. That speculation began to subside when retailers were still having trouble keeping the Wii in stock more than a year after it was introduced. In its first 18 months, Nintendo moved more than 24 million Wiis. Even though the xBox 360 had been on the market a full year longer, it had sold only 19 million units. And Sony, once the undisputed industry champ, placed only 12 million PS3s. Nintendo’s willingness to reinvent what a video gaming system can mean continues to drive Wii sales. For example, the Wii can scan weather, news, and Web sites through a wireless Internet connection. Through the Wii Shop Channel, an iTunesstyle store, customers can download classic Nintendo games as well as games from independent developers. But in its pursuit to break gaming boundaries, Nintendo has also relentlessly pursued new applications for the basic motionsensing technology. A plastic rifle contraption allows users to realistically play shooting gallery games. Snapping the Wii controller into a steering wheel has made driving games all the more electrifying. And tiny in-controller speakers add touches like the sound of an arrow being shot while the TV makes the â€Å"thwack† of that arrow hitting its target. But perhaps one of the greatest strokes of creative genius in Nintendo’s continuing stream of new applications is the Wii Fit, an add-on device targeted directly at women wanting to lose weight or keep in shape. The idea for the Wii Fit came to Takao Sawano, general manager of development for Nintendo, as he watched sumo wrestlers being weighed in for a television match. The tubby athletes were so heavy that they had to have each foot Company Cases Chapter 9 | New-Product Development and Product Life-Cycle Strategies 21 299 Chapter 3. In which stage of the product life-cycle is the Wii? Based on that stage, is Nintendo employing good marketing mix strategies? Simon Jeffery, president and COO of Sega of America, summarizes why Nintendo has been successful and why the rest of the industry must keep up. The fundamental interface in games has always been a controller, and Nintendo is bringing opportunities to developers to think about how interactions use motion. That has opened doors of creativity throughout the video game business. Nintendo’s success is about creative leadership and the willingness to do things differently. As long as Nintendo can stay focused on these elements that have returned it to its throne, it will reign for a long time to come. 4. Develop a strategy for the Wii’s next product life-cycle phase. 5. Discuss the potential threats to Nintendo’s future success. What will help Nintendo avoid a premature decline for the Wii? Sources: Robert Levine, â€Å"Fast 50 2008: Nintendo,† Fast Company, February 19, 2008, accessed online at www. fastcompany. com; Yukari Iwatani Kane, â€Å"Nintendo Captures Top Spot in Japan For Innovation,† Wall Street Journal, June 27, 2008, accessed online at www. wsj. com; Yukari Iwatani Kane, â€Å"Nintendo is Ahead of the Game, But Sustaining May Be Hard,† Wall Street Journal, April 15, 2008, p.C3; Yukari Iwatani Kane, â€Å"Wii Sales Help Nintendo Net Rise 48 Percent,† Wall Street Journal, April 25, 2008, p. B8; Kenji Hall, â€Å"Nintendo: Calling All Players,† BusinessWeek, October 10, 2007, accessed online at www. businessweek. com; Brian Caulfield, â€Å"Nintendo’s Sumo-Inspired Hit,† Forbes, February 21, 2008, accessed online at www. forbes. com. Questions for Discussion 1. Was Nintendo just lucky, or does the Wii’s success have strategic merit? 2. Has Nintendo put the â€Å"fad† question to rest? State a case as to why the Wii is or is not here to stay. 9 Chapter CXXXX 43550 Page 299 08/15/08 MD.